B-Rob Trade Rumors

A trade sending Brian Roberts to the Cubs appears to me looming. At the rate this off-season is going I’d be surprised if it gets done quickly, though.

The deal floating around includes Sean Gallagher, Ronny Cedeno, and another player or two. If I’m the O’s I make try to make it 2 with one of them being Eric Patterson.

Patterson is a second baseman who doesn’t have a place to play now, or after a potential trade for Roberts. Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors has some interesting things to say about him.

I look at it this way:

(1) We have Brian Roberts (who has a composite projection from fantasy411 of

.285/.366/.423) and Luis Hernandez (.247/.283/.304) or

(2) Eric Patterson (.265/.327/.405) and Ronny Cedeno (.270/.314/.397).

It’s an average of .266/.325/.364 for (1) and .268/.321/.401 for (2).

There is a drop-off in defense though, which is bothersome at the middle infield positions.

On the bright-side; the O’s would then have their 2B and SS set for the next 5-6 years. Both guys are getting better, whereas Brian Roberts is at the top of his game and Luis Hernandez is never going to offer much with the bat.

As long as the 4th prospect is half-way decent I think it’s a solid deal to make. While we’re at it, why not give Eric’s big brother Corey a little bit of money to come back and be a fourth outfielder? I would say that he’s better than Tike Redman, and if he has any success the O’s can trade him at the deadline to a team that needs a quality back-up for a play-off run.

I have also heard that Cleveland has had some interest, possibly offering Jhonny Peralta (and Adam Miller?). That would be something to think long and hard about, depending on the other guys coming over. At least it seems that MacPhail will have some options.

More on this if/when it happens.