Marlins Looking at Cody Bellinger? Is That a Fit?

I think I've fallen into the camp where I believe it's more likely they keep Bellinger than trade him, unless they completely fall on their faces over the next week. With that said, I think you have to go after their extreme pitching depth. I'd love to land Max Meyer and Dax Fulton would be a nice option too. I'm not sure Eder would be available, but he'd be a great get too. 

PS: Thank god the Cubs didn't select Jacob Berry last year, what a disaster for a "safe pick"

1 minute ago, Tryptamine said:

I think I've fallen into the camp where I believe it's more likely they keep Bellinger than trade him, unless they completely fall on their faces over the next week. With that said, I think you have to go after their extreme pitching depth. I'd love to land Max Meyer and Dax Fulton would be a nice option too. I'm not sure Eder would be available, but he'd be a great get too. 

PS: Thank god the Cubs didn't select Jacob Berry last year, what a disaster for a "safe pick"

I don't want to give up on the season but given the dearth of quality hitters on the market and the allure of a farm system like Miami, Baltimore, etc... boy, it's hard NOT to trade Bellinger.

15 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I don't want to give up on the season but given the dearth of quality hitters on the market and the allure of a farm system like Miami, Baltimore, etc... boy, it's hard NOT to trade Bellinger.

I agree, but I'm really getting the impression that short of a blow them away type of deal, Bellinger is just going to ride his time out here. They'll give him a qualifying offer and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were in on him in FA. For whatever reason the front office seems to like Bellinger quite a bit more than Stroman. 

1 minute ago, Tryptamine said:

I agree, but I'm really getting the impression that short of a blow them away type of deal, Bellinger is just going to ride his time out here. They'll give him a qualifying offer and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were in on him in FA. For whatever reason the front office seems to like Bellinger quite a bit more than Stroman. 

It's the QO, I'm sure. It's way harder to recoup value if there is a comp pick attached to a rental.

Just saw the article about the Cubs being more likely to trade a Stroman and keep Belli…

why? Either trade them both or keep them both and make a run… why in the world would we only trade one? 

1 minute ago, The20thK said:

Just saw the article about the Cubs being more likely to trade a Stroman and keep Belli…

why? Either trade them both or keep them both and make a run… why in the world would we only trade one? 

That part I really don't understand. It's going to be nearly impossible to recover the loss of one and still compete. You may as well whole-ass the situation and move as many pieces as you can, or move none.

1 minute ago, The20thK said:

Just saw the article about the Cubs being more likely to trade a Stroman and keep Belli…

 

why? Either trade them both or keep them both and make a run… why in the world would we only trade one? 

They get something if Bellinger is kept and leaves in FA, and history shows us they value that something pretty highly compared to what rentals have gotten in trade in recent years.

2 minutes ago, The20thK said:

Just saw the article about the Cubs being more likely to trade a Stroman and keep Belli…

 

why? Either trade them both or keep them both and make a run… why in the world would we only trade one? 

It's all speculation. I assume any trade is dependent on who is coming back. If Stro is going to net a better return, he may be more likely to be traded. I have no idea what the case may be. 

11 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

They get something if Bellinger is kept and leaves in FA, and history shows us they value that something pretty highly compared to what rentals have gotten in trade in recent years.

The QO attached to Bellinger also may lessen his market a bit and make it easier to extend him in the offseason if they choose to do so.  Stroman is likely to be gone next year whether he is traded or not.  You get nothing if he stays.

19 minutes ago, The20thK said:

Just saw the article about the Cubs being more likely to trade a Stroman and keep Belli…

 

why? Either trade them both or keep them both and make a run… why in the world would we only trade one? 

Heh. See the bottom section of my piece. I agree. The logic of it is sound, but the reality is messy.

32 minutes ago, The20thK said:

Just saw the article about the Cubs being more likely to trade a Stroman and keep Belli…

why? Either trade them both or keep them both and make a run… why in the world would we only trade one? 

I think there is a world in which the Cubs can trade Stroman and still make the playoffs.  Can they trade them both and still make it?  That is extremely unlikely.

With that said, if that hypothetical scenario occurs where the Cubs trade Stroman and do make the playoffs, then the deal almost looks worse. 

On one hand - Yay, we got something for Stroman and still made the playoffs! 
On the other hand - We made the playoffs, but now don't have our best pitcher in a short series, so what exactly are we trying to do here?

Do a straight up swap for Chisholm, the oblique injury like Swanson and Suzuki is clearly a sign and I already thought he was welcome to Cubs soon. I'd rather have Chisholm the next few years btw the two anyway

Trade Bellinger and Stroman and replace them with Wesneski and PCA and see what happens. Also call up Mervis and play him every day at 1B. Plus in a Bellinger and Stro trade, you should get back a prospect that’s ready to be called up. I mean the Braves called up Michael Harris straight from AA and it worked out for him. Even if PCA comes up and sucks, it’s not like it’s going to be detrimental to his development. I know they aren’t going to do this, but it’s what I would do. 
 

I mean we have the best bat and the best SP on the market and we are 3 games under .500 a week away from August. I just don’t want to see us walk away missing the playoffs and only getting a comp pick out of Bellinger when we have multiple assets that could bring back solid to good prospects. I mean 2 of our best pitching prospects come from trades for a reliever. Sell and call up the youngsters. 

I think what I would hate most if the Cubs were to become buyers is that I can see a scenario where Mervis just stays down in AAA all year. 

We could also be looking at a Willson Contreras situation where the market just isn't there for Bellinger relative to what the Cubs would get if they made a QO with draft pick compensation.

Bellinger is really good, but if teams aren't offering prospects as good as or better than Jaxson Wiggins (who's probably a Top 20-25 guy in the system at the moment), then the Cubs might as well hang onto him.

39 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I think what I would hate most if the Cubs were to become buyers is that I can see a scenario where Mervis just stays down in AAA all year. 

If we really get lucky and they really shoot for the moon, maybe Mervis is included in a buying trade. Honestly it might feel freeing to those of us who fell for him once already this year but really didn't feel any obligation coming in

I'd, of course, be just as happy if he hit but also guy may not even be the best seemingly random pop up 1B prospect in the org's upper minors anymore

48 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I think what I would hate most if the Cubs were to become buyers is that I can see a scenario where Mervis just stays down in AAA all year. 

As long as the Cubs have a puncher's chance at a playoff spot, and barring any trades, it appears they are likely to ride Tauchman in CF and Bellinger at 1B against righties and Bellinger in CF and Mancini at 1B against lefties.  I can't really argue with that approach, as now probably isn't the best time to throw Mervis back into the mix.  When/if we reach a point where the playoffs are out of reach, then I have to imagine Mervis will be up and playing almost every day.