Could the Angels be after Tejada again?

[rp0806]

Why would the Orioles care so much about Shields? He's a good pitcher, but a reliever shouldn't be high on their wish list. As I've said before, trade Mora and Tejada (and maybe Javy if they want him) for Cabrera, Aybar, Morales, Jared Weaver, J. Rivera, and maybe a low level OF or 1B. Angels get rid of Cabrera's contract and greatly improve their production at 3B and SS. Orioles get 3 solid, close-to-ML-ready prospects and a decent LF. Move Cabrera to 3B, put Aybar at SS, move Gibbons to 1B, Markakis to RF, put Rivera in LF, and Morales at DH. Move Chen to the bullpen. If he puts up good numbers there, trade them midseason for prospects.

c R. Hernandez

1b Gibbons

2b Roberts

SS Aybar

3B Cabrera

LF Rivera

CF Patterson

RF Markakis

DH Morales

Bedard

Cabrera

Benson

Lopez

Penn/Loewen/Weaver

Ray

Hawkins

Williams

Rleal

Britton

Lopez

Chen

[Sports Guy]

Why would the Orioles care so much about Shields?

Because, with a shaky rotation and so many young guys in the lienup(hopefully), the idea is to build as strong a BP as possible and try to make games 6 innings.

BTW, i seriously i doubt i would do that Angels trade.

[rp0806]

Because, with a shaky rotation and so many young guys in the lienup(hopefully), the idea is to build as strong a BP as possible and try to make games 6 innings.

True, but I'm not that worried about the bullpen...Ray, Rleal, Britton, Hawkins, and Williams is already a pretty good core. I'd love to get Shields, but I wouldn't let him hold up any deal with the Angels.

[clapdiddy]

Well, if I'm the Orioles and I'm looking to move Tejada, now would be the time. His value has got to be sky high at this point. I wouldn't want him to get injured or go into a big slump....I'd want to sell while the iron is hot.

[rolliefingers]

Why would the Angels deal Shields anyway? The point of getting Tejada would be to win this year, so why would they give up a key part of their bullpen?

As I said, Kotchman, Santana/Jered Weaver and Wood for Tejada and J. Lopez makes a lot of sense for both teams. I'd even take back O-Cab if they threw in another mid-level guy.

Tejada's value is high. Let's strike while the iron's hot.

[rolliefingers]

I'd want to sell while the iron is hot.

Great minds think of the same cliches simultaneously.

EDIT: Oops, looks like you beat me to it by quite a bit.

[clapdiddy]

Great minds think of the same cliches simultaneously.

EDIT: Oops, looks like you beat me to it by quite a bit.

Man....you ARE smart!!!

[rolliefingers]

Man....you ARE smart!!!

Dude, you're only 4 posts behind me. Better get crackin'!

[clapdiddy]

Dude, you're only 4 posts behind me. Better get crackin'!

Yeah...but both of us combined are only about 1/5 of Sports Guys posts!

Where else could you have THAT much fun???

[davearm]

Why would the Angels deal Shields anyway? The point of getting Tejada would be to win this year, so why would they give up a key part of their bullpen?

As I said, Kotchman, Santana/Jered Weaver and Wood for Tejada and J. Lopez makes a lot of sense for both teams. I'd even take back O-Cab if they threw in another mid-level guy.

Tejada's value is high. Let's strike while the iron's hot.

I was thinking the same thing stallion.

The Angels are rich in prospects, so that's what they'll want to spend (if they choose to spend) to improve their club for this year.

Baseball America has 3 shortstops in the top 5 of this year's Top 100 -- Justin Upton (2), Brandon Wood (3), and Stephen Drew (5).

As luck would have it, any of the three could be a good fit for Tejada... obviously the DBacks have redundancy, and the Angels do too, with Aybar.

If you guys could get Wood and Kotchman for Tejada and Javy, that's something you'd have to give real strong consideration to, IMO.

And if the DBacks would give you Upton or Drew plus another prospect, that's another real solid offer.

[Sports Guy]

I was thinking the same thing stallion.

The Angels are rich in prospects, so that's what they'll want to spend (if they choose to spend) to improve their club for this year.

Baseball America has 3 shortstops in the top 5 of this year's Top 100 -- Justin Upton (2), Brandon Wood (3), and Stephen Drew (5).

As luck would have it, any of the three could be a good fit for Tejada... obviously the DBacks have redundancy, and the Angels do too, with Aybar.

If you guys could get Wood and Kotchman for Tejada and Javy, that's something you'd have to give real strong consideration to, IMO.

And if the DBacks would give you Upton or Drew plus another prospect, that's another real solid offer.

Agree with everything you say although Wood and Kotchman is not quite enough for those 2 but everything else is spot on.

Like i said, the DBacks are reportedly willign to trade Drew and Quentin for Willis.

Now, Tejada is obviously more valuable than Willis BUT will the DBacks look at it that way? Really, we should get more than that for Miggy but i could see the DBacks wanting Willis more, even though that would be a poor decision IMO.

[AgentOrange]

I was thinking the same thing stallion.

The Angels are rich in prospects, so that's what they'll want to spend (if they choose to spend) to improve their club for this year.

Baseball America has 3 shortstops in the top 5 of this year's Top 100 -- Justin Upton (2), Brandon Wood (3), and Stephen Drew (5).

As luck would have it, any of the three could be a good fit for Tejada... obviously the DBacks have redundancy, and the Angels do too, with Aybar.

If you guys could get Wood and Kotchman for Tejada and Javy, that's something you'd have to give real strong consideration to, IMO.

And if the DBacks would give you Upton or Drew plus another prospect, that's another real solid offer.

Those would be great trades, IMO.

If we didn't have to eat any salary, it would give us a ton of room to make FA acquisitions in the next couple of years...

[rolliefingers]

I was thinking the same thing stallion.

The Angels are rich in prospects, so that's what they'll want to spend (if they choose to spend) to improve their club for this year.

Baseball America has 3 shortstops in the top 5 of this year's Top 100 -- Justin Upton (2), Brandon Wood (3), and Stephen Drew (5).

As luck would have it, any of the three could be a good fit for Tejada... obviously the DBacks have redundancy, and the Angels do too, with Aybar.

If you guys could get Wood and Kotchman for Tejada and Javy, that's something you'd have to give real strong consideration to, IMO.

And if the DBacks would give you Upton or Drew plus another prospect, that's another real solid offer.

I think I would start negotiations at those two plus Santana, and if (when) they balk, ask for a younger guy, maybe a hidden gem in A-ball. As deep as their system is, I'm sure we can find someone who's slipped through the cracks.

But, gun to my head, I'd take the deal you suggested. I'd just try to get more. It depends on how badly they want Tejada.

But the longer Tejada is seen as "on the market", the more his value declines, IMO.

[melankfo]

I want to state something that no one wants to say in public, but many are saying in private. Tejada is an albatross around the neck of the Orioles. Of course he's a good offensive player, but his defense is terrible. The upper four levels of the O's farm system all have superior defensive shortstops. Fahey, who was at Triple A, is just one example. How discouraging is it to a pitching staff to have Tejada's misplays result in extra run after run -- like the two in successive innings in a game this past weekend, where he double clutches before throwing on a ball hit right to him, and the next inning makes a wild throw on what should have been a routine double play. Neither shows up as an error in the boxscore, but they have their effect on a pitching staff that needs all the help it can get. Next to catcher, shortstop is the key defensive position on a team. Is there a worse defensive shortstop in the American League? Maybe the guy at Kansas City, that's all. And the O's are committed to him for three more years after this one. There's a conspiracy of silence on this -- especially from the O's broadcasters, which you can understand because Angelos doesn't want to lower his trade value. Though Jim Palmer did comment on the totally unnecessary hot dog type of throw he made this weekend which went wild and screwed up the double play. Folks, I'm here to tell you that when it comes to defense what you think you see but no one talks about is true -- this emperor has no clothes on.

[Sports Guy]

An albatross around the neck of the Orioles is a bit much. His defense could be better but overall the guy's a great player. Multiple teams would love to have him so I don't see how that makes him an albatross.

Yea, not only is he not an albatross, he is also still an average defensive player.

Sorry but he is in no way an albatross. He is the best player at his position and arguably a top 10 player in all of baseball. I would like to have 24 more just like him.