For those who want Carlos Lee....

[NewMarketSean]

There certainly could be some debate as to whether Lee is worth $13M of not. I don't think he is, but he is a good player. I'd rather spend that $13M on Lee than nobody, but there certainly could be other players available (perhaps through trade) that I'd rather spend $13M on.

How often do we talk about getting that legit #4 hitter? ALL THE FREAKING TIME!!!

Do we think we're going to be able to waltz into the local five and dime and buy a legit #4 hitter on the cheap?

NO!!!

You have to pony up the cash and get him. $13 million sounds fair to me. Plus it's not my money. And Angelos isn't going to get any of MY money unless he starts spending more of HIS.

[mikezpen]

There certainly could be some debate as to whether Lee is worth $13M of not. I don't think he is, but he is a good player. I'd rather spend that $13M on Lee than nobody, but there certainly could be other players available (perhaps through trade) that I'd rather spend $13M on.

Agree w/all that. The bottom line here is DO SOMETHING ORIOLES!

[Sports Guy]

How often do we talk about getting that legit #4 hitter? ALL THE FREAKING TIME!!!

Do we think we're going to be able to waltz into the local five and dime and buy a legit #4 hitter on the cheap?

NO!!!

You have to pony up the cash and get him. $13 million sounds fair to me. Plus it's not my money. And Angelos isn't going to get any of MY money unless he starts spending more of HIS.

I am not sure Lee is a legit #4 hitter.

This guy is average at best defensively and his OBP are good but not great. He will get a contract for at least 4 years and the team that gets him will pay a boatload for him as he gets into his mid 30's.

I like Lee and think he would be a good addition but he is not worth AT LEAST 13 million a year.

To get him to come here, we may have to throw the same contract at him we did Konerko and he is not worth that.

[olehippi]

I hope not.

SG....we need a big bat at 1B, and since we have absolutely no one in our minor league system to fill that role, what options do you suggest? I for one don't want to to see a 41 yr old Conine, or Millar, at 1B next year.

[Sports Guy]

SG....we need a big bat at 1B, and since we have absolutely no one in our minor league system to fill that role, what options do you suggest? I for one don't want to to see a 41 yr old Conine, or Millar, at 1B next year.

Well, one guy i have always liked is Burrell but with the Phils playing well, he will only get dealt for a top notch pitcher. Now, if they fall back, he may become more of a dump type thing. Now, he compares pretty equally to Lee and we don't have to give up players but he will cost less in terms of money.

So, i guess it will depend on what it costs to get him and if he is even a tradeable piece right now.

And of course, the young guys like Barton, Kotchman, Morales, et al.

I would like to see us get a young first baseman with very good potential. I have never been one to agree about paying a boatload of money to a first baseman.

The guy, the more and more i think about it, that we really need to go after is Miguel Cabrera. Once the draft is over and see what we have, trading a Loewen or Penn in a deal for him may be easier to do.

[davearm]

Well, one guy i have always liked is Burrell but with the Phils playing well, he will only get dealt for a top notch pitcher. Now, if they fall back, he may become more of a dump type thing. Now, he compares pretty equally to Lee and we don't have to give up players but he will cost less in terms of money.

So, i guess it will depend on what it costs to get him and if he is even a tradeable piece right now.

And of course, the young guys like Barton, Kotchman, Morales, et al.

I would like to see us get a young first baseman with very good potential. I have never been one to agree about paying a boatload of money to a first baseman.

The guy, the more and more i think about it, that we really need to go after is Miguel Cabrera. Once the draft is over and see what we have, trading a Loewen or Penn in a deal for him may be easier to do.

I'm really quite surprised that Ryan Shealy isn't a guy you'd consider for that role. So he's 26. Big whip. He rakes and will make $350K for the next three years.

Hopefully the Cubs will be getting him real quick here. Rumors are in the air.

[NewMarketSean]

Does Burrell play for the Cubs? If not, we won't get him.

And all joking aside, I really can't see the O's making a trade on this level.

[Sports Guy]

I'm really quite surprised that Ryan Shealy isn't a guy you'd consider for that role. So he's 26. Big whip. He rakes and will make $350K for the next three years.

Hopefully the Cubs will be getting him real quick here. Rumors are in the air.

Who said i wouldn't consider him?

All i said about him is that his numbers are greatly inflated.

BTW, because of where he has played and his age, i am not giving up some top pitching prospect for him, which is maybe what the Rockies would want. As i said to you yesterday, the only way i trade Hill for him, if i am the Cubs, is if they believe Hill will only be a BP guy. If that's the case, you make the trade.

[Sports Guy]

Does Burrell play for the Cubs? If not, we won't get him.

And all joking aside, I really can't see the O's making a trade on this level.

He plays for the Phillies but he has a full NTC, so it may not matter anyway.

[keysersose]

This is why targeting young talent that may be blocked is a smart way for us to go.

So signing Millar and Conine rather than bringing up Andy Tracy to play 1B was a bad move?

[davearm]

Who said i wouldn't consider him?

All i said about him is that his numbers are greatly inflated.

BTW, because of where he has played and his age, i am not giving up some top pitching prospect for him, which is maybe what the Rockies would want. As i said to you yesterday, the only way i trade Hill for him, if i am the Cubs, is if they believe Hill will only be a BP guy. If that's the case, you make the trade.

OK well maybe what I should've said is, I'm quite surprised that Shealy isn't at or near the top of your list.

Of course I have no exact idea what the Rox pricetag looks like, but presumably he'd come a whole lot cheaper than Morales, Kotchman, Barton, etc. Plug him in there today, and with a little luck you've got 1B covered for years to come -- and all for not very much cost, in either $$$ or players.

Heck I'm kinda psyched to get the guy to CHI, and we've got DLee.

[bernie132000]

Well, one guy i have always liked is Burrell but with the Phils playing well, he will only get dealt for a top notch pitcher. Now, if they fall back, he may become more of a dump type thing. Now, he compares pretty equally to Lee and we don't have to give up players but he will cost less in terms of money.

So, i guess it will depend on what it costs to get him and if he is even a tradeable piece right now.

I too like Burrell, but I know that the front office does not. They think that Burrell is a head case and will never be a great player. They will not acquire him.

[Sports Guy]

OK well maybe what I should've said is, I'm quite surprised that Shealy isn't at or near the top of your list.

Of course I have no exact idea what the Rox pricetag looks like, but presumably he'd come a whole lot cheaper than Morales, Kotchman, Barton, etc. Plug him in there today, and with a little luck you've got 1B covered for years to come -- and all for not very much cost, in either $$$ or players.

Heck I'm kinda psyched to get the guy to CHI, and we've got DLee.

He is on my list. He makes sense since he is blocked and it appears that he will not be able to move to the OF because he can't make the throw.

So, yes, i would be very interested him. But, as i said, i am not giving up a ton for him.

I would offer up a few decent(grade B/C type prospects) for him but no one in the top 10 of the organization.

If they felt he could regain his normal form, i would send Rodrigo for him. I would send Todd Williams(perfect guy for their BP in thin air) and a good arm like a Brian Finch for him.

But am i sending a Penn, Loewen or someone like that? No chance and i could see the Rockies thinking they should get that.

[Mackus]

How often do we talk about getting that legit #4 hitter? ALL THE FREAKING TIME!!!

Do we think we're going to be able to waltz into the local five and dime and buy a legit #4 hitter on the cheap?

NO!!!

You have to pony up the cash and get him. $13 million sounds fair to me. Plus it's not my money. And Angelos isn't going to get any of MY money unless he starts spending more of HIS.

Lee isn't really a legit #4 hitter, and to be honest, we don't need a #4 hitter. Miggy is fine in that role. What we really need is a #3 hitter and a #5 hitter. I prefer Mora and Gibbons in the 2 and 6 hole, respectively.

Lee would be perfect in the 5 hole, IMO. He's doing fantastically this year, but until this season he hasn't been a whole lot more than a super-sized version of Jay Gibbons (30 HR, .850-.875 OPS opposed to 25 HR, .800-.825 OPS). I really do like Lee and think he would be my #1 FA target, but he's going to be 30 in June, so throwing a 4/$52M contract at him might not be the best idea. Although if he continues hitting like he is so far this year, he'll get far more than that.

[Sports Guy]

Raise your hand if you feel Lee should get a contract equal to or above what Delgado got.