Sign Holliday or trade prospects?

[JTrea81]

Would you rather sign Holliday as a FA or trade prospects such as Tillman, Arrieta and Snyder for an established bat?

These seem to be our best options before 2011 for an established big bat that will make a difference over the LT for the Orioles.

Holliday will likely cost 6/108-114 guaranteed with maybe some option years to boost the package. And he'd cause us to lose a third round draft pick.

Trading our young prospects, especially our pitching prospects like Tillman could give you a bat like Miguel Cabrera for instance, but then you'd be paying him 120+ million and you'd lose the prospects. Ditto for Adrian Gonzalez.

So which would you rather see MacPhail do?

[Satyr3206]

Where's the choice for let the team develop?

[wildcard]

Where's the choice for let the team develop?

I 2nd that.

[Hank Scorpio]

Thirded.

But no, let's stomp our feet and pound our fists.

[Moose Milligan]

I'll take option C: Neither. Let our own bats develop and spend money to keep our homegrown talent.

[crowmst3k!]

Clearly if you had to choose, you go for Holliday.

Comparing Reimold's rookie campaign (injured, mind you) with Holliday's, they are very similar offensively...I see no reason to replace Reimold with Holliday, especially at the supposed price that Boras is trying to drum up.

However, Nolan would be saved by the fact that he could DH. I'd certainly not mind to see the middle of the order go like this: Wieters, Holliday, Jones, Reimold...

That would be a very dangerous lineup, and would hide the lack of offensive production from the infield.

[crowmst3k!]

I'll take option C: Neither. Let our own bats develop and spend money to keep our homegrown talent.

That's another thing. You have to think that Wieters, if he develops to his potential, is going to be the main goal of retention once his time comes up for free agency. If Wieters becomes the guy that we think he'll become, then you have to be ready and willing to plunk down around 20-25 million/year when his time comes. Jones will be arbitration eligible next year, I believe, as well. Eventually, you have to consider his price tag on the open market as well.

[Hank Scorpio]

The obvious answer if you had to answer the poll is to sign Holliday and surrender the pick.

I just don't think now is the time to do either.

[El Gordo]

I would rather wait and see if a) I even needed Holliday's bat by the end of this season, (Reimold, Pie Jones and Wieters may combine to make that moot) b) if our SP has developed enough to trade one or two Arrieta, Tillman, Britton, DH etc. 3) if Snyder and Bell provide an additional upgrade to the offense, 4) signing a FA bat like VMart, Lee, Konerko, or Pena wl be enough for the time being.

[Moose Milligan]

I actually think we should see what the Yankees want for Tex.

[JTrea81]

I actually think we should see what the Yankees want for Tex.

Tex has a full no-trade clause.

Would he waive it to play in Baltimore?

[Peace21]

You forgot an option- neither

[JTrea81]

But JTrea, you want to do BOTH!!!!!!!!!

Ideally I would like to see us go for it and get two bats, but this scenario is much more likely IMO.

The best chance to get an established bat in the next two offseasons that can help us beyond 2012 is via trade or to sign Holliday.

If we could only do one, I'd prefer to keep the prospects.

[berto]

I agree with most of the other people. I want to wait and see all our young talent develop and see what we need after that.

[crowmst3k!]

Signing Holliday makes WAY more sense than giving up any of our pitching prospects. This team needs to build and maintain a quality pitching rotation for years, and you don't do this through free agency.

Arrieta and Britton should be the next wave to replace Millwood, and eventually Guthrie. Then once Tillman or Matusz go, Hobgood should theoretically be ready.

Having a strong pipeline of high quality pitching prospects is essential for a winning baseball organization. Trading them for 2 years of a power bat = rehashing the past decade of ineptitude.