Trade on the horizon?

[atomic]

That's a fair question--if you're opposed to signing Morales because of the draft pick, then you must also be opposed to giving up a good prospect (say, EdRod) for Billy Butler, and vice-versa, since I think we'd all be happy if a mid-first round pick turned out to be as good a prospect as EdRod.

I don't think I'd trade Eduardo Rodriguez for Billy Butler straight up, and I don't want to sign Morales or Cruz.

I doubt KC would do that anyway.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

Smoak is a .220 hitter. Going to Camden Yards isn't suddenly going to make him a .270 hitter. He might be a MacPhail move if you mean another Mark Reynolds. A guy who can't field or hit. Ike Davis did have some success early in his career and that would give me more hope over Smoak who has been pretty consistently bad.

.838 OPS against righties last year and his total OPS was 71 points higher away from Safeco(.711 there vs. .782 away). Realistically speaking, the worst case scenario, we end up with a very good LH half of a DH platoon at a fairly reasonable price; best case scenario, we might just end up with another Chris Davis.

[25 Nuggets]

I wouldn't mind a 2011 Mark Reynolds at DH either and he hit .220 that year.

[Stotle]

.838 OPS against righties last year and his total OPS was 71 points higher away from Safeco(.711 there vs. .782 away). Realistically speaking, the worst case scenario, we end up with a very good LH half of a DH platoon at a fairly reasonable price; best case scenario, we might just end up with another Chris Davis.

Is there evidence 357 PA last year should be taken as evidence of a reasonable baseline for future performance? I have heard advance scouts indicate he made some progress last year, but I'm not sure why he has been such an oft-mentioned trade target his off-season.

[Three Run Homer]

Britton for Davis seems fair to me, except Davis costs a lot more than Britton. So maybe the Mets throw in something extra?

The only way that Britton for Davis would be fair from the Mets point of view would be as a salary dump. Ike Davis has a career WAR of 5.5 in four seasons, compared to 0.6 for Britton in 3 seasons. Factoring in park effects, Ike Davis was an above average major league hitter for each of his first three seasons (2010-2012). Zach Britton has never been even an average major league pitcher (as measured by ERA+), even in his "good" 2011 season.

[Rene88]

Yup, and he signed a 1 year deal as a FA because the market was down and people were down on him. I still think we missed an opportunity on that guy (who was worth more money if for no other reason than his glove).

Crawdaddy called that one, saying he was the best bargain of the offseason. I have zero to little faith in our scouts (at least the old regime).

By the way, when I used to hear rumors like this, I got excited. Now, I get worried. That isn't a good sign.

Lots of free agents could be had for nothing.....

[BillySmith]

Is there evidence 357 PA last year should be taken as evidence of a reasonable baseline for future performance? I have heard advance scouts indicate he made some progress last year, but I'm not sure why he has been such an oft-mentioned trade target his off-season.

I think it's because the Mets are giving first base to Duda, with 2 more young guys waiting in the wings. He's now an extra. I read where he was sent to the minors at one point last year and is OBP was so strong they brought him back up. But his numbers last year were doo.

[Stotle]

I think it's because the Mets are giving first base to Duda, with 2 more young guys waiting in the wings. He's now an extra. I read where he was sent to the minors at one point last year and is OBP was so strong they brought him back up. But his numbers last year were doo.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. My comment was in reference to Smoak.

[BillySmith]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. My comment was in reference to Smoak.

Got it. Get Smoak out of Seattle, maybe something happens.

[weams]

Is there evidence 357 PA last year should be taken as evidence of a reasonable baseline for future performance? I have heard advance scouts indicate he made some progress last year, but I'm not sure why he has been such an oft-mentioned trade target his off-season.

Would you rather have Smoak, Ike Davis, or Morales?

[Rene88]

Would you rathe have Smoak, Ike Davis, or Morales?

I would love to hear who Stotle would recommend this offseason for the O's in general. Always appreciate his insights.

[Stotle]

Would you rathe have Smoak, Ike Davis, or Morales?

I guess Smoak as a lotto ticket considering the likely cost of the other two, but he's a couple steps down from Chris Davis as a Ranger. I'd think a success story in acquiring Smoak is you get a second division 1st baseman?

[weams]

I would love to hear who Stotle would recommend this offseason for the O's in general. Always appreciate his insights.

One of most inside voices that post here.

[weams]

I guess Smoak as a lotto ticket considering the likely cost of the other two, but he's a couple steps down from Chris Davis as a Ranger. I'd think a success story in acquiring Smoak is you get a second division 1st baseman?

I agree. And I would like to take that chance.

[Stotle]

I would love to hear who Stotle would recommend this offseason for the O's in general. Always appreciate his insights.

That's kind of you to say. I wrote a long post on here sometime earlier in the offseason that laid out a series of moves I thought would exemplify an aggressive approach to retooling for short term (2015-2017) while maintaining the org's adequate but not overly impressive chances in 2014. I can see if I can find it, but multi-tasking right now. If anyone knows how to search that out feel free to post a link or message over to dshawg1