Baltimore Orioles Trade Possibilities

With the trade deadline coming up at the end of the month. I thought I would start looking at some of the teams who are bound to be "sellers" in the trade market. First up is the Baltimore Orioles.

The Orioles seem to have five main bargaining chips (six if you count the injured Miguel Tejada). Here are their "chips" in no particular order.

Chad Bradford – Orioles – signed for $3.5 million per year thru 2009 – decent 3.18 ERA and a pitcher who is very good vs. right-handed hitters. Bradford gets a $500,000 one-time bonus if traded so that may make Bradford pretty happy to get out of Baltimore. Almost every team in playoff contention is trying to add bullpen help – so there could wind up being a bidding war for a veteran like Bradford.

Steve Traschel - currently out with a pulled muscle in his ass but should return to action shortly. Traschel is a free agent at the end of the year (although there is a $4.75 million team option). He could make a nice innings eating 4th or 5th starter for an NL team that is hurting for starting pitching. My guess is he winds up in the NL East with the Braves, Mets or Phillies.

Aubrey Huff – he’s signed through 2009 at the rate of $8 million a year (but just $4 million this year). That means the Orioles have a financial incentive to deal him now. Huff has averaged 20+ HR the last 5 years but has just 6 so far in 2007. He can play 1st or OF but neither very well.

Kevin Millar – some teams may view Millar as a veteran presence that can help keep a playoff bound team both focused and loose at the same time. Others (like me) see Millar as a defensive liability who will turn cancerous if he’s not getting enough playing time. Millar has a contract clause that vests his 2008 option ($2.75 million) if he gets 475 plate appearances in 2007. So far Millar is at 266 – so getting those last 209 will be his priority. You also have to ask yourself if the Orioles really want Millar around next year or if they want to move in another direction.

Jay Payton – signed for $5 million for 2008. I would think that Payton is more trouble than he’s worth but some team who needs an outfielder may be willing to take a risk on Payton.

Miguel Tejada – still owed $30 million over the next two-years ($4 million deferred). Out with a broken wrist which means if he’s traded it will probably be during the off-season.

June 15th - Big Day on the Baseball Calendar

Unless I read the baseball CBA (collective bargaining agreement) wrong - June 15th should be a big day on the baseball calendar. Unlike the NBA - you cannot do a "sign and trade" in baseball. If you sign a free agent in the off-season - you have to wait until June 15th to "assign" a player's contract to another team (i.e. trade that player). With that in mind - let's take a look at the free agents signed this off-season that may be "assigned" to another team.

The first name that comes to mind is Eric Gagne who signed a 1-year deal with the Rangers. The Rangers won't be winning anything this year and chances are the Rangers won't be able to re-sign a healthy Gagne so why wouldn't they want to trade him and save the bulk of his $6 million salary and get a prospect or two in exchange to boot? Gagne supposedly has some sort of "no-trade" language in his contract but I'm guessing that's a list of teams he will or won't agree to be traded to. There are a number of teams competing for the playoffs who need a real closer.

Danys Baez is another interesting name. He signed a 3-year $19 million deal with the Orioles but maybe someone wants to make a deal for a guy with closing experience and giving up a top prospect may be easier if the guy you are getting will be under your control for a couple of more years. Baez would rather be a closer but it looks like that won't happen in Baltimore - so maybe a change of scenery would be the best for the player and the Orioles.

Speaking of Orioles - Chad Bradford could be another middle-reliever on the block. Bradford is having a fine season (2.35 ERA and 1.26 WHIP) and the saying goes "buy low - sell high". Selling Bradford now may bring the most reward for the Orioles who should be stockpiling prospects in order to compete with the big pocketed Yankees and Red Sox. Bradford gets a $500,000 check from the Orioles if he's "assigned" to another team - so I bet he'd be all for going to a place where winning is the norm.

JD Drew could also be on the block. Just kidding. Nobody will be dumb enough to take his contract.

Alan Embree is in the middle of his second straight bounce-back season and is very effective against right-handed batters (.264 BAA and .564 OPS). I'm guessing that Billy Beane wouldn't mind flipping a 37-year old pitcher for some young prospects.

I guess you could add David Riske to the list of possibly available middle relievers with some closing experience. However, I'm not sure any playoff contending team wants the PR nightmare of trusting close games to a guy whose name is pronounced "risky".

There could be some other players available but if I was a middle-reliever or closer who signed a free agent deal this winter - I'd be sure to know where to get shipping boxes because a number of these guys will be changing addresses once June 15th comes and goes.