Jorge Lopez to the Twins for a haul

[Moonlight J]

Felix Bautista stocks rising

[revo]

Felix Bautista stocks rising

It was for 4 prospects, but only one in the Orioles top 30. Shameful trade, Lopez wasn't a free agent until '25.

[pitbull]

It was for 4 prospects, but only one in the Orioles top 30. Shameful trade, Lopez wasn't a free agent until '25.

I didn't understand what the Orioles were thinking on that trade.

[rhd]

It was for 4 prospects, but only one in the Orioles top 30. Shameful trade, Lopez wasn't a free agent until '25.

You mean Twins' Top 30 (Cade Povich). Yeah, I dont really like this trade much either. I thought Lopez was young enough and cheap enough to be part of the O's future and at this point in the rebuild if you're just getting low-level prospects back, why make the trade? Lopez was making only $1.5 mil this year and is only 29 y/o.

I was beginning to think that they wouldnt trade Lopez, that they'd just try to deal Mancini and Santander and maybe Lyles, if they can get anything for him. Elias sure doesnt seem to be afraid of incurring the wrath of fans who want to win now. I give him credit for staying the course but I havent really liked practically any of the returns he's gotten in the trades he's made.

Well, let's see if Lopez supplants Duran/Duffey as closer in Minnesota. And do they go w Bautista in Baltimore or Cionel Perez or Tate?

[Ken]

Well, let's see if Lopez supplants Duran/Duffey as closer in Minnesota.

Seems like they will continue going with the same plan as before, no set closer. That's the philosophy.

[Pauly]

They could have gotten more but Bautista looks like a beast to me.

[revo]

You mean Twins' Top 30 (Cade Povich). Yeah, I dont really like this trade much either. I thought Lopez was young enough and cheap enough to be part of the O's future and at this point in the rebuild if you're just getting low-level prospects back, why make the trade? Lopez was making only $1.5 mil this year and is only 29 y/o.

I was beginning to think that they wouldnt trade Lopez, that they'd just try to deal Mancini and Santander and maybe Lyles, if they can get anything for him. Elias sure doesnt seem to be afraid of incurring the wrath of fans who want to win now. I give him credit for staying the course but I havent really liked practically any of the returns he's gotten in the trades he's made.

Well, let's see if Lopez supplants Duran/Duffey as closer in Minnesota. And do they go w Bautista in Baltimore or Cionel Perez or Tate?

Yes, Twins top 30. And agree, they literally just gave him away. 52-51 and they're raising the white flag. Shameful.

[rhd]

Yes, Twins top 30. And agree, they literally just gave him away. 52-51 and they're raising the white flag. Shameful.

No, they didnt give him away but this is the type of trade that makes sense at the beginning of a rebuild when you're trying to increase the depth of a minor league system. Not near the end of a rebuild when you're looking for young players that have a reasonable chance of contributing to the MLB club in the near future. I just dont see the sense in a trade like this at the point the O's are in their rebuild.

[Hornsby]

I suspect that Ken is right, and they essentially become co-closers, or co set-up men depending on the situation. But having those guys in the last 2 innings makes a huge difference in attitude for the team as well. Instead of dreading Jax or Pagan pitching a key inning, they can now lengthen the pen. And none of the players dealt were significant in the Twins system...

[revo]

No, they didnt give him away but this is the type of trade that makes sense at the beginning of a rebuild when you're trying to increase the depth of a minor league system. Not near the end of a rebuild when you're looking for young players that have a reasonable chance of contributing to the MLB club in the near future. I just dont see the sense in a trade like this at the point the O's are in their rebuild.

I see what you're saying, but Lopez is a different pitcher than the journeyman he was. Him, Bautista and Tate is a very good back end of the pen, and even if they hope to contend next season, or even the season after, I don't see how this helps.

It was a sell high but they didn't get the pieces that made it a "sell high."

[Ken]

I see what you're saying, but Lopez is a different pitcher than the journeyman he was.

The counter to that point though is exactly that - there are quite a few journeymen that can be turned into what Lopez is. He's not a rare asset with a lot of value - which is likely why they didn't get much back. Look at Matt Moore who Texas was expected to trade today. Look at Liam Henriks prior to 2019. Or Daniel Bard before last year.

(That said, I think the Orioles should have kept him too, they'd be lucky if one of these guys turns into an asset they can use in the future)

[revo]

The counter to that point though is exactly that - there are quite a few journeymen that can be turned into what Lopez is. He's not a rare asset with a lot of value - which is likely why they didn't get much back. Look at Matt Moore who Texas was expected to trade today. Look at Liam Henriks prior to 2019. Or Daniel Bard before last year.

(That said, I think the Orioles should have kept him too, they'd be lucky if one of these guys turns into an asset they can use in the future)

And the counter to that point is that Hendriks is worth a boatload today. Bard would have also fetched a nice package of prospects had they chosen to move him. This is exactly my point -- if Lopez shined again next season, suddenly he's a gold mine. To deal him now for relative peanuts, while he's under team control for 3 more seasons and while they're at least in the playoff hunt, seems very strange.

And the Marlins just got the Jays #2 hitting prospect for two mediocre bullpen arms.

[Ken]

And the counter to that point is that Hendriks is worth a boatload today. Bard would have also fetched a nice package of prospects had they chosen to move him. This is exactly my point -- if Lopez shined again next season, suddenly he's a gold mine. To deal him now for relative peanuts, while he's under team control for 3 more seasons and while they're at least in the playoff hunt, seems very strange.

Lopez is closer to Matt Moore than Hendriks though.

And the Marlins just got the Jays #2 hitting prospect for two mediocre bullpen arms.

Uhhh, you must not have seen what I think of Groshans. He's not really a hitting prospect, he's a fielding only one.

[revo]

Lopez is closer to Matt Moore than Hendriks though.

At this point, that's accurate. But the O's may have moved him too soon.

And Groshans is tumbling, but was still a Top 100 prospect heading into 2022. Maybe the Fish can right the ship.

[Ken]

And Groshans is tumbling, but was still a Top 100 prospect heading into 2022. Maybe the Fish can right the ship.

It's possible they can right the ship but I think his "value" is overstated, he feels like a utility guy at best at this point in his development. #2 hitting prospect doesnt really tell the story in my opinion.

(Also I think Moreno and Orelvis are way ahead of him)