Rumor (from December): Brad Brach for Mallex Smith

[weams]

Quote

The Braves hoped Smith would be able to get plenty of at-bats this winter in the Mexican league, but he strained an oblique muscle and hit .109 (5-for-46) with a .157 OBP in 12 games before being released by Hermosillo.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/mallex-might-return-triple-2017-continue-development/H6PE5Eeabaj9qn7UUGRKQM/

[ArtVanDelay]

30 minutes ago, Moondoggie said:

One thing this thread proves is that both the Orioles and Orioles fans value Brad Brach way too highly. He's a good relief pitcher, but no better than dozens and dozens of others. He didn't even have a particularly good second half (3.94 ERA, 1.38 WHIP over his last 31 appearances). 

Thank you. 

5 years of Mallex Smith is a great return for 2 years of Brach. 

If Mallex Smith was an Oriole, no one on here would want to trade him for someone like Brach. 

Most people on here massively overrate our players. 

[Moondoggie]

9 minutes ago, ArtVanDelay said:

 

Most people on here massively overrate our players. 

Sadly, I think this is also true of the front office.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

54 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I don't think the Red Sox were high on Shaw.

Regardless, most folks around baseball seemed to think the Brew Crew got a very nice haul from Boston for Thornburg who, at a glance, seems at least roughly comparable to Brach.

[Number5]

23 minutes ago, ArtVanDelay said:

Thank you. 

5 years of Mallex Smith is a great return for 2 years of Brach. 

If Mallex Smith was an Oriole, no one on here would want to trade him for someone like Brach. 

Most people on here massively overrate our players. 

Of course not, since the bullpen is not an area of need for us right now.  Now, if we were constantly losing game after game in the late innings because we didn't have anyone in the pen that could get an out, I'm not so sure.  Bullpen arms are in short supply throughout the league right now.  The Orioles are one of a handful of teams that are in good shape there.  If we were desperate for late inning relief help, would I trade our fourth outfielder for a proven late-inning guy when the AL East champion team just gave up their starting third baseman and two ranked prospects for a similar guy?  I'd sure have to think about it.

[sportsfan8703]

Why not just keep Brach and go with this guy?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=avery-001xav

Same player.  

[sportsfan8703]

7 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

 

In what book are a .691 OPS and a .761 OPS the same?   And that's with Avery getting multiple retries at the AAA level.    Even with all of that AAA time Avery's OPS is .707 in 531 games (about 3 full AAA seasons)

Smith had a .726 OPS in half a season in AAA.    If he never gets any better he's probably still better than Avery.    But, of course, Smith was able to OPS .681 at the ML level last year which isn't awful.   Avery, turning 27 in January, has shown no signs of improvement.    I'd put my money on Smith who doesn't turn 24 until next May.

That was a stretch, I'll admit that.  lol.  But speed plays down on our team and at OPACY.  Smith would lose value with us because he's not going to play CF, not going to steal bases, and his bat would be that of a COF and not a CF.  It's bad value.  

[Yardball85]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but would you make this trade? Would the Braves?

Brach for Smith and Markakis (and we take on the full 2 years 22M).

The Braves would not do Brach for Smith +, but maybe they would see subtracting Markakis and his remaining salary as a bonus for them to agree to deal Smith. For the Orioles, they could plug Nick in for right field and have Smith platoon in left with Kim and get the occasional start in right for Markakis.

Would we need to add anything to this deal? Would the Braves?

[jcarm]

1 minute ago, Yardball85 said:

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but would you make this trade? Would the Braves?

Brach for Smith and Markakis (and we take on the full 2 years 22M).

The Braves would not do Brach for Smith +, but maybe they would see subtracting Markakis and his remaining salary as a bonus for them to agree to deal Smith. For the Orioles, they could plug Nick in for right field and have Smith platoon in left with Kim and get the occasional start in right for Markakis.

Would we need to add anything to this deal? Would the Braves?

I am not sure that the Braves want to dump Markakis and his salary. They are opening a new ball park in 2017 and want to field a competitive team. This is why they signed a couple 40 year old starters in Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey. The Orioles would need to add a legitimate prospect for the Braves to consider and they may not make the trade even then. Basically Brach for Smith and Markakis equals Brach for Smith+ IMO.

[Yardball85]

2 minutes ago, jcarm said:

I am not sure that the Braves want to dump Markakis and his salary. They are opening a new ball park in 2017 and want to field a competitive team. This is why they signed a couple 40 year old starters in Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey. The Orioles would need to add a legitimate prospect for the Braves to consider and they may not make the trade even then. Basically Brach for Smith and Markakis equals Brach for Smith+ IMO.

Good chance you're right about that and the Braves are doing a rebuold while we aim to win type thing (why they head-scratchingly acquired Kemp at the deadline). However, if they see Brach as an importat piece to add to their bullpen to compete for this season and can find another right fielder on a cheap deal (Saunders? Bourn?), they may be inclined to make the deal.

[jcarm]

Just now, Yardball85 said:

Good chance you're right about that and the Braves are doing a rebuold while we aim to win type thing (why they head-scratchingly acquired Kemp at the deadline). However, if they see Brach as an importat piece to add to their bullpen to compete for this season and can find another right fielder on a cheap deal (Saunders? Bourn?), they may be inclined to make the deal.

I live in the Atlanta area and almost all if not all Braves fans love the Kemp trade. Regarding your trade proposal, I just think that the Braves would require more than just Brach for Smith and Markakis. They may be willing to deal Markakis, but they are not going to give him away. He is a metro Atlanta native(Woodstock, GA)after all which does matter to the Braves and their fans.

[thezeroes]

36 minutes ago, Yardball85 said:

Good chance you're right about that and the Braves are doing a rebuold while we aim to win type thing (why they head-scratchingly acquired Kemp at the deadline). However, if they see Brach as an importat piece to add to their bullpen to compete for this season and can find another right fielder on a cheap deal (Saunders? Bourn?), they may be inclined to make the deal.

Roughly $6 Million of Kemps salary per year is paid by Dodgers ($3.5 Million) and Padres ($2.5 Million) so he cost them $15.75 Million per year.

[sportsfan8703]

2 hours ago, jcarm said:

I am not sure that the Braves want to dump Markakis and his salary. They are opening a new ball park in 2017 and want to field a competitive team. This is why they signed a couple 40 year old starters in Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey. The Orioles would need to add a legitimate prospect for the Braves to consider and they may not make the trade even then. Basically Brach for Smith and Markakis equals Brach for Smith+ IMO.

Looks like the Braves are trying to win.  Gotta factor in too that they have Dave Wallace and Dom Chiti now.  I'm sure they love Brach.  

[weams]

I read that the latest scouting comp for Mallex is Ben Revere.  I guess that's a guy. 

[weams]

24 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

 

A fair comp offensively.     Could be a big difference defensively if you buy into the SSS Smith provided last year.

Well as you know, I don't buy into the defensive metrics yet. Still some work and stabilization before I even look at a sss projection.