Post latest rumors on the Roberts trade here...

[skiba7]

Unless you see the Cubs acquire a real CF (i.e. not Marlon Byrd), I'm becoming more and more inclined to agree that Pie isn't gonna happen. There's been speculation that the Cubs are/were interested in both Coco Crisp and Chone Figgins. If you see one of those guys head to the Cubs, that's probably the sign that Roberts is gonna net you Pie. Otherwise, I'm just not seeing it at this point.

But yeah, Hill certainly isn't happening. Besides Hill having more market value in absolute terms, he also has much more value to the Cubs. DeRosa is a lot closer in value to Roberts than our load of fifth starters we found in the dumpster are to Hill.

Bruce Miles said a couple days ago that the Cubs never had any real interest in Crisp.

[Rob H]

Bruce Miles said a couple days ago that the Cubs never had any real interest in Crisp.

I thought that was Rosenthal?

[SacreBleu]

I thought that was Rosenthal?

The Cubs never had any real interest in Rosenthal either:D

[Rob H]

The Cubs never had any real interest in Rosenthal either:D

Yeah, that's good for some rep points.

[skiba7]

I thought that was Rosenthal?

This was Bruce on NSBB a couple days ago.

At its hottest, the Cubs' interest in Crisp is lukewarm. First off, they don't like his contract. Second, what happens if you get him and Pie shows signs he's "gotten it" in spring training and Colvin progresses at the plate and shows he might be able to play center field. You're then stuck with Crisp, who is blocking the paths of two players.

They also don't see Crisp as being that much of an upgrade.

[Roll Tide]

Does Gallagher's dad come with him in a trade? Oh by the way Luis Hernandez's grandmother said he was crushing the ball off her in BP last week.

Not sure I understand what Gallagher's Dad has to do with the deal. Gallagher is a real mid rotation (maybe 2) guy. LH is a utility IF who is never going to hit & wouldn't be starting for any other team in MLB.

[Greg Pappas]

Stewart and Nelson are both top 100 prospects, I don't know if Colorado would trade them both, even if both guys are blocked by young, talented players.

I think you have to take the bolded part and keep it in perspective. Just because a player is a top 100 prospect, means he could be #1, or he could rank 100th. Nelson, who I like a great deal is way down the list while Stewart is higher up on the list. A #30'ish and #80'ish for Brian Roberts... from Colorado's point of view, it should be "Yes please."

[Insomniac]

I think you have to take the bolded part and keep it in perspective. Just because a player is a top 100 prospect, means he could be #1, or he could rank 100th. Nelson, who I like a great deal is way down the list while Stewart is higher up on the list. A #30'ish and #80'ish for Brian Roberts... from Colorado's point of view, it should be "Yes please."

Greg - since I know you are a guy who follows draft prospects very closely, how do you feel Nelson and Tim Beckham compare?

[El Gordo]

I think you have to take the bolded part and keep it in perspective. Just because a player is a top 100 prospect, means he could be #1, or he could rank 100th. Nelson, who I like a great deal is way down the list while Stewart is higher up on the list. A #30'ish and #80'ish for Brian Roberts... from Colorado's point of view, it should be "Yes please."

I wonder why this doesn't seem to be the case?

[SacreBleu]

Yeah, that's good for some rep points.

Congrats on 500 posts. Uh, what are rep points?

[Number5]

I agree, I'm not sure the Cubs match up that well with us either. Colvin is very suspect as he has power, but he needs to have a lot more patience at the plate. Reimold is definitely the better prospect of the two.

Cleveland would be my best guess for Roberts, as they have yet to make a splash this offseason to offset the upgrades every other team in that division has made.

Just trying to piece things together. BigBird made the post you quoted in this thread at 12:36 (#73) saying that a trade with the Cubs is not really a good fit and looking less likely, and Peace made this post at 3:49 in the Fogg thread:

[http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1209053&postcount=34

I agree with you and BigBird that the Cubs are not really a good fit for a trade with us, but I wonder if something happened in the three hours between BigBird's post and Peace's post saying that it was 100% that Roberts would be traded. Maybe the Cubs decided to give up Colvin along with Gallagher, Murton, and Cedeno? Or do you think something unexpected like a trade with the Rockies or Indians may be in the works, since Peace's source did not say 100% with the Cubs?

Hard to keep up!

[Bloopandablast]

Well, really the evidence is stacked against Murton. Murton actually has more ABs in MLB than Scott. In 663 ABs Scott has a .882 OPS. In 830 ABs Murton has an .820 OPS. Against lefties Scott has an .803 OPS and against righties he has an .898 OPS. Murton is .909 against lefties and a .771 OPS against righties.

Scott is the better hitter right now. Now, in three years that may change. But not right now.

Scott has been spoon fed and has 17% of his AB's against lefties.

Murton has had to change positions, moved around the lineup, gone up and down and yet has done really well. Murton as a LF has an ops of 876. Murton the after the break in 2006, after he established himself had an ops of 912.

He then showed up in camp for 2007 relegated to learning RF, and playing very irregularly.

He was not spoon fed only lefties in 2006. He had a 70% ratio of facing righties vs lefties whereas the Cubs in total faced righties 71% of the time.

You need to pencil him in and let him go.

[Greg Pappas]

Greg - since I know you are a guy who follows draft prospects very closely, how do you feel Nelson and Tim Beckham compare?

Both players are/were Georgia High School SS's and project as solid defenders. Beckham (18) could comparitively be the higher ranked player, in terms of where is chosen in the draft, and from a scouting viewpoint at the same age. However, Nelson (22), chosen 8th overall by the Rockies in 2004, projects to have more power and certainly has the advantage in that he is already more advanced being the older and more experienced player. Nelson will play SS unless he is asked to man 2B for the Rox upon his call up, however he has only had this one breakthrough season and will need to continue to improve at the plate to be the player that many scouts thought he could be when drafted. Beckham is the more exciting prospect, but he has a ways to go to get to where Nelson is now... among the best SS prospects in baseball.

Edge to Nelson at this time.

[Fairfax Bird]

Scott has been spoon fed and has 17% of his AB's against lefties.

Murton has had to change positions, moved around the lineup, gone up and down and yet has done really well. Murton as a LF has an ops of 876. Murton the after the break in 2006, after he established himself had an ops of 912.

He then showed up in camp for 2007 relegated to learning RF, and playing very irregularly.

He was not spoon fed only lefties in 2006. He had a 70% ratio of facing righties vs lefties whereas the Cubs in total faced righties 71% of the time.

You need to pencil him in and let him go.

You can make all the excuses you want for Scott outperforming Murton thus far, but it doesn't change the fact that Scott has outperformed Murton in the majors. Spoon fed, that is classic.

[thundercleetz]

I think you have to take the bolded part and keep it in perspective. Just because a player is a top 100 prospect, means he could be #1, or he could rank 100th. Nelson, who I like a great deal is way down the list while Stewart is higher up on the list. A #30'ish and #80'ish for Brian Roberts... from Colorado's point of view, it should be "Yes please."

I guess that comes to the question, do you think Roberts is worth two top 100 prospects? Once you get outside of the top 15 or so, the order of prospects can be interchangeable. Stewart and Nelson are Colorado's #2 and #3 prospects. You think they would give them up for Roberts? IMO, Colorado could get a much more valuable player (such as a top of the rotation guy, or a big bat) by centering a package around Stewart and Nelson. I do not think Roberts is worth both of these guys. Maybe one, but most certainly not both.