Trading Soriano

[Little Slide Rooter]

Just curious, if you could get Travis Snider for Soriano, with us picking up 90% of the contract, do you pull the trigger?

 

A month ago? In a heartbeat. The way Soriano's playing now, I'd take Snider as the key piece, but try to get something tossed in. We could also expand the deal.

 

They do need pitching. It's a shame that Volstad and Wells both insisted on being God awful instead of settling for bad. Maholm could appeal to them, but the way he's been pitching for us, that 6 mil team option will be a hell of a value, especially considering that we'll likely have to spring for two additional starting pitchers. There's not a single guy in our system, at least the upper levels, that I'm sold on as a big league stater. Struck's the closest, but I wouldn't expect to see him before next September at the earliest.

 

Nobody is giving up anything of value for Soriano. He's on a nice streak right now but he does that from time to time.

 

Define "of value". We won't be getting anything from the top 100. Probably not from anyone's top 10. However, if we could get a reclamation type like Travis Snider or Brian Matusz plus a raw but intriguing low level prospect, that's really not an unreasonable expectation if we eat the bulk of his salary.

 

In that case, whoever gets him gets the rest of this season as well as the next two to decide what they want to do with him, and. 37-38 year old with bad knees would be better off in the AL for obvious reasons. This season he's been more productive between hot streaks than the past 3 and his defense is improved.

[UK1679666180]

I'd rather wait and let him finish the year and hopes he continues to hits well the rest of the year.

 

He has little trade value right now with that contract. My hope is that he hits well the rest of the way and puts up the best numbers he has in a Cubs uniform to hopefully increase his value going into next season (luckily the FA class is very weak). That would be more valuable than trading him right now, IMO.

 

I would do the same with Marmol as well, he had the one bad outing prior to yesterday but he had been solid in about his last 10 or so.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'd rather wait and let him finish the year and hopes he continues to hits well the rest of the year.

 

He has little trade value right now with that contract. My hope is that he hits well the rest of the way and puts up the best numbers he has in a Cubs uniform to hopefully increase his value going into next season (luckily the FA class is very weak). That would be more valuable than trading him right now, IMO.

 

I would do the same with Marmol as well, he had the one bad outing prior to yesterday but he had been solid in about his last 10 or so.

 

Eh, he's had a few good games, but several were similarly stressful like yesterday, where he managed to escape despite putting two guys on base and coming this close to giving up a game-tying home run.

[Little Slide Rooter]

His trade value will never go up. Contract or not, he's a little too close to the southernmost border of 40. As long as he's around and somewhat productive his value will always be whatever a team in need for his services is willing to pay.

 

Every year, teams give 1 year deals or minor league deals with an invite to guys like Matsui, Manny, and Vlad. If he were a FA this coming winter, that's what he'd be looking at. We just need to hope that a win now contender wants a big bat because by the Winter, many of them would just as soon give 3-5 mil to Andruw Jones.

[UK1679666180]

I'd rather wait and let him finish the year and hopes he continues to hits well the rest of the year.

 

He has little trade value right now with that contract. My hope is that he hits well the rest of the way and puts up the best numbers he has in a Cubs uniform to hopefully increase his value going into next season (luckily the FA class is very weak). That would be more valuable than trading him right now, IMO.

 

I would do the same with Marmol as well, he had the one bad outing prior to yesterday but he had been solid in about his last 10 or so.

 

Eh, he's had a few good games, but several were similarly stressful like yesterday, where he managed to escape despite putting two guys on base and coming this close to giving up a game-tying home run.

 

His velo is up to 95 again and his slider has been better, he'll cont. to have poor control but his numbers have been better since mid-June even with his Mitch Williams syndrome. I'm glad his K ratio is back to where it was when he was an all-star as it has been for about the last month.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'd rather wait and let him finish the year and hopes he continues to hits well the rest of the year.

 

He has little trade value right now with that contract. My hope is that he hits well the rest of the way and puts up the best numbers he has in a Cubs uniform to hopefully increase his value going into next season (luckily the FA class is very weak). That would be more valuable than trading him right now, IMO.

 

I would do the same with Marmol as well, he had the one bad outing prior to yesterday but he had been solid in about his last 10 or so.

 

Eh, he's had a few good games, but several were similarly stressful like yesterday, where he managed to escape despite putting two guys on base and coming this close to giving up a game-tying home run.

 

His velo is up to 95 again and his slider has been better, he'll cont. to have poor control but his numbers have been better since mid-June even with his Mitch Williams syndrome. I'm glad his K ratio is back to where it was when he was an all-star as it has been for about the last month.

 

He's definitely shown improvement, but he's got a nasty contract plus a sustained period of mediocrity or worse to go along with a really violent delivery. Ideally, yes, I hope he can keep up what he's been doing until the offseason...I just have my doubts he'll be able to.

[UK1679666180]

I'd rather wait and let him finish the year and hopes he continues to hits well the rest of the year.

 

He has little trade value right now with that contract. My hope is that he hits well the rest of the way and puts up the best numbers he has in a Cubs uniform to hopefully increase his value going into next season (luckily the FA class is very weak). That would be more valuable than trading him right now, IMO.

 

I would do the same with Marmol as well, he had the one bad outing prior to yesterday but he had been solid in about his last 10 or so.

 

Eh, he's had a few good games, but several were similarly stressful like yesterday, where he managed to escape despite putting two guys on base and coming this close to giving up a game-tying home run.

 

His velo is up to 95 again and his slider has been better, he'll cont. to have poor control but his numbers have been better since mid-June even with his Mitch Williams syndrome. I'm glad his K ratio is back to where it was when he was an all-star as it has been for about the last month.

 

He's definitely shown improvement, but he's got a nasty contract plus a sustained period of mediocrity or worse to go along with a really violent delivery. Ideally, yes, I hope he can keep up what he's been doing until the offseason...I just have my doubts he'll be able to.

 

It's definitely not certain but unless they call up Cabrera, they have no other option and they have nothing to lose as far as him closing out the rest if the way. It's better than nothing and nothing is about where his trade value currently is.

[Sammy Sofa]

Oh, I'm not arguing against him closing; I'm just not optimistic that he'll be very appealing as part of a trade.

[UK1679666180]

Oh, I'm not arguing against him closing; I'm just not optimistic that he'll be very appealing as part of a trade.

 

With that contract and his inconsistency, it'll take some amazing production and extended time to build up his trade value. The Cubs would have eat that contract regardless, but it's more about the quality of prospect in return at this point compared to right now where even if they did eat the contract, they wouldn't get much. Although, I'm still surprised how teams foolishly allocate money towards closers (Bell and Papelbon*) year after year.

 

*Papelbon is pitching ok (2nd worst #s of his career) but doing so for a last place team.

[Guest]

I'd rather wait and let him finish the year and hopes he continues to hits well the rest of the year.

 

He has little trade value right now with that contract. My hope is that he hits well the rest of the way and puts up the best numbers he has in a Cubs uniform to hopefully increase his value going into next season (luckily the FA class is very weak). That would be more valuable than trading him right now, IMO.

 

I would do the same with Marmol as well, he had the one bad outing prior to yesterday but he had been solid in about his last 10 or so.

For the acquiring team, Soriano is basically signed to a two year deal worth a total of $2M. He's a great bargain at that price and should have solid value.

 

The contract is pretty much irrelevant to the acquiring team.

[Banedon]

I wonder at this point if Soriano just has a stigma attached to him around the league somehow.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I wonder at this point if Soriano just has a stigma attached to him around the league somehow.

 

There are several possibilities

 

-While it's been said that we're willing to eat a big chink of salary, perhaps not enough to get the return that would make it worth while. It would probably take us eating 95%, or at least 90% of his remaining salary in order to get a return that would make it worth paying as much as we'd end up paying him to play elsewhere or

 

-The fact that it's been so heavily stated that we're agressively trying to move him, other teams may feel as though they have leverage , and while there may have been some decent offers,we'd rather wait until the deadline to hope that interest picks up unless someone gives a great offer.

 

-they could be waiting for the right time to put him thriough waivers in hopes that someone's crazy enough to put in a claim, and if not, try to trade him one he clears.

[Banedon]

Ok. Not sure what that has to do with my post, but cool.

[dew1679666265]

I wonder at this point if Soriano just has a stigma attached to him around the league somehow.

 

I think it's entirely feasible that GMs and other "baseball people" are still hung up on Soriano's reputation (albatross contract, old, bad) and simply won't accept that he's apparently a different player now. It's the same idea as people still assuming that Jeter is a great defensive SS now because he was 5 years ago, whether he really is now or not.

 

When you get a reputation, either good or bad, it's really hard to get rid of it and I think you're probably right that that's having a negative impact on getting interest in Soriano.

[UMFan83]

I wonder at this point if Soriano just has a stigma attached to him around the league somehow.

 

There are several possibilities

 

-While it's been said that we're willing to eat a big chink of salary, perhaps not enough to get the return that would make it worth while. It would probably take us eating 95%, or at least 90% of his remaining salary in order to get a return that would make it worth paying as much as we'd end up paying him to play elsewhere or

 

-The fact that it's been so heavily stated that we're agressively trying to move him, other teams may feel as though they have leverage , and while there may have been some decent offers,we'd rather wait until the deadline to hope that interest picks up unless someone gives a great offer.

 

-they could be waiting for the right time to put him thriough waivers in hopes that someone's crazy enough to put in a claim, and if not, try to trade him one he clears.

 

Dammit to whoever already used the 'in conclusion, Libya is a land of contrast' joke recently.

[apete6]

Any way the Rays would include a soon to be making a lot of money BJ Upton in a deal if the Cubs ate a lot of the Soriano salary?

[Sammy Sofa]

Not a [expletive] chance in the world.

[Guest]

I wonder at this point if Soriano just has a stigma attached to him around the league somehow.

 

I think it's entirely feasible that GMs and other "baseball people" are still hung up on Soriano's reputation (albatross contract, old, bad) and simply won't accept that he's apparently a different player now. It's the same idea as people still assuming that Jeter is a great defensive SS now because he was 5 years ago, whether he really is now or not.

 

When you get a reputation, either good or bad, it's really hard to get rid of it and I think you're probably right that that's having a negative impact on getting interest in Soriano.

 

I brought it up on the last page and completely agree. They assume he's a certai type of player without actually looking at the numbers to see how he's doing this year.

[Guest]

I wonder at this point if Soriano just has a stigma attached to him around the league somehow.

 

I think it's entirely feasible that GMs and other "baseball people" are still hung up on Soriano's reputation (albatross contract, old, bad) and simply won't accept that he's apparently a different player now. It's the same idea as people still assuming that Jeter is a great defensive SS now because he was 5 years ago, whether he really is now or not.

 

When you get a reputation, either good or bad, it's really hard to get rid of it and I think you're probably right that that's having a negative impact on getting interest in Soriano.

He's not a different player. He's has no upside. If a team can get him for next to nothing I'm sure they will. However, they won't be giving anything back. At this point he might be more valuable to the Cubs than to anyone else.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Ok. Not sure what that has to do with my post, but cool.

 

I don't know why Soriano would have a stigma, so we're even.

[Banedon]

Ok. Not sure what that has to do with my post, but cool.

 

I don't know why Soriano would have a stigma, so we're even.

 

Dew addressed it pretty well, so it's ok. Don't stress.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I wonder at this point if Soriano just has a stigma attached to him around the league somehow.

 

I think it's entirely feasible that GMs and other "baseball people" are still hung up on Soriano's reputation (albatross contract, old, bad) and simply won't accept that he's apparently a different player now. It's the same idea as people still assuming that Jeter is a great defensive SS now because he was 5 years ago, whether he really is now or not.

 

When you get a reputation, either good or bad, it's really hard to get rid of it and I think you're probably right that that's having a negative impact on getting interest in Soriano.

 

I brought it up on the last page and completely agree. They assume he's a certai type of player without actually looking at the numbers to see how he's doing this year.

 

It's one thing for fans to think that way, but I simply can't imagine that big league GMs think that way, especially those actively perusing offense. If columnists are taking note of his defensive improvements, scouts are too, thus it's being passed on to their GMs.

[Guest]

I wonder at this point if Soriano just has a stigma attached to him around the league somehow.

 

I think it's entirely feasible that GMs and other "baseball people" are still hung up on Soriano's reputation (albatross contract, old, bad) and simply won't accept that he's apparently a different player now. It's the same idea as people still assuming that Jeter is a great defensive SS now because he was 5 years ago, whether he really is now or not.

 

When you get a reputation, either good or bad, it's really hard to get rid of it and I think you're probably right that that's having a negative impact on getting interest in Soriano.

He's not a different player. He's has no upside. If a team can get him for next to nothing I'm sure they will. However, they won't be giving anything back. At this point he might be more valuable to the Cubs than to anyone else.

 

A guy posting an .830 OPS and being paid as little as would be left after what the Cubs would reportedly be willing to pay definitely has value.

[Guest]

I have to agree with LLF/WSR/SCS on this one. I find it hard to believe that teams aren't looking into Soriano because of some stigma and are unaware of his performance.

[Banedon]

I have to agree with LLF/WSR/SCS on this one. I find it hard to believe that teams aren't looking into Soriano because of some stigma and are unaware of his performance.

 

This is obviously an extreme example, but teams certainly passed on Barry Bonds because of a stigma. He'd have certainly played longer based on performance.

 

We see guys signed on a positive reputation that has no basis in numbers all the time. Neifi Perez had a career based on it. If GM's pay attention to positive reputations like that, I think it's possible that a negative one could influence them as well.