Quietly, BRob is putting up impressive numbers

[Flosman]

I personally think people are dreaming if they think we are only 1-2 players away from contention.

If the two players are Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds it's possible. Of course Ruth has been inactive for a while, but you know what i mean.

[AgentOrange]

Huff is atrocious in LF. A left side of him, Mora and Tejada would be an absolute disaster. I know many on here think defense is overrated, but that to me would make the team virtually unwatchable... especially if Patterson leaves and instead of being replaced with a bona fide CF we have Payton starting in center. We would have to pray for every ball to be hit to Roberts or Markakis because nobody else would catch it.

No way. He is not that bad. He wouldn't cost us as many games as those two power bats would win us. There isn't that much of a difference from him and Gibbons in the OF.

[Frobby]

I personally think people are dreaming if they think we are only 1-2 players away from contention.

If the team continues playing as it is now, then I agree with you.

[Mark J]

Maybe not. If those 1-2 players are impact Offensive players.

Chances of landing those? Slim.

I agree. While not likely, say we got Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins. Never mind the fact that it's extremely unlikely. But IF IF IF we offered up something like Brandon Erbe or Pedro Beato & Radhames Lis or Nolan Reimold & Chris Ray, we wouldn't be that far away.

[Will]

I agree. While not likely, say we got Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins. Never mind the fact that it's extremely unlikely. But IF IF IF we offered up something like Brandon Erbe or Pedro Beato & Radhames Lis or Nolan Reimold & Chris Ray, we wouldn't be that far away.

Yeah we would. If they trade Cabrera it'll be a 3-for-1 deal. They will get some absurd talent for him, and they know it.

[blueberryale77]

No way. He is not that bad. He wouldn't cost us as many games as those two power bats would win us. There isn't that much of a difference from him and Gibbons in the OF.

Having seen both I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with that. However, it's a moot point because we're not going to get two giant power bats in the FA market. Even if Angelos shelled out the money, getting two really high caliber players to voluntarily come to Baltimore in the same offseason would be impossible.

[Leitch]

You have to see where we are at that time. I would think a power hitting 1B with some glove and a DH type that can mash.

Names.

And how to acquire them.

[DrungoHazewood]

Maybe not. If those 1-2 players are impact Offensive players.

Chances of landing those? Slim.

Justin Morneau won the MVP award (wrong choice by the voters, but he did) and was between eight and nine wins over replacement. Two Justin Morneaus would maybe make this team 10 wins better, figuring that the guys he's replacing are probably worth three wins each.

Ten wins means this is maybe an 87-win team, if all the 30+ year olds don't regress and the pitchers get healthy.

I think this team is more like four impact players from serious contention. Four guys who are at least 6-7 win players.

The only way two players get you there is if they start doing some creative things like platooning that they've shown zero inclination to do up to now.

[Will]

Justin Morneau won the MVP award (wrong choice by the voters, but he did) and was between eight and nine wins over replacement. Two Justin Morneaus would maybe make this team 10 wins better, figuring that the guys he's replacing are probably worth three wins each.

Ten wins means this is maybe an 87-win team, if all the 30+ year olds don't regress and the pitchers get healthy.

I think this team is more like four impact players from serious contention. Four guys who are at least 6-7 win players.

The only way two players get you there is if they start doing some creative things like platooning that they've shown zero inclination to do up to now.

So basically the chance of winning with the current group of players is around null? Because no team is ever at full health and no team will have regressionless 30-somethings.

[Mark J]

Yeah we would. If they trade Cabrera it'll be a 3-for-1 deal. They will get some absurd talent for him, and they know it.

So are you saying we'd still be bad WITH Miguel Cabrera (if we got him -and by the way my offer was a 3-for-1) or simply that we can't get Miguel Cabrera (which I agree may not be realistic)?

[Will]

So are you saying we'd still be bad WITH Miguel Cabrera (if we got him -and by the way my offer was a 3-for-1) or simply that we can't get Miguel Cabrera (which I agree may not be realistic)?

Sorry, I thought you were saying the talent package wouldn't be far away from what the Marlins would want, and I thought you were offering Erbe OR Beato + Liz OR Reimold + Ray.

But anyway... they'll take too much of our young pitching away and honestly we'd still be far away from contending, very far. We need an overhaul. Can't put a bandaid (as nice a bandaid as Cabrera would be!) on, say, cancer.

[Mark J]

Justin Morneau won the MVP award (wrong choice by the voters, but he did) and was between eight and nine wins over replacement. Two Justin Morneaus would maybe make this team 10 wins better, figuring that the guys he's replacing are probably worth three wins each.

Ten wins means this is maybe an 87-win team, if all the 30+ year olds don't regress and the pitchers get healthy.

I think this team is more like four impact players from serious contention. Four guys who are at least 6-7 win players.

The only way two players get you there is if they start doing some creative things like platooning that they've shown zero inclination to do up to now.

Zero inclination is not true. They have been platooning to some degree & it's fine to argue it's not been enough or that it should be more, but there have been some signs of improvement against lefties via playing more righties this year.

[DrungoHazewood]

So basically the chance of winning with the current group of players is around null? Because no team is ever at full health and no team will have regressionless 30-somethings.

I think that's a pretty fair assessment. For 2008 they can count on 2/5ths of a starting rotation, and potentially have big holes in LF, CF, 1B, DH, and it wouldn't be surprising to see moderate declines at 3B, SS, 2B, and catcher.

[Will]

I think that's a pretty fair assessment. For 2008 they can count on 2/5ths of a starting rotation, and potentially have big holes in LF, CF, 1B, DH, and it wouldn't be surprising to see moderate declines at 3B, SS, 2B, and catcher.

Then they HAVE to make this the year they sell it all off.

I mean, they won't, but... you know.

[blueberryale77]

So how 'bout that Brian Roberts and all the bases he's stealing? How does every thread turn into a blow up the team thread? (I know I participated in the hijacking:( .)