2014 trade deadline discussion thread

[karch34]

Probably a bad comparison but looked like a younger version of Schwabach in that he's a catcher but not necessarily considered a quality defensive player there but us a bat that projects well.

Who gets called up?

[Kizz Fastfists]

Who gets called up?

Hoyer said it won't be Baez. So how about Logan Watkins. Watkins can play 2B and try to earn a future bench spot. That could get Russell moved up to AAA. For the bullpen I'll go with Fujikawa now that he is back from TJS and looking solid. Both are already on the 40 man roster so it doesn't require major changes. Just activate Fujikawa from the 60 day DL to replace Russell and promote Watkins to replace Bonifacio.

[karch34]

Chris Valiaka over Watkins. Interesting.

[hermes]

Found a little more on Martinez as Kizz beat me to the post. http://www.chicagonow.com/world-series- ... ney-trade/

Better than I expected for Barney, even though he is a gold glover.

I think the Dubrount move is just seeing if they can get a lottery ticket. My hope is that we're not piecemealing 40-60% of our rotation around speculation and trying to luck into a hot hand next year. That said we really don't have a pressing need for much as far as positional players in the minors, so why not get pitching and someone whom Theo might even be familiar with. Heck why not start him this year and see what he's got? Pitch him in relief of EJax and he can get 2-5 innings pretty easily to stretch his arm out.

[Kizz Fastfists]

Chris Valiaka over Watkins. Interesting.

Valaika is more of a utility guy and at 27 more of a veteran. I'm guessing they didn't want to bring up any of the kids from AAA in a playoff race so they could experience one. We could still see someone up after the AAA playoffs are over for Iowa. This also allows them to play Alcantara at 2B or CF, which ever they want. I really think they are going to make a big trade this off-season which could include Castro, Baez, Russell or Almora so they need to keep their options open. I do not mean trade Castro for prospects, but a proven player.

I think the Marlins line up well in a trade with the Cubs. Castro, Vogelbach, McKinny, Pierce Johnson and Amaya for Giancarlo Stanton and Henderson Alvaraz. Miami has a lot of good, young pitching and Alvarez is about to get his first arbitration raise and Stanton is about to get priced out of Miami with his 2nd arbitration raise. Miami gets a cost controlled star in Castro along with prospects that are getting close, 2016 and sooner eta. The Cubs get an established big bat to go with Rizzo while opening up the infield for Russell, Baez and Bryant to come up at SS, 2B and 3B. Alcantara, Soler and Stanton in the OF would be very good. A bench of Valbuena, Lake, Ruggiano and Olt. A pitching staff of Lester or Scherzer, through FA, with Arrieta and Alvaraz as your 1-3 would be very nice then Wood, Hendricks, Straily, Doubront, Beeler and EJax fight for the 4/5 spots with the "losers" going to AAA for depth or the bullpen.

Suddenly 2015 looks like a conteder and the Cubs are very young with long-term sustainability. They still have a lot of prospects coming up if some of the first wave of prospects do not live up to the expectations.

[GYBE]

I think the Marlins line up well in a trade with the Cubs. Castro, Vogelbach, McKinny, Pierce Johnson and Amaya for Giancarlo Stanton and Henderson Alvaraz.

That's pretty bad for Miami. We're not getting Stanton without touching any of our top 7 prospects. They would almost certainly insist on elite prospects instead of Castro for financial purposes.

[Kizz Fastfists]

I think they would rather have Castro. Castro is locked in for the next 6 years at 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 million with a team option at $16M the next year. It might also take including Almora, which I'd do, instead of McKinny, but Castro's contract would be very appealing for the Marlins as they get a star player locked in at a price they can afford through his prime. It allows them to sell it to their fans as while they wouldn't afford to give Stanton $12M in 2015, then $16M in 2016 then watching him walk as an FA, they still got a proven major league player back who they will have for 5 years.

If they got Baez instead of Castro in 3-4 years they having to trade Baez if he pans out as he'd be getting Stanton type of arbitration raises. I also think they are going to trade Stanton and that an offer of Castro and a top 100 prospect, or fringe top 100, like Amaya, Vogelbach or McKinney would be better then any other offer. Alvarez, who will be getting his first arbitration raise and they will be losing in three years or less for Johnson, Vogelbach and Amaya seems reasonable since Johnson has a chance to be ready late next year, especially since the Marlins like to rush their prospects up for some reason that makes no sense given that they move them when they reach their 2nd arbitration year.

[GYBE]

They've had Stanton for 5 years so far, so they certainly wouldn't have to trade Baez after 3 or 4. They might keep Stanton for his 6th year with the team. They would probably have Baez for 5 years, the same amount they would have Castro for (I assume they would deal him the year before he reaches FA). The difference is Baez would be making the league minimum for his first couple years while Castro would be one of their more expensive players. So they would have both guys under control for a similar period, Baez would be considerably cheaper and has far more offensive upside. I think they would rather easily prefer Baez.

To me, Baez and Almora are the foundations of a deal with extra pieces added around them. Soler might intrigue them due to the Cuban connection, but I again think they would prefer guys making the minimum.