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23 Offseason GM Thread

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More and more it's looking like the price for Sean Murphy is remaining prohibitive..

Perhaps another tact might include inducing the A's to trade one of their other catchers (not named Langeliers...even though he would have been an incredible get at last year's deadline).. The Guardians will just have to make due with a FA/other acquisition (Zunino?.. Vazquez?).. and turn the reinforcement of the catching situation and pursuit of same to a deeper, less ready guy.

Concurrently, no one on the current 26 man should be considered for this deep catching prospect. In that case, the A's remain a potential trade partner.. Instead of Sean Murphy, perhaps the Guardians will inquire about Daniel Susac. He's a better backstop at the same time in his career as any of the other three catchers the A's have (Murphy, Soderstrom and Langeliers). Susac has a pretty good pedigree and has all the tools to be a double impact kind of player.. both behind the plate and with the tools of ignorance..

Maybe a deal like this could solve for the need for a LHRP as well as a future C:

https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trades/trade-112935/

The deal fits the narrative about wanting ML ready guys for the A's while replacing what they've lost and allowing them to select who they like.. Thoughts?

That trade idea could be worse... But we need a catcher to help us now and this deal doesn't do that at all. I like getting Puk, but I doubt the A's are going to move him...
 
If we trade for Murphy,,,,
Our likely starting lineup would only have one potential "soft" hitter, Straw. Also, Straw could potentially bounce back offensively to his pre-2022 numbers. (I would also hope for a 500% power increase - to 5.)

However, if we trade for Reynolds,,,
I might assume Straw could be part of that deal. At the very least I would see him as the 4th outfielder.
At that point I might consider resigning Hedges, to share the position with Naylor.
Hedges would be the only soft spot in that lineup. I could live with that.
 
If we trade for Murphy,,,,
Our likely starting lineup would only have one potential "soft" hitter, Straw. Also, Straw could potentially bounce back offensively to his pre-2022 numbers. (I would also hope for a 500% power increase - to 5.)

However, if we trade for Reynolds,,,
I might assume Straw could be part of that deal. At the very least I would see him as the 4th outfielder.
At that point I might consider resigning Hedges, to share the position with Naylor.
Hedges would be the only soft spot in that lineup. I could live with that.

Murphy/Naylor at C + Straw in CF > Naylor/Hedges at C + Reynolds in CF when factoring in defense.

And yes I know it might not be Naylor catching the excess 50-60 games in the majors at the end of the day if they acquire Murphy. They'd probably have Bo start at AAA.
 
Guards trade Valera, Plesac, Halpin, and Tolentino to Miami for Pablo Lopez.

Who says no?

We get net -1 on our 40 man, which then allows us to sign a catcher. Marlins are weak in the OF including in the farm and could use Valera and Halpin. I also count an extra space on their 40 man. Plesac eats innings and could be a bit of a reclamation. Tolentino is just a throw in because he's from an area of surplus.

BTV has this as net even (38.7 to us and 38.9 to them) but I feel like some here would consider this a bridge too far. I wouldn't.
I sure as hell wouldn't. I'd make that deal every day and twice on Sunday.
 
I sure as hell wouldn't. I'd make that deal every day and twice on Sunday.
Acquiring Pablo Lopez = good thing and worthy of consideration..

Sacrificing two of the three best OF (Valera, DeLauter and Halpin) prospects = unacceptable..

Unless a deal that excludes our best OF prospects can be arranged.. CleFO should pass.. The depth in the Guardians minor league system is middle infielders and pitching.. that's where the return to the Marlins should be coming from..

..once or twice on any day ending in the letter "y"..
 
So just like the FA pitching market influencing Plesac trade value, what impact does Bogaerts to Padres have on the SS market???

Only Correa, Swanson, Andrus and Inglesias left

Teams seeking one of the SSs

Los Angeles - Held back due to $$$ and 3rd repeater competitive balance tax with Bauer' suspension appeal still out there. They like to work in their rookies (not put LA pressure on too many all at once). Rosario would work as a 1-year rental to easy Vargas and Busch into line up versus relying on Taylor at 2nd.

Minnesota - Still in on Correa. Do they go with Gordon and Polanco (with Farmer in reserve) until Lewis is fully back? Doubt Rosario goes here but if they hold onto Correa it leaves more teams hanging.

Boston - Do they really go with Story and Arroyo at 2nd/SS? Need a filler till Mayer but may need more than 1 year rental filler.

Baltimore - Could definitely use a 1 year filler over Mateo to bridge to Ortiz.

Giants - It would take Correa to move Crawford off SS ... but like Minnesota will squeeze the market

St Louis - Will take Correa again to move Edman to 2nd over Donovan but they are really looking for a hitter to protect Goldschmidt and Arenado. Nootbar or Yepez could step up with Contreras to help out with Pujols loss.

Miami - They are looking for hitters and have a hole at SS. I am assuming they will try Groshans and Edwards here but Rosario/Arias is a nice package could peak interest but not enough to start a Lopez trade (38 value vs 5-8 value on BTV).

Cubs - Already said Hoerner can go to 2nd over Madigal. With no one on the horizon, they may want more than a 1-year rental.

Braves - With Shewmake and Grissom ready, they would like Swanson but do they go out and acquire someone if they don't or wait to see and fix at trade deadline.

Thoughts?
 
So just like the FA pitching market influencing Plesac trade value, what impact does Bogaerts to Padres have on the SS market???

Only Correa, Swanson, Andrus and Inglesias left

Teams seeking one of the SSs

Los Angeles - Held back due to $$$ and 3rd repeater competitive balance tax with Bauer' suspension appeal still out there. They like to work in their rookies (not put LA pressure on too many all at once). Rosario would work as a 1-year rental to easy Vargas and Busch into line up versus relying on Taylor at 2nd.

Minnesota - Still in on Correa. Do they go with Gordon and Polanco (with Farmer in reserve) until Lewis is fully back? Doubt Rosario goes here but if they hold onto Correa it leaves more teams hanging.

Boston - Do they really go with Story and Arroyo at 2nd/SS? Need a filler till Mayer but may need more than 1 year rental filler.

Baltimore - Could definitely use a 1 year filler over Mateo to bridge to Ortiz.

Giants - It would take Correa to move Crawford off SS ... but like Minnesota will squeeze the market

St Louis - Will take Correa again to move Edman to 2nd over Donovan but they are really looking for a hitter to protect Goldschmidt and Arenado. Nootbar or Yepez could step up with Contreras to help out with Pujols loss.

Miami - They are looking for hitters and have a hole at SS. I am assuming they will try Groshans and Edwards here but Rosario/Arias is a nice package could peak interest but not enough to start a Lopez trade (38 value vs 5-8 value on BTV).

Cubs - Already said Hoerner can go to 2nd over Madigal. With no one on the horizon, they may want more than a 1-year rental.

Braves - With Shewmake and Grissom ready, they would like Swanson but do they go out and acquire someone if they don't or wait to see and fix at trade deadline.

Thoughts?
I like the idea of sending Rosario to Miami. Are they looking for a CFer too?
 

Marlins or the Rays are likely the two teams open to getting Straw, but Cleveland has never once moved an extended player in year two of that extension. Trust me in OOTP, if I am running a small market, I've never been afraid to move a player after an extension, so this isn't what I want, it's how the FO operates. Even Swisher and Bourn got traded in season 3... Go back through all the extensions and 4 year deals Cleveland has done. They have never traded before year 3, so Straw is in Cleveland until he loses the role. Straw has to struggle with the bat while Brennan has to take it from him before Straw is out of CF...
 
If we want more players to sign longer-term team-friendly contracts, early in their careers, you have to build (1) Trust that every thing is being done to keep them where they are comfortable - where they signed in Cleveland -- or rookies will start to ask for no-trade contracts for team-friendly give and (2) an environment where young up-and-comers don't feel overly-pressured to perform without having to look over their shoulders one when they may be the next guy traded/cut. If Straw struggles another year and Brennan/Benson supplants him as starter, then you can start having conversations with Straw about what is best for him (staying here or starting somewhere else). Yet, you don't want to start building bad blood in the agent corners of the world where they hear the players complain about being traded just after they commit long-term. It is a part of business but you got to be careful how it is done (not respecting what young players are giving a team by signing early vs waiting for FA).

But, as a Cats or other would say, there is no certainty either that a Benson/Brennan can takeover the starting role. It is one area on the team that a transition can be slowed-played (if it even occurs) as there is no rush (with expiring contract or no depth at catching). A 2.5 WAR from a defensive CF will be more than enough (for that position) to get us to the playoffs where the defense vs offense debate can be relooked at. Yet, the difference between a 3-4 WAR maybe if Brennan/Benson is the next Kwan, isn't going to per se get us that playoff spot. Yet, a CF who drops/mis-reads balls like Naquin or Rosario may cost us momentum at a key part of the season (as it did in WS).
 
Oakland A's Sean Murphy trade: While the Rays have only two guys going to the A's, the Guardians would need to have four.. The reasoning: It has to pass BTV muster!!.. This is the comment put up by the "Blogfather" at an A's forum:

"....Williams-Bibee-Martinez-Brennan (if you prefer to double up on starting pitching) or Williams-DeLauter-Martinez-Brennan (if you prefer to double up on outfielders)...."dot dot dot... adding the first overall pick, Dylan Crews...

This is the current sentiments being expressed by A's fans.. Surrealistic.. no?

A quick note: this poster clearly believes DeLauter is at least the equal of Bibee.. fwiw.. It should be noted this story was posted before the Draft Lottery.. That is.. no first overall pick for the A's..
 
@Gson @CDAV45 @petes999


Weird trade idea haha

Cleveland gets
SP Irvin (Oak)
RP/SP Puk (Oak)

Toronto gets
SP Blackburn (Oak)
SP Plesac (Cle)

Oakland gets
SP Allen (Cle)
SP Zululeta (Tor)

What do you guys think?
 
....the best way to describe what you're doing here is a rearrangement of the deck chairs on the titanic.. none of the three clubs would be interested in this useless trade...
 

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