Day 2 of the Bedard/Roberts Vigil
3 Comments Published by Colin Wyers on Friday, February 8, 2008 at 8:36 AM.
The latest Roberts rumors will lead off (much like some are hoping Roberts will). The Rocky Mountain News chimes in, saying that a Roberts-for-Marshall swap is possible. I think that's something I could live with.
The Red Sox are rumored to be looking at dealing Crisp for pitching. Maybe they want Dempster?
I'll keep this a rolling update throughout the day as events warrant.
UPDATE: Rosenthal says it's done. Copies and pastes info about Roberts from an earlier column.UPDATE, AGAIN: Bruce Miles, as always, will save us all:
Contrary to popular belief, knowledgeable Cubs sources say the two teams have not gotten serious about discussing specific players the Orioles would want for Roberts.
It's highly unlikely the Cubs will trade center-field prospect Felix Pie or former top draft pick Tyler Colvin for Roberts. But a package possibly involving pitcher Sean Marshall or Sean Gallagher plus another player seems more in the ballpark.
That matches the impression I'm getting from other outlets, unless you want to count the "Gallagher, Murton, Veal and Cedeno" rumor that has surfaced on Orioles message boards.
PROBABLY THE LAST UPDATE: Bruce Miles files a few more updates over at NSBB:Uh, no. It's just that after nearly 180 pages of discussion here and stuff that's been nothing more than speculation on mainstream media blogs (see Trib) and blogosphere blogs, certain truths have been constant: The Cubs have been steadfast in saying they weren't going to trade Hill, Pie or Colvin. That was true earlier, and it's true now. Talks between the Cubs and Orioles have never gotten to the "yes" or "no" stage despite a report during the convention that the Baltimore owner nixed a 7-for-2 trade. The Cubs remain interested in Roberts. The names I've put out there are the ones I've been led to believe they'll discuss with the Orioles. The Cubs feel it's too early in Colvin's developmental stage to trade him, especially after investing a top draft pick. The Orioles are going to finish last or next-to-last with or without Roberts. The way I read it, the Cubs feel that MacPhail might as well take a decent offer for Roberts and not try to hold people up or risk being stuck with him, if "stuck" is the right word. I've read all kinds of things about deals being close. Nothing has been close. That may change in the next few days, but it seems to me the Cubs are ready to move on with or without Roberts.Oh dear me, but it's real, live news!
I'd say the odds are 50-50 at best on this trade happening. Nobody is an "untouchable" in the right trade, but guys like Colvin, Hill, Pie and Ceda aren't going in this kind of deal. I'm sure MacPhail had a hard enough time selling the owner on the Bedard trade. Can you imagine Andy telling Angelos he's going to trade his favorite-son player for a guy or guys he's never, ever heard of, especially guys who haven't played above Double-A ball?
They'd been looking at Marlon Byrd, but Texas isn't an easy organizaton with which to deal, either. That's the hardest thing for most people to grasp. To make a trade, you need to teams to have mutual interest, and even then, most trades don't go down for whatever reasons. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cubs tried to make a deal toward the end of spring training if this Roberts thing doesn't get done.
Shortstop never was a priority. I don't know why this whole Greene thing got started _ just because he didn't agree to an extension? There's time for that. The Padres don't need to move him. The ship sailed on Tejada awhile back. I never heard Renteria's name talked about seriously.
Labels: Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Brian Roberts, Chicago Cubs, Repetative, Trade Rumors
Tracy Ringolsby got into the HOF because of his cowboy hat -- not his ability to report genuine, believeable, likely-to-happen rumors. If he says it, I don't believe it -- he's almost never correct.
I am starting to believe that Roberts won't be wearing blue pinstripes on Mar. 31. McPhail was able to fleece the 'Stros and M's because those teams' GMs were desparate to acquire big-name players -- and a bit (actually alot) stupid. McPhail knows that Angelos won't sign off on a Roberts trade unless it is another fleece-job. Hendry isn't desparate enough to acquire Roberts that he would give up Hill, Pie, or Soto -- but Angelos probably wouldn't sign off on trading his pet unless one of those three is the centerpiece, along with Gallagher and/or Marshall.
I think that Hendry will revisit a Roberts (or other) trade in June if the Riot carries his September performance into 2008. (Which I believe will be the case.)
it's only day 2 of the vigil? seems like it's been going on since december....
Dickie Dunn wrote this! It must be true!
Maybe it was never an option, but I'd almost just as soon roll the dice on Bobby Kielty (Crisp's ostensible #4 OF replacement in the event of his trade from Boston) for nothing than give up something for Crisp. But, you know, that's me.
If Pie goes the other way in some trade, I'd feel differently, of course...