Third base in 2011, if Bell can't cut it.

[Scrat1]

For the record, I am very much behind Bell and think he should be given the lion's share of playing time at third from here until the end of the season. We need to know what we have in him.

If, however, he shows no real improvement over the next month and a half, what would your plan be for third base?

MacPhail has said that he would be willing to take on contracts, and Aramis Ramirez, with his down year, is planning on exercising his $15 millon dollar option. The Cubs are always tight on money, and MacPhail has a good working relationship with Hendry. We'd probably have to give something of value up along with taking on salary (Angle?), but I think he's definitely worth inquiring about.

1. Brian Roberts

2. Nick Markakis

3. Aramis Ramirez

4. Luke Scott

5. Adam Jones

6. Felix Pie

7. Matt Wieters

8. Nolan Reimold

9. Cesar Izturis

That could be just a little bit nasty. Also, depending on just how serious Bell's hypothetical struggles are, I'd place a few calls to Seattle about Figgins.

[BRob51]

We'd have to pay out the *** for him, but if/when Beltre declines his player option, we could get a great glove with some real pop. His season is a little bit flukey, but he does have like a 21% LD rate, so he's definitely hitting the ball well.

[Frobby]

Ramirez would be an interesting gamble, high risk (dollar wise), high possible reward if he plays like he means it. He seems awfully young to have dropped off the table so drastically. I think the Cubs might part with him for very little, to gain some payroll flexibility.

[mikezpen]

It's early, but I am concerned with Bell. I don't see much of a bat and half of his fielding plays are true adventures. By all means play him and give him a chance, but that's what I see.

[crowmst3k!]

If the O's acquire 1-2 power bats, I'd definitely call Seattle about Figgins. Can't have the same crap happen in 2011 where the team is without a lead off guy.

Adam Dunn and Chone Figgins would be a successful off season IMO. If the trade won't pillage the farm system, I'd trade for Jayson Werth or Prince Fielder, as well.

[Hooded Viper]

Ramirez would be an interesting gamble, high risk (dollar wise), high possible reward if he plays like he means it. He seems awfully young to have dropped off the table so drastically. I think the Cubs might part with him for very little, to gain some payroll flexibility.

I think Buck could get maximum effort out of Ramirez plus he would be motivated by that final decent contract.

That being said, I would much rather have Adrian Beltre. Not that I think he will get out of Boston but I would be willing to pay him quite a bit of money to be our 3B for the next 4 years. I would probably go 4-50M. I would also throw some high dollars at Konerko for 2 years while trading for a blocked SS. This would be a lineup that could compete:

2B-Roberts

RF-Markakis

3B-Beltre

1B-Konerko

DH-Scott

CF-Jones

C-Wieters

LF-Pie

SS-Brignac

Trading for Brignac is a pipedream but then again, so is getting Beltre and Konerko

[clapdiddy]

Just looked up his contract on Cot's. He's got a 14.6 million player option for 2011 and a 16 million club option for 2012.

I'm guessing if he were traded, we'd likely try to work a new deal for him. I don't think he'd like to come here unless some sort of new deal were in place.

[JTrea81]

Adrian Beltre should be our #1 target as he contributes offensively and defensively.

He can be the #3 RH hitter behind Markakis. Offer him 5/85 to get him to come here and trade Bell in a package for a #4 hitter for 1B.

[Frobby]

Adrian Beltre should be our #1 target as he contributes offensively and defensively.

He can be the #3 RH hitter behind Markakis. Offer him 5/85 to get him to come here.

Beltre scares me. His offensive performance has varied greatly from one year to the next. I'd love to have him, but 5/$85 mm is extremely risky for a 32-year old whose performance has fluctuated so much. It might take that much to get him to have a look at Baltimore, when I'm sure the Red Sox will be trying to re-sign him.

[Jurczak]

I may be misremembering, but didn't Beltre more or less say last offseason that he wouldn't come to Baltimore no matter what the offer?

[Mackus]

Unless Bell is in the low to mid 500s OPS-wise, I don't think we'll know that he "cant' cut it" after this two month trial period.

I do think it'll be interesting to see whether we go into the season with Bell as a guy we try to give the whole year and see what he can do or if we try and fill the position. I wouldn't want a stopgap type player at 3B over Bell, but I'd consider a younger guy who we think could be a longer term answer and let him and Bell fight it out, if we can find that guy in a trade or something like that.

I only have a little interest in Beltre. He's not a guy I really want to give up our 2nd round pick for and have to pay a 3/$45M+ contract to, and that's what he's going to get after his huge year in Boston. I was very interested in him last offseason when he would have cost more like 3/$30M and no pick, but a year later for more dollars and a pick and he's a lot less attractive option. I agree he's the only legit FA option out there for 3B though, unless I'm forgetting someone.

Zero interest in a trade for someone like Figgins. That would be a completely awful move, IMO.

[bobmc]

If the O's acquire 1-2 power bats, I'd definitely call Seattle about Figgins, assuming Wakamatsu's not here. Can't have the same crap happen in 2011 where the team is without a lead off guy.

Adam Dunn and Chone Figgins would be a successful off season IMO. If the trade won't pillage the farm system, I'd trade for Jayson Werth or Prince Fielder, as well.

I altered your original wording but wonder if Buck has talked with Wak about Chonie???? :scratchchinhmm:

[Mackus]

I may be misremembering, but didn't Beltre more or less say last offseason that he wouldn't come to Baltimore no matter what the offer?

You're sort of misremembering.

Beltre wanted to take a big, 1-year contract with a contender in hopes of having a huge season and being able to command a much larger contract in a year, rather than take a multi-year deal for what his going rate was last offseason. It wasn't that he didn't want Baltimore no matter what, it's that he didn't want a multi-year deal in the $8-10M range no matter what. We didn't want him for just a 1-year commitment, and even if we did, he wanted that deal with a contender to have a much better chance of putting up a strong statistical season.

[murrayfan420]

Since I drafted Aramis Ramirez in fantasy I've been in the unique position of following him the entire year. He had a thumb injury that really bothered him (and me) the first part of the year.

From April 5th to June 7th he hit .168/.232/.285/.517 with 5 HR and 22 RBI

He then went on the DL for two weeks.

Since he's come back from the DL on June 25th he's hit .303/.352/.593/.945 with 11 HR and 32 RBI.

I would DEFINITELY claim him if he were put on waivers. He'd be very expensive, but he'd be a right handed power bat we desperately need.

[Three Run Homer]

We should be looking to acquire Aramis Ramirez, whether via trade or waiver claim, no matter what we think about Bell. Ramirez is exactly the kind of hitter we need in the middle of the order, and his bad contract gives us a chance to acquire him that we probably wouldn't have if he was a free agent.

If Bell hits well enough down the stretch to justify a spot in the starting lineup next year, we can alternate Bell and Ramirez at 1B .