Rosenthal: O's more willing to deal Baez and Sherrill

[J.D.]

Do me a favor and show me where I labeled him as irreplaceable.

I said that as soon as you trade him, you're looking for another guy with his exact same skills.

My other point - and this is a biggie, so try to follow me - is that we aren't going to get a ton in return for GS. I doubt we're going to get anyone who's eventually going to be an impact on our ML roster. I have nothing to back that up, but I have a tiny hunch that tells me that trading a reliver doesn't get you a huge return. Like I said, if you can do it, great. I just don't see it.

And I have a few examples of where trading a reliever brings back a solid, if not spectacular return.

[Sanfran327]

I don't know, but I think you have to consider trading a LOOGY who another team thinks of as a closer ,while you have a surplus of pitching. That's a classic exploitation of a market inefficiency, and it's dealing from a strength.

If he doesn't bring back a good return of player(s) who could reasonably help in the near term, don't do it. But it's crazy to not actively shop him.

And of course he's not the difference between 87 and 74 wins. I'd be surprised if he was the difference between 76 and 74. I was throwing out numbers to illustrate the point that today's wins aren't as valuable as next year's. The overally organization would be the reason for the 13(?) wins, and the organizational strategy could include trading assets that are overvalued.

I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly. Shop him for sure. It never hurts to ask. But realistically, I don't see us getting a return that's going to make a huge difference on our next contending squad.

And I know you weren't being literal when you were talking about the differences in wins... I was just being a pain to illustrate my own point.

The problem is that despite our surplus of young pitching, few of them have proven that they're going to be successful, major-league contributors like Sherrill has done during his time in Baltimore.

Put it this way: if Berken or Hernandez were left handed, I'd be much more apt to dealing Sherrill. At least we'd have someone to come in and replace him soon.

But again... I don't get it. He's not a salary dump, and he's really good at his job. Unfortunately for us, he plays a position that isn't likely to bring back a big return via trade.

[DrungoHazewood]

You seem to think it doesn't matter if we let them "take a few more lumps" in the present in order to obtain benefit years down the road. I was pointing out that AM has been quite clear that having a successful BP is one of his priorities. It is something he thinks is important to have now, not just later.

And despite that he traded Chad Bradford for three magic beans and replaced him with Rocky "5.77 ERA" Cherry.

[Sanfran327]

So you are saying MacPhail shouldn't make a bad trade. Thanks a bunch for that keen insight. Freaking waste of time.

And your brand new idea of "only make a trade if it knocks your socks off" is a real game changer, too. Freaking waste of time.

[PaulFolk]

Thank goodness someone else can see the value in keeping an effective, inexpensive arm around for the long haul. Sherrill is right up there with the core of our next successful team, IMO. Not saying that he's as important as AJ or Wieters, but he's going to get us some big outs when we're in the pennat race in 2011.

I don't know about that. Relief pitchers are an unpredictable breed. Sometimes they're great one year and terrible the next, for no discernible reason. We just released a guy (Jamie Walker) who was our bullpen MVP in 2007 and then couldn't get anyone out the next two years.

Heck, Sherrill himself was horrible earlier this season. He seems to have found himself recently, but there's no telling when a relief pitcher will suddenly become the next Jim Brower or Mike DeJean. I think relying on Sherrill to get big outs in 2011 is jumping the gun a bit. A lot can happen in two years.

[Sanfran327]

And I have a few examples of where trading a reliever brings back a solid, if not spectacular return.

Absolutely. But I wouln't count Heathcliff Slocumb as the rule... probably more of the exception.

[Sports Guy]

I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly. Shop him for sure. It never hurts to ask. But realistically, I don't see us getting a return that's going to make a huge difference on our next contending squad.

And I know you weren't being literal when you were talking about the differences in wins... I was just being a pain to illustrate my own point.

The problem is that despite our surplus of young pitching, few of them have proven that they're going to be successful, major-league contributors like Sherrill has done during his time in Baltimore.

Put it this way: if Berken or Hernandez were left handed, I'd be much more apt to dealing Sherrill. At least we'd have someone to come in and replace him soon.

But again... I don't get it. He's not a salary dump, and he's really good at his job. Unfortunately for us, he plays a position that isn't likely to bring back a big return via trade.

What difference does it make?

Can't righties get out left handed hitters too?

[DrungoHazewood]

No it doesn't. AM addressed this very point: He said he thought he had the horses to replace Bradford without hurting the team, and subsequent events proved him wrong. He said he was counting on one thing and got something else. He did not intend to have the BP suffer a hit. He expected that Bradford was replaceable from within. Sadly, nobody on the list stepped up and performed in a way that met AM's expectation, so it turned out bad. That's not about AM's intent, it's about his expectations having been proved wrong.

So you'd be perfectly fine with MacPhail trading Baez, Sherrill, and just about anyone else just so long as it's his opinion that the internal options to replace them are just as good?

[CrimsonTribe]

Drungo, who somehow made trading GS the missing link between 74 wins and 87 wins next season.

I'm not sure how you drew that conclusion.

[El Gordo]

Guts, GS, and Scott all could be solid contributors to a contending O's team in the near future. So if you trade them, be sure you are getting back players who would be at least as solid contributors, at positions of greater need. Like 3B, 1B, or SS.

[DrungoHazewood]

What difference does it make?

Can't righties get out left handed hitters too?

Thou must not go against the conventional LaRussaism, grasshopper.

[Skeletor]

If we trade Breezy, where are we going to get our 'inside the clubhouse' information? We should keep him and elsid.

[DrungoHazewood]

"I think Sherrill and Baez could both be gone for a less-than-stunning return, whether or not there's a guarantee they'll be immediately replaced by someone similar in value."

DH, if they traded Baez and Huff, threw in $4 million or so to offset some salary, and didn't demand Major League-ready talent in return, could they get a couple of good double-A prospects, the kind who mite be up here next year, in return?

I'd make that kind of trade in a heartbeat.

Maybe, depending on the situation.

I think someone who is performing well in AA right now is probably major league-ready.

[Sanfran327]

I don't know about that. Relief pitchers are an unpredictable breed. Sometimes they're great one year and terrible the next, for no discernible reason. We just released a guy (Jamie Walker) who was our bullpen MVP in 2007 and then couldn't get anyone out the next two years.

Heck, Sherrill himself was horrible earlier this season. He seems to have found himself recently, but there's no telling when a relief pitcher will suddenly become the next Jim Brower or Mike DeJean. I think relying on Sherrill to get big outs in 2011 is jumping the gun a bit. A lot can happen in two years.

Can't really argue that logic, however, Sherrill is a lot younger than Walker, and is more likely to remain consistant for two or three more years. Walker was old when he got to Baltimore... Sherrill is younger and hasn't been in the show nearly as long.

[Sanfran327]

Thou must not go against the conventional LaRussaism, grasshopper.

Tell me why Markakis sat against tough lefties his rookie season, please.