Fansided

The 10 biggest what-if MLB trades that never happened since 2000

By Steve Zavala

NEW YORK - APRIL 18: Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees looks on against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium on April 18, 2010 in the Bronx borough of Manhattan. The Yankees defeated the Rangers 5 - 2. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Sportschrome/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - APRIL 18: Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees looks on against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium on April 18, 2010 in the Bronx borough of Manhattan. The Yankees defeated the Rangers 5 - 2. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Sportschrome/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – JUNE 12: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on as Johnny Cueto #47 scores after a throwing error by Carlos Santana (not pictured) of the Cleveland Indians in the third inning of the game at Great American Ball Park on June 12, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – JUNE 12: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on as Johnny Cueto #47 scores after a throwing error by Carlos Santana (not pictured) of the Cleveland Indians in the third inning of the game at Great American Ball Park on June 12, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

MLB what-if No. 5: 2008 — Joey Votto, Johnny Cueto, Edwin Encarnacion and Homer Bailey to the Baltimore Orioles 

This is a clear example of a deal that would get a general manager fired on the spot.

Over the mid-2000s, the Cincinnati Reds were stockpiling promising prospects in hopes of finally becoming a perennial playoff contender once again. But sometimes, general managers become impatient with the process and would rather go all-in on acquiring MLB-ready talents.

That is what now-former Cincinnati Reds General Manager Wayne Krivsky almost did in early 2008.

The Reds were scouring across the trade market looking for starting pitching help. They showed immediate interest in Baltimore Orioles starter Erik Bedard. He was just coming off of a 2007 season in which he recorded a 3.16 ERA over 182.0 innings pitched and finished fifth in the AL Cy Young voting for the season. The Orioles were far from being a playoff contender, so they showed interest in trading away Bedard as his trade value skyrocketed after the breakout campaign.

Initial talks between the two clubs accelerated quickly as the Orioles began negotiations by asking for Joey Votto, Johnny Cueto, Edwin Encarnacion and Homer Bailey. Krivsky turned down the deal which would have been the worst trade in franchise history. They would have been giving up a trio of future All-Star players and a capable starter in Homer Bailey.

The Orioles managed to fleece another team as they traded away Bedard to the Mariners a month later in return for five players, including Chris Tillman and Adam Jones. Both players were pivotal in the Orioles’ rise from being the laughingstock of the American League to playoff contenders in the mid-2010s.

Looking back at this rumored trade, it would have done wonders for the Orioles. A lineup featuring Votto and Encarnacion along with Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Matt Wieters would have made them the clear top offensive unit in the American League. Add Cueto and Bailey to a pitching staff already featuring Miguel Gonzalez and Bud Norris surely may have placed them as a long-term contender in all of baseball.

Fortunately for Reds fans, this deal is all just a hypothetical now.

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