Orioles Interested In Ryan Shealy

[Sports Guy]

The bottom line is Loewen is worth more than Shealy.

No one is saying not to trade Loewen, just not Loewen for Shealy.

[ATO UMD]

The question about the Orioles overvaluing their prospects is a valid one, IMO. I have gotten the impression from other teams' boards that we have something of a Tampa reputation in that department: demanding the moon and then stalling and then the deal falls apart. Hayden Penn has been called a B-level prospect on more than one occasion. It does make you wonder.

Of all of our "prospects," Hayden Penn is the one I'd most want to keep because he's been pretty succesful at all of his minor league stops at a very young age. He was really pitching well in AAA this year before having to go under the knife. Penn is the only guy, maybe with the exception of Olson, who has truly lived up to his billing.

[RShack]

Don't know if Colorado Springs has been using the same humidor that they use in Denver. That's an interesting question that might have a significant impact on Shealy's value.

I don't know either. I know a guy who lived in Colorado Springs, and he says the weather there is *way* different than in Denver. I don't know if that means baseballs act differently there.

[mikezpen]

The bottom line is Loewen is worth more than Shealy.

No one is saying not to trade Loewen, just not Loewen for Shealy.

That could very well be. But I wish they'd go for a young first baseman with promise as a hitter, or a salary dump whose a hitter.And if it takes Loewen, so be it.The organization has zip-nada-at that position and they won't for literally years.

[El Gordo]

I don't know either. I know a guy who lived in Colorado Springs, and he says the weather there is *way* different than in Denver. I don't know if that means baseballs act differently there.

I've performed in both places and Colorado Springs is 7000 ft. compared to a mile at Denver. Believe me you can feel the difference when you try to breath. I imagine that the effect on a baseball is noticeable as well. At Denver, balls that looked like pop ups suddenly turned into home runs. Never saw a game in Colorado Springs

[delaware bird]

Olson could become Rocky Coppinger or Matt Riley or Kurt Ainsworth or Denny Bautista.

Not really sure what to make of this last sentence. You don't trade guys because they 'could' end up getting hurt or not performing.

You trade for need and you attempt to trade up in what the team considers value.

If you think Shealy now and projected into the future is worth more than Olson now and into the future, you try to pull the trigger.

That being said, 1B is probably the easiest position to fill. Pitchers, by nature, have more value. Olson is young (drafted just last year) and doing well. There is no way I include him in a package.

[Sports Guy]

That could very well be. But I wish they'd go for a young first baseman with promise as a hitter, or a salary dump whose a hitter.And if it takes Loewen, so be it.The organization has zip-nada-at that position and they won't for literally years.

I agree we need to acquire a young first baseman but i know i would deal Loewen for Kotchman way before i would for Shealy.

Kotchman is just a flat out better player in all facets except maybe homer power.

[66-70-83-??]

I agree we need to acquire a young first baseman but i know i would deal Loewen for Kotchman way before i would for Shealy.

Kotchman is just a flat out better player in all facets except maybe homer power.

Shealy is a better hitter period.

Kotchman is a better fielder. He is also three years younger.

But, I would rather have the other LAA 1B prospect: Morales.

We can debate players all day long, but it appears that there is a concensus that we need to trade some of our young pitching for the positional talent that we lack.

[Avsfan]

but it appears that there is a concensus that we need to trade some of our young pitching for the positional talent that we lack.

Just don't give them away...we've done such a good job, re-building our farm system, we need to make smart decisions to fill our weaknesses, or else it will be 1999 all over again.

[WhereisBoog]

I agree we need to acquire a young first baseman but i know i would deal Loewen for Kotchman way before i would for Shealy.

Kotchman is just a flat out better player in all facets except maybe homer power.

I'm not sure if that is true that Kotchman is flat out a better player than Shealy.

After Kotchman's OBP this year is .221 and his OPS .436. (Matos territory)

Comparing Kotchman with Shealy using Kotchman's AAA performance and Shealy's this year is interesting.

Kotchman (AAA last year) OBP .373 OPS .813

Shealy (AAA this year) OBP .357 OPS .950

Comparable with more power from Shealy. We need a bigger bat and Shealey could help provide that. It's possible both Kotchman and Shealy might not hit big league pitching as Kotchman is illustrating.

Would I trade Loewen for Shealey straight up? In a heartbeat. Would I trade Penn for Shealy? No way. Would I trade Olson for Shealy? Yes.

You have more beleif in Loewen's abilities than I do.

That said I'd take Kotchman if it was a part of deal with the Angels which included Santana, or Jered Weaver, and maybe Shields or Lackey, and someone like Aybar or Wood as a larger Tejada deal ,but i'm not sure that really is going to happen. Most likely the angels will go with someone cheaper like wilson especially with OCab hitting .302 and Aybar and Woods hitting very well at AAA and AA.

I think the Rockies represent a better trading possilbity.

[AgentOrange]

Just don't give them away...we've done such a good job, re-building our farm system, we need to make smart decisions to fill our weaknesses, or else it will be 1999 all over again.

Agreed.

But I hope you don't classify a Olson for Shealy move as one of those "give aways".

[Avsfan]

But I hope you don't classify a Olson for Shealy move as one of those "give aways".

I do...he's oldish...and playing in extreme batting league/conditions...that proves nothing to me.

[66-70-83-??]

I do...he's oldish...and playing in extreme batting league/conditions...that proves nothing to me.

Here are two opinions on Shealy.

First one is from John Sickels and the second one is from Baseball Prospectus.

Sickels:

Rating Ryan Shealy at B+ may seem controversial, but he is sort of the hitting version of Jon Papelbon, another guy I like more than some experts. Shealy can really hit, and what he did in the majors last year is not a fluke. The hard part is finding him a place to play in Colorado.

FWIW- Sickels rates Loewen as a B.

Here is what Baseball Prospectus says about him on their Pecota Card:

(FWIW: Some of the "comparable" players listed = D. Lee, Hafner, Sexson)

BP:

A born DH, Shealy's hit at every stop along the way, often to the extent where you say "How come they're leaving this dude in the Cal League? Do they want to destroy the confidence of opposing pitchers, or do they just want to dent the fences of some field in the Inland Empire?" Shealy's something of an ox-boy, but he plays the role well, swinging at pitches in the strike zone with seriously bad intentions. He draws his walks, gets his hits, and yes, strikes out a lot. Definitely has the masher look; when he hits the ball hard, he looks like a right-handed Travis Hafner, creating the image of a pitch just getting creamed.

Granted, as was pointed out, he is hitting in the PCL, but he still is a very good hitter. Good hitters hit in any environment in which they are placed.

[Sports Guy]

Shealy is a better hitter period.

Kotchman is a better fielder. He is also three years younger.

But, I would rather have the other LAA 1B prospect: Morales.

We can debate players all day long, but it appears that there is a concensus that we need to trade some of our young pitching for the positional talent that we lack.

Based on what? Take away the thin air and what is Shealy? We don't know yet...Kotchman had 900+ OPS's in the minors without that.

Plus he is younger, more in shape and a GG caliber defensive player.

[Sports Guy]

I'm not sure if that is true that Kotchman is flat out a better player than Shealy.

After Kotchman's OBP this year is .221 and his OPS .436. (Matos territory)

Comparing Kotchman with Shealy using Kotchman's AAA performance and Shealy's this year is interesting.

Kotchman (AAA last year) OBP .373 OPS .813

Shealy (AAA this year) OBP .357 OPS .950

Comparable with more power from Shealy. We need a bigger bat and Shealey could help provide that. It's possible both Kotchman and Shealy might not hit big league pitching as Kotchman is illustrating.

Would I trade Loewen for Shealey straight up? In a heartbeat. Would I trade Penn for Shealy? No way. Would I trade Olson for Shealy? Yes.

You have more beleif in Loewen's abilities than I do.

That said I'd take Kotchman if it was a part of deal with the Angels which included Santana, or Jered Weaver, and maybe Shields or Lackey, and someone like Aybar or Wood as a larger Tejada deal ,but i'm not sure that really is going to happen. Most likely the angels will go with someone cheaper like wilson especially with OCab hitting .302 and Aybar and Woods hitting very well at AAA and AA.

I think the Rockies represent a better trading possilbity.

So, you j ust choose to ignore the fact that he had mono all year?