Roch: O's may look to get a big bat this offseason

[El Gordo]

You'd rather trade Jones then Hernandez? Or Bergesen?

Yes, we need pitching much more than we need OF's and Jones could get a lot in return.

[JTrea81]

Yes, we need pitching much more than we need OF's and Jones could get a lot in return.

You'd be taking a huge risk on Felix Pie becoming an everyday player. Our depth for CF after him in the organization is practically non-existant.

Although we need quality ML pitching, we have plenty of minor league pitching depth to replace our pitching.

[ejf1025]

Yes, we need pitching much more than we need OF's and Jones could get a lot in return.

Ok...so this is just about you thinking Jones would net solid return. You don't actually think he is less valuable then the others.

[TiredofLosing20]

we have plenty of minor league pitching depth to replace our pitching.

Really??? Plenty????

[Enjoy Terror]

You'd be taking a huge risk on Felix Pie becoming an everyday player. Our depth for CF after him in the organization is practically non-existant.

Although we need quality ML pitching, we have plenty of minor league pitching depth to replace our pitching.

Point #1 - Fiorentino would be a legitimate 4th OFer after his numbers for this year. I'm not saying he'd be a starter, but he wouldn't be worse than Montanez. Speaking of Montanez, isn't he a natural CFer too?

Point #2 - Like whom? Arrieta? There isn't another person in AAA worth talking about... and as far as AA is concerned you have Bascom and Tanaka and they are still both iffy to see if they can handle AAA, let alone the majors.

[El Gordo]

Ok...so this is just about you thinking Jones would net solid return. You don't actually think he is less valuable then the others.

Of course. I would trade any one if it makes us stronger at a position of need. If we could get back a SS and a 1B in a trade involving Jones and say Arrieta, I would trade him and take my chances with Pie.

[ChaosLex]

You guys are talking Fielder and A. Gonzalez? :laughlol:

No offense, but the "big bat" is probably going to be someone like Glaus.

[JTrea81]

Point #1 - Fiorentino would be a legitimate 4th OFer after his numbers for this year. I'm not saying he'd be a starter, but he wouldn't be worse than Montanez. Speaking of Montanez, isn't he a natural CFer too?

Point #2 - Like whom? Arrieta? There isn't another person in AAA worth talking about... and as far as AA is concerned you have Bascom and Tanaka and they are still both iffy to see if they can handle AAA, let alone the majors.

I think the concensus was Montanez was not a good defensive CFer, neither was Fio really. And Fio will be a minor league FA, as will Gathright, so if Pie can't hack it, we've got nobody really unless you want to move Markakis to CF. And it's a lot harder to find a quality CFer on the FA market that can put up Jones' production than it is to find a pitcher that could put up David Hernandez or Brad Bergesen's #'s...

Trading Jones before those guys is not a good move IMO. There's a reason we got him in the Bedard deal, and it's because a player like him is so rare.

[caljr]

What is Gonzalez's contract status. Does he become a FA in 2011? If so, wouldn't we need to sign him to an extension in order to make this trade work?

[Sports Guy]

Those guys arent getting a "big bat" tho.

I am not sure this is true.

2 of those guys are in the running for AL ROY...One of them has been an elite reliever for a few years now...And the other, DH, has shown some good upside and should be, at the very least, a very good BP arm.

They have a ton of service time left and are extremely cheap...plus, they have had ML success in the toughest division in baseball.

Don't underestimate those things...Now, you may still be right but I wouldn't totally dismiss it either.

[JTrea81]

What is Gonzalez's contract status. Does he become a FA in 2011? If so, wouldn't we need to sign him to an extension in order to make this trade work?

He is a FA after 2011 just like Fielder provided SD or another team picks up his option which is extremely cheap for his production.

So bank on him being a FA after 2011 if he's not extended.

[TonySoprano]

AM - We'll invest a year and find out how good some of these kids can be next year. There's certain holes we need to fill and, then, if they come along the way that we hope and think they might, I would think at that point it's appropriate to go out and maybe see what you can add through re-entry free agency.

We've done it pretty much through our system and through trades. Two-thirds of our team out there came either in a recent trade or through our farm system. But there's gonna come a time when you're gonna need to add that key piece from free agency, and we're fortunate that our owner has expressed a willingness and an appetite to do that.

Right from the horse's mouth, it sounds like the free agent shopping, if any, really won't be significant until after next season. If people are expecting "wow" offers this offseason, well, they didn't learn much after all, and will probably be fooled again.

[caljr]

He is a FA after 2011 just like Fielder provided SD or another team picks up his option which is extremely cheap for his production.

So bank on him being a FA after 2011 if he's not extended.

That makes things more difficult here. I would want an extension before I gave up guys like Arrieta or Hernandez. I feel that we will be a very good team in 2011, but I would hate to only have one year at getting a crack at the World Series before losing Gonzalez to Free Agency.

[wildcard]

Got to wonder where Roch gets his information. Especially when it comes only a day or so after MacPhail stated on TV that he would go with the kids next year and wait on the FA until after he determines where the kids are in their development.

Originally Posted by AM

Well, it doesn't have to be that long. We'll invest a year and find out how good some of these kids can be next year. There's certain holes we need to fill and, then, if they come along the way that we hope and think they might, I would think at that point it's appropriate to go out and maybe see what you can add through re-entry free agency.

We've done it pretty much through our system and through trades. Two-thirds of our team out there came either in a recent trade or through our farm system. But there's gonna come a time when you're gonna need to add that key piece from free agency, and we're fortunate that our owner has expressed a willingness and an appetite to do that.

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87220&page=6

[Mackus]

Right from the horse's mouth, it sounds like the free agent shopping, if any, really won't be significant until after next season. If people are expecting "wow" offers this offseason, well, they didn't learn much after all, and will probably be fooled again.

Getting a big bat doesn't necessarily mean through FA.

Trading for Adrian Gonzalez wouldn't be against anything MacPhail has said. So don't eliminate that as a possibility based on the "evidence" of MacPhail's comments while in the Minnesota broadcast booth or anywhere else. Its certainly reasonable to think a trade for a huge bat like that is unlikely, but not with the reasoning that MacPhail has said we won't be looking to free agency until after next year.