Interesting note from MLB Trade rumors

[osfan83]

Bedard was outstanding here, even with a sorry arse team that was here at the time.

You can play the what if game all day long.

What if E-Rod blows his arm out tomorrow?

Exactly...You have to make a decision on what you know today.

1. The O's were in position to win the division, but only had a game and a half lead.

2. We have two young pitchers expected to be better than E-Rod. (Gausman/Bundy)

3. The Red Sox were going to trade Miller, and if not to us, maybe a direct competitor.

Seams like a reasonable decision to me.

[hoosiers]

Didn't Britt Ghiroli mention rumors that questioned Rodriguez's desire to succeed? It may be that trading him gave him the kick in the pants he needed, and he never would have made it in Baltimore anyway.

I would consider it fairly standard for an organization like the Os to place knocks and limitations on the guys we trade away. Obviously, it seems fairly obvious that the Red Sox would be first in line to acquire all Bmore prospects perceived internally to have issues with desire to succeed.

[hoosiers]

We weren't the only team who wanted Miller. Do you think the Red Sox were going to give him to us from the goodness of their hearts?

Miller has turned out even better than we expected. ERod was not Gausman or Bundy whom I am sure the Red Sox wanted. You can only have so many starters. We have more than enough for next year. And if Bundy comes up in two years we should be set then as well. I am sorry that you don't like winning.

And I think you grossly under estimate the value of Miller. Substitute him with Matusz in every game he has pitched and we probably have lost a significant more games. Having Miller, ODay, and Britton for the 7th, 8th, and 9th inning is a major part of our success. Get through 6th with the lead in the playoffs and we most likely are going to win the game.

Well, I never implied the Red Sox would give away Miller based on the goodness of their hears. Those are your words.

Miller has not been better than expected. He has performed to the same high level as an Oriole that he did with the BoSox. I do not grossly underestimate Miller. I think you grossly overestimate the impact 15-25 IP from Miller actually provide relative to an alternative (like EdRod himself) and the cost of giving up EdRod.

The fact that we have Gausman and Bundy should have NO impact on whether we deal EdRod and his perceived value. In fact, IMO, looking at EdRod as excess is exactly what led to this type of trade.

Again, we can evaluate these trades after the season and see what other teams gave up and what they received and I am expecting to see that the Os gave up one of the very best pitching prospects (Top 100 type) for 20 IP for an elite non-closer reliever. That relative to other trades the Os gave up more than they received.

[baltfan]

Well, I never implied the Red Sox would give away Miller based on the goodness of their hears. Those are your words.

Miller has not been better than expected. He has performed to the same high level as an Oriole that he did with the BoSox. I do not grossly underestimate Miller. I think you grossly overestimate the impact 15-25 IP from Miller actually provide relative to an alternative (like EdRod himself) and the cost of giving up EdRod.

The fact that we have Gausman and Bundy should have NO impact on whether we deal EdRod and his perceived value. In fact, IMO, looking at EdRod as excess is exactly what led to this type of trade.

Again, we can evaluate these trades after the season and see what other teams gave up and what they received and I am expecting to see that the Os gave up one of the very best pitching prospects (Top 100 type) for 20 IP for an elite non-closer reliever. That relative to other trades the Os gave up more than they received.

No way E-Rod had top 100 value at the trade deadline. His season was putting him on a ship to be shipped off of all of the Top 100 lists. After these 7 games with the Sox he probably preserved his spot in the Top 100, but he needed those 7 performances.

[Frobby]

Exactly...You have to make a decision on what you know today.

1. The O's were in position to win the division, but only had a game and a half lead.

2. We have two young pitchers expected to be better than E-Rod. (Gausman/Bundy)

3. The Red Sox were going to trade Miller, and if not to us, maybe a direct competitor.

Seams like a reasonable decision to me.

If our bullpen had been a weakness to that point in the season, I might agree with you. But our bullpen had been pretty solid, and had a 2.34 ERA in July before the Miller trade. I really like Miller, and think he's been great for us, but I wouldn't have pulled the trigger. At the same time, I'm not in a "second guess every little thing Dan Duquette has done" kind of a mood. Overall I have no complaints. Hopefully Miller pitches well in the postseason and helps us get deep into the playoffs, and then I'll feel a bit better about overpaying for him.

[Reboulet'sStache]

I don't disagree necessarily, but if there's one thing the losses of Manny and Wieters taught us, it's not to be content with having one of the best 3B and C in the game. You have to have depth. Fortunately, we had Steve Pearce and Caleb Joseph.

Sure, our bullpen ERA may have been nice and shiny at the time, but god forbid we lose O'Day or Britton. In a playoff push, I think it's a smart idea to have more than you need. And we saw how tenuous the pen can get recently when O'Day isn't right.

I don't like the idea of giving up cost controlled, high ranking prospects for "depth." If the O's had a need to upgrade their bullpen, fine. But if it is just to build depth, at what point do you stop? Should we have given up a big time prospect for CF depth?

[Reboulet'sStache]

Finally, I find it hilarious that so many on here can read the future that Miller and other players are just automatically gone after the season or when their contract is up. Yes, he might get a gig as a closer for some team this offseason but he may also see some potential in this team being able to complete for a World Series for at least the next few years and want to stay.

Do you want the Orioles to pay market value for a bullpen guy?