Page 10 of 15

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2020 10:04 pm
by Guardians
223. Adalberto Mondesi, Kyle Wright, Luis Garcia, George Valera, Ryan Weathers, Detroit Draft Pick 1 to Colorado for J.D. Martinez, Kyle Hendricks, Raisel Iglesias, Elvis Andrus

The first deal of the off-season for the Tigers was a big one. I reached out to Nate around the time I reached out to Z before he posted his big block. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to send an offer his way before he unloaded most of his talent on Minnesota. Originally, I sought Martinez, Grandal and Hendricks, but Nate was hesitant to move two big bats in the same deal. As we kept talking, it seemed like we would end up with a deal one way or another. Nate was motivated to move some older pieces and I was looking to add some key players to the 2021 squad. After Grandal, I asked about Edwin Diaz, but the price was too high for me. Then, last night, we talked about the current scenario and when I awoke, we had a deal.

First, the return. The best player in the deal is Martinez. While his 2020 was pretty horrendous, so was 2020 and the fact that the team dealt away the franchise's best player. Martinez also looked lost at the plate -- swinging outside the zone and giving pitchers more to work with. I think it was a lost year and I'm hopeful he'll be back to himself in 2021. That said, he's 33, so it's not like he's here forever. While he's a great hitter, the window for productivity is limited. But he does provide me a clear-cut middle order hitter from the right side that was one of my goals for the offseason.

The second piece is Hendricks. I created Hendricks way back in 2013, when he was just a Dartmouth grad with underwhelming stuff and great command in AA. He has continued to have a stellar MLB career, averaging about 3 wins a season for the Cubs. He just turned 31 two days ago (Happy Birthday and welcome to Detroit), and I think he ends up being one of the better #4 starters in a rotation in our league. On most teams, he's a #2, so if we maintain health, he's going to be quite an asset for the next half decade.

Iglesias was the third piece and a replacement for Diaz in the scenario. He's 30 and turned in a very strong season, albeit only 23 innings. As such, ZiPS rewarded him with a 134 ERA+ projection in Cincinnati, which I imagine will improve once the Angels' projections comes out. He looks like a solid closer in the bullpen this year, set up by the likes of Castillo, Doolittle, Kolarek, Jeffress, and Osuna, if healthy. Because of some uncertainty in my bullpen and injuries that hit hard last year, I wanted to shore it up and I think I have. Andrus was an add-on to provide some SS depth with the loss of Mondesi. He's no longer very good, but if he gets a .268/.320 projection and AV at SS, I'll count it as a win.

And now the losses. I ended up giving Nate six pieces here and a good portion of my farm. We'll start with Mondesi and Wright. I picked them both up in a deal with John last season for veteran pieces that ended up helping John quite a bit. I was thrilled with Mondesi because of his elite speed and defense. He's a great asset, if only he could hit a little better. If he can manage to add 20 points to his average, I think he's elite. But in the absence of that and his high K rate, I think he'll remain a second tier, albeit scary to opponents, SS. Wright is only 25 and had an up and down MLB debut last year, but had some very strong showings toward the end of the season. That's a positive development for him going into 2021.

Luis Garcia is an absolute stud. As a 20-year-old, he hit .276 in the majors. He should be in A ball in the middle of nowhere America, but he was a legitimate starter. The Nats are extremely excited about him and believe he has a maturity akin to Juan Soto did when he was coming up. I think he can easily be a starter at 2B for the next decade or more. While he may need to walk a little more, I think he has the skills to succeed. So, the first three pieces are guys who are already in the majors and ready to play.

The next three pieces are more speculative, but strong. Valera is a teenage corner outfield profile who was #18 on FG's top 100 list coming into 2020. He has a loud swing that produces huge power. The lack of a 2020 season certainly didn't help him, but many project he could end up as a middle order bat. Weathers is a lefty starter and son of MLB reliever David Weathers, except as a lefty. He has a four pitch mix with solid command. Having only pitched up to A ball last year, he threw 1.1 scoreless innings in the MLB playoffs in 2020. What a year. The last piece is DET 1, which is in the late 20s. With a good pick, Nate picks up probably a solid FV 45 player or better.

There's a ton of speculation on Nate's side, but a lot of upside. There's very little upside on my end, but some very solid pieces that, barring injury, end up being very useful pieces for the 2021 squad. I've answered several of my offseason questions in one deal and Nate has jumpstarted his rebuild process. The NL West is very wide open and the AL Central should have a fun competition going.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 9:37 pm
by Guardians
224. Danny Duffy, Michael Chavis, Chas McCormick to Tampa Bay for Rougned Odor, Yonathan Daza

My 2021 plan is finally complete. I have the Rangers' middle infield combination of Rougned Odor and Elvis Andrus. Life is great! I actually tried to get Odor last year from Matt, but was unsuccessful. I've been trying to Daza from Matt (and Nate) for like three years. So, while this is far from a blockbuster, it feels like an accomplishment. Odor is not amazing. In fact, he managed to hit .167 last year, which is impressive in that he got 148 plate appearances hitting that poorly AND that he managed to hit 10 HR in only 148 plate appearances for a .246 ISO. He has 3 30-HR seasons under his belt and he's still 26, so he's clearly talented. He also clearly struggles to hit with any consistency. I don't think he's better than what I already have at 2B, but he's a nice guy to have in the mix to see what happens. Daza is no Mike Trout, but he consistently gets a great ZiPS projection because he hits like a madman. He's been in the minors forever and is also 26, but finally cracked the MLB roster in 2019 after showing some power in the inflated Pacific League, but he didn't play in 2020. ZiPS rewarded him with a .295/.331/.413 projection with +2 defense in CF. Last year, he was VG/VG across the board, so for sim purposes, he's a nice asset.

What Matt gets in return is probably characterized as a roster plug, some upside, and a low-upside gamble. Duffy feels like he's been around forever, but he's only 31. For Matt, he takes up a rotation spot and eats innings. For me, he was a #6 candidate. Chavis is only 25 and hasn't really had a large sample size yet. Everyone knows he's been a power-only guy for a while, but 2020 was a low point. He'll need to gain some confidence and defense to be relevant. I think Odor and Chavis are both headaches in similar ways, but perhaps Chavis has more of an opportunity to improve, while Odor has shown more talent. And finally McCormick got an ok projection on top of being a FV 40 guy for Houston on Fangraphs. He had a strong 2019 in AAA, so he might be a guy who gets some time to play in 2021 with a low ceiling, but high floor due to his bat. Overall, nothing fancy here, but I get some guys I've wanted to get and Matt doesn't lose youth that he's trying to build.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2020 9:42 pm
by Guardians
225. Jeremy Jeffress, New York (AL) Draft Pick 5 to Houston for Alexander Mojica, Houston Draft Pick 4

We'll see what Jeffress gets for a projection this year, but in 2020, he had a 123 ERA+ projection and was very good for me as a setup guy. That said, I have a dozen relievers on the roster, so I was looking to move at least one. Jake asked about Jeffress and so I tossed out the offer. Mojica is a guy Jake got from me in the Thor/Arenado deal last August. He hit .351 with 8 HR and 46 RBI in rookie ball in 2019 as a 17-year-old. He's not been heavily hyped, so I can imagine scouts may still be a little timid with the small sample size and without the pre-signing period hype. But, I'm willing to take a gamble that he may just be a pretty good hitter as a 3B in the Pirates' system. I get a minor draft pick bump as well, which I will surely turn into magic. All in all an easy deal that may help us both.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 10:19 pm
by Guardians
226. Brandon Nimmo, Jamie Barria, Jose Rondon, Detroit Draft Pick 4 to San Diego for Nolan Jones, Taylor Trammell, Kyren Paris, Minnesota Draft Pick 3

Nimmo was my last big piece of trade block material I was looking to deal this offseason. And it's not because I dislike Nimmo. I'm a big fan. He's an OBP machine who plays CF and is still only 27. I've always thought he had huge potential to be a breakout star and in the shortened 2020, he did a really nice job showing off his power, (.484 slugging) eye (.404 OBP) and ability to make things happen (33 runs in 55 games). With Lindor now coming in to hit behind him, I think Nimmo has a chance to build on his success and have a strong 2021, but there's always the concern for injuries and lost playing time if Springer or another outfielder comes to Queens. The only reason I had him on the block is because I think I'm strong at the position. Lorenzo Cain saved a year of wear and tear and he returns for 2021 with a .276/.344/.383 line, which provides an option to leadoff. Grabbing Yonathan Daza's .295/.331/.413 projection gives me another weapon in CF. I also have the wildcard projection of Jarren Duran at .268/.313/.368. So, while none match Nimmo's .373 OBP projection, I think I have some players who can fill in. Along with Nimmo, I gave up Barria, a waiver pickup, and Rondon, a ZiPS bidding pickup. Neither were likely to see significant time for me and were wildcards. Now for the return.

After my big deal with Nate where I gutted my farm, I was really on the hunt for some young talent and prospects to rebuild my system. I was able to do that with this trade. Nolan Jones is a really fun guy to have. He is a monster lefty who has had another growth spurt as a 22-year-old. ZiPS lists him as a 3B, the position he's played the last few years, but Fangraphs suggests he may be more of a LF/RF due to his size. For this year, at least, he's a 3B with a .232/.329/.429 line with 24 HRs and a 2.3-win projection, roughly equivalent to Nimmo's 2.9-win projection.

Then, I pick up two really nice pieces. Trammell has played for three teams, which isn't ideal, but he's still a very athletic LF/CF who has a ton of projection and speed. In 2019, he was as high as a top 30 prospect in the game, so while it kinda seems like he's been around forever, he's still only 23. At 6'2 215, I think Trammell has a shot to add a little power and turn into a 20/20 threat. The third piece is also a pretty exciting add.

Kyren Paris was drafted in the 2nd round in 2019 out of high school in California who was known for his speed and defense at SS, with a developing bat. It appears he has now added to his profile after a lost 2020 due to a broken hand bone. I really like what I read in Fangraphs:
"He arrived to camp this spring looking absolutely yoked, and he has a chance to hit for some power sooner than I anticipated a year ago. I still consider him a slow-burning prospect with a high ceiling (a leadoff hitting middle infield or center fielder) but it’s possible things will come together sooner than I initially anticipated based on how physical Paris worked to become during the offseason."

I also picked up a draft pick upgrade to give me an extra top 100 draft pick. All in all, I'm losing the best current player, but hopeful that I'm getting a lot of 23 and under talent that will propel me forward into the future.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 8:18 pm
by Guardians
227. Matt Duffy to Pittsburgh for Victor Bericoto

Traded a duplicative infielder who hasn't played since 2019 for a 19-year-old outfielder who hit .340 in a small sample size in rookie ball. That's it. That's the deal.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2021 10:34 pm
by Guardians
228. Donovan Solano, Joseph Yabbour to Boston for Boston Draft Pick 2, Trevor Richards, Oslevis Basabe

I'm going to be completely honest here -- I thought I was dealing for Garrett Richards, not Trevor Richards lol. When Tullar posted his block, I was interested in his second rounder and third rounder. Obviously, he was working on multiple deals, but he did come back with his second round pick and then my choice of Richards or another pitcher or a list of prospects. I preferred Basabe from the list of prospects and liked the idea of a gamble on the Red Sox' newest offseason gamble. Instead, I got a younger pitcher for Tampa Bay who's equally questionable and slots in to the #6/7 spot on the depth chart. So same guy, different name.

Solano has been a really nice surprise the last few years hitting .330 the last two years as a now 33-year-old. ZiPS rewarded him with a .280 average projection, without much power, which makes him a usable sim piece. Yabbour, 17, is a 2019 international signing who throws mid-to-high 90s. I only signed him because of that and he's somehow related to the Acunas. I've read almost nothing about him in more than a year, so I think he's a high risk/reward type.

In return, I picked up another second round pick, which gives me some nice draft depth, as well as The Other Richards and Basabe. Richards, it turns out, has a somewhat usable projection in a pinch. He's 27 and was good in 2019. He's that 1-2 win, 4.25-4.50 ERA type guy who you keep around in case of emergency. Let's hope he never pitches this year in Detroit. Basabe is a fun gamble. Also of the Rays, Fangraphs slapped a 40+ grade on him as a sorta power, swings a lot, defense unsure profile. I'm not sure what kind of profile that is, but he's hit over .300 at all minor league stops so far (just hit low A in 2019). He came over in the Nate Lowe trade, to which FG wrote, "athletically capable of playing all three up-the-middle positions if he becomes more fundamentally sound and consistent." So, there's something to like there and it doesn't hurt to add twitchy athletes to the system.

Tullar got some infield depth and a 19-draftee. I snagged a pick, some SP depth, and a prospect. Fun roll of the dice.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 9:51 pm
by Guardians
229. Taylor Trammell to Seattle for Ryan Rolison, Hunter Renfroe

Fun fact: you talk to Jag on a Friday night after he's had several drinks and he's pretty fun to deal with! Who knew? So, clearly he's been looking to move Renfroe for a while and clearly Rolison is a gamble since he pitches for a team with purple jerseys. The talk around the league is that most are pretty bullish on Trammell, too, so we have an island of misfit toys trade here.

Trammell came over as the second piece in the Nimmo to SD deal and while he wasn't my top choice as the second piece, I still like his upside as a 20/20 guy in LF. Now that he's in Seattle, he was an obvious target for Jag. Worst case I think he's a great fourth OF. Best case, he's starting and leading off, but he's probably in between -- starting and batting 7th because he is only hitting .230.

When I saw Renfroe slugging those bombs in Mississippi in college, I knew he'd crush balls when he hit, but it seemed like he was going to struggle to connect often. And here we are with a .290 career OBP. And while he hit a horrendous .156 in 2020, he surprisingly increased his BB percentage and reduced his K rate. That said, the fact that he's now in Fenway helped. I'm assuming he's going to fold into some kind of 3/4 OF, spending a decent amount of time in RF and DH. I could see him getting 400 ABs and he's got a cannon.

Rolison carries some risk, but I don't think much more than Trammell. The scouting reports are generally pretty positive, as he has a four pitch mix with three above average, which reduces his chances of getting shipped to the pen. Being a pitcher in Colorado isn't for the faint of heart, but I'm hopeful he can have enough success to improve his sim and then be useful in a non-Denver sim setting. Given that I have some OF depth, adding a lefty starter who's close was a nice get here.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:56 pm
by Guardians
230. Richard Gallardo to Chicago (AL) for David Bote

This was a quick and easy deal that gives me a guy who can play all around the field. And while I had infield depth at the beginning of the offseason, after dealing Duffy and unexpectedly moving Solano, I could have been a little light if injuries piled up. Gallardo is an international signee favorite of mine, but after a year off, it's unclear where that leaves him. Pre-2020 scouting shows that he's a great athlete with repeatable arm action, so we'll see what he can do with some competition. Bote is 27 and while his 2020 wasn't great, his 2019 was good enough to get him an above average projection. At his best, he's a .270s hitter with enough power to start, takes enough walks and has enough versatility to find a place in the lineup. If he gets at least VG power on one side and AV/VG defense at six positions like he did in 2020, he's going to find himself in the lineup.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 12:20 am
by Guardians
231. Daniel Zamora to Philadelphia for Ryan Pepiot

I reached out to Nick when Kike Hernandez signed with Boston and after I had dealt Solano. I figured Hernandez would work as a replacement for Solano and a homer move. Nick got busy and then I got Bote, so I didn't need Hernandez. But Nick still was interested in picking up an arm, so I tossed out Pepiot for Zamora and here we are.

Zamora is 27 and a lefty RP for the Mets who was good for Jake and I last year in the sim. He was blah in a SSS in 2020, so his projection suffered a little, but he still should be able to log 60 decent innings. With three lefties ahead of him in the pecking order (Kolarek, Doolittle, Loup), Zamora seems expendable. Pepiot was a guy I targeted in last year's draft. A righty out of Butler, he has received some nice writeups at this point. Fangraphs gave him a FV 45+ and a shot of making the top 100 if he can show that his improved velocity can work with his command. BA has him as the Dodgers' #8 prospect with a plus-plus changeup, mid 90s fastball and a developing curve and slider. The reports look positive and I think that's good value for a reliever.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 11:38 pm
by Guardians
232. Bryan Abreu to Miami for Chris Archer

I wouldn't necessarily say this was a trade I needed to make, but Nils was excited about his 40th birthday (sucker!) and so we were trying to work out some kind of deal. I felt like Archer would make a nice #6 starter, so I tossed his name out. Nils tossed out Abreu and here we are. I think what we have here is a low-upside, decent floor acquisition for a high-upside, low floor cost. Archer was really good when he was really good and now that he's back in Tampa, maybe he can regain the magic and turn in a decent season. The Rays have spent $6.5 million on him for 2021, which is like $25 million for them, so I think they have confidence he'll help them. He's now 32 and was absolutely horrible in Pittsburgh and then had thoracic surgery. If he can be some fraction of his 2015-2018 form, I love the deal. If he's done, well then I have to hope ZiPS doesn't crush him. He has a usable projection this year in moderation.
Abreu, who is Houston's No. 5 prospect per BA, is either an up-and-down starting pitcher or a power reliever. He has three potential plus pitches, but he's wild. He's only 23, so there is time for him to continue developing. My money is on power reliever, but I think he could be dominant if he gets teh chance to work out the kinks. I snagged Abreu as a free agent pickup, so I feel like this might be a nice pickup for starting pitching depth in what may be a weird season following a weird season. Abreu's projection isn't ready for primetime, so I think Archer will be a nice asset for 2021.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2021 10:27 am
by Guardians
233. Lorenzo Cain, Matt Boyd, Wilmer Flores to Kansas City for Tommy Pham, Shea Langliers, Will Wilson

With Larry coming in and looking to make moves to improve now, I was looking at ways to accomplish that and not make him too much better since he's going to be the Royals. I hope I struck a balance here. Cain is a guy I picked up last year and he put up a great line down the stretch. But he's now 36 and dropping from a +9 to a +7, so we'll see if he drops from EX to VG in CF. He maintained a similar slash line as 2020. I think Pham is a slight upgrade given his power and speed, though I will take a hit defensively. We'll see where ZiPS rates them all when we get ZiPSman's sheet. Boyd has been a disappointment since I acquired him, but he's probably #4 material heading into his 30s. Flores was going to be my starting 2B with Odor (RIP), though he struggles defensively, he's got a nice bat. I think he and Bote are pretty similar, so I was able to move him.

As mentioned above, I'm a fan of Pham and I think he'll be a nice tables setter. With Daza and Duran on the bench, I've got some defensive options available in the late innings. Langliers was a top 15 draft pick and looks like a FV 45+-50 at catcher. He's got a rocket for an arm and defensive chops. Whether he can hit at a high level remains to be seen, but a full season this year will help answer that question. Wilson was a guy I liked in the 2019 draft with a nice eye/great bat speed, but not the high upside teenager type. I think he'll hit enough to play 2B and maybe 3B/SS.

The deal adds to my prospect depth, giving me some options for later this year. Ultimately, I think I've got the SP and 2B depth to make this work out and Larry gets some pieces to help him finish behind me, but maybe closer, this year.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2021 10:34 am
by Guardians
234. Chris Archer to Pittsburgh for Eduardo Escobar

With JP needing starting pitching and paying tribute to Bren by acquiring all of his old players, this was a move we talked about right after the Kershaw trade. Ultimately, I think Archer has a little more value this year and to JP than Escobar does to me, but since JP values all his RPs (including those undergoing major surgery) as elite, there wasn't much else to add to this deal. This deal comes down each team having a gap and trying to fill it.

Archer has an under-the-radar projection with more than 10K/9IP and a relatively low BB rate with a low 4s ERA. Escobar's average and OBP dropped 20 points in projection from last year after a poor 2020. But he's in a contract year, so the hope is he will show up for his last big contract. A switch hitting infielder who will play 2B for me (where he was average last year), he profiles as a strong #8/9 hitter who should hit 25 home runs at the bottom of the order.

If all those things happen, this should turn out to be a pretty even deal. If Archer re-emerges with the Rays as a stud, or conversely gets reinjured as he was in 2020, this won't look good for JP. If Escobar continues his 2020 into 2021 and turns into a utility guy, this won't look good for me. Just a couple of 32-year-old dudes who are at a crossroads. We'll see how this works out.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2021 10:07 pm
by Guardians
235. Shea Langliers, Will Wilson, and Ryan Rolison to Atlanta for Forrest Whitley and Tony Kemp

All deals involving prospects are a gamble, but that risk accelerates when past injuries are part of the equation. Whitley gives me some Brent Honeywell vibes -- amazing talent, but a risk of injuries that could derail things. After a 2019 shoulder surgery, he's now down with Tommy John. I'm just going to have to bank on him coming back as a 24-year-old stronger than he is now with a goal of maybe pitching in the majors in 2023. Ultimately, this is a huge risk/reward type of deal. I think he's the highest upside player in the deal, but could easily bust. I also got Kemp, who I've always liked. He should be able to play four positions, including 2B, which gives me some really nice depth. He's 29, so I think he's got a few years where he can use his speed and good eye to play around the diamond.

What Brett gets back is a nice mix of talent. Langliers heads the group and even though I only had him for a short while, I got several inquiries. He's MLB ready right now with his defense and arm. If he can turn into a decent hitter, he has really nice upside. Like Whitley, he's 23, so he could easily make a debut later this year or next. Wilson as I wrote earlier, is a guy who has a nice bat and eye and should be able to spray the ball around. At his best, I think he's a regular 2B but could play multiple positions. Rolison I'm a little bullish on, but with any Rockies pitcher, it can be concerning. FG wrecked him in their writeup, but other sites see him more positively. I see him as a #3/4 type. I think Brett gets some nice depth and all three guys are 22/23, so they should be close to debuting. The odds are at least one becomes a solid regular and maybe he gets production out of all three. Kemp is a bench piece, so it comes down to Whitley making or breaking.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:18 am
by Guardians
236. Roismar Quintana to Philadelphia for Enrique Kiké Hernandez

This was a fairly easy deal to complete with Nick. He has a lack of draft-eligible players and all of his picks are in the back end of the current year draft. Before acquiring Escobar and Kemp, I had some issues in the infield. One might argue a combination of Escobar, Kemp and Hernandez is still an issue, but I like to think I've got some nice options around the infield and outfield now. I''ve asked Nick about Hernandez before and we never really deeply explored a deal. With Hernandez now in Boston, I was a tad more motivated. I don't love him, but since the Sox suck, it's good to have a guy to root for. He'll mash lefties in a park that's good for mashing lefties and he'll play around the diamond for me. He'll primarily be a 2B for Boston, but should retain the versatility.

In return, Nick takes a flier on a guy MLB rates as a FV 45 CF likely to move to a corner. He got more than $800k last year and never got a chance to play, but he's a safety-sized outfielder with a lot of nice attributes. But he's also 18. Could be great or could be a nobody. I'll take the utility player and Nick will take the flier and the draft roster compliance.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:54 am
by Guardians
237. Rougned Odor to New York (AL) for Shea Spitzbarth

Pretty easy deal here. MLB NY Yankees ≠ IBC Tigers. At the beginning of the offseason, I had Odor, Flores, Solano, and Duffy all with some likelihood of playing the cornerstone. At this point, I have traded all four. After Odor was DFA'd last week, I still expected to use him some given his huge power. But after picking up Eduardo Escobar and Tony Kemp and then Hernandez, I've now replaced all four potential 2B in a matter of weeks. I like the current grouping better, as I have a combination of speed, power, and lefty/righty expertise. I wanted to get Hernandez before moving Odor and once that was done, JB and I inked this deal. Spitzbarth isn't special, but he has a nice K/BB ratio and a 110 ERA+. He's a bit of a gamble, but so is Odor. Adding a pen arm is never a bad idea, so while I'm giving up the best right hook in the league, I've added a piece that may be helpful in the long run.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:51 pm
by Guardians
238. Oslevis Basabe to Atlanta for Dylan Moore

Moore looks like a nice utility player and I felt like I needed one when he was put on waivers and claimed by Atlanta. But after looking at projections, it turns out I don't need a utility player, yet Brett and I had already discussed the deal. So, we completed it. Basabe is a nice Rays prospect who looks like he can stick up the middle if he can tweak the swing a little and continue development.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:54 pm
by Guardians
239. Dylan Moore to Tampa Bay for Jeffrey Springs

And, just like that, Moore is gone. He only lasted three and a half hours in Detroit. We didn't even fly him in. Given that I really didn't need a utility player, it turns out Tampa Bay needed some projections and I needed some pitching depth. It came together quickly. Moore, as mentioned previously, looks like an average defender at every position, which has its uses. Springs, for his part, is a lefty RP with a VG starter durability and a 4.18 ERA. He's not amazing, but he also should have some usefulness. He provides a little safety net on the pitching side for the long season ahead.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:28 pm
by Guardians
240. Anthony Servideo to Chicago (AL) for Richard Rodriguez

I really like Servideo. He was a guy in the draft who felt like a good value when I got him at #95. He's toolsy, has a MLB blood line, great D at shortstop and some pop. I could see him turning into a really nice utility player in a worst case scenario, so that's not a horrible floor. In exchange, I got from Jim Richard Rodriguez, a late innings RP who I've liked for a while. He's had a fairly decent career as a late bloomer and is now 31, but exhibits strong K/BB ratios with basically a fastball/curve combo. With injuries likely to hit all year, he's a guy who will see innings for me. And while I like Servideo, he's years away, while Rodriguez gives me help now.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 6:02 pm
by Guardians
241. Brayan Medina and Greg Bird to Chicago (AL) for Wander Suero and Yuri Gurriel

With Jim shopping his veterans and having a bullpen that is constantly disappointing, I reached out again. Suero is fine...not a stud, but hopefully a decent sim arm who can log 40 innings without blowing up. Bird was just a free agent pickup with an OK sim and tons of volatility. But in Colorado's system, his projection should continue to be above average. Gurriel is old, but with Santana hitting .190 for me, I figured having some 1B depth wouldn't be a bad thing. Medina is the fun piece here. He's a 35-45 FV and was the 2019 international class' best arm. Without a 2020 season, we couldn't see what he could do. At 20 in the DSL, this will be our first glimpse. I think he could shoot up the charts once he gets on the field. So, it's a gamble, but sometimes those pay off.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:46 pm
by Guardians
242. Kike Hernandez, Ryan Pepiot, Luis Angel Acuna to Milwaukee for Jean Segura, Craig Stammen, David Robertson

This deal came together pretty quickly out of nowhere. After looking through projections, Stammen has one of the better reliever projections available with a low ERA and a nice GB rate. But given that he is 37, I figured a 1-1 might be a little tough to peg. I've always been a fan of Jean Segura, and while he's no longer really a shortstop, he still projects there and slightly better than Hernandez defensively. With Seager and now Bote out, I wanted a little better player there. He's got a .278 average projection with some speed, which makes him a little more attractive offensively than Hernandez. He will be a nice starting SS for a few weeks and then turn into a solid utility role playing three positions. The last piece is also a fun gamble -- David Robertson. He's been a long time staple in the back of bullpens and while he's so-far unsigned, he's looking to the Olympics to get him some exposure. With a 3.23 ERA projection, he could be a huge second half boost. My bullpen thus far has underperformed, but has been covered by my offense. This deal really is about adding some stability to a group that hasn't quite figured it out yet.

Along with Hernandez, I shipped out two intriguing prospects. The first is Pepiot, who is a borderline top 100 prospect. He's got some helium and has started the season with some solid numbers in AA. I think he could be the type of fast-moving Dodgers SP prospect who shows up and does well down the stretch and we see him in the playoffs. I could see a solid #3 starter here. Acuna is also a fun one to have. Ronald's little brother, Luis Angel is smaller and takes monster hacks and has generated some decent power from his small frame. He's struggled so far this year, but the Rangers are good at developing talent and I think he could be a nice surprise with the right coaching. Both prospects have had their share of interest from GMs over the last year. I think Jared gets some nice young pieces and a Red Sox and I get some veteran pieces who can help me now.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:49 pm
by Guardians
243. Sean Doolittle, Hunter Renfroe to Pittsburgh for Braxton Garrett, Taylor Dollard, Mitchell Parker

We came THIS close to breaking the league...just one trade removed from THE STEAL OF THE CENTURY trade. Alas, this trade will just be a mere footnote in the annals of IBC History. This started off as a discussion around Vince Velasquez and Renfroe, but after digging into Velasquez a little, I shied off and moved my attention to Garrett. Not that Garrett is amazing, but he's 23, lefty, a former top 10 pick and had a nice stint in AAA before getting called up. If anything, he's a very nice young SP who should get some chances in Miami. Dollard and Parker are fun gambles. Both have video game #s in the low minors. Parker is a 21-year-old lefty with a huge K rate, weird delivery and stuff that's dominating the competition. Dollard is 22, got a Bieber comp for his stuff and control and has a 3.82 ERA despite a .446 BABIP. Two fifth round picks that I'm sure JP would have easily moved for one of my guys alone pre-draft, but he nabbed them early. This is all very small sample size, but I like what I'm seeing.

Renfroe has a cannon in RF and tons of power, but he's not going to play for me. Doolittle was playing for me and had a 5+ ERA, just like he does in MLB right now. I think he's in the twilight of his career, but that's what Dan Duquette said about Roger Clemens. I'm willing to bet I can count on my other three lefties and other outfielders and build up some solid youth.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2021 8:15 pm
by Guardians
244. Clayton Beeter to St. Louis for Marco Gonzales

This was simply a value-driven move that I attempted to make bigger than it was. Gonzales is one of the pieces from Aaron I felt could help me out this year, as I had planned on moving him to the #5 slot so I could move Diego Castillo (first half IBC Cy Young easy) to the bullpen to provide some relief. Gonzales has been a train wreck this year, but it's only 11 starts and 2020 was a weird year. I still think he's got a few good years in him and as a lefty, maybe more than just a few. In return, Aaron and I discussed a few guys, but he settled on Beeter. I selected Beeter at #52 in last year's draft and he's a stud righty reliever for the Dodgers. He's starting games in the minors, but only for an inning or two. He looks like a fast-moving closer type who has three plus pitches but struggles with control. He was a FV 45 at draft time and so while he is pegged as a reliever, I felt like he was good value at that point in the draft. Aaron probably picks up a good bullpen piece and loses a guy who's going to see his projection decline unless he can find himself again.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2021 9:47 pm
by Guardians
245. Marco Gonzales, Yuli Gurriel, and Brandon Roxby to Kansas City for Brad Hand, Nate Lowe

The prior post was written in the past tense about Marco because plans quickly changed. Larry emerged from his slumber and asked about pitching. I offered Marco and we took off from there. Hand gives me another late-inning relief option and while he's not been as dominant this year as prior years, he has a 138-ish ERA+, which should play up very nicely. My bullpen hasn't exactly been rock solid after losing Osuna and Knebel, so this helps solve that problem. The rest of the deal is essentially buying time. Yuli is having a really fun season. He's not striking out and he's walking more than he's striking out and he's hitting .313 at the break. All that said, he's got a pedestrian projection and he's 37, so I'm ok moving him. I really like Lowe. He needs to do a better job slugging for a first baseman, but he's getting on base and he may finish between 25 and 30 HR on the season with a .350 OBP. That is a nice piece for the lineup and I can get him at bats. Roxby is a pop-up Reds reliever who I snagged after seeing some nice press on him. He's a total gamble, but a fun one. I think Larry gains some SP depth, I gain some RP depth and he fixes a roster issue while I get a young 1B. There's a little something for everyone in this one.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 11:04 pm
by Guardians
246. Tommy Pham to Philadelphia for Phillies Draft Pick 1

Nick posted that picks were available and he was looking for outfielders, I made the offer, and 4-5 days later he accepted. I've always been a fan of Pham, so when Larry and I spoke about him, I jumped to get him. I love the speed/power combo he's always had. And he's having a great season so far, slashing 263/374/426 with 10 HR, 32 RBI 52 R and 13 SB. The downside is his D has never been elite, so he's more of a LF at this point, but should qualify across the outfield for a few years. In IBC, he has struggled for me against righties, but has crushed lefties. After Freeman was a .240 hitter for me, he became a stud for Nick, so I imagine the same will happen here. Nabbing a first round pick gives me either a great draft ahead or more flexibility in making trades the rest of the year. And I should have enough bodies to fill in during the regular season.

Re: Detroit Dealings

Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2021 10:53 pm
by Guardians
247. Adam Hall, Tigers Draft Pick 1 to Minnesota for Justin Turner, Jose Alvarez

I kicked around the idea of a Justin Turner a few times, but nothing seemed to make sense. As historians have noted, Justin Turner belongs in Detroit. He is, in fact, not Jacob Turner. (viewtopic.php?f=50&t=3959&p=52783&hilit=turner#p52783). The conundrum here is I have a very good 3B in Rafael Devers. So, I'm going to experiment a little and slide Devers to 1B and use Turner at 3B. Turner is the better defender at 3B (half the errors) and I'm hoping Devers doesn't drop too many throws coming his way. It's a little crazy, but let's see how it works. Alvarez was really more of a value get at this point. He's a solid but unspectacular lefty reliever. I have a couple other guys simming well, but he will be useful as another option out of the bullpen. My offense has been lagging, so I'm hopeful Turner gives it a boost.

I really didn't want to give up a 1st round pick, as I was happy to add one from Nick for Pham. But while Turner is 36 and only signed for two more years, the trade market isn't exactly budding right now, so I wanted to get another solid hitter and a late 1st is probably a FV 45 type. Hall is a fun, very fast SS in the Orioles system who has struggled a bit this year, but should stick on the dirt and at the very least be a utility player. If he can add a little power and keep the speed, there may be more there.