Cabrera, Sherrill, Roberts = our big trading chips

[NCRaven]

Does the marlins post-world series dismantlement count?

That wasn't during the season, but after they won it all. And, now they've done it twice.

[El Gordo]

McPhail can go a long ways in retooling and reshaping our team if he trades away Cabrera, Sherrill, and Roberts, and gets another handful of high caliber prospects. We still need infield prospects (especially middle infield prospects) and power bats. Maybe a team on the cusp of contention will make a desperate attempt to strengthen their pitching staff by trading for both Cabrera and Sherrill. Wonder what we could get for that package?

Then we have Ramon Hernandez, Aubrey Huff, Melvin Mora, and Kevin Millar to use as trade bait as well, and hopefully we'll get one or two B level prospects for them.

Will we be big time sellers in the trading market this season?

This is my problem with these endless trade 'em all threads. "A handful of high caliber prospects" is so vague as to be meaningless. Now if you were to say trade 'em for Votto, Cuetto, Stewert, Nelson, Andrus and Davis, e.g., then there would be something to talk about. Without identifying specific teams that would have a need to trade for these three, and what they would have to offer in return, what's the point?:rolleyestf:

[i_miss_cal]

I dont see any reason to keep Sherrill. Time and time again the closer position has shown itself to built for flash-in-the-pan type of players (with a few exceptions). Just look at Gagne. I think the position is important, but its also the type of position where a guy can go from dominant to door mat in one season. I would trade him in a heart beat for non-pitching prospects.

Gagne was on roids, thats the diffrence with him. Sherrill has been outstanding in my opinion so far. If we are to trade him, it would have to be a deal thats heavily in our favor because I would hate to see another good left handed closer leave Baltimore.

[PoorMike]

I think it would be stupid to trade DC unless a) AM thinks his been lucky or b) DC wants out. EB wanted out so we got rid of him, but if your 27 year old starter is pitching well, is happy, and stays healthy, you don't trade him.

[Rolotomassie]

I agree, and although Bedard was a more dominant strikeout pitcher, I think you have to be more hesitant to trade Cabrera than Bedard because 1) he isn't asking to leave, 2) he isn't about to command a record-breaking contract, and 3) he is a horse - physically large, can be an innings eater and is not as likely to break down health-wise. He can be a bullpen's best friend.

Daniel has to be watched very carefully as the season goes on. If he shows the slightest sign of regressing again, I think you trade him immediately. But if he stays as good or gets even better than he has been for the last month you might want to hold onto him.

[Ven6]

Sherrill is good. He's under contract for several years. We're building toward 2010. Don't we need a good closer under contract then? That hole is filled. On to the next one.

Roberts has to go, because unlike Sherrill and like Bedard and Miggy, he's going to be a FA.

Cabrera could go either way, IMO.

[i_miss_cal]

Sherrill is good. He's under contract for several years. We're building toward 2010. Don't we need a good closer under contract then? That hole is filled. On to the next one.

Roberts has to go, because unlike Sherrill and like Bedard and Miggy, he's going to be a FA.

Cabrera could go either way, IMO.

There has to be a market for him before we can trade him. The only team interested in him was the Cubs and there is not much that they have to offer.

[Golgo]

Gagne was on roids, thats the diffrence with him. Sherrill has been outstanding in my opinion so far. If we are to trade him, it would have to be a deal thats heavily in our favor because I would hate to see another good left handed closer leave Baltimore.

That may be, but look at the closers in the league and how long they have been closing for that team and you will see that outside a few exceptions, most closers in the league have been closing for their team for one or two years. Only 2 players in the AL have been closing for their team since before the 2005 season: Joe Nathan (2004) and Rivera (1997). In the NL, there is only 1: Hoffman (1994) (or 2 if you consider Cordero).

Longevity in the closer position just doesn't exist. IMO, Sherrill is THE definition of trade bait.

[Crazysilver03]

Sherrill is good. He's under contract for several years. We're building toward 2010. Don't we need a good closer under contract then? That hole is filled. On to the next one.

Roberts has to go, because unlike Sherrill and like Bedard and Miggy, he's going to be a FA.

Cabrera could go either way, IMO.

Sherrill isnt as good of a closer as people think he is. He isnt elite.

He has a WHIP of 1.10 and a K:BB of 1.6. Those arent really elite numbers. Yes I know some of these numbers are skewed because of two bad outings but I do believe he is a decent option.

I would also be interested in seeing how many double plays he has had since he allows more than 50% of lead off batters to reach.

Just because Sherrill is the best option now doesnt mean he will be the best option later. We have several starting pitchers that could face a transformation into a reliever and they could take the role of closer, if not some of our many relievers in the minors.

[Mackus]

Sherrill is good. He's under contract for several years. We're building toward 2010. Don't we need a good closer under contract then? That hole is filled. On to the next one.

Do a little case study.

Go look at all the relievers in baseball. Find out how many of them were good two years ago.

Or pick any year. Look at all the closers. How many were good relievers two years earlier? How many were good relievers two years later?

Relievers are the most volatile of any player in baseball. They go from good to bad and back again all the time. Dominant guys become terrible in two years and vice versa. If you can get something that you think will be more helpful to your rebuilding plans and be a safer bet, its a smart move.

Nobody wants to dump Sherrill, but if we get big offers, we'd be crazy not to listen.

[i_miss_cal]

I agree, but it has to be a great offer. I like Sherrill alot and I think AM has a big decision to make with him. Personally I would like to see him stay because I think that he is growing more comfortable with his role as the year goes on. The one thing that could possible hurt his value is if Street form Oakland becomes available at the deadline.

[bigbird]

AM seems to be the type who can only do one thing at a time. Instead of worrying aboult trading Cabrera, Sherrll and Roberts he needs to put a little more effort into dealing the likes of Hernandes, Walker, Bradford, Huff, Payton and Millar at the deadline.

[Crazysilver03]

AM seems to be the type who can only do one thing at a time. Instead of worrying aboult trading Cabrera, Sherrll and Roberts he needs to put a little more effort into dealing the likes of Hernandes, Walker, Bradford, Huff, Payton and Millar at the deadline.

The problem with this is Payton, Millar, Hernandez, and Walker arent doing much to be worth trading for.

[Mackus]

AM seems to be the type who can only do one thing at a time. Instead of worrying aboult trading Cabrera, Sherrll and Roberts he needs to put a little more effort into dealing the likes of Hernandes, Walker, Bradford, Huff, Payton and Millar at the deadline.

That seems like a futile effort. Walker, Hernandez, and Millar are probably untradeable, and Payton is close. These guys are all very bad and have bad contracts.

Bradford might be able to be moved. And Huff as well.

[DennisTheOsFan]

If you look at our roster, we don't have the bats to compete. Our pitching staff is shaping up nicely, but our bats are lacking, and they are aging/deteriorating (Huff, Mora, Millar, etc.). We need to look towards the future and not put so much stock in the semi success we are having now. If we stick with what we have now and make only marginal moves every year (like trading away guys like Bradford and Walker for non impactful players, or signing average free agents), we aren't going to have a bright future.

We need to upgrade our talent level on offense cause outside of Wieters and Reimold (and maybe Rowell), we don't have help coming from the minors anytime soon. Our present, and future pitching staff looks promising, but to be a complete team, we're going to need to score more runs.