"Closing in on Respectability"

So says Baseball Prospectus, which also proposes a unique scenario involving Brian Roberts

by Matthew Taylor

Baseball Prospectus, via Sports Illustrated, offers up some potential "creative deals" for this off-season, including one non-trade scenario (at least in the short-term) involving Brian Roberts.

"The Orioles move Brian Roberts from second to shortstop. Roberts, playing his walk year in 2009, was Baseball America's National Defensive Player of the Year at shortstop in college. The O's didn't have a reliable shortstop in 2008, and given their farm system and the players on the market, they aren't likely to have one in '09. Roberts (right) would be better than the available options and allow Baltimore--which is closing in on respectability--to sign one of many stopgap second basemen (such as Ray Durham and Mark Grudzielanek). If successful, the move would give Roberts even more trade value, something the team needs to maximize."

What do you think of moving Roberts to short? Vote in Roar from 34's poll.


*Update: Roch Kubatko says it ain't happening. At least that's what Dave Trembley tells him.

"Brian Roberts is an All-Star caliber second baseman and premier leadoff hitter. I leave him there at second," Trembley said. "No one from our organization has ever talked about moving Brian back to short. I got questions about moving Adam Jones to short last spring, but he's our center fielder."

Of course, the article in question expressed an intriguing hypothetical. The writer never claimed that the O's had discussed the move.