Per Connolly: O's and LaRoche have interest in each other...

[Eddie_Ripken]

How do you feel about Luke at 1B and Ordonez or Vlad as DH?

I know you're asking Frobby...but I wouldn't mind Vlad as DH and Luke at 1B. Would prefer Lee....by a pretty good margin but wouldn't hate it if it was Luke/Vlad.

I am still wondering if Reimold gets a shot at 1B is everything falls through.

[maybe2050]

I'm really not enthused by LaRoche. If he can be signed for a reasonable 1-2 year deal, I won't really complain much, but I would rather go other directions.

Lee obviously or Thome or Magglio for DH and Scott at 1B.

Or Scott and Reimold for 1B and DH with a cheaper guy like Hawpe or even Nick Johnson to fill those spots. Fox can occasionally play 1B/DH as well if he's back.

If Napoli is really available, he'd be another option I'd like to explore.

And with this plan of your's, you seem to be ready to compete in 2020. LOL. Why put a SCRUB in a place where you need a guy for 2-3 years? Why play Scott or Reimold at 1st when they are NOT good there, aren't 1st basemen, and there good 1st basemen available? Are you sure this isn't Andy MacPhail snooping around on this board? I do agree that Maggs or Thome could be a big benefit, but while do we have to settle for a 1st baseman OR DH, when both would help? Scott could play left (where he should be), and finally boot Pie out of here. Reimold is a decent utility outfielder at best. AAA for him

[Capn Vivi]

The problem with the trio of DHs is that they all have special flaws unique to each of them. Guerrero's away numbers don't suggest he would play well in OPACY, Matsui is a lefty and Magglio is injury prone.

They're all likely to be expensive, but honestly, I feel that whoever comes cheapest will give their team the best value. That's probably how MacPhail feels as well.

[Sports Guy]

There doesn't need to be any signs of decline. I assume it will take at least a two year contract to sign Lee.

Look at the ten comparable players to Lee according to baseballreference. Two of them, Konerko and Carlos Lee, are the same age as Lee. Four of them didn't play both seasons at 35 and 36 and retired. The remaining four averaged a .772 ops in those two seasons. Those that played at the age of 34 averaged an .832 ops. None of these players showed significant signs of declining.

Depending on what the salary is Lee is huge risk to experience even more decline.

No, there doesn't...But ignoring the stats that are happening right now and just saying, well he is older so he will drop off isn't exactly some scientific way of doing things.

People keep talking about LaRoche but why isn't anyone mentioning the decline he is seeing?

[Birds08]

The problem with the trio of DHs is that they all have special flaws unique to each of them. Guerrero's away numbers don't suggest he would play well in OPACY, Matsui is a lefty and Magglio is injury prone.

They're all likely to be expensive, but honestly, I feel that whoever comes cheapest will give their team the best value. That's probably how MacPhail feels as well.

Thome? Overall, the good news is there are 4 or 5 solid DH candidates and I can't imagine even that many teams are interested.

[Capn Vivi]

Thome? Overall, the good news is there are 4 or 5 solid DH candidates and I can't imagine even that many teams are interested.

I like Thome, but he's a part time/platoon player at this point in his career, not a 500-600 PA guy like the others. Besides, I really don't see him coming here. He's in it to win it and he won't waste perhaps his final year in the league helping the O's get to .500.

I'm still holding out hope we can bring in Josh Willingham for something like Pie + Simon (not realistic, I know) but that would give us great production with a solid OBP (similar to what I would expect Lee to put up) plus near guaranteed Type A compensation in the offseason.

[quidam]

No, there doesn't...But ignoring the stats that are happening right now and just saying, well he is older so he will drop off isn't exactly some scientific way of doing things.

People keep talking about LaRoche but why isn't anyone mentioning the decline he is seeing?

I don't think anyone is ignoring them. Just trying to provide the other perspective that maybe Lee is not the slam dunk best pick up that many seem to think.

I don't like Lee because I think it takes definitely 2, maybe 3 years to get him here with a salary above 12M. If we can get him at 10M or less I think he becomes a much safer option.

The 1st base market is pretty thin. McPhail said that position has the most options. Hopefully he has something that is off the radar.

[Mizerooskie]

No, there doesn't...But ignoring the stats that are happening right now and just saying, well he is older so he will drop off isn't exactly some scientific way of doing things.

Actually, it's just as scientific as assuming that Lee's peripherals indicate his luck will turn and he'll put up better stats.

Both are scenarios with a decent probability of happening based on historical evidence. You just happen to not like one of the conclusions.