Pick one player to add to the Orioles

[BuckMagic]

You can add a player from any other team in the league.

One player.

Who do you take?

I'll go with Mike Trout. Young, good now, 6 years of control, superstar.

[TuckerBlair89]

RA Dickey (LOL)

On a serious note, probably a SP like Verlander or Kershaw.

Probably Kershaw

[birdwatcher55]

Back to reality: it would be Grienke for the playoff push. The price though I'm sure is going to be off the charts

[dan72]

I honestly think Garza and Soriano addresses 2 of our needs. The Cubs would have to eat a portion of Soriano's contract. This is a very real posability that has been rumored for weeks. I think Soriano adds to our offense a power bat, he could bat 4th and then move wieters down the line up where he belongs.
Garza would be our best pitcher (Chen and Hammel are both pitching above their career averages).

I like Brett Lawrie, He has a competitiveness that I like. He plays 3b, which we need and I think he will continue to blossom as a hitter. He would be my fantasy land player.

Yeah I know I picked 3 players.

[davetrembling]

If I am dreaming its pretty easy. Joey votto. Best hitter in baseball right now. Pitching wise verlander is the only name in the discussion.

[Matt P]

For one season - Joey Votto
For the future - Mike Trout

I really don't see how anyone can pick anyone else.

[OriolesRedskins28]

Can we please trade for Chase Headley already? What the heck is taking so long...? Could there be a better position player fit for the O's? A great defensive 3B who has a patient approach (the anti Wilson Betemit). I wonder how much the Padres would want for him. Probably more than the O's should give up at this point unfortunately...

[ofahn]

Can we please trade for Chase Headley already? What the heck is taking so long...? Could there be a better position player fit for the O's? A great defensive 3B who has a patient approach (the anti Wilson Betemit). I wonder how much the Padres would want for him. Probably more than the O's should give up at this point unfortunately...

I feel your pain and I would love to have Headley, and Matt Garza too; BUT they would cost us most of the too few legitimate prospects we have in our system which means we might win 90 games this system and then fall back to a .500 or worse team for the next few years. Trading our prospects for short term additions is like going on vacation with next months rent money. Sure, it will make you feel good RIGHT NOW but you will regret it when the fun is over.

I'm enjoying this season as much as the next fan but I also recognize that this team would be lucky to get through the wild card game and would not get through the first round of the playoffs.

Trading for players at this point will cost more talent than after the season is over. I'd rather wait and build a winner that will last for years than waste our future.

[birdwatcher55]

I honestly think Garza and Soriano addresses 2 of our needs. The Cubs would have to eat a portion of Soriano's contract. This is a very real posability that has been rumored for weeks. I think Soriano adds to our offense a power bat, he could bat 4th and then move wieters down the line up where he belongs.
Garza would be our best pitcher (Chen and Hammel are both pitching above their career averages).

I like Brett Lawrie, He has a competitiveness that I like. He plays 3b, which we need and I think he will continue to blossom as a hitter. He would be my fantasy land player.

Yeah I know I picked 3 players.

I like Lawrie too but have you thought about the price tag for your Cubbies' deal??? At the very minium it will be Machado and other goods. Perhaps, and I'm saying just perhaps, if we eat most or all of Soriano's contract we could get off cheap. I do agree with you that Garza and Soriano fill two major holes for us... Also have you seen or read anywhere that we are in on both players??

[birdwatcher55]

I personally don't understand all this love for Headley... What am I missing here??????

[A_K]

Headley's a good defensive third baseman with a .350 career OBP who would experience a power surge the moment he stepped out of the most power-suppressing park in baseball. What's not to understand?

Now, whether the Orioles should give up substantial value for him is another question entirely. But he's obviously a very good player who could help virtually any team in baseball.

[A_K]

For one season - Joey Votto
For the future - Mike Trout

I really don't see how anyone can pick anyone else.

Agreed on "for one season." As for the future, I think reasonable people can disagree over whether Trout or Harper is the better player. I'll take Trout, but not by much.

[TuckerBlair89]

I think the Orioles need an ace over a power hitter. The offense, whether you like it or not, could be good enough to make the playoffs. Not saying it's a perfect puzzle, but the pitching needs to be top tier to go anywhere in this division in my opinion.

A guy like Verlander or Kershaw are much more of a need. I wouldn't trust the Orioles rotation at all if they somehow managed to sneak into the playoffs this year. Hammel and Chen have been good, but the Orioles need a true ace still.

[OriolesRedskins28]

Third base is a HUGE hole right now though both defensively and offensively. One of the best parts about Headley is that he isn't in the final year of his contract. He's not a washed up veteran, he's only 28 years old and still under contract for at least another year or two. I agree that the O's shouldn't give up anything substantial for him but I'm willing to part with SOMETHING for him. Only hope is that he will be undervalued because of his underwhelming offensive numbers (probably due to playing in Petco). All depends on the price.

[OriolesRedskins28]

I'm enjoying this season as much as the next fan but I also recognize that this team would be lucky to get through the wild card game and would not get through the first round of the playoffs.

I disagree maybe I've had too much kool-aid but I wouldn't be worried about a mismatch with any of the current American League teams right now. The Yankees are tough but the O's have been able to hang with them so far this year. Not scared of the Indians, the Tigers have plenty of holes outside of their 3 super studs (Verlander Fielder Cabrera), and the Rays are good but definitely beatable. Toughest team would of course be the Rangers but their top 3 players are EXTREMELY injury prone (Hamilton, Cruz, and Kinsler), not to mention the unknown of Yu Darvish pitching that deep into the season so who knows how healthy their team will be come October.

I'm not trying to say the Orioles are necessarily a top team and I'm DEFINITELY not saying that they should give up legit prospects just to contend this year but I disagree with the notion that they are doomed to be knocked out immediately and have no chance to advance if they do make the playoffs.