Rumor (from December): Brad Brach for Mallex Smith

[FlipTheBird]

3 minutes ago, Moondoggie said:

According to Joel Sherman, the Orioles wanted "Mallex Smith plus" and that asking price was just too high. O's could use a speedy, athletic guy like that. They probably want too much for Brach, but there are still questions about Smith's ability to hit in the majors.

If there's as much demand for Brach as it sounds, there's nothing wrong with them starting by asking high and then seeing what comes to them. Better than asking too low. Especially given that there's not necessarily a NEED for them to trade Brach right now.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

2 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

Leave it the O's blind homers to sidetrack a positive thread about the O's actually trying to trade for a young talented OF with talk of reacquiring Nick Markakis. Can we move forward and not backwards? 

 

The Braves said "no" to Brach for Smith but still have an outfield logjam. Turning our attention to a different part of that logjam that they should theoretically be willing to part with for less of a return than Brach isn't the craziest idea in the world, especially when the piece in question has OBP'd around .355 over his last two seasons and the Orioles badly need to improve in that department. 

 

A long term piece would definitely be nice but isn't the end-all-be-all right now.

[ArtVanDelay]

6 minutes ago, MDtransplant757 said:

I'd do that in a heart beat

I'd see if they would take Gallardo's contract as well so they don't have to shop to replace Dickey and Colon with absolutely nothing. 

How is Gallardo replacing Dickey and Colon? They're all free agents next year. 

[ArtVanDelay]

10 minutes ago, Moondoggie said:

According to Joel Sherman, the Orioles wanted "Mallex Smith plus" and that asking price was just too high. O's could use a speedy, athletic guy like that. They probably want too much for Brach, but there are still questions about Smith's ability to hit in the majors.

That seems a bit much to ask for. I would've done it for just Smith. 

[weams]

36 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Speed, defense and the ability to get on base in the minor leagues and only 23 years old last year? If this would mean moving Jones to right field, then sign me up for this deal.

Buck said he was not moving Jones today. So, he'd need persuading. 

[wildbillhiccup]

Just now, DrinkinWithFermi said:

The Braves said "no" to Brach for Smith but still have an outfield logjam. Turning our attention to a different part of that logjam that they should theoretically be willing to part with for less of a return than Brach isn't the craziest idea in the world, especially when the piece in question has OBP'd around .355 over his last two seasons and the Orioles badly need to improve in that department. 

 

A long term piece would definitely be nice but isn't the end-all-be-all right now.

I don't think Markakis is the answer to any of our problems. I guess that's the point I was trying to passive aggressively make. 

[MDtransplant757]

10 minutes ago, ArtVanDelay said:

How is Gallardo replacing Dickey and Colon? They're all free agents next year. 

Gallardo has a team option 

[ArtVanDelay]

2 minutes ago, MDtransplant757 said:

Gallardo has a team option 

A team option that has a 99.9% chance of being declined. The Braves have a ton of young pitching.

[billw76]

Hopefully DD can work something out to get Mallex. He's the type of player we should be targeting, young and cost controlled with potential to turn into the leadoff hitter the team needs. As much as I love Markakis I wouldn't trade much for him. Yes he's consistent and fills an outfield need, but we need to maximize the return on Brach, and I don't think getting Nick back is doing that.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

13 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I don't think Markakis is the answer to any of our problems. I guess that's the point I was trying to passive aggressively make. 

I get what you were going for, you're just wrong is all

The Orioles need an everyday COF and they need to get on base more. Nick objectively checks off those two boxes quite adequately regardless of your opinion on the matter.

[Rene88]

1 hour ago, FlipTheBird said:

If there's as much demand for Brach as it sounds, there's nothing wrong with them starting by asking high and then seeing what comes to them. Better than asking too low. Especially given that there's not necessarily a NEED for them to trade Brach right now.

I was about to say I wouldn't do Brach for Mallex unless there was more than I read this.

Everyone on this board is underestimating Brach's value. Luckily DD isn't.

[Dark Helmet]

1 hour ago, FlipTheBird said:

The MLBTR report made it sound a lot like it was a stern "NO" from the Braves... And, given their affinity for young, cheap talent, I don't know that getting Smith from them would be in the cards.

What made no sense was trading for Kemp then.

[theobird]

what I would like to see is Mallex Smith in CF, moving Adam Jones over to RF. Then get Ben Revere to play LF and DH Kim and Mancini. Rickard is the 4th OFer. Our OF defense is then top notch to match the infield defense. I still think Wieters ends up coming back on a reasonable deal. That's a team I could get excited about.

[weams]

47 minutes ago, Rene88 said:

I was about to say I wouldn't do Brach for Mallex unless there was more than I read this.

Everyone on this board is underestimating Brach's value. Luckily DD isn't.

Mallex does not have that value. 

[Moondoggie]

2 hours ago, FlipTheBird said:

If there's as much demand for Brach as it sounds, there's nothing wrong with them starting by asking high and then seeing what comes to them. Better than asking too low. Especially given that there's not necessarily a NEED for them to trade Brach right now.

Nothing at all wrong with it. But there's also nothing wrong with the Braves saying no because the Orioles wanted more than they were willing to give up. It might even end up a good rejection for the Orioles because, as I noted, there are questions about whether or not Smith's bat will play in the majors. But on the other hand, he's exactly the type of player the Orioles need.