Two independent reports Monday morning say that the Colorado Rockies and Baltimore Orioles have made a trade involving three pitchers. Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun:
Report: Orioles, Rockies Swap Pitchers
Baltimore’s Jeremy Guthrie is heading west to start for the Rockies; the Orioles get a pair of righthanders in exchange.
The Orioles are near an agreement on a trade that would send the club’s most accomplished starter, right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, to the Colorado Rockies for two players, believed to be pitchers Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom, according to industry sources.
It's believed the Orioles discussed a third player with the Rockies but eventually settled on Hammel and Lindstrom.
A tweet from Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal mentions the same three names:
Source: #Orioles to send Guthrie to #Rockies for Lindstrom and Hammel. Confirming report by @danconnollysun. #MLB
At first glance, this would appear to be a win for the Orioles. Hammel has posted a 4.63 ERA in three seasons in Colorado, but then, that's Colorado. In 2011, Hammel had a 5.11 ERA in Denver, 4.20 on the road. He also has experience pitching in the AL East, beginning his career with the Rays. Baltimore also gets a serviceable middle reliever in Lindstrom, who had a 150 ERA+ and gave up just three home runs in 54 relief innings for the Rockies in 2011.
Meanwhile, Guthrie, who was the No. 1 pick (22nd overall) of the Indians in 2002, has spent five years in the Baltimore rotation and has only this to show for it: two seasons' worth of leading the AL in losses (2009 and 2011). He also led the AL in home runs allowed in 2009, not exactly the credential you'd want to show the folks at the clubhouse door in Denver.
But hey, maybe it’ll work out for the Rox. Trades sometimes have a way of fooling those of us who do instant analysis.
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