Encina: O's Pads still talking Venable and Smith.

[Ruzious]

Smith would be an upgrade for the O's, but is he a big enough upgrade to give up a good prospect to get him? I don't know. And him being left-handed does not help.

[sportsfan8703]

O's potential free agents after 2015:

1. Wieters

2. Davis

3. De Aza

4. Pearce

5. Chen

6. Norris

7. Hunter

8. O'Day

9. Webb

That's a lot of team to re-sign or replace. I'd rather not add to it unless necessary.

10. Wesley Wright.

This is why last year at the deadline DD was so adamant about not just gutting our farm system for a rental. Although we did get one.

[EagleOriole]

Smith would be an upgrade for the O's, but is he a big enough upgrade to give up a good prospect to get him? I don't know. And him being left-handed does not help.

33rd Street said it would take a prospect in 10-15 range (per MLBtraderumors chat). That isn't a good prospect. He is clear upgrade and being left-handed is fine if we have platoon partners, which we do.

[weams]

10. Wesley Wright.

This is why last year at the deadline DD was so adamant about not just gutting our farm system for a rental. Although we did get one.

Out opportunity them.

[25 Nuggets]

Smith would be an upgrade for the O's, but is he a big enough upgrade to give up a good prospect to get him? I don't know. And him being left-handed does not help.

I think being left handed DOES help. There are only three left handers currently projected in the lineup, and a switch hitter that bats much better from the right side. Add a RH outfielder or DH and the LH bats are reduced to two (with Lough or De Aza on the bench).

[mdbdotcom]

10. Wesley Wright.

This is why last year at the deadline DD was so adamant about not just gutting our farm system for a rental. Although we did get one.

Thanks for adding Wright. And now we have...

11. Delmon Young

[33rdst]

A trade with the Padres is not a fit.

1) The Padres do not need Matusz.

2) Smith has a leftfield arm. He is not a good fit for rightfield unless you want to see a lot of runners chance singles into doubles.

3) Venable has a poor OBP. The O's need to get better in OBP not worse.

I hope the Padres trade rumor is a buff to get Aoki to come down in price.

Been in love with Aoki from the get go huh WC? In the end the O's may get him. DD has saved some cash on Delmon. If he's satisfied with one of Lavarnway et al for back up catcher, he may be able to afford Aoki on a two year deal. We'll see.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

Venable would be a great get(assuming the price is right of course), though he would seem to be a bit redundant with De Aza and Lough already in the fold for 2015. Dude has OPS'd ~60 points higher away from Petco and brings good speed to the table, something we've lacked in recent years.

Personally, I would love to get Smith and Quentin if the Pads would eat a little money or take a couple of junk prospects in exchange for us taking their full contracts. A Smith-Pearce/Young/Quentin platoon should produce enough to offset Cruz's departure, and Quentin could easily bounce back enough serving as a DH in a park not named Petco to warrant a QO and net us a draft pick after the season.

[theobird]

Venable would be a great get(assuming the price is right of course), though he would seem to be a bit redundant with De Aza and Lough already in the fold for 2015. Dude has OPS'd ~60 points higher away from Petco and brings good speed to the table, something we've lacked in recent years.

Personally, I would love to get Smith and Quentin if the Pads would eat a little money or take a couple of junk prospects in exchange for us taking their full contracts. A Smith-Pearce/Young/Quentin platoon should produce enough to offset Cruz's departure, and Quentin could easily bounce back enough serving as a DH in a park not named Petco to warrant a QO and net us a draft pick after the season.

The real problem is that the Padres have started out these conversations by inquiring about Gausman and Bundy, according to MLBTR. If that is the case, walk away...No, run away right now. I agree with you about a deal involving "junk prospects" but if they have started the talks with those two they are too far away to even continue to have dialogue with.

I said it a couple weeks ago, but lets just re-sign Delmon Young (done) and go get Colby Rasmus. It makes no sense to me to give up any quality players for the right to pay the salaries of Quentin and Smith. I would get interested in Quentin and Smith if they will take Ubaldo and his contract in exchange.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Padres do seam like a natural match for us. Some combination of Venable/Smith and Quentin/Maybin could potentially work well for us in RF imo. Maybe Lough/Matusz/Prospect heading back to SD.

[Guest]

Padres do seam like a natural match for us. Some combination of Venable/Smith and Quentin/Maybin could potentially work well for us in RF imo. Maybe Lough/Matusz/Prospect heading back to SD.

1 year of Venable or Smith really better then Lough? Just play Lough if it's not a real upgrade.

[CA-ORIOLE]

The real problem is that the Padres have started out these conversations by inquiring about Gausman and Bundy, according to MLBTR. If that is the case, walk away...No, run away right now. I agree with you about a deal involving "junk prospects" but if they have started the talks with those two they are too far away to even continue to have dialogue with. .

This doesn't even make sense. So, it's not the case unless someone like Myers were in the equation.

[CA-ORIOLE]

1 year of Venable or Smith really better then Lough? Just play Lough if it's not a real upgrade.

Yeah, not a big Lough believer. I'd prefer him over Ichiro at this point, but Venable/Smith have more proven ability to hit RHP and be productive ML assets imo.

[CA-ORIOLE]

First they say it's a 15-20 prospect and now they say Bundy or Gausman. Likely the O's offered a 15-20 prospect and the Pads started out by asking for something stupid. The answer lies somewhere in between.

Maybe there is some GM protocol that all initial offers have to be ridiculously stupid. I don't know.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

The real problem is that the Padres have started out these conversations by inquiring about Gausman and Bundy, according to MLBTR. If that is the case, walk away...No, run away right now. I agree with you about a deal involving "junk prospects" but if they have started the talks with those two they are too far away to even continue to have dialogue with.

I said it a couple weeks ago, but lets just re-sign Delmon Young (done) and go get Colby Rasmus. It makes no sense to me to give up any quality players for the right to pay the salaries of Quentin and Smith. I would get interested in Quentin and Smith if they will take Ubaldo and his contract in exchange.

They can ask for anything they want. They can ask for Chris Tillman, Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Buck Showalter, a year's supply of crab cakes, and $2.5 million dollars in Kennedy half dollars for Seth Smith.

As long as they can grasp the fact that they aren't going to get completely silly, unrealistic value from us for their excess part-time OFs, I see no reason to stop discussing the matter altogether. I don't fault them at all for trying to open the conversation with Bundy and Gausman- lord knows, I probably would too- but I'm sure that their GM knows it isn't happening.