Sosa To Baltimore

[INDalltheway]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1978241

[INDalltheway]

Jerry Hairston Jr and 2 prospects...... I hope we aren't paying anything on his salary and those prospects are decent.

[MizzouRah]

Wow, I didn't think they were really going to deal him.


Todd

[INDalltheway]

Paying for most of his 2005 payroll, and picking up a 2nd basemen. I am pretty sure this will make Todd Walker happy. He came back thinking he would be a full-time player, but I guess Hairston can play outfield as well? Is this true?

[mhass]

Hallelujah. Alou and Sosa gone in one year. That's my kind of housecleaning. I don't care if they finish in last place. At least I can get behind them.

[Suicane75]

Wow, the Orioles can now lose 12-8 every night, at least they'll be fun to watch

[cubboyroy1826]

Hooo fricking ray if this happens. I will take Hairston and the prospects. Time to sign Mags before the Tigers and move on to bigger and better things.

[INDalltheway]

Originally Posted by cubboyroy1826

Hooo fricking ray if this happens. I will take Hairston and the prospects. Time to sign Mags before the Tigers and move on to bigger and better things.

Everyone on the Cubs message board thinks that Aubrey Huff is next. I have also heard that Jorge Julio could be in the deal. That would help out the pen a whole lot. The more I look at it, the better it seems. Sosa is 36, even though I would like to see him hit 600 as a Cub he is still getting old.

[mhass]

Originally Posted by INDalltheway

even though I would like to see him hit 600 as a Cub he is still getting old.

I felt the same way when he was up for renewal last time. I wanted to see him retire in a Cubs uniform. That was until the bat, the sniping with TV guys and the walk-off. Good riddance.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by mhass

Hallelujah. Alou and Sosa gone in one year. That's my kind of housecleaning. I don't care if they finish in last place. At least I can get behind them.

Yea, but you still have Dusty Baker.

[ShaefIllini]

Originally Posted by INDalltheway

Paying for most of his 2005 payroll, and picking up a 2nd basemen. I am pretty sure this will make Todd Walker happy. He came back thinking he would be a full-time player, but I guess Hairston can play outfield as well? Is this true?

Hairston has played second, but I would be shocked if he isn't playing a corner outfield spot next year.

Until I see the prospects I won't know my final impression of the deal, but getting rid of Sosa isn't a bad thing in my opinion.

Getting Huff or Ordonez would make this deal a no brainer.

[DeToxRox]

Ordonez is going to be a Tiger if Detroit accepts his counter offer. That's basically what he has implied anyways.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by DeToxRoxDVHStyle

Ordonez is going to be a Tiger if Detroit accepts his counter offer. That's basically what he has implied anyways.

When you only have one offer, it makes things a little tough, but I'm sure he is praising the Cubs right now for leverage

[CraigSca]

As an Orioles fan, I need the closest location that will accept my resignation as lifetime O's fan. Let's see...the O's score runs and give up way too many. The obvious solution = an over the hill guy who's OBP has fallen 3 consecutive years, who has "me first" issues.

This is the typical reactionary "we must do SOMETHING" move that will perpetually keep the Orioles in 3rd and 4th place for the duration of my lifetime. Even if Sosa somehow hits 40 homeruns and remembers how to take a pitch, it won't matter one iota for this team. All you need to do is WIN to create a buzz - not trade for 75 year old has-beens.

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID.

[Terps]

As an O's fan, I'm happy with the trade. To get someone like Sosa, while a risk, for some spare parts you have to pull the trigger on a trade like that. Maybe all he needed was a change of scenery. Sosa could have a huge year in Camden Yards. And he'll be surrounded in the lineup with Tejada, Mora, Lopez, Palmeiro, etc..

The bullpen is very improved this season (Kline, Reed, Witasick to go along with what we already had.) I highly doubt Ponson will struggle the first half of the season as he did in 2004. And the young pitchers and whole staff overall will have a full year under Ray Miller. I'm optimistic about it.

Word on the deal is:

Sosa & $10 million, plus Sammy will waive his option for 2006 enabling the O's to work out a cheaper deal for him.

for

Jerry Hairston (Roberts plays 2B, Jerry didn't like playing the OF), and Dave Crouthers (projects to be a set-up man/closer) and Mike Fontenot (2B, .279/.346/.766 at AAA Ottawa in 2004.)

The best part of that deal is that we WON'T be giving up Julio. The 'pen would still be good without him, but it's very nice to still have him to maybe make a trade elsewhere.

[CraigSca]

I'd prefer a spare parts trade for someone with potential, rather than a stop-gap solution for a problem they didn't have. If we see the 2003 Sosa, I agree, the offense will be improved, but it doesn't really matter anyway - they scored enough runs last year. If he's the 2004 version, he'll be a detriment to the team on multiple levels.

I look forward to seeing what Miller can do with this pitching staff, but I have absolutely no confidence in Ponson. He got lucky his free agent year and has shown very little before that year or since.

The only bright spot from my point of view is that despite my turning 36, I obviously still have a shot to crack the O's starting lineup within the next few years (and still be considered a "baby" Bird).

[henry296]

I agree with Craig. The Orioles have no idea what it takes to make a winning team. For some reason they think Sosa is like Bonds and won't get worse with age. The pitching staff is still in shambles. They really needed to make a strong push for Hudson, would have been much better in the short and long term.

If the cubs plan to play Hairston and the outfield they have problems to. He has no power for an outfielder. As a 2nd baseman he is much better.

While I haven't seen Fotenot, he is one of the O's top propsects, not sure if that is saying much.

Todd

[QuikSand]

Actually, Fontenot isn't all that much of a prospect. He's probably the guy who would have made the MLB team as a reserve 2B with the departure of Hairston, ironically, but his ceiling is probably not much beyond utility IF (and he doesn't have good defensive skills for that role, either, rendering him an occasional PH/PR end-of-bench guy).

Crouthers is a semi-standard power pitching prospect, got banged around at AA last year here in Bowie as a starter, but probably doesn't have the pitch command or stamina to really carry on in a starting role. At 25 years old, though, you'd like to see him handling AA batters -- he can strike guys out, but doesn't have the repertiore to see more than an inning or two, probably. Future setup man, probably, but not a terribly high ceiling, either.


I'm not all that wild abotu the addition of Sosa, but I think it is fairly clear that this was much more about "doing something" than it was about "doing something to help the team." Dealing the popular Hairston isn't a big loss otherwise... and from the sounds of it, Sosa isn't going to cost them all that much -- I presume the condition is that his trade-kicker escalation clause is being waived (the mention of his option, I'm guessing, refers to this). Actually, in Camden Yards, Sosa's remaining power could provide him a little bit of a spike - it's not inconceivable. (Camden Yards is especially favorable to right-handed power hitters, though admittedly Wrigley offers much the same bias)

[davidlando1]

Sammy was a great offensive player, and a HUGE liability on defense. Constantly missing the cutoff man cost us runs, runs which he didn't always make up with his bat, especially last season, when his me first attitude didn't help matters any. I have to admit i loved him in 98/99, i drank the kool-aid...but since then, i've noticed how he cost the Cubs as many runs as he drove in.

On the other side of things, in 10 years he will be loved by Cubdom again, have his number retired etc etc..

[Draft Dodger]

but, I thought the Orioles were handcuffed in financial moves because of the Nationals situation

/sarcasm

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

I'm not all that wild abotu the addition of Sosa, but I think it is fairly clear that this was much more about "doing something" than it was about "doing something to help the team."

This is the crux of my argument. Don't do something just to do something. To hell with the fan base. If you're the GM, it's your job to make a winner, not cave into pressure and pull a PR-inspired trade for an over-the-hill veteran 3 weeks before camp opens.

Winning = attendance. Guys like Sammy Sosa inspire excitement that lasts only until the first 7 game losing streak. I guarantee Camden Yards will be as empty as last year when the O's are 15 games out by the allstar break.

[Flame Eater]

Thank God! I was soooo afraid the Mets would screw around and get a deal done first!

[Hates_Cakesniffers]

This has me thinking, "What IF?"

What if Albert Belle hadn't gotten his dibiltating disease and still played for the O's?

Belle in left; Sosa in right; chaos in the clubhouse.

[Leonidas]

Originally Posted by Hates_Cakesniffers

This has me thinking, "What IF?"

What if Albert Belle hadn't gotten his dibiltating disease and still played for the O's?

Belle in left; Sosa in right; chaos in the clubhouse.

And if they could have grabbed Carl Everett then they'd have really been onto something.

[Cuckoo]

If the Cubs match the ridiculous offer the Tigers are said to have made for Maggs, they're foolish. Rumors are now that the Cubs will sign Jeromy Burnitz.

Put me in the camp that thought Sosa needed to go after the past couple of years. The Cubs have had the talent to go all the way, but something was missing in team unity, and I think a lot of that can be traced to Sosa.

All that said, I'm not that happy with this deal. It looks like the Cubs get a couple of marginal prospects and a guy who couldn't start regularly for the O's. And now the OF looks like a wasteland in Wrigley. I hope they have something up their sleeve, and I don't mean signing Burnitz or overpaying for Ordonez.

[Cuckoo]

DOLA

I just read that Rotoworld is speculating Aubrey Huff as well, and apparently WGN reported that all three of Hairston and the prospects are going to be turned for a power hitter. If that's the case, especially if it's Huff, this will look like a much better deal for the Cubs.

[Tigercat]

Fontenot looked GREAT in spring training this past year, but no way the Os were going to give a 5'7-5'8" 2basemen that young any kind of legitimate shot at 2base. He has the swing to make an impact in the majors eventually, despite his size.

Now I have to cheer for two former LSU players at 2nd base for the cubs... Todd Walker has had a good enough career though, I hope the Cubs give Fontenot a shot eventually.

[ice4277]

It seems to me that a team in the Orioles' situation should be thinking long-term. There is no way they can realistically make enough moves in the next couple years to unseat the Red Sox/Yankees juggernaut at the top of the division. These short-term moves may win them a few more games, sure, but in the end, they have almost no hope of a playoff spot regardless.

[Arles]

I think this depends on what Chicago ends up with. Right now, it looks like they've saved about $7 mil and gotten a decent 2B and average prospects. Not all that great value for a guy projected by ZIPS to have an OPS (in Chi) of .864 in 05. Now, if they move Hairston and the prospects for Huff (proj .890 OPS), they will be looking pretty good in this deal. But that would be a big fleecing of Tampa (ie, salary dump) for a guy making only $4.5 mil. I can't see why Tampa would make that move, but that doesn't mean it won't happen

[ShaefIllini]

Originally Posted by Arles

I think this depends on what Chicago ends up with. Right now, it looks like they've saved about $7 mil and gotten a decent 2B and average prospects. Not all that great value for a guy projected by ZIPS to have an OPS (in Chi) of .864 in 05. Now, if they move Hairston and the prospects for Huff (proj .890 OPS), they will be looking pretty good in this deal. But that would be a big fleecing of Tampa (ie, salary dump) for a guy making only $4.5 mil. I can't see why Tampa would make that move, but that doesn't mean it won't happen

The reason Tampa might make that deal is the fact that they have an abundance of outfield prospects. Also, the Cubs could include a pitching prospect or two and have the deal make more sense for the DRays.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by ShaefIllini

The reason Tampa might make that deal is the fact that they have an abundance of outfield prospects. Also, the Cubs could include a pitching prospect or two and have the deal make more sense for the DRays.

Depending on the prospects, that may be what's going on. Still, Huff could easily play 3B, 1B or DH for the D-Rays. With the loss of Tino, I would think that he would still have a spot at one of the corners or DH. I just can't see the D-Rays parting with Huff for no legit power source in return. If he's gone, the team will have lost 36% of their HRs in Tino and Huff with no replacement. The D-Rays are already stock full of prospects, losing Huff would kill any chance of the team even being watchable in 05.

[Mr. Sparkle]

True, but they are the Devil Rays.


Someone had to say it.