"Hardy likely to sign extension, rather than be traded"

[Jordan Tuwiner]

J.J. Hardy is expected to sign a contract extension with Baltimore rather than be traded, sources say.

-- Ken Rosenthal, Fox Sports

http://orioles-nation.com/baltimore-ori ... extension/
http://mlbbuzz.yardbarker.com/blog/mlbb ... _post=true

I'd trade him before his value goes down.

[ofahn]

To whom for what?

Please list in order of preference.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

To whom for what?

Please list in order of preference.

I'd say the Reds, Braves and Brewers are the best fits for Hardy.

1. Reds: J.J. Hardy for Yonder Alonso straight up. (Reds)

2. Braves: J.J. Hardy for Freddie Freeman straight up, with anything else coming from the Braves just a bonus.

3. Brewers: Brewers are tough to deal with because they have a depleted farm system. But I would take a package centered around Wily Peralta with a couple additional pieces.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

To whom for what?

Please list in order of preference.

Forgot to mention the Giants, who are desperate for an upgrade over Miguel Tejada.

I would take Brandon Belt for Hardy in a heart beat, but I think we all know that is not happening. Instead, I'd take a package centered around Eric Surkamp.

[docjj]

This is a dilemma for me. I think I'd prefer to sign Hardy and keep him at SS, and try to break the bank to sign Fielder for 1B. An infield of Fielder, Roberts, Hardy, and Reynolds, and you're really on to something.

If we trade Hardy, we have to suffer with the likes of Andino and Izturis at SS until Machado is ready, which may be 2-3 years, and the thought of that makes me throw up in my mouth.

On the other hand, if we trade Hardy and can get a Freddie Freeman for 1B, and team him up with Machado, we'll have a great infield but that won't be for another 2-3 years, and frankly after 15 years of suckitude, I want us to be better sooner than later.

[ofahn]

I can understand your desire for Fielder BUT:

Can he be a starting pitcher?

Can he be a reliable reliever?

Can he play 2B?

Can he play LF?

Can he do ANY of those things while he's playing 1B?

Anything beyond four years and 80M for Fielder will be a BAD contract and he can't fill all of the holes we have.

If we trade Hardy for Belt, Freeman, or Alonso AND Reynolds and Guthrie for QUALITY pitching prospects at the AA or AAA level AND by any means necessary remove Scott, Guerrero, Gonzalez, and Pie from the roster then we can start building a winning team. It's just going to take a few years.

[Rising O's]

There are a couple of things they could do like spend on the supposed 3 ML quality arms likely to be posted from Japan. Fat chance though right? Trade Hardy, Guthrie and Koji for as much near ready talent as they can. Spend the like there is no tomorrow and get Fielder and Reyes. Are the Orioles going to spend? We already know they will not so they may as well stop pretending it is going to work as intended and shoot for 2014. That is what I would do, but will Andy? Or will he even get the chance to sell it to Angelos after another awful Orioles season at the end of which Andy would need a new contract.

[Rising O's]

Pretty sure Scott will not be offered a contract and neither will Pie. That's probably around 8.5 million saved.

[ofahn]

I would raise the same question about Reyes.

Can he be a starting pitcher?

Can he be a reliable reliever?

Can he play 2B?

Can he play LF?

Can he do ANY of those things while he's playing SS?

Fielder and Reyes would cost us about 45M a YEAR and would not fill ALL of the holes we have. It would also max out the budget it appears that Angelos has set for this team so there would be no money to even fill those holes.

I want at least a .500 season as much as the next fan but I don't want to mortgage the future to get ONE SEASON. I would rather see the team use the approximately 50M a year they will get from departing players this winter on building the farm system and keeping our young players (Weiters, Jones, Matusz, etc. who will be eligible for arbitration) so that we can have a winning team for a long time.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Reyes isn't a good option because he'd block Machado at SS. A two year deal for Hardy would be the best idea but I'd still rather see them deal him.

[A_K]

Deal him and then go get him again in the off-season if you want. He'll be the best available SS, outside of Reyes. I guess I could see the Red Sox making a run at him, but you know the Yankees can't. He won't be a Type-A free agent, right?

[ofahn]

At this moment he's at the bottom of the list for A.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/elias-rankings/

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Deal him and then go get him again in the off-season if you want. He'll be the best available SS, outside of Reyes. I guess I could see the Red Sox making a run at him, but you know the Yankees can't. He won't be a Type-A free agent, right?

I would try that but I'm not sure Hardy will be taking less than a three year deal if he hits the open market.

[Rising O's]

I would raise the same question about Reyes.

Can he be a starting pitcher?

Can he be a reliable reliever?

Can he play 2B?

Can he play LF?

Can he do ANY of those things while he's playing SS?

Fielder and Reyes would cost us about 45M a YEAR and would not fill ALL of the holes we have. It would also max out the budget it appears that Angelos has set for this team so there would be no money to even fill those holes.

I want at least a .500 season as much as the next fan but I don't want to mortgage the future to get ONE SEASON. I would rather see the team use the approximately 50M a year they will get from departing players this winter on building the farm system and keeping our young players (Weiters, Jones, Matusz, etc. who will be eligible for arbitration) so that we can have a winning team for a long time.

I'm not worried about starting pitching (yet) so much though we could obviously use 2 more arms and more depth. Say they get Darvish, Fielder and Reyes. Those are the major needs of the ball club for next year IF they really want to compete for the division. They are not going to do it, so why bother pretending we can with the current group we have. There isn't enough at AAA to help this team in 2012. Its a weak free agent class. Magic 8 ball says its freaking ugly. So again why bother pretending.

From where I sit the core is set with Matusz, Britton, Arrieta, Jones and Wieters 3 years from now. You add to that with Machado, the Bundys, Schoop, Esposito, Townsend, Avery, Klien, and a bunch of other bullpen arms. You'll have a potentially great balance between veterans and youth.

I'm sickened more by the losing this year than last. But I've come to accept it just is not going to happen with how this team is constructed and what we have on the way over the next two years. Its just not going to be enough. And they simply will not spend the money until allegedly they are closer. Management needs to make certain concessions and some major commitments (Jones/Wieters) to keep a target year in mind. No more open ended stuff.