Why not a young prospect for RF?

[don_kessinger_was_good]

I don't buy this argument that you can have too many young players in a lineup, that's bunk. I want the players most likely to be successful, regardless of experience. There are plenty of teams willing to hand over spots to high ceiling rookies. If you can't find or trade for a veteran that fits your needs, then why not go the youngster route?

 

Especially when you are a team like the Cubs that has young pitching to offer in exchange. One team trades a high ceiling pitching prospect to a team with a high ceiling OF prospect, what's wrong with that plan? Both teams deal from strength and fill a position of weakness.

 

We have high ceiling pitching prospects Rich Hill and Angel Guzman to offer in trade. What are some of the high ceiling outfielders that might be available in exchange? Here is a quick list I put together off the top of my head, there are likely others--

 

Lastings Milledge, Jeff Francouer, Jeremy Hermida, Shane Victorino, Ryan Church, Termel Sledge, Joel Guzman, Carlos Quentin, Conor Jackson, Freddy Guzman, Delmon Young, Curtis Granderson, Franklin Gutierrez, Brian Anderson, Jeremy Reed.

[E.J.]

I don't see Dusty playing Murton, Cedeno, and another rookie/prospect. I like the idea, but I don't see Dusty being up for it at all.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Dusty doesn't have any choice if there are no other alternatives. He can't leave the position vacant I don't think, that would probably be considered dereliction of duty. He'll play the outfielder Hendry gives him.

[Andy]

I would estimate our chances of getting Francoeur, Delmon Young or Brian Anderson (since he's a White Sox prospect) at less than negative numbers.

[WrigleyField 22]

I would estimate our chances of getting Francoeur, Delmon Young or Brian Anderson (since he's a White Sox prospect) at less than negative numbers.

 

Throw Milldege into that too probably. If we were going to get him from the Mets it be for Major League Ready Guys like Prior or Z.

[imb]

i would kill my own mother for hermidia

[Andy]

i would kill my own mother for hermidia

At one point in his career he had a perfect 5.000 OPS with 1 GS in 1 career AB...who wouldn't love him? :D

[don_kessinger_was_good]

I would estimate our chances of getting Francoeur, Delmon Young or Brian Anderson (since he's a White Sox prospect) at less than negative numbers.

 

Throw Milldege into that too probably. If we were going to get him from the Mets it be for Major League Ready Guys like Prior or Z.

 

This is the kind of thinking I was talking about, it's just plain wrong. A high ceiling, but unproven yet, outfield prospect for a high ceiling, but unproven yet, pitching prospect. At some point, teams with a need for pitching and excess outfielders need to look at that kind of plan, and similarly, teams with excess pitching and a need for outfielders should consider it too.

 

Let's take the case of Delmon Young as one example. He is an incredible prospect, everyone realizes this. The team that owns him has almost NO pitching to speak of, but they currently have FIVE outfielders, and Young would be the sixth. At what point, if you're a prudent GM of that team, do you not come to the conclusion that maybe you should deal from strength and trade that outfielder prospect for pitching help?

 

Young should be one heckuva outfielder, you'd think he could bring Tampa some legitimate pitching, wouldn't you?

 

On the other hand, if you hoard these players under your control, you're not maximizing your team's value. You [expletive] the player's development, you create friction amongst the players (just ask Austin Kearns and Wily Mo Pena how that dynamic works).

 

I'm just saying I find it very frustrating and hard to comprehend why some GMs aren't more open-minded about running their teams as a portfolio of assets, instead of on (what seems to be) an isolated, player for player case basis.

[WrigleyField 22]

I don't know anything about a lot of these guys but after searching for them here's what I'd have to say...

 

Hermida- Looks like he could put up some good numbers in limited time and is real young. Also a lefty. Oh wait, he's a top ten prospect.Why would Florida give him up?

 

Victorino- Not too young anymore and hasn't yet had the chance it looks like to prove anything at the major league level. Switch hitter though, and could play CF if needed.

 

Church- Doesn't seem like a prospect really, but does look like a good ballplayer regardless. He's also a lefty. Do the Nationals have any motivation to trade him (and if we do get him we could probably get another decent prospect o give up someone not that great)

 

Sledge- ditto to Church, but doesn't look as good. Was he traded to the Rangers?

 

J. Guzman- Looks like hes a SS, and probably a year away. Can he play RF as well?

 

F. Guzman- Doesn't look to have the power we need out of RF. Was he hurt last year? I see no stats for 2005 for minor or major leagues.

 

Granderson- Local Kid. Hasn't seen much major league action but looks promising. Along with some other guys may be too big of a risk.

 

Gutierrez- His stats as of late leave a lot to be desired. Likely too big a risk.

 

Jackson- Is he 1B or RF? Looks like he'd be good though if he can indeed play right. Another Righty though.

 

As for the guys I knew a little bit abut already.

I like Reed. His power is weak though. Don't know if Seattle would trade him. Kinda the same feeling for Anderson

Quentin would be great only downside is that hes another righty, but that isn't a big deal, he can hit thats the important thing.

Young, Franceur,Milldege we won't get, but yea they'd be pretty nice.

 

 

I'd say if younger is what we look at Austin Kearns is more likely. And maybe he could return to his earlier numbers. If he did, he would be great for RF.

 

All that being said, we might not have enough talent to aquire the guys who would look good and the others are way too big of a question mark.

Unlikely we go this route, but not a bad "out of the box" idea.

[WrigleyField 22]

i would kill my own mother for hermidia

At one point in his career he had a perfect 5.000 OPS with 1 GS in 1 career AB...who wouldn't love him? :D

 

And I thought Greenberg's 1.000 OBP in one pitch was good.

 

No seriously though, looking at his stats and everything, he looks awesome. Don't see any reson why Florida would trade him.

[CoolHandLuke]

i would kill my own mother for hermidia

 

ditto

[Rob]

i would kill my own mother for hermidia

 

ditto

 

What comes next?

 

...tritto?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

WF22, Joel Guzman is right now playing SS/3B, but he'll eventually end up in RF (especially with Furcal and Izturis at SS and LaRoche more capable than Guzman at 3B). Guzman has been very inconsistent at the plate and his plate discipline is not that good. I'd rather have Carlos Quentin - I don't care that he's not a lefty. And the DBacks do have Luis Gonzalez, Shawn Green and Chad Tracy in the OF already while Quentin is ready, so technically he could be available (though Arizona probably wants to trade Green or Gonzo instead).

 

He's a year away (and right now playing CF, but he'll probably end up in RF), but Baltimore's Nick Markakis is another intriguing minor league OF.

[Balsa]

i would kill my own mother for hermidia

 

IMB...I have to admit......as much as I'm scared of your sig image, I find it strangely hypnotizing.... :-s

[Jazz]

I would estimate our chances of getting Francoeur, Delmon Young or Brian Anderson (since he's a White Sox prospect) at less than negative numbers.

 

Throw Milldege into that too probably. If we were going to get him from the Mets it be for Major League Ready Guys like Prior or Z.

 

This is the kind of thinking I was talking about, it's just plain wrong. A high ceiling, but unproven yet, outfield prospect for a high ceiling, but unproven yet, pitching prospect. At some point, teams with a need for pitching and excess outfielders need to look at that kind of plan, and similarly, teams with excess pitching and a need for outfielders should consider it too.

 

Let's take the case of Delmon Young as one example. He is an incredible prospect, everyone realizes this. The team that owns him has almost NO pitching to speak of, but they currently have FIVE outfielders, and Young would be the sixth. At what point, if you're a prudent GM of that team, do you not come to the conclusion that maybe you should deal from strength and trade that outfielder prospect for pitching help?

 

 

The general thinking in Tampa is that Huff would play 1st, and Delmon would start in Right, having the outfield look like:

 

Young

Baldelli

Crawford

Hollins

and Gomes

+ Huff for depth (since he can start at 3B, LF, RF, and 1B)

[Diffusion]

I would estimate our chances of getting Francoeur, Delmon Young or Brian Anderson (since he's a White Sox prospect) at less than negative numbers.

 

Throw Milldege into that too probably. If we were going to get him from the Mets it be for Major League Ready Guys like Prior or Z.

 

This is the kind of thinking I was talking about, it's just plain wrong. A high ceiling, but unproven yet, outfield prospect for a high ceiling, but unproven yet, pitching prospect. At some point, teams with a need for pitching and excess outfielders need to look at that kind of plan, and similarly, teams with excess pitching and a need for outfielders should consider it too.

 

Let's take the case of Delmon Young as one example. He is an incredible prospect, everyone realizes this. The team that owns him has almost NO pitching to speak of, but they currently have FIVE outfielders, and Young would be the sixth. At what point, if you're a prudent GM of that team, do you not come to the conclusion that maybe you should deal from strength and trade that outfielder prospect for pitching help?

 

 

The general thinking in Tampa is that Huff would play 1st, and Delmon would start in Right, having the outfield look like:

 

Young

Baldelli

Crawford

Hollins

and Gomes

+ Huff for depth (since he can start at 3B, LF, RF, and 1B)

 

Gomes could just DH, no? And Hollins isn't a starter anyway, bench material. Gathright's trade bait right now. Anyone else?

[Diffusion]

Elijah Dukes and Wes Bankston I guess I forgot. More trade bait.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

1. Shawn Green--no trade clause.

2. Luis Gonzalez--too expensive; not tradeable.

3. Chad Tracy

4. Carlos Quentin

5. Conor Jackson

 

Arizona should move one of 3, 4 or 5, and I'd be interested in any of them.

[mg420]

i still think that wilkerson will end up in rf for the cubs. i like the williams for wilkerson deal that someone brought up before. it would also give hill a shot at the rotation if wood isnt ready to start the season.

[Lefty]

Milton Bradley is only 28, very productive and fairly established. I don't know of a better combination than that.

[bannor10]

Just put Patterson in right....give him another chance....

[mg420]

Milton Bradley is only 28, very productive and fairly established. I don't know of a better combination than that.

 

how about someone who can play a full season and doesnt have a hairtrigger temper? i would not call bradley's career as "very productive"by a long shot. he had one good season and only had 377 ab's that year. other than that, his #'s have been average at best for a center fielder and below average for a right fielder (where he would be playing for the cubs).

[goonys evil twin]

Teams generally don't trade top prospect for top prospect.

 

And the Cubs, in the position they are in, should not be filling RF with a prospect. First of all, they don't have any top notch pitching prospects to trade for a top notch hitting prospect. What they have is numerous solid prospects who could help teams with a severe lack of arms. Their only high ceiling pitcher is Guzman, whose prospect status has been severely bruised by his injury problems.

 

The Cubs are a team that needs to win now. They don't need more guys who might be decent over the next couple years but should be really good down the line. That have guys like that already. They need immediate production, and barring any monster shakeup trade for a guy like Tejada, the best spot to get it is in RF. Or, if they come up short on that one RF, they should get two corner OF and let Murton split time with both of them.

[Lefty]

Milton Bradley is only 28, very productive and fairly established. I don't know of a better combination than that.

 

how about someone who can play a full season and doesnt have a hairtrigger temper? i would not call bradley's career as "very productive"by a long shot. he had one good season and only had 377 ab's that year. other than that, his #'s have been average at best for a center fielder and below average for a right fielder (where he would be playing for the cubs).

 

He's been playing in pitcher's parks and I am assuming that he will play. Neither of us can tell the future as far as his playing time is concerned. I have a temper too, so count me as sympathetic.

[Andy]

Sledge- ditto to Church, but doesn't look as good. Was he traded to the Rangers?

He was traded to the Rangers, who now have a bit of a logjam in the OF too with Wilkerson, Sledge, Nix, Mench, etc.