Which young SP has the most trade value?

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

So, even with the injured Prior, Wood, and Miller, we still have a "log jam" of sorts at SP. When they come back, all of the following pitchers are MLB worthy of being in a rotation, or within a year:

 

Zambrano

Prior

Wood

Miller

Williams

Rusch

Guzman

Marshall?

Hill?

 

So, assuming that all of them are healthy enough to be throwing when June comes around...who do you trade? Who has the most value on the market right now? Who do you think would be availible to help the team with a big bat when June comes around (you need a really stong crystal ball for that one)?

 

I would think that Williams would have the most trade value for fiting the least on the team since Marshall and Guzman make him pretty expendable, but that is just me. Thoughts? (Apart from the standard "they won't all be healthy") This is a happy hypothetical.

[rawaction]

Prior has the most trade value of the group. He's still young, he's cheaper than Zambrano, and he's not close to FA like Wood. I would probably look to trade Williams and Hill. Williams is just as good as Bronson Arroyo, and he got the Sox Wily Mo Pena.

 

Zambrano isn't going anywhere in any scenario. I would keep Prior for the foreseeable future. Won't get full value for Wood, who's been inconsistently healthy and is in his FA year. He has far more value to the Cubs than he would get in a trade. I'd keep Miller just based on his upside and low-risk of keeping him. Then you have Greg Maddux. With Maddux and possibly Wood leaving, you have spots for Guzman and Marshall if needed. Plus, you still have some arms that will be pretty close to the majors in 07. Rusch doesn't have much trade value, and the Cubs might as well keep him around for insurance.

[Blueheart05]

Prior has the most trade value of the group. He's still young, he's cheaper than Zambrano, and he's not close to FA like Wood. I would probably look to trade Williams and Hill. Williams is just as good as Bronson Arroyo, and he got the Sox Wily Mo Pena.

 

Zambrano isn't going anywhere in any scenario. I would keep Prior for the foreseeable future. Won't get full value for Wood, who's been inconsistently healthy and is in his FA year. He has far more value to the Cubs than he would get in a trade. I'd keep Miller just based on his upside and low-risk of keeping him. Then you have Greg Maddux. With Maddux and possibly Wood leaving, you have spots for Guzman and Marshall if needed. Plus, you still have some arms that will be pretty close to the majors in 07. Rusch doesn't have much trade value, and the Cubs might as well keep him around for insurance.

 

Wood has a full no trade clause for 2006 and it's unlikely that he would agree to a trade. Plus, he will have to pitch very well to convince other teams that he's healthy (and valuable).

[katway]

While I wouldn't trade him -- Zambrano easily has the highest trade value on the club. He's a starter that hasn't had injury problems, isn't overpaid, and has the best stuff on the staff when he is on. In addition, he has pitched over 200 innings in each of the last 3 years, is only 24, and continues to improve.

[Omar]

I think Zambrano does... Since he's proven to be consistent and healthy.

[srbin84]

I would say the value scale goes something like this:

 

Zambrano

 

 

 

Prior

 

Williams

 

 

 

Rusch

 

Maddux

 

 

 

Wood

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

This question is relative.

 

Zambrano has the most value, but to some teams like the Marlins, he's already too expensive. A lower market team will know they couldn't afford him in 2-3 years, so in some cases some teams might desire other young arms over Zambrano.

[TB_11]

Both Prior and Z are in one-year contracts. If Prior can show himself to be durable when he comes back, his value could be higher than Z's as he's getting a little bit more than half the money Z is this year.

 

If a team thought that by bringing in either one of them this year it would have a higher chance of signing them to a long-term deal once the season is done, Z's value would be higher.

 

Either way I say if Z repeats his performance from the last three years in 2006, signing him to a long-term deal should be priority number 1 for Hendry. Even if he slips a bit this year or gets injured, Hendry should still make it a priority.

[rjchapma]

zambrano,prior,hill, williams in that order i think

[Backtobanks]

zambrano,prior,hill, williams in that order i think

 

I still don't understand why Hill is considered so valuable.

[nolanwood]

Zambrano

 

Prior

 

Wood

 

Williams

 

Guzman/Marshall?Hill

[frostwyrm]

Maybe it's just me, but when I look at all the young near-MLB-ready talent on the Cubs I can't help thinking that the 2007 team would have been fantastic if Hendry had treated 2006 as a building year and not blown big wads of cash on mediocre vets in a half-assed attempt to contend right away.

[Backtobanks]

Maybe it's just me, but when I look at all the young near-MLB-ready talent on the Cubs I can't help thinking that the 2007 team would have been fantastic if Hendry had treated 2006 as a building year and not blown big wads of cash on mediocre vets in a half-assed attempt to contend right away.

 

I don't think the Cubs will have a "building" or "rebuilding" year anytime in the forseeable future. With the budget at $100 million, the success of the White Sox, and attendance at 3 million, the Cubs will continue to at least give the impression that they are competitive.