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Trade for Bruce? Why not use those pieces to trade for a SP?


OrioleMagic79

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We already have a lot of potential for a high-powered offense, why wouldn't we take these trade pieces that we apparently have to get a guy like Bruce and go find a SP of around the same value, instead?

I have to believe that the SP equivalent of a Jay Bruce would strengthen our rotation considerably, and in my opinion that is WAY more helpful to this team for 2016 (and beyond, depending on the acquisition's contract) than adding a bat like Bruce or Pedro Alvarez (though he is "cheaper" because we don't have to trade prospects for him) ...

Thoughts? Is our RF position really a bigger hole than the weaknesses we have in the rotation?

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The issue is we already have pitchers that are the equivalent of Jay Bruce. Pitching is at premium and you can never have enough of it- especially with injuries & ineffectiveness.

For the prospects that we are willing to give up, we're not going to be able to really upgrade the rotation.

The RF situation is dicey at best. We need to solve it.

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The issue is we already have pitchers that are the equivalent of Jay Bruce. Pitching is at premium and you can never have enough of it- especially with injuries & ineffectiveness.

For the prospects that we are willing to give up, we're not going to be able to really upgrade the rotation.

The RF situation is dicey at best. We need to solve it.

This. If the cost for Bruce is enough to net a solid SP option, then the cost for Bruce will be too high for the Orioles to pay. They're not giving up Harvey, Reyes, Sisco (and the list goes on). If the price for Bruce is more than a guy like Walker (though Reds likely wouldn't target him given his position) then I think you see the Orioles go to Plan C or D and reach out to Austin Jackson or Pedro Alvarez.

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We already have a lot of potential for a high-powered offense, why wouldn't we take these trade pieces that we apparently have to get a guy like Bruce and go find a SP of around the same value, instead?

I have to believe that the SP equivalent of a Jay Bruce would strengthen our rotation considerably, and in my opinion that is WAY more helpful to this team for 2016 (and beyond, depending on the acquisition's contract) than adding a bat like Bruce or Pedro Alvarez (though he is "cheaper" because we don't have to trade prospects for him) ...

Thoughts? Is our RF position really a bigger hole than the weaknesses we have in the rotation?

The starting pitcher equivalent of Jay Bruce is somebody who has been below-average, basically replacement level, for the last two seasons.

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Last I heard Cincinnati was motivated to shed Bruce's contract. If his price is high enough to legitimately land a serviceable starter then it's too high. The Orioles should either spend the money on Jackson or pick from the in-house options and hold the budget in reserve for later in the season. IMO Bruce is only interesting as primarily a salary dump.

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We already have a lot of potential for a high-powered offense, why wouldn't we take these trade pieces that we apparently have to get a guy like Bruce and go find a SP of around the same value, instead?

I have to believe that the SP equivalent of a Jay Bruce would strengthen our rotation considerably, and in my opinion that is WAY more helpful to this team for 2016 (and beyond, depending on the acquisition's contract) than adding a bat like Bruce or Pedro Alvarez (though he is "cheaper" because we don't have to trade prospects for him) ...

Thoughts? Is our RF position really a bigger hole than the weaknesses we have in the rotation?

Who do they trade for? They just signed Gallardo.

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You can never have too much pitching. We are relying on comebacks from two guys, and for another guy to pitch as a starter for an entire Major League season, when he's never done it before.

If there were a pitcher available out there that could give us innings and keep us in games, I'd still be looking into it.

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A guy who probably doesn't belong on a major league roster other than in the event of injury or September call ups (Alvarez).

I was watching his arm again, like Vlad as a young man. If he can hit even a little bit, I believe he could have a career.

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I was watching his arm again, like Vlad as a young man. If he can hit even a little bit, I believe he could have a career.

No, the problem isn't hitting "even a little bit". The problem is the lack of plate discipline. Funny you should mention Vlad.

Vlad was inhuman in that he could hit as well against balls out of the strike zone but within reach of his bat as he could balls within the strike zone. He was a freak of nature.

Dariel Alvarez and most other humans do not. If Alvarez could recognize a strike from a ball, and hit as well as he does (or better) on strikes and take balls as balls, then we might have a ballplayer on our hands.

If not, it's hard to imagine his K/BB working out at the ML level.

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If the we don't get an OF, we will pick one up at the trade deadline. Trumbo will play RF, and Davis at first base which will allow Paredes to DH. There's been some talk about picking up Alvarez as the DH. Buck likes Trumbo's arm in RF. Problem is that Scott Boras wants us to "guarantee" more than 81 games on defense for Alvarez. Our stand point is that he is strictly a DH for us.

We'll see how it shakes out.

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Last I heard Cincinnati was motivated to shed Bruce's contract. If his price is high enough to legitimately land a serviceable starter then it's too high. The Orioles should either spend the money on Jackson or pick from the in-house options and hold the budget in reserve for later in the season. IMO Bruce is only interesting as primarily a salary dump.

Absolutely. Bruce is only appealing if he costs next to nothing. His salary is in the neighborhood of what we would have paid Fowler anyway. But if Cincy wants one of the club's top prospects in return, then we should move on with another option in RF.

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Absolutely. Bruce is only appealing if he costs next to nothing. His salary is in the neighborhood of what we would have paid Fowler anyway. But if Cincy wants one of the club's top prospects in return, then we should move on with another option in RF.

Yeah, if (a) Cincinnati is being stupid about their asking price and (b) Alvarez "must play the field", the easy answer is © Jackson.

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Yeah, if (a) Cincinnati is being stupid about their asking price and (b) Alvarez "must play the field", the easy answer is © Jackson.

I have a feeling that as each week of ST goes by, that "must play the field" request by Boras for Alvarez will change to "must occasionally consider playing him in the field" to "at least let him shag some balls during BP".

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If the we don't get an OF, we will pick one up at the trade deadline. Trumbo will play RF, and Davis at first base which will allow Paredes to DH. There's been some talk about picking up Alvarez as the DH. Buck likes Trumbo's arm in RF. Problem is that Scott Boras wants us to "guarantee" more than 81 games on defense for Alvarez. Our stand point is that he is strictly a DH for us.

We'll see how it shakes out.

It sounds like Boras might be over playing his hand with Alvarez. As the calendar flips to March, I think a spot on the 25 man roster in any capacity would be doable.

Any idea on the Reds' asking price for Bruce? Are they really motivated to sell, or do they expect anything more than a C+ prospect for essentially a salary dump?

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