Going Fishing?

Earlier today, it was reported by Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that the Orioles and Marlins were discussing different trade scenarios. It was also reported by ESPN’s Jim Bowden that the Marlins could make a blockbuster deal within the next day.

With that said, it could be entirely possible that the Orioles are interested in acquiring 3B/SS Hanley Ramirez and possibly SP Josh Johnson as well.

Ramirez (pictured above) is only 28 years old and is signed through 2014. Ramirez has put together some very solid seasons with the Marlins, especially from 2006 to 2010. In 2009, Ramirez led the NL in batting average, hitting an impressive .342.

However, Ramirez has struggled the past few seasons, hitting an underwhelming .246 this season. The on and off field struggles have led to Ramirez falling out of favor with the Marlins organization.

Ramirez has the ability to be one of the top players in baseball, but a lot of scouts have questioned his desire to reach the level of peak performance.

Right now a change of scenery could really benefit Ramirez.

Johnson, also 28, is an imposing right-handed pitcher, who at times has the ability to be one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball.

The only issue with Johnson (pictured above) is his history of injuries, ranging from shoulder inflammation to undergoing Tommy John Surgery.

So far in 2012, Johnson has shown flashes of brilliance but has been extremely inconsistent.

The real question is what would it take to acquire these two players?!

They definitely won’t come cheap. Despite both of their values being at their lowest point right now, both are extremely coveted by teams around the league.  Johnson even more so than Ramirez due to the fact most teams have a lack of starting pitching and are looking to add a front-line starter.

For the Orioles to get these two talented Marlins, it would probably cost top prospects such as Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop. It would also cost underachieving pitchers like Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta.

With that said, it would be great if they O’s could acquire Hanley Ramirez or even Josh Johnson but it is extremely unlikely to happen. The Marlins would do better to maximize both of their values by trading them in separate deals.

However, the Orioles could look into trading for other Marlins such as Logan Morrison and Ricky Nolasco. 

While they may not make the impact that Ramirez and Johnson would make, they still would provide immediate upgrades to the Orioles lineup and starting rotation.