Orioles To Become Sellers?

Jeff Zrebiec's article for the Baltimore Sun this morning discusses the possibility that the Orioles start selling off veteran parts as we approach the trading deadline.  He specifically names Scott Williamson, Corey Patterson, Jay Gibbons, and Steve Trachsel as trade candidates.

In a related note, Gotham Baseball's Mark Healey spoke to an industry source indicating that the Mets might be interested in trading for Williamson and Jay Payton.

Williamson makes $900K this year, with additional incentives based on his number of games.  Patterson, a Scott Boras client, makes $4.3MM and is a free agent after the season.  His terrible hitting this year will cost him what could've been a decent payday.  The Gibbons contract is ugly: $5MM this year, $5.7MM in '08, and $6.2MM in '09.  Trachsel earns $3.1MM this year plus a $4.75MM club option for '08.  Finally, Payton makes $4.5MM this year and $5MM in '08.

The Orioles could really go nuts if they wanted to, dumping off contracts and veterans.  Miguel Tejada, Melvin Mora, Kevin Millar, Ramon Hernandez, Danys Baez, Aubrey Huff, Chad Bradford, and Jamie Walker could be sent packing.  If they were to commit to a rebuilding year in '08, the Orioles have players to fill almost any team's needs.  Of course, trading all those vets would amount to admitting how many mistake contracts the Orioles have on the books.

Comments

[darkstar1661]

If you were in charge of the O's wouldn't you sell everything possible? I know if I had a bad team in the ALEast I would be thinking a year or two more in the future. With Tor spending more to get closer to Bos and NY the last couple years it seemed foolish for Balt to focus on building from FAs and not unloading them at the deadline when they had the chance to get a return, but maybe that's just me...

I look at the bottom of that Div and I see the Rays (build for tomm) making a team which scares me to play and the O's (pay and pray) who I would want to play every day of the week... How do they not realize the problem by now?

So IMO, yes... Sell everything and try to get as much high-A/AA talent as possible. Try out what you have in AAA for the rest of the year and see what you might be able to do 2-3 years from now. What's the worst that can happen, you end up a little more out in your 07 last place finish?

[5953]

Trachsel to braves for A prospect

[5953]

Add Williamson and another prospect

[tymyshwo]

This sounds like a great idea to me. The orioles are so bad and there is no team chemistry at all. We could get some pretty good prospects for tejeda.

[DentalPlan]

Most of those guys aren't worth squat. Melvin Mora, Aubrey Huff, Corey Patterson, Baez, Millar, a real bounty of talent there.

Ramon Hernandez could get some pretty nice interest, along with the more obvious chips. But you have to figure even Tejada isn't worth what he once was.

[jskohl]

I think the Dodgers should make a play for Tejada. They lack power, and I think trying to get guys like Adam Dunn or Troy Glauss or Jermaine Dye may be a big mistake. Jeff Kent is in his last year of his contract, and Rafael Furcal has one more to go. What if the Dodgers moved Furcal to second base next year? Unless Ned Colletti goes for ARod next year(assuming he opts out) I don't see anything better to add to the infield. Plus the Dodgers have minor league talent at all levels and at every position.

[darkstar1661]

Dental,

Although I do agree that the list of names they have to offer up isn't of the elite kind, I do think they have parts which could be very helpful to many teams. If they started selling right now they would even get more return because there are so many teams still looking like they are alive, or teams with unrealistic ideas of their chances. Sea, Arz, Atl, Minn, Oak, the NL-C... There are plenty of teams which might need to make a move quick or possibly risk a drop out of the race. These players that don't cost your best prospects to get can make a huge difference! Even Cle, Det, Ana, NYY, Bos etc would probably give a couple midlevel guys for the RPs.

I mean think of this:
1B Millar, Huff
SS Tejada
3B Mora
OF Patterson, Gibbons, Payton
C Hernandez
RP Baez, Bradford, Walker, Williamson
SP Trachsel

Its like one stop shopping to fill any of your needs... And although Tejada and Hernandez would bring the biggest return ~ any return would be enough! Meaning if some of the bench guys are sent off for second teir or change of scenery prospects your still coming out ahead. Get one 'potential' and one 'flyer' for someone like Baez and you never know what will happen... Its building by creating options and taking chances instead of just holding onto cards you will end up losing for nothing anyway.

I would really just start infusing as much youth with upside into the system as possible and if the focus is on highA to AA guys you will see return in 2-3 years. Otherwise 3 years from now there probably won't be much difference in Balt...

[DentalPlan]

Millar's worth is minimal, could you get back a team's 15th best prospect? Maybe. The market for middling 1b isn't what it used to be though. Aubrey Huff, who would trade for him? His contract is bad, he looks hopeless, Aubrey Huff looks like he's in the Phil Nevin phase of his career at an earlier age. Melvin Mora has turned into David Bell for $8+ million a year. No one will take that.

Patterson - worthless.

Payton - Some value. A top 20 prospect maybe.

Williamson - The guy is made of glass and he's pitched all of 12 innings. 15th best prospect?

Bradford - High BAA and WHIP, he's making $3.5 million in 2008 and 2009, I don't know if I'd want to be on the hook for that. Nothing of any value.

Baez - No way. The guy is erratic, lately just plain bad, he's injured, and his contract is 3 years, $19 million? No way.

I mean, come on, one stop shopping? If you're shopping for mediocrity.

Walker is fine, but $4.5 million the next two years is pretty hefty for a guy his age. There might be value there, but it's limited.

Trachsel - A top 20 prospect? The guy is not good, but he's on a run of luck and eats innings. That's worth something, but not much.

Gibbons - I can't decide who I'd rather have, Gibbons or Jacque Jones, Jones is due less money next year. Limited value. Even Gibbons's "good" years aren't that great.

So everyone on your list is only worth a marginal prospect at best currently, except for Tejada and Hernandez. The catching market is weak and teams could use a legitimate catching upgrade. I don't think there any studs to be had, but if Hernandez comes back healthy, he could fetch some a real prospect.

Tejada is of course the biggest bounty.

[darkstar1661]

Well, the way I see it I think they could infuse quite a few youngsters into the system to atleast get some return for their mistakes… I’m thinking these teams might be good fits and send an ok return for the following players:

Tejada ~ Highest bidder RETURN: High
Hernandez ~ Highest bidder RETURN: High

Trachsel ~ STL… They need the starters; Steve is a very solid pitcher who isn’t flashy but always provides good production. He could make a big impact for the RedBirds RETURN: Good+

Roberts ~ NYM… Easley? Valentin? That’s a huge hole… Roberts fills it with a good BA, OBP, speed and more BB than Ks RETURN: Good+

Mora ~ ANA… They need a power bat, Melvin isn’t that in the prototypical sense but for whats avail on the market it works well. He also plays multiple positions (like Chone) so it allows options around the field which the team likes, and honestly needs, as players struggle RETURN: Good

Walker ~ Highest bidder… LH reliever with a fair success in the AL East will look good to NL teams. Ana could also use a LH reliever pretty bad. RETURN: Good

Baez ~ PHIL… The team is somehow only 2 games out and will be thinking they still have a shot. They need bullpen arms and Baez pitched well at times in the NL last year. Phils don’t have BP situated at all so… RETURN: Fair (if Bal eats a M or two)

Payton ~ SD… The Pads have OF problems (they are playing Bocachica out there!) Although not the power hitter they would rather have, Jay has spent a bit of time there before and is better than the options that they currently have. RETURN: Fair (if Bal eats a M or two)

Williamson ~ CLE… The Tribe needs bullpen arms with some experience. Scott has closing experience and isn’t 97YO like Hernandez who will probably be DFAed soon. Not the name they would like, but if they cant get Gagne then this works well RETURN: Fair

Bradford ~ DET… Arms needed! Although not amazing stats, Chad is throwing better than most options they have and wouldn’t cost a huge bounty, he could be one of a couple arms they bring in. RETURN: Fair

Millar/Huff/Patterson ~ anything you can get… All three could easily go on to have fair success as utility type guys spelling injuries or lack of production. In Pattersons case he also provides speed and good D. Put Huff in a bandbox like Philly and he could produce, Millar might look good to the Yanks as they have no bench depth. Gibbons… well they are probably not going to find anyone to touch him unless they eat almost all the money and ask for only injured prospects.

As far as what I’m thinking those returns are… GOOD would be maybe 2 Top20 Pros on the high side and a Top15 Pros with maybe an upside, reclamation or change of scenery type as well on the low side. FAIR would probably be a Top15. On a couple of these Balt might need to eat a little bit of the money as well but its well worth it to bring the return ~ I mean you were going to waste the money keeping the players anyway.

I understand why you feel the return wouldn’t be good, but you are also not a GM trying to find a way to quickly plug a hole in a ship you’re trying to steer into the playoffs… You can almost always find someone with some good upside for your throwaways. As a longtime fan I have seen some pretty good return for some real scrubs, and if we are talking about guys still a couple years away you are even more likely to get um as teams think in the ‘hear and now’ much more when they are only 3 games out of 1st.

[DentalPlan]

Well, I think that's an optimistic viewpoint that could only come from an Orioles fan. A lot of those guys are not only struggling, they have a lot of money due to them. Nobody is going to pony much if anything.

[darkstar1661]

Who me, I can't stand Balt...

I'm just realistic ~ and when teams are scrambling to fill needs you can bank on bad trades. Of course not everyone would move, but a good chunk of them could be delt for useful prospects. Also, like mentioned Balt would prob have to eat a little money, but I don't think a ton.

The Bullpen arms, Mora, Tejada, Hernandez, Roberts, Tracs... These are all good ballers who would probably do well on a contender with atleast some hope of contention