54. Lance Lynn, Ryan Dempster, Mariners 4 to St. Louis for Juan Nicasio, Cardinals 1, Fernando Salas
This was an odd deal for me because it doesn't really help me for next year, but it does help me improve my overall team. Lynn is a guy I really like and planned on keeping him for a long time as a solid #3 behind Hamels and Sanchez. I see him as a #3 who could be a #2 if he can avoid the big inning and cut down on the walks. He's young and has solid potential. Dempster was supposed to be an innings eater this year, but sucked in the sim (and real life) and Mariners #4 is pretty far into the draft to me. Lynn was the only piece I was worried about losing.
On the return, the main piece is Cardinals #1, which should be #6 overall. There are a lot of very good pieces available at that pick, so deciding should be difficult, but also fun. Having previously dealt my #1 pick, getting back in the first round, and at the top, is exciting. I also got back some helpful pieces, though. Nicasio had some ups and downs last year, but he's got great potential and finished as a 2.2 fwar player, not far from Lynn's 3.3 fwar. His FIP wasn't far off from Lynn's and if he can pitch relatively well in Colorado, ZIPs seems to recognize that. He's the same age as Lynn and can get Ks when he needs to. He's a notch below, but still a solid pitcher. Salas is a solid reliever who should provide some depth for me as a 7th inning guy. He was hurt last year, but bounced back well in AAA.
All The Guardians Trades
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Guardians
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55. Hector Santiago to Chicago White Sox for Jake Peavy, Chris Carter
This was an odd, yet quick deal with annual rival Jim. Santiago came along from Oakland in the Tanner Roark deal a few weeks back and I planned on hanging onto him as a potential back end starter this year and hoping to see him improve as he cuts down on the walks and improves his durability. Being a lefty, I valued him a little above what he currently is.
But when I saw Jim was offering up players in what looked like a rebuilding effort, I had to ask where he valued some of his players. My first target was Peavy, not because he's a Red Sox, but because I viewed him as a strong #3 to back up Sanchez and Hamels and provide some stability in the rotation. With a solid season out of Estrada and a mix of Hellickson, Nicasio and Kendrick, I saw that as a solid rotation for next year. Carter, he of Ruthian numbers for Jim in the sim this year, was just another name I pointed out as liking and Jim made the 2 for 1 offer.
Despite my high opinion of Santiago, Jim probably values him two ticks higher than normal because he's a White Sox and he probably values Peavy two ticks lower because he's no longer a White Sox. All in all, I think the deal helps my rotation now at the expense of later and I add in an absolute masher to come off the bench as a DH/1B/LF/PH. Carter hit 29 homers in real life and he's 26, so I certainly think he's worth gambling on.
This was an odd, yet quick deal with annual rival Jim. Santiago came along from Oakland in the Tanner Roark deal a few weeks back and I planned on hanging onto him as a potential back end starter this year and hoping to see him improve as he cuts down on the walks and improves his durability. Being a lefty, I valued him a little above what he currently is.
But when I saw Jim was offering up players in what looked like a rebuilding effort, I had to ask where he valued some of his players. My first target was Peavy, not because he's a Red Sox, but because I viewed him as a strong #3 to back up Sanchez and Hamels and provide some stability in the rotation. With a solid season out of Estrada and a mix of Hellickson, Nicasio and Kendrick, I saw that as a solid rotation for next year. Carter, he of Ruthian numbers for Jim in the sim this year, was just another name I pointed out as liking and Jim made the 2 for 1 offer.
Despite my high opinion of Santiago, Jim probably values him two ticks higher than normal because he's a White Sox and he probably values Peavy two ticks lower because he's no longer a White Sox. All in all, I think the deal helps my rotation now at the expense of later and I add in an absolute masher to come off the bench as a DH/1B/LF/PH. Carter hit 29 homers in real life and he's 26, so I certainly think he's worth gambling on.
Last edited by Guardians on Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Guardians
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56. Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeremy Hellickson, Pirates #2 to Pittsburgh for Jon Lester, Braves #1
I had made it pretty clear that I was willing to move Rios or Ellsbury this offseason and while I was more interested in moving Rios, I was not shy about dangling Jacoby. I've liked him as a player since the first time I saw him in spring training 2007 -- sitting on the third base side of the Sox stadium in Fort Myers I saw him hit a gap shot to right center, fly around the bases and slide head-first into third base right in front of me. He was blazing fast. Six years later, he's still ridiculously fast and a great player to watch.
Sadly, I didn't get a whole lot of return out of him after moving two very good prospects in Lucas Giolito and Rafael Montero for him at the trade deadline. Due to InjuryGate, Jacoby only played a handful of games for me at the end of the season, costing me a shot at the division and losing two prime prospects in the process. With Jennings (and probably Heyward) CF eligible next season, he was a guy I could move, but only if I was able to fill a major need, which was top-tier pitching.
I had talked to several teams about him, but talks were a little slow-moving. While I could have waited it out, I think where he signs will affect his value to some people, which I think is silly, and I didn't want to deal with more difficult negotiations. JP and I had chatted before about Greinke, which didn't work for JP and then we talked the other night about Cain, who didn't work for me. I brought up Lester and we went from there.
I hate losing Hellickson on the way back, but I knew JP needed a pitcher back. I've believed in him past all the sabermetric bashing of his secondary numbers and he put together an excellent sim season for me this year, so I didn't want to lose him. I was happy to get back a mid first round pick for this season, which should net a solid prospect and I was less concerned about losing Pittsburgh #2.
With Rios ready to step into a starting role after a 40-steal season, I don't think I lost a ton offensively and now boast a starting rotation of Lester, Sanchez, Hamels, Peavy and Estrada. I still have Nicasio and Kendrick as backup starters, so I think that should be more than competitive. JP picked up a very nice outfielder to pair with Trout at the top of the lineup and in the outfield, which should be very productive for him.
I had made it pretty clear that I was willing to move Rios or Ellsbury this offseason and while I was more interested in moving Rios, I was not shy about dangling Jacoby. I've liked him as a player since the first time I saw him in spring training 2007 -- sitting on the third base side of the Sox stadium in Fort Myers I saw him hit a gap shot to right center, fly around the bases and slide head-first into third base right in front of me. He was blazing fast. Six years later, he's still ridiculously fast and a great player to watch.
Sadly, I didn't get a whole lot of return out of him after moving two very good prospects in Lucas Giolito and Rafael Montero for him at the trade deadline. Due to InjuryGate, Jacoby only played a handful of games for me at the end of the season, costing me a shot at the division and losing two prime prospects in the process. With Jennings (and probably Heyward) CF eligible next season, he was a guy I could move, but only if I was able to fill a major need, which was top-tier pitching.
I had talked to several teams about him, but talks were a little slow-moving. While I could have waited it out, I think where he signs will affect his value to some people, which I think is silly, and I didn't want to deal with more difficult negotiations. JP and I had chatted before about Greinke, which didn't work for JP and then we talked the other night about Cain, who didn't work for me. I brought up Lester and we went from there.
I hate losing Hellickson on the way back, but I knew JP needed a pitcher back. I've believed in him past all the sabermetric bashing of his secondary numbers and he put together an excellent sim season for me this year, so I didn't want to lose him. I was happy to get back a mid first round pick for this season, which should net a solid prospect and I was less concerned about losing Pittsburgh #2.
With Rios ready to step into a starting role after a 40-steal season, I don't think I lost a ton offensively and now boast a starting rotation of Lester, Sanchez, Hamels, Peavy and Estrada. I still have Nicasio and Kendrick as backup starters, so I think that should be more than competitive. JP picked up a very nice outfielder to pair with Trout at the top of the lineup and in the outfield, which should be very productive for him.
Last edited by Guardians on Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Guardians
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57. Jake Peavy, Kurt Suzuki to Philadelphia for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Tyler Thornburg, Kyle Kubitzka
This was a landmark deal only because I've been bugging Nick about a deal since I returned to the league. Otherwise, it was pretty mundane. Not feeling super confident in a full season of post-concussion John Jaso, I was looking for help at catcher. I had previously talked to Z about Ramos, but we couldn't come to an agreement. When Nick posted Salty was available, I checked in.
While I don't think Salty is a stud catcher, he's solid defensively, has improved his pitch calling and while he comes with strikeouts, he has nice power and switch hits. In return, Nick wanted Peavy, so we started there. I wanted a little insurance beyond Estrada, Nicasio and Kendrick, so I asked about Thornburg, another pitcher who will be good backup. I offered back Suzuki and also pulled in Kubitzka, a lefty 3B with a good eye, some power and speed and hitting well in the AFL.
All in all, a solid deal to bring in a young catcher and get back a replacement SP. Nick gets a steady starter to keep things afloat until Harvey returns.
This was a landmark deal only because I've been bugging Nick about a deal since I returned to the league. Otherwise, it was pretty mundane. Not feeling super confident in a full season of post-concussion John Jaso, I was looking for help at catcher. I had previously talked to Z about Ramos, but we couldn't come to an agreement. When Nick posted Salty was available, I checked in.
While I don't think Salty is a stud catcher, he's solid defensively, has improved his pitch calling and while he comes with strikeouts, he has nice power and switch hits. In return, Nick wanted Peavy, so we started there. I wanted a little insurance beyond Estrada, Nicasio and Kendrick, so I asked about Thornburg, another pitcher who will be good backup. I offered back Suzuki and also pulled in Kubitzka, a lefty 3B with a good eye, some power and speed and hitting well in the AFL.
All in all, a solid deal to bring in a young catcher and get back a replacement SP. Nick gets a steady starter to keep things afloat until Harvey returns.
Last edited by Guardians on Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Guardians
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58. Nick Swisher, Braves 1 (#17) to Milwaukee for AJ Griffin, Brewers 1 (#13)
It's absolutely fitting that the new Brewers GM made his first deal back in the league with the IBC's most prolific trader of all-time.* What Ben did very well was draft and compile solid MLB and minor-league pitching. What he was never able to accomplish was acquiring solid MLB hitting. Jared stepped into a pretty solid team that, with a few adjustments, can become a pretty solid contender. Naturally, with Strasburg, Cueto, Fisher, Delgado Griffin, Smyly, Detwiler and Alvarez, Jared can deal a few pitchers and not worry about it. I had targeted Delgado, having been a fan for a long time, but Jared wasn't too keen on moving him. He offered Detwiler, who I like, but don't love, but I do like Griffin. He doesn't throw particularly hard, but he seems like a solid innings-eating workhorse who can be a #3 for a MLB rotation. He uses four pitches with solid command and control and if he can keep his K/9 in the 7-8 range and BB/9 in the 2 range, I'll be happy with him. He adds some youth to form a very nice rotation.
Swisher, on the other hand, is a solid switch-hitting 1B/RF who had a great season for me last year after coming over from Seattle in a trade. Swish's numbers were down slightly after spending a few seasons in a good lineup in New York, but with power at a premium, he is a viable option and looks like a nice #5 hitter for Milwaukee. I've been wanting to move up from the #17 pick I received from Pittsburgh and this deal got me to #13, which I think lines me up to get a very nice first-rounder. I think Jared makes out with a solid hitter for his lineup, while I transition Chris Carter to DH and plan to use Griffin as a strong #5.
*Self-given, but undisputed and completely undeniable title
It's absolutely fitting that the new Brewers GM made his first deal back in the league with the IBC's most prolific trader of all-time.* What Ben did very well was draft and compile solid MLB and minor-league pitching. What he was never able to accomplish was acquiring solid MLB hitting. Jared stepped into a pretty solid team that, with a few adjustments, can become a pretty solid contender. Naturally, with Strasburg, Cueto, Fisher, Delgado Griffin, Smyly, Detwiler and Alvarez, Jared can deal a few pitchers and not worry about it. I had targeted Delgado, having been a fan for a long time, but Jared wasn't too keen on moving him. He offered Detwiler, who I like, but don't love, but I do like Griffin. He doesn't throw particularly hard, but he seems like a solid innings-eating workhorse who can be a #3 for a MLB rotation. He uses four pitches with solid command and control and if he can keep his K/9 in the 7-8 range and BB/9 in the 2 range, I'll be happy with him. He adds some youth to form a very nice rotation.
Swisher, on the other hand, is a solid switch-hitting 1B/RF who had a great season for me last year after coming over from Seattle in a trade. Swish's numbers were down slightly after spending a few seasons in a good lineup in New York, but with power at a premium, he is a viable option and looks like a nice #5 hitter for Milwaukee. I've been wanting to move up from the #17 pick I received from Pittsburgh and this deal got me to #13, which I think lines me up to get a very nice first-rounder. I think Jared makes out with a solid hitter for his lineup, while I transition Chris Carter to DH and plan to use Griffin as a strong #5.
*Self-given, but undisputed and completely undeniable title
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Guardians
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59. Tyler Thornburg, Billy Burns, Tucker Barnhart, Steven Ames, Angels 2 to Chicago White Sox for Corey Hart, Dan Hudson, Brian Wilson, Indians 3
I didn't really want to deal Nick Swisher, but I felt like Griffin and a small pick upgrade in the first round were worth it. Fully intending on starting Chris Carter, I was a bit concerned about the high K-rate and whether he would suffer because of it by ZIPs. So, I wanted a little insurance. Given that division-mate Jim has been advertising many of his established players this offseason, I asked about Hart, who is a flier both for me and whatever team signs him this offseason.
Despite two injured knees, Hart is the type of guy who acts as great insurance for a guy like Carter. Hart says he's healthy, but he'll know for sure next week, when he's likely to be medically cleared. If that happens, the market will open up for him. Jim can attest that I've been after Dan Hudson for a while. I love the guy and am saddened that he's had such arm issues. Ultimately, he's a major flier and takes up a roster spot hoping he can one day be useful. Jim offered up Wilson, who I wasn't after, but who I will certainly find some innings for. Another guy coming off injury, but who pitched very well in only 20 innings, but was averaging 95 on his fastball. He may end up being my closer, depending on projections.
Perhaps most exciting about this deal is Dorssys Paulino, a very young shortstop in the Indians system. He's another gamble, but he'll be fun to watch. He exploded his first season as a 17/18 year old and took a step back after facing older competition. He'll adjust and I think he could be a solid player. He won't end up at SS because of Lindor, but he also now has the luxury of developing in the minors with Lindor close to the majors. He may end up at 2B or 3B when it's all done, but he'll add a bright spot to my low minors.
Jim was after two main things from me: Tucker Barnhart and Billy Burns. I tried keeping Barnhart out of the deal for a while. He's one of the best defensive catchers in the minors. He's a switch hitter who takes walks, though doesn't hit for a high average and has moderate power. But his glove and arm alone will get him to the majors. If he can hit enough, he'll be a starter. And given my catcher depth issues last year, he wasn't a guy I wanted to move. Ultimately, the pieces I got back allowed me to let go.
Jim's favorite player in the deal, it seemed, was Billy Burns. He's a guy who can absolutely fly around the bases. A center fielder in the Nationals system, I followed Burns a little while Brian Goodwin was hurt earlier this year. He takes walks, steals bases, hits for average and does it all pretty well. He has very little power, but doesn't need it. After stealing 74 bases over two levels, Burns should project and is a guy to definitely watch. Angels 2 is essentially a supplemental 1st round pick that I valued. But, again, this was a piece that I had to be able to let go to get the talent I received. Getting another fairly decent pick (Indians 3, #65) in return helped here.
Thornburg had a fantastic season last year and I predict he'll end up as a #4 starter/reliever long-term. He may have a decent projection this year, but he was depth for me after picking up Griffin recently. Ames I love. He was a solid reliever for me and at only 25, he's got a future as a setup guy. He did struggle a little in 2013 compared to 2012, but improved once he was dealt in the Nolasco deal to Miami. He'll get his shot in the majors full-time this season and should be a nice guy for Jim's bullpen.
I didn't really want to deal Nick Swisher, but I felt like Griffin and a small pick upgrade in the first round were worth it. Fully intending on starting Chris Carter, I was a bit concerned about the high K-rate and whether he would suffer because of it by ZIPs. So, I wanted a little insurance. Given that division-mate Jim has been advertising many of his established players this offseason, I asked about Hart, who is a flier both for me and whatever team signs him this offseason.
Despite two injured knees, Hart is the type of guy who acts as great insurance for a guy like Carter. Hart says he's healthy, but he'll know for sure next week, when he's likely to be medically cleared. If that happens, the market will open up for him. Jim can attest that I've been after Dan Hudson for a while. I love the guy and am saddened that he's had such arm issues. Ultimately, he's a major flier and takes up a roster spot hoping he can one day be useful. Jim offered up Wilson, who I wasn't after, but who I will certainly find some innings for. Another guy coming off injury, but who pitched very well in only 20 innings, but was averaging 95 on his fastball. He may end up being my closer, depending on projections.
Perhaps most exciting about this deal is Dorssys Paulino, a very young shortstop in the Indians system. He's another gamble, but he'll be fun to watch. He exploded his first season as a 17/18 year old and took a step back after facing older competition. He'll adjust and I think he could be a solid player. He won't end up at SS because of Lindor, but he also now has the luxury of developing in the minors with Lindor close to the majors. He may end up at 2B or 3B when it's all done, but he'll add a bright spot to my low minors.
Jim was after two main things from me: Tucker Barnhart and Billy Burns. I tried keeping Barnhart out of the deal for a while. He's one of the best defensive catchers in the minors. He's a switch hitter who takes walks, though doesn't hit for a high average and has moderate power. But his glove and arm alone will get him to the majors. If he can hit enough, he'll be a starter. And given my catcher depth issues last year, he wasn't a guy I wanted to move. Ultimately, the pieces I got back allowed me to let go.
Jim's favorite player in the deal, it seemed, was Billy Burns. He's a guy who can absolutely fly around the bases. A center fielder in the Nationals system, I followed Burns a little while Brian Goodwin was hurt earlier this year. He takes walks, steals bases, hits for average and does it all pretty well. He has very little power, but doesn't need it. After stealing 74 bases over two levels, Burns should project and is a guy to definitely watch. Angels 2 is essentially a supplemental 1st round pick that I valued. But, again, this was a piece that I had to be able to let go to get the talent I received. Getting another fairly decent pick (Indians 3, #65) in return helped here.
Thornburg had a fantastic season last year and I predict he'll end up as a #4 starter/reliever long-term. He may have a decent projection this year, but he was depth for me after picking up Griffin recently. Ames I love. He was a solid reliever for me and at only 25, he's got a future as a setup guy. He did struggle a little in 2013 compared to 2012, but improved once he was dealt in the Nolasco deal to Miami. He'll get his shot in the majors full-time this season and should be a nice guy for Jim's bullpen.
Last edited by Guardians on Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Guardians
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60. Luke Gregerson, Fernando Salas to Kansas City for Andre Ethier
Andre Ethier is a guy KC was trying to move for quite a while and although I was always mildly interested, he was never a big priority. A good hitter vs. righties, Ethier's defense has never been that great and he's 32 this season. But Gudim approached me on an offer of Gregerson and a third round pick for Ethier after he said he was looking for RP and I listed Ethier as one of several guys I'd be interested in. After acquiring Brian Wilson (whom Jim offered and I didn't even ask for), I had a surplus of RP. And I feel confident in my bullpen this year, especially with my starting rotation. So, it made sense to talk.
Clearly, a healthy Corey Hart is looking like a fine starting DH, but he hasn't played in more than a year, so ZIPs may be a little unkind and he's insurance for an uncertain Chris Carter. With Garrett Jones getting non-tendered, Ethier made some sense as a lefty DH/PH. The fact that he played 60 games in CF last year (who knew?) at a somewhat average rate was a nice bonus after moving Mr. Traitor Ellsbury. Ethier is a 3-win player when playing every day due to his bat and I'd like to see him end up on a different team and with a decent .270/.350/.420 projection, which seems plausible.
In our negotiations, I didn't want to part with the third rounder, which is Cleveland's #3 at #65 overall. There are a few prospects I can nab there, so I wanted to keep it. I offered in place Fernando Salas, picked up as a toss-in in the Lynn deal with St. Louis. Injured last year and shipped to Anaheim this off-season, I think Salas is a 7th inning guy who's still young and not far removed from a nice campaign for the Cardinals. He was depth. Gregerson is a very nice setup guy now in the stable of RP in Oakland. I think he's a nice 1-win RP who will keep runs off the board. But with Wilson, Mujica, Storen, Pestano and free agent flier/stoner Chris Perez, I think I've got enough arms to be ok from the right side. I think it helps both sides, but hopefully me more since KC is my main competitor.
Andre Ethier is a guy KC was trying to move for quite a while and although I was always mildly interested, he was never a big priority. A good hitter vs. righties, Ethier's defense has never been that great and he's 32 this season. But Gudim approached me on an offer of Gregerson and a third round pick for Ethier after he said he was looking for RP and I listed Ethier as one of several guys I'd be interested in. After acquiring Brian Wilson (whom Jim offered and I didn't even ask for), I had a surplus of RP. And I feel confident in my bullpen this year, especially with my starting rotation. So, it made sense to talk.
Clearly, a healthy Corey Hart is looking like a fine starting DH, but he hasn't played in more than a year, so ZIPs may be a little unkind and he's insurance for an uncertain Chris Carter. With Garrett Jones getting non-tendered, Ethier made some sense as a lefty DH/PH. The fact that he played 60 games in CF last year (who knew?) at a somewhat average rate was a nice bonus after moving Mr. Traitor Ellsbury. Ethier is a 3-win player when playing every day due to his bat and I'd like to see him end up on a different team and with a decent .270/.350/.420 projection, which seems plausible.
In our negotiations, I didn't want to part with the third rounder, which is Cleveland's #3 at #65 overall. There are a few prospects I can nab there, so I wanted to keep it. I offered in place Fernando Salas, picked up as a toss-in in the Lynn deal with St. Louis. Injured last year and shipped to Anaheim this off-season, I think Salas is a 7th inning guy who's still young and not far removed from a nice campaign for the Cardinals. He was depth. Gregerson is a very nice setup guy now in the stable of RP in Oakland. I think he's a nice 1-win RP who will keep runs off the board. But with Wilson, Mujica, Storen, Pestano and free agent flier/stoner Chris Perez, I think I've got enough arms to be ok from the right side. I think it helps both sides, but hopefully me more since KC is my main competitor.
Last edited by Guardians on Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Guardians
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61. Dan Hudson to Washington for Neil Ramirez and Matt Purke.
Gambles all around. Hudson was a guy I targeted from Jim for a long time since I've always really liked him. He was a toss-in to our Corey Hart deal and I figured I could stash him away. At the end of the day, he had one TJ surgery, rehabbed, pitch two innings, heard a pop and now is supposed to have TJ #2. The odds of him being very good again are slim, and if he does recover, he's several years from contributing in the SIM. But he's a good guy for Z to wait on.
In return, I get a couple gambles of my own. Ramirez and Purke are both former top 10 team prospects, both have some injuries in their pasts, but both may have futures in MLB rotations. I also helped Z free up some roster space.
Gambles all around. Hudson was a guy I targeted from Jim for a long time since I've always really liked him. He was a toss-in to our Corey Hart deal and I figured I could stash him away. At the end of the day, he had one TJ surgery, rehabbed, pitch two innings, heard a pop and now is supposed to have TJ #2. The odds of him being very good again are slim, and if he does recover, he's several years from contributing in the SIM. But he's a good guy for Z to wait on.
In return, I get a couple gambles of my own. Ramirez and Purke are both former top 10 team prospects, both have some injuries in their pasts, but both may have futures in MLB rotations. I also helped Z free up some roster space.
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Guardians
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62. Corey Hart to Arizona for Robbie Ray and Carter Capps
Probably the worst time to be taking on extra players is four days before the draft, but here I go doing it again. Jagger and I were mindlessly chatting trade as we often do without much success. Being a Mariners fan, he was interested in Hart. Initially expecting him to be my full-time DH, but being disappointed he was heading to the cavernous Safeco Field, I felt like he was a guy I could move and get about the same sim out of Chris Carter, if needed, from the right side.
The main piece I got back was Robbie Ray, a lefty starting pitcher who checked in at #5 in the Nationals' system via Baseball America. He's about a strikeout per inning pitcher, who has a little issue with control, but who the Tigers liked so much they dealt Doug Fister basically straight up for this off-season. I assume he'll be top 5 for the Tigers and maybe top 3 and they speak pretty highly of him. He adds some nice pitching depth to a system that has moved a lot of it in recent months. I also added Carter Capps (a now ex-Mariner who Jagger wanted to discard). He's a 2011 draftee who hits high 90s and profiles as a setup reliever with serious power. If he can stay healthy and cut down the runs a tad, he could be a stud. And he's still only 23.
Probably the worst time to be taking on extra players is four days before the draft, but here I go doing it again. Jagger and I were mindlessly chatting trade as we often do without much success. Being a Mariners fan, he was interested in Hart. Initially expecting him to be my full-time DH, but being disappointed he was heading to the cavernous Safeco Field, I felt like he was a guy I could move and get about the same sim out of Chris Carter, if needed, from the right side.
The main piece I got back was Robbie Ray, a lefty starting pitcher who checked in at #5 in the Nationals' system via Baseball America. He's about a strikeout per inning pitcher, who has a little issue with control, but who the Tigers liked so much they dealt Doug Fister basically straight up for this off-season. I assume he'll be top 5 for the Tigers and maybe top 3 and they speak pretty highly of him. He adds some nice pitching depth to a system that has moved a lot of it in recent months. I also added Carter Capps (a now ex-Mariner who Jagger wanted to discard). He's a 2011 draftee who hits high 90s and profiles as a setup reliever with serious power. If he can stay healthy and cut down the runs a tad, he could be a stud. And he's still only 23.
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Guardians
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63. Draft Pick #6, Draft Pick #65, Brian Goodwin to Cleveland for Draft Pick #4.
Clearly, this was a play to be able to draft Masahiro Tanaka, who looks to be a solid #2/3 starting pitcher at age 25. International players are often as much of a gamble as traditional prospects, but I figured he would be helpful in 2014 as a very good #4 starter for me, though immediate pitching help isn't something I needed. Baltimore foiled my plans by taking Tanaka at #3 and leaving me with a very easy decision to take Mark Appel, the draft's #1 overall pick.
Danny ended up getting a nice return, as he picked up 5-tool center fielder Brian Goodwin, whom I value very highly, the #6 pick, which he used for Clint Frazier and #65 overall, his original 3rd round pick, which may turn out to be a nice flier of a player.
I had originally targeted Kohl Stewart at #6, but I suspect Danny may have taken Appel at 4, which would have left Stewart for Brennan and Frazier for me. Frazier is a fine player, and Danny's original target, but not a player I was really looking for. So, I think it ends up being a nice return, but a bit of an overpay. Somewhere, Brett Perryman has stopped whimpering and is now smiling.
Clearly, this was a play to be able to draft Masahiro Tanaka, who looks to be a solid #2/3 starting pitcher at age 25. International players are often as much of a gamble as traditional prospects, but I figured he would be helpful in 2014 as a very good #4 starter for me, though immediate pitching help isn't something I needed. Baltimore foiled my plans by taking Tanaka at #3 and leaving me with a very easy decision to take Mark Appel, the draft's #1 overall pick.
Danny ended up getting a nice return, as he picked up 5-tool center fielder Brian Goodwin, whom I value very highly, the #6 pick, which he used for Clint Frazier and #65 overall, his original 3rd round pick, which may turn out to be a nice flier of a player.
I had originally targeted Kohl Stewart at #6, but I suspect Danny may have taken Appel at 4, which would have left Stewart for Brennan and Frazier for me. Frazier is a fine player, and Danny's original target, but not a player I was really looking for. So, I think it ends up being a nice return, but a bit of an overpay. Somewhere, Brett Perryman has stopped whimpering and is now smiling.
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Guardians
- Posts: 4680
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
64. Mauricio Cabrera to New York Mets for Lewis Brinson
A deal full of high-upside, high-flame out potential players here. I really like Cabrera. He's a braves righty I picked up from JB earlier this offseason. Dude can hit 100 easy and has a monster arm. He also likes to walk guys. Scouts are split on whether he ends up as a pretty nice #3 pitcher (maybe Volquez that year for the Reds before he imploded?) or ends up as a fireballing reliever. I think he ends up in the pen just throwing gas at people. If he can have a heater and a nice secondary offering, he'll have a strong career there.
Brinson is a dreamer's dream. Lots of tools, profiles as a no-doubt CF in a strong system and was a 20/20 player last year in the Sally League. Power, speed, defense. There's a problem, though: 38% k rate. Ouch. He and Joey Gallo didn't take batting practice, they took strikeout practice. Prolific swing and miss, so there's an obvious problem. But, it's a pretty clear problem that will be worked on heavily. The good news is he didn't turn 19 until May, walked 10% of the time and seems like he could be a very special player. Ultimately, I have a lot of pitching after picking up Appel and Harvey and needed some outfield depth after moving Goodwin. So, this made sense. Gotta dream, right?
A deal full of high-upside, high-flame out potential players here. I really like Cabrera. He's a braves righty I picked up from JB earlier this offseason. Dude can hit 100 easy and has a monster arm. He also likes to walk guys. Scouts are split on whether he ends up as a pretty nice #3 pitcher (maybe Volquez that year for the Reds before he imploded?) or ends up as a fireballing reliever. I think he ends up in the pen just throwing gas at people. If he can have a heater and a nice secondary offering, he'll have a strong career there.
Brinson is a dreamer's dream. Lots of tools, profiles as a no-doubt CF in a strong system and was a 20/20 player last year in the Sally League. Power, speed, defense. There's a problem, though: 38% k rate. Ouch. He and Joey Gallo didn't take batting practice, they took strikeout practice. Prolific swing and miss, so there's an obvious problem. But, it's a pretty clear problem that will be worked on heavily. The good news is he didn't turn 19 until May, walked 10% of the time and seems like he could be a very special player. Ultimately, I have a lot of pitching after picking up Appel and Harvey and needed some outfield depth after moving Goodwin. So, this made sense. Gotta dream, right?
Last edited by Guardians on Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Guardians
- Posts: 4680
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
65. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Jesse Biddle, Trevor Plouffe and Juan Nicasio to Houston for Yan Gomes, Matt Davidson, Tommy Milone and Alec Asher
This was a tough deal to pull off because I've been a very big Jesse Biddle fan since I picked him up in a trade with Seattle two years ago. I love the potential, big lefty, big strikeout numbers and a local kid. The high walk total is a concern and that was reflected in ZIPs this year. I still think he could reach #2 status, but more likely settles in as a very good #3, as long as he can cut back the walks a bit. Still, he was the guy I really hated losing in this deal. Plouffe, to me, was extra and Salty, while coming off a nice year, was helped by a .370 BABIP, which brought down his ZIPs. A move to Miami may help and he should have a few solid years ahead of him. Nicasio is a pitcher I like and who throws well despite playing half his games in Colorado. ZIPs continues to show strong WAR for Colorado pitchers, but the main numbers are average. As with Plouffe, he was depth.
This trade started as a discussion of Biddle and Davidson. Given my preference for Biddle, I wanted an upgrade or significant prospect, which Nate and I couldn't agree on. Since Nate already has Arenado at 3B and Davidson is expendable, I countered with Nicasio and we moved forward from there. If I was including Biddle and Nicasio as Nate asked, I had to have Gomes/Salty in the deal. Gomes, the first Brazilian-born MLBer, had a great season last year and has won the starting catcher gig in Cleveland. He has a solid arm and good receiving skills and after hitting .295 over a full season, ZIPs rewarded him with a 3-win projection. He will fit in nicely as my starting catcher and if he struggles against righties, can be relieved by John Jaso. The downside to Salty is he struggles against lefties, so having a solid right-handed hitting catcher helped.
I think Davidson is a solid hitter at the MLB level and Chicago must, too, since they shipped away Addison Reed for him. I think his glove will improve and combined with already above average power, Davidson could have the makings of a nice corner infielder. While Seager is a likely successor to Beltre in a few years, having Davidson in the system as a 23-year-old MLB-ready 3B is a nice addition to the squad. And while Milone isn't my favorite pitcher, he's a solid control guy who can get strikeouts and limit walks. He's only 27 and pitching in Oakland improves his ZIPs potential. Either way, he's depth, just like Nicasio was. And I trade a righty pitching in Colorado for a year younger lefty pitching in Oakland. That should work out.
Finally, I added Alec Asher. He's a guy who's picked up some momentum after a nice season in A+ for the Rangers. He does have a TJ in his past, but he's a hard-throwing righty who profiles as a #3/4 starter. He throws a fastball that can hit 95, a slider, curveball and changeup. The addition of Asher returns some nice SP depth in my system after losing Biddle and he may be a nice surprise pitcher to watch in the next season.
This was a tough deal to pull off because I've been a very big Jesse Biddle fan since I picked him up in a trade with Seattle two years ago. I love the potential, big lefty, big strikeout numbers and a local kid. The high walk total is a concern and that was reflected in ZIPs this year. I still think he could reach #2 status, but more likely settles in as a very good #3, as long as he can cut back the walks a bit. Still, he was the guy I really hated losing in this deal. Plouffe, to me, was extra and Salty, while coming off a nice year, was helped by a .370 BABIP, which brought down his ZIPs. A move to Miami may help and he should have a few solid years ahead of him. Nicasio is a pitcher I like and who throws well despite playing half his games in Colorado. ZIPs continues to show strong WAR for Colorado pitchers, but the main numbers are average. As with Plouffe, he was depth.
This trade started as a discussion of Biddle and Davidson. Given my preference for Biddle, I wanted an upgrade or significant prospect, which Nate and I couldn't agree on. Since Nate already has Arenado at 3B and Davidson is expendable, I countered with Nicasio and we moved forward from there. If I was including Biddle and Nicasio as Nate asked, I had to have Gomes/Salty in the deal. Gomes, the first Brazilian-born MLBer, had a great season last year and has won the starting catcher gig in Cleveland. He has a solid arm and good receiving skills and after hitting .295 over a full season, ZIPs rewarded him with a 3-win projection. He will fit in nicely as my starting catcher and if he struggles against righties, can be relieved by John Jaso. The downside to Salty is he struggles against lefties, so having a solid right-handed hitting catcher helped.
I think Davidson is a solid hitter at the MLB level and Chicago must, too, since they shipped away Addison Reed for him. I think his glove will improve and combined with already above average power, Davidson could have the makings of a nice corner infielder. While Seager is a likely successor to Beltre in a few years, having Davidson in the system as a 23-year-old MLB-ready 3B is a nice addition to the squad. And while Milone isn't my favorite pitcher, he's a solid control guy who can get strikeouts and limit walks. He's only 27 and pitching in Oakland improves his ZIPs potential. Either way, he's depth, just like Nicasio was. And I trade a righty pitching in Colorado for a year younger lefty pitching in Oakland. That should work out.
Finally, I added Alec Asher. He's a guy who's picked up some momentum after a nice season in A+ for the Rangers. He does have a TJ in his past, but he's a hard-throwing righty who profiles as a #3/4 starter. He throws a fastball that can hit 95, a slider, curveball and changeup. The addition of Asher returns some nice SP depth in my system after losing Biddle and he may be a nice surprise pitcher to watch in the next season.
Last edited by Guardians on Sat Apr 05, 2014 11:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Guardians
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
66. Alex Rios to Tampa Bay for Melky Cabrera and Tyler Pike
Well, the IBC Tigers have gone nearly two months without a trade, which is unacceptable and I take blame for that. The fans demand trades and the players like the instability of playing for me. This was a deal partially created by boredom and partially out of want.
I really like Alex Rios, though not too many others are big fans. I think his combination of speed and power are very appealing and he's good in the field. With a move to Texas, I think he has a really nice season. So, there was no real reason to deal him, but Cabrera represented some help for me this year. I count 12 players who are projected to hit .290 or higher this year and Cabrera is one of them. He gives me a solid #2 switch hitter behind Altuve and a true LF, which is where I was going to play Rios, who's a RF, mostly. This also helped Martin, as he needs a RF for next year. So, it worked out for both of us. Here's to hoping either Melky can play baseball without PEDs or creates a better website next time.
Rios has more speed and has more power -- especially in Texas' park -- so I felt like he was a little more valuable, even though he is a few years older. That's where Martin and I went round and round. There was a role player I wanted and we couldn't agree and then a prospect I liked, but couldn't find a return for him. So, we settled on Pike, who is an intriguing arm. He's a teenager in the Seattle system who had a pretty solid year for a teenager in A ball. Most intriguing about Pike is his 2.37 ERA last year and also the fact that he throws with his left arm. I'm a little concerned with the walks, but he's young and he certainly worked around that issue last year. Reports I see indicate the Mariners are pretty high on him, but due to a strong system, he's not getting on lists yet. With another strong season, he should be getting recognized.
Well, the IBC Tigers have gone nearly two months without a trade, which is unacceptable and I take blame for that. The fans demand trades and the players like the instability of playing for me. This was a deal partially created by boredom and partially out of want.
I really like Alex Rios, though not too many others are big fans. I think his combination of speed and power are very appealing and he's good in the field. With a move to Texas, I think he has a really nice season. So, there was no real reason to deal him, but Cabrera represented some help for me this year. I count 12 players who are projected to hit .290 or higher this year and Cabrera is one of them. He gives me a solid #2 switch hitter behind Altuve and a true LF, which is where I was going to play Rios, who's a RF, mostly. This also helped Martin, as he needs a RF for next year. So, it worked out for both of us. Here's to hoping either Melky can play baseball without PEDs or creates a better website next time.
Rios has more speed and has more power -- especially in Texas' park -- so I felt like he was a little more valuable, even though he is a few years older. That's where Martin and I went round and round. There was a role player I wanted and we couldn't agree and then a prospect I liked, but couldn't find a return for him. So, we settled on Pike, who is an intriguing arm. He's a teenager in the Seattle system who had a pretty solid year for a teenager in A ball. Most intriguing about Pike is his 2.37 ERA last year and also the fact that he throws with his left arm. I'm a little concerned with the walks, but he's young and he certainly worked around that issue last year. Reports I see indicate the Mariners are pretty high on him, but due to a strong system, he's not getting on lists yet. With another strong season, he should be getting recognized.
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Guardians
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
67. Nick Ahmed and Carter Capps to Washington for Teoscar Hernandez and Alexander Palma
As we all know, the IBC Nationals don't have much "this year" talent. I think we know that's by design. But what you might not know is that Z would have had trouble fielding a legal team this year. I had Ahmed as depth and while I like Capps as being helpful this year and beyond, he's a RP and there are quite a few available should I run into injuries.
Ahmed is a solid defensive SS with some speed, but some challenges with the bat. He's 23 and will likely start the year in AA, where he played last year. He had a solid second half and could be a .265-.270 hitting SS. Otherwise, I think he's a Nick Punto type utility guy. Capps is a hard thrower and was a 2011 draftee. He's very young, though he seems like he's been around. He throws heat, but ran into trouble with walks last year. He's tweaking his delivery, so maybe that will help. He will be the Marlins' setup guy this year and could be a closer or a mopup type, depending on the walks, I think.
In return, I was looking to snag some prospects with upside. Originally, I was going to do both for Hernandez, but when Z said Alexander Palma was going to be his drop, it became a 2 for 2 deal. Hernandez is a toolsy CF prospect for the Astros who had a nice year last year in A ball as a 20-year-old. He had 47 extra base hits and added 24 steals while hitting .270. He profiles as a true CF, which adds to his value. Due to the Astros' strong system, he hasn't made many top 10 lists, but he looks to have a strong future.
Palma is in the Yankees system, which is a major drawback. But he was 18 last year in the Dominican Summer League and only struck out 15 times in 37 games, so that's positive. He hit .287, drew some walks, hit a few homers and stole some bases. He'll probably be in that league for another year or two, so it will be slow-moving. But, he's another outfielder with some nice promise. I'll stash the two of them and Brinson away for a few years and see which of these toolsheds puts it all together.
As we all know, the IBC Nationals don't have much "this year" talent. I think we know that's by design. But what you might not know is that Z would have had trouble fielding a legal team this year. I had Ahmed as depth and while I like Capps as being helpful this year and beyond, he's a RP and there are quite a few available should I run into injuries.
Ahmed is a solid defensive SS with some speed, but some challenges with the bat. He's 23 and will likely start the year in AA, where he played last year. He had a solid second half and could be a .265-.270 hitting SS. Otherwise, I think he's a Nick Punto type utility guy. Capps is a hard thrower and was a 2011 draftee. He's very young, though he seems like he's been around. He throws heat, but ran into trouble with walks last year. He's tweaking his delivery, so maybe that will help. He will be the Marlins' setup guy this year and could be a closer or a mopup type, depending on the walks, I think.
In return, I was looking to snag some prospects with upside. Originally, I was going to do both for Hernandez, but when Z said Alexander Palma was going to be his drop, it became a 2 for 2 deal. Hernandez is a toolsy CF prospect for the Astros who had a nice year last year in A ball as a 20-year-old. He had 47 extra base hits and added 24 steals while hitting .270. He profiles as a true CF, which adds to his value. Due to the Astros' strong system, he hasn't made many top 10 lists, but he looks to have a strong future.
Palma is in the Yankees system, which is a major drawback. But he was 18 last year in the Dominican Summer League and only struck out 15 times in 37 games, so that's positive. He hit .287, drew some walks, hit a few homers and stole some bases. He'll probably be in that league for another year or two, so it will be slow-moving. But, he's another outfielder with some nice promise. I'll stash the two of them and Brinson away for a few years and see which of these toolsheds puts it all together.
Last edited by Guardians on Tue Apr 15, 2014 8:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Guardians
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
68. Brian Duensing and Tyler Pike to Minnesota for Randal Grichuk and Enny Romero
There's nothing quite like Opening Day chatter turning into an Opening Day deal. Andrew and I were more focused on baseball than work and we started chatting. Andrew, needing relief help, asked about Duensing, a lefty reliever I've been high on since I picked him up a couple years ago. ZIPs gave him very good splits against lefties, though he's not quite good enough to be anything but a specialist at this point. Nevertheless, he's valuable in his role. I asked about several prospects and we chatted about different guys until Andrew offered Romero.
Romero is one of those guys who has a high ceiling (solid #3 SP) or a good realistic role (hard-throwing, high-leverage power reliever) and a horrible floor (Wild Thing without the glasses and swagger). But scouts agree on his talent. He was BP's Rays #1 prospect and BA put him at #4. Right now, he's 23 and probably heads to AAA so the Rays can try to work on his command and third offering. Knowing Romero represents a risk and no current return, I wanted a little more. That got us to Grichuk, a power-hitting right fielder who needs a little work on taking walks. I think St. Louis is the perfect place to teach him and, honestly, getting out of Anaheim, where he was drafted one pick ahead of Mike Trout, is probably for the best. After hitting 40 homers and stealing 25 bases over the last two years, ZIPs respects the power, projecting him with 17 HR and 9 SBs and a .252 average and +6 defense, which could make him VG in right field. I think there's some potential for both those guys. Duensing not being quite as valuable as the pair, we settled on Tyler Pike heading back. He's a solid lefty, very young, and a guy who seems to use deception to get outs. He is far off, but had a nice debut despite some command issues. Both Romero and Grichuk are 23, so they have a couple years to figure things out in the minors.
There's nothing quite like Opening Day chatter turning into an Opening Day deal. Andrew and I were more focused on baseball than work and we started chatting. Andrew, needing relief help, asked about Duensing, a lefty reliever I've been high on since I picked him up a couple years ago. ZIPs gave him very good splits against lefties, though he's not quite good enough to be anything but a specialist at this point. Nevertheless, he's valuable in his role. I asked about several prospects and we chatted about different guys until Andrew offered Romero.
Romero is one of those guys who has a high ceiling (solid #3 SP) or a good realistic role (hard-throwing, high-leverage power reliever) and a horrible floor (Wild Thing without the glasses and swagger). But scouts agree on his talent. He was BP's Rays #1 prospect and BA put him at #4. Right now, he's 23 and probably heads to AAA so the Rays can try to work on his command and third offering. Knowing Romero represents a risk and no current return, I wanted a little more. That got us to Grichuk, a power-hitting right fielder who needs a little work on taking walks. I think St. Louis is the perfect place to teach him and, honestly, getting out of Anaheim, where he was drafted one pick ahead of Mike Trout, is probably for the best. After hitting 40 homers and stealing 25 bases over the last two years, ZIPs respects the power, projecting him with 17 HR and 9 SBs and a .252 average and +6 defense, which could make him VG in right field. I think there's some potential for both those guys. Duensing not being quite as valuable as the pair, we settled on Tyler Pike heading back. He's a solid lefty, very young, and a guy who seems to use deception to get outs. He is far off, but had a nice debut despite some command issues. Both Romero and Grichuk are 23, so they have a couple years to figure things out in the minors.
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Guardians
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69. Matt Purke to Cincinnati for Jimmy Rollins
Well, here I go doing the opposite of what I've been doing. I spent a good bit of time moving SIM-eligible players for prospects to try to even out my squad. For a good bit of time in the IBC, I've been obsessed with depth, so the left side of my page has been full, while the right side has been a little light. In the last few months, I've worked to move bench players/role players for upside prospects. This was pretty much the opposite. There's not a ton of upside for me here, I'll admit, but I did this more as a value trade. Ken's been moving some guys and posted this morning that Rollins was available after a nice deal to pick up Escobar (and more importantly help Pat Bishop make a trade. Pat, let's talk!).
I don't love Rollins and I would hope I don't need to use him, but he's still a guy who can run and hit the ball a little. ZIPs gives him a 2 WAR projection with some speed at a tough position to fill. He's still an everyday MLB shortstop, so I figured he was worth checking into.
Ken made it known he liked Purke (along with several other GMs), so we got it done. Purke's an interesting guy. I picked him up from Z when he was doing the prospects for SIM-eligible guys thing and he can't stop talking about how good he is. I think he could be. He's a lefty, formerly highly touted, but absolutely hammered with injuries. The guy can't stay healthy. I think he realistically ends up as a middle reliever once he's like 27, so he could have a useful career. I'm sure Ken is hoping he becomes a #3 starter. So, here I gave up the upside for a more than capable backup infielder, pinch hitter and pinch runner.
Well, here I go doing the opposite of what I've been doing. I spent a good bit of time moving SIM-eligible players for prospects to try to even out my squad. For a good bit of time in the IBC, I've been obsessed with depth, so the left side of my page has been full, while the right side has been a little light. In the last few months, I've worked to move bench players/role players for upside prospects. This was pretty much the opposite. There's not a ton of upside for me here, I'll admit, but I did this more as a value trade. Ken's been moving some guys and posted this morning that Rollins was available after a nice deal to pick up Escobar (and more importantly help Pat Bishop make a trade. Pat, let's talk!).
I don't love Rollins and I would hope I don't need to use him, but he's still a guy who can run and hit the ball a little. ZIPs gives him a 2 WAR projection with some speed at a tough position to fill. He's still an everyday MLB shortstop, so I figured he was worth checking into.
Ken made it known he liked Purke (along with several other GMs), so we got it done. Purke's an interesting guy. I picked him up from Z when he was doing the prospects for SIM-eligible guys thing and he can't stop talking about how good he is. I think he could be. He's a lefty, formerly highly touted, but absolutely hammered with injuries. The guy can't stay healthy. I think he realistically ends up as a middle reliever once he's like 27, so he could have a useful career. I'm sure Ken is hoping he becomes a #3 starter. So, here I gave up the upside for a more than capable backup infielder, pinch hitter and pinch runner.
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Guardians
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70. Andre Ethier, Randal Grichuk, Alexander Palma to Houston for Kyle Lohse, Kelvin Herrera
This honestly felt a little like spinning my wheels since i just picked up Ethier pre-ZIPs release to serve as a DH split with Hart and I gave up pitching to get him. Ethier's defense is pretty bad, so he was limited. It felt like spinning my wheels because I gave up a very good reliever in Gregerson and a toss-in reliever in Salas, who turned in usable ZIPs. So, the thought of dealing Ethier for pitching seemed a little strange.
However, Nate was seeking an outfielder and I think Chris Carter/Michael Choice can be as productive as Ethier, so I explored. Nate was really trying to move Lohse as the main piece for an OF and I like him as a #3 starter, but he's 35. I didn't want to invest a usable DH/backup OF for a 35-year-old starting pitcher. The guy I really wanted was Herrera. I've been trying to get him from Nate for more than a year. He's a flame throwing righty who has a closer profile and he's only 24. ZIPs gave him a very solid projection, so I tried hard to get him into the deal. Nate obviously wanted more back. We couldn't land on a major leaguer in return, but he liked several prospects. The one he wanted the most was Grichuk. I just got him from Andrew in a trade because of his speed and power and because I think a change of scenery is good for him. ZIPs seems to really like him. While they saddled him with a .290 OBP, they gave him great power, speed and very good defense. He wasn't going to be very usable to me this year, but he was a guy I really wanted to hang onto. Palma was a toss-in I got from Z a few weeks ago and helps rid me of a Yankee. He's 3-4 years away from determining whether he's going to make it, so I didn't mind that loss. Grichuk was the main loss here, but Herrera is worth it. Lohse is a very nice depth piece here, too.
This honestly felt a little like spinning my wheels since i just picked up Ethier pre-ZIPs release to serve as a DH split with Hart and I gave up pitching to get him. Ethier's defense is pretty bad, so he was limited. It felt like spinning my wheels because I gave up a very good reliever in Gregerson and a toss-in reliever in Salas, who turned in usable ZIPs. So, the thought of dealing Ethier for pitching seemed a little strange.
However, Nate was seeking an outfielder and I think Chris Carter/Michael Choice can be as productive as Ethier, so I explored. Nate was really trying to move Lohse as the main piece for an OF and I like him as a #3 starter, but he's 35. I didn't want to invest a usable DH/backup OF for a 35-year-old starting pitcher. The guy I really wanted was Herrera. I've been trying to get him from Nate for more than a year. He's a flame throwing righty who has a closer profile and he's only 24. ZIPs gave him a very solid projection, so I tried hard to get him into the deal. Nate obviously wanted more back. We couldn't land on a major leaguer in return, but he liked several prospects. The one he wanted the most was Grichuk. I just got him from Andrew in a trade because of his speed and power and because I think a change of scenery is good for him. ZIPs seems to really like him. While they saddled him with a .290 OBP, they gave him great power, speed and very good defense. He wasn't going to be very usable to me this year, but he was a guy I really wanted to hang onto. Palma was a toss-in I got from Z a few weeks ago and helps rid me of a Yankee. He's 3-4 years away from determining whether he's going to make it, so I didn't mind that loss. Grichuk was the main loss here, but Herrera is worth it. Lohse is a very nice depth piece here, too.
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Guardians
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71. Kyle Lohse, Robbie Ray to Los Angeles Dodgers for Torii Hunter, Braden Shipley
This is about a deal that helps both sides fill needs. I've been trying to get Shawn to deal with me for two years, as he is one of the few GMs who I hadn't worked out a deal with since re-joining the league (you listening, Bren and Pat Bishop?). We've discussed several things over the years, but this one happened pretty quickly given Shawn's deep desire for a pitcher not undergoing Tommy John Surgery.
I picked up Lohse from Nate because he's a quality pitcher who can log solid innings and act as a pretty good #3, in my opinion. He provides pretty good depth. Thankfully, now Hamels is back, so I'm less worried about needing that depth at the moment. If Griffin makes his way back by midseason, with Kendrick and a surprise starter projection for Mujica, I should be ok there. Really like him, so I wasn't dying to move him. However, I still felt my offense was lacking. In steps Torii Hunter, a guy I've admired a while, especially for his ability to keep playing at a high level. If all goes well, he's going to give me .280/.320 15-20 HR, some speed and a very good arm, if I need him. Even splits in the sim, so he's going to be my DH for now.
However, Lohse projects for about a win more than Hunter, so I wanted a tad more. I really like Braden Shipley. If the scouting is on, he could be a #2 starter for the Dbacks and somewhat shortly. That gives me a very nice Appel, Harvey, Shipley trio in the farm. Going back was Robbie Ray, another guy I'm very high on. I think his ceiling is that of a #3, so I see it as a slight upgrade. But, the Tigers didn't give up Fister for Ray for no reason. I think he's got a bright future, and he's barely older than Shipley and already in AAA. so, I think Shawn did well there. All in all, I think this works for both of us as long as the old guys remain healthy.
This is about a deal that helps both sides fill needs. I've been trying to get Shawn to deal with me for two years, as he is one of the few GMs who I hadn't worked out a deal with since re-joining the league (you listening, Bren and Pat Bishop?). We've discussed several things over the years, but this one happened pretty quickly given Shawn's deep desire for a pitcher not undergoing Tommy John Surgery.
I picked up Lohse from Nate because he's a quality pitcher who can log solid innings and act as a pretty good #3, in my opinion. He provides pretty good depth. Thankfully, now Hamels is back, so I'm less worried about needing that depth at the moment. If Griffin makes his way back by midseason, with Kendrick and a surprise starter projection for Mujica, I should be ok there. Really like him, so I wasn't dying to move him. However, I still felt my offense was lacking. In steps Torii Hunter, a guy I've admired a while, especially for his ability to keep playing at a high level. If all goes well, he's going to give me .280/.320 15-20 HR, some speed and a very good arm, if I need him. Even splits in the sim, so he's going to be my DH for now.
However, Lohse projects for about a win more than Hunter, so I wanted a tad more. I really like Braden Shipley. If the scouting is on, he could be a #2 starter for the Dbacks and somewhat shortly. That gives me a very nice Appel, Harvey, Shipley trio in the farm. Going back was Robbie Ray, another guy I'm very high on. I think his ceiling is that of a #3, so I see it as a slight upgrade. But, the Tigers didn't give up Fister for Ray for no reason. I think he's got a bright future, and he's barely older than Shipley and already in AAA. so, I think Shawn did well there. All in all, I think this works for both of us as long as the old guys remain healthy.
Last edited by Guardians on Fri Aug 01, 2014 11:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Guardians
- Posts: 4680
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
72. Hunter Harvey, Lewis Brinson, A.J. Griffin to San Francisco for Pedro Alvarez, Stephen Piscotty, Phil Hughes
Tough deal to make. I love Hunter. He was my target 100 percent in this year's draft with my second pick. I was thrilled when he fell to me at #13 and I was even more grateful I was able to move up from #17 in that draft with another trade, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get him. I see him as having a #2 ceiling, though probably 2-3 years off from reaching that status. He's already got the FB/CB combo...just needs to develop that change. He's got the pedigree. I think he'll be very valuable. As an aside was Brinson, a guy I picked up as a toolsy CF to stash for a few years. The k rate really is out of control, but he can hit the ball, he can run and can play defense. He could be Carlos Gomez...or a poor man's Chris Young. We'll see. Griffin was a guy I really expected to be a contributor this year, but the TJ Boogey Man got him. He's still young, so he should be ok, but not for another year.
So, why'd I do it? Nils and I discussed this one off and on for a while. We had about 1,500 scenarios and they just never seemed overall appealing. Harvey is pitching well, Brinson is hitting well, the guys I was getting back really aren't upgrades. But, I think this deal opens up some possibilities. For one, I think this is a good value bet on Alvarez. There are few players with his power and at 27, I think he's got a chance to improve. While a small sample size to date, his walks are up and ks are down. His BABIP is sub .200, so the sub .200 average should improve. There's a lot to dream on if he doesn't go all Adam Dunn.
Next in line is Piscotty. I value Harvey over Piscotty because I think he has the higher ceiling, but Piscotty is useful now in the sim and I think he could be a .280-.300 hitter with average power, some speed and a good arm. He's come down from that fast start, but I think he can be a steady producer from RF, which is tough to find.
Lastly, Hughes isn't a guy I love, but he's more usable than Griffin this year and only two years older. Now in Minnesota, his fly ball rate isn't going to kill him and it shouldn't in Detroit, either. He's been solid so far, so could be a nice gamble of starting pitcher who could be useful for the next couple years. I hope to not have to use him much this year.
Tough deal to make. I love Hunter. He was my target 100 percent in this year's draft with my second pick. I was thrilled when he fell to me at #13 and I was even more grateful I was able to move up from #17 in that draft with another trade, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get him. I see him as having a #2 ceiling, though probably 2-3 years off from reaching that status. He's already got the FB/CB combo...just needs to develop that change. He's got the pedigree. I think he'll be very valuable. As an aside was Brinson, a guy I picked up as a toolsy CF to stash for a few years. The k rate really is out of control, but he can hit the ball, he can run and can play defense. He could be Carlos Gomez...or a poor man's Chris Young. We'll see. Griffin was a guy I really expected to be a contributor this year, but the TJ Boogey Man got him. He's still young, so he should be ok, but not for another year.
So, why'd I do it? Nils and I discussed this one off and on for a while. We had about 1,500 scenarios and they just never seemed overall appealing. Harvey is pitching well, Brinson is hitting well, the guys I was getting back really aren't upgrades. But, I think this deal opens up some possibilities. For one, I think this is a good value bet on Alvarez. There are few players with his power and at 27, I think he's got a chance to improve. While a small sample size to date, his walks are up and ks are down. His BABIP is sub .200, so the sub .200 average should improve. There's a lot to dream on if he doesn't go all Adam Dunn.
Next in line is Piscotty. I value Harvey over Piscotty because I think he has the higher ceiling, but Piscotty is useful now in the sim and I think he could be a .280-.300 hitter with average power, some speed and a good arm. He's come down from that fast start, but I think he can be a steady producer from RF, which is tough to find.
Lastly, Hughes isn't a guy I love, but he's more usable than Griffin this year and only two years older. Now in Minnesota, his fly ball rate isn't going to kill him and it shouldn't in Detroit, either. He's been solid so far, so could be a nice gamble of starting pitcher who could be useful for the next couple years. I hope to not have to use him much this year.
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Guardians
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
73. Melky Cabrera to Pittsburgh; Jason Heyward and Dorssys Paulino to Baltimore for Dustin Pedroia, Domonic Brown, Norichika Aoki
"Well, that escalated quickly." -- Ron Burgandy, JP Starkey, Steven Sander, Pat Gillespie
A day after what will likely be one of the biggest trades of the year, we decided to go ahead and blow it out of the water...and in less than 30 minutes. This was Sander's idea, tossed out randomly (and apparently drunkenly) a day ago. I've had many people ask about Heyward and I've dismissed them. He's a very young right fielder with good power, some speed and excellent defense. His lefty bat was something I didn't want to lose. However, ZIPs dinged him after several inconsistent seasons and he's been struggling in real life. I think he can still be a very good player, so this wasn't a matter of giving up on him. This presented an opportunity to improve my offense and still get a young, power-hitting lefty bat back.
Sander had tossed out the idea of Cabrera and Brown, which I loved, but we couldn't agree on other pieces. He then was offering Cano, another guy I like, to get Heyward, but I didn't want to add 7 years of age to get a guy at a position I had covered. This probably was made easier for my love of the Red Sox and Dustin Pedroia. I rarely make trades with my heart, but admittedly there was some of that here. I really like Pedroia, so having him on my team makes it a little more fun. But, he's in the same boat as Cano in terms of age/position. Brown, while he doesn't give me the same defensive value, provides a power hitting bat and he's only two years older than Heyward. That helped move along the deal from my perspective. Aoki gives me some insurance in RF (and all OF slots with good D and speed), since Brown is a LF with a weak RF rating.
Cabrera is a guy I gambled on in the offseason to give me a top of the order bat. He's done that and more in real life, starting off very hot. I don't think he's a .200 ISO outfielder, but I think the tumor in his back he had removed made a huge difference. Some (me included) are still a little leery with him given the PED past, but you have to think he's not dumb enough to get caught twice. Maybe the PEDs were because of the back, I'm not sure. But he's not trustworthy to some people, which hurts his standing. Aoki was a great toss-in for Paulino, who's several years away and has been struggling in the low minors. He gives me another leadoff hitter, if needed, and great defense (which will be needed with Brown out there).
I think this deal helps my lineup and it didn't cost me any pitching, which was key. On top of it all, I get one of my favorite players, which is pretty cool. It can be tough to make deals with all stars, but I think we all took away something we like (Steven two things), so hopefully it works out for all. I do wonder whether there has been a three-way deal in IBC history? Anyone recall one?
"Well, that escalated quickly." -- Ron Burgandy, JP Starkey, Steven Sander, Pat Gillespie
A day after what will likely be one of the biggest trades of the year, we decided to go ahead and blow it out of the water...and in less than 30 minutes. This was Sander's idea, tossed out randomly (and apparently drunkenly) a day ago. I've had many people ask about Heyward and I've dismissed them. He's a very young right fielder with good power, some speed and excellent defense. His lefty bat was something I didn't want to lose. However, ZIPs dinged him after several inconsistent seasons and he's been struggling in real life. I think he can still be a very good player, so this wasn't a matter of giving up on him. This presented an opportunity to improve my offense and still get a young, power-hitting lefty bat back.
Sander had tossed out the idea of Cabrera and Brown, which I loved, but we couldn't agree on other pieces. He then was offering Cano, another guy I like, to get Heyward, but I didn't want to add 7 years of age to get a guy at a position I had covered. This probably was made easier for my love of the Red Sox and Dustin Pedroia. I rarely make trades with my heart, but admittedly there was some of that here. I really like Pedroia, so having him on my team makes it a little more fun. But, he's in the same boat as Cano in terms of age/position. Brown, while he doesn't give me the same defensive value, provides a power hitting bat and he's only two years older than Heyward. That helped move along the deal from my perspective. Aoki gives me some insurance in RF (and all OF slots with good D and speed), since Brown is a LF with a weak RF rating.
Cabrera is a guy I gambled on in the offseason to give me a top of the order bat. He's done that and more in real life, starting off very hot. I don't think he's a .200 ISO outfielder, but I think the tumor in his back he had removed made a huge difference. Some (me included) are still a little leery with him given the PED past, but you have to think he's not dumb enough to get caught twice. Maybe the PEDs were because of the back, I'm not sure. But he's not trustworthy to some people, which hurts his standing. Aoki was a great toss-in for Paulino, who's several years away and has been struggling in the low minors. He gives me another leadoff hitter, if needed, and great defense (which will be needed with Brown out there).
I think this deal helps my lineup and it didn't cost me any pitching, which was key. On top of it all, I get one of my favorite players, which is pretty cool. It can be tough to make deals with all stars, but I think we all took away something we like (Steven two things), so hopefully it works out for all. I do wonder whether there has been a three-way deal in IBC history? Anyone recall one?
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Guardians
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
74. Michael De Leon to Texas for Michael Bourn
With my team playing pretty well, this was a small deal that could help in specific situations. Bourn is no longer the leadoff hitting speedster he used to be, but as long as he remains healthy, I see him as an asset.
With ex defense in CF, he's one of four players with that rating, which makes him a great defensive replacement. With great speed, he's going to help in later innings. At 32, I hope he can be useful for a few more years.
De Leon was a flier pickup when I saw he was 17 and got some time in AA. He's a switch hitting SS who hits line drives and has a mature approach. I haven't found out much about him, other than the Rangers sent him to Hickory, which is a good sign. He's got several years to go, so whether he ends up a starter or utility guy remains to be seen. A good gamble for Brett, who loves Rangers.
With my team playing pretty well, this was a small deal that could help in specific situations. Bourn is no longer the leadoff hitting speedster he used to be, but as long as he remains healthy, I see him as an asset.
With ex defense in CF, he's one of four players with that rating, which makes him a great defensive replacement. With great speed, he's going to help in later innings. At 32, I hope he can be useful for a few more years.
De Leon was a flier pickup when I saw he was 17 and got some time in AA. He's a switch hitting SS who hits line drives and has a mature approach. I haven't found out much about him, other than the Rangers sent him to Hickory, which is a good sign. He's got several years to go, so whether he ends up a starter or utility guy remains to be seen. A good gamble for Brett, who loves Rangers.
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Guardians
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
75. Cole Hamels, Matt Davidson, Torii Hunter to Pittsburgh for Yoenis Cespedes, Joe Kelly, Willy Adames
Pretty big trade by two contenders. This was a concept JP and I have talked about on and off for several months. Both of us are playing pretty well and perhaps JP was a little more willing to pull the trigger on a deal given his SP situation took a bad turn this week. The news of CC Sabathia likely being done for the year, coupled with injuries to Brandon Morrow and Jeremy Hellickson and dependency on Erik Bedard might have spurred him on.
My hesitancy in the past was JP wanting back an outfielder like Desmond Jennings, which was prohibitive. With Pittsburgh picking up a slew of outfielders lately, that made it less of an issue. Strangely, my offense has been tops in the league, while my pitching has been above average, but not as dominant as I expected, making this deal a tad strange. But offense is always at a premium, which is why this was a deal I felt I could make.
Yoenis Cespedes is a slugger with a cannon arm. With Beltre in his late 30s and Domonic Brown underperforming, I felt this was a smart long-term move to shore up the middle of my lineup and make sure I have protection for Goldschmidt going forward. This also improves my defense, by giving me a plus arm in a corner OF spot with average defense.
Kelly is a scrappy arm and while he's dealt with a hamstring injury all year, he is expected back in a few weeks. He's 26 and is among the hardest throwers in the league, who gets outs mostly with a hard sinker and weak contact rather than spending pitches trying to get strikeouts.
The third piece coming back is Willy Adames, an 18-year-old Dominican shortstop who is tied for the most triples in the minors with 12 -- in his first full professional season. He has a mature approach, takes walks and looks like he could have a future. He replaces De Leon and has better numbers to date.
Going back was a very tough piece to move. Each of the last two years, I've had to hope that the injury to Cole Hamels coming out of Spring Training wasn't serious and neither time it has been. And he's been amazingly consistent, posting 3.5-4.5 WAR seasons since 2006. He's now 30, but shows no signs of regression. I love the guy and only would part with him if I could get a premium hitter, which I think I did.
Matt Davidson has been a disappointment this year. Considered a frontrunner for the starting 3B job in Chicago, he struggled in Spring Training and has been horrendous in AAA. While he has a strong 15 home runs and has improved as of late, he's still hitting only .200 with 99 strikeouts in 78 games. This could be a bit of a sell low and a low BABIP may suggest bad luck, but I think his bad luck is not being able to hit the ball much. I suspect he will fall out of most prospect lists and need a few years before getting back to prominence, if he can make better contact.
The third piece is Torii Hunter, another favorite, but who has simmed poorly for me. The ageless wonder has 10 home runs, but at .260/.284/.428, he's a full win below replacement at this point. He holds value as a backup outfielder, but with Bourn, Aoki, Piscotty and Choice, that wasn't a position I needed. Probably ended up being a poor deal for Lohse at the beginning of the year, but I had hoped Hunter's solid sim numbers would provide a steady DH.
All in all, I traded pitching for hitting, which is always in demand. JP picked up a much needed pitcher to give him a solid 1-2 and I hope Kelly sims well the rest of the year as well as he does when I sim the season and he can return to the rotation soon. There aren't many Cole Hamelses nor are there many Yoenis Cespedeses, so a tough deal to make all around, but I hope we can see them square off in October to see who gets the better end of the deal.
Pretty big trade by two contenders. This was a concept JP and I have talked about on and off for several months. Both of us are playing pretty well and perhaps JP was a little more willing to pull the trigger on a deal given his SP situation took a bad turn this week. The news of CC Sabathia likely being done for the year, coupled with injuries to Brandon Morrow and Jeremy Hellickson and dependency on Erik Bedard might have spurred him on.
My hesitancy in the past was JP wanting back an outfielder like Desmond Jennings, which was prohibitive. With Pittsburgh picking up a slew of outfielders lately, that made it less of an issue. Strangely, my offense has been tops in the league, while my pitching has been above average, but not as dominant as I expected, making this deal a tad strange. But offense is always at a premium, which is why this was a deal I felt I could make.
Yoenis Cespedes is a slugger with a cannon arm. With Beltre in his late 30s and Domonic Brown underperforming, I felt this was a smart long-term move to shore up the middle of my lineup and make sure I have protection for Goldschmidt going forward. This also improves my defense, by giving me a plus arm in a corner OF spot with average defense.
Kelly is a scrappy arm and while he's dealt with a hamstring injury all year, he is expected back in a few weeks. He's 26 and is among the hardest throwers in the league, who gets outs mostly with a hard sinker and weak contact rather than spending pitches trying to get strikeouts.
The third piece coming back is Willy Adames, an 18-year-old Dominican shortstop who is tied for the most triples in the minors with 12 -- in his first full professional season. He has a mature approach, takes walks and looks like he could have a future. He replaces De Leon and has better numbers to date.
Going back was a very tough piece to move. Each of the last two years, I've had to hope that the injury to Cole Hamels coming out of Spring Training wasn't serious and neither time it has been. And he's been amazingly consistent, posting 3.5-4.5 WAR seasons since 2006. He's now 30, but shows no signs of regression. I love the guy and only would part with him if I could get a premium hitter, which I think I did.
Matt Davidson has been a disappointment this year. Considered a frontrunner for the starting 3B job in Chicago, he struggled in Spring Training and has been horrendous in AAA. While he has a strong 15 home runs and has improved as of late, he's still hitting only .200 with 99 strikeouts in 78 games. This could be a bit of a sell low and a low BABIP may suggest bad luck, but I think his bad luck is not being able to hit the ball much. I suspect he will fall out of most prospect lists and need a few years before getting back to prominence, if he can make better contact.
The third piece is Torii Hunter, another favorite, but who has simmed poorly for me. The ageless wonder has 10 home runs, but at .260/.284/.428, he's a full win below replacement at this point. He holds value as a backup outfielder, but with Bourn, Aoki, Piscotty and Choice, that wasn't a position I needed. Probably ended up being a poor deal for Lohse at the beginning of the year, but I had hoped Hunter's solid sim numbers would provide a steady DH.
All in all, I traded pitching for hitting, which is always in demand. JP picked up a much needed pitcher to give him a solid 1-2 and I hope Kelly sims well the rest of the year as well as he does when I sim the season and he can return to the rotation soon. There aren't many Cole Hamelses nor are there many Yoenis Cespedeses, so a tough deal to make all around, but I hope we can see them square off in October to see who gets the better end of the deal.
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Guardians
- Posts: 4680
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
76. Jimmy Rollins, Marco Estrada, Tigers Draft Pick 5 to Colorado for Tim Stauffer, Andrew Thurman, Yankees Draft Pick 3
Not quite a blockbuster and probably a deal that helps Jake more than me, but not a bad haul for guys without a market. Rollins is having a great year and while he's 35, he's showing he still has something left. Whether or not he keeps going or retires was the question for me. This year, he's a solid backup that I brought in for next to nothing earlier this year. With Suarez emerging as a very good backup already with solid sim D, he's got the role for now. Estrada, while he was a sim magician for me last year, has had the magic run out. A fly ball pitcher who in real life is giving up two homers per game isn't going to get it done and the sim figured that out pretty quickly this year.
My first priority was the Yankees 3rd round pick. As JB continues to suck, this should end up being a pick in the 60-70 range. That should end up being a pretty useful player.
The second piece was Thurman, a 2013 second rounder for Houston who is pitching well in his first full professional season. He's got a 4-pitch mix, with a mid-90s fastball that could be a potential plus pitch, potential plus changeup, slider and curveball. He's got a 3.52 FIP and is striking out almost a batter per inning.
The last piece was a useful player -- Tim Stauffer. Despite being listed as a middle reliever and pitching as such the last few years, the sim gave Stauffer VG durability as a starter and reliever with a 3.78 ERA, along with VG Range and VG Hold, so he's valuable. He's been bad for Colorado, like Estrada was bad for me, so we're hoping a change of scenery helps. His 61 percent GB rate should play well and I hope he'll eat some innings.
Perhaps most importantly with this trade, Jake and I have made our first trade since my return to the IBC. Only Tullar, Vacek and Bren (no shot) haven't appeared on Detroit Dealings.
Not quite a blockbuster and probably a deal that helps Jake more than me, but not a bad haul for guys without a market. Rollins is having a great year and while he's 35, he's showing he still has something left. Whether or not he keeps going or retires was the question for me. This year, he's a solid backup that I brought in for next to nothing earlier this year. With Suarez emerging as a very good backup already with solid sim D, he's got the role for now. Estrada, while he was a sim magician for me last year, has had the magic run out. A fly ball pitcher who in real life is giving up two homers per game isn't going to get it done and the sim figured that out pretty quickly this year.
My first priority was the Yankees 3rd round pick. As JB continues to suck, this should end up being a pick in the 60-70 range. That should end up being a pretty useful player.
The second piece was Thurman, a 2013 second rounder for Houston who is pitching well in his first full professional season. He's got a 4-pitch mix, with a mid-90s fastball that could be a potential plus pitch, potential plus changeup, slider and curveball. He's got a 3.52 FIP and is striking out almost a batter per inning.
The last piece was a useful player -- Tim Stauffer. Despite being listed as a middle reliever and pitching as such the last few years, the sim gave Stauffer VG durability as a starter and reliever with a 3.78 ERA, along with VG Range and VG Hold, so he's valuable. He's been bad for Colorado, like Estrada was bad for me, so we're hoping a change of scenery helps. His 61 percent GB rate should play well and I hope he'll eat some innings.
Perhaps most importantly with this trade, Jake and I have made our first trade since my return to the IBC. Only Tullar, Vacek and Bren (no shot) haven't appeared on Detroit Dealings.
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Guardians
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- Name: Pat Gillespie
77. Braden Shipley, Teoscar Hernandez, Preston Tucker, Tigers Draft Pick 2, Tigers Draft Pick 3, Tigers Draft Pick 4 to Los Angeles Angels for Alex Cobb, Bryan Shaw, Juremi Profar, Angels Draft Pick 3, Angels Draft Pick 4, Angels Draft Pick 5
This is another large trade to position myself for success this year and beyond. Cobb is a guy I've been bugging Stephen about for a while and since he only deals between the All-Star Break and January, I had to be patient. I knew this was going to cost me some of my better prospects and this particular negotiation went several days with back and forth offers.
Ultimately, I felt pretty good about it because it only cost me one of my top 50 prospects (Shipley), though it did cost me draft pick downgrades as well as Hernandez and Tucker.
Shipley came over from Shawn in the Lohse deal, whom I picked up for Ethier, so he didn't cost much, though I do like him a lot. He's a solid prospect and with a repeatable motion and potential plus pitches, he could be a #2/3 like Cobb in a few years. Hernandez is a 5-tool centerfield profile who has been killing the ball in the Cal League and while he strikes out too much, he also takes walks. I think he has a bright future. As does Preston Tucker, who just continues to hit -- that's all he does. Now at AAA, he's done what he's done at every level and I think he could be a sneaky good regular for the Astros by the end of the year. He's a lefty bat with a great eye. His fielding isn't terribly great, but he could play at a corner outfield position or DH.
Cobb is a great get for me, though. With a 3.31 ERA projection, he will slot in nicely behind Lester and Sanchez and while he hasn't been a superstar this year (he missed time with an oblique injury), he should be worth several wins at the end of the year and be a very good #3 still, followed by a combination of Hughes, Kelly and Milone. He's only 26 and is a guy who Shipley could be one day, a #2/3 starter at the major league level.
I also got back a few other pieces that made this deal better for me. Bryan Shaw is a typical 1-WAR reliever who's having another nice year (2.70 ERA). He will be a nice arm to have in the 6th or 7th inning down the stretch and going forward. I also re-picked up Jurickson's brother Juremi, who at 18 years old was taking at bats in AAA while filling in for injured Rangers. The fact that they believe in him to handle that level is amazing at that age. He's in Short Season right now and I suspect he has a shot at being a solid 3B in several years.
I did move back in rounds 2, 3 and 4, which is a bummer. We expect those to all be about 10 picks per round, which could cost me some solid prospects, but if the draft is as deep as some believe, I should still have close to 4 picks within the top 100, which should replenish the lost players.
This is another large trade to position myself for success this year and beyond. Cobb is a guy I've been bugging Stephen about for a while and since he only deals between the All-Star Break and January, I had to be patient. I knew this was going to cost me some of my better prospects and this particular negotiation went several days with back and forth offers.
Ultimately, I felt pretty good about it because it only cost me one of my top 50 prospects (Shipley), though it did cost me draft pick downgrades as well as Hernandez and Tucker.
Shipley came over from Shawn in the Lohse deal, whom I picked up for Ethier, so he didn't cost much, though I do like him a lot. He's a solid prospect and with a repeatable motion and potential plus pitches, he could be a #2/3 like Cobb in a few years. Hernandez is a 5-tool centerfield profile who has been killing the ball in the Cal League and while he strikes out too much, he also takes walks. I think he has a bright future. As does Preston Tucker, who just continues to hit -- that's all he does. Now at AAA, he's done what he's done at every level and I think he could be a sneaky good regular for the Astros by the end of the year. He's a lefty bat with a great eye. His fielding isn't terribly great, but he could play at a corner outfield position or DH.
Cobb is a great get for me, though. With a 3.31 ERA projection, he will slot in nicely behind Lester and Sanchez and while he hasn't been a superstar this year (he missed time with an oblique injury), he should be worth several wins at the end of the year and be a very good #3 still, followed by a combination of Hughes, Kelly and Milone. He's only 26 and is a guy who Shipley could be one day, a #2/3 starter at the major league level.
I also got back a few other pieces that made this deal better for me. Bryan Shaw is a typical 1-WAR reliever who's having another nice year (2.70 ERA). He will be a nice arm to have in the 6th or 7th inning down the stretch and going forward. I also re-picked up Jurickson's brother Juremi, who at 18 years old was taking at bats in AAA while filling in for injured Rangers. The fact that they believe in him to handle that level is amazing at that age. He's in Short Season right now and I suspect he has a shot at being a solid 3B in several years.
I did move back in rounds 2, 3 and 4, which is a bummer. We expect those to all be about 10 picks per round, which could cost me some solid prospects, but if the draft is as deep as some believe, I should still have close to 4 picks within the top 100, which should replenish the lost players.
