The 2012 Offseason Thread

[Radar3454]

Don't know how reliable the info is, but a couple people over on PSD were vouching for Joeby231 who said we're the leaders for Aledmys Diaz.

 

In increasing order of legitimacy as an insider at PSD:

ABTY

JoeyBY

Marlin Bistro

 

pardon my ignorance - what is PSD? tknx

[Guest]

Don't know how reliable the info is, but a couple people over on PSD were vouching for Joeby231 who said we're the leaders for Aledmys Diaz.

 

In increasing order of legitimacy as an insider at PSD:

ABTY

JoeyBY

Marlin Bistro

 

pardon my ignorance - what is PSD? tknx

 

Pro Sports Daily

 

but, as far as I know, Joey is not on PSD and his comments are just posted over there from somewhere else.

[WrigleyField 22]

I hope we get both as long as neither needs a 40 man spot.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Clem Fandango]

Stating the obvious...

 

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Cubs will consider trade offers for Matt Garza if the righty shows in spring training that his elbow is healthy.

With the signings of Edwin Jackson, Carlos Villanueva, Scott Baker and Scott Feldman, the Cubs suddenly have some rotation depth, which could allow them to deal Garza for help elsewhere. The team has mentioned signing Garza to an extension in the past, but they might decide that getting prospects for him during spring training or at the trade deadline would be the better course of action. The veteran righty is coming back from a stress reaction in his right elbow, but he's been cleared to resume throwing and the Cubs anticipate him being ready for Opening Day.

[craig]

True. That said, I read an article in USATODAY on these two from Friday that didn't exactly paint a glowing picture. According to a writer, neither is as good of a prospect as Leonys Martin. Diaz has average skills across the board. Alvarez had the one good year and has fallen off since. Some teams are even looking at him as a pitcher. On Diaz, the writer said there's no comparison between him and Alexei Ramirez. His agen, Jaime Torres, thinks he could start out in the majors. Of course, that guy said the same thing about Concepcion. Neither is expected to come close to a Puig type deal. Unless I hear better things, Alvarez is off my radar. Diaz? Sure, he'd be a nice add, but with our depth at SS throughout the org, unless we massively overpay, I'd think he'd go to a team he'd have a better chance with.

 

If he's outside the spending cap, I hope we get him. The more the merrier.

 

But agree, "Sure, he'd be a nice add, but...." Clearly he isn't anywhere in the scouting world with Soler, Puig, or Martin. Seems more like a 3rd/4th round draft pick kind of guy than a 1st round draft pick sort of guy. (If that.) But, we'll see. If we get him, we'll know more, and how much he signs for will also give an indication. If he's on the unrestricted market and gets only $1 like Rubi Silva got, or $0.5 like Del Valle, you know he's not super serious. I'd guess the going rate for an unrestricted guy is probably at least double, or perhaps many times more than that, compared to what he'd get under the cap. Still, there could be some valuable prospects who come a lot cheaper than Cespedes, Soler, Puig, or Martin.

 

I don't think the SS landscape would block him, though. Not many guys signed for SS end up playing SS, and if the Cubs do like him, my guess is it might be as much for 3B or 2B as for SS, perhaps more so. From his side, I think it would make sense to sign with a team that has a major Cuban presence, and where he'd likely intersect with some other Cuban prospects. Between Concepcion, Soler, Silva, Del Valle, he's likely to have at least one Cuban teammate on almost any full-season club. So if the Cubs offer a good deal, I don't see why he'd avoid the organization. Might also help that the agent has a lot of other guys with the Cubs, so the agent should have a strong working relationship now and in future with the organization. I'm sure the agent garbage about perhaps being big-league ready right now is agent garbage.

[Guest]

@JesseSanchezMLB “@ThomasHayostek: Any idea how close Cuban SS Diaz is to the majors?”~He's 23, has int'l experience but hear he needs some minor league time

[Tryptamine]

O's writer seems to think the Cubs/Tigers/O's are talking 3 way. With pieces like Porcello and Hardy mentioned as well as a Cubs pitcher.

 

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2013/01/sifting-through-more-rumors.html

[toonsterwu]

Roch is a fairly knowledgeable guy with a solid track record, so if he says there's whispers, then I believe he's heard whispers. The implication of his report seems to be (unless I'm misreading it) that the Tigers don't believe the Cubs have a fit in a 2-way deal for Porcello and would like to expand to add JJ Hardy from the Orioles. I really don't see the Orioles moving Hardy unless they can get a quality third baseman somehow (moving Machado to short), and I don't know who that is. I think the Orioles are willing to go into the year with Machado at 3rd again, so it would probably take a hefty deal to convince them to make said move.

 

It's an interesting rumor if the implication is adding another SP to the mix.

[MWV]

LaRoche back to the Nats. Rotoworld says 2 years (no more specific terms available). That would seem to put Morse on the OF trade market.

 

O's writer seems to think the Cubs/Tigers/O's are talking 3 way. With pieces like Porcello and Hardy mentioned as well as a Cubs pitcher.

 

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2013/01/sifting-through-more-rumors.html

 

Seems weird to me that the Cubs would (supposedly) trade pitching to get Porcello.

[Tryptamine]

I'd like love to see a deal resembling

 

DET: Hardy/Marmol

CHI: Porcello/Avisail Garcia/Rodon

BAL: Garza

 

O's might have to give up another prospect, but it makes a lot of sense for all 3 parties.

[Post Count Padder]

I'd like love to see a deal resembling

 

DET: Hardy/Marmol

CHI: Porcello/Avisail Garcia/Rodon

BAL: Garza

 

O's might have to give up another prospect, but it makes a lot of sense for all 3 parties.

So in this scenario, the O's are giving up ONLY Hardy and getting Garza in return? And the Tigers are getting hosed. Replace Rondon with a good O's prospect and that's more realistic.

[Pushfrog98]

O's writer seems to think the Cubs/Tigers/O's are talking 3 way. With pieces like Porcello and Hardy mentioned as well as a Cubs pitcher.

 

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2013/01/sifting-through-more-rumors.html

My interest is piqued.

[SouthSideRyan]

Not to mention that the Cubs are giving up Garza and getting a relief prospect, a corner OF who's had one year where he's hit better than me, and the worst pitcher in baseball.

[Little Slide Rooter]

My thinking is something small scale and not particulalry exciting along the lines of:

 

Cubs:

Porcello

 

Orioles:

Marmol (Cubs and/or Tigers end up picking up most of the tab)

Boesch

 

Tigers:

Hardy

 

Maybe some minor prospects are flung about. I could see the Cubs cramming Raley or Rusin into the deal and getting some non-roster fringe prospects in order to make room on the 40 man.

[Shilzzz]

this Orioles, Tigers, Cubs thing is picking up steam. but no clue who the names are.

[Shilzzz]

TIgers want Marmol

[Rex Buckingham]

TIgers want Marmol

 

And they'd probably be fine with paying his salary rather than giving up a better prospect if the Cubs eat salary, right?

[Guest]

this Orioles, Tigers, Cubs thing is picking up steam. but no clue who the names are.

 

picking up steam as in what?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Here's the latest from MLBTR

 

 

The Tigers and Cubs are discussing a potential three-way trade that would send Rick Porcello to Chicago with the Orioles as the third party, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The Tigers want Baltimore involved because they want shortstop J.J. Hardy and they don't feel that the Cubs have the necessary components to make it a two-team trade.

 

For the O's to part ways with Hardy in a deal, the Cubs would have to send pitching to the Orioles. However, Kubatko thinks that the O's will have to be overwhelmed by an offer in order to part with Hardy. Dan Duquette & Co. are happy with the left side of their infield and they don't intend on moving Manny Machado to shortstop this year.

 

Yeah, I see no reason to overwhelm the Oriole's unless Rick Porcello morphs into Drey Smyly or Nick Castelannos.

[RynoRules]

Surprising fact of the day - Porcello was 1.4 WAR pitcher last year at age 23.

[dew1679666265]

If Rick Porcello is the best player we're getting in this deal, I wouldn't be at all happy about giving up Garza. Marmol sure, Garza no.

[Backtobanks]

If Rick Porcello is the best player we're getting in this deal, I wouldn't be at all happy about giving up Garza. Marmol sure, Garza no.

 

Yeah, it seems to me that we were trying to spin a deal around Soriano + $$$ for Porcello not too long ago. If that's the best we can do for Garza, then we need to wait until he proves he's healthy.

[sneakypower]

Not to mention that the Cubs are giving up Garza and getting a relief prospect, a corner OF who's had one year where he's hit better than me, and the worst pitcher in baseball.

http://i.imgur.com/UzTta.gif

[Tryptamine]

Not to mention that the Cubs are giving up Garza and getting a relief prospect, a corner OF who's had one year where he's hit better than me, and the worst pitcher in baseball.

 

Porcello is by no means bad. He had a 3.91FIP, 3.89xFIP and 4.00 SIERA last year. Every year of his career his FIP,xFIP and SIERA have gotten better. His velocity picked up last year as well. The only reason his ERA looks so bad is that he induces a ton of ground balls and his infield defense is absolutely wretched. Put him on a team with good infield defense and he's a good pitcher. As far s Rondon goes, he's ready to be a closer this year and hits 100MPH.

[toonsterwu]

LaRoche back to the Nats. Rotoworld says 2 years (no more specific terms available). That would seem to put Morse on the OF trade market.

 

O's writer seems to think the Cubs/Tigers/O's are talking 3 way. With pieces like Porcello and Hardy mentioned as well as a Cubs pitcher.

 

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2013/01/sifting-through-more-rumors.html

 

Seems weird to me that the Cubs would (supposedly) trade pitching to get Porcello.

 

I really wouldn't be surprised if Morse was sent up the highway to Baltimore, where they could still use a big bat at 1st (moving Chris Davis to DH full-time). Nationals have some pen holes now, and the Orioles have pen depth, so that seems a swap that makes sense.

 

______

 

I wouldn't mind taking a gamble on Porcello. I think that's a good gamble for this FO if the price is right. That said, the trade as reported still doesn't make a ton of sense to me. Orioles may consider moving Hardy to move Machado to short, but who are they going to find for 3rd? The system doesn't have anyone really ready to go. They are already still looking for a first baseman/DH.