Early 22 GM Thread! (Trade Ideas here)

[Kevalier]

The Orioles have a player Id like to have.

They are years away from contending, and they have picked up a lot of young players/prospects...but are not blessed with near ready MIFs.

The Os began 2021 with Galvis at SS and Maikel Franco at 3B, both of which were flipped at the deadline. The starting 2B was Pat Valais, a waiver wire pickup.

As of right now, the Baltimore infield for 2022 consists of Jorge Mateo at 2B, Ramon Uriah at SS, and Kelvin Gutierrez at 3B, with Valais as the util.

All four are waiver wire acquisitions and will be 27-30 yrs old next season. Our three utils...Chang, Miller, and Clement...would be better than what they have. Arias and Jones would be much better.

Offering Baltimore an entire infield, excepting first base, that would be under control for six years just might get their attention. Throwing in a spare OF might keep their attention.

So...

Jones, Arias, Chang/Miller/Clement, and any OF in our org not named Straw or Valera (Zimmer, Harold, Mercado, Naylor, Johnson, Gonzalez, or Kwan) for Cedric Mullins.

Some fear that Mullins is a one year wonder. But he made a huge change this year. He stopped switch hitting. As a RH batter, his career OPS was .439. Thats not a misprint.

As a LH batter vs lefties, it is .788. Vs righties it is .833. He was a 30/30 player this year and collected 72 XBHs. (Jose had 73.) He is pre arby with four years of control.

This four for one trade would eliminate any roster problem we have, and it would have no effect on Baltimore's. It would also lead to room on our 40 man towards adding a catcher, another OF, and reliever later in the winter....and it would add zero to the payroll.

The Orioles aren't trading Mullins.

 

[CATS44]

And the Pirates aren't trading Reynolds.

And the A's aren't trading Laureano.

And St Louis isn't trading Edmans.

And the Cubs aren't trading Happ.

And the Reds aren't trading Winker...or Stephenson.

And the Halos aren't trading Adell, Marsh, or Walsh.

And we aren't trading Plesac.

But somebody of import will be traded....and the Guardians will be involved in something major.

 

[Kevalier]

And the Pirates aren't trading Reynolds.

And the A's aren't trading Laureano.

And St Louis isn't trading Edmans.

And the Cubs aren't trading Happ.

And the Reds aren't trading Winker...or Stephenson.

And the Halos aren't trading Adell, Marsh, or Walsh.

And we aren't trading Plesac.

But somebody of import will be traded....and the Guardians will be involved in something major.

Disagree

 

[CATS44]

Disagree

I actually disagree on all of them....not that they will all be traded...but that all of them play for teams that could have very good reasons for moving them, IF provided with those reasons. And the Guardians have a plethora of good reasons.

Thats why a GM makes a shopping list that includes multiple targets.

And that's why I've been so positive that we will be able to significantly upgrade the roster before spring training.

 

[sportscoach]

I actually disagree on all of them....not that they will all be traded...but that all of them play for teams that could have very good reasons for moving them, IF provided with those reasons. And the Guardians have a plethora of good reasons.

Thats why a GM makes a shopping list that includes multiple targets.

And that's why I've been so positive that we will be able to significantly upgrade the roster before spring training.

Now from reading into what Bimbo said the other day. I feel like their targets will probably be a guy like Walsh, pre-arb with solid MLB numbers rather than a Reynolds in a trade. Now i think they are checking everything, but I don't think we have the player we will end up with on any list... We didn't call Straw so I have a hunch who we acquire we will be like, huh! I guess that will work...

 

[CATS44]

As GM, I have no interest in trading Plesac. There are too many reasons not to.

But...

If another GM provides me with a good reason to trade him...a reason much better than the reasons not too...I have no choice but to listen closely.

The same goes for every GM that has a player on my shopping list.

 

[CATS44]

Now from reading into what Bimbo said the other day. I feel like their targets will probably be a guy like Walsh, pre-arb with solid MLB numbers rather than a Reynolds in a trade. Now i think they are checking everything, but I don't think we have the player we will end up with on any list... We didn't call Straw so I have a hunch who we acquire we will be like, huh! I guess that will work...

And if you read the cards that Bimbo partly reveals, the org is totally 'frustrated' with the outfield situation.

 

[sportscoach]

As GM, I have no interest in trading Plesac. There are too many reasons not to.

But...

If another GM provides me with a good reason to trade him...a reason much better than the reasons not too...I have no choice but to listen closely.

The same goes for every GM that has a player on my shopping list.

Teams that are rebuilding and need to move players with short term control often times take the best deals if they help the team long term overall. The problem is most of those guys we have said, are still under team control for a good amount of time

 

[sportscoach]

And if you read the cards that Bimbo partly reveals, the org is totally 'frustrated' with the outfield situation.

Which means they will definitely make an OF move...

 

[CATS44]

Teams that are rebuilding and need to move players with short term control often times take the best deals if they help the team long term overall. The problem is most of those guys we have said, are still under team control for a good amount of time

That is true, but most of them have multiple holes that need filled, and by the time they are ready to contend, there present premier piece will be running out of time.

Fill three holes under control for six years, or keep one player for three or four?

For some teams, that's a worthwhile consideration.

For several of those teams...Pittsburgh and Oakland esp....PR isn't a consideration in trading away a high end player, because they've already alienated what little fan base they have.

 

[sportscoach]

That is true, but most of them have multiple holes that need filled, and by the time they are ready to contend, there present premier piece will be running out of time.

Fill three holes under control for six years, or keep one player for three or four?

For some teams, that's a worthwhile consideration.

For several of those teams...Pittsburgh and Oakland esp....PR isn't a consideration in trading away a high end player, because they've already alienated what little fan base they have.

Donaldson got traded way before he needed to so I wouldn't be surprised to see a fire sell from the A's in the next year or so... They can mostly throw the same team out in 22, but they will lack SPs in 23, final year of Chapman, Olson etc is 23...

If they traded Bassitt, Manaea, Olson and Chapman on paper they can rebuild the farm and help the transition to the next time for the playoffs in a sense. Piscotty and Andrus could also net them something if they pay part of the contract...

I'd so trade for Bassitt and get him a contract extension as well, if I was the owner of the Guardians... He went to Akron U and honestly I want him around when I am going for the playoffs in 22-23 when I feel like he should be at his peak... Plesac and prospects for Bassitt (who signs an extension), would be a good deal in my mind...

 

[KluberSociety]

Flashback to 5 years ago:

Evaluating the 2016 Prospects: Cleveland Indians

Other clubs: Braves, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Orioles, Reds, Red Sox, White Sox. The Indians have an enviable number of likely big league players in their system, though only a handful of them project to…

blogs.fangraphs.com

Really just shows the value of "untouchable" prospects and how touchable they all should be.

 

[sportscoach]

Flashback to 5 years ago:

Evaluating the 2016 Prospects: Cleveland Indians

Other clubs: Braves, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Orioles, Reds, Red Sox, White Sox. The Indians have an enviable number of likely big league players in their system, though only a handful of them project to…

blogs.fangraphs.com

Really just shows the value of "untouchable" prospects and how touchable they all should be.

Aguilar was 29th and he ended up above almost everyone else on that list... it tell you how often prospects fail. Plus it shows why we didn't transition well to when the 16 nucleus left since we just didn't hit on these guys...

Personally I have a hunch that a lot of the players we have on our top 30 list, will see time in the pros... looking at that list, personally then, I didn't like that group nearly as well as the one we currently have. I feel like the bust possibility in this group is way lower than it was in that 16 list as well...

 

[Criznit]

Flashback to 5 years ago:

Evaluating the 2016 Prospects: Cleveland Indians

Other clubs: Braves, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Orioles, Reds, Red Sox, White Sox. The Indians have an enviable number of likely big league players in their system, though only a handful of them project to…

blogs.fangraphs.com

Really just shows the value of "untouchable" prospects and how touchable they all should be.

True untouchable prospects are EXCEEDINGLY rare. There has only been 1 since I started following Cleveland, that would be Francisco Lindor.

Some folks are rather liberal in the application of that label obviously.

 

[sportscoach]

True untouchable prospects are EXCEEDINGLY rare. There has only been 1 since I started following Cleveland, that would be Francisco Lindor.

Some folks are rather liberal in the application of that label obviously.

So I guess the top guys should be the almost untouchable rather than untouchable?