O's could be getting Marquis

[bluedog]

Nah, it's just homerism. I mean that in the nicest way. Orioles fans like their Orioles players--....

Maybe the O's can trade Olson to the Cubs for Pie, then reacquire Olson from the Pads for a middling prospect since once he leaves the O's and joins a different team, Olson is clearly a lot less valuable as a trade commodity!

[bluedog]

Wouldn't it be sweet if AM managed to turn Ramon into Jason Donald?

If he does that, I'm going to hire him to turn my wife into Jessica Simpson!

(Please don't tell my wife...)

[bigelow]

i dont know if this has been mentioned but didin't Adam Jones have a .230 batting average in his short stint with mariners. I think that they are comparable prospect with Pie a little older.

[ChaosLex]

A few tidbits from ESPN

Either Freel to the Cubbies to go to Philly or let them fight over who gets Luke Scott? With the O's picking up Donald?

The Pads don't seem too high on Cedeno, so perhaps we can cut out the Pads entirely and offer Scott/Reimold.

Padres get Olson, Vitters, Marshall, Hart & Reimold

Orioles get Hill, Pie & Cedeno

Cubs get Peavy & 2 mid-level prospects (one from Pads, one from O's)

[eastonguy]

LAS VEGAS - It might be inching toward a deal instead of taking a big leap, but Padres general manager Kevin Towers said Tuesday evening that a deal involving Jake Peavy to the Cubs "looks more likely today than yesterday."

Towers confirmed that he met with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry earlier in the day Tuesday and would again later Tuesday evening as they continue discussions regarding the 2007 Cy Young winner and the compensation the Padres would receive.

Towers had the sense that Hendry needed to move "some money" in order to get the deal off the ground. That could mean moving pitcher Jason Marquis and his $9.875 million contract for 2009 and/or possibly another player.

Towers also indicated that a third team would be needed to facilitate a deal and possibly even a fourth team and that a deal, if it's agreed upon, wouldn't be announced until after Thursday's Rule 5 Draft.

The Phillies are believed to be the third team involved in the deal and have the pitching that the Padres would want in return. Towers said the package of players he's looking at lean more toward pitchers than position players and Major League-ready players who could land on the 25-man roster for Opening Day instead of prospects.

As was the case on Monday, Towers is waiting to hear from Hendry that the deal is a go before they can proceed.

"We've pretty much settled on the players coming back," Towers said. "Jim has a feel for what we need to move Peavy. It's is he able to make things happen financially to take on Jake's contract."

http://hotstove.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/12/getting_closer_to_a_deal_for_p.html