All The Guardians Trades

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 1:53 pm

78. Enny Romero and Vinnie Pestano to Chicago White Sox for Wesley Wright

I asked Jim for Wright a while back to add some depth as a youngish lefty LOOGY. Wright was one of the first players I signed when I got back into the league in 2012 and I dealt him to pick up a prospect last year. The added bonus of Wright this year is he has bounced back in real life with the Cubs and the sim gave him a SP rating to go with his 3.43 ERA. I already have two very good lefties in the pen in Lopez and Thatcher, but an added presence is a nice asset to have. If I can log some quality starter innings out of him as a bonus, this will be a nice guy to have.
Going back are Enny Romero, a top-ranked Rays prospect (mainly because most Rays prospects have graduated to the majors) and Vinnie Pestano. Romero was a nice pickup when I dealt Duensing (another LOOGY), but he's struggled in AAA, though he's only 23. Pestano is only 29, but has been up and down between MLB and AAA, though he's had success at both stops. With a 3.63 ERA projection, he may be able to fetch Jim something at the deadline or be a usable piece himself.

Giants · Post by **Giants** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 6:20 pm

"I've seen Barney throw, but he's no Vinnie Pestano... am I right? Beloved Indians middle reliever!"

Cleveland sports are relevant!

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:35 pm

79. Tim Stauffer, Angels Draft Pick 4 to Minnesota for Clint Coulter, Twins Draft Pick 3

Stauffer is a guy who I picked up from Colorado, thinking he'd be a usable starter. After running some seasons, it didn't appear he was going to be that great, despite a 3.78 ERA projection and VG durability. I'm not sure why he got that projection since he's a below average middle reliever who hasn't started in four years, but oh well. Nonetheless, he can be valuable in a different situation, so I thought he was worth something decent. Enters Minnesota's push for the playoffs, which I thought was a good opportunity to try to weaken a division rival with a piece that wouldn't kill me this year.
In return, I got a couple things back. First was Clint Coulter, a guy I've liked for a while. He struggled mightily last year and from most reports I've seen, lacked a lot of confidence.
This year, he's mostly DHed, which is concerning, but appears to be a move to calm him down and get him back on track. And it has worked. Coulter, who just turned 21 today in fact (happy birthday, Clint!), has been raking in his first year in full season pro ball: .272/.410/.521 17 HR 67 RBI 23 2B 2 3B 77K/58BB. A very good season. He has caught occasionally and I'm not sure if that's his future position or if he's more a corner infielder/corner outfielder. But, if the bat does that at higher levels, it won't matter. I'm happy to have him.
On top of Coulter, I picked up about a 15-pick upgrade in the middle of the draft. I sent the Angels' fourth round pick to get the Twins' third, which is probably roughly 80-85 instead of 95, depending on everyone's finishes. That should result in a solid prospect.
As long as Stauffer doesn't do amazing things in Minnesota, this should be a solid trade.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:55 pm

80. Chris Carter, John Axford, Michael Bourn to Arizona for B.J. Upton, Dariel Alvarez, Alex Glenn

Rarely does The Marketplace work quickly, but this is an example where it did. After my post, Jag sent me a message and we went to work on a deal. I'm under no illusions that B.J. Upton is very good, but he provides about what Carter does for me, but slightly better for this year. He's going to give me good CF defense/arm, speed and VG power off the bench as a righty. That's Chris Carter, minus the defense/arm and speed. I love Carter's power, but I didn't trust him enough over a full year to use him like Jim did last year, so he was inactive most of the year. I should end up with a slightly more useful version with Upton.
Axford and either Bourn or Aoki were guys I didn't need. Axford was a pickup due to a decent projection, but after picking him up, I made a few deals for relievers I like better, so he was excess. Bourn I really had hoped would be a nice buy low for good speed and defense, but about 30 seconds after I traded for him he ended up with an already months-long hamstring injury. That's important for a speedster who's also declining, so he was movable.
The two fun pieces of the deal were the outfielders I picked up. Dariel Alvarez is a Cuban in the Orioles system who, like Urrutia last year, should get called up shortly. He'll be 27 to start next year, but he's put up solid numbers across the minors and profiles as an above average defender in CF. In AA, he's had a nice .309/.332/.487 slash line with 14 HR 68 RBI and 7 SB. The walk rate could be higher, but the strikeout rate is nice. He's in AAA now and if he can do well the rest of the year should be a nice outfielder off the bench.
Glenn is a little further off and is a lefty hitting left fielder in the Diamondbacks' system, currently enjoying the Cal League. The typical #3 hitter for Visalia, the 23-year-old is slashing .288/.350/.532 with 19 HR 73 RBI and 17 SB. He's not quite my Teoscar Hernandez, but he's in the same ballpark in numbers. He's got a nice swing and obviously has some power and speed. It may not be all Cal League, though, as last year in the Midwest League hit 11 HR and stole 14 SB with similar K/BB rates. This has been part of my effort to move depth and role players for upside prospects, so I like the deal.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Aug 04, 2014 2:16 pm

81. Pedro Alvarez, Willy Adames, Yankees 3 to Baltimore for Albert Pujols, Bryce Brentz

This was definitely a deal out of necessity, as keystone player Paul Goldschmidt had the misfortune of having his fantastic season cut short by the typical command of Ernesto Frieri. I had to make a move. After a few efforts over the weekend, Sander tossed out Pujols as a possibility and we started talking. I hadn't really considered it since Baltimore's also a contender and I didn't think he would want to part with Pujols or Davis.

He was looking for Alvarez, who can fill in as a DH or play 3B for him and since he's been riding the bench as insurance for Beltre, he was a guy I could move. He also asked for Willy Adames, who's gotten more pub than any prospect this week. I really don't know what Adames can become, but I like what he's doing as an 18-year-old. He could become a major prospect and the trade alone will get him into the Rays top 3 and maybe a top 100 list next season, but it's the price I had to pay to stay alive.

The bonus here is that while Pujols is outside of my typical target age range, he's having a very good season. 20 homers and 67 RBI to-date with a k rate below 10 percent. He could end up making for a very nice DH surrounded by Goldschmidt, Cespedes and Beltre next season in Detroit.

Brentz was clearly Baltimore's player No. 50 and not a guy I really wanted, but I'll see if he can recover from the hamstring injury and put anything together.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:40 am

82. John Jaso, Brett Oberholtzer to Oakland for Michael McKenry, Edwin Escobar, Wendell Rijo

This was less of a trade out of necessity than my last move, but still a deal that could help in 2014. Over the last few weeks, Jake and I had talked about a few scenarios involving these players and others. Yan Gomes' concussion moved up the timetable a tad, though with the deadline week here, we probably would have talked anyway.
Jaso is a guy I picked up last year to act as a backup catcher, but his defensive rating and arm are a bit detrimental. He's a solid light hitting, good OBP type DH or a backup catcher and while he's having a nice year, I think his value is limited. Oberholtzer is a 26-year-old lefty SP who is having a solid second MLB season. He seems to thrive in the majors, where his numbers are better than AAA. He has strong peripherals and was a nice pickup earlier this year when I noticed he had a nice WAR despite being kind of an unknown. He limits walks and doesn't give up a lot of home runs.
Coming back are a few guys I like. Escobar got a fantastic projection due to pitching in San Francisco and having a strong 2013 in the minors. His numbers haven't been as good this year, but he's been a little better since coming to Boston in the Peavy trade. Either way, he's only 22 and a lefty SP in AAA, which are all good things. He'll plug into my rotation this year and is a nice prospect to watch going forward.
To replace Jaso, I picked up McKenry, who is 29 and another relative unknown guy. But he's got AV/AV defense, which is what I needed with Gomes out. I'm really hoping I don't lose Gomes for the rest of the year, but McKenry is usable at .251/.313/.422. Jake excitedly pointed out he's hitting .350 in real life, but I think he's still pretty much a backup catcher and not a "breakout," but since Jaso is having a strong year, getting back another catcher having a strong year is helpful.
Finally, I pulled in Wendell Rijo, a strong 2B in the BoSox system. Another homegrown guy who's pretty far off, but has some pop and solid defense from the right side of the infield. He'll be another guy to stash away and see how he develops. I think he's a good value bet since he's only 18.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 2:50 pm

83. Dariel Alvarez, Zach Davies to Chicago (AL) for Tucker Barnhart, Brock Holt

This was a deal that came together quickly after some drawn-out talks about other players. Barnhart is a guy I've liked for a long time, having once already dealt him to Jim. He brings with him a VG glove and VG arm and takes enough walks to be usable. Still only 23 with a little MLB experience, he's a great guy to pick up, especially with the great Yan Gomes sidelined. Barnhart has a great command of the strike zone (bb and k rates both sit in the teens), so there's a lot to like there. Also coming back is one of this year's better stories in Brock Holt. He's a super utility guy who really should be that, but he's playing for Boston, so he's become a starter. And he has taken advantage, putting up solid numbers and playing every position but catcher and pitcher. That's going to be useful the rest of this year and next year as a great bench piece. Perfect guy to have.
Going back I sent a couple of Orioles. Alvarez is a Cuban OF I picked up from Jag a few weeks back. If his defense is above average and he continues to hit, he should be a valuable starter or very good 4th OF. It's always tough to tell how good Cubans are when they're older playing against younger competition. He's done ok in a very small sample in AAA, so I think he'll be good. Ultimately, he and Holt are the same age and Holt has some experience, so I like him better. Davies was a great pick up only two weeks ago. He's 20 and more than holding his own in AA. Top scout Danny Woodward, who regularly attends Richmond Flying Squirrels games, reports that he has a great changeup and mixes pitches well with a Mike Leake comp. I think Davies, given his advanced level and young age, could be a sneaky #3-4 SP. I think Jim gets a couple good future pieces and I pick up a couple present pieces, none of them very old.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri Aug 29, 2014 10:42 pm

84. Erisbel Arruebarruena, Angels Draft Pick 5 to Oakland for Athletics Draft Pick 4, Royals Draft Pick 3

Pretty simple trade here. Arruebarruena was a preseason signing out of Cuba for the Dodgers. Known for his defense, he's played at several levels this year, including MLB. At 24, that's a good thing. He's looked overmatched at the plate, with a very high strikeout rate as expected, but he has picked up a few hits here and there. Ultimately, he's probably somewhere between a backup infielder and an occasional regular, if he can ever do anything consistent with the bat. For next year, he was a fourth string infielder, so a guy I could move to try to improve my draft status. I picked up the Royals third, which will be middle of that round and the A's fourth for the Angels' fifth, which should be a bump of 20 picks or so. Hopefully something's left when those picks come up.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Sep 01, 2014 11:57 am

85. Dustin Pedroia, Angels Draft Pick 3 to Los Angeles (NL) for A.J. Pollock, Dodgers Draft Pick 1, Dodgers Draft Pick 2

Last year, I made two deadline deals, neither of which really panned out. Ellsbury and Heyward -- the two main acquisitions -- were injured within a few days of each trade. Let's hope I reverse my fortune with this one. I acquired Pedroia early on in the season picking up a perennial stud at 2B and while his offensive numbers have declined, his defense has not. He is one of the best, if not the best defensive 2B in the game, per defensive metrics. But, he's 31 and may have seen his 20/20 years become a thing of the past. I think he's going to be a 4-5 win player for the next couple years before the decline is more evident. With Jose Altuve emerging as a legitimate All-Star second baseman, I was willing to move one to address needs. Given that Domonic Brown did not perform as I planned on him performing, outfield was my biggest need (ironically, outfield was the position I traded to get Pedroia).
Noticing that Shawn was weak at the position, I approached him about a deadline deal. Pollock is a guy I asked about earlier this year when he suffered an arm injury. Pre-injury, he was worth 2.6 wins as a defensive minded outfielder with speed and power. In only 52 games, he was hitting .316 with 6 home runs and 8 steals, compared to 7 home runs and 6 steals from Pedroia over 131 games. Pollock is also only 26. So, getting him addresses the need to get younger as well as to pick up a solid defensive outfielder who projects with VG range in LF and RF and AV in CF. This allows me to leave Cespedes in LF and Jennings in CF with Pollock in RF. Next year, once Goldschmidt returns, the deal opens DH for Pujols and Brown moves to the bench.
Because Pollock has a short track record, I needed something extra. That was another 1st round pick in a deep draft and a bump into the second round. This should improve my outfield defense, improve my speed on the bases and gets me a little younger. All in all, it was tough moving Pedroia, but I think this shores up a weakness for this and next year.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 5:12 pm

86. Domonic Brown to Washington for Joe Ross

Pretty simple deal here. Brown was a major disappointment. Failed by all standards this year after a very good 2013 offensively. This year, his defense has been equally worse and his bat disappeared. He's only 27 and may get dealt this offseason, which is probably for the best, but in 2015, he's likely a bench player. Z tends to like these projects (see Martinez, J.D. 150 times this summer on the boards), so this was a buy low situation for him. With having a total of 8 OF eligible players on my team for next year, I could lose one. I really like Joe Ross. After some struggles two years ago, I wondered how he would adjust to the Cal League and he did really well. Then, the Padres bumped him up to AA and he pitched even better in a small sample size. No one's talking about his ceiling jumping at this point, but the results are good, his control has improved and his pitches are seen by scouts as improved. He may be a year away from joining his brother in the rotation in San Diego, which is a fine place to pitch. You never like to give up on players, but if you're able to get a top 90-150 prospect in return, that's not a bad thing. This improves my farm and doesn't hurt me much in 2015.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 10:22 pm

87. Jorge Alfaro and Edward Mujica to San Francisco for Eric Hosmer and Christian Vazquez

This was really part of a three-way trade that Nils, JB and I were discussing as recently as last week, but we broke off the 3-way talks to focus on two separate trades, so we'll break it up that way. Weeks ago, Nils and I discussed a deal where I would send him Pujols, Alfaro and a third piece I'm blanking on (maybe Appel?)for Hosmer, Vazquez and Aaron Sanchez. Believing Sanchez to be a very good future closer and thinking Hosmer will be an offensive downgrade from Pujols next year, I had to pass. Since Nils has been asking about Alfaro for the better part of a year, it was bound to happen eventually. I can't really say much about Hosmer other than I liked the idea of getting a 24-year-old 1B with a great pedigree, some power and a good bat, but didn't want to lose a top catching prospect just to get a project. Adding JB to the mix helped alleviate those fears.
In this deal, I give up a prospect I really like. I've been bragging about Alfaro for a long time and why wouldn't I? He's got plus raw power, above average speed for a catcher and a plus arm. Where he lacks is plate discipline and his receiving skills. The Rangers will pour resources into making him a better catcher and I think he can do that. But there's always the possibility he moves to 1B, where, he's played some this year, due to his defensive deficiencies. And his floor is probably a backup power hitting catcher. I've loved watching the kid; he's young, he's solid and I think he can reach a moderate ceiling. I also gave up Mujica, who's having an ok year in Boston, but seems to me to be more of a 7th inning guy. On top of Hosmer, I picked up Christian Vazquez, who obviously has very good defensive skills and may have enough plate discipline and bat to turn into a regular. He's likely more of a backup once Swihart is ready to contribute, but I think he'll play a good amount. In the sim, he'll function as a very good backup and with Gomes only 26 and establishing himself as one of the best catchers in baseball, I felt I could move Alfaro toward a greater goal.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 10:53 pm

88. Eric Hosmer, Stephen Piscotty to New York (AL) for Alex Wood, Billy McKinney

So, this was the real reason for the deal with Nils. I've been asking JB for Alex Wood almost as long as Nils was asking me about Alfaro. I do have my skepticism about Wood, given his odd windup and I hope that doesn't cause issues down the road, but I love the fact that he's 23, a lefty and pitching like a No. 2 starter. That's very valuable and I'm happy to have finally gotten him. I originally wanted him for the playoff push this year, but picking up Edwin Escobar helped me for the regular season. This will set me up for a rotation of Lester, Cobb, Wood, Sanchez and Hughes, which I'll put up against any other in the league.
On top of wrestling with whether or not to give up Alfaro, losing Piscotty hurt as well. I've been singing his praises for a while. I believe he is more than capable of handling a strong RF and with a plus bat, I think he'll develop enough power to start. In the post-steroids world, some believe he just doesn't have enough power to stick full-time since he doesn't have a secondary skill like plus speed. Personally, I see him developing a little more loft to his swing while maintaining a good bit of the plate discipline and hitting 15-20 home runs a year. Some don't believe in him, but I do, so it made it tough to lose him.
But I did get a very nice piece back. Billy McKinney was considered one of the best pure high school hitters in the 2013 draft and also plays RF, though with a lefty swing instead of righty. He just turned 20 in August, so played an entire season in A+ as a 19-year-old. He was then shipped to Chicago as part of the Samardzija/Hammel trade. Overall, he had an odd season. Typical for Cal Leaguers, he showed some power with 10 HR and 24 total extra base hits in 75 games, hitting .241/.330/.400. Once he hit the pitcher-friendly FSL, his power fell, but his average skyrocketed. He finished a 51-game stretch with his new organization at .301/.390/.432 with 1 HR 36 RBI and 17 extra base hits (same number of doubles, 2 more triples). Given that he's 20 to start next season, there's a lot to get excited about. I assume he'll play most of the year back in A+ with a possible move to the Southern League midseason as a 21-year-old if all goes well. He will not contribute immediately like Piscotty, but makes for a fine replacement on the depth chart with a 2016 ETA.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:29 am

89. Phil Hughes, Brock Holt, Athletics Draft Pick 4 to Washington for San Francisco Draft Pick 1, Kansas City Draft Pick 1, Luis Torrens

A couple weeks ago, Z asked about Hughes and I wasn't really interested in selling. When I got him as a toss-in from Nils as part of a larger trade at the beginning of the year, I was banking on his move to Minnesota becoming a big benefit to his career. Without short dimensions, he's been able to attack the zone and has an obscene walk rate. This could very well be the Phil Hughes the Yankees always thought they had and at 28, he's hitting his prime. All these would be points to keep Hughes, but Z made a good offer, so I had to consider. I think the contrast between 2013 and 2014 seasons will give Zips some pause for next year, so I imagine he'll be a solid No. 3. If he continues the trend of 5-win seasons for a couple years, there's no doubt his projections will transform into a top of the rotation arm. I was willing to lose that after recently acquiring a top of the rotation arm in Wood. Even without Hughes, I line up a 2015 rotation of Lester, Cobb, Wood, Sanchez and Kelly or Milone, which should be well above average.
The second piece, Brock Holt, was one I wasn't dying to move, as I think he can be an amazing utility guy. In the AL, that's less valuable, but with injuries, he can become pretty valuable. Great story and I love the guy, but the fact of the matter is he would only get 500 at bats in a season on a team like the last-place Red Sox. Next year, he'll be valuable because he'll project everywhere and should come with a .275-.285 average, I suspect. That will play in the sim. The Oakland pick was just a toss-in from dealing him Arruebarruena last month.
In exchange, I'm picking up a potential top 10 pick, if Nils loses a little more, and a pick around No. 15 in the draft. Both of these are very valuable and position me to get a couple of players I really like. Torrens was Z's offer and I didn't look up much on him, but the reports look solid. He's a Yankee, so he'll have to go at some point, but a nice toss-in to the deal. This positions me to make the playoffs and hold four first-round picks, a second and two thirds in a good draft, which bodes well for me re-loading my farm system while maintaining a competitive team. That's always my goal and this trade helped me toward the goal.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:01 pm

90. B.J. Upton to San Francisco for Jordan Patterson

Kind of a blockbuster here. Upton was a postseason drop for me, so to get something for him worked out well. Nils asked about him. I asked about a pick upgrade in rounds 2 or 3. He didn't want to part, I asked about Patterson and the deal was done. Nils also guaranteed to lose enough games to ensure his first round pick I own would move down one spot before the draft. Win-win.
Patterson I actually like. He was a 2013 fourth round pick and an outfielder from the left side of the plate. He was old for his league this year (22 in A), but if he continues to progress in the Rockies' system aggressively, he could end up being like Charlie Blackmon and really get regular playing time around 26. He's big (6'4 205), yet is athletic. In 125 games this year, he hit 14 home runs, drove in 66 runs, scored 69 runs and stole 25 bases in 33 tries. 41 of his 126 hits were extra base hits. He slashed .278/.359/.430. The Rockies like him as a RF/LF/1B and he could be a fourth OF or a 3rd if he improves. Either way, getting a young lefty power hitter with speed who could play in Colorado one day is a nice get for a 30-year-old who hasn't been good for 3-4 years.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri Nov 14, 2014 11:10 am

91. Yoenis Cespedes, Anibal Sanchez, Ian Desmond, Michael McKenry, San Francisco Draft Pick 1, Los Angeles Draft Pick 1 to Oakland for Giancarlo Stanton, Tanner Roark, Brandon Crawford

Well, this certainly made the offseason more interesting. I asked Jake about Stanton when he was still Mike and before he was quite as spectacular as he is now. Jake wanted Pablo Sandoval, Ike Davis and I think Cole Hamels. That was when all three were very good and I had very little talent and I couldn't get myself to do it. I made up for that shortsightedness with this blockbuster, my first trade in two months and my biggest in quite a while.
I would occasionally bug Jake about Stanton, not really thinking anything would happen. About two months ago, I tossed out this offer minus McKenry and Jake seemed intrigued. But Jake has seen intrigued at other Stanton offers and they never went anywhere. I patiently waited, missed out on Pence and had another deal lined up when Jake and I decided we needed to get it done or let it go. Jake, to my great surprise and excitement, said, "Let's get it done."
Jake does get quite a bit of talent here. It starts with Cespedes, a monster power hitter with a cannon arm who should do well if he spends a full year in Boston and doesn't get traded. He even hit for very good power while in Oakland, which isn't a small task. He's going to get an AVG range with an EX arm in LF, which is a great asset.
To bolster his lineup more, Jake gets one of the top shortstops in the league in Ian Desmond. A toss-in in the Matt Kemp deal JP and I made two seasons ago, Desmond is consistently one of the top players at the position and has now posted three straight 20/20 seasons. While his average leaves a bit to be desired, you can't argue with a 4-5 win season every year and that's what he is, heading into his age 29 season.
Jake also snags Anibal Sanchez, who has been a very reliable starter for me. In 2013, he was amazing, putting up a 6-win season. Last year, he fell back down to very good, putting up a 3.4 win season despite missing the last six weeks with a pectoral issue. He's been a consistently very good pitcher for the last five years and I expect that to continue.
Those three pieces are going to help Jake really compete in the NL West right away and consistently for several seasons. These are all guys in or hitting their prime. I added in Michael McKenry, a Jake favorite I picked up at the deadline after Gomes sustained a concussion and I was concerned about losing him long-term. He put up a 1.7-win season in 57 games, which is very good. He was aided by Colorado at a .381 BABIP, but still had a .196 ISO and should produce a very good offensive-minded catcher rating with AVG or above defense. It was a nice toss-in for Jake, who could use some relief for Posey at catcher.
Lastly, Jake picked up two of my four first round picks -- SF 1, which is #12, and LAD 1, which is #26. Both of these picks should produce good prospects, especially with an influx of international players making their way into the draft this year. Jake should be able to boost his farm system and take steps to compete with this trade.
So, what's in it for me? Two words: Giancarlo. Stanton.
I'm still amazed that I got him. He's a beast of a man who may soon sign the largest contract in MLB history because he's 25 and hits 35 homers a year. He's obviously very good and he fills a big hole at right field, which was an offseason priority. If all goes well, he and Paul Goldschmidt are going to form a formidable 3/4 in the Detroit lineup for many years. With Beltre and Pujols behind them, 2015 should provide a lot of spark and even when Beltre and Pujols are gone in a few years, I should have plenty of punch.
Thankfully, I was also able to get back some replacements for my lost All-Stars. To replace Desmond, I picked up Brandon Crawford, who has transformed himself from a backup infielder with great defense to a shortstop with great defense and enough pop to start. He hit a huge grand slam in the playoffs for the Giants and had 10 regular season home runs to go along with 70 RBI and a 10% bb rate. That's good enough to hit ninth in my lineup and improve my defense. While Desmond typically has AVG range, Crawford is usually VG and he's a tad younger, so I like the pickup at SS. With Corey Seager waiting in the wings and Eugenio Suarez already on the squad, I felt I could move Desmond with reasonable assurance of having a solid replacement in a couple years.
With my staff already a little shaky, I couldn't afford to lose Sanchez outright. In his spot, I picked up Tanner Roark, who had one of the more surprising 2014 campaigns. I originally created Roark at the end of 2013 when he had, to that point, tossed 11 scoreless relief innings with a potential that he would make a few spot starts for the banged-up Nationals. He did make some starts and impressed, though I had dealt him to Jake in a deal that got me quite a few players, including prized prospect Jorge Alfaro. Now, I get him back. In 2014, he put up a 3-win season, with a 2.85 ERA (3.47 fip), going 15-10 over 198.2 IP. Surprisingly, he logged a career high number of innings and didn't seem to wear down at all, going strong into September. He's not going to overwhelm anyone with strikeouts, but he's also not going to give up free passes, either. Giving me someone roughly 2 years younger than Sanchez is a nice bump and he'll slot in nicely as a #4 starter for me.
I got younger at three positions, picked up one of the most dynamic hitters in the league and while I did sacrifice two first round picks, I'm extremely excited about being able to get Stanton. He's the type of player who doesn't often become available and if you have the chips to get him, you cash them in.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Wed Dec 24, 2014 8:53 pm

92. 2014 Draft Pick 79 to Cleveland for Tom Koehler

The first move since "The Trade," this was a minor transaction for the Tigers, but one that seems like a necessity given the back end of the 2015 rotation. Going into the offseason, the Tigers were looking at a combination of Tommy Milone, Joe Kelly and Edwin Escobar as a #5 starter. While those are all good pitchers, they all have a couple question marks. Koehler represents a decent projected pitcher who should be a guy who can eat some innings in the #5 spot. For some reason, I like the guy and since he's only 28, he could be a solid pitcher for another couple seasons for me. In 2014, he had a nice 3.81 ERA/3.84 FIP, tossing 191 IP with 153 K.
In return, Danny gets pick #79, a late third round pick that should have some value. After participating in a previous draft, I think there are a couple solid talents there or a possible high-ceiling international guy. I wasn't dying to lose a pick at this stage, but I think Koehler is a guy worth grabbing. Hopefully his peripherals continue to improve as he peaks.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 9:16 am

93. Luis Torrens to New York (AL) for Alberto Tirado, Daniel Gossett

Torrens is a guy I didn't know much about when Z offered to toss him into Hughes/Holt deal. I soon realized he wasn't a stud, but had a good profile and scouts were generally pretty high on his receiving skills. He's young, has an OK bat, but it needs to improve. Ultimately, with three MLB-level catchers under 27 and another low-level catcher in Pedro Severino, I felt catcher was a position of strength from which I could move. Also, Torrens is a Yankee, so he needed to go. JB has been bugging me about Torrens for the better part of four months, so it needed to happen to ensure I remain sane.
In return, I picked up a little more of a gamble in Tirado. His profile ranges from #2 SP to middle reliever. I'm not sure where he'll land; I just know he's got a three-pitch mix, but has struggled with command. If it improves, he could be a very valuable starter. I wanted a little more and given my need for pitching depth, I added pick #141, Daniel Gossett. He's a college arm from Clemson with a great track record of success. He's got a twitchy delivery, but most scouts have him on the periphery of the A's top 10, which is a nice value in round 5. Gambles all around, but I wanted to add some pitching and got it.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 10:21 am

94. Tucker Barnhart to St. Louis for Justin Turner

I've been shopping for a bat off the bench for a while, which wouldn't seem like a difficult thing to get, but has been. This started as a simple inquiry about Turner's availability and Aaron quickly responded that he needed some catching help. With three solid catchers on my roster, I offered up Barnhart, another guy I created as a minor leaguer and have traded away and back for. He got a nice 1.6 fWAR projection, largely based on his +7 defense. He's a very strong defensive catcher who is a switch hitter, but doesn't produce much with the bat. Ideally, he can reach 300 at bats in a season as the primary backup to Mesoraco in Cinci. With good park dimensions, he could run into half a dozen home runs, but his calling card will be defense and he'll stick in the majors as a result.
In exchange, I get an above average projection for a super utility guy who is now 30 and just last year had his only relevant MLB season. Turner hit .340 last year aided by a gaudy and unsustainable .404 BABIP. He projects at 1.7 fWAR for his part-time role. Turner gives me a solid pinch hitter and occasional starter with the short-term 3B depth I needed, so this hopefully ends up being a decent trade for both of us.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 10:34 am

95. Billy McKinney, Eugenio Suarez to Washington for Kyle Hendricks and Wilfredo Tovar

I wasn't shopping for pitching, but when Z made this random offer, I took a closer look. It's definitely a win-now kind of move, but still gets me back some youthful players. Hendricks is a big addition to my rotation and while I felt good about my pitching coming into the season, you always have to plan for injuries. With Koehler and Kelly as depth, I have an abundance of pitching and Hendricks (2.7 fwar 3.54 ERA) gives me a very good No. 5 starter. He doesn't have overwhelming stuff, but he doesn't walk many batters and keeps the ball in the park. He was a guy I originally created when he was in A+ based on the numbers with limited scouting reports. Tovar is simply a backup infielder who will replace Suarez in that role. He doesn't have much bat, but plays solid defense.

In return, I give up two solid young players. Suarez is another of my creations, a guy who has never been a top prospect, but continues to grind and has a great feel for the game. He's developed 10-15 HR power as a switch hitter and he has a good glove, having transitioned from 2B to SS. He now has a shot of starting in Cincinnati given Cosart's offensive struggles. I also had to lose Billy McKinney, who is probably the guy Z wanted the most. He's a 75-100 prospect right now and he's got a solid bat, fringy defense and minimal speed. I envision him being a David Murphy type -- a LF who may start depending on the circumstances, but mostly a backup outfielder for most teams. Scouts seem fairly split on his upside. I think he's solid and while I'm mostly paying for sim here, I'm also getting young talent in return, which is a nice thing in any trade.

Astros · Post by **Astros** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 2:56 pm

Tigers wrote:94. Tucker Barnhart to St. Louis for Justin Turner

I've been shopping for a bat off the bench for a while, which wouldn't seem like a difficult thing to get, but has been. This started as a simple inquiry about Turner's availability and Aaron quickly responded that he needed some catching help. With three solid catchers on my roster, I offered up Barnhart, another guy I created as a minor leaguer and have traded away and back for. He got a nice 1.6 fWAR projection, largely based on his +7 defense. He's a very strong defensive catcher who is a switch hitter, but doesn't produce much with the bat. Ideally, he can reach 300 at bats in a season as the primary backup to Mesoraco in Cinci. With good park dimensions, he could run into half a dozen home runs, but his calling card will be defense and he'll stick in the majors as a result.
In exchange, I get an above average projection for a super utility guy who is now 30 and just last year had his only relevant MLB season. Turner hit .340 last year aided by a gaudy and unsustainable .404 BABIP. He projects at 1.7 fWAR for his part-time role. Turner gives me a solid pinch hitter and occasional starter with the short-term 3B depth I needed, so this hopefully ends up being a decent trade for both of us.

When Pat offered me this deal I was halfway paying attention and saw he wanted a J. Turner. Having had Jacob Turner since 2011 I just assumed that's who he meant. Whoops. Anyway if anyone has a backup 3b I'd be interested!

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 9:04 am

96. Tom Koehler to Houston for A.J. Ellis

Another trade out of necessity. I picked up Koehler after watching a decent bit of him last year and liking him as a pitcher. ZIPS wasn't as crazy about him as I was, though he got a fine projection for a #4/5 type. With good depth after picking up Hendricks and with Escobar and Kelly available for the same role, he was a guy I could move. After moving Barnhart to address my backup infield/right-handed PH situation, Christian Vazquez started making news due to his arm issues. I knew what was coming next, so I picked up an ok third stringer in Cody Stanley out of free agency. But I didn't want his automatic out in my lineup, so I sought a better backup. A couple decent ones became available, but Ellis was the easiest of the moves to make, as Jake needs pitching depth. Koehler will start for him and while I'm not a huge Ellis fan, his OBP and AV/AV defense and arm will do fine if he's indeed needed for any period of time. We both filled a need and hopefully I'm done dealing for a while.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon May 04, 2015 11:36 pm

97. Devon Travis, Breyvic Valera to Baltimore for Shelby Miller

It's never easy trading a guy you spotted first, so the move today to deal Devon Travis was difficult. But, as an owner always looking at potential moves to improve, Travis was an obvious target to trade if it made sense. With him being on an absolute tear, it made sense. I created Travis in the IBC in July 2013, in the midst of a season where he played in A and A+, hitting .350 over the season with 16 home runs and 22 SB with a manageable K rate and a decent BB rate. Yet, he was too small, not good enough defensively, never going to do it against advanced pitching, etc. He followed 2013 with 2014 in which he hit .298/.358/.460 in AA after missing the first six weeks with a pectoral strain. The offseason trade to Toronto was a perfect fit after being blocked by Kinsler.

To be honest, April 2015 blew me away, as I had no idea he would come out of the gate as he has. It's great to see and (sadly, in a nerdy baseball way), it makes me proud. But as his credentials grow and he lines himself up for a potential Rookie of the Year and/or All-Star selections if he continues, I had to make a decision whether I wanted to sell high or keep believing for a potential greater return later. Ultimately, Jose Altuve's talent convinced me it might be worth looking into trading Travis. I've had two All-Star second basemen and it's not that great. And, if Travis has a bad month, despite what he's accomplished, some will be convinced he's not as good as he's played.

I began by looking into a couple of the injured pitchers available and looked at using Travis, who's fairly useless in the sim this year, as a main piece. I did come close in a deal with Philly for Homer Bailey and was close to pulling the trigger, but I had tossed Travis out to Baltimore over the weekend while Bailey talks were ongoing since everyone knows Brandon Phillips is just about done. Given that Baltimore has excess pitching and Jose Fernandez back within the next six to eight weeks, Sander was interested in talking.

Being a Sox homer, I had hoped he'd toss out Porcello, but he offered Miller instead and I was fine with that. Miller has a great background and has gotten through two full seasons at the young age of 24. The fact that he's not hurt and young made him more attractive. Given that Miller is useful this year and Travis only has a month under his belt in the majors, Sander wanted a little more. He asked about prospects and other major leaguers. Since he could use a utility type for depth, Valera made sense. He was a great snag a few weeks back after I noticed his .280 average and average defense at five positions, making him a guy who can be used without hurting you anywhere, but he wasn't super useful to me. That was enough to close out the deal.

With Alex Cobb's 2015 uncertain (and even more so tonight after the trade was complete), Miller is the perfect acquisition. His projection will make him a very solid #5 and provide me great depth if I don't get to use Cobb this year. I'm sad to see Travis go, but I'll be rooting for him to continue doing more than the experts said he could. And I'll be rooting for the Braves to not screw up Miller's arm. I think Baltimore will be happy with a potential leadoff hitter and starting second baseman for 2016.

BlueJays · Post by **BlueJays** » Tue May 05, 2015 8:13 am

Figure I should give my take on the Shelby-Travis deal.

When Pat mentioned to me he was looking to move Travis, I almost immediately blew it off just because I don't want to pay for "what's hot", but then I decided to look a little closer. Despite having one of the best April's in baseball, his numbers (aside from home run total) don't look too much like a fluke. His BB rate is pretty close to his MiLB average, and his K rate is a tad higher. His BABIP was .339 for the month, which isn't too outlandish for a little guy with speed and solid line drive rates. The big selling point was the article on Fangraphs (I believe Pat posted in another thread) that examined the velocity in which the ball has been leaving his bat. These haven't been cheap homeruns, he's showing some significant pop. Sure, he's not going to hit 6 home runs every month, but I think a year end tally of 15-20 is realistic (yes, I know Toronto is a hitter's park, but Camden isn't very different).

I've had a hard time finding a long term solution at 2B, and even guys I've had before seem to end up moving to 3B (Rendon, Lawrie). Travis fits the mold of sticking at 2B for years to come.

Perhaps this appears to be an overpay on my part, but I want to buy in on guys like this early and not after they're in serious discussions for ROY. Shelby is a great arm that I drafted in the first round some years ago, and while he hasn't developed into the top of the rotation arm yet, I think he still has a path to be that arm, and at the very least, be a solid mid rotation arm. Knock on wood, but he hasn't shown any injury concern and was not abused by the Cardinals. He works off one of the best 4-seam fastballs in the game, and the key to his success is developing command of his curveball. He already appears to be responding to Atlanta coaching very well and has a tighter spin on his curve. He isn't throwing it as often yet, but you can already see in PitchFX pitch values that his curveball went from being a negative last year to a positive this year.

This probably hurts me for the short term just because Travis' projection isn't the greatest, but it's pretty similar to Brandon Phillips, who isn't the player he used to be and I have no option after him. Pitching was a strength I could deal from since Fernandez should be back in June (which would have knocked Shelby out of the rotation). In the mean time Petit will take Shelby's spot in the rotation, and that's not a terrible downgrade for just a hand full of starts. Also, don't ignore Bleyvic Valera here. His projection is better than that of Dean Anna's, so he instantly becomes my utility guy (who can play just about anywhere). He has virtually no power at all, but the guy has a little speed, great contact rates, and can play any position well in a pinch. He's the type of guy often overlooked in a system that can find his way onto a big league bench getting plenty of playing time.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:54 pm

98. Alberto Tirado to Oakland for Tommy Hunter

Not a major trade here, but a building block to beef up my team for the rest of the year. Hunter is a solid back-end reliever who is poised to join Drew Storen and Bryan Shaw as major setup guys to bridge to Kelvin Herrera. My bullpen has actually been a strength, but I also recognize the need for additional reliable arms to matchup late in games. Hunter is one of the best, carrying a 3.39 ERA into the sim this year and pitching well in real life. He's also only 29 in a few weeks, so on the young side.
In return, I lose a solid prospect in Tirado, a Blue Jays pitcher. Scouts are seemingly split on whether he will be a reliever or starter long-term. He was down last year and has rebounded this year in A+ as a two-inning per game reliever. This could be part of the Blue Jays system for developing pitchers, as he's only 21 years old. I think he gives Nils a solid gamble, while I get a player who can help the Tigers in 2015 and beyond.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 10:51 pm

99. Brett Martin, Carlos Asuaje, Edwin Escobar to Atlanta for Nick Markakis*

Here's a trade made out of necessity if I've ever seen one. Sadly, this was supposed to be a trade out of necessity to replace Nori Aoki, who broke his leg this week. Even more sadly, Markakis is temporarily going to have to replace Giancarlo Stanton, who broke his finger a few days after Aoki's injury. Losing 2/3 of one's outfield in one week isn't fun.

Needless to say, Markakis is a guy who has been a solid hitter for some time. For a low-power corner outfielder, he's strangely managed to continue getting paid and in fact got a large payday this past offseason. To date, he has zero home runs. He hasn't hit 20 in a season since 2008. He's a bizarre profile. Fair range, but a very low error rating. He just made his first error this week since 2012.

Anyway, I like his hitting ability and the fact he does it from the left side. That's going to help my lineup short-term and while he was one of several deals I was working on, his case fully together first. In return, Brandon gets some solid young guys who help bulk up a farm that's mainly Owens, Nimmo and Mazara at the present.

Asuaje is a flier of a guy I created a couple years ago. He's a Venezuelan 3B who went to college in Florida and has been completely under the radar. He's got a solid eye, had surprising pop last year and can hit. He's played some LF, as the hit tool may not be enough for 3B. Fun guy to watch.

The second piece is Brett Martin, a lefty pitcher in the Rangers' system I just created last week. He's a 6-4 20-year-old lefty putting up good numbers in A ball. I really don't know much about his arsenal at this point.

The final piece was Edwin Escobara guy I didn't want to lose, but whom I used to sweeten the deal a little. He's a 23-year-old lefty in the BoSox' system brought over last year in the Jake Peavy deal. He has a solid 4.10 ERA projection and could either be a #4/5 starter or a solid reliever. He was just recently activated after rehabbing a shoulder injury.

For a team struggling, getting a couple decent young pieces is better than hanging onto older outfielders with no huge potential left. And Brandon has a full OF of the future with Nimmo, Mazara, Castillo, Maybin, Revere and a couple extras. Getting a couple arms and an infielder makes sense. And, given my OF situation, I needed a body. Markakis will help there.

*The original trade included Austin Kubitza instead of Carlos Asuaje, entered incorrectly by me, rushed on my phone. We swapped Asuaje for Kubitza back.