http://www.freep.com/article/20130115/SPORTS02/130115031/detroit-tigers-baltimore-orioles-rick-porcello-jim-johnson-trade?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Detroit Tigers

I can't believe Duquette would do that deal. I would think the Tigers would have to throw something in the mix for the O's. I'd throw in Garcia. Maybe the O's would send back an A or AA prospect. Johnson is more valuable than Ricky.

I think Johnson would be just fine in our bullpen....even though he's not Venezuelan.

Who would close for the O's then?

"Johnson is more valuable than Ricky."

I disagree.

I do not believe the story, unless Dombrowski plans on moving a current RH-reliever.

Jim Johnson is not a current fit for our bullpen. He throws with the wrong hand.
We need a lefty Johnson-type.

I just looked into it a little more. I'd forgotten all the arms in the Baltimore pen, but I rember this Pedro Strop kid. He was pretty good whenever I watched him.

I'd do the deal, but I'll also be surprised if it happens.

Johnson had a really nice year. But the last memory I have of him last season is him doing his best impression of Jose Valverde against the Yankees in the playoffs.

Please add Peralta and JJ Hardy to the trade talks. Got to be a package that works.

If a trade happens.... Are you ready Casey Crosby? Hope so! We may need you sooner than later.

I don't think that's a great trade for us at all, considering we already apparently shot down an offer of Luke Gregerson (who's a much better pitcher than Johnson) AND Jesus Guzman from the Padres.

Considering Porcello is not much more expensive than Johnson, and under team control for an additional year, we'd be better served by just anointing Porcello the closer.

Horrible trade for the Tigers, IMO.

As I just said in another thread, Johnson is a lot like Porcello in some ways -- not many strikeouts, lots of ground balls, doesn't walk guys. Two big differences, however, are that Porcello can start, and that he's a whole lot younger with a significant chance to improve. Plus Porcello is much more effective his first time through the order than he is later in the game. So Porcello might be just as good out of the bullpen as Johnson, plus could be used to spot-start or to replace an injured guy in the rotation.

Also, after his 50-save season, the arbitration-eligible Johnson might get a ridiculous raise.

So I wouldn't make that trade.

All of a sudden a lot of love for Porcello??

I was never a full-fledged hater.

I'm not sure about this trade....'im inbetween on this one.

Not love for him on my part, but as I said, I do think that he might be able to do something similar to Jim Johnson out of the pen, and given that he is much younger and more versatile, we should be able to get more for him than Johnson. And if we can't, we should probably keep him.

It won't happen. Just thought it was interesting.

I'm still believing, without advocating for it, that DD and MI will sign Soriano.

<<given that he is much younger and more versatile, we should be able to get more for him than Johnson. And if we can't, we should probably keep him.>>

Exactly. While he's not totally necessary for the Tigers to keep, I hope we don't do what we did with Scott Sizemore and trade him away for a bag of peanuts and a coney dog. Just because his value to the Tigers is diminished doesn't mean his value to other teams is. Along with Castellanos, he's probably our best trade chip right now. Trading him for a relief pitcher or 4th OF just doesn't make a ton of sense.

A Porcello for Johnson trade seems to make sense. If I recall there was some rumors about the O's considering trading Markakis a year ago, before the O's spectacular season. I wonder if Markakis is available? He hit one of the longest home runs at Comerica Park I have ever seen in right center field. The O's could use the savings to buy Soriano for their closer.

If the Orioles will give us Nick Markakis for Rick Porcello, I will gladly rent a limo and deliver Porcello to them myself.

Or probably because you attack every member on this forum that you don't share the same opinion with?

Prior to the Dodgers signing him I was wanting to looking into J.P Howell. Not really a closer per se but has some experience in that roll having saved 17 games in 2010 I think it was. If nothing else is a solid lefty reliever similiar to Doug Fister.

Markakis for Scherzer maybe.