Offseason Rumors

[davell]

So Arguello said one source tells him expect the Nats to make an offer he can't see the Cubs turning down.....What would that contain, I wonder? Cole/Giolito/Goodwin? If offered all 3, I agree. Short of that though, I'm not seeing the pieces to make that happen. Maybe replace Goodwin with 2 of Karns/Solis/Purke.....

[Guest]

So we don't end up with one mega-thread for everything offseason, I'll split this into it's own. We've now got several different reports of the Nationals being interested in Shark:

 

Adam Kilgore[/url]"]The Nationals’ ability and apparent desire to trade for a starting pitcher this winter is well-established. While David Price and Max Scherzer have sparked the brunt of the speculation surrounding a Nationals’ possible deal for a starter, the Nationals are expected to also discuss Cubs’ right-hander Jeff Samardzija, according to a person familiar with the Nationals’ thinking.

 

That article talks more about "why Samardzija?" than "How much?", but it's noteworthy since it's coming from the Washington side.

 

On the Cubs side, the mentions have been from more Insidery types, but most all of them have linked Samardzija to Washington at some point. Hoops mentioned in the Offseason Rumors thread that "The Nationals have asked the Cubs about Samardzija. Prospects dicussed supposedly include AJ Cole and Eury Perez."; and Arguello just tweeted this:

 

@cubsden Sounds like Nats interest in Samardzija is legit. One source believes they will make an offer that Cubs will not be able to turn down.

 

Personally, the Nats are quite possibly my least favorite match up for Samardzija. Their high ceiling pitching is in lower levels, they have little from the MLB team that they can/would deal for Samardzija, and their other prospects of intrigue are all pitchers who are way too old for their level. I'm not sure if they're even capable of an offer that the Cubs wouldn't be able to turn down, unless they wanted to try sending Rendon this way along with some more pieces of importance.

[Guest]

And PhpBB screwed up the merge since davell posted a millisecond before me. Welp, there you have it.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Has Cole ever had any sort of health problems? Because yeah, I think I'd take that if not.

[davell]

Like I mentioned in the other thread, Cole/Giolito is a great start. Whether the 3rd piece is Goodwin, who has big upside or multiple pitchers from Purke/Karns/Solis, I think they could do it. If for no other reason than Giolito has the ability to be the top pitching prospect in the minors at this time next year.

[Gilby]

Yeah, I'd be happy with Cole as the lead piece for Samardzija. Very good stuff, has shown excellent control, and has already gone above 130 IP twice, so he shouldn't be too far away from a full season's workload.

[davell]

Cole has no injury flags, his knock is weak secondary pitches.

[KingCubsFan]

Like I mentioned in the other thread, Cole/Giolito is a great start. Whether the 3rd piece is Goodwin, who has big upside or multiple pitchers from Purke/Karns/Solis, I think they could do it. If for no other reason than Giolito has the ability to be the top pitching prospect in the minors at this time next year.

There's no way we'd get Cole and Giolito. In fact, I'd imagine Giolito is off limits period.

[TheDude]

Like I mentioned in the other thread, Cole/Giolito is a great start. Whether the 3rd piece is Goodwin, who has big upside or multiple pitchers from Purke/Karns/Solis, I think they could do it. If for no other reason than Giolito has the ability to be the top pitching prospect in the minors at this time next year.

There's no way we'd get Cole and Giolito. In fact, I'd imagine Giolito is off limits period.

Why? Isn't James Shields the template for a Samardzija trade? I don't see how that puts Giolito off the table.

[Guest]

Cole and Giolito is still a significant piece short of being worth Samardzija. Rendon is too good to be that 3rd piece, Goodwin too variable/far away, and none of the pitchers do much for me either. Maybe Span? I've heard rumblings he might be on the block.

[davell]

I honestly think Giolito WOULD be in play, but if I'm a Nats fan, I'd want a better pitcher than Shark for me to give him up. The risk of him turning into Verlander wouldn't let me part with him unless it was for something elite.

[Guest]

Giolito is coming off Tommy John Surgery and has yet to throw a pitch in full-season ball. The Nats can do what they like, but Giolito is not in the same class as other high ceiling prospects that have been tossed around in trade rumors.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

What is the deal with Giolito? I thought he had TJ.

[wekim81]

Like I mentioned in the other thread, Cole/Giolito is a great start. Whether the 3rd piece is Goodwin, who has big upside or multiple pitchers from Purke/Karns/Solis, I think they could do it. If for no other reason than Giolito has the ability to be the top pitching prospect in the minors at this time next year.

There's no way we'd get Cole and Giolito. In fact, I'd imagine Giolito is off limits period.

well i'd say then if giolito's off the table then washington can piss off.

[davell]

What is the deal with Giolito? I thought he had TJ.

He did. But he came back towards the end of last season and looked great. Throwing upper 90's with a plus curve.

[KingCubsFan]

Like I mentioned in the other thread, Cole/Giolito is a great start. Whether the 3rd piece is Goodwin, who has big upside or multiple pitchers from Purke/Karns/Solis, I think they could do it. If for no other reason than Giolito has the ability to be the top pitching prospect in the minors at this time next year.

There's no way we'd get Cole and Giolito. In fact, I'd imagine Giolito is off limits period.

well i'd say then if giolito's off the table then washington can piss off.

Cole is pretty good himself. But I'd rather have something like Skaggs and Delgado over Cole. I'm assuming Rendon would also be off the table.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Why? Isn't James Shields the template for a Samardzija trade? I don't see how that puts Giolito off the table.

 

Shields' last two seasons before trade: 8.4 fWAR. Samardzija: 5.8

[Gilby]

Maybe something like Cole/Goodwin/Storen...?

[davell]

Why? Isn't James Shields the template for a Samardzija trade? I don't see how that puts Giolito off the table.

 

Shields' last two seasons before trade: 8.4 fWAR. Samardzija: 5.8

Price differential over the 2 years cuts into that somewhat at least.

[Guest]

Why? Isn't James Shields the template for a Samardzija trade? I don't see how that puts Giolito off the table.

 

Shields' last two seasons before trade: 8.4 fWAR. Samardzija: 5.8

Price differential over the 2 years cuts into that somewhat at least.

 

Also the fact that Shields brought back the most valuable prospect asset there is, a Top 5 hitter. Even a Top 10-25 pitcher(like many of the rumors involving Shark include) is worth roughly half that. To speak nothing of Giolito, who is well worse than the Zimmers and the Syndergaards of the world.

[HoopsCubs]

It appears that the Tigers are making Rick Porcello available, so that will give our FO some competition as they look to find a trade match for Samardzija.

[toonsterwu]

I think a Samardzija trade is going to be a difficult one to accomplish. He hasn't done enough to get another team to fork over that mega-package, and yet, the stuff/ability has shown well enough that the Cubs would need a big package to move him. Somewhere in that thin area in between is the ability to get a deal done. I think we're better off waiting and positioning Samardzija as one of the final big chips.

 

Speaking specifically to the Nats, I'm going to be surprised if they fork over Giolito in a deal. The problem is, without Giolito, there really isn't a top shelf guy. What they do have is a quantity of good quality. I'm an AJ Cole fan, but he's not a stud, top of the line arm type. He's a very good guy, and I think he could be a quality mid-rotation type if all pans well. I'm very wary of Brian Goodwin. Just never really on board with him and am not completely sold that he's starting caliber.

 

I mean, if you were offered say ... Cole/Robbie Ray/and 1 (let's pick a name, say, a Matt Purke gamble ...), that'd be a pretty intriguing package in many respects, but the lack of a top shelf guy would make it spotty.

 

I think I would be more intrigued with a possible Blue Jays deal, although I'd still be wary of it. Who was the other team rumored? Slipping my mind right now.

[davell]

Arizona. Toonster, if that's the type of package Shark gets you back, I'm holding on to him. Worst package from Nats I'd consider is something like Cole/Jordan/Karns or Goodwin. Even then, I think someone beats it.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm really looking forward to us congratulating ourselves for not selling Samardzija short of a blow-away package for a year and a half, then dumping him at the deadline in 2015 when we're 70-92 and getting half of what he's worth now, all because we don't want to pony up for a big-kid level extension.

[Guest]

What did Garza want for an extension right before he got hurt again? Something like 5/100 maybe? I don't remember.