Would you be willing to trade Schoop and Givens for a good starting pitcher?

[Frobby]

As I try to think about who we could trade to get a good starting pitcher (not some mediocre guy), it's clear we can't do it just by trading prospects. We just don't have any who are good enough to bring that kind of return. So, I've been thinking about what major leaguers we have who are good players, yet expendable.

No. 1 on my list is Jonathan Schoop. I really like him, and especially enjoy his interaction with Manny Machado. But I think at the end of the day he has some limits as a player. If we moved Flaherty to 2B to replace him, we'd lose a little on defense, but not too much. On offense, we'd lose quite a bit, but due to Schoop's low OBP tendencies, not an irreparable amount.

No. 2 on my list is Mychal Givens. Any team could use a guy like that in their bullopen, but with Britton, O'Day and Brach, he's a bit of a luxury item for us. And, he does have some issues vs. LHP.

Now obviously, I wouldn't give up a good 2B with 3 more years of team control remaining after this one, and a good relief pitcher with 5 more years of team control remaining, for a rental or even a guy with one more year of control. It would have to be a very good starting pitcher who is under control through 2018 or longer. Honestly, I haven't thought much about who might fit the bill. Is there a match out there? Julio Teheran is said to be available -- would that work, if we threw a decent prospect into the mix with Schoop and Givens?

One other thing -- do we dare trade Schoop if Manny hasn't signed a long-term deal and we are still hoping to sign him?

[Bahama O's Fan]

In theory, I am not against it. In practice, it depends. Definitely not those two for Teheran.

[El Gordo]

First question who has good young SP to spare and need 2B and RP help?

[Frobby]

Im definitely against it. Definitely.

Because you think Schoop is the next Robinson Cano? I like Schoop, but as you know, I don't think he'll ever be at anywhere near that level.

[Bahama O's Fan]

I would prefer to trade a 1B/OF type than a 2B.

[paulcoates]

I don't want to trade any of our offense. Its the one thing that is keeping us in games.

[Frobby]

I would prefer to trade a 1B/OF type than a 2B.

I'm sure you would. So would I. Which of them can be part of a package for a good starting pitcher, do you think?

[Going Underground]

I am against it because who will be the Orioles infield in a few years? Hardy will be gone. Manny probably also. Infield will then be Davis and the three amigos.

[25 Nuggets]

I am against it because who will be the Orioles infield in a few years? Hardy will be gone. Manny probably also. Infield will then be Davis and the three amigos.

Also, if I trade Schoop mid season, I definitely look to trade Machado after the season.

Schoop is still only 24 and he still has room to improve. Givens is a good bullpen piece with years of team control. Do you pull the trigger on say, Sonny Gray, a pitcher who is 3-5 with a 5.77 ERA right now? Or maybe Chris Archer, who is 4-7 with a 4.73 ERA? Both of these guys are supposed to be aces.

Doesn't feel right to me, but who knows for sure.

[Aristotelian]

I would rather trade Brach than Givens. It would be painful to give him up, but he is at peak value now. He will start costing exponentially more arbitration dollars and we can only carry so many arb guys in the bullpen. I would trust DD to find the next Brach if we got a good return.

That said, I don't really see anyone on the trade market who will really help. We are desperate for an ace who can match up against anyone in a short series and I don't see anyone like that available on the trade market.

[canonfaz]

I wouldn't. I don't think that it makes much sense to weaken your major league team to improve your major league team. That's what the minors are for. I don't think we have what it takes in our minors to trade for a difference making starting pitcher.

[El Gordo]

I wouldn't. I don't think that it makes much sense to weaken your major league team to improve your major league team. That's what the minors are for. I don't think we have what it takes in our minors to trade for a difference making starting pitcher.

Losing Schoop and Givens wouldn't weaken the team as much as a true TOR would strengthen it.

[Scrat1]

I appreciate the thought experiment, but I'm almost categorically against trading young, cheap assets for established players. Even the more "successful" ones, like Miller for Rodriguez, I loathe. If we didn't make so many of these trades in the first place, we wouldn't need to make them at all. The reason our starting rotation sucks is because we've traded all our depth away for a bunch of band-aids. You don't fix that problem by trading away more of our depth.

[canonfaz]

Losing Schoop and Givens wouldn't weaken the team as much as a true TOR would strengthen it.

Possibly. It's not a gamble I would take though.

I don't think Schoop and Givens alone would net you a TOR starter anyway. Could you get Teheran for that package? Is Teheran a TOR?

Now if Schoop and Givens would get you a Chris Sale type, then YES.

[srock]

Problem I see, what team not in the playoff hunt has a high end starter to trade AND is looking for ML talent?

The list of teams who think they can compete next year AND trade a TOR starting pitcher (who is NOT a 3 month rental) is going to be shorter than a barefoot Tom Cruise.

Best chance, find a salary dump under contract for a ton of money for a year or two for JUST Givens.