23 Offseason - Other Team Needs and Actions

[Gson]

Inre: Bieber...

Maybe (only maybe) a deal with the Yankees could be made whereby the only prospect the Guardians might have interest (Dominguez) is sent to the Guardians' minor league system and there is a third team involved.. The third team would provide an immediate major league big RHH'd bat (1B, C/1B: Walker +, Vargas +, others). The other team settles for the Volpe's and "P's" from the Yankees..

Otherwise.. nothing on the Yankees current roster or in the minor league system is even marginally interesting..

 

[sportscoach]

Inre: Bieber...

Maybe (only maybe) a deal with the Yankees could be made whereby the only prospect the Guardians might have interest (Dominguez) is sent to the Guardians' minor league system and there is a third team involved.. The third team would provide an immediate major league big RHH'd bat (1B, C/1B: Walker +, Vargas +, others). The other team settles for the Volpe's and "P's" from the Yankees..

Otherwise.. nothing on the Yankees current roster or in the minor league system is even marginally interesting..

I don't like the Yankees farm really at all... Dodgers look way better and they can afford to move a few prospects for Bieber...

 

[petes999]

NY Mets 101-61 (10th Rank FG System)

https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/new-york-mets-offseason-outlook-2/10th

The simple answer to their plans is to throw money at pitching, pitching and more pitching … and maybe an outfielder whether it be Nimmo or Judge. Cohen again is rumored to throw whatever he can at any problems. Other than Carrasco and Scherzer, they will be looking for other pieces to their starting staff. The have already thrown money at Diaz as their bullpen was decimated by free agency, at the going rate for pen arms, it will take a lot to buy a decent pen.

Sitting at 32 players, they have little Rule 5 issues as most of their possible additions are more of the fringe prospects or prospects still at A+ ball.

BTV NTC - Yoan Lopez, Dominic Smith, Drew Smith

It is hard to figure out what specifically they will do as they have so many holes. However, unlike other clubs, they have some prospects left to either fill in their needs (like I assume Alvarez will at catcher) or be traded for other needs like Vientos/Baty/Mauricio that are not filled in FA. In addition to the needs with MLB pitching, they also need AAA pitching as the is a dearth of backup players needed there.

What do they have the Guardians want? This is where they actually line up with the Guardians as we need a few right-handed bats and they need upper-level pitching. And, if they cannot find pitching in FA (which I doubt with their financial backing), they could use a Bieber or at least a Plesac/Civale if one of their pitchers goes down with injuries during the season. Now, I doubt they trade Alvarez as they need help at catching as well. However, they do have a bunch of right handed bats in Vientos, Ramirez and Parada (if we can wait a little bit). They don’t have much pitching to headline a Bieber trade but a few lower level guys like Allan and Tidwell that maybe flipped for a 4th/5th starter like a Plesac or Civale in a time of need and/or desperation.

 

[Gson]

The Mets have been a good trade partner.. and could still be one...

For Bieber.. they'd have to start with their best prospect(s).. as that isn't likely.. it's equally unlikely any deal will be completed involving Alvarez/Bieber from the Guardians perspective..

Their next best catching prospect, Parada, has a great bat.. great bat to ball skills.. and great work ethic.. what he doesn't have are feet that move with a level of ability that allows him to block balls and or pop to throw with his, at best, a mediocre (for strength & accuracy) arm.. He'd be a complete tear down candidate for catcher or 2 to 4 years before he'd approach ML readiness.. IOW.. he's a LONG way off.. if he ever gets there..

A small deal involving Vientos seems possible.. and reasonable.. One of Plesac or Morris and a set up man (Curry, Gaddis, or McCarty-like) for him might be just the kind of deal that the Mets "jump" at without consideration for looking back.. Otherwise.. The Mets will go shopping elsewhere..

 

[sportscoach]

The Mets have been a good trade partner.. and could still be one...

For Bieber.. they'd have to start with their best prospect(s).. as that isn't likely.. it's equally unlikely any deal will be completed involving Alvarez/Bieber from the Guardians perspective..

Their next best catching prospect, Parada, has a great bat.. great bat to ball skills.. and great work ethic.. what he doesn't have are feet that move with a level of ability that allows him to block balls and or pop to throw with his, at best, a mediocre (for strength & accuracy) arm.. He'd be a complete tear down candidate for catcher or 2 to 4 years before he'd approach ML readiness.. IOW.. he's a LONG way off.. if he ever gets there..

A small deal involving Vientos seems possible.. and reasonable.. One of Plesac or Morris and a set up man (Curry, Gaddis, or McCarty-like) for him might be just the kind of deal that the Mets "jump" at without consideration for looking back.. Otherwise.. The Mets will go shopping elsewhere..

With what was publicly stated today... Bieber is going to be in Cleveland, so Bieber trade talks are essentially done, at least for 23...

 

[hockeyjohn]

With what was publicly stated today... Bieber is going to be in Cleveland, so Bieber trade talks are essentially done, at least for 23...

Thank God. Common Sense has prevailed.

 

[Benway]

I'm not sure, but Bieber might be making our rotation better.

Because he's technically our best starter.

And replacing him with our 6th best starting pitcher may not result in an improvement. Maybe.

 

[petes999]

LA Dodgers 111-51 (7th ranked FG system)

5 Moves the Dodgers Need to Make This Offseason

For a team that just won 111 games, the Dodgers head into the offseason with more question marks than you might expect, and very few (if any) of those questions were raised by the stunning collapse in the NLDS. Even if L.A. had steamrolled to the World Series title like we expected, most of these …

dodgersnation.com

Sorry, but rumors about Bieber are going to continue as they are not going to go into the year with their Ace (Buehler) being out for the full year and their top starters in Urias (avg 6 inn), Kershaw (avg 5.5 inn) and Gonsolin (5.25 inn) not innings eaters. Yes, they maybe like Tampa and limit their starters’ innings but if any team is screaming for an Ace, it is LA. So, yes, we may keep Bieber until the trade deadline. If we are kicking-ass, the talks may shift to a Minnesota and their excess FA starters. But. If we are trailing like this year at the deadline, there will be discussions. Even the link above puts an Ace at the top of the Dodgers plans, right behind the SS position.

For Rule 5, they should make it through this week with no issues as they need to protect 6 or so players and have 34 players on the roster with a few NTC and Luke Williams who they just picked up from Miami. Yet, they will need to find room between Rule 5 and 60-day DL (with Buehler and Treinen to resign some of their FAs. As SC says, they will probably trade some of their prospect capital for that Ace (or SS if they can’t land a Big 4).
Yet, they will still have a few prospects that they can’t protect like MLB.com projects – Ryan Ward (.255/.319/.486) who has hit 55 HRs in 2 MiLB seasons.
There will be good pickens in Rule 5 that come before some of our guys.

Biggest Needs – SS, SP, OF, 3B, RP – Yet, if they were a normal team, they could move guys around like putting Lux back into SS and having Bucsh,
Outman, Vargas and Pepoit take over some of these roles. However, they are not normal and have $$$ to burn (usually only bring up 1-2 rookies for a key role or two to avoid putting pressure on them). Thus, it is just a matter of what they can find and then fill in around them.

What do they have that we want – It is obvious from SC …. Vargas is the most likely piece but as I said yesterday, they need to figure out their SS (infield) position(s) as Vargas could very well break camp for them as their 3B. And, Cartaya is obvious as well. With Will Smith ahead of him, he would seem to be one of the most available blocked catchers (behind Oakland situation). Yet, I would not be surprised if in 2 years, Smith isn’t moved to 3B or something (as he played their too in minors coming up with Ruiz) to give his knees a rest (he only caught 100 games last year. So as he ages, let the young guy take more reps to preserve his more valuable bat.

 

[Gson]

LA Dodgers 111-51 (7th ranked FG system)

5 Moves the Dodgers Need to Make This Offseason

For a team that just won 111 games, the Dodgers head into the offseason with more question marks than you might expect, and very few (if any) of those questions were raised by the stunning collapse in the NLDS. Even if L.A. had steamrolled to the World Series title like we expected, most of these …

dodgersnation.com

Sorry, but rumors about Bieber are going to continue as they are not going to go into the year with their Ace (Buehler) being out for the full year and their top starters in Urias (avg 6 inn), Kershaw (avg 5.5 inn) and Gonsolin (5.25 inn) not innings eaters. Yes, they maybe like Tampa and limit their starters’ innings but if any team is screaming for an Ace, it is LA. So, yes, we may keep Bieber until the trade deadline. If we are kicking-ass, the talks may shift to a Minnesota and their excess FA starters. But. If we are trailing like this year at the deadline, there will be discussions. Even the link above puts an Ace at the top of the Dodgers plans, right behind the SS position.

For Rule 5, they should make it through this week with no issues as they need to protect 6 or so players and have 34 players on the roster with a few NTC and Luke Williams who they just picked up from Miami. Yet, they will need to find room between Rule 5 and 60-day DL (with Buehler and Treinen to resign some of their FAs. As SC says, they will probably trade some of their prospect capital for that Ace (or SS if they can’t land a Big 4).
Yet, they will still have a few prospects that they can’t protect like MLB.com projects – Ryan Ward (.255/.319/.486) who has hit 55 HRs in 2 MiLB seasons.
There will be good pickens in Rule 5 that come before some of our guys.

Biggest Needs – SS, SP, OF, 3B, RP – Yet, if they were a normal team, they could move guys around like putting Lux back into SS and having Bucsh,
Outman, Vargas and Pepoit take over some of these roles. However, they are not normal and have $$$ to burn (usually only bring up 1-2 rookies for a key role or two to avoid putting pressure on them). Thus, it is just a matter of what they can find and then fill in around them.

What do they have that we want – It is obvious from SC …. Vargas is the most likely piece but as I said yesterday, they need to figure out their SS (infield) position(s) as Vargas could very well break camp for them as their 3B. And, Cartaya is obvious as well. With Will Smith ahead of him, he would seem to be one of the most available blocked catchers (behind Oakland situation). Yet, I would not be surprised if in 2 years, Smith isn’t moved to 3B or something (as he played their too in minors coming up with Ruiz) to give his knees a rest (he only caught 100 games last year. So as he ages, let the young guy take more reps to preserve his more valuable bat.

Dodgers have a pretty strong minor league system.. no doubt.. Your mentioning Cartaya is just one of three MiLB backstops the Dodgers are currently developing in their system.. This is after the Dodgers traded Keibert Ruiz to the Nationals. Smith, as their starter, is about as good as there is in MLB.. The Dodgers just seem to know how to select and develop catching.. Stealing away one of their best, would be a coup and could help solve the most dire need the Guardians have going into the 2023 season..

Vargas appears to be the exact right kind of candidate that would fulfill one of the Guardians other pressing needs.. He's a bat to ball guru that possess the uncommon combination of hitting for power and average.. He's an all around RHH player that fits well at 1B...

W/R to a Bieber trade.. it was unlikely.. even before the "gm-speak" Antonetti pronouncement.. It's no "less" unlikely now than before the comment.. History has shown what to expect when highly valuable players are approaching free agency.... no more.. no less..

BTW.. the Dodgers would probably LOVE to get their hands on Arias as a possible SS/3B candidate. His abilities are more proven than Vargas and he plays the Dodgers # 1 position of need considering the loss of Trea Turner.. A deal with Arias/Vargas as the key pieces or headliners, might be a win win for both clubs..

Thanks again for continuing to post these..

 

[CDAV45]

With what was publicly stated today... Bieber is going to be in Cleveland, so Bieber trade talks are essentially done, at least for 23...

Didn't most believe he would be. I expect an extension to be announced before the season starts. I hope it isn't one that's soon regrettable and if they don't extend him it will have been a mistake not trading him. Between the risk of injury and the loss of a year's worth of value it would be a setback if either occurs. The only way it will be a good move is if Bieber propels this team to a WS win. I'll gladly eat that crow should it happen.

 

[sportscoach]

Didn't most believe he would be. I expect an extension to be announced before the season starts. I hope it isn't one that's soon regrettable and if they don't extend him it will have been a mistake not trading him. Between the risk of injury and the loss of a year's worth of value it would be a setback if either occurs. The only way it will be a good move is if Bieber propels this team to a WS win. I'll gladly eat that crow should it happen.

The FO is gambling Bieber of 20/22 is going to be the Bieber going forward and help us long term (or at least until our top 3 trio is mlb ready)

 

[CDAV45]

The FO is gambling Bieber of 20/22 is going to be the Bieber going forward and help us long term (or at least until our top 3 trio is mlb ready)

Key word being "gambling". We've been down this road before.

 

[hockeyjohn]

Key word being "gambling". We've been down this road before.

Every move is a "gamble" CDAV. There are no sure things. Vargas is not a sure thing either. All trades or non trades are "gambles." That's sports.

 

[sportscoach]

Key word being "gambling". We've been down this road before.

I don't see Bieber quitting like Lindor did... If anything, especially if he doesn't get an extension, his 23 may be his strongest yet cause he wants to win plus show the world he deserves the big contract

 

[CDAV45]

Every move is a "gamble" CDAV. There are no sure things. Vargas is not a sure thing either. All trades or non trades are "gambles." That's sports.

Absolutely there is risk in every move/decision. I'm not sure why you used Vargas as an example, but you're right. He's not a sure thing and I don't know if a sure thing exists.