Fly By w/ Jordan Westburg: Playing My Role | Baltimore Orioles 

True! However what the free a agents are good for is when the rookies that tend to be over hyped don't perform the same way they did in triple A. It definitely works both ways. These prospects are anointed the next best thing since sliced bread all to often. The major leagues is a whole different animal than triple A obviously! So let's just go ahead and trade Hicks and Frasier because we have Cowser and Westburg tearing it up in triple A. Let's not get to carried away just yet!

You just answered your own question? Folks like Hicks and Frazier are there to keep the seat warm and get you to the best position in standings until the young bucks (like Westburg) are ready.

Also Hicks is hitting .350 since he's been an Oriole. Maybe you had a point somewhere but you used the worst example. Frazier's obviously slumping but he was crazy valuable the first month or so. Until these guys are truly big-league ready (and even when they are), you need veteran presence in the clubhouse.

You take a chance on a free agent in the hopes they work out, so you don't have to trade the farm. Now we can get more pitching without trading our future

You don't use your best prospects at the end of the bench. If they're not playing everyday, they need to be in the minors.