Ben Zobrist and Tyler Clippard

[davell]

Bowden says we're interested in them. Zobrist is due back Monday. Clippard hasn't pitching as well as his ERA says this year, but I'd love to find a way to nab one or both of them.

 

On a separate(but I guess it could even make sense in this case), Heyman evidently mentioned yesterday that we've told clubs Javy and Vogelbach can be had.

[Sammy Sofa]

Heyman evidently mentioned yesterday that we've told clubs Javy and Vogelbach can be had.

 

[Sammy Sofa]

PS: do not want Zobrist. He's probably dead.

[Gmoney08]

Is Heyman reliable? I really dont want to see Javy traded..

[davell]

Yeah, he's as reliable as anyone else. Probably more than most, if you really think about it.

 

I'd love to keep Javy-he's been my favorite prospect since the "I'll do WTF I want" thing. But with what we have at 2B/SS/3B, it just makes it easier to move him if you get the right impact piece in return.

[Deeg]

Yeah, he's as reliable as anyone else. Probably more than most, if you really think about it.

 

I'd love to keep Javy-he's been my favorite prospect since the "I'll do WTF I want" thing. But with what we have at 2B/SS/3B, it just makes it easier to move him if you get the right impact piece in return.

 

Zobrist or Clippard are assuredly not the right piece.

[davell]

Well obviously. You're not dealing Javy for a rental. Just put the Heyman blurb in the same thread as the Bowden info to keep from starting 2 threads.

[Cubswin11]

I'd be fine trading Javy for Zobrist and Clippar if they felt relatively certain Zobrist was coming back fine from his injury.

[Guest]

I'd be fine trading Javy for Zobrist and Clippar if they felt relatively certain Zobrist was coming back fine from his injury.

If we were getting 2009 Zobrist, I'd agree.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'd be fine trading Javy for Zobrist and Clippar if they felt relatively certain Zobrist was coming back fine from his injury.

If we were getting 2009 Zobrist, I'd agree.

 

Zobrist has been plenty awesome right up through last season; I'm just wary since he's turning 34 in two days and he's coming off of a knee injury.

 

Plus he and his wife are super creepy.

[Guest]

I'd be fine trading Javy for Zobrist and Clippar if they felt relatively certain Zobrist was coming back fine from his injury.

If we were getting 2009 Zobrist, I'd agree.

 

Zobrist has been plenty awesome right up through last season; I'm just wary since he's turning 34 in two days and he's coming off of a knee injury.

 

Plus he and his wife are super creepy.

His last two years have been a .334 and .333 wOBA. Given our team makeup, he'd likely be taking over LF from Coghlan, who posted a .353 wOBA last year and still has a .296 wOBA even with the immense bad luck he's had to start the year. There's no doubt the Zobrist would be a defensive upgrade out there and that Coghlan would be a nice asset on the bench for us. However, that's not worth Baez to me.

 

Clippard would be nice, but he's no Papelbon or Chapman. His performance is also significantly down so far this year. Strikeout rate is way down and his walk rate is signficantly up. His fastball is down a tick and a half from a few years ago and his change is down more than two ticks from just last year.

 

My opinion on these trades will be different from most because I'm still a big believer in Javy.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm not actually arguing trading Baez for Zobrist (and definitely not Clippard). I want Baez traded, but I think that's selling too low.

[KrisBryantisaBeast]

I would trade Baez in a deal for Hamels and Papelbon and probably for Cueto and Chapman as well but not for these 2.

[rawaction]

I would trade Baez in a deal for Hamels and Papelbon and probably for Cueto and Chapman as well but not for these 2.

 

Agreed. No chance in hell, I'd give Baez in a deal for these 2.

[Guest]

So...let's say that the Cubs decide to go for it this year. You could pretty much do two trades to fill all of our holes.

 

1) Almora + Vogelbach + Wood for Zobrist + Scribner

 

Adding Wood may look strange, but he'd be a pretty good fit in Oakland with all the big ballparks in the AL West.

 

2) Baez + Carl's Jr. + Underwood + Edwin for Hamels + Papelbon

 

Instead of asking Philly for salary relief on Hamels/Papelbon, we have them take Edwin back.

 

That gives you an upgrade in LF (and on the bench by moving Coghlan there) and the ability to move Zobrist around to spot start for guys depending on matchups. It improves the rotation by moving from Wada/Hendricks to Hamels. The bullpen becomes:

 

Papelbon

Strop

Rondon

Grimm

Scribner

Ramirez (when healthy)

Wada

Rosscup / Russell (when Ramirez isn't healthy)

[KingCubsFan]

So...let's say that the Cubs decide to go for it this year. You could pretty much do two trades to fill all of our holes.

 

1) Almora + Vogelbach + Wood for Zobrist + Scribner

 

Adding Wood may look strange, but he'd be a pretty good fit in Oakland with all the big ballparks in the AL West.

 

2) Baez + Carl's Jr. + Underwood + Edwin for Hamels + Papelbon

 

Instead of asking Philly for salary relief on Hamels/Papelbon, we have them take Edwin back.

 

That gives you an upgrade in LF (and on the bench by moving Coghlan there) and the ability to move Zobrist around to spot start for guys depending on matchups. It improves the rotation by moving from Wada/Hendricks to Hamels. The bullpen becomes:

 

Papelbon

Strop

Rondon

Grimm

Scribner

Ramirez (when healthy)

Wada

Rosscup / Russell (when Ramirez isn't healthy)

I like that Hamels trade, and I have to think that's about as good as Amaro is going to get, especially since Boston isn't going to giving up a lot.

[Guest]

While we're doing hypotheticals, here's one off the top of my head:

 

Alcantara and Underwood for Chapman

 

Vogelbach for your favorite non-elite rental SP(Kazmir, Iwakuma, Gallardo, Latos, etc)

 

Pineyro for Parra

[Little Slide Rooter]

With LaStella joining Olt in the who the hell knows if we'll ever see him again list, I'm not surprised by the interest in Zobrist. And Clippard would be a nice rental. I'd happily take the lake off Oakland's hands, but the key piece coming from us shouldn't be anything bigger than Villanueva.

[rawaction]

While we're doing hypotheticals, here's one off the top of my head:

 

Alcantara and Underwood for Chapman

 

Vogelbach for your favorite non-elite rental SP(Kazmir, Iwakuma, Gallardo, Latos, etc)

 

Pineyro for Parra

 

No to Latos, but I'd do all those trades.

[davell]

I'd prefer TT's route to Tim's simply because we're not parting with anything potentially elite.

[davell]

I'm not a fan of giving up much for bullpen arms, but damn, adding Chapman to this team would be awesome.

[Little Slide Rooter]

While we're doing hypotheticals, here's one off the top of my head:

 

Alcantara and Underwood for Chapman

 

Vogelbach for your favorite non-elite rental SP(Kazmir, Iwakuma, Gallardo, Latos, etc)

 

Pineyro for Parra

 

No to Latos, but I'd do all those trades.

 

Does Gallardo really belong in that lot? Yeah, this hasn't been his best season so far, but how much of that has to do with Arlington and the AL?

[Tryptamine]

While we're doing hypotheticals, here's one off the top of my head:

 

Alcantara and Underwood for Chapman

 

Vogelbach for your favorite non-elite rental SP(Kazmir, Iwakuma, Gallardo, Latos, etc)

 

Pineyro for Parra

 

No to Latos, but I'd do all those trades.

 

Does Gallardo really belong in that lot? Yeah, this hasn't been his best season so far, but how much of that has to do with Arlington and the AL?

 

Gallardo stopped being good a few years ago. 2012: 3.94FIP, 2013: 3.89FIP, 2014: 3.94FIP. His K rate has gone from 9.00 to 6.04 over the last few years as well. I'd say Kazmir,Iwakuma and a healthy Latos are substantially better pitchers.

[sontensei]

I would trade Baez in a deal for Hamels and Papelbon and probably for Cueto and Chapman as well but not for these 2.

 

Agreed. No chance in hell, I'd give Baez in a deal for these 2.

 

No way in Hell i want to see Baez go to a NL Central team, it will haunt us for a decade.

[Tryptamine]

I see no reason we should be giving up valuable chips for short terms solutions. If you're going to give up prospects then get someone who is going to be here for a few years.