Re: What would you deal Garza for?

[KingCubsFan]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

Do we even know who the actual contenders are? What about the Rangers? And as of right now, the future is certainly brighter in Toronto and Washington than it is here.

[KingCubsFan]

In the real world, probably the only way you're getting Fielder is by doing your best to put a contender on the field this year, and that would have necessitated overpaying for other free agents.

 

Or by offering him the best contract. You think Prince has eliminated Seattle and the Cubs from consideration because they're going to be bad next year?

No, but he probably would prefer to play for a winner. That's why I said one of ways to get him would be to overpay.

 

You don't have to convince him to come to baseball Siberia. It's Chicago, and the Cubs. It's Wrigley Field. He has a chance to play here for several years, win during that timeframe and maintain his value for a second free agent contract in his 30's.

If I were trying to convince someone to play for the Cubs, Wrigley Field would be the last thing I'd mention.

[toonsterwu]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

 

Uh ... I'd challenge the notion that the Nationals are unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012. Not saying they will, but that's a very strong team ... without Fielder/Harper/Rendon. Add in the system to make trades, and I think their chances of making the playoffs are as good as most of the perceived top teams in the majors.

[mookie]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

 

Uh ... I'd challenge the notion that the Nationals are unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012. Not saying they will, but that's a very strong team ... without Fielder/Harper/Rendon. Add in the system to make trades, and I think their chances of making the playoffs are as good as most of the perceived top teams in the majors.

 

Exactly. It is pretty interesting seeing nonrecognition of the talent their 25 man squad exhibits. Even in the NL East, this is a team that can and will surprise barring any major setbacks on the injury front.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

 

Uh ... I'd challenge the notion that the Nationals are unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012. Not saying they will, but that's a very strong team ... without Fielder/Harper/Rendon. Add in the system to make trades, and I think their chances of making the playoffs are as good as most of the perceived top teams in the majors.

 

Exactly. It is pretty interesting seeing nonrecognition of the talent their 25 man squad exhibits. Even in the NL East, this is a team that can and will surprise barring any major setbacks on the injury front.

Barring any setbacks, they could still easily finish 4th in their division.

[Guest]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

 

Uh ... I'd challenge the notion that the Nationals are unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012. Not saying they will, but that's a very strong team ... without Fielder/Harper/Rendon. Add in the system to make trades, and I think their chances of making the playoffs are as good as most of the perceived top teams in the majors.

 

I have a hard time seeing the Nationals in the Top 2 of a group that includes Atlanta, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Washington, and probably a team from the West as well.

[mookie]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

 

Uh ... I'd challenge the notion that the Nationals are unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012. Not saying they will, but that's a very strong team ... without Fielder/Harper/Rendon. Add in the system to make trades, and I think their chances of making the playoffs are as good as most of the perceived top teams in the majors.

 

Exactly. It is pretty interesting seeing nonrecognition of the talent their 25 man squad exhibits. Even in the NL East, this is a team that can and will surprise barring any major setbacks on the injury front.

Barring any setbacks, they could still easily finish 4th in their division.

 

We can play this game all day long, but it wouldn't be a shock to see them finish ahead of Philly, Miami, and Atlanta. They stack up very comparably to all three.

[jersey cubs fan]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

Do we even know who the actual contenders are? What about the Rangers? And as of right now, the future is certainly brighter in Toronto and Washington than it is here.

 

Toronto's future lies in trying to outpace the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays.

[bukie]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

 

Uh ... I'd challenge the notion that the Nationals are unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012. Not saying they will, but that's a very strong team ... without Fielder/Harper/Rendon. Add in the system to make trades, and I think their chances of making the playoffs are as good as most of the perceived top teams in the majors.

 

I have a hard time seeing the Nationals in the Top 2 of a group that includes Atlanta, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Washington, and probably a team from the West as well.

Their odds are better with the two chances you give them, though... ;)

[XZero771679666304]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

 

Uh ... I'd challenge the notion that the Nationals are unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012. Not saying they will, but that's a very strong team ... without Fielder/Harper/Rendon. Add in the system to make trades, and I think their chances of making the playoffs are as good as most of the perceived top teams in the majors.

 

I have a hard time seeing the Nationals in the Top 2 of a group that includes Atlanta, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Washington, and probably a team from the West as well.

 

Particularly playing in the East. The wild cards stand a good chance of coming from the Central and West because the bottom of those divisions are so weak. Making the WC in the East is a much tougher road. The Mets are the only team in that division that isn't going to be fairly good.

[jersey cubs fan]

is the extra wild card thing officially in place for 2012?

[mookie]

is the extra wild card thing officially in place for 2012?

 

I believe it will be decided in March.

[huff]

well if you believe dombrowski(which i dont :) garza to detroit aint happening... would like to see the rockies tied to garza..they got a couple of young arms in white and pomeranz ( ptbnl comes into play) i would like to build around...throw in seth smith and trade soriano for a bag of navel lint. outfield of: LF-smith RF-Dejesus CF-Byrd.

 

move byrd to wash or atlanta for specs and insert dejesus into CF and Bjaxx in Rf. pretty decent of defense and solid lefty bats to build around.

 

White and pomeranz would look nice in our rotation for a few years..just a thought...flame away

[pccubfan]

snip

 

But if you add a Fielder, Cespedes and trade Garza for a package of elite prospects this year, then add a top of the rotation guy and a mid-rotation guy in FA next offseason, this team could definitely compete in 2013 and still be ready to dominate in 2014 and beyond.

 

As a side note first, if you add Fielder/Cespedes (and I'm really not for a Cespedes signing), I would think that you would keep Garza and try to find another big bat in the winter of 2012 to compete in 2013.

 

Without knowing what the rest of this hypothetical situation involves, I'd note that

 

- Adding a top and mid-rotation arm in one off-season is easier said than done with the rising number of teams with money to spend and the general demand for pitching throughout. It's possibly doable next off-season, but tough.

 

- the lineup is a Fielder/Cespedes away. I'm still concerned about finding a better top of the order guy, and another big bat is needed.

 

- this somewhat presumes that Cespedes is going to be ... good.

 

Are there ways to open the window earlier? Sure, but it'd take a massive dump truck of money to make it happen, and it assumes that we'd be able to outbid everyone else without going into silly numbers, which is a debatable notion.

 

Ok wait until 2015 and see if the drafts have panned out. I'm probably not going to be too interested in following them in the mean time but there seems to be a good number of people on the board that will be.

[SouthSideRyan]

[expletive], the Nationals are not going to finish ahead of the [expletive] Phillies.

[bukie]

[expletive], the Nationals are not going to finish ahead of the [expletive] Phillies.

Who are you arguing with?

[SouthSideRyan]

[expletive], the Nationals are not going to finish ahead of the [expletive] Phillies.

Who are you arguing with?

 

We can play this game all day long, but it wouldn't be a shock to see them finish ahead of Philly, Miami, and Atlanta. They stack up very comparably to all three.

[mookie]

[expletive], the Nationals are not going to finish ahead of the [expletive] Phillies.

Who are you arguing with?

 

We can play this game all day long, but it wouldn't be a shock to see them finish ahead of Philly, Miami, and Atlanta. They stack up very comparably to all three.

 

Honestly, it could easily happen.

[Rob]

The Nats as they are currently constructed are a stretch to compete next year. But they're supposedly still pretty active, so that roster may look quite a bit better before the start of the season.

 

Morse can cover one of 1B/LF. Werth can handle CF/RF. And Espinosa can handle one of 2B/SS. They're set at C and 3B.

 

So they need 3 new position players, their starting staff to stay healthy and effective, and at least one additional bullpen arm. Yeah, they can maybe fill 2B and RF internally... but it'll be tough.

[XZero771679666304]

The Nats as they are currently constructed are a stretch to compete next year. But they're supposedly still pretty active, so that roster may look quite a bit better before the start of the season.

 

Morse can cover one of 1B/LF. Werth can handle CF/RF. And Espinosa can handle one of 2B/SS. They're set at C and 3B.

 

So they need 3 new position players, their starting staff to stay healthy and effective, and at least one additional bullpen arm. Yeah, they can maybe fill 2B and RF internally... but it'll be tough.

 

Things would have to break really well for it to happen. Adding Fielder would be a significant boon.

[Rob]

The Nats as they are currently constructed are a stretch to compete next year. But they're supposedly still pretty active, so that roster may look quite a bit better before the start of the season.

 

Morse can cover one of 1B/LF. Werth can handle CF/RF. And Espinosa can handle one of 2B/SS. They're set at C and 3B.

 

So they need 3 new position players, their starting staff to stay healthy and effective, and at least one additional bullpen arm. Yeah, they can maybe fill 2B and RF internally... but it'll be tough.

 

Things would have to break really well for it to happen. Adding Fielder would be a significant boon.

 

Yeah, they pretty clearly have the most incentive to be major players for him.

[toonsterwu]

The competition for Fielder features nothing but teams unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012.

 

Uh ... I'd challenge the notion that the Nationals are unlikely to make the playoffs in 2012. Not saying they will, but that's a very strong team ... without Fielder/Harper/Rendon. Add in the system to make trades, and I think their chances of making the playoffs are as good as most of the perceived top teams in the majors.

 

I have a hard time seeing the Nationals in the Top 2 of a group that includes Atlanta, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Washington, and probably a team from the West as well.

 

I'll be honest, I don't. Now, I'm not saying I'm locking them in. I'm just saying I don't have a hard time seeing it. I'm not in love with the Braves lineup, and their farm isn't going to allow them to make any big trades midseason unless they part with a young arm. Milwaukee - let me see how things shake out there. Cincinnati/Philly look dangerous.

 

I'm not saying they will finish that high, but with a strong roster and a strong system, plus an owner willing to spend, I don't have any trouble seeing them, say, win the NL East perhaps.

[toonsterwu]

The Nats as they are currently constructed are a stretch to compete next year. But they're supposedly still pretty active, so that roster may look quite a bit better before the start of the season.

 

Morse can cover one of 1B/LF. Werth can handle CF/RF. And Espinosa can handle one of 2B/SS. They're set at C and 3B.

 

So they need 3 new position players, their starting staff to stay healthy and effective, and at least one additional bullpen arm. Yeah, they can maybe fill 2B and RF internally... but it'll be tough.

 

I don't know if they need that much. Desmond was markedly better down the stretch last year and there's a belief that he's made tangible improvements. They don't need him to be anything more than a usable 7th/8th hitter who is steady with the glove. I think they'll land Fielder, but it's easy to forget that LaRoche is a decent starting first baseman who has spurts of productivity. If they really went into the season with a rotation of LaRoche/Marrero, I don't think it's going to be all that calamitous, and both are solid defensively.

 

I do believe they need a top of the order bat, preferably in CF. I'm not that concerned about the pen - few teams have really top shelf middle relief, on paper, at the start of the year, and they have enough arms to rotate in there. As long as Clippard/Storen are fine, I think their pen will be solid to good. Espinosa should get better, Ramos should get a bit better as well. I tend to think, their lineup, if they added a top of the order bat, would be fairly good as is right now, sans Fielder.

 

Anyhow, this can go back and forth.

[Clem Fandango]

There's also that Bryce Harper guy who might be contributing next year, too

[toonsterwu]

There's also that Bryce Harper guy who might be contributing next year, too

 

There's speculation that he may start the year in Washington if he has a strong spring. I doubt it, but the Nats aren't going to be afraid to start the clock on him.