Thoughts on Trading Soto?

[BeerHere]

July isn't too far away and with this team going nowhere it's time to start thinking seriously about who should be moved at the deadline. One of the guys I would like to see shopped is Soto. Since catching is at a premium I think the former rookie of the year might fetch a pretty good prospect or two in return. Thoughts?

[Guest]

Reposted from elsewhere, but it applies still.

 

Can Geo be a valuable part of the next contending Cubs team? Yes. Will he be overpaid or prohibitively expensive? No. Do we have someone who already can provide similar value for the position? No. Is Geo likely to have more trade value than actual value due to an abysmal start this year? No. Does it make a whole lot of sense to explore trading Soto away? Not really.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I think no.

[KingCubsFan]

Given his struggles, I don't think he'd get as much as he's probably worth. I'm not opposed to trading him though, particularly if it looks like we'll be in a multiyear rebuilding process. Since he appears to be good every other year, it might be best to wait until next year and see if he's performing better. Plus I'm still not 100% sold on Wellington Castillo being an everyday catcher.

[SouthSideRyan]

You'd have to be one hell of a believer in Welington Castillo's 125 PAs this season. Yes, he's tearing the cover off the ball at AAA, but he's also coming off a season where he OBPd 317. Sure Geo did the same thing when he repeated as a 24 year old, but we're really really lucky that happened. You can't bank on that happening again. I'm all for Castillo being on the big league roster next year, but not at the expense of Soto.

[champaignchris]

Reposted from elsewhere, but it applies still.

 

Can Geo be a valuable part of the next contending Cubs team? Yes. Will he be overpaid or prohibitively expensive? No. Do we have someone who already can provide similar value for the position? No. Is Geo likely to have more trade value than actual value due to an abysmal start this year? No. Does it make a whole lot of sense to explore trading Soto away? Not really.

 

Right. If someone offers you someone who can be a starter for a few years at a position of need that would be harder to fill than the catcher spot, then you'd consider the deal. I can't off the top of my head think what that position would be or who you'd get, but it would have to be part of a major deal that would significantly alter the makeup of the team. Something like: Soto plus other MLB players plus prospects for all-star and another player.

[Guest]

Yeah, if you're trading Soto for David Wright, that's one thing. Trading him to more or less get rid of him because he's inconsistent/we aren't going to be good this year/etc. isn't going to get you the value you need to justify moving a player of his caliber.

[jersey cubs fan]

July isn't too far away and with this team going nowhere it's time to start thinking seriously about who should be moved at the deadline. One of the guys I would like to see shopped is Soto. Since catching is at a premium I think the former rookie of the year might fetch a pretty good prospect or two in return. Thoughts?

 

A pretty good prospect or two would be a terrible return on Soto.

[davearm2]

Given his struggles, I don't think he'd get as much as he's probably worth.

Given his struggles, maybe we need to be more realistic about what he's actually worth.

 

I thought it was telling that SI did a short article about young MLB catchers in the wake of the Posey stuff and Mauer coming back off the DL, and nowhere was Soto mentioned. Guys like Chris Iannetta and Jonathan Lucroy were, though.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1187111/index.htm

[mul21]

Given his struggles, I don't think he'd get as much as he's probably worth.

Given his struggles, maybe we need to be more realistic about what he's actually worth.

 

I thought it was telling that SI did a short article about young MLB catchers in the wake of the Posey stuff and Mauer coming back off the DL, and nowhere was Soto mentioned. Guys like Chris Iannetta and Jonathan Lucroy were, though.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1187111/index.htm

 

I think it's telling that the guy who wrote it didn't do much research on young MLB catchers to not include a guy who was recently the NL rookie of the year and certainly hasn't completely disappeared since then.

[Guest]

The blurb was about "several young catchers are staying in the lineup and playing well". He's had a poor first half so obviously he's not going to be included. Even then, if we're going to let Joe Sheehan and less than 200 PA's this year outweigh what Soto has done in his other 1400 PA's, count me out.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Given his struggles, I don't think he'd get as much as he's probably worth.

Given his struggles, maybe we need to be more realistic about what he's actually worth.

 

I thought it was telling that SI did a short article about young MLB catchers in the wake of the Posey stuff and Mauer coming back off the DL, and nowhere was Soto mentioned. Guys like Chris Iannetta and Jonathan Lucroy were, though.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1187111/index.htm

There's nothing "telling" about that at all.

[jersey cubs fan]

It needs to be said again, for his career his line is:

 

.262/.355/.459

 

That is an OPS over 800, and takes in the best of times and worst of times of his career. His bad years represent tolerable seasons for a catcher. His good years have been terrific. His career has been very good.

[abohnhoff]

As many have said, I just dont believe there is much of a market for Soto. Seems too much up and down for someone who is supposed to be a reliable offensive contributor.

 

I would be more interested in finding a suitor for Marmol. He just doesnt seem as crisp as he has in seasons past, and an All-Star closer is nearly impossible to find near the trade deadline. I would be confident in Cashner taking over his role later in the season.

[SouthSideRyan]

Cashner becoming a closer is probably my #1 reason to not trade Marmol.

[Bote McBoteface]

I can probably get behind trading Marmol and having Wood close for us until he retires. I can't really get behind Cashner going to the bullpen.

 

Really, really wouldn't like trading Soto.

[Guest]

Cashner becoming a closer is probably my #1 reason to not trade Marmol.

 

I'm coming around on it a little, but the more I think about it the more I just get upset that he had to get hurt when he did.

[jersey cubs fan]

Cashner becoming a closer is probably my #1 reason to not trade Marmol.

 

I'm coming around on it a little, but the more I think about it the more I just get upset that he had to get hurt when he did.

 

What is his status? Is there hope he returns this year?

[Guest]

Cashner becoming a closer is probably my #1 reason to not trade Marmol.

 

I'm coming around on it a little, but the more I think about it the more I just get upset that he had to get hurt when he did.

 

What is his status? Is there hope he returns this year?

 

Top of my head, I haven't heard anything since they put him on the 60-day DL. It's almost irrelevant if he comes back this year for me, since he'll need his workload closely monitored as a SP next year no matter what, so it'll be 2013 before we could really make him a part of the rotation without needing a strong contingency.

[davearm2]

It needs to be said again, for his career his line is:

 

.262/.355/.459

 

That is an OPS over 800, and takes in the best of times and worst of times of his career. His bad years represent tolerable seasons for a catcher. His good years have been terrific. His career has been very good.

Looking at the career line seems pretty unhelpful with a guy like Soto. Like you said, he's been either tolerable or terrific (or hurt). He's never had a season that's simply good. It's always been well above or well below that.

 

One would have to imagine that such extreme volatility would lower his value to other teams.

[jersey cubs fan]

It needs to be said again, for his career his line is:

 

.262/.355/.459

 

That is an OPS over 800, and takes in the best of times and worst of times of his career. His bad years represent tolerable seasons for a catcher. His good years have been terrific. His career has been very good.

Looking at the career line seems pretty unhelpful with a guy like Soto. Like you said, he's been either tolerable or terrific (or hurt). He's never had a season that's simply good. It's always been well above or well below that.

 

One would have to imagine that such extreme volatility would lower his value to other teams.

 

That doesn't make any sense. He's either been terrific or tolerable. It's not like he has abysmal seasons. You have the stability of not sucking with the upside of greatness.

 

Also, getting hurt comes with the territory if you are a catcher.

Edited June 21, 2011 by jersey cubs fan

[Guest]

Soto has had seasons of 3.7 WAR, 1.2, 3.0, and this year is on pace for 2.5 or so. He's a catcher, he needs to be a lot worse than his lows have been to be "awful".

[abuck1220]

It needs to be said again, for his career his line is:

 

.262/.355/.459

 

That is an OPS over 800, and takes in the best of times and worst of times of his career. His bad years represent tolerable seasons for a catcher. His good years have been terrific. His career has been very good.

Looking at the career line seems pretty unhelpful with a guy like Soto. Like you said, he's been either tolerable or terrific (or hurt). He's never had a season that's simply good. It's always been well above or well below that.

 

One would have to imagine that such extreme volatility would lower his value to other teams.

 

man, you are never right.

[abuck1220]

but yeah, the cubs could DEFINITELY trade soto for jonathan lucroy if that's what you're suggesting.

[Little Slide Rooter]

It is a tempting thought, depending on the return. The question is, if Castillo fails, is Steve Clevenger enough of a safety net to save us from Koyie Hill? Theres also Luis Flores whose been great in limited PT for AA (37 AB 5 HR .405/.500/.919/1.419) After than that, its a sharp dip to Mike Brenly and a few years before we figure out what could become of Micah Gibbs.