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2019 MLB Trade Deadline

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Hunter Pence could be a another low priced DH option. A bit skeptical of what to expect from him in the 2nd half with his age and just getting off the DL.

Pence made that team as a camp invite with no guarantees, ended up the starting DH in All Star weekend. I thought he was toast, but switching to a hitter's park and getting healthy revived his bat.

I am interested in a smaller deal involving Pence and Rangers closer Shawn Kelly if other deals fall through. Both players are dinged up, so the Tribe would be taking a bit of a risk in the trade. If they are healthy by the playoffs, they bring great experience to smaller roles.
 
Hunter Pence could be a another low priced DH option. A bit skeptical of what to expect from him in the 2nd half with his age and just getting off the DL.

Sad part is, I said in the early off season we should bring in Pence on a minor league deal. If we are going a rental with a low cost, Pence should be in that price range. Also he has always been said to be a very good clubhouse guy, so if we acquire him, I don't have any qualms with the deal.
 

He hasn't had a good season to be honest, but that being said, he has been better of late plus has a good track record and a couple seasons of control. It feels like they are going to target a setup guy for Hand who they can control for a couple seasons. Givens fits the bill and he even was in my opening post. I would be surprised if the Indians got a reliever it wasn't Givens to be honest.
 
He hasn't had a good season to be honest, but that being said, he has been better of late plus has a good track record and a couple seasons of control. It feels like they are going to target a setup guy for Hand who they can control for a couple seasons. Givens fits the bill and he even was in my opening post. I would be surprised if the Indians got a reliever it wasn't Givens to be honest.

You are definitely being honest.

All I know about Givens is that he looked really promising two years ago. I like the fact he always keeps his walks down. I have reservations about the fact he isn't known as a ground ball pitcher and the live ball seemed to get him off his game the first half of the season. At least he is a right handed reliever with a history pitching late innings, which makes sense before Hand comes in.
 
You are definitely being honest.

All I know about Givens is that he looked really promising two years ago. I like the fact he always keeps his walks down. I have reservations about the fact he isn't known as a ground ball pitcher and the live ball seemed to get him off his game the first half of the season. At least he is a right handed reliever with a history pitching late innings, which makes sense before Hand comes in.
What am I missing? Why the lack of love for Wittgren?
 
What am I missing? Why the lack of love for Wittgren?

No lack of love, he's simply inexperienced.

Givens is a huge swing a miss guy whose BB/9 and HR/9 are well above his career norms, the Indians generally do well to normalize that and get the most out of relievers.

Big win for a lesser value, and he's got a few years of team control left.

Future closer. Pairing him with Witt and Hand is a heck of a 7-8-9, and allows you to start using Cimber and Perez more strategically along the way.
 
What am I missing? Why the lack of love for Wittgren?

While Wittgren has been mostly good, I'm not sure how reliable he is as that bridge guy.

Here would be the concerns:
-His hard hit percentage is 49.5%. Only Andrew Miller has a higher rate, among qualified relievers
-He has 3 pitches, and his curveball isn't all that effective
-His best pitch is his fastball, which averages under 93

Givens has an elite fastball and strikeout rate, but his secondary pitches (slider & change) haven't been very good this year. The other RHP on the roster (Otero, Cimber, Clippard) all have below average velocity and rely on weak contact. Edit- forgot Goody; not exactly a velocity guy either
 
Givens in a hypothetical playoff game instead of Otero sounds pretty good to me.

He's got good stuff. Numbers don't look great this year, but like @AZ_ said, he's much better than the numbers indicate. Was really good in 2015-17, solid last year, and unspectacular this year. Would be under team control until 2022.

I'd love him for the right price.

Playoff bullpen:
- Hand
- Wittgren
- Cimber
- Givens
- Perez
- Clippard
- Plesac (assuming Kluber/Bauer/Clev/Bieber rotation)
- Otero/Goody/Olson/Cole/Salazar
 
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givens.png


Here is a graph showing more info. on Givens' pitches per year.

Fastball mostly in line with the past, but slugging up a bit. Should be expected. Change up has never been all that impressive

But his #2 pitch, his slider, is being absolutely feasted on this year. .300/.391/.600



On Wittgren's curve: from a numbers standpoint, it has been relatively effective this year. .(267 / .267 / .333). However, it has been a pitch that has been feasted on in the past 2 seasons and Baseball Savant ranks its spin rate in the bottom 15%. So maybe there is a bit of luck involved? Who knows
 
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I think keeping Bauer and adding a bat like Castellanos and an arm like Givens is the right way to go for the Tribe. Those specific pieces could change but the idea of it is very sound-- rental bat and bullpen aid. The biggest thing is that it shouldn't break the bank-- financially or prospect-wise.

I think that would allow them to deal Bauer in the offseason and they wouldn't have to command a major league ready piece in return. That should help increase the return as well.

This series of trades accomplishes what Chernoff said the Indians FO trade deadline plan is: be competitive now and sustain it for the future.
 
I am notorious for not wanting Castellanos ,,, what is your rationale considering his numbers and also bearing in mind he has had two seasons of 20+ home runs ,,, and he is not a def option
 

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