I think so, along with a line-up juggle. Burke----CF Lamb----1st Berkman-RF Tejada--SS Huff----3rd Wilson--LF Biggio--2nd Ausmus-C
Absolutely. I think it would be a step in the right direction and a good move for the future, but I'll play devils advocate here and say that it still won't get them over the hump. There's something about the make-up of this team that I don't like.
From what I have seen and observed this year I believe it's this simple ... If Purpura does not get this Tejada deal done, he will be gone because he was the one saying the young bucks would gitter done this year. Lidge, Lane, Taveras, Everett, Wandy, Buckholtz. We know that hasnt happened. The apologists who say Everett's defense saves more runs thus legitimizing his perpetual "no-hit" bat, is a very weak argument to keeping a player. Yes, his defense is outstanding but, compare the numbers ... Tejada 18,72 and hitting over .300, right? Everett 2,34 and hitting .240 ish. Tejada would have to commit 30 errors a year to legitimize that his value does not supercede that of Everett's. Bottom line this offense needs a bat. A REAL bat in the lineup. Huff has been sluggish since moved over here. Wilson has been a 'rally-killer' for the most part. Bottom line, outside of Berkman and Burke this offense sucks! So, something must be done. If I flipped a coin and the Orioles said we either want Hirsh or Pence, I would give them Hirsh. Because Pence would definitely fill a significant role with this team in the next year or two. Conclusion, thats the way I see it and to say the heat is on Timmie P right now is an understatement. I sincerely believe he is fighting to keep his job and without a significant piece added: Tejada, Soriano, etc. this deadline will spell his doom.
If that really is the case, and Purpura knows it is the case, then obviously a deal will get done, even if it means mortgaging our future for the next 5-7 years. We should be willing to offer Pence and even Albers to get a trade done. We should try to retain Hirsch at this point. We are gonna need some more horses in the rotation next season. Outfielders though, are much more plentiful.
I agree that that we should be willing to throw in one of those prospects. I would be willing to part with Hirsch just because we have more than enough of good minor league pitching. Pence I am ind of iffy on just becuase he might be valuable to the offence on day. But even if we do offer them I don't think those two players are going to set us back 5-7 years as even the Randy Johnson trade only really set us back two years and those two bad years were mainly due to injuries.
i'm probably the biggest everett apologist there is. i think defense up-the-middle (and particularly at SS) is hugely important and highly underrated by fans who take a "fantasy" approach to analyzing this stuff. but not even i'm saying that if we'd be better off with everett than tejada. i wish tejada could play 3B, though...to keep everett out there. but i'm assuming any trade would involve everett. but tejadas are rare. i'm not saying the same thing about other SS's. tejada is one of the few SS's in the history of the game to put up those kinds of numbers.
and that would be extraordinarily stupid, in my view. if he doesn't think that tejada will stick around under contract...or if he believes pretty strongly that tejada will play out the season and demand a trade...then he shouldn't make this move. he should wait for the offseason to re-tool, where necessary...including bringing up some guys who might be ready to play. this is why i'm not that excited about a soriano trade...which incidentally, is the deal i find far more likely. simply because i doubt, at the end of the day, that the o's will trade tejada to the astros or anyone else.
That explains my position perfectly. Most of the Everett-bashers argue as if the options are Tejada and Everett--much in the same manner as the post to which you replied. Tejadas are indeed rare. There are some other SS out there I'd take over Everett, but precious few handle a glove like him.
Teams don't fire their GM after two years regardless, but especially not if his record over two seasons is one bad season and one World Series appearance.
Purpura will not be gone because of one deal that never materialized. It's too small of a sample size. Plus everyone largely supported and liked the Aubrey Huff trade; and this offseason I think (more than anything done this season) will be pretty critical in terms of Purpura's future, since the team will have a number of options with salaries coming off the books. A defensive minded shortsop is pretty damn valuable and any shortcomings on offense can be overlooked if he's say the 8th batter on your team. His offensive shortcomings are magnified when 3-4 other batters are struggling just as much as him. If Ensberg, Huff, Wilson were performing to their abilities along with Berkman, Burke, Lamb, and Scott, then Everett's liability at the plate is of really no concern. Just comparing errors doesn't take into account range factor, arm strength, etc. I've been pretty amazed at some of the balls he can get to and some of the plays he completes. Bottom line is this offense needs its existing hitters to step up or no batter we bring in will matter much. I think I'd rather give 'em Hence than Hirsch, because more than likely this team will need Hirsch next year with Clemens (and verry possibly Pettite) gone. ..... I'm all for gettin Tejada or Soriano, as long as we don't give up the farm and it's NOT a rental. This team, despite their struggles this season and with some veterans probably leaving, does have a bright future, despite the doom and gloom predictions by those that think our window is closing. We have some strong young guys that can anchor this team for years to come.
bill brown just said that the astros were very close to acquiring carlos lee...and that the thought was the brewers didn't want to trade him within the division.
Apparently on msn.foxsports.com, Ken Rosenthal says the Orioles rejected the Astros offer for Tejada. He also says they might not trade him at all because they're not trading him here. This is very disappointing to hear if this is supposedly true
Hardly suprising that the Orioles would leak every bit of information about every trade offer they got... only to end up not trading in the end. They're a horribly run franchise right now, that is in financial peril (as well as performance peril). The city of Baltimore deserves better. (but, since they shell out big bucks for FA's like Lopez and Tejada, I know why many fans here might be envious of them... just look at the records of the two clubs, and come back here when winning baseball games is more important than just "spending money freely.")
This doesn't seem to suprising considering they rejected an offer from the 'Stros once before. Who the hell knows if the team even wants to trade him or not; they don't seem to have a clear direction one way or the other.
