The "other side" to how AM handled this offseason

[BaltimoreTerp]

LOL...Vargas is clearly an upgrade over Trax. To say otherwise is beyond foolish.

Is he an upgrade over Matt Albers? Hayden Penn? Garrett Olson?

Cintron is also better than LH if his arm is healthy.

If...

[OSfanfromCT]

Not if another team gets him first.

True. But outside a Brob to Cubs trade, what do you think it would take to get Murton?

[Sports Guy]

And how are we getting rid of these other players?

Nobody wants Payton, nobody will touch Huff, Mora or Gibbons, and there hasn't exactly been a desire for Millar.

Not to mention that, despite your psychic abilities, you have no idea whether or not MacPhail has been trying to trade these guys, and found no deals worth making.

We have heard that teams have been looking at Payton and had we done this BRob deal a few weeks ago, Payton would probably be in Chicago.

I certainly think we could have moved Millar...He had a solid year last year and his salary isn't much.

Huff and Gibbons, i am not complaining about at all. I agree they can't be moved right now.

Mora? Well, i could see that situation going either way but think we would need to eat salary and I question if we would do that.

But i have little doubt Payton and Millar could have been dealt this offseason, along with the "big 3".

And some deal of Ramon and cash for Milledge looks like was very possible.

Plus, you saw guys like Callaspo get dealt for very little....Lots of talent.

[Ballgame64]

Well if a team is gonna over pay, then they over pay. You obviously make that deal if a top tier prospect is involved. Other than that, yea we can be patient, wait till the all star break whe na team REALLY over pays. Trades like ZAmbrano for KAzmir happen when teams get desperate. Im hoping for some of those at the break.

Like many of us have said for a few weeks now, deadline trades usually involve pitchers and middle of the order run producers. I don't think many teams get desperate for a 2nd baseman who happens to hit leadoff. To think Roberts is going to net a big haul in July is wishful thinking, IMO.

[millartime15]

And how are we getting rid of these other players?

Nobody wants Payton, nobody will touch Huff, Mora or Gibbons, and there hasn't exactly been a desire for Millar.

Not to mention that, despite your psychic abilities, you have no idea whether or not MacPhail has been trying to trade these guys, and found no deals worth making.

Any deal should be worth taking for guys like Payton, Mora, and Gibbons

Teams have called about Payton and someone would take Huff, he isnt that bad. Millar has also been asked about a couple times.

[Mackus]

You think Zrebiac is blowing smoke about the Ceda, Veal, Gallagher and Cedeno for BRob deal?

I don't believe it. I believe these are the names Zreibec is hearing, but I don't neccesarily believe that Hendry has faxed over this offer to MacPhail and its just awaiting his signature. I think its far more complicated than that. Also, while I think that is a fair offer that I'd accept, I don't think its such a great offer that we can bash MacPhail if it is real and he has refused it. Its certainly not black and white.

[ChaosLex]

Rome wasn't built in a day, my friends.

[JTrea81]

And how are we getting rid of these other players?

By eating contract. We need to eat salary to make things happen, yet it is a reoccuring theme that we refuse to do so. Instead we'd rather pay guys to stink or be mediocre and take up roster spots of guys that we should be evaluating to see if they can be part of the future, like Moore and Costanzo. Money is not an issue for this team. We have 26 million saved from Tejada so even if we released Payton and Gibbons we'd still be saving money.

[Sports Guy]

Is he an upgrade over Matt Albers? Hayden Penn? Garrett Olson?

In the immediate future he probably is...But that doesn't matter...He should be in here over Trax, not those guys.

[Sports Guy]

I don't believe it. I believe these are the names Zreibec is hearing, but I don't neccesarily believe that Hendry has faxed over this offer to MacPhail and its just awaiting his signature. I think its far more complicated than that. Also, while I think that is a fair offer that I'd accept, I don't think its such a great offer that we can bash MacPhail if it is real and he has refused it. Its certainly not black and white.

That's your choice...For what I am hearing and what has been said on here by the insiders, I have no doubt that was their best offer.

Now, to AM's defense, we don't know what has been said about Pie.

[millartime15]

Is he an upgrade over Matt Albers? Hayden Penn? Garrett Olson?

If...

That wasnt the point

You understand that DT wanted a veteran starter who eats innings right? Well Vargas would be an upgrade over Trax

Im sure SG would want either of them, but DT does

[OSfanfromCT]

By eating contract. We need to eat salary to make things happen,, yet it is a reoccuring theme that we refuse to do so. Instead we'd rather pay guys to stink or be mediocre and take up roster spots of guys that we should be evaluating to see if they can be part of the future, like Moore and Costanzo. Money is not an issue for this team. We have 26 million saved from Tejada so even if we released Payton and Gibbons we'd still be saving money.

But isn't that a problem that lies more with Angelos than AM? I mean, I completely agree, but PA probably is blocking that from happening, and there's nothing AM can do about that.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Any deal should be worth taking for guys like Payton, Mora, and Gibbons

Teams have called about Payton and someone would take Huff, he isnt that bad. Millar has also been asked about a couple times.

How much are you willing to pay on contracts, or accept back in bad contracts from other teams (you know, still blocking our guys)?

[Sports Guy]

By eating contract. We need to eat salary to make things happen, yet it is a reoccuring theme that we refuse to do so. Instead we'd rather pay guys to stink or be mediocre and take up roster spots of guys that we should be evaluating to see if they can be part of the future, like Moore and Costanzo. Money is not an issue for this team. We have 26 million saved from Tejada so even if we released Payton and Gibbons we'd still be saving money.

Between Tejada and Bedard, we save around 20 million off of this year's payroll...Some of that could have/should have been used to usher out some of this deadweight.

[BaltimoreTerp]

By eating contract. We need to eat salary to make things happen, yet it is a reoccuring theme that we refuse to do so. Instead we'd rather pay guys to stink or be mediocre and take up roster spots of guys that we should be evaluating to see if they can be part of the future, like Moore and Costanzo. Money is not an issue for this team. We have 26 million saved from Tejada so even if we released Payton and Gibbons we'd still be saving money.

You are willing to pay $20 million for those two to not play for us?

There isn't a single team in baseball that would do that. Hell, have the Yankees done anything about Pavano?