The minute a team states someone is on the market their value instantly drops, which is why teams dont make those declarations until they just cant fit that player in question into their team anymore. I'd be willing to bet with media coverage and everything in relation to sports, that anybody who knows R.A. Dickey and his story knows who was the guy that convinced him to become a knuckleballer and that was no other than Buck Showalter. Last year when the O's played the Mets, Dickey gave Buck a gift that was never disclosed because it was personal between the two guys. They have the ultimate amount of respect for each other.

Now knowing all of this and knowing that Dickey and his value will never be higher and the fact that he is at a very affordable rate, the time to move him is now for the Mets, they are clearly trying to rebuild and a 38 yr old knuckleballer isnt gonna help them on the team as much as the prospects they get in return for him. But what they are asking for is too rich for a lot of teams blood. Who doesnt want a young catcher or young short stop or pitching or an impact bat?

I personally believe and will probably be proved wrong but none the less believe that the Jays are trying to raise the price up on the O's, who seem like the best match for Dickey considering the moves on non moves they have made, the need for pitching or a starter and the connection with Showalter and Dickey. Look at the O's, they are basically the Rangers East. A fifth of their 25 man is former Rangers or at least it was last year. Dickey was a former Ranger himself.

I thought and continue to think Dickey would be perfect here, because with him and what he brings along with Chen and Tillman and Hammel, you have 4 completely different styles and that makes matching up during the season difficult and if the postseason is in the future it makes it that much more difficult.

But what are the O's willing to part away with and what are the Mets realistically gonna accept? I wouldn't be the least bit suprised to see the O's try and pull another team involved to give New York perhaps a catcher or something they like from another team, that simply doesnt make sense for that team to trade straight up with the Mets for Dickey.

I also think that the O's are waiting around to see what is left or what is available via trades after everybody noteable is scooped up on the free agent front. If the O's either over value the prospects they are willing to move or are unwilling to package all of them for a certain player, waiting (even though Im not a fan of) is a decent course to take that way they can get something better - later after the other teams have made their moves like the Dodgers, Angels and even the Braves.