Where are all the haters who complained about the O's getting another useless low-level reliever back in that trade?

I guess we were finally due to get some kind of diamond in the rough. Our previous talent dumps netted close to zero while other teams got useful parts. Let's hope he doesn't decay over the winter.

No one could have predicted Strop or Phillips would be this good. (But of course we will have to see how they fare next season). Even Chris Davis seems to be a pretty good acquisition and a possibility for 3rd base next year. I am still not sure about Hunter as he seems to give up at least 4 runs and lots of hits in most of his starts, but he is young and can get better. All-and-all give McPhail credit for going against the grain and trading some of our most effective pitchers with an eye toward filling holes this season and improving the team for the future.

Texas must be loaded to give up four guys who'll make the O's opening day roster for Greene, Koji and Gonzalez.

Davis will hit, Hunter will start, Strop and Phillips will both be decent bullpen options. They may all not be centerpieces but each can do their job better then what was there before them. Buck's Texas connection is working for the O's.

Stropical Storm Pedro!

I don't think the Orioles have done badly in any of their trades. Reynolds has done well enough to justify sending David Hernandez to Arizona. Hardy hasn't done badly at short (note the irony). Both Hunter and Davis show promise. Strop has impressed the crabbiest poster to this site. It's not like the league is full of ex-Orioles who have gone on to stardom elsewhere (except Werth... remember him?). It's the free agent signings (Guerrero, Lee, dare I mention Gregg, Gonzalez -- praise Strop! -- and Atkins?) that have not worked well, that may have kept players (Reimold, Patton) in the minors too long, and might have allowed the team to keep Beato on the 40-man roster. If the Orioles had not signed Lee and Guerrero, Scott might not have been injured and Reimold would have been with the team all season. But the respond-o-sphere would have gone ballistic!

I agree with DonM on all points.
Too many posters want the Orioles to have a huge payroll with old FA's.
Then they howl about Tampa's low pay roll success. The Orioles have had enough high $ under performing FA's.
Let's play Adams, Angle, Davis and definitely Reimold.

Texas is collecting pitchers for another World Series run. The Orioles are collecting players for our future. In fact the Gonzo swap reclaimed the 2010 2nd round pick that went to Atlanta.

Typical orioles. I am sure we will pencil this guy in as our prime set up man next year, only to be amazed when he reverts back to form and struggles.

I am also in agreement with Don and West but with one exception. Lets make an occasional splash on a Markee player. Not old FA like to one's we've signed. Release Scott, Make Reynolds a part-time DH-1B and throw sick money at Fielder to buy a building block. No current Oriole can hold the identitiy of this team. We need a monster hitter.

On another note we stink and developing pitchers too!

MacPhail's saving grace, if he has one, has been his trades. However, that is only one aspect of building a team, and this organization's recent track record on scouting, player development, and failing to sign grade-A free agents by low-balling them and then overpaying for the remaining grade-B and grade-C free agents is nothing to be proud of.

Please, people...let's not get too high on Strop. He's had a few weeks of good outings. Remember Todd Cruz? Jim Traber? They started out well too. Just like it was stupid to call Wieters a bust after 1.5 years like many fans did, it's stupid to anoint Strop as the 8th-inning savior for the future. I've been an O's fan for too long to get excited about short bursts of success.

Strop's career numbers showed a pitcher who gave up far too many walk. Since arriving here, he hasn't had that problem (unlike Gregg, whose WHIP had increased three straight seasons and did not give any indication that trend would change - and it didn't. His nibbling approach leads to hitter's counts and walks.) Strop is a young guy who may never have gotten a real opportunity, but he needs to be watched in case the control problems re-appear.

Maka...going against the grain???

He traded middle relievers, which are a useless luxury on a last place team. He did what he should have done.

A few points I'd like to rebuff:

1. I never read any poster here or heard any fan call Weiters a bust.
That premature and illogical assessment was made last spring by a PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL WRITER, of all things.

2. Anyone with any baseball knowledge at all can watch Pedro Strope and realize he's a cut above most pitchers who have passed through the Orioles revolving door in the past. This guy has natural talent, and is gifted with multiple pitches. With the proper guidance, he's gonna do well for us for a long time.

3. Please stop pushing the idea of signing Fielder. The guy is a fat slob disgrace to a baseball uniform.
Our most critical needs do not include more offense, so spending ridiculous money on a one-dimensional offensive player such as this would be very, very unwise. The money would be much better spent on an established STARTING PITCHER or two to complement Guthrie, Britton, and Arrieta.