Some stuff...

[cindyluvsbrady]

As usual read into this as little or as much as you want....

- DT has been asking for outside help for a while but has not gotten any.

- Very doubtful we make more than a token run at Tex. He does not think we'll pay anyone over $12 million a season.

- With the thin FA catching market the front office feels it will be able to deal Ramon Hernandez. Would take a starter or reliever in return.

- Will acquire a veteran SS this off season. Will look to trade a pitching prospect for a ss prospect.

- I asked who the first pitching prospect (out of the guys AA and down) to join the Orioles rotation for more than just a call up and he said Arrieta. Most all scouts feel he could handle it now.

- I asked about the pen... A lot will depend on how Baez and Ray look in spring training. He felt for certain we would acquire at least one arm via trade or free agency.

- No intention to deal Huff. Roberts is a different story.

- He said he has not heard of a Markakis extension already being done. AM must be keeping this close to the vest if true.

- I asked if Reimold has ticked someone off and was told not that he's aware of. They were looking for him to get thru a season healthy which he did. He'll be given a good look to make the team in 2009.

Please!

Talk to your source! Beg them NOT to trade Brian Roberts!!:002_scry::002_scry:

Thank You

[cindyluvsbrady]

I think Julio Lugo will be an Oriole.

Bluberry will be thrilled:rolleyes:

[ChaosLex]

I think Julio Lugo will be an Oriole.

We better be getting back one hell of a prospect if we're taking on Lugo's ugly, ugly contract.

[allstar1579]

Another thing to consider with these potential signings is that we may not be a contender now, but the "big market guys" may not over the course of the deal either. Look at the karma that Mussina enjoyed after signing with the Yanks...how many WS rings did he win in all his years there?

The Rays are for real and not going away, the Red Sox are a mix of young and old, they'll hang in there. The Yanks are going to need to completely retool soon. The Angels are even getting pretty old pretty fast. A team like TB or the Red Sox have the best chance at being competitive longer, but aside from that a team with potential should have just as much chance as the others out there now. With all of the Yankees offering to play 1B I think we can rule them out of the signing derby for Tex.

[laxtonto]

Looks like a good prospect but his AA numbers aren't what I'd call, SILLY. Just by the numbers, Tillman looks like a better prospect right now. I admit, I don't know anything else about Feliz, so maybe his stuff is top of the charts and the scouts consider him a top 10 talent. ??

Feliz will be in BA top 10 to 15 , Holland the other kid with him in AA looks like hes going to be top 30-40 if not better according to BA's chats.

Feliz hits 100mph as a starter, just turned 20, lead all starters in K per 9 in the minors, named to BA's 2nd team along with Tilman. Holland was named to the 1st team, hits 97 as a Lefty, sits around 94-95, high K rate, excellent walk rate.

Texas will be stacked in their rotation in a few years. People forget that Hunter, Hurley and most likely Harrison wont lose their prospect status, and most likely all would be the best young (rookie eligible) pitcher in the O's AAA rotation.

The Texas minor leagues made the playoff in Rookie, low A, AA, AAA mostly based off of pitching, with Feliz and Holland dominating in the AA playoffs. So far, Holland went 7 2/3, 2 hits, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5K's while Feliz followed it with 7ip, 3hits O R, 2BB and 11 K's. So yeah, in a nutshell Texas has amazing depth in the pitching department and I would easily take Feliz and Holland over Tilman and Matsuzs.

BA First and Second team

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/awards/minor-league-all-stars/2009/266818.html

And the minors season ending leaders in different categories

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/news/2008/266808.html

[wildcard]

This is short term thinking.

Tex is a much more important long term piece than any starter we could sign.

The need for pitching is short term thinking?

How many years are you willing to wait to win? With the record the O's have with developing starters it could take three or four years to develop a playoff staff with internal talent if then. To expect Tillman, Arrieta, and company to come up and win 15 games in the next couple of years is quite a gamble.

I think starters are a near term and long need for the O's. No doubt some will pan out but the O's need four more starters right now.

I noticed in the other thread that you added Burnett, Penny and McDonald. Why did you do that if pitching is not a long term need?

[Maples]

That would be horrific.

Why would we take on that contract?

Just a hunch, but Boston would love to be rid of him and we need a real SS. They would likely pay a nice portion of his salary or throw a decent prospect our way for the privilidge of handing us a short-term, major-league SS who's career has not been all that bad or all that long. Give them any incentive and it works for all. We are in no position to trade assets like young pitching or possibly whatever it would take for a trendier guy if one were available. We could do a lot worse...........

[JTrea81]

Just a hunch, but Boston would love to be rid of him and we need a real SS. They would likely pay a nice portion of his salary or throw a decent prospect our way for the privilidge of handing us a short-term, major-league SS who's career has not been all that bad or all that long. Give them any incentive and it works for all. We are in no position to trade assets like young pitching or possibly whatever it would take for a trendier guy if one were available. We could do a lot worse...........

His range has dropped over the past two seasons as well as his offensive ability. He's just flat out terrible, and I'd rather trade something of value to get a better SS. We'd be better off signing Juan Uribe to play SS, than to trade for Lugo...

[ChaosLex]

His range has dropped over the past two seasons as well as his offensive ability. He's just flat out terrible, and I'd rather trade something of value to get a better SS. We'd be better off signing Juan Uribe to play SS, than to trade for Lugo...

I wouldn't mind taking on Lugo and his horrendous contract, provided the Red Sux included Buckholz and Anderson in the deal.