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Saturday, January 03, 2009

MLB: White Sox, O’s talking about Roberts

“All the guys everywhere who sail from Tedium to Apathy and back again, with an occasional side trip to Monotony.”

Reports of the Orioles looking to send two-time All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts to Chicago have been a staple of the Hot Stove season for years now. Nearly all of those rumors have involved Roberts ending up with the Cubs.

However, Roch Kubatko of the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network reported on Friday night that the White Sox have made the latest attempt to nab Roberts, who went to the Midsummer Classic in 2005 and ‘07. Kubatko wrote that the teams have talked about a deal that would send right-hander Gavin Floyd to Baltimore. The issue, according to the report, is that the Orioles want more.

Baltimore is known to be looking to add experience to its pitching staff. The O’s inked veteran Mark Hendrickson earlier in the week to help flesh out their rotation and are believed to be a finalist for Japanese free agent Kenshin Kawakami. Staff ace Jeremy Guthrie is the only sure thing in the rotation, and Floyd would help add some certainty to a volatile equation.

Repoz Posted: January 03, 2009 at 12:12 AM | 16 comment(s)
Related News: General, Baltimore, Chi White Sox

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1. Stately, Plump Buck Mulligan Posted: January 03, 2009 at 12:25 AM (#3042480)

As a White Sox fan, I like the idea in theory (especially because Floyd seems like a good sell high candidate), but I have to wonder about the rotation:

Buehrle/Danks/?/?/?

That doesn't look so good. I can handle Richard as a potential fifth starter, but who else is in there? Even if they have a Dye trade in place and can sign someone like Sheets or Pedro -- are the White Sox really going to go with a rotation of something like Buehrle/Danks/Sheets or Pedro/Bailey/Richard? That seems unlikely -- WAY too much uncertainty.

2. PH Posted: January 03, 2009 at 12:29 AM (#3042481)

Doesn't pass the smell test.

Why give up Floyd for one year of Roberts?

Why would the Orioles want more than that?

3. Stately, Plump Buck Mulligan Posted: January 03, 2009 at 12:35 AM (#3042482)

Why would the Orioles want more than that?

For the same reason that I as a GM would never deal with them regarding Roberts -- they totally overvalue the guy. Combined with the fact that you are probably wasting your time negotiating with someone who doesn't have final deal approval, and the question really is: why would anyone waste their time in trying to trade for Roberts?

4. mopar Posted: January 03, 2009 at 12:52 AM (#3042485)

"The O’s inked veteran Mark Hendrickson earlier in the week to help flesh out their rotation"

A little help - does anyone speak retard?

Hendrickson is my homey from the PNW but at this point if he's not your 8th best starter you are not doing it right

5. FBI Regional Bureau Chief GORDON COLE!!! Posted: January 03, 2009 at 01:00 AM (#3042486)

Yeah, the Sox could use Roberts, but this doesn't make any sense. Floyd is pretty good, pretty cheap, and the Sox already traded Vazquez, so it's not like they're awash in rotation depth.

6. Scott Kazmir's breaking balls Posted: January 03, 2009 at 01:21 AM (#3042491)

I agree with #5. I like the idea of giving Chris Getz another season in the minors, but the pitching rotation would be a big question mark after that trade.

7. wealz Posted: January 03, 2009 at 01:26 AM (#3042492)

I believe the report that they've talked mostly because it doesn't come from a Chicago source. This organization hates the local media so much that I think they go out of their way to make them look bad. In fact, I can't remember the last time they scooped a Sox deal. Anyway, makes you wonder what KW has ready to go if they do make this trade? They'd need two pitchers presumably one through trade (Dye/Konerko?) and one free agent.

8. Stately, Plump Buck Mulligan Posted: January 03, 2009 at 01:32 AM (#3042494)

I like the idea of giving Chris Getz another season in the minors, but the pitching rotation would be a big question mark after that trade.

I don't know -- Getz hit .302/.366/.448 at AAA last year while playing mostly 2B and SS (he also played LF and 3B). He's the one young guy who seems ready to contribute (with his hopefully nice combo of OBP and speed), although you could make an argument for Fields. Also, if Beckham is as good as some folks say, there won't be room for Getz at 2B OR at SS after 2009.

Still wondering what's going on here. The White Sox opened the off-season with four major issues to address: 2B, 3B, CF, fifth starter. Trading Vazquez added a fifth issue to address (fourth starter) while doing very little to address the other issues (unless the team really does plan on going the "unproven player" route).

I can't see Kenny Williams entering spring training with the following plan:

2B: Getz or Nix or Lillibridge

3B: Fields or Viciedo or Betemit

CF: Anderson or Owens or Fields

fifth starter: Richard or Poreda or Broadway

9. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: January 03, 2009 at 01:49 AM (#3042496)

Gavin Floyd isn't good, and he'd be a typical Orioles acquisition. His ERA will never be below 5.00 in a full season again.

10. Non-Fat Listachio Ice Cream Posted: January 03, 2009 at 02:00 AM (#3042501)

Gavin Floyd isn't good, and he'd be a typical Orioles acquisition. His ERA will never be below 5.00 in a full season again.

Maybe, but he's Local!

.

..

...

..................(Severna Park again.)

11. PH Posted: January 03, 2009 at 02:01 AM (#3042502)

Gavin Floyd isn't good, and he'd be a typical Orioles acquisition. His ERA will never be below 5.00 in a full season again.

You're adorable.

12. FBI Regional Bureau Chief GORDON COLE!!! Posted: January 03, 2009 at 04:10 AM (#3042524)

I'll take #9's bet. Floyd's 26 this year, put up a 119 ERA+ (raw ERA under 4 in a good hitter's park) with pretty good peripherals last year. You really don't think he'll ever be above average again for a single season? Really?

13. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: January 03, 2009 at 05:01 AM (#3042538)

I admit that gut feeling plays a role, but Floyd's K and BB rates were quite average last year (6.4/3.1to 6.64/3.32 league), and he gave up 1.32 HR/9--which was 2/3 better than he'd done in over 150 previous big-league innings. He must have been pretty lucky about the timing of those home runs to outperform his FIPS by nearly a run, as he did. And last year at baseball age 25, he threw 206.3 innings.

Never under 5.00 again was probably hyperbole, but I don't expect he'll be average or above very many times. To be honest, the superficial analysis I just did looks like a slightly below-average pitcher, not a downright bad one.

14. Non-Fat Listachio Ice Cream Posted: January 03, 2009 at 06:52 AM (#3042542)

His Home/Road splits were freaky last year, BAbiP of .223!!!!


.209  .284  .401  .685  .223    86

vs.


.277  .337  .460  .797  .295   106

Things kinda evened up a bit towards the end (though Floyd may have gotten tired).

If his road stats are the real thing, BAbip against of .295, ERA of four, add half a run to the ERA for not pitching in the East vs. the Central, fewer homers 'cuz he ain't pitching at new Comiskey... assuming a really good D up the middle next year for the O's--(SS, C, LF, CF, and a GG in RF.)

That's a typical number 4/5 starter, be #2 for the O's, cheap, and Local!, so Local! he got changed in the same grimy locker room as Texeira. That's right, Texeira and him went to high school together!!!!

Ya know, if it's a real trade, since B-Rob won't sign and is not young, on reflection I'd actually take the deal for Floyd and Getz.

/Ain't the hotstove fun?

15. Stately, Plump Buck Mulligan Posted: January 03, 2009 at 04:25 PM (#3042703)

Ya know, if it's a real trade, since B-Rob won't sign and is not young, on reflection I'd actually take the deal for Floyd and Getz.

So would I -- and I say that as a White Sox fan. I don't love Floyd, and Getz is unproven, but there's no need to give away much for one year of Brian Roberts. Presumably the Orioles understand that he's worth less now than he was a year ago, so I have a hard time believing that they'd move him now when they wouldn't last year.

Still wondering if Kenny is going to try to make a splash -- do they have the prospects for Peavy now, if they include Poreda and maybe Flower? A front three of Buehrle, Peavy, and Danks makes the 4th and 5th starters less important.

16. Cris E Posted: January 04, 2009 at 12:23 AM (#3042820)

I've had this feeling for quite a while that Sheets or Peavy will end up playing for KW and Ozzie in 09. But now with the sale of SD mixing things up I'm not so sure. New ownership might allow Peavy to stay, and with the big pile of steady innings vasquez ate up in need of replacement it might be too big a risk to rely on Sheets to be an anchor. The White Sox (OK, anyone really, but especially them) do better when they keep the starters healthy and the rotation just rolls along. That's not insightful, but since they're already confronting that in the 4 and 5 spots I don't see them adding risk at #3 as well.

Here's my latest baseless inkling: Kenny is the mystery team in on Lowe.

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Saturday, January 03, 2009

MLB: White Sox, O’s talking about Roberts

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