Free Agent Shortstops

[Big Mac]

Yeah, I guess if he would sign that deal I'd take it.

No chance he only gets 2 years, and no chance he only gets 4M per.

I really think we will see Cabrera signed by the Orioles for like a 3 year, 27M deal.

Which will be awful.

3 years would be incredibly stupid.

If O-cab is our SS after next season, then the front-office would have failed to provide a real, long-term solution.

O-cab would be an awfully expensive stop-gap SS.

[miwayjO's]

QUOTE=Big Mac;That would be a terrible deal.

Signing Furcal for 3-4yrs/10-12mil per year is a good deal.

Furcal is 3yrs younger than Orlando Cabrera, and is a much better defender. Furcal is making 15mil this year, and will not take a huge pay-cut for 2009. He will get a 3-5yr deal (with the last year being optional), and the only way to pay him less per year is to add more years to his contract.

The Orioles are picking 5th in the 2009 draft, and a SS should be their #1 pick. With Furcal signed for 3-4yrs, they have someone in place while the draftee develops...especially if they draft Mychal Givens (Plant H.S./Florida) with their first pick...Go O's!!!

[Big Mac]

QUOTE=Big Mac;That would be a terrible deal.

Signing Furcal for 3-4yrs/10-12mil per year is a good deal.

Furcal is 3yrs younger than Orlando Cabrera' date=' and is a much better defender. Furcal is making 15mil this year, and will not take a huge pay-cut for 2009. He will get a 3-5yr deal (with the last year being optional), and the only way to pay him less per year is to add more years to his contract.

The Orioles are picking 5th in the 2009 draft, and a SS should be their #1 pick. With Furcal signed for 3-4yrs, they have someone in place while the draftee develops...especially if they draft Mychal Givens (Plant H.S./Florida) with their first pick...Go O's!!![/quote']

Then don't sign Furcal.

He's not worth that much money, and we shouldn't give him that many years.

Let's get a REAL sloution. A stop-gap SS shouldn't cost $48 million!

[El Gordo]

Yeah, I guess if he would sign that deal I'd take it.

No chance he only gets 2 years, and no chance he only gets 4M per.

I really think we will see Cabrera signed by the Orioles for like a 3 year, 27M deal.

Which will be awful.

It's awful until you consider the other options. In real baseball good long term SS solutions don't get pulled out of a hat. You have to trade for them or draft and develop them. There are no FA options like that. If you trade for them you most likely have to give up young SP, which is not the right thing to do right now for the O's. So signing a decent stop gap for 3 years and drafting and developing a long term solution seems to be a good option IMO.

[Sports Guy]

Horrible options...I wouldn't give Furcal more than 2 guaranteed years because of his back.

1/4 type deal for OCab.

[miwayjO's]

I really feel the long-term solution will be through the draft, & the Orioles are in a good position in the 2009 draft to do so. I have read a lot of articles on Mychal Givens, and he is getting great reviews. He aslo has a fastball in the mid-90's, and a killer slider. However, we need his 5-tool skills @ SS...Go O's!!!

[miwayjO's]

El Gordo nailed it! The Orioles options are limited, so they have to pay for a $$...Go O's!!!

[YardBirds13]

It's awful until you consider the other options. In real baseball good long term SS solutions don't get pulled out of a hat. You have to trade for them or draft and develop them. There are no FA options like that. If you trade for them you most likely have to give up young SP, which is not the right thing to do right now for the O's. So signing a decent stop gap for 3 years and drafting and developing a long term solution seems to be a good option IMO.

No, I would literally rather run out the same guys we did this year than spend 8 or 9M for 3 years on Orlando Cabrera.

We need for a young guy who at least has a chance to get a solid ML'er. A guy like Ronny Cedeno even. There are lots of cheap options out there.

Signing Orlando Cabrera to a 3 year deal is lazy and won't help us compete or help us long term. It's Jay Payton.

[Sports Guy]

No, I would literally rather run out the same guys we did this year than spend 8 or 9M for 3 years on Orlando Cabrera.

We need for a young guy who at least has a chance to get a solid ML'er. A guy like Ronny Cedeno even. There are lots of cheap options out there.

Signing Orlando Cabrera to a 3 year deal is lazy and won't help us compete or help us long term. It's Jay Payton.

The option is to trade for someone...The talent is out there and the Orioles have to be willing to give it up...not overpay drastically but be willing.

[Camden_yardbird]

Willie Bloomquist (31)

Alex Cintron (30)

Alex Cora (33)

Craig Counsell (38)

David Eckstein (34)

Adam Everett (32)

Nomar Garciaparra (35)

Jerry Hairston Jr. (33)

Cesar Izturis (29)

Felipe Lopez (29)

Juan Uribe (30)

Ramon Vazquez (32)

Omar Vizquel (42)

You forgot the following players. This team in a situation where they can't afford to eliminate any options. Some of these guys could be productive shortstops next year. But I admit it is an ugly list.

[Big Mac]

Willie Bloomquist (31)

Alex Cintron (30)

Alex Cora (33)

Craig Counsell (38)

David Eckstein (34)

Adam Everett (32)

Nomar Garciaparra (35)

Jerry Hairston Jr. (33)

Cesar Izturis (29)

Felipe Lopez (29)

Juan Uribe (30)

Ramon Vazquez (32)

Omar Vizquel (42)

You forgot the following players. This team in a situation where they can't afford to eliminate any options. Some of these guys could be productive shortstops next year. But I admit it is an ugly list.

I'd rather give Everett or Felipe Lopez a cheap one year deal than give an (relatively) expensive multi-year deal to O-Cab, Furcal or Renteria.

[El Gordo]

I'd rather give Everett or Felipe Lopez a cheap one year deal than give an (relatively) expensive multi-year deal to O-Cab, Furcal or Renteria.

They have said they want good defense and an offensive upgrade. Everette if he is healthy gives you the defense but no bat. Lopez give you a marginal bat but no defense and plenty of attitude.

[El Gordo]

The option is to trade for someone...The talent is out there and the Orioles have to be willing to give it up...not overpay drastically but be willing.

Trading for someone is great. Until "Someone" has to have a name attached. The it gets tricky. Cedeno might be a decent stop gap but do the Cubs want to trade him and what do they want for him? DeJesus would be great but if he projects more as a 2B, why not keep him and look for a SS/sign Furcal, instead of giving up good prospects for BRob. Or if he projects a SS why not play him there and sign Hudson. Who would the Rox want for Barmes?

[davearm]

Trading for someone is great. Until "Someone" has to have a name attached. The it gets tricky. Cedeno might be a decent stop gap but do the Cubs want to trade him and what do they want for him? DeJesus would be great but if he projects more as a 2B, why not keep him and look for a SS/sign Furcal, instead of giving up good prospects for BRob. Or if he projects a SS why not play him there and sign Hudson. Who would the Rox want for Barmes?

Well said Gordo.

I'm just about out of faith in Cedeno becoming a valuable everyday ML SS, but he does fill a needed utility role on the Cubs, so they're probably not in a hurry to give him away.

So a guy like that looks like a good option for the O's right up to the point where you actually have to give up something you'd rather hold onto to get him.

[Sports Guy]

I'm just about out of faith in Cedeno becoming a valuable everyday ML SS, but he does fill a needed utility role on the Cubs, so they're probably not in a hurry to give him away.

Am I the only one who finds this funny?

So a guy like that looks like a good option for the O's right up to the point where you actually have to give up something you'd rather hold onto to get him.

No doubt...As I said, you can't vastly overpay but you can't close your mind to the idea of dealing guys like BRob and Huff and those are the guys that may net you the SS you need.