4:58pm: The Angels and Orioles remain in the mix for Liriano, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
12:41pm: The Orioles have inquired about Francisco Liriano, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Baltimore is looking to acquire a starting pitcher and their chances at a high-end starter such as Zack Greinke aren’t great, so they’re inquiring on other arms.
Jayson Stark reported yesterday that Liriano is "nearly 100 percent" likely to be traded. The Angels, Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays and Braves are believed to have some interest in Liriano, Heyman reported earlier this month. The 28-year-old left-hander has a 5.31 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 in 100 innings this year. He earns $5.5MM and is eligible for free agency after the season.
The Orioles have also shown interest in Bartolo Colon, as Ken Rosenthal reported last week. The A’s will likely keep Colon, since he may be worth more on their roster than in a trade, Heyman reports.
Yuck. Stay away Mr. Duquette, please.
In late August, when the Orioles have fallen back down to mediocrity, their front office is going to be real sorry they didn’t trade Muchado for a real run at the playoffs.
Wrong!
What’s better though?
Trading a Top 10 overall prospect for a shot at a one game playoff against a much better team?
Or building on a .500-ish year and keeping that Top 10 overall prospect in the system, hoping he can be part of a team that can win for more than just a year?
The O’s have WAY too many holes this year: their entire infield can’t hit and three of them can’t field, they don’t have a left fielder and they have only two reliable starting pitchers. The fact that they’re 24-32 since May 20th is proof that their entire season is a product of a hot start.
There really isn’t such thing as a “better team” in a one game playoff. Just better pitcher (or pitchers if you include bullpen). Can’t think of many guys I’d take over Greinke in that game.
Not saying it’s SMART to trade your top prospect, but in the grand scheme of things, is getting to the playoffs now better than possibly “building” a contending team in arguably the most competitive division in the game? I think the former wins.
Muchado can’t carry a team on his back (and to be fair, he’s not even a sure thing). Greinke can make a good run at it.
Can’t say I really disagree with any of your points, but making the playoffs is all about momentum. Just look at the Cardinals last year. I think a trade for a surefire #1 (and possibly a low key trade for a decent offensive upgrade at at least one infield position) could give the team a push well into October.
But the Orioles don’t have any momentum. They’re hanging on to a playoff spot because they got off to such an unbelievable start.
They’re now 25-32 since May 20th with a team OPS of .661, an average of 3.7 runs scored per game and a 4.66 ERA in that time.
I’m just not interested in trading such a valuable commodity for two months of one player who probably doesn’t even put the O’s over the hump. Now, if Greinke also comes with an extension, well, that’s a totally different story.
Im a longtime Os supporter, but I’m also a realist, who tries to stay objective about this stuff. And, I love how they’ve been able to gut it out, and stay in the race, but the extra wild card helps. Objectively speaking, they’ve improved this year behind breakout years from some key young players, but they need more than just Greinke to really have a legit chance in the playoffs. Trading away the only chance at acquiring those possible eventual breakouts, since no one will sign here, is foolhardy for a chance to appear in a playoff game. ESP when you consider how long it’s taken to find prospects the caliber of Machado and Bundy.
They aren’t trading Machado to anyone.
Oh the Blue Jays are “interested”?
You don’t say…
Just say no Duquette. And I’m not even an Orioles fan!!!
It makes “Lefty” very angry when “other fans” say that.
Anyway and seriously though I never really get mad.
I would be verry happy if we got Liriano and Morneau!
Although, I don’t see him mentioned by Heyman.
Who would you be willing to give up for Liriano assuming the Twins don’t send any cash?
Saw him pitch Monday night. Not very good.
Well at least you judged him off a reasonable sample size.
I was under the assumption that the orioles already had enough starters with an ERA over 5….guess I was wrong. Liriano is a huge mistake, he may not be as expensive but they will at least have to give up Schoop or Avery or someone along those lines and that’s just too much for a pitcher that has won double digit games only twice and currently has a negative WAR. If they can’t get Greinke or Johnson without depleeting the farm, I’d be much happier just sticking with what we have.
It turns out that Liriano commanded only a couple of fringe C prospects. Not much at all.
O’s have no one to give up for Liriano, since they are not trading Bundy and M
The O’s have plenty of pieces to acquire Liriano not named Bundy or Machado. Schoop should be more than enough but I wouldn’t give him up for a rental with an ERA north of 5 …
Don’t trade him for nothing, Terry. Get something worth Frankie’s weight, or just extend him. I’d hate to see him put it all together and become the ace that he should have been in New York or Baltimore.
You never know what version of Frank you’re gonna get. I can’t see him getting huge money if he tests FA. Probably a Willingham type of contract, given his head issues. If that’s the going rate for him, might as well extend him & see if he’s for real. I don’t trust the MN FO when it comes to making trades.
Bill Smith never really knew what he was doing. He made some really bad trades (Santana, Ramos, D. Young from TBR) that left the organization in pieces. But yeah, I don’t see Liriano getting much on the market. A Willingham-type contract would be okay, but if you can get him on a 3 yr, $12-15MM deal or so, that’d be even better. I’m confident that Terry makes the right decision.
Liriano for Gausman and Delmonico
The Orioles would hang up as soon as the Twins mention Gausman.
Gausman can’t be traded….and it wont take much to get Liriano.
Come on Duquette push Dipoto out of the way and get this done!
I’d love to see Liriano traded to the Angels…………….because I’m a Rangers fan.
good one/
If I were the Angels, I’d do Andrew Romine for Liriano, but that’s about it. He’s a guy you take a chance on, not stake your playoff chances to. Minnesota would probably want more though. Still Romine would give them depth up the middle and a pretty solid pinch runner. Could probably hit .260 and swipe 20 bags in the big leagues.
NO WAY the Twins take this deal we need pitchers. No way twins consider this deal!
Well it isn’t as if you’re actually going to get a good pitcher for Liriano at the deadline. You certainly wouldn’t get anything in return when he leaves via free agency. Twins just don’t have a lot of leverage here. Remember a couple years back when the Twins got Brian Fuentes from the Angels? Remember what they gave up? Loek Van Mil.
That’s essentially the quality of prospect you’re looking at here with Liriano. Now Andrew Romine, actually has a future in the big leagues, so it would actually be wise for the Twins to accept such an offer. Besides, if Liriano really loves playing for Minnesota so much, he could always just re-sign with them in a couple months. Not like he’s going to help you toward the playoffs this season. There’s literally no benefit to holding onto him.
At the very best, the Twins could probably coax the Angels into parting ways with A.J. Schugel. Either way, the Twins don’t have leverage here and won’t be getting anything overly valuable in return for Liriano, if anything at all.
Best thing Orioles can do is hold onto their top prospects for now and trade for a #3 type Guy….an inning eater….someone who can keep you in a game until the game can be turned over to their bullpen. Teams want too much for an ace. And realistically the time they’ll truly ready to make a run will be next year. Hopefully they’re last years Pirates and Nationals.
Put the phone down Dipoto and walk away now. This guy is not worth anything more than a 24 year old at high A ball these days with the fat pitches he throws more often than not.
Fat pitches that translate into a 9.8 k/9.
If the O’s are interested, Daniel Bard has lowered his ERA to 7.08 at Pawtucket.
I never realized O’s fans were so anti Minnesota
Garrett Richards for Liriano, get er done.
Deal
Uhhhh Francisco Liriano, the left-handed version of Ervin Santana? No thanks, unless the price is ridiculously cheap, which it probably won’t be.
Francisco Liriano has had one bad game in his last 10 starts and in those 10 starts he hasn’t made it to 6 th inning but once. The O’s need a guy that can get in to the 6 th inning and beyond. The O’s have a good BP. I’m not sure if Minn. has as good of a BP as the O’s. I think it’s a move worth looking at. He might be a good addition to the O’s pitching staff