Create your own trade deadline deals

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Since it's the season for such rumors, and the Cubs have so many interchangeable pieces that might be traded, I thought it might be fun to have a spot for you to give your hopes or predictions for what happens during this trading season. Be as grounded in reality as you like, and be prepared for someone to call you out if it's not realistic. If you don't want to hear my weird imagined scenarios, skip the rest of the post and make your own!

 

 

I'll go first:

 

- Feldman to the Royals for Herrera and Mariot - Moore is desperate for a push to the playoffs here, which is why the value proposition is probably tilted in the Cubs favor. He does add one of the better SP on the market though, so it's an easier sell to his fans. He also deals from his greatest strength(the Royals still have Holland, Collins, Crow, and Hochevar in the pen), doesn't touch the current MLB roster, and trades away a volatile commodity in relief pitching. I've been on Herrera and Mariot for a while now. Herrera immediately slots in to a late inning role, and Mariot will certainly have the chance to prove similarly after finishing the year at Iowa.

 

- Villanueva and Schierholtz to the Rangers for Perez and Burns - The Rangers want to round out their rotation and they have a gaping hole in the OF(plus the small but nagging chance Cruz goes down with Biogenesis). They get 2 guys who help now and in 2014. Villanueva plugs a hole in the rotation and gives them flexibility when constructing their staff next year. Schierholtz replaces Murphy's awful production in LF and also gives them an in house RF option if they don't want to bring back Cruz. They give up a SP prospect who's seen his star dim a bit in Perez, and a relief prospect in Burns. The results are still there for Perez, so as long as the stuff checks out, he's a good addition and can compete for a rotation spot next year. Burns has little left to prove in AAA and would be fighting for a MLB bullpen job as soon as the Cubs would like.

 

- Garza and Gregg to the Dodgers for Lee and Magill - subheading: Letting Colletti hang himself. Ned obviously feels a lot of pressure to get his superteam competitive, and there's no easier way than trading for the best SP on the market. He also adds some bullpen reinforcements for good measure. He pays a pretty stiff price, but he's used to winning bidding wars(and there's certainly one for Garza) and considering that Kershaw/Greinke/Ryu are all under team control for many years, and Beckett/Billingsley already for next year, he isn't creating much of a hole either. The Cubs get a top line pitching prospect that will spend 2014 in AAA getting that full year of work before contributing in full the following season. Magill finishes the year in Iowa, where he works on the control problems that popped up this year before fighting alongside Perez for a 2014 rotation spot.

 

 

After the carnage, there's a couple internal moves to make. Rusin takes one of the rotation spots to get an extended look to see if he can be a swingman/2nd LH reliever on next year's team. Coleman begrudgingly gets the other rotation spot unless Perez shows he has nothing to prove in Iowa. Rosscup and Cabrera are promoted to AAA, Cabrera continues to start, but both are in the discussion for 2014 pen roles. Once Sweeney gets healthy, he takes over Schierholtz's work in RF. DeJesus will be healthy before him, so some combination of DeJesus/Borbon/Hairston covers CF and RF until then.

 

What that means for 2014 is that you've now got about 40 million dollars to spend, make it a bit under 35 after a couple arbitration raises to Shark/Russell, bringing back Sweeney, etc. To spell it out as an example, you can go after one of the big FA OF (Ellsbury/Choo), add a SP or two, and maybe bring in a reliever for extra stability. Let's call it Ellsbury, Jason Vargas, and Benoit. So then you have:

 

Castillo/Rizzo/Barney/Castro/Valbuena/DeJesus/Ellsbury/Sweeney(with Hairston and Soriano for OF platoons)

 

Samardzija/Jackson/Wood/Vargas/Perez/Magill as SP, with Hendricks, Lee, and maybe Cabrera around as 7th options

 

Benoit/Herrera/Russell/Parker/Burns/Mariot/Bowden/Rusin/Cabrera as bullpen options

 

This exercise is really at it's most fun when you're doing it though, so let's hear the creative options you can come up with.

[Infrequent Poster]

I am not as knowledgable as most of you. So don't expect me to defend my predictions. But I will gloat, bigtime, if I happen to be right on any of them.

 

The Cubs pay the 2013 salaries on all these because, why not.

 

Scott Feldman and Scott Hairston to the Giants for LHP Eric Surkamp and RHP Clayton Blackburn. Giants cover Hairston's 2014 salary. These guys seem to have decent middle of the rotation potential. Surkamp adds another TJ survivor to the crew.

 

Kevin Gregg to the Braves for hard throwing righthanded reliever Juan Jaime. No one else in need steps up with anything better.

 

Carlos Villanueva to the Padres for RHP Casey Kelly and some guy whose a favorite of Hoyer and McLeod but otherwise not that well known. The Padres prefer someone who's under team control beyond this season. Kelly is well known by the big 3. In a related move, the Cubs hire Tommy John himself as a motivational speaker. Pads pay all of Villanueva's salary in 2014.

 

Nate Schierholtz to the Pirates for OF Gregory Polanco. DeJesus gets off to a slow start when he comes off the DL. So Schierholtz is moved instead.

 

Alfonso Soriano to the Rangers for hard throwing righthanded reliever Jose Valdespina. Cubs cover all but MLB minimum salary on Soriano in 2014 (+ all of 2013). Soriano gets reinvigorated playing against the AL this week. Cubs decide it's best just to move on. The Rangers aren't giving up much, so figure why not.

 

Matt Garza to the Diamondbacks for Tyler Skaggs. Kevin Towers caves since his starters haven't had a W in 3 weeks. Or Garza goes to the Red Sox for a package headlined by Ranaudo or Owens.

 

Ryan Sweeney is signed to a team friendly two year deal. After the season DeJesus has his 2014 option picked up and is promptly traded.

[TruffleShuffle]

there is no way the pirates would trade gregory polanco for nate schierholtz.

[davell]

Garza to the Red Sox for Allen Webster and Henry Owens. Setting myself up for disappointment, doubt they get quite this much honestly. I'm banking on the Red Sox wanting to sign him longterm and feeling they'll increase their chances by getting him for half a season. Plus, the AL East experience thing and him being the best pitcher on the market helps increase his value a bit. Webster moves directly into the rotation.

 

Villanueva to the Pads for 942k in IFA money(their highest slot), Reymond Fuentes, and Brad Boxberger. Boxberger gets inserted immediately into the big league pen and is expected to fill a longterm role there.

 

Schierholtz and Gregg to the Royals for Danny Duffy, Bryan Brickhouse, and 479500 in IFA money(their 3rd and 4th slots). Duffy gets a few major league starts spread out to limit his innings, post TJS.

 

Feldman to the Dodgers for Matt Magill and Scott Griggs. Magill gets some major league time. Is used by us in a swing role.

 

Soriano(and 18 of the 24 mill remaining) to the Rangers for Neil Ramirez and Nick Williams.

 

 

Finish season out with this lineup

 

C Castillo Navarro

1B Rizzo

2B Barney

SS Castro

3B Valbuena Ransom

LF Sweeney(once he returns) Bogusevic

CF DeJesus Borbon

RF Lake Hairston

 

SP Shark, Wood, E-Jax, Webster, and Duffy/Magill

RP Parker, Russell, Camp, Boxberger, Rondon, Rodriguez, and other of Duffy/Magill.

 

Plenty of callups and auditions, to go along with this obviously. Head into next year needing 2 starting OF, a TOR SP, and a couple of vet bullpen arms. With 40 mill or so to spend.

[illiniguy]

If we get Danny Duffy for that package I'll be ecstatic.

[PackLandVA]

Shawn Camp to Any Team for past considerations.

[The-Kris-Bryant]

Garza for Skaggs or Bradley?

 

Hell I'd throw in something with unproven upside potl like Vitters or Jackson or even someone we're less likely to utilize like Vogelbach

[mookie]

Are you the REAL Kris Bryant?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Scott Feldman, Luis Valbuena, and Shawn Camp to Oakland for Dan Straily and Jamil Weeks.

 

A's looking for a starting pitcher. Have 0 pop at 2nd base. Valbuena under team control beyond 2013. Camp just a throw in if they want him.

 

Straily exactly the type of pitcher we could use. Young. Lots K's. Not lots BB's. Weeks essentially a reclamation at this point.

[Layoutman]

Hopefully this is somewhat realistic. Filling the tigers needs:

 

Garza - Gregg - Barney (may need to add more to get this deal done--- some options could be (Russell, Christian Villanueva)

for

Nick Castellanos and Endrys Briceno and/or lottery ticket.

 

Tigers would address 3 glaring holes in a win now mentality.

 

Castellanos is an impact bat that could move back to 3rd base and then back to the outfield when the Cubs 3b prospects mature. Briceno, a low A pitcher, with a plus fastball and an even better changeup.

 

opinions?

[Guest]

if they trade castellanos they're going to get something better than a garza rental. i don't think barney and gregg would really factor into the decision.

[CubsInNC]

if they trade castellanos they're going to get something better than a garza rental. i don't think barney and gregg would really factor into the decision.

 

I just don't see Garza as a filling a true need for Detroit. Porcello (their No. 5) is their weak link in the rotation. Everyone else is performing well, or in Verlander's case, he believes figured out his issue, is in the process of making the corrections, and seems to be returning to form. Trading for Garza to replace a number 5 wouldn't meet the needs for either team. Detroit would have to overpay based on what it would take to acquire other #5 starters, or the Cubs would have to take less than Garza's real value, even as a rental.

[sweetpeteman]

if they trade castellanos they're going to get something better than a garza rental. i don't think barney and gregg would really factor into the decision.

 

I just don't see Garza as a filling a true need for Detroit. Porcello (their No. 5) is their weak link in the rotation. Everyone else is performing well, or in Verlander's case, he believes figured out his issue, is in the process of making the corrections, and seems to be returning to form. Trading for Garza to replace a number 5 wouldn't meet the needs for either team. Detroit would have to overpay based on what it would take to acquire other #5 starters, or the Cubs would have to take less than Garza's real value, even as a rental.

 

 

 

Porcello would easily be right with Wood and Shark in our rotation right now. His ERA may not be reflecting it, but he's been a 1.7 fWAR pitcher so far this year. Shark is 2.4, Wood 2.1. I would trade Garza for Porcello straight up right now.

[CubsInNC]

if they trade castellanos they're going to get something better than a garza rental. i don't think barney and gregg would really factor into the decision.

 

I just don't see Garza as a filling a true need for Detroit. Porcello (their No. 5) is their weak link in the rotation. Everyone else is performing well, or in Verlander's case, he believes figured out his issue, is in the process of making the corrections, and seems to be returning to form. Trading for Garza to replace a number 5 wouldn't meet the needs for either team. Detroit would have to overpay based on what it would take to acquire other #5 starters, or the Cubs would have to take less than Garza's real value, even as a rental.

 

 

 

Porcello would easily be right with Wood and Shark in our rotation right now. His ERA may not be reflecting it, but he's been a 1.7 fWAR pitcher so far this year. Shark is 2.4, Wood 2.1. I would trade Garza for Porcello straight up right now.

 

Porcello is just an arm. He's inconsistent, even this year. If we traded Garza for him straight up, I'd consider that a failure.

[SouthSideRyan]

if they trade castellanos they're going to get something better than a garza rental. i don't think barney and gregg would really factor into the decision.

 

I just don't see Garza as a filling a true need for Detroit. Porcello (their No. 5) is their weak link in the rotation. Everyone else is performing well, or in Verlander's case, he believes figured out his issue, is in the process of making the corrections, and seems to be returning to form. Trading for Garza to replace a number 5 wouldn't meet the needs for either team. Detroit would have to overpay based on what it would take to acquire other #5 starters, or the Cubs would have to take less than Garza's real value, even as a rental.

 

 

 

Porcello would easily be right with Wood and Shark in our rotation right now. His ERA may not be reflecting it, but he's been a 1.7 fWAR pitcher so far this year. Shark is 2.4, Wood 2.1. I would trade Garza for Porcello straight up right now.

 

Porcello is a free agent after 2015. He's looking at probably ~8M for 2014, I wouldn't be completely shocked if Detroit non-tendered him.

[sneakypower]

getting Porcello back for Garza would be a dream scenario

[SouthSideRyan]

Porcello:sneaky::any guy who was ever a top 100 Orioles prospect:toonster

[davell]

getting Porcello back for Garza would be a dream scenario

You think? Honestly, I'd be pissed. He's got 2 years of (not cheap) control left, followed by hitting FA at a very young age, which will net him a very solid deal on the FA market. I'm not seeing the upside there myself. GB pitcher, with an uptick in K% currently(obviously good), but has always been hit hard and has never been considered a guy with elite stuff. His age could net him a much larger FA deal than what I'd be even remotely comfortable paying to what I consider a 4/5 type, with 3 upside. I'd rather pay an older, better pitcher every couple of years, than him on a 5-6 year deal.

[Guest]

I'm not seeing the upside there myself

 

24 year old former 1st rounder who has improved literally every year of his career, to the point that he's currently pitching at a 3.5 WAR pace. We'd be hoping that the prospect that Garza nets reaches that point, be it Skaggs/Erlin/Duffy/Perez/etc.

 

GB pitcher, with an uptick in K% currently(obviously good), but has always been hit hard

 

He's an extreme GB pitcher that gives up fewer XBH than average and has an infield defense of Cabrera/Peralta/Infante/Fielder.

 

and has never been considered a guy with elite stuff

 

This is fiction.

 

The team control matters, but for someone as accomplished as he is it's not as big a deal. He's young enough to deserve the extension they'll need to give him.

[sneakypower]

Porcello:sneaky::any guy who was ever a top 100 Orioles prospect:toonster

he's

-arguably a better pitcher right now, than Garza

-under team control for another 2-1/2 years (and an ideal extension candidate)

-pitching the best ball of his career

-still just 24

 

i guess i'd have minor concerns with his hittability(?) from the stretch, but that seems like something that could be ironed out; best of all he's somebody that actually legitimately improves our '14 chances, but that might be a negative, given your childlike amusement at all those uproarious '2017!' jokes

 

 

edit: nm tranny beat me to like half of these points

[Guest]

Porcello "never being considered a guy with elite stuff" is a head scratcher.

[SouthSideRyan]

GB pitcher, with an uptick in K% currently(obviously good), but has always been hit hard

 

He's an extreme GB pitcher that gives up fewer XBH than average and has an infield defense of Cabrera/Peralta/Infante/Fielder.

 

Yet Doug Fister has somehow survived over 43 starts with the same infield and similar GB%

[SouthSideRyan]

Porcello:sneaky::any guy who was ever a top 100 Orioles prospect:toonster

he's

-arguably a better pitcher right now, than Garza

-under team control for another 2-1/2 years (and an ideal extension candidate)

-pitching the best ball of his career

-still just 24

 

i guess i'd have minor concerns with his hittability(?) from the stretch, but that seems like something that could be ironed out; best of all he's somebody that actually legitimately improves our '14 chances, but that might be a negative, given your childlike amusement at all those uproarious '2017!' jokes

 

 

edit: nm tranny beat me to like half of these points

 

As soon as people stop being giddy about the "process" and post about "starting to contend" in 2015, I'll stop criticizing them.

[sneakypower]

Doug Fister has a .324 BABIP right now, and an ERA close to a full run above his FIP

[davell]

Porcello "never being considered a guy with elite stuff" is a head scratcher.

Is it? I thought he was more of a refined, pitchibility type from the time he was drafted. Am I wrong about that?