[Marco Polo]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Okay, bear with me for a minute. The Cardinals offer Gyorko, Reyes, Kelly and Grichuk to the Orioles for Machado. They say yes. There's no way they don't. That team is actually better for making that deal NOW and for the next 3 years. It's not even all that close given how little depth they have to work with.

Meanwhile the Cardinals still have DeJong to play 3b (or Carpenter if Martinez takes over at 1b). They still have Knizner to replace Molina long-term. They still have Flaherty, Weaver, Hudson, Hicks and Helsley as long-term rotation/bullpen options. They still have O'Niell if an eventual Machado extension uses up the financial resources to extend Ozuna. If they lose Machado next year, DeJong goes back to SS, Carpenter to 3b and Martinez to 1b. It's shitty, but it's not a disaster.

I mean...that makes almost too much sense, right? The Orioles get a 3 WAR 3b back in Gyorko under a great contract (who will MASH in Baltimore). They get a very high end SP prospect. They get their catcher for the next 10 years and they get another guy who will kill it in Baltimore in Grichuk, who will give them 2-3 WAR annually if they just let him go out there and hit bombs while playing credible defense. And that's for 1 year of Machado who they are now seemingly resigned to being unable to re-sign.

They're better for that deal, no? And the Cardinals suddenly have equal firepower to the Cubs.

Am I far off base there?

That seems far too logical.