O's may fit as third team in Peavy deal

by AlRoBraves95 on Nov 30, 2008 1:27 PM EST Comment 12 comments

The Orioles may end up as a third team in a three-way deal that would send Padres right-hander Jake Peavy to the Cubs, according to a report in the Baltimore Sun. The paper reported that the Orioles have started up trade talks again with the Cubs about outfielder Felix Pie, who -- with Baltimore second baseman Brian Roberts -- was part of a rumored deal discussed between the two teams last offseason. Sources told the Sun that Chicago would like a young pitcher in return for Pie, which could lead to the Orioles sending starter Garrett Olson to the Cubs, who would then trade the lefty to the Padres as part of a deal to land Peavy. Braves Need to move in on this really fast! What do you think?

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I think that even replacing Pie with Olson isn’t an offer to blow Kevin Towers away, so he’ll call Wren before he moves Peavy to give Wren a chance to match or beat the Cubs’ offer. If they were involving a real pitching prospect like a Homer Bailey or a Phil Hughes, I might be worried. But really, this is Garrett Olson we’re talking about.

by tgthree on Nov 30, 2008 2:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I’d take Garrett Olson over Homer Bailey any day of the week.

by cbwilk on Nov 30, 2008 3:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Really?

How do you figure that? At least Bailey has upside.

by tgthree on Nov 30, 2008 3:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m going on pure personal observation. Between seeing these two pitch a bit (Bailey about five times and Olson about 25) and talking with them, Olson is just the better bet.
Bailey’s own teammates don’t like him and he’s something of an egomaniac. He thinks he can survive just throwing fastballs and doesn’t understand why he keeps getting hit. I just don’t see him adapting and succeeding.
Olson, on the other hand, is a thinker, the guy has a degree in engineering and he devotes a ton of time to studying video, not only of opposing hitters, but of his own mechanics. He shows the ability to adapt within a game and I think he has all the tools to succeed. How many other flame throwers have fizzled out and been passed over by smart soft-tossers, especially lefties. I think with a better organization that knew what to do with pitchers, he’d be successful.

by cbwilk on Nov 30, 2008 4:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You may be right in the end. I have never liked Bailey at all, for exactly the reasons you cited. However, I would bet that Bailey remains much more highly regarded within the baseball community than Olson, because front offices seem to like guys with stuff rather than guys with good attitudes (and they aren’t always wrong on that count). I would think that Bailey’s trade value is significantly higher, and would be more tempting for Kevin Towers.

As much as you may like Olson, a 6.87 ERA in 165 big-league innings makes you look like a Quad-A guy. But Bailey still has that mystique of the prospect he used to be, and teams are attracted to that. Point is, I’m not that worried about Garrett Olson being a deal-breaker to the extent that the Braves would have to significantly up their offer. Bailey…well, I could see Towers liking him enough to where Frank Wren would have to make big adjustments to the Braves’ offer if Peavy is to come to Atlanta. (Because, yes, end of the day, we NEED Jake Peavy.)

by tgthree on Nov 30, 2008 4:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

From a trade value perspective I completely agree with you. Bailey has much more value and probably will until he completely proves he can’t pitch, for the very reason you said, he throws hard. Teams will always be convinced that a hard thrower will turn into a pitcher.

As far as Oslon, the problem he’s run into in the majors more than anything is out-thinking himself. He’s talked about it and he knows that’s the problem. I think he’s going to be a good pitcher and yeah, that’s a very high ERA for roughly a full season of pitching, but that whole team sports high ERAs. It’s a couple runs lower, but Tommy Glavine had something like a 5 ERA after that many innings in the bigs.

by cbwilk on Nov 30, 2008 10:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wouldn’t the Padres want Pie and Olson in order to get the package they want? This whole third team deal sounds very fishy.

by beeniez on Nov 30, 2008 3:24 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Stupid Padres

This would still not beat the package that Braves are offering, so the Padres would be getting less value than on offer from the Braves. Any package involving Escobar beats any offer the Cubs can make. This isn’t hard to see and Wren should stay strong.

by JFP on Nov 30, 2008 5:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Want Burnett and Maggs. We can easily afford both, and keep Yesco/KJ, with plenty left over to sign the Unit. Make it happen FW.

by TradeAndruw on Nov 30, 2008 8:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

For some reason I have never considered this option. I really like it. Maggs is better in the field than Dunn and has a high OPS, I wish he hit more homers though. Burnett is a no brainer, and the big unit is a steal who wants just a one year deal.

by someguy917 on Dec 1, 2008 12:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Back off Frank...

Towers is an idiot. Let Peavy go wherever Towers can get rid of him. The Cubs will never win a WS with or without Peavy, so if Peavy is looking for a ring, he can forget it!

by BBFAN46 on Dec 2, 2008 7:50 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

There was an article yesterday (MLBTR referenced it) that mentioned that the Braves’ refusal to let Peavy have a no-trade clause is a “big obstacle” to a trade. So maybe it’s not Towers that is holding this up…?

by coldriver10 on Dec 2, 2008 8:55 AM EST reply actions 0 recs