Shields and Alonso

[Pickles]

Good targets but just too much money. Shields strikeout rate went up because he got 1-2 free strikeouts a game against the other teams' starting pitcher.

I wouldn't be interested unless we were getting 15-20M in salary relief and that's likely not happening at all or unless we give up some real prospects.

I have to credit SportsGuy who still posts on another site I visit occasionally. He suggested Alonso as a target as well. Alonso is a potential non-tender or at the very least should come fairly cheap in a trade. He's been injury prone and his below average power is suppressed even more in Petco. A good target. He also suggested going after Matt Latos. Latos should be cheap, available on a 1 year or short term contract, and despite some down years with injuries is still relatively young with a track record. We should be gambling on this type of pitcher, not a 23M pitcher.

Ultimately I think the bolded is 100% correct.

This team isn't the org to take 20 million dollar gambles- for better or worse.

As I recall Sports Guy has long had a man crush on Alonso, which isn't surprising, b/c, as someone else pointed out, he's long loved any LH first base man w decent obp skills and no power.

[mdbdotcom]

I believe it was Stotle who suggested (in another thread) including Hardy in a trade for Shields and Alonso, then trading Britton for Trevor Plouffe. That would give us an infield for Alonso, Schoop, Machado (as SS), and Plouffe, while adding about $8 million to the budget.

Even if he doesn't hit well for the Padres, they need his defense. Hardy would have to approve the trade, which might be tough (maybe the Padres sweeten his deal?), but San Diego is a lot closer to his Arizona home than Baltimore.

Plouffe and Britton will be close to a wash, salary wise. Twins need to free up a spot for Sano at 3B and they are looking for a closer.

I would like the Plouffe for Britton deal if we could move Hardy. Is this deal with San Diego worth contemplating?

[Aristotelian]

I believe it was Stotle who suggested (in another thread) including Hardy in a trade for Shields and Alonso, then trading Britton for Trevor Plouffe. That would give us an infield for Alonso, Schoop, Machado (as SS), and Plouffe, while adding about $8 million to the budget.

Even if he doesn't hit well for the Padres, they need his defense. Hardy would have to approve the trade, which might be tough (maybe the Padres sweeten his deal?), but San Diego is a lot closer to his Arizona home than Baltimore.

Plouffe and Britton will be close to a wash, salary wise. Twins need to free up a spot for Sano at 3B and they are looking for a closer.

I would like the Plouffe for Britton deal if we could move Hardy. Is this deal with San Diego worth contemplating?

I don't know why SD would take Hardy much less give us a controlled young 1b with high OBP. Plouffe is not a big enough return for Britton. I want a MLB ready prospect with no service time.

[mdbdotcom]

Hardy to the Padres in a Shields deal makes little sense for San Diego unless we are throwing in top prospects. Makes more sense for them to trade Shields along with some salary relief for prospects and stay away from Hardy. That looks like the direction they're headed in to me.

The Padres would do it to improve their awful defense and save $8 million a year.

[Stotle]

I am not particularly interested in having 40% of the rotation and 30% of the payroll tied-up in Shields/Ubaldo.

[weams]

I am not particularly interested in having 40% of the rotation and 30% of the payroll tied-up in Shields/Ubaldo.

It would be pretty stupid. And Shields was probably Preller's biggest mistake.

[Stotle]

It would be pretty stupid. And Shields was probably Preller's biggest mistake.

Shields might be okay. I would much rather roll the dice in PetCo than I would OPACY.

[weams]

Shields might be okay.

Not for that contract. It is an albatross.

[Stotle]

Not for that contract. It is an albatross.

Choo's too aftr year one. Then he put up 3.5 WAR for $14 MM this year. I don't want the Shields contract. I also try to steer clear of definitive statements one year into a contract, because baseball is baseball. And we don't know.

[weams]

Choo's too aftr year one. Then he put up 3.5 WAR for $14 MM this year. I don't want the Shields contract. I also try to steer clear of definitive statements one year into a contract, because baseball is baseball. And we don't know.

Fair enough.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

The New York Yankees could afford to gamble $60+ million on 3 years of a declining James Shields.

The Baltimore Orioles could not.