Heyman - Cubs looking to eat "big bucks" to trade Z or Sori

[David]

SI_JonHeyman Jon Heyman

#cubs offering to pay big bucks to trade zambrano or soriano. Says rival: "they'd have to pay 95 pct." #tradedeadline

17 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

[MSG T]

SI_JonHeyman Jon Heyman

#cubs offering to pay big bucks to trade zambrano or soriano. Says rival: "they'd have to pay 95 pct." #tradedeadline

17 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

 

 

They pay 95% they better get a least one stud prospect and a couple of other good ones to even consider it. And I'm not sure I would even then.

[BeerHere]

SI_JonHeyman Jon Heyman

#cubs offering to pay big bucks to trade zambrano or soriano. Says rival: "they'd have to pay 95 pct." #tradedeadline

17 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

For Soriano I wouldn't expect much back even if they eat the majority of the deal. For Zambrano, if they are picking up a significant portion they better get an excellent prospect or two back.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Z may not be the ace hes paid to be, but all the same, a middle of the rotation pitcher, which is what he is is probably more valuable than whatever we get for him if were still eating 95% of his salary.

 

Even with Soriano, hes probably more valuable even as a bench bat than getting a pile of junk and still eating 95%.

[dew1679666265]

I don't think I'd trade either if I had to eat more than 50% of the remaining deal - certainly not Z, probably not Soriano. Really good prospects coming back would make it more palatable in the Z deal.

[KingCubsFan]

I don't think I'd trade either if I had to eat more than 50% of the remaining deal - certainly not Z, probably not Soriano. Really good prospects coming back would make it more palatable in the Z deal.

You wouldn't trade Soriano even if we ate 60%? That would save over $20 million over the next few years.

[BeerHere]

Waivers might be a better option for Soriano. This is pure speculation but a fringe team from a large market might be willing to block him from a team higher in the standings.

[fromthestretch]

Waivers might be a better option for Soriano. This is pure speculation but a fringe team from a large market might be willing to block him from a team higher in the standings.

 

I can't see how any team would risk having to take on that entire contract just to block some other team from getting Soriano.

[BeerHere]

Waivers might be a better option for Soriano. This is pure speculation but a fringe team from a large market might be willing to block him from a team higher in the standings.

 

I can't see any team risk having to take on that entire contract just to block some other team from getting Soriano.

The WSox picked up Rios and his huge deal. I don't think that was to block anyone but it is possible. Maybe a team looking for a DH or something. I'm not saying anything like this is going to happen but it seems slightly more possible than an outright trade before the deadline. Again, pure speculation on my part.

[BeerHere]

I don't think I'd trade either if I had to eat more than 50% of the remaining deal - certainly not Z, probably not Soriano. Really good prospects coming back would make it more palatable in the Z deal.

You wouldn't trade Soriano even if we ate 60%? That would save over $20 million over the next few years.

I would...without thinking twice about it.

[fromthestretch]

Waivers might be a better option for Soriano. This is pure speculation but a fringe team from a large market might be willing to block him from a team higher in the standings.

 

I can't see any team risk having to take on that entire contract just to block some other team from getting Soriano.

The WSox picked up Rios and his huge deal. I don't think that was to block anyone but it is possible. Maybe a team looking for a DH or something. I'm not saying anything like this is going to happen but it seems slightly more possible than an outright trade before the deadline. Again, pure speculation on my part.

 

Rios was 28, and had put up pretty good numbers for a CF (even though Toronto had him primarily playing a corner) for three straight seasons prior to that one.

 

Soriano is 35, has battled injuries the past few seasons, no longer runs well, and has a reputation as a defensive liability (although he's not quite as bad as some perceive).

[dew1679666265]

I don't think I'd trade either if I had to eat more than 50% of the remaining deal - certainly not Z, probably not Soriano. Really good prospects coming back would make it more palatable in the Z deal.

You wouldn't trade Soriano even if we ate 60%? That would save over $20 million over the next few years.

 

The problem is, we'd have around $7 million extra over each of the next 3 years, but most (or all) of that would go into replacing him. There's not much in the minors or free agency that's going to be better than Soriano for the money we'd free up.

 

That said, I wouldn't flat out oppose trading him at 60% value but I'd hesitate a lot.

[UMFan83]

SI_JonHeyman Jon Heyman

#cubs offering to pay big bucks to trade zambrano or soriano. Says rival: "they'd have to pay 95 pct." #tradedeadline

17 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

For Soriano I wouldn't expect much back even if they eat the majority of the deal. For Zambrano, if they are picking up a significant portion they better get an excellent prospect or two back.

 

For Soriano its a matter of paying $68 million over 4 years for a starting corner OF to give you a .730 OPS and sub .300 OBP, or paying $60 million + cost of a replacement to actually perform adequately at his job and a token prospect with mild upside.

[KingCubsFan]

I don't think I'd trade either if I had to eat more than 50% of the remaining deal - certainly not Z, probably not Soriano. Really good prospects coming back would make it more palatable in the Z deal.

You wouldn't trade Soriano even if we ate 60%? That would save over $20 million over the next few years.

 

The problem is, we'd have around $7 million extra over each of the next 3 years, but most (or all) of that would go into replacing him. There's not much in the minors or free agency that's going to be better than Soriano for the money we'd free up.

 

That said, I wouldn't flat out oppose trading him at 60% value but I'd hesitate a lot.

Given Soriano's year and likely continued regression, it will take a LOT less than $7 million to replace him.

[UMFan83]

I don't think I'd trade either if I had to eat more than 50% of the remaining deal - certainly not Z, probably not Soriano. Really good prospects coming back would make it more palatable in the Z deal.

You wouldn't trade Soriano even if we ate 60%? That would save over $20 million over the next few years.

 

The problem is, we'd have around $7 million extra over each of the next 3 years, but most (or all) of that would go into replacing him. There's not much in the minors or free agency that's going to be better than Soriano for the money we'd free up.

 

That said, I wouldn't flat out oppose trading him at 60% value but I'd hesitate a lot.

 

Who cares if that $7 mil goes towards replacing him, either we pay $68 million for Soriano or $68 million for a likely younger and better option. There are 37 qualified corner OFs in baseball right now, and Soriano has the 28th highest OPS, and the 2nd worst OBP (only Carl Crawford at .283 is worse than Soriano's .287)

 

So you are looking at one of the probably 5 worst corner OFs in baseball, especially when you factor in defense (although I'm not sure how Soriano has fared this year). 7 million could easily give us better production there.

[SouthSideRyan]

That 68M number is way off. After this season, we owe him 3/54.

[CUBZ99]

If the Cubs plan on releasing him at the end of the year anyways, why not try to get as much salary relief as possible? Even if it is only a few million in savings?

 

I'm more concerned about giving Zambrano away. He could actually be useful throughout the remainder of his contract, with the remote possibility that he returns to ace/semi-ace form.

[BeerHere]

If the Cubs plan on releasing him at the end of the year anyways, why not try to get as much salary relief as possible? Even if it is only a few million in savings?

 

I'm more concerned about giving Zambrano away. He could actually be useful throughout the remainder of his contract, with the remote possibility that he returns to ace/semi-ace form.

I wouldn't hesitate to trade Zambrano provided the return is very good. Giving him away just to get salary relied is not a good approach.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'm more concerned about giving Zambrano away. He could actually be useful throughout the remainder of his contract, with the remote possibility that he returns to ace/semi-ace form.

 

He doesnt need to be anywhere near an ace. As weve learned all year long, middle of the rotation and even solid back of the rotation starting pitchers are very valuable. If we aquire someone like CJ Wilson next year, a rotation of Garza,Wilson,Dempster, Z, Cashner/Wells looks very good.

[hawkeyecub]

Stating the obvious here but if you're trading Z you better only be eating a few mil or getting something really solid in return.

[BeerHere]

I'm more concerned about giving Zambrano away. He could actually be useful throughout the remainder of his contract, with the remote possibility that he returns to ace/semi-ace form.

 

He doesnt need to be anywhere near an ace. As weve learned all year long, middle of the rotation and even solid back of the rotation starting pitchers are very valuable. If we aquire someone like CJ Wilson next year, a rotation of Garza,Wilson,Dempster, Z, Cashner/Wells looks very good.

I didn't realize that Wilson was pitching so well for TX. He's making $3M this year and he's pretty damn good. I can't see TX letting him go but he is in line for a nice payday if he hits the open market.

[PrimeTime]

For Soriano, eat whatever you have to just to get rid of the burden of having him here 3 years and his lousy play at the plate and field. It would be such a breath of fresh air to have him gone and open up that space in the field and lineup to someone else.

[Sammy Sofa]

For Soriano, eat whatever you have to just to get rid of the burden of having him here 3 years and his lousy play at the plate and field. It would be such a breath of fresh air to have him gone and open up that space in the field and lineup to someone else.

 

You realize they can do that without forcing a ridiculously lopsided trade, right?

[Guest]

Stating the obvious here but if you're trading Z you better only be eating a few mil or getting something really solid in return.

 

Seriously. It's not like we're flush with SP right now either.

 

 

As for Soriano, part of me is to the point where I'd just auction him off to whoever paid the most of his salary, give us a PTBNL to make Selig happy. If he's going to struggle to be a 2 win player, then we can do that far cheaper, with more upside, or both.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, it's like night and day in terms of potentially trading these two guys.

 

Can we use this thread as some kind of honeypot? Like anyone who comes in and is all for trading Zambrano just to get rid of him is mercifully banned?