All The Guardians Trades

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 8:47 pm

30. Kendrys Morales, Al Alburquerque, Luke Montz, Stephen Proscia to Seattle for Mitch Moreland, Martin Maldonado, Ryan Jackson, Jace Peterson

My 30th deal since joining last year and the league's first deal of 2013 was one that got larger the more Brennan and I talked. We had kicked around the idea of a pitcher for Josh Thole before the trade deadline last year, but it fizzled as the deadline loomed.
We kicked it back up this week and started exploring. With Morales now being a Mariner, Brennan's interest expanded. The most logical replacement was Moreland, so we started there. I think Moreland, two years younger than Morales, should have a good chance to take over the Rangers 1B job this year. If he can expand on last year, I think he can match Morales' production.
I had interest in Ryan Jackson for his defense and he provides me another solid backup infielder after having dealt Aybar this offseason already. And Maldonado gives me a young, defensive catcher with a little pop. With Grandal suspended for 50 games, I needed a little better than journeyman Luke Montz (We wish to take this time to thank Mr. Montz for the solid season he put up last year for the Tigers en route to an AL Central crown).
Peterson coming back was a nice addition since Proscia (another Mariner) was cut bait from the draft. Peterson gives me another athletic middle infielder who can get on base and steal bases.
My biggest regret was sending away Alburquerque, acquired last year from Washington. He's a power throwing RP with a nasty slider and has a lot of upside. He could see saves next year if things break right for him.
All in all, it gives me some needed pieces to complement the core already in place.

Cardinals · Post by **Cardinals** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:36 pm

Francesa doesn't believe Alburquerque exists, so there's that

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 8:38 pm

31. Lucas Duda and Avisail Garcia to Washington for Michael Morse and Matt Lindstrom

With Z posting that he was looking to change things up, I had to at least check in on picking up a right-handed bat to platoon DH with Jones or Moreland. I'm not the biggest Morse fan and the move to Seattle isn't usually a great move for hitters, but I had to ask.
I at first offered either Duda, Jones or Moreland since I had an abundance of lefties. Z sort of likes Duda, but wanted more. With a few solid outfielders starting, Domingo Santana in the system as well as Trey Martin and Barrett Barnes, I thought Garcia could be expendable. I enjoyed watching his rise from A+ to the majors last year, but ZIPS didn't give him any love and he wasn't going to be that useful this year. I'm actually a Duda fan, but his -11 defense was going to make him DH only for me and I already have two other guys who can do essentially the same thing.
Lindstrom should be useful and actually has a decent sim. I've got my right-handed DH and an outfielder who won't kill me on defense. If he survives a year in Seattle maybe he ends up somewhere better as a free agent.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:50 pm

32. Eric Stults to New York Yankees for Stephen Moya

I picked up Stults after a solid 2012, hoping he'd get a good Zips. He did ok, but with my pitching depth, I needed to move at least one. I have about 10 eligible SP.
So, I've been looking to pick up some prospect depth. Moya is big, can hit and has raw power. If he can stay healthy, he could do well. If anything, he provides some good talent in the system.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 10:13 am

33. Bronson Arroyo to Houston for Asher Wojciechowski

I'm proud to say that I typed his last name from memory and only had to google it to confirm. As with the Stults trade, this was about losing a little unneeded depth and adding some to my farm. Woj is a former top 10 talent, who is only 24 and starting the year in AA. If he performs this year (first start 5 IP 1 H 0 ER 1BB 7K), he could shoot through the system and to Houston, given their lack of talent. He could be a nice little player to have. Arroyo was a pickup last spring who offered some solid innings as a spot starter, but he's 36 and probably doesn't have more than a few seasons in the tank. Nate, being a homer, needed a #5 starter and he'll accomplish that with a mid 4s ERA. Good for both sides. Low risk, low reward all around.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:37 pm

34. Michael Morse and Asher Wojciechowski to New York Mets for Anibal Sanchez and Juan Pierre

Asher Wojciechowski earns the honor of having the shortest tenure on the IBC Tigers under the management of Pat Gillespie. We thank you for your time, Asher. I certainly intended on keeping him as I think he has a chance to be a pretty solid starter.
But with John needing to fill out a lineup and him showing interest in Morse, I had to explore picking up solid talent. This deal doesn't really address a need, but when you can pick up a good player, you have to look. I really liked Morse on the bench and with his hot start, saw an opportunity to have a pretty good masher for next year. His defense is limited, so he pretty much looks like a 1B/DH to me.
Sanchez, I like. He's a couple years younger than Morse, pitched well last year moving over to Detroit from Miami and I think he's a very good #3 starter. He'll be my #4, which gives me tremendous depth (or trade bait) in my rotation. Pierre gives me a very good speed option on the bench or a very strong 1-2 at the top with Revere.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:02 am

35. Martin Maldonado and Tony Sipp to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Dayan Viciedo

The Morse trade opened up a hole, as he was to serve as my right-handed DH and right-handed pinch hitter. I had asked Stephen about Viciedo last year, but we didn't really have a match. I asked again the other day and we started to talk. Since most of his catchers are ending up at 1B, he needed a guy who could log some innings there and Maldonado, whom I targeted from Seattle in the Kendrys Morales deal, was a fit because of his defense and adequate offense.
Stephen was also after Realmuto, who has a strikingly similar projection. Given the option, I decided to give up Sipp with Maldonado in order to keep Realmuto. He's 4 years younger and that was worth a solid, but replaceable loogy, to me.
On the flip side, I get "Juan Uribe, but bigger," according to a friend, who's a White Sox fan from Chicago. But for this year, he will provide good power and surprisingly good defense in the outfield. I replaced Morse with a younger, better defensively and as good offensively player, which I count as a win. While I do like Maldonado, I think Suzuki/Realmuto can hold it down until Grandal returns in six weeks or so, while Viciedo will be a fine #6/7 hitter throughout the season.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Thu Apr 25, 2013 10:05 am

36. Miles Head and Domingo Santana to Washington for Michael Choice and Mason Melotakis

I'm absolutely thrilled about this deal. The very first PM I sent upon rejoining the league was to Colorado asking about Choice. A graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, I've been following Choice at my alma mater for many years. So, this was a deal made absolutely for personal reasons. It helps that Choice has some upside. He's a big swing and miss candidate, which the A's will live with if he can hit for power and take some walks as he has done throughout his career. He has a good arm and profiles as a corner OF. Melotakis is a lefty and was just a toss-in, but lefties are nice.

Z and I talked for the better part of two weeks about Choice in some capacity and settled on Head and Santana. I absolutely love Santana and I think he could be Choice, but a few years younger. The kid hits for big power and at 19/20 in AA, he takes walks and has a cannon arm. He's the prize here. I made sure to get him from Nate in the Masterson deal last year because of his talent. Head had a nice run last year, but has struggled at upper levels and could end up being a 1B/DH type if he can't stick at 3B.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri May 03, 2013 11:28 am

37. Brett Bochy to Baltimore for Kyle Kendrick

You can never have enough starting pitching and in Kendrick's case he's a reliever, too. He's not a superstar, but should be a reliable back-end starter if needed. He's 28, so he's got a few years ahead of him and is finally getting a chance. He's doing well in real life, too, so he could have a solid projection ahead.
Bochy, on the other hand, is a fireballing righty reliever who could end up in higher-leverage roles as he develops. He's 25 and in AAA and the SIM already likes him, giving him a good projection this year. I think both are solid, young pitchers and should benefit us both.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri May 03, 2013 5:13 pm

38. Mitch Moreland to Arizona for Dilson Herrera and Tyler Anderson

I'm a fan of Moreland, but he's just another 1B/lefty pinch hitter for me at this point. I haven't been overly impressed with how he's taken hold of the Rangers' 1B position. He's young, so he could still bounce back.
Coming back, I get two prospects I really like.
Herrera, despite his small stature, has some good pop and scouts tend to think the 2B will develop some power, along with speed and good defense. He's 19 in the Sally League.
I also picked up Tyler Anderson, a 2011 first round pick who has done very well so far in the hitter-friendly Cal League, limiting walks and runs. He could end up moving pretty quickly through the system and could be in Colorado by 2014.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Tue May 14, 2013 12:42 am

39. Marco Estrada, Dayan Viciedo, Matt Lindstrom, Jack Leathersich to Seattle for Ryan Dempster, Nick Swisher, Ryan Madson

Here, I got much older, which I hate doing, but the vets I got should give me a little boost for this year. Swisher offers a switch-hitting 1B/RF and I could use him at either position. Dempster gives me a little more innings-eating ability in my rotation, with average stamina and a decent projection. Madson, if his arm functions again, will be a very nice reliever to toss in the back of my bullpen.
On the flip side, I gave up some nice players to Brennan. Estrada is six years younger than Dempster and continues to maintain a very nice 9k/9ip ratio. A couple bad starts with some homers skewed his numbers. Viciedo is a slugging 24-year-old Cuban, who I got from LAA a couple weeks ago. He's nine years Swisher's junior and has solid D in the sim this year with 23 HR. Lindstrom was a guy I needed to move with bringing in Madson so I didn't have a glut of RP.
Leathersich, oh Jack Leathersich. Best name in the game and a guy I pulled out of obscurity last year in the Mets' farm system. The Umass-Lowell product is a lefty K machine and throws hard, striking out a ton of guys in the process. He's been used as a long reliever as opposed to a specialist this year in AA and I bet could get a call-up this fall.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Wed May 22, 2013 10:09 pm

40. Yovani Gallardo to Tampa Bay for Billy Butler, Lucas Giolito

Martin and I have been talking on and off for what seems like forever about a pitching for hitting deal. With my team struggling to produce runs in April, I began looking for upgrades. As May came around, the team started improving and I bolted into first place, but that may have been as much about schedule as talent. I still wanted to add a quality bat. Normally, I don't like dealing for a DH, but Billy Butler is a professional hitter. Great stats, solid splits and he's only 27. He can hit 25 homers and 45 doubles along with getting on base at a .360 or better clip.
While we talked about all of my pitchers, we couldn't quite find a match for Choo, Cabrera, E5 or Ellsbury. We settled on this kind of framework, but dealing for a DH was a hangup.
Giolito made things much easier. He is a top-notch talent who, if it weren't for TJ surgery this year, would probably untouchable. While recovery from TJ isn't automatic, the Nats have seemed to figured it out between Zim and Strasburg, so I'm confident he can bounce back. He's already got three very good pitches, including a fastball that sat in the mid 90s-100.
A future rotation that includes Giolito, Biddle, Montero, Holmberg on top of the young SP I already have in place is pretty fun to think about.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Jun 03, 2013 10:47 am

41. Mason Melotakis to Cleveland for Joe Thatcher

With a now active GM in Cleveland who is smartly rebuilding, this deal made sense for both sides. Melotakis was a supplemental first round pick last year for the Twins and is a hard-throwing lefty. He hits the mid 90s and has a slider, to boot. A reliever in college, the Twins are stretching him out to be a starter and he's had some success. He's working on a changeup to keep his SP status going. If that fails, he could be a power lefty, which is always valuable. Thatcher is 32 with a nice projection as a lefty reliever. He'll help me this year if he stays healthy, and should be a useful pen arm into the future. He's kept his ERA down despite average peripherals. I wanted another option in the pen and I got that.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri Jul 05, 2013 5:56 pm

42. Alex Gordon to Texas for Desmond Jennings

What a drought -- more than a month between trades for the IBC's biggest trader. I'm disappointed in myself. The good news is we still have two months left before the trade deadline.
And this deal was the fastest of my tenure. I PMed Brett on Thursday, asked about Jennings, offered Gordon, looked up some stats and the deal was done. No back and forth, no wavering. It just happened. I did post that Gordon was available and that has nothing to do with me not liking him. I love Gordon and I think he's a great player. Solid D in LF, some speed, some power...good all-around player. This is about sim performance. He just hasn't gotten it done for me. Through 81 games, he has a line of .256/.326/.402 with 9 homers, 41 RBI and 10 SB. Overall, not bad, but he's been really bad against lefties and I needed help there. Against lefties: .136/.216/.182 1 HR 4 RBI and a beautiful 27k/5bb ratio. Had to do something about it. He's doing well in real life and I believe he'll project fine next year, but change of scenery candidate.
Jennings, on the other hand, has been great for Texas: .273/.353/.468 7 HR 47 RBI 30 SB and while a lower OBP vs lefties, even splits in terms of avg. He's a few years younger, has equally good or better D across all three OF positions and he's a guy I've followed and admired since the minors. I'm happy to have him aboard.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Tue Jul 09, 2013 9:31 am

43. Barrett Barnes, Jake Realmuto and Jace Peterson to Cleveland for Alex Rios and John Jaso

Danny had been shopping both these guys for a while without much luck. Rios is a guy I didn't need, but whom I like. He can hit for average, has some power and speed. He's around 30, so he's probably good for another 2-3 years before a slow down. With Swisher struggling in real life, he could be a RF for me next year.
Jaso is a good hitting catcher and with Grandal out for the year, I had to act quickly to improve that position. He can be a solid #2 hitter and will fill in nicely. Both are good hitters who could hit #2, while Rios could be a nice #6 or 7 hitter.
I think both these hitters help my offense, which has struggled to convince DMB that it can hit.
Heading back are some players I really like. Barnes was my second round pick in 2012 and is a solid CF in the Pirates system. I think he can develop into a speed/power guy with good D. Realmuto is a solid defensive catcher who's still young for AA, but struggling with the bat. I think he'll eventually surpass Brantly as the Marlins' future catcher.
Peterson has been a nice surprise. He has a solid frame and has great speed, swiping nearly 30 bases so far. He's also hit a handful of home runs and walks as much as he strikes out. Danny ends up with three nice players who should be able to help him in the future.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 9:21 pm

44. Ben Revere to Atlanta for Trevor Plouffe

I love Ben Revere, as he was one of the first three players I acquired once re-joining the IBC. I watched him play in Fort Myers, seeing his speed, hitting ability and great makeup. While his tools are somewhat limited to on-base skills, hitting ability and speed in the OF, I think he can hit enough without a lot of walks to stay atop the Phillies lineup. I fully intended for him to leadoff all year and with a .285 avg projection, he did to start the year. But simming .200 for me was a problem. While he got a lot of steals, I couldn't keep him at the top of the lineup and he soon became a solid bench player/defensive replacement. His recent broken foot made him useless this year, but I was planning on seeing his projection next year to see if he could reclaim the spot.
Brandon had asked about him before, but we couldn't agree on a price. We re-engaged and Plouffe's name came up. I'm not the biggest fan, but he's got a nice VG/VG power projection with a lot of much-needed versatility. He can play 1B, SS, LF or RF well and 2B/3B in a pinch. He runs well enough not to clog the bases. So, it seemed like an good move. Still like Ben and would love to get him back some day, but Plouffe helps me now and is still young enough to help next year, too.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:15 pm

45. Wesley Wright to Arizona for Mark Sappington

Blockbuster alert! Jag and I have been kicking around Darwin Barney to fill his desire to attain every MLB player born in the Northwest (Barney's from Oregon). So, we had some idea of interest levels in our prospects/role players. With Bastardo picking up a suspension, I offered Wright, who I had penciled in as a key lefty reliever, but who struggled in the SIM for me to start the year. With Lopez, picking up Thatcher and Duensing pitching well, I figured he was depth since he hasn't pitched in months for me. Still young and with good numbers for his park and division, Wright should help Jag get by.
In return I get a 2012 draftee with a mid 90s fastball, slider and changeup who is doing well in the A+ Cal League. The big 22-year-old (6-5 209 lbs) has posted a solid line after jumping from a D2 college to rookie ball in 2012 and to A+ this year:

11-4 3.38 ERA in 130.2 IP he has 110 Ks and 62 walks, which he'll need to work on. But his 103 hits is low. If he can cut down the walks as he develops his changeup, he can be a solid #3 starter. If he doesn't quite get there, his fastball hits the mid-high 90s as a reliever and he could thrive with 2 solid pitches and a third out pitch.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Sat Aug 17, 2013 1:51 pm

46. David Holmberg, Tommy La Stella, Ryan Rua, to Cleveland for Jose Altuve

I knew dealing for Altuve would be tough, but I had to try. I've admired his bat for a while and while he has a short stature, he manages to put a good bat on the ball and has the speed to steal 35 bases a year. His defense has improved and given that he's still very young, I think he will continue to be a solid major leaguer.

What Danny got back were two solid pieces and a gamble. Tommy La Stella is a guy who can push the Braves to give him a starting job at 2B. The New Jersey native hits, takes walks, has some power and can steal a base. He is close to Altuve's age and in AA, so Altuve is more valuable. But I think La Stella can end up becoming as strong a 2b in the future. I also had to surrender David Holmberg, a lefty starter in the Diamondbacks system who I have admired since I got him. He's never going to be an ace, but with his command and control and left arm, he will be a #3/4, which is valuable. Rua is a power hitter who came out of nowhere this year and has turned some heads for the Rangers. Complete gamble, but could be a good payoff.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Sat Aug 17, 2013 2:06 pm

47. Kyle Hendricks, Tigers 2, Tigers 3, Tigers 4 to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Jonathan Niese, Pirates 2, Pirates 3, Angels 5

Hendricks is a pitcher I watched for more than a year, starting in the Carolina League and I figured most wouldn't pay attention to a righty who doesn't regularly hit 95. But given his amazing command, he's been successful at every stop. A Rangers' draftee, he was deal to the Cubs for Dempster and has been great at every stop, including AAA this year. On the season, he has a 1.95 ERA and is sure to have a usable projection as a #4/5 next year. I think his ceiling is 3, but he could have solid flashes in the back end of a rotation.
Niese is coming off of injury, but is only three years older than Hendricks and is in his fourth full season in the majors. Being a lefty helps because it adds another lefty behind Hamels. I think Niese is a #3 and if he stays healthy will help me the rest of this season. If he manages to help me go further in the playoffs, that helps negate moving back in the draft.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:57 pm

48. Lucas Giolito, Rafael Montero, Dilson Herrera, Angels 5 to Seattle for Jacoby Ellsbury, Marco Estrada, Joan Gregorio, Mariners 4

Well, this was a big move and probably one of my tougher deals to make. Coming into the year, I really thought Ben Revere would suffice as a leadoff guy with his hitting and speed, but he struggled in the sim, got hurt and I ended up dealing him. All year, I never really had a true tablesetter. Ellsbury is that guy. He's now 29, but after missing basically two seasons, I think he's a little fresher and has shown it for the Sox, putting up the 16th highest WAR among hitters. Speed, average, defense, some power. He's among the best CF in the league. Estrada was just for added depth for the playoff push. He's been hurt, but was amazing for me to start the season and could find himself slotting into the #5 spot in the rotation or as a long reliever. Gregorio is a nice young pitcher for the Giants to help get back some org depth and I get a 30 pick upgrade in the end of the draft.
Going back are some prospects who I've admired throughout the season. First, Montero. I love everything about him. Scouts peg him as a #3, but with mid 90s power, a slider and change plus great command, I can see him putting up very good numbers in Queens quickly. He'll be a 3 simply because of Harvey and Wheeler, but I think he's awesome and I have loved watching him progress after picking him up in April 2012. He's proven the doubters wrong. I think he has a great future.
Giolito is the biggest name going back, obviously. Monster upside and a guy who would have been off limits from Tampa Bay if not for his TJ surgery. He probably would have been a top 3 pick in last year's draft if not for the surgery. He certainly has the arsenal to one day become a #1/2 and I think most scouts agree. He does have a long way to go and that's the type of guy you give up if you're trying to be in contention now. Herrera was a nice pickup from Arizona for Moreland and is a solid 2B with some pop in Low A, but I should have 2B covered for a while.
All-in-all, Brennan got some very good young pitching and I got an All-Star. It's the type of deal Brennan may regret now, but may look upon fondly in 2-3 years. A prototypical deadline deal.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Sun Aug 25, 2013 9:36 pm

49. Jordan Zimmermann, Neil Walker, Yasmani Grandal, Tigers 1, Pirates 3 to San Francisco for Jason Heyward, Brian Goodwin, Giants 3

Well, I hope this doesn't screw me. Anytime you're dealing with Nils, you know it's going to be painful or leave you disappointed. Yet, Nils and I typically manage to at least have some meaningful talks. We broached the subject of Heyward back in May and came very close to a deal that ended up falling apart.

Ultimately, the sim has decided that having very good pitching means nothing if it doesn't want to acknowledge hitters like Beltre, Butler and Goldschmidt being good hitters, so I needed a boost. And there are very few young left handed power hitters quite like Heyward. While he has lost some of the luster lately, I think that's in large part due to the Trout/Harper phenomena as well as Heyward having inconsistent seasons, some due to nagging injuries. His talent is amazing and he's only 24 -- the age of many upper minor leaguers.

His defense is above average and he's got solid power, despite missing some time earlier this year with a strained hamstring. His ISO is high and his BB rate is up and K rate is down. I think he fits in nicely in my lineup surrounded by Butler, Beltre and Goldschmidt. Also, he gives my outfield perhaps the best defense in the league: Jennings, Ellsbury, Heyward. Those are all positives.

Brian Goodwin is a guy I had once, dealt and how have gotten back. His stock certainly has fallen in his first full season in AA and that's probably good because I think it will continue to rise. At 22 and still young for AA, his power, bb rate, k rate and SB ability have all improved. Coming into the year, he was around top 70 overall and #3 for the Nationals and he may fall for a year, but I think he's on the right path. The early 3rd round pick just helps negate losing my 1st round pick.

Going back is admittedly a lot. Zimmermann is a tough piece to lose. He's young, he throws hard and he has a very low ERA. I think he's a solid #2 starter, which are tough to find. Ultimately, I felt like I could deal him because of Hamels, Sanchez and Hellickson, on top of newly acquired Niese and Estrada. Walker I like, but his split stats have hurt him in the sim and turned him into a platoon player for me. In real life, the splits have gotten worse, which is why I acquired Altuve, who's younger and a better hitter with more speed. I think Walker is underappreciated and I think he's a solid 2B, a position with only a handful of really good ones. But the market was weak for him and I had Altuve.

Grandal was a struggle for me. I had planned on him being a solid #5 switch hitting power catcher for the next 6-8 years before the PED allegations. Despite that, he had a solid sim, but struggled to produce before blowing out his knee in a collision. It's been a lost year for him, he has 9-14 months to recover from surgery, so his projection will struggle and if he doesn't do well once (if) he returns next year, that's another year of a possible poor projection. I certainly wasn't looking to move Grandal, but Nils has been after him for more than a year. He's a guy I was more than happy waiting on, but I think he's a long ways from getting back to being a really good sim player and that requires hoping the PED use wasn't a big factor on his numbers. At the end of the day, I decided he could go if it meant getting Heyward. Losing the 1st will sting, but I'll try to get back toward the top of the draft if I can. It doesn't look like a particularly strong crop, but that perception can change over time.

This boiled down to being able to acquire a very good, young left-handed power hitter who plays RF, of which there are few. It cost a lot, but I think it sets me up for great outfield defense and improved offense, both of which will help.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Mon Aug 26, 2013 10:48 pm

50. Billy Butler, Jonathan Niese, Giants 3 to Chicago White Sox for Lance Lynn, Luke Gregerson, White Sox 3.

Well, this is the type of deal I wanted to make after dealing for Heyward, supposing Heyward would actually be in my lineup. I really like Billy Butler. He's young and one of the better hitters in the league.

Unfortunately, he's gone back to where he was a year or two ago where people are questioning his power. Couple that with the fact that he just hasn't simmed for me as I hoped. He's been solid, but unspectacular and I had hoped for a .300/.380 hitter as his sim suggests. Factoring in the decision also is the fact that he limits my versatility and I have several players who qualify at 1B including Swisher, who has outplayed Butler for me. I didn't really want to move Niese. Despite him breaking Heyward's jaw, I really like him as a pitcher and think he'd be a great #4/5 guy and he's simmed well for me. But I like what came back.
Lynn is a guy I tried to get last year as I thought he was a good breakout candidate. He's not quite a 2, but a solid #3 and if he can limit the walks, maybe he gets close to Zim status. Ultimately, I wanted to deal Butler to replenish my pitching staff...more for next year than this year. And I think I did that. I also filled another need with Gregerson. I think he's a solid 8th inning guy and given my bullpen's recent shakiness, I wanted another solid guy to slot there. So, I think I accomplished two goals. I lose a little more in the draft, but make up for it with help this year and going forward.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:22 pm

51. Darwin Barney to Arizona for Zach Green

I told Jagger I'd be writing a 500-word essay on this deal despite the fact that it's such a ho-hum move. That's because we -- being as stingy as we are with each other -- spent two weeks off and on discussing Darwin Barney. Darwin. Barney. We just didn't want to give in on anything. The last three guys Jagger cut -- all offered for Barney.
I certainly think I overvalued Barney, but he is the best defensive 2B in the game. However, his horrendous offense this year has limited his value. He's shown slightly more power, but a .219 average, aided by a .232 BABIP, lower line drive and higher fly ball rates show that he's not making as good contact. I had planned on him as a backup middle infielder/defensive replacement, but figured he could go.
Coming back is a nice gamble. A 2012 3rd round pick, Green is a shortstop converted to 3B for the Phillies. He's got the power tool, hitting 11 homers to lead the Short Season NYPL. He can take walks, but has to slow down the strikeouts. He's only 19, so he's a nice project.
Jag is the only person collecting players born in the Northwest like Barney. It took two weeks to do Barney for Green. Imagine if he tries to get Ellsbury from me...

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Sun Oct 06, 2013 12:11 am

52. Lorenzo Cain, White Sox 3 to New York Yankees for Mauricio Cabrera, Angels 2

Now that the season is just about over for the IBC Tigers, it's time to start prepping for 2014. Cain is a guy who has been plagued by injuries and despite wonderful defensive metrics, is looking like an offensive liability. I already have a glut of outfielders and while I like his youth, he didn't have such a great season for me. He was a solid sim guy when I lost Jennings and Ellsbury to injury, but he also spent quite a bit of time on the DL. And Gregor Blanco should be a fine defensive replacement in CF. I moved Eric Stults to New York last year to remove some extra pitching and he turned into an ace, so look for Cain to become MVP next season.
Cabrera is a hard-throwing SP in the Braves system who scouts rave about. Big arm and a couple pitches. The 20-year-old has a bright future and could be a very good under-the-radar pickup. Along with Cabrera, I'll move up about 50 picks in the draft as I try to have some semblance of a draft in January.
Ultimately, I moved a guy who was going to be a bench player only to move up in the draft and pick up a nice prospect. As long as Cain keeps staying hurt/sucky, this should be a win.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Wed Oct 16, 2013 12:07 pm

53. Tanner Roark, Joan Gregorio to Oakland for Hector Santiago, Jorge Alfaro, Daniel Winkler

Tanner Roark was a flier of a pickup and I first envisioned him as a help to my middle relief corps. Then, all of a sudden, the Nationals are starting him and instead of being known for starting his MLB career with 3 ER in 23 IP, he starts throwing quality starts against contenders (4/5 starts were QS, 6 ER in 31 IP). He finished 2013 with a 1.51 ERA. I think ZIPs goes one of two ways on Roark: either he'll be a sim stud out of the gate with an above average 3something ERA as a swingman ala Kris Medlen (which will play up even better in Oakland) or ZIPs will assume the small sample size doesn't allow for regression and he'll come out in the mid 4s for an ERA projection.
I'm banking on the latter and I'm also banking that Roark isn't a sustainable starter as a late bloomer. I got hosed this year thinking Scott Diamond could be a reliable starter and he had success over an entire season before hitters figured him out. ZIPs screwed him and it turned out true.
When I put Roark on the block, I didn't know if there would be much chatter, but Jake was instantly interested and I thought this could be a good sell high time.
Hector Santiago isn't gold, but he represents a young lefty starter who pitched very well for the most part, obviously fading some down the stretch. But I think he can be a reliable #3 if he can cut down on the walks and he's a lefty, so I like him.
I'm very high on Alfaro. I think he can be an offensive minded catcher and if he can improve his defense, he'll be very valuable. If he doesn't, he'll be a solid-hitting 1B. He had a near .200 ISO as a 20-year-old and he got a little taste of A+ this year. He's still raw and a few years away, but rated well among prospect catchers. And after losing and then trading Grandal, I needed a catching prospect.
Winkler is a bit of a flier, but I like the success he's had. In 2013, he ran through the hitter-friendly Cal League with 22 starts and a 10.50 k/9 IP rating and 2.97 ERA. In AA, the K rate dropped some (7.76), but he continued to keep the ball in the yard and had a 3.04 ERA. He's a guy worth taking a shot at.
I had to sweeten the pot some, so I tossed Jake a Giant in the form of Joan Gregorio. I like Gregorio...he put up a solid k/inning ratio and is young. He came along in the Ellsbury deal from Seattle, but Winkler is a little farther along and represents similar potential, but with a better track record.
A free agent acquisition in Roark (picked up by dropping Diamond, ironically) turned into picking up a few guys I like. If Roark does make the Nats' rotation out of spring training (Davy Johnson certainly likes him enough), his stock surely will increase. If he can continue the success, this is probably a win for Jake. But I like the pieces I got back. Could be a win-win for both of us.