Sometimes your best move at the trade deadline is making no move at all. I’m not saying that’s true for the Orioles because it sure seems like Kenny Williams didn’t give up much for Francisco Liriano and Ned Colletti brought in Hanley Ramirez for virtually nothing.
However, at this point though the market is pretty bare. The Orioles missed out on some valuable pieces and while Chase Headley could be better than Mark Reynolds at third, Josh Byrnes isn’t going to part with him as easily as him as many had previously thought.
This morning the Orioles big rumor is that the Orioles are Joe Blanton’s “most interested suitor.” The Philliles starting pitcher is “there is they want him,” according to MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli.
Hopefully they don’t.
Ghiroli says the Phillies want an MLB-ready utility player or middle relief prospect in return. So the price to bring in Blanton and his 4.59 ERA isn’t steep. But he’s not the guy to get excited about, he gives up far too many home runs and won’t be the innings eater the Birds needs.
The Sun’s Dan Connolly reports that Blanton “profiles as a rich man’s Tommy Hunter” and the only AL East team he has a winning record and sub-5.00 ERA against is the Toronto Blue Jays.
Awesome.
another “we tried our best, but nothing fit our clubhouse…” response by the orioles. pretend they’re looking, then back out and get nothing or something very minor in return. the time is now and even the duq said it. if they come out with nothing, likely to happen, they will just kill the confidence they built up from the fan base this season.
they seem to be slowly fading and could end up just below .500 by season end, but hail this as step in the right direction. i hope i eat my words.
I think the point that is missing in all of this is that the Orioles just have so few prospects that they have to hold onto the few that they do have.
Ask The FantasyGod if the Orioles had a pitching prospect like the one the Dodgers gave up for HanRam. He’d probably say “yea, Bundy”.
While it would have been nice to come up with a big name guy, I just don’t think they have the bullets in the arsenal right now.
“F” the Fantasy God! He thinks Matusz is still going to be a great #1 pitcher… I’ve called him out several times on it and he won’t answer since he can’t back it up…
Matusz needs to stay in the minors until he starts to dominate. The potential is there, but he obviously hasn’t reached it yet. I don’t care if he stays in the minors for 2 years, that’s where he needs to be. Once he starts knocking the door down he can come back up and be an effective major league pitcher. I am for the Joe Blanton move as well. Blanton is inconsistent, but he eats innings, and throws a gem half of the time.