Morosi on MLB Radio: Trade Market heating up sooner than normal

[Sports Guy]

I heard Jon Morosi on MLB radio this morning. He was asked about what he’s hearing about league wide trade talks and he commented how execs are telling him that the trades talks are (and I'm paraphrasing) more intense than normal at the meetings.

The thought is that the position player market sucks after Bellinger and Shohei and teams want/need positional talent.

Jonathan India is a name being mentioned already and there could be a match with Cinci and Seattle because Seattle may move pitching for hitting.

He was specifically asked about the Os and while he mentioned the positional prospect group as a whole, one name he specifically mentioned was Jorge Mateo. He talked about how he could be a starting IFer. It sounded more like his opinion but I wonder if his opinion is based partially off of what he has heard from other teams. 

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Sports Guy

[forphase1]

If any team is valuing Mateo as a starting IFer, we need to make that trade NOW!

[jamalshw]

I agree that if Mateo is viewed by anyone as a starting infielder, you need to make that trade. I'll go a step further and say if anyone is willing to trade anything of value, you make that trade. I'm not opposed to Mateo on the bench next year as a PR and potentially getting the occasional start against a LHP, but I also view him as a non-tender candidate so might as well get something before that deadline. 

As to the bigger topic of trade talks starting early, I wonder if that could yield a Bieber trade sooner rather than later which, of course, impacts the SP free agent market as well. I do think he gets moved by Cleveland based on the amount of discussion, as where there is smoke there is fire. And if that's the case, whether to the Orioles or elsewhere, it would impact the Orioles. 

Lastly, given Bellinger is the non-Ohtani cream of the crop in the offense market that is quite telling. I'd stay away from him as far as possible (and that's not just because the Orioles' need is pitching, not offense). His 2023 was awesome and so was his first three years in the league, but 2021 and 2022 were god awful. The highs and upside are huge, but the lows are so low that the risk just isn't worth it based on the contract projections. 

[OriolesMagic83]

33 minutes ago, jamalshw said:

I agree that if Mateo is viewed by anyone as a starting infielder, you need to make that trade. I'll go a step further and say if anyone is willing to trade anything of value, you make that trade. I'm not opposed to Mateo on the bench next year as a PR and potentially getting the occasional start against a LHP, but I also view him as a non-tender candidate so might as well get something before that deadline. 

As to the bigger topic of trade talks starting early, I wonder if that could yield a Bieber trade sooner rather than later which, of course, impacts the SP free agent market as well. I do think he gets moved by Cleveland based on the amount of discussion, as where there is smoke there is fire. And if that's the case, whether to the Orioles or elsewhere, it would impact the Orioles. 

Lastly, given Bellinger is the non-Ohtani cream of the crop in the offense market that is quite telling. I'd stay away from him as far as possible (and that's not just because the Orioles' need is pitching, not offense). His 2023 was awesome and so was his first three years in the league, but 2021 and 2022 were god awful. The highs and upside are huge, but the lows are so low that the risk just isn't worth it based on the contract projections. 

Position player FA market is quite bare and that could play into the O's hands if they are looking to move Hays, Santander, Mountcastle or young MLB ready prospects like Ortiz, Westburg, etc.  As irrational as it seems, I think Santander could get something like 4 years/$80 million if he was a free agent this year.  That still makes way more sense than a team giving Bellinger $264 million.

[24fps]

I would see if I could trade Mateo for a solid SP candidate at AA or lower. 

[btdart20]

I wonder how Elias will handle the trade/FA season. 

Will he be proactive and make some moves early just to nail down the loose edges?  A charted course with clear checkpoints along the way.  We might not get the best value for our guys, but we'll be building in a direction of getting our targeted positions/players.  Elias has had his "guys" in prior years (though usually later in the winter). 

Or will he sit tight and let the market develop?  A bunch of balls in the air and then a flurry of quick decisions.  Best value if everything works out but could miss on a few targeted players.

Our needs are fewer/more specialized this year than in the past, so I think there's value in being more proactive than we've seen in past years.  

 

 

The Cubs have a bit of a backlog in the IF, OF and have some solid RP pieces.  Hoerner and Swanson are near fixtures manning up the middle, with Triantos and Shaw are knocking loudly too.  Happ, Suzuki, Morel, and Tauchman are there now.  But PCA, Caissie, and Alcantara are making noise too (and Brennan Davis is all over the map when healthy).  They just made Craig Counsell the highest-paid manager in MLB history.  All of this to say, the Cubs will probably be motivated this off-season.  They may be competition for SP upgrades.  But they may be a good partner if we're willing to trade Mountcastle.

 

[interloper]

Wonder if the White Sox would want Mateo. 

[RZNJ]

10 minutes ago, interloper said:

Wonder if the White Sox would want Mateo. 

Maybe the only team in baseball where Mateo would be an offensive upgrade.  lol

 

[Bahama O's Fan]

Mateo could be a starting infielder in 1/3 of the teams, maybe more. 

[RZNJ]

4 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Mateo could be a starting infielder in 1/3 of the teams, maybe more. 

Not saying you’re wrong but that’s hard to believe going by last years numbers.

[Tryptamine]

3 hours ago, btdart20 said:

I wonder how Elias will handle the trade/FA season. 

Will he be proactive and make some moves early just to nail down the loose edges?  A charted course with clear checkpoints along the way.  We might not get the best value for our guys, but we'll be building in a direction of getting our targeted positions/players.  Elias has had his "guys" in prior years (though usually later in the winter). 

Or will he sit tight and let the market develop?  A bunch of balls in the air and then a flurry of quick decisions.  Best value if everything works out but could miss on a few targeted players.

Our needs are fewer/more specialized this year than in the past, so I think there's value in being more proactive than we've seen in past years.  

 

 

The Cubs have a bit of a backlog in the IF, OF and have some solid RP pieces.  Hoerner and Swanson are near fixtures manning up the middle, with Triantos and Shaw are knocking loudly too.  Happ, Suzuki, Morel, and Tauchman are there now.  But PCA, Caissie, and Alcantara are making noise too (and Brennan Davis is all over the map when healthy).  They just made Craig Counsell the highest-paid manager in MLB history.  All of this to say, the Cubs will probably be motivated this off-season.  They may be competition for SP upgrades.  But they may be a good partner if we're willing to trade Mountcastle.

 

Morel is being dangled as trade bait. As of right now, the opening day OF is Seiya/Happ/PCA. As far as pitching goes, they're supposedly very much in on Yamamoto/Imanaga, but there has been no mention of them being in on any of the Montgomery, Snell, Nola, Erod, etc. Regarding 1B, Hoyer is apparently rather infatuated with Pete Alonso and the Mets have been rumored to be making him available.