Would you trade Britton?

[BMann]

Looking back at great O's teams: how many of them were built by trading one of our two best players? Bedard comes to mind, but we basically hit the lottery with that deal. Most of our great trades were for middle-talent guys (FRobby, the Dipper/McGregor trade, Davis). Trading a superstar is awfully risky; guys like Britton don't grow on trees.

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[DirtyBird]

Who would you slide into his vacant position? This is not directed at you per se, but all I see are these suggestions to trade him with zero solutions behind it. Who would then be our closer? How much worse off would we be losing a closer who seals 42 for 42 games? When is his contract up? Would we then go into rebuild mode or just simply to stock our farm club? I don't see this argument supported with anything more than words like "I've been saying this all along".

Not good enough.

Someone please make a compelling case here so we can discuss.

Yep. We are probably 5 or 6 games worse this season without Britton.

[wildcard]

I would not trade Britton this off season. The O's can afford him for 2017. I would concentrate of signing Tillman and Kim. Also trading Miley or Gallardo. I would wait until next off season to consider what to do about Britton's up coming FA.

[Phantom]

Yep. We are probably 5 or 6 games worse this season without Britton.

WAR seems to put it at 2-4.

[SilentJames]

There are a lot of arguments for and against this.

Honestly, what Britton is doing is great and amazing and nearly historic. But say we had Givens in that role, would he be 42 in a row good? Likely not, but would he be significantly and noticeably worse? Don't know.

Would the player(s) we got back for Britton make up the 1-3 games that we would lose due to blown saves? Would we get back a massive Andrew Miller-like haul? I don't think Britton would command that in the offseason as teams seem less trigger-happy in January than they are in May.

I think if the Orioles fail to make the playoffs, then Britton gets traded. If the Orioles go deep into the playoffs I think he stays until the deadline next year.

[DirtyBird]

At $ome point you cut bait with Britton. Just a question of when. Assuming he never duplicates this season again, you move him for two or three guys who will be cornerstone pieces for you going forward

But the original post was about getting a Chapman type return - which was zero cornerstone pieces.

[clapdiddy]

This has Bedard written all over it. I don't see how you don't move him this offseason. We're good at developing bullpen pieces. I have no worry we can find a closer.

And, we can always find a cheaper guy to fill that role if we don't feel our in-house guys can do it. Especially if we are able to get a Bedard-like haul. I'm not sure we can do that for a closer, though.

[jamalshw]

It all depends on the return. Generally, relief arms (even elite ones) are much pricier midseason (though Ken Giles showed that's not necessarily true).

I think if you can get a massive package back for him that includes legitimate prospects that can fill a couple immediate (or near-immediate) needs, then it makes sense.

[LookitsPuck]

The Yankees got Clint Frazier, Jestus Sheffield, Ben Heller and J.P. Feyereisen by trading Andrew Miller. Miller has 2 years left on his contract.

Britton isn't a free agent until 2019.

I think those are comparable scenarios.

Frazier is anywhere from the 27th to the 53rd best prospect in baseball depending on which source you prefer.

Jestus Sheffield is the #81 best prospect in baseball.

Ben Heller projects as a reliever. Not really ranked. Just turned 24...and has had some solid numbers in the minors. Most likely a middle reliever type.

Feyereisen is another bullpen arm. Also solid numbers in the minors. Not many hits. A lot of strikeouts. Control is his biggest issue. But in 123 IP in the minors, he has a 11.6 SO/9, 3.1 BB/9, 0.4 HR/9, 5.6 H/9 and a glowing 0.976 WHIP to go along with a 1.61 ERA.

Overall, a very, very solid haul for a reliever.

[TINSTAAPP]

I would say yes except I feel like the back of the bullpen with Britton and Brach are the primary reason why the Orioles are where they are right now. If you look at this team from an outsider's point of view, you would wonder how in the world they are in contention. The Orioles are full of flaws. They have an all or nothing offense that lives and dies by the home run. The starting pitching has been horrid all year except for Tillman and Gausman and two months of Dylan Bundy. Their team fielding ranks well below average defensively because the outfield defense has been a trainwreck this year. The middle relief has been wildly inconsistent. They don't add runs on the basepaths. The Orioles are dead last by a mile in stolen bases. So how are they so good? Because they don't ever blow leads in the later innings. They've won the last 32 games where they've had a lead after the sixth inning and Britton has been perfect in save opportunities this year. If you take that advantage away, I really don't see how this team can stay in contention next year. And if you would want the Orioles to rebuild, that's fine. But that could also end up costing the Orioles the opportunity to re-sign Machado. Why would he want to re-sign to play for a rebuilding team in a brutal division? Mike Mussina felt the same way when the Orioles had the firesale in 2000. He said the day he knew he was going to leave the Orioles was when they traded B.J. Surhoff because that indicated to him the O's had no intention of winning for the next few years. Manny will likely feel the same way if the Orioles trade Britton.

[Ruzious]

Have people forgotten that we have a guy named O'Day on the roster? He had better stats than Britton last year - other than saves. He's been injured a lot of this year and presumably he'll be healthy next year. He's had 4 great years with the O's, and people seem to have forgotten all about him. The O's are paying him to be a big-time reliever, and I expect he will perform. In the meantime, we have Brach, and Givens has 8 wins and 85 SO's this year out of the pen - even while stinking against lefties. Considering lefties hit .200 against him last year, I think it's fair to assume he'll dramatically improve against them next year - and he is a closer of the future. His sidearm fastball can be the kind of dominant pitch that Britton's sinking fastball is. Btw, I think we know that Britton has almost no chance of repeating a 42 of 42 season.

[DirtyBird]

Have people forgotten that we have a guy named O'Day on the roster? He had better stats than Britton last year - other than saves. He's been injured a lot of this year and presumably he'll be healthy next year. He's had 4 great years with the O's, and people seem to have forgotten all about him. The O's are paying him to be a big-time reliever, and I expect he will perform. In the meantime, we have Brach, and Givens has 8 wins and 85 SO's this year out of the pen - even while stinking against lefties. Considering lefties hit .200 against him last year, I think it's fair to assume he'll dramatically improve against them next year - and he is a closer of the future. His sidearm fastball can be the kind of dominant pitch that Britton's sinking fastball is. Btw, I think we know that Britton has almost no chance of repeating a 42 of 42 season.

Why should we presume that a 34 y/o O'Day will be healthier than a 33 y/o O'Day?

[ChuckS]

I would absolutely trade Britton for a haul in the offseason.

The type of package he could bring back would be worth it. Having a shutdown closer for the next two years is nice, but having three to four potential pieces that could be fixtures on the team for the next seven years would be much more valuable to this team at this point.

I don't think there is any chance he gets traded in the offseason though. If we are out of it by next year's trade deadline, then I can see a deal happening.

[pastorfan]

Have people forgotten that we have a guy named O'Day on the roster? He had better stats than Britton last year - other than saves. He's been injured a lot of this year and presumably he'll be healthy next year. He's had 4 great years with the O's, and people seem to have forgotten all about him. The O's are paying him to be a big-time reliever, and I expect he will perform. In the meantime, we have Brach, and Givens has 8 wins and 85 SO's this year out of the pen - even while stinking against lefties. Considering lefties hit .200 against him last year, I think it's fair to assume he'll dramatically improve against them next year - and he is a closer of the future. His sidearm fastball can be the kind of dominant pitch that Britton's sinking fastball is. Btw, I think we know that Britton has almost no chance of repeating a 42 of 42 season.

You have two top closers on the FA market this off season, thus no one is going to give up a ton of talent for Britton, especially when his salary is about to skyrocket....only DD would do something like that! Maybe at trade deadline next year...

[DirtyBird]

I would absolutely trade Britton for a haul in the offseason.

Having a shutdown closer for the next two years is nice, but having three to four potential pieces that could be fixtures on the team for the next seven years would be much more valuable to this team at this point.

Why do people think we would get this much for Britton?