High-Salaried Trade Targets

[CubsWin]

This is sort of a hybrid of the "Offseason Trade Ideas" and "What Should We Spend Our Money On" threads. (Off topic, I hate when we "the fans" use the term "we" to refer to the Cubs. But that's just me.)

 

It's well known that Theo is looking to bring in veterans to help provide leadership to their increasingly young team, and they currently have openings in the OF, C and the rotation. But at the Cubs On Deck 2015 Season Ticket Holder Event on October 10th, Theo was alsoquoted as saying the following:

 

So if you know there’s a significant, elite payroll coming, even if it’s not here today, that just puts you in an aggressive posture. You can start taking on high-salary players and trades from other organizations that maybe can’t afford them.

That doesn't necessarily mean these potential "veteran leadership" acquisitions would have to fill starting roles, but it's unlikely the Cubs would look to take on a high-salaried player to be a part-time player. So what specific high-salary players whose teams can no longer afford them should the Cubs target? We know that Cole Hamels fits that description. Who else?

 

This link has every players salary broken down by team as well as every team's total payroll.

 

• 1. LA Dodgers.......................$235,295,219
  2. NY Yankees.......................$203,812,506
  3. Philadelphia Phillies...........$180,052,723
  4. Boston Red Sox.................$162,817,411
  5. Detroit Tigers....................$162,228,527
  6. LA Angels..........................$155,692,000
  7. San Francisco Giants..........$154,185,878
  8. Texas Rangers...................$136,036,172
  9. Washington Nationals........$134,704,437
  10. Toronto Blue Jays.............$132,628,700
  11. Arizona Diamondbacks....$112,688,666
  12. Cincinnati Reds................$112,390,772
  13. St. Louis Cardinals...........$111,020,360
  14. Atlanta Braves..................$110,897,341
  15. Baltimore Orioles.............$107,406,623
  16. Milwaukee Brewers..........$103,844,806
  17. Colorado Rockies.............$95,832,071
  18. Seattle Mariners ..............$92,081,943
  19. Kansas City Royals...........$92,034,345
  20. Chicago White Sox...........$91,159,254
  21. San Diego Padres.............$90,094,196
  22. NY Mets...........................$89,051,758
  23. Chicago Cubs..................$89,007,857
  24. Minnesota Twins .............$85,776,500
  25. Oakland A's.....................$83,401,400
  26. Cleveland Indians............$82,534,800
  27. Pittsburgh Pirates............$78,111,667
  28. Tampa Bay Rays..............$77,062,891
  29. Miami Marlins.................$47,565,400
  30. Houston Astros...............$44,544,174

 

Ah, the Cubs at #23. What a joke. But which teams need to cut payroll? Certainly not Miami and Houston. The Phillies do for sure but the Cubs don't have room for their high-priced infielders (Howard, Utley and Rollins). Would the Cubs be interested in Cliff Lee? He's set to be paid 25 million next season with a vesting option for 27.5 million for 2016 if he reaches 200 IP. If it doesn't vest, he receives a 12.5 million buyout. If Lee gets injured again (he's coming off an injury plagued season and is 36), that would mean he'd be paid 37.5 million for one year in which he pitches less than 200 innings. Not exactly a value-driven GM's type of trade target. But when Lee's been healthy, he's been very, very good.

 

What other teams need to cut payroll? What other players might the Cubs target?

[Guest]

Rangers and Jays?

[CubsWin]

Rangers and Jays?

With the rumors, and they are just that, rumors of the Rockies considering trading Tulo, would we put them in this category?

[CubsWin]

I just did some sifting through team's rosters and their payrolls, and (outside of them and the obvious Cole Hamels) I found a few names worth discussing.

 

There's the aforementioned Cliff Lee. He's seen plenty of post-season action and performed well, but that contract at his age/health is a scary thing to take on. Carlos Gonzalez has been discussed previously. I'm not a big fan. His road splits aren't inspiring. His contract, while about to get much more expensive, ends after 2017 which is about a year too long for my tastes, but he's a good hitter and a decent outfielder who hits left-handed. Not a lot of post-season experience though, just 4 games back in 2009. John Arguello at Cubs Den has mentioned Michael Bourn and Dexter Fowler as two possible targets. Bourn's production is slipping but Fowler is still productive. He doesn't fit the veteran, playoff-tested leadership profile though.

 

One name seemed to check off that box perfectly, though. Shane Victorino. He's signed only through next season and has played on two World Series champions. He could come cheaply because he's coming off of injury and because the Red Sox have a rather crowded outfield at the moment with Cespedes, Betts, Castillo and Craig on the roster. The Sox don't need the salary relief, but he looks to be more valuable to the Cubs than to them.

 

Thoughts on the Cubs trading for Victorino this off-season?

[Guest]

I think there's two different types of high dollar guys potentially out there.

 

On one hand there's the guys who are still good players who deserve a spot in the everyday lineup or in the rotation, but they're overpaid for that production so the team may want to move on from them. Guys in this category include Matt Kemp, CarGo, Cole Hamels, Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, Rick Porcello, maybe Matt Garza or Scott Feldman, etc.

 

On the other hand you have guys who were good players and now are only qualified for a more marginal role, maybe as a platoon player or end of the rotation hopeful. Guys in this category include Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton, Chris Johnson, Andre Ethier, and many others depending on how much you believe in the guy bouncing back.

 

The lines can blur a bit depending on how much you believe in a given player or not, but the gist is more geared towards the role you'd have for that target.

[CubsWin]

I think there's two different types of high dollar guys potentially out there.

 

On one hand there's the guys who are still good players who deserve a spot in the everyday lineup or in the rotation, but they're overpaid for that production so the team may want to move on from them. Guys in this category include Matt Kemp, CarGo, Cole Hamels, Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, Rick Porcello, maybe Matt Garza or Scott Feldman, etc.

 

On the other hand you have guys who were good players and now are only qualified for a more marginal role, maybe as a platoon player or end of the rotation hopeful. Guys in this category include Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton, Chris Johnson, Andre Ethier, and many others depending on how much you believe in the guy bouncing back.

 

The lines can blur a bit depending on how much you believe in a given player or not, but the gist is more geared towards the role you'd have for that target.

Agreed. And it seems the role the Cubs are targeting is a veteran who can still produce who has playoff/championship/leadership experience. The positions available to fill are catcher, outfield and starting pitcher.

 

Montero's production isn't great. He's 31 and he gets paid 13.3 million per thru 2017. If the D-Backs took back EJax in some sort of package, maybe, but he doesn't check off a lot of the boxes.

 

I'd be interested in Kemp, but he'll require a lot of talent to acquire and his contract goes thru 2019. If Almora/McKinney develop and if Bryant/Schwarber have to move to the OF, a contract that long could create some problems, but that's less of an issue for me than what it would take to get him. That stuff usually sorts itself out. He's signed thru his age 34 season, so the contract isn't timed as terribly as say Ethier's. Are the Dodgers motivated enough to deal him without getting back one of the Cubs top prospects? I doubt it.

 

Would you deal Baez for Kemp and that contract? If Kemp were still able to produce at a .900+ OPS clip, maybe. It's not an ideal fit that's for sure. Victorino still interests me the most, and I think the price could be right. But it's an interesting discussion.

[Clem Fandango]

No way in hell do I trade Baez for Kemp. Kemp put up nice numbers this year, but he was a butcher in the field so much that it practically leveled out his WAR and made him fairly average. I would not trade Baez for him ever. I honestly wouldn't trade much for him, especially with that contract.

[Gilby]

Instead of trying to fill the "playoff veteran leader" quota by using an outfield spot on someone who isn't an ideal player, I'd rather the leadership stuff come from someone like Lester who's still a star and maybe the backup catcher (Laird, Ross, etc.) who will probably suck no matter who it is.

 

For the outfield, we can spend on someone who fits better (I really want Itoi to platoon with Ruggiano, even though I hadn't heard of him before last week.)

[Guest]

Montero was discussed in another thread, but I like him for a few reasons. Arizona may be tight on cash so he could be available for less if we can pay him. He hasn't been as good as his peak, but if you include his pitch-framing numbers he's not so far from league average. He's left handed and has a platoon split, which means he's a terrific pairing with Castillo. Splitting that playing time will help keep both healthier, and solidifies a spot in the lineup so you can let Baez/Alcantara work out kinks at the bottom of the lineup without sacrificing firepower.

 

Kemp will not require a player of Baez's caliber, or at least should not if it's at all worth it to acquire him.

 

I like Victorino as a player, but my preference is to get a RH backup CF(my current favorite is trading Jackson for B.J. Upton) and then a LH corner OF that can play defense and get on base a bit. Victorino could potentially fit as the latter, but it's a bit of a pricey proposition since the Sox won't have any interest in taking on Jackson. For the money + player cost, I'd rather get a guy like Aoki, Itoi(if he comes to the US), or Parra(if he's non-tendered or available for nominal player cost).

[Cubswin11]

Jose Bautista? Not necessarily a high salaried guy, but on a team who could maybe look to shed some, he's signed just through 2015 for $14 million and has a $14 mil team option for 2016. Throw him in LF. A 2-5 featuring Bautista-Rizzo-Bryant-Soler by May sometime would be deadly. Could be a "veteran" that they want and also a guy who's approach would be great to have to help influence the young guys, if you buy into that stuff.

[CubsWin]

Instead of trying to fill the "playoff veteran leader" quota by using an outfield spot on someone who isn't an ideal player, I'd rather the leadership stuff come from someone like Lester who's still a star and maybe the backup catcher (Laird, Ross, etc.) who will probably suck no matter who it is.

 

For the outfield, we can spend on someone who fits better (I really want Itoi to platoon with Ruggiano, even though I hadn't heard of him before last week.)

Yoshio Itoi is interesting. If his price isn't real high, I'd be interested in the Cubs signing him. Jed talked about "lengthening" the roster. Having Itoi to platoon and/or provide depth in case of injury would be cool. What's really great about him is that he went to a school called Kinki University. Oh, those Japanese...

 

I agree on Kemp. I'm not suggesting the Cubs should trade for him, quite the opposite. I'm saying he's a less than ideal fit. Lester would definitely bring playoff and championship experience, but my sense is Theo wants this leadership guy to be a position player. He's specifically stated that he wants someone to help Rizzo and Castro grow into team leaders. Someone like Victorino is a much better fit. Plenty of playoff and world series experience, 1 year left on his contract, gives good at bats, plays the "right" way, etc.

 

I don't think this will happen necessarily because I don't see the Cubs signing Russell Martin, but my ideal (somewhat realistic) off-season would be for the Cubs to sign Martin, Lester and trade for Victorino.

[jersey cubs fan]

Would you deal Baez for Kemp and that contract?

 

http://i.imgur.com/8owskFU.gif

[SouthSideRyan]

Jose Bautista? Not necessarily a high salaried guy, but on a team who could maybe look to shed some, he's signed just through 2015 for $14 million and has a $14 mil team option for 2016. Throw him in LF. A 2-5 featuring Bautista-Rizzo-Bryant-Soler by May sometime would be deadly. Could be a "veteran" that they want and also a guy who's approach would be great to have to help influence the young guys, if you buy into that stuff.

 

He might cost more than Stanton

[Clem Fandango]

Jose Bautista? Not necessarily a high salaried guy, but on a team who could maybe look to shed some, he's signed just through 2015 for $14 million and has a $14 mil team option for 2016. Throw him in LF. A 2-5 featuring Bautista-Rizzo-Bryant-Soler by May sometime would be deadly. Could be a "veteran" that they want and also a guy who's approach would be great to have to help influence the young guys, if you buy into that stuff.

 

He might cost more than Stanton

 

Yeah, at the very least it'd be a similar cost. Yeah Bautista is older, but he's as proven a commodity as Stanton, they both play corner OF, they got 2 years left (whoever has him will exercise that option no question), but Stanton might make more in arb than Bautista is earning.

 

They're very similar players when you look at the numbers.

 

Bautista would be nice to have, but if we're gonna give up a big chunk of our future to bring in a position player make it Stanton or don't bother at all.