O's acquire Jim Thome from Phillies

[Jordan Tuwiner]

https://twitter.com/masnRoch/statuses/2 ... 0468566018

Hearing from source outside #orioles that club on verge of completing trade and could be announced postgame. FYI: Thome not in Phils' lineup

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Simon or Berken.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Looks like it's Simon.

[OriolesRedskins28]

Simon + Lino. Not happy w/ trade. 3B is a MUCH bigger need right now as is the pitching staff. Thome solidifies the lineup with a patient (finally!) approach and lots of power but was it really worth a legit catching prospect like Lino? Lino was the type of player I would have been OK with being involved in a trade for Chase Headley but not a DH like Jim Thome...

At least we know one thing for sure, Dan Duquette wasn't joking when he said the Orioles would be buyers in the trade market.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Simon + Lino. Not happy w/ trade. 3B is a MUCH bigger need right now as is the pitching staff. Thome solidifies the lineup with a patient (finally!) approach and lots of power but was it really worth a legit catching prospect like Lino? Lino was the type of player I would have been OK with being involved in a trade for Chase Headley but not a DH like Jim Thome...

At least we know one thing for sure, Dan Duquette wasn't joking when he said the Orioles would be buyers in the trade market.

I have almost the exact same thoughts. Fine with them dealing for Thome, but not at this price.

[Ampontan]

(W)as it really worth a legit catching prospect like Lino? Lino was the type of player I would have been OK with being involved in a trade for Chase Headley but not a DH like Jim Thome...

Many people have pointed out that he looks a lot older than 18, and there are concerns within the organization that Lino might really be his "older brother" so to speak. There was also reported dissatisfaction with his work ethic elsewhere, about having trouble getting his duff to the bullpen to help pitchers warm up or get their offday throwing sessions in.

And I suspect the rest of major league baseball knows all this.

He's also not setting the Sally League on fire at the plate, either.

I get the impression that Duquette is ruthless about eliminating people from the organization, for any number of reasons --- performance and attitude among them.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

(W)as it really worth a legit catching prospect like Lino? Lino was the type of player I would have been OK with being involved in a trade for Chase Headley but not a DH like Jim Thome...

Many people have pointed out that he looks a lot older than 18, and there are concerns within the organization that Lino might really be his "older brother" so to speak. There was also reported dissatisfaction with his work ethic elsewhere, about having trouble getting his duff to the bullpen to help pitchers warm up or get their offday throwing sessions in.

He's also not setting the Sally League on fire at the plate, either.

I get the impression that Duquette is ruthless about eliminating people from the organization, for any number of reasons --- performance and attitude among them.

Very interesting. Do you have a link?

[osforlife]

Scratching my head on this one...
Any prospects should be saved for potential trades for starting pitching. We have a top of the rotation starter in Hammel who is pitching way better than his career average. He may have figured it out, but we'll see about that once the year is over. We have a middle of the rotation starter in Chen. And then the next three in the rotation are crapshoots.
Our offense is average, we make up for our strikeouts with our homeruns. Thome fits right in with most of our hitters except for the fact that he gets on base a little more. Why spend prospects on a decent offense to upgrade it a smidge.
I wouldn't even make any trades until the deadline(maybe). We are on a downward spiral and we could easily be in last place by mid July.
I thought Buck didn't want a stationary DH. Now this creates a log jam at the DH spot.
A 41 year old DH with no speed under control for 3 months is not worth 2 decent prospects.

[Matt P]

I do not like this trade at all.

I'm not a scout but from what I've read it seems as if Simon is likely a future middle reliever and Lino's ceiling is a starting catcher in the big leagues. Is that the going rate for a half season 41 year old DH?

One reads MASN and can read Melewski and Roch gushing about how great he did during inter league, his great stats at Camden Yards, and acting as if he is this clean up hitter that is going to be a great DH. I mean really? All because he he had a nice little stretch as the DH? I guess neither of them has ever heard of small sample size. I think they both also forget that all those stats accumulated at Camden Yards were against some pretty awful pitching. 105.7 is doing the same thing on the radio. I listen to it at work before and after the games when I am at work and I had to turn it off today. I couldn't listen to whoever was on after the game talk about Thome's career field percentage at 1B and saying that if he needs to play 1B some nights he will be fine and is probably better than what we have now. Yes, they were really talking about fielding percentage.

It just seems like a horrible trade. If Thome does great and the team makes the playoffs I'll gladly admit I was wrong but I don't see it happening. I hoped that with Duquette in charge maybe, just maybe, the days of going after past their prime former stars were behind us. I guess not though, and it's very disappointing.

The team needs a 3B, a LF, and starting pitching. Adding another DH doesn't fix anything. Actually, it makes things worse. Now we have four DH's on the roster in Reynolds, Thome, Davis, and Betemit. Do they plan on moving Davis to LF when Markakis gets back? Do they plan on trying Reynolds in LF? I don't understand the direction they are going with this move. If they move one of them the deal will make more sense but as of now this move makes no sense at all. Let's hope they have more moves in store because this move by itself makes no sense.

[Rising O's]

Umm, yeah.

[Ampontan]

Very interesting. Do you have a link?

The minor league board at OH.

If this weren't part of the element who seems to know what they are talking about, I wouldn't have mentioned it.

[birdwatcher55]

(W)as it really worth a legit catching prospect like Lino? Lino was the type of player I would have been OK with being involved in a trade for Chase Headley but not a DH like Jim Thome...

Many people have pointed out that he looks a lot older than 18, and there are concerns within the organization that Lino might really be his "older brother" so to speak. There was also reported dissatisfaction with his work ethic elsewhere, about having trouble getting his duff to the bullpen to help pitchers warm up or get their offday throwing sessions in.

And I suspect the rest of major league baseball knows all this.

I think you more or less have nailed it. If nothing else, DD wants to bring more accountability and discipline into the organization

He's also not setting the Sally League on fire at the plate, either.

I get the impression that Duquette is ruthless about eliminating people from the organization, for any number of reasons --- performance and attitude among them.

I think you more or less have nailed it. If nothing else, DD wants to bring more accountability and discipline into the organization

[birdwatcher55]

I would have to think with the logjam of DHs that someone, most likely Reynolds, is headed out of town

[osforlife]

Tommy Hunter has been optioned and Zach Phillips has been DFA to make room for Thome on the 25-man and 40-man rosters, respectively. It appears Miguel Gonzalez will be coming up from Norfolk. It has got to be time to cut ties with Gregg. Put Gonzalez in the 5th starter spot, move Eveland back into mop up duties where he pitched well in.

[birdwatcher55]

My sense is Gregg sticks around only because he can absorb innings in a mop-up role... and after Saturday there might be a lot of mopping up to do before the all-star break