UPDATE: The Rangers have acquired Matt Garza.
Last week, everyone in the baseball world assumed that Matt Garza was headed to Texas. The experts thought that Garza had thrown his last pitch in a Cubs uniform and would soon be contending for postseason play with the Rangers. Fast forward to Monday, Chicago’s number one starter and most valuable trade chip is scheduled to pitch a 9:40 PM game in Arizona against the Diamondbacks.
There’s been a ton of interest in Garza over the past few weeks. The Rangers, Pirates, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Indians, Dodgers and even Blue Jays were also previously linked to trade rumors. On Sunday, the Chicago Sun-Times’ Gordon Whittenmyer threw out another potential suitor, the Baltimore Orioles.
And some industry sources believe Baltimore, which already picked off Scott Feldman from the Cubs and continues to scout the Cubs on this trip, could be a sleeper team for Garza.
This morning, I wrote about the possibility of Joe Saunders coming back to Baltimore. Saunders would be a much cheaper option for Dan Duquette and the Orioles front office. Garza, who is a free agent after the 2013 season, would command top tier talent.
Only if he shaves that hoaky beard off
c’mon o’s, step up to the plate on this one.
Well that didn’t take long…
NO thanks. Joe’s ship sailed in Baltimore…to Seattle. I hope you enjoy the view from the bottom.
Before we start the debate on Garza, let’s set the tone.
The Rangers gave up their top organizational pick – Olt – Baseball America’s 22nd overall prospect and three other prospects to get Garza.
The Orioles top organizational pick currently is rehabbing from TJ surgery. Regardless, I wouldn’t have wanted them to give up Bundy even if he was healthy. Especially for a guy who is a free agent at years end and will make 12 starts the rest of the season.
Cue the circus and trolls.
Typical from MGW,,,,the excuse machine………..
Without looking, I challenge anyone to name me the top 10 prospects in the Orioles organization beyond Dyland and Kevin. The other guys are either playing low level minor league ball or you cannot name them. Jonathon is a rehabbing second basemen- we already have one of those. Edwardo, Avery and LJ are not ready for prime time. Package 11-20 and you are not missing much…sad for a team with 14 years worth of drafted near the top.
That’s exactly the problem, Willo.
The trolls want the Orioles to acquire a top flight pitcher for prospects, which they don’t have.
Why don’t they have prospects? Years of bad drafts.
But those guys who drafted those players, primarily Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan (RIP) are gone.
McPhail and Duqette have done a nice job rebuilding the farm system, but you can’t do it in a few years. Especially if you take into account that most of the guys McPhail drafted are in the big leagues now- Matusz, Wieters, Machado, Johnson.
Build from within, make good trades- Davis, Hunter, Jones, Patton, Hardy, Tillman – scout and acquire talent – McLouth, Gonzalez, Uritta.
Add a decent free agent – Feldman. There’s your formula.
Or acquire free agents like the Toronto Marlins, er, Blue Jays did.
Don’t forget how swimmingly the Angels are doing with their free agents.
ORIOLES APOLOGIST IN ACTION…
How long does it take to build up a farm system? 4-5 years with MacPhail and almost two years with DD. What are we looking at here, a decade?
Way to go MGW,,,,,somehow it can’t be the O’s problem their farm system is depleted , it’s the people this organization picks to come in a make decisions , who picks these people , why it’s the organization in general , but it can’t be their fault , it must be the system,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,hows that MGW , am I getting it ?????????????????
Jesus. The price keeps going up. According to SI: “On Monday, just hours before his scheduled start for the Cubs against the Diamondbacks, they acquired the 29-year-old righty for a five-player package that includes two players to be named later. It’s a steep price to pay for a mid-rotation starter who may just be a short-term rental…”
You sound like MGW , the price is too high,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,what’s the price for a world championship ?
Would you rather win 1 World Series now, blow up the farm system, and be a losing team again for 14 more years or would you rather have a team that is in contention that gets in the playoffs year in and year out ALWAYS having a CHANCE to get get to and win the World Series?
You guys do realize that the point of watching sports is to have fun right? You people are never happy with anything these teams do. Ravens win the Superbowl, but Harbaugh is an asshole and a bad coach. O’s start winning again, get into the playoffs, but they’re never going to get any better than that because they don’t get expensive free agents or trade the farm for a 2 month rental (nevermind the fact that before last season everybody expected them to have a losing record and they ended up 93-69).
After 14 years of losing I’m happy to sit back and enjoy what they are doing right now knowing that they aren’t going to make any rash decisions that will put me right back where I was in misery for 14 years. This is a team that wants to win. They want the championship, but they aren’t going to mortgage future for a glimpse of success right now.
Nick, you should talk to your boy MGW about getting to the playoffs year after year, is that good enough? Is winning the Division good enough without winning it all?
After 14 years of losing? It’s good enough right now. If they become the team that makes it to the end every year but doesn’t get over the hump then down the line that will be a “problem,” but that’s not the case right now.
Again, I would rather have a team that gets to the playoffs and contends every year than win one now and then be miserable for the next 14 years because we got rid of all of our talent and our team got old and crappy. A team that contends always has a chance to win the championship and the odds are that if they are contending year in and year out they will win at least one in that time frame. A team that doesn’t get to the playoffs has no chance of winning a championship.
Which would you pick: a team that is good, gets into the playoffs every year for 10 years, and wins 1 World Series somewhere in that time frame or a team that sold the farm, won 1 World Series, then never finished over .500 again for 9 years?
After 14 losing seasons, to expect them to win the World Series in 2 seasons is a little over ambitious.
Nick, don’t pay any attention to Pole. He’s constantly trying to compare the two situations and draw conclusions. He’s not even in the ballpark.
I will NEVER say that the Orioles didn’t make some MAJOR blunders. To say this I would lose all credibility the way spy, Pole, and 2488 have.
The Orioles have made mistakes that caused them to play under .500 for 14 straight years. But as 9inchnails said, that’s over and history.
If you can’t acknowledge what the Orioles have done this past few years, you’re just a contrarian antogonizer.
Best off to just let this pack of clowns blow their horns and ignore them.
The Orioles are well on the way back under Buck and DD.
The Ravens have Two Super Bowl wins since 1996.
We have a lot to be proud of and alot to look forward to.
Ignore the clowns behind the curtain.
The O’s are just lucky someone in our division didn’t get Garza………………
Is it just me or is BRob on the Brady Anderson clear? The guy looked like one of Jerry’s kids last year but last night he looked like Ryan Braun…oh I meant ARod, okay, his teammate Danny V. I admire the guy for fighting back, he could have taken the pay day but has he done it substance free?
You can bet he is on something and so is Davis , the one thing they have goinf for them is their chemist is better than the MLB chemist,,,
Can any one tell me how Braun is now suspended but never failed a PED test , the answer is : his chemist is better than the MLB chemist , just ask Barry Bonds if a good chemist is worth the price and by the way , ask Chris Davis also,,,
The Orioles just landed the most coveted bullpen arm on the trade block, Francisco Rodriguez, aka K-Rod.
I know our trolls will poo poo this (it’s not like they signed Buerhle, Johnson, or Dickey – the three Aces the LAST place Blue Jays signed) but several teams, including the RedSox were in hot pursuit of this reliable bullpen arm.
1.09 ERA. Nice solid move.
Agreed. Awesome move and it’s a little insurance in case JJ keeps struggling in the 9th.
You know K-rod was juiced up when he was a decent reliever for four or five years , he had a good chemist also,,,he will become good friends with B-rob and Davis real soon , just watch,,,
MM – KRod ammased 304 saves in only 4-5 years?
Amazing!
Mistery Man maybe me you date forgelt abot Chow and Spy.old balls Spy me play corn hole for Chow but Spy no cher Chow with Ryu.I say folget Chow and Spy me you now couple and time fair in the house and told. tell me.
MGW you are so funny… You rag on the RedSox all year talking about them and their players but when it can suit you, you use them to add some validity to your comments of getting K-Rod.
The other thing I like is you comment then have to always put in “The Trolls” or “Pink Hats”, etc will now comment… What, everybody is a loser who goes against your comments? No one can have an alternate view? How about if “The Trolls” or “Pink Hats” referred to you as an “Orioles Apologist” or “Orange Kool-Aid Drinker”. Oh! Thats right cause you are…
Can’t wait till you use the Yankees to validate the Jason Giambi acquistion…
Um, the Red Sox are currently in first place and in desperate need of bullpen help. Read the blogs, read the internet, watch the games. If anything, I’m happy the Orioles kept him away from the Sox.
You’ve called me an Orioles Apologist MANY times, so why are you acting as if it’s never happened?
Hey MGW , Uncle Peter just called he has a check for you,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,