Should Orioles Get More Than Gavin Floyd for Brian Roberts?

For the second straight winter Baltimore second baseman Brian Roberts is at the center of a number of trade rumors. Roberts has been linked with Cubs both last winter and this one, but more recently, the White Sox have engaged the Orioles in talks about the two-time All-Star.

In those talks, Chicago offered pitcher Gavin Floyd for the second baseman, but negotiations broke down when the O's asked for more, according to SI.com's Jon Heyman.

"They wanted Floyd plus,'' one person familiar with the talks said.

While the talks aren't necessarily considered dead, White Sox GM Ken Williams said to Chicago media outlets through a spokesman that he hasn't spoken to the Orioles since November. And one other person told SI.com that the chances for a deal were "pretty iffy,'' based on Baltimore's requests.

Floyd is six years younger than Roberts and coming off of a 17-8 campaign in 2008, so it might seem silly for the pitching-starved Orioles to request more than a young top-of-the-rotation starter in return for Roberts, who is only under contract for one more season.

The problem is that Floyd isn't really a No. 1 or No. 2 starter. He had a gaudy won-loss record and an equally impressive 3.84 ERA last year. But with a solid, albeit unspectacular, strikeout rate (6.3 K/9) and an unsustainable BABIP (batting average on balls in play) of .256, he's simply not going to be able to repeat that performance in the future, especially if he's moving into the AL East gauntlet.

(That's without even mentioning the home runs. Floyd gave up 30 dingers last year. Chicago is obviously a big home run park, but he's clearly a homer-prone pitcher. He allowed only one three-run blast last year, no grand slams and 13 of his 30 home runs were of the solo variety. He won't be that fortunate again.)

Personally, I think the Orioles should hold on to Roberts and, if possible, try to extend him. He's a fan favorite and seems to have a few more elite-level seasons left in him. Moreover, if things break right with some of their prospects, the O's might have a window of contention in the near future, and it'd be nice if Roberts -- a star during some of Baltimore's darkest days -- was along for the ride.

But I also understand the rationale in trying to trade him. Baltimore hasn't hit that window of contention yet and Roberts might not want to stick around in the Charm City after 2009. If you can get one or several quality pieces for him -- particularly a frontline starter -- it makes sense to trade him, but only for a major haul. Roberts is, after all, one of the five best second baseman in the game and also one of the very best leadoff men around.

Trade him for an ace? Sure. Just understand that Gavin Floyd isn't one.