JULY 18: Rosenthal now reports (via Twitter) that Angelos has indeed given Duquette his approval to explore trades involving the team’s top relievers as well as Smith.
JULY 16: As long as Orioles ownership approves, executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette has told other teams that he is open to trading three of his top relievers (Zach Britton, Brad Brach and Darren O’Day) as well as outfielder Seth Smith, Ken Rosenthal reports via his Facebook page.
Also noteworthy in Rosenthal’s report is the list of names the O’s apparently aren’t willing to trade. The club isn’t listening to offers for Manny Machado or Adam Jones, and though Mychal Givens is receiving interest from rival clubs, the O’s also don’t plan on dealing the righty, who is controllable through the 2021 season.
This would indicate that the Orioles aren’t approaching the deadline with an eye towards a full-blown rebuild. Dealing a controllable player like Givens (who is likely being groomed for a larger role should one of the veteran relievers be dealt) or moving cornerstone players like Machado or Jones would imply that Baltimore wasn’t planning on contending in 2018. Instead, the team looks to be attempting to free up some payroll space in the form of pricey relief contacts, and move some excess pieces in the bullpen and bench with an eye towards reloading for next season. With this in mind, Rosenthal opines that Welington Castillo could also be a trade chip, as the catcher can become a free agent this winter if he doesn’t exercise his player option for 2018.
All this trade talk assumes, of course, that Orioles owner Peter Angelos is willing to green-light the proposed deadline moves. Rosenthal points out that Angelos hasn’t permitted his team to make significant trades of veterans at the deadline since 2000, though the O’s are only on the fringes of contention this year. The Orioles entered the day tied with the Blue Jays for fourth place in the AL East with a 42-48 record, 8.5 games out of first place and five games out of a wild card berth.
Britton posted one of the best years of any closer in baseball history in 2016, though he has only pitched 13 innings for Baltimore this season due to a pair of forearm strains. Despite the worrying nature of such injuries, Britton’s track record ensures that he would be a prized commodity at the deadline, with such teams as the Dodgers and Astros already showing some interest.
Britton’s rise to elite closer status has coincided with his arbitration years, as he is playing this season on an $11.4MM salary. Though his injury woes will probably limit the size of his raise in his fourth and final trip through the arb process this winter, Britton still has another $12MM+ salary coming his way in 2018, and there were whispers all winter that the O’s could move Britton and go with a less-expensive option at closer.
Brach, for instance, is only earning $3.05MM this season and is controlled through the 2018 season. This contract situation and Brach’s own strong performance this year as Britton’s replacement at closer has put Brach perhaps even in higher demand than Britton. It probably isn’t likely that both Britton and Brach would be dealt, as the club likely sees one or the other as their closer in 2018.
The veteran O’Day missed some time due to a shoulder strain this year and was hampered by injuries in 2016, though he had continued to post his usual solid numbers when healthy. O’Day has a 3.77 ERA, 11.3 K/9 and 2.79 K/BB rate over 31 frames for Baltimore this year. O’Day is owed $9MM in both 2018 and 2019 and has roughly $3MM remaining salary for this year. The veteran also has a partial no-trade clause in his contract that allows him to block deals to seven teams, so O’Day has some control over his destiny if the Orioles do want to trade him.
Smith was acquired in a trade with the Mariners last winter to boost the Orioles’ left-handed hitting outfield depth, and he has a solid .259/.328/.436 slash line through 244 PA. Trey Mancini has stepped into an everyday corner outfield role, so the O’s could use a platoon of Joey Rickard and Hyun Soo Kim in the other corner spot should Smith be dealt.
smart. The orioles chance is over and they need to start rebuilding that farm
our farm system is really bad, and our chances for contention are dying, might as well plan for the future
couldn’t agree more
Funny hearing an Angels fan say that. You guys could use a full rebuild too. You’re system is awful and you aren’t going anywhere either.
I’m guessing Rizzo offers some of his top prospects for Britton now.
I don’t see a Nats O’s swap solely because of the MASN deal. Angelos would have to be blown away with the Nats offer.
Agree don’t see an O’s Nats deal happening
Angelos will be too happy to demand a high price in this trade
Otherwise, it’s Robertson. Depends on who Rizzo wants to close.
Angelos will be happy but the Nats aren’t going to give them the farm for Britton. Because I don’t think Angelos will listen to an offer from Washington unless it includes Fedde+ Soto+ Kieboom for Britton or Robles. you know I just don’t see Rizzo making a fool out of himself.
Clearly, the Nats are in win now mode. Can also trade for Brach. They do still need a closer. Doolittle and Madson are set up men, if they are asked to close, they will fail. In fact, Madson asked BoMel not to close this year.
I wouldn’t consider Brad brach to be anymore of a shut down closer than Sean Doolittle. I’m an oriole’s fan brach is good but he’s not a top closer by any means so I don’t see it happenig
Lol
Doolittle can’t close. Does not have the mentality to do it. Why do you think BoMel had Friggin Casilla close over Doolittle and Madson? Because Madson asked not to close and Doolittle does dumb crap like hang a slider rather than blow guys away with his heater on an 0-2 count. Casilla blows games but just comes back and closes it out the next day, even if it is Heartburn inducing and he always seems to put the team in precarious situations.
Doolittle closed for years I’m sure he can handle the job. His biggest question mark is staying healthy. If you think Brad brach is a significant upgrade over Sean Doolittle for the 9th inning I’d have to argue that. Brach is a great set up man but he’s not a great closer
Doolittle did not close for years. His only full season as a closer was 2014. Last year, Madson closed. This year, the mediocre Casilla was the closer. BoMel did this because Doolittle is not a good closer. He was only forced into closing in 2014 because Jim Johnson was awful once he arrived in Oakland. Rizzo is planning on adding a closer.
Doolittle doesn’t have a “blow guys away with his heater” type fastball.
You are right about him closing for one year but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s about aa good of an option as Brad brach who has closed for 4 months. And the fact that angelos isnt dealing anyone to Washington without a serious overpay. it’s a moot point
Doolittle has a 93-97 mph heater that rises, seems to be able to blow guys away with it.
Then Rizzo will have to look at Robertson.
Yeah idk what you’re watching Doolittle has a great fastball. He’s striking out 13 per 9. His FIP is over a run lower than his era. He’s closed in the past. This guy can close out games for the Nats if need be.
I agree with you about Doolittle and Madson. Neither are a closer. Angelos will never allow a trade with the Nats unless it’s a clear overpay. Even then I am not sure if he would allow it. He won’t allow his GM to sign any international free agents, he probably isn’t going to allow him to trade with a team that he has been in court with for years.
Why would the O’s move Britton, only to turn around and trade for Robertson? The salaries are nearly the same–the objective being to SHED salary, not make a horizontal move.
‘BoMel’? Dear god, please tell me that isn’t really a thing.
Neither did Trevor Hoffman…
No fastball rises. Its physically impossible unless the next expansion team is on the moon.
Angelos would rather blow up Camden Yards than to trade with the Nationals.
Yeah every time I hear rising fastball I always laugh. What people call a rising fastball is just a fastball that has a high enough spin rate that doesn’t sink as much as hitters think it will.
Angelos would rather blow up Camden Yards than to trade with the Nationals.
Tough to see them go but completely necessary. This team isn’t going to do it. Brach and Britton are the ones bringing back the value so I think they both should be out of town. Need a real outfield prospect and tons of pitching. Wouldn’t mind us starting to listen on Machado either.
There should be few untouchables on this team. Too highlight that they are not entertaining offers for Adam Jones is surprising. Based on their farm situation (and any other prospects they add), Jones’ decline will be in full swing in a couple of seasons.
Key words, in a couple of seasons. Relievers are easier to replace than position players like Jones. The O’s have no reason to move Jones because they are not entertaining a rebuild. They are talking about moving valuable but relatively easy to replace relievers for younger and cheaper pieces that can help the team in the short term and long term.
I could be mistaken, but i believe Jones has full no trade protection in his contract, and seems unlikely to waive that given his public love for the city of Baltimore.
Britton shouldn’t be traded now- wait until he proves he’s healthy
At this point, you’d be getting fleeced
I don’t see why they won’t trade Manny– he alone could restock a farm system.
Britton throws the ball well the next week and a half I don’t think teams will have a problem trading full value for him or at least very close to full value
At the rate they’re going, I wonder how many opportunities Britton is going to get to close out games in the next week and a half.
That’s a valid point. Hopefully just pitching well no matter the situation will be enough of a showcase, he certainly has the track record.
The reason the O’s are not trading Manny is that this is not about a total rebuild. It is about moving a couple of relievers to get pieces that are younger and will be around long term but can still help the ballclub win in the short term.
What you just asked for is incredibly difficult to trade for. We’re going to deal Britton to a team but we’re going to get back pieces that we can control AND will help us contend next year. That’s a pipe dream. Javy Baez or Ian happ are probably the only 2 players in baseball that might be available who fit that mold and they aren’t coming to Baltimore for Britton or brach.
Nor would either one of them turn us into a contender. We need 3 pitchers and if we deal Britton we then would need bullpen help. We also need a SS and another outfielder. How do we go about Doing that?
Yeah teams lining up for Seth Smith. Lol
Fire sale to rebuild the farm?
I take it you didn’t read the article.
The O’s need to start a retool and trade Machado and Britton, but not sure they would get a Machado type prospect back in a trade.
You trade machado and Britton it’s a rebuild not a retool. I agree though it needs to be done. If you’re going to tear it down, tear it down all the way. Send out brach, Castillo, jones and trumbo if you could find someone to just take the contract off our hands
The O’s are planning to contend next season, not rebuild or even retool. No reason to trade any position player who is a starter.
We aren’t contending next season without brach or Britton that’s as clear as day. It’s not a good plan because we need at least 3 starting pitchers to be a winning team. You deal Britton we’re definitely not a contender, even if you keep him I don’t think we’re a contender.
The O’s aren’t likely to contend next year regardless. The pitching staff is a shambles and it’s going to take years to rebuild that. They have 1 halfway reliable starter now in Bundy and nothing on the farm. It doesn’t do much good to have great relievers like Brach and Britton when your starters are historically bad like this. A complete overhaul is needed and ownership needs to decide if they are going to keep Machado or not. If not move him like the White Sox moved Sale and Eaton. Look at their farm now.
One of the, admittedly, few times I was dead-on was when I couldn’t understand the O’s re-signing O’Day to a four-year deal. There was no way he was going to keep up the pace he had. With O’Day, Davis and Trumbo, the Orioles are experiencing a lot of regret. While Davis and Trumbo aren’t doing badly, they aren’t even coming close to earning what they’re being paid.
Weren’t there personal issues at work, like O’Day really really wanted to play in Baltimore for some reason? I seem to remember reading that.
His wife works in DC. He wanted to be here or there.
This would be a smart way for the Orioles to go about doing things… which is why I suspect that Angelos will not sign off on it. He doesn’t seem to understand the importance of having a deep farm system.
Other than Loria, no owner in baseball is worse of a person or meddles with the team’s operations more than Angelos. It is too bad we can’t fire owners.
Angelos made his money in class action lawsuits. A real scumbag.
I’m not an Angelos fan, he’s a terrible baseball owner, but you can’t call him a scumbag. Disagree about his ownership philosophy, but he raised himself out of poverty and took on cases to help those hurt by major corporations. Maybe he has turned a corner in his litigation practice, but I know folks he helped who were able to finish life in a better place than without him.
Angelos need to retire and sell the team
Unfortunately, our owner will never sign off on a full rebuild, because he will never intentionally field a team that doesn’t at least have the chance (when viewed through orange colored glasses) of reaching the playoffs. Baltimore is, has been, and always will be a football-first city, and I think Angelos believes (incorrectly, I might add) that giving away a season and a half of competitive baseball in order to significantly better the franchise for the future would alienate the fan base. He doesn’t see (or refuses to) that being down 6-0 after four innings for three games in a row because your starting pitching is awful is what alienates a fan base. Watching your Top=5=player-in-baseball regress into an egotistical hacker who doesn’t run anything out and continually makes stupid baseball plays because no one will call him out on his crap is what alienates a fan base.
I agreed with your first sentence. After that, you devolved into incoherent ranting.
Angelos is 87 years old so we won’t have to deal with his delusional, dementia driven behavior for too many more years.
Then you get stuck with his son. We’re not winning a championship with this team and if you don’t see that you can’t possibly be watching the same team I am. It’s not going to happen with this group of guys.
I’m willing to get paid millions of dollars to watch baseball from the comfort of my own home “as long as ownership approves”
Wow if the Orioles make Britton available then there are Britton, Wilson and Hand available. Those are nice three to choose from.
For left handed relievers.
Yes, reload, White Sox did amazing job on their prospect returns in the last yr, but just cause u deal good proven players doesn’t mean the “quality” prospects u get will bloom, there’s plenty of Price for Smyly n turds transactions out there, as closet O’s fan, I’m afraid I don’t trust DD making such important talent based long term decisions on who the prospects are, hopefully its war room committee style w/Buck, Brady Anderson, n others all involved, listen bout Machado now too, u can’t afford em n he’ll never be more valuable as trade chip….Lets Go O’s!
Can’t see anyone giving up anything in their top 20 prospects. The Orioles bullpen is horrible. They are like the giants bullpen collapse in game 4 of the nlds last year. They just got swept by the cubs. Being out scored 27-11 in 3 games. Allowing 9 homeruns. 5 in the first game. At best the O’s gets them a ptbnl or cash.
Hot wind bro! Starters, that’s O’s problem. Britton was arguably best P in baseball last yr, ck out their stats before such an a$$ hat statement, ERAs, Brach 2.75, Givens 2.20, Bleier 1.38, O’Day 3.77, Hart 2.84, Britton 2.08….come on dude, this is supposed to be insightful baseball banter….
Not tryin to be mean….maybe ur just an 11 yr ol fan, in that case root for ur team, don’t smoke, stay in school!
@LA Sam
I’m probably older than you dude for one. Why are you a hater? I didn’t even say anything that would have.you assume I’m only 11. For the record the only thing I’d smoke is weed. I don’t do drugs.
For your sake stay off drugs. Drugs are bad mmmkay
Hey, wasn’t tryin to be disrespectful, was sharp w/my comments n thought bout it 4 min, there r kids on here, thanks 4 clarification, 1 puffer to another, ur still off n O’s BP though, take it easy bro!
I agree about the problem being the starters. The bullpen doesn’t get a break. Bullpen arms are coming in games in the 2nd and 3rd innings on a regular basis. That’s never a good thing.
Actually, the bullpen is pretty solid. The starters are the black hole of hopelessness for the Orioles. The entire starting rotation is 6.21. The current bullpen is 2.68. The problem is almost exclusively on the starting rotation.
Britton is an outstanding closer and Brach is getting there and is a pretty good set up guy. I don’t think O’Day is going anywhere, which is unfortunate, but Givens could though he is controllable for a while and has a high ceiling. You take the top three bullpen candidates and trade them (Britton, Brach, and Givens) and you’ve got a haul and a half in prospects…including a starter.
I hope they either sign Machado or trade him at the deadline. He would get a huge return! Although Boston needs a 3rd baseman, O’s wouldnt trade him within the division.
Half measures are how a team treads water and never moves forward. Either they sign Machado to a Stanton-esque contract or he should be traded before the start of 2018.
Everyone in the pen should be dealt away, including Darren O’Day. Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman should be traded. They should get whatever they can for Jones. If someone will take Chris Davis or Mark Trumbo, they should do that. Hell, even Jonathan Schoop should be in the block!
Do that and the Orioles will suck for a couple of years, draft high, get a ridiculous number of minor leaguers, start replenishing the minors and then once the farm starts producing, they should begin revitalizing the major league roster with free agency and trades.
Unwillingness to trade key parts now is going to bite them in the ass later. The goal is to be the Cubs or the Astros or even the Brewers or White Sox. The Orioles are trying to be the early 2010’s Phillies instead.
Like Mike from Breaking Bad said, “No Half Measures”
Why would you trade Bundy and Gausman. Gausman’s value is in the toilet right now and we still have years of control left. There is absolutely no reason to deal one of your most promising arm for pennies on the dollar. We have a ton of control left on Bundy and should be competing again before his contract is up, You can’t trade away an entire baseball team for prospects, it doesn’t work like that. Even the Braves kept Freddie Freeman, Julio Teheran, and traded for Major leaguers. The white sox kept jose abreu, avisail garcia, tim anderson, etc. Young guys with controllable deals are the exact guys you don’t want to move because prospects are no sure thing. You have to develop them around some kind of major league core. Givens, Bundy, Gausman, Schoop, Mancini, and Chance Sisco are what the orioles need to build around. We’ll have to build around Davis too because that deal is going nowhere but that’s fine because we don’t have a lot of money tied into anyone else after 2018. The only one who would need to be extended in the near future is Schoop.
I agree with most of that but right now Schoop would probably net us a bigger return than anyone we’ve got. I don’t think you can afford to miss out on that. You are right about needing a core as well, but my patience with Gausman has pretty much run out. I definitely say we keep Bundy around, but even he really isn’t inspiring much confidence anymore, By all means keep Givens, Mancini, and Sisco though. We’ll still have a few veterans around as well.
And machado
Agreed, and as Gustavo Fring cheerily exclaimed to Walt at the register, “Do It!”
Angelos and his little boys are LOSERS
This team has quit
They need to start to clean up by getting rid of that mess they call starting pitchers
So…. I think we can all agree that the rotation is absolutely dreadful right now, correct? I think we can also agree that in order for this team to be in legitimate contention again that rotation needs to be fixed, right? Therefore, the first logical question to ask when considering the approach at the deadline is will it be possible for the rotation to be fixed as soon as next year? I simply do not see this happening at all.
Lets say the O’s do end up taking the (half ass) approach outlined in this article and trade away the relievers but hold onto the bats.. What would that accomplish besides leaving us with a gutted bullpen and the same exact rotation? How does this possibly help the team compete as soon as next year? The only way we would have any shot at all with that approach would be to then sign AT LEAST 3 quality FA starters during the off season and then still rely on Bundy and Tillman/Gausman to fill out the rotation. We’d likely need a few relievers to replace what was lost as well. Tell me…. does anyone honestly see that happening? You must live in an alternate universe if you do, to be honest.
I think the rotation problem is well beyond being fixed by any free agent signings and therefore the only logical choice for the O’s is to simply go all in and get the rebuild started. That abysmal Cubs series was the final nail in the coffin. We are giving up WAY too many runs and our run differential is the worst in the AL. I think not only do you need to deal away Britton, Brach, and O’day, but Machado and Schoop as well. I’m just as big a fan of them as the next guy but we simply don’t have a choice IMO. I think it is completely ridiculous that the FO is coming out and saying they won’t even listen to offers for what could be our most valuable trade pieces. Really??? The FO seriously needs to get their heads out of their asses NOW and realize that next year is simply not going to happen. Who are they really fooling anyway? Go all in on rebuilding, restock the farm with quality arms and look to be competitive again sometime in the early 2020’s (hopefully).
A lot of the same things I said up there. Can’t believe anyone thinks we can trade brach and Britton or either one of the two and still be a legitimate contender next season. So you’re going to deplete the one clear strength of the team and be able to compete next year? I don’t know what planet these guys live on. A bullpen w oday and givens at the back end with Donnie hart and Richard Bleier as our other set up men, were definitely winning games in the Al East w that closing down ball games. I agree on Machado, he’s gotta go. He can single handedly re stock the system for us before we lose him for nothing. I still have hope in building around schoop though seeing the way he has progressed as a ball player is pretty great, I think there’s room for him to get a little better too. He’s learned how to hit. I’d like to extend him and build around him but I can see an argument to deal him as well
Listen the orioles need to throw in the towel sooner than later trade older guys and the bullpen restock the farm and sign manny for the long term stop trying to push something that isn’t happening because it’s obvious the front office dosent want to make the moves it needs for starting pitching
And sign schoop for the long term
FYI Todd Frazier is giving hugs right now.
Where was he traded ? Red Sox?
Am I the only one who sees it as being odd when a gm puts out there that a player or players might be available if ownership approves. You’re the gm. If ownership is a hold up I think it would be wise to say nothing.
Britton to Dodgers. Friedman finally gets his two-headed, lefty righty closer. Bye bye Alvarez and more.
The Orioles as a franchise are done.
That’s a little pre mature there’s a lot of assets on this team to deal. Could restock the entire farm with 2-3 trades. Worry about fighting off the mighty twins.
Cleveland sports as a whole are done again after Lebron leaves next year.
The Cardinals need to go grab one of those relievers. They certainly need some late inning bullpen help. Oh and Rosenthal just aren’t getting the job done on a consistent enough basis.
For the sake of argument, if the O’s approached Boston about Machado what would you try to get in addition to Devers? I know it’s not happening but it’s a good fit and Boston has to be looking to upgrade especially with what NY just did tonight.
We’d literally clean out bostons minor league system. It’d be Devers +Groome+ I think we’d want someone like Brian Johnson + a bunch of their high upside low minors guys. I think Johnson would be attractive as a controllable arm for us. But honestly I think another team could beat out whatever the Sox had to offer. We don’t have any use for Sam Travis and there’s not a whole lot in their system. If NY didn’t want to see Machado in Boston they could blow their offer out of the water in a half second.
Hopefully they do not ship them out fast and give my Astros a chance to talk with them this weekend during the stros-orioles series
The orioles need to look for the future start rebuilding your farm now trade old guys like trumbo, smith, jones keep Davis and let’s lock down manny, schoop, and Mancini
Let’s get rid of top arms like Britton and get some nice starting pitching prospects
The orioles are not gonna trade bundy hes was supposed to be the future ace with gausman slotting in at 2