Cubs Acquire Austin Jackson; DFA Olt

[Guest]

The missed opportunity from the deadline in my mind was Kazmir. He was a definitive upgrade that didn't cost an arm and a leg. Most of the other SP at the deadline did not get traded(Gallardo, Kennedy, Ross/Carrasco), were prohibitively expensive(Price, Cueto, and Hamels), or not truly better than Haren(Happ, Latos). There's also a few others like Wood and Fiers who have some other mitigating circumstances associated with them so it's difficult to see if making a deal for them would have been feasible for the Cubs. I'd also accept Leake being a missed opportunity, I just don't trust that guy one bit and him missing several starts immediately after the trade doesn't help.

 

yep

 

KAAZZMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[SouthSideRyan]

I was fine with the talent given up for Hamels in a vacuum but if they insisted on a catcher, it would've required some B2B massaging.

 

ETA: I also would've been fine with free James Shields.

[Guest]

god kazmir would've been such a perfectly awesome upgrade

 

and perfect too

 

and awesome too

[Guest]

Isn't the rumor that Beane did Kazmir a solid by sending him to his preferred destination (his hometown team) rather than really working it to get the maximum return? I have no idea what his motivation would have been to do so, but I've heard something to that extent.

[Sammy Sofa]

The people that want to hoard the prospects are terrible and smell bad. This has always been true.

i mostly just like prospects because i've paid attention to baseball enough to notice the Cardinals have lost a #1 SP, their best hitter and like six other important players due to injury and had actual good players available to fill in

 

i've also noticed the times where the Cubs had to resort to castoff [expletive] stains like Mike Baxter, Dallas Beeler, Yoervis Medina or whoever anytime somebody goes down

 

All of the good ones are up; the remaining ones are simply sundry that can be bartered for goods and services. YOU KNOW IT TO BE TRUE.

[Sammy Sofa]

Isn't the rumor that Beane did Kazmir a solid by sending him to his preferred destination (his hometown team) rather than really working it to get the maximum return? I have no idea what his motivation would have been to do so, but I've heard something to that extent.

 

That sounds like something Brad Pitt Billy Beane would do, not Billy Beane Billy Beane.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Yep. Kazmir was the one big miss. He would have been perfect because he wasn't really cost prohibitive as far as prospects go. You get him for a couple months and you not only get a fifth starter, but you get a good starter. He could have been slotted in behind Arrieta and Lester and given us three really nice pitchers to throw out in the playoffs. Then, you can replace him in the off-season and the prospect loss is marginal, compared to Price or Hamels.

 

Regardless, we laid a turd at the trade deadline and a lot of people were pissed. It isn't revisionist history.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Isn't the rumor that Beane did Kazmir a solid by sending him to his preferred destination (his hometown team) rather than really working it to get the maximum return? I have no idea what his motivation would have been to do so, but I've heard something to that extent.

 

That sounds like something Brad Pitt Billy Beane would do, not Billy Beane Billy Beane.

 

It''s a well known fact that Jeremy Giambi was randomly gyrating atop a folding table to the delight of his team mates when he was informed that he had been traded.

[imb]

I like how Soler has better numbers than Russell basically all across the board, but somehow Russell is a God and Soler should get benched in favor of Austin Jackson?

 

Sure, outside of Addison being about a 2 WAR player and Soler being about -0.1, they're practically the same!

 

babby's first fangraphs

[Gilby]

Also, Austin Jackson probably IS the better player for 2015. He and Soler have been about the same hitter this season, and Jackson has played most of his games in Safeco. Plus, Jackson is a much better defender.

[Guest]

I like how Soler has better numbers than Russell basically all across the board, but somehow Russell is a God and Soler should get benched in favor of Austin Jackson?

 

Sure, outside of Addison being about a 2 WAR player and Soler being about -0.1, they're practically the same!

 

babby's first fangraphs

 

lmfao

[sweetpeteman]

Olt claimed by the white sox.

[Careless]

Olt claimed by the white sox.

And starting for them two games in a row.

[Clem Fandango]

They gotta do something to fill the hole that Joe Crede left

[Guest]

Thinking out loud: what type of demand would you anticipate for Jackson in free agency?

 

On one hand, Jackson is the rare FA that's under 30(he'll play all next year at 29), he can play a passable CF, and has past success as a regular, including a 5-win campaign in his pre-arb days.

 

On the other hand, he's on his 3rd team in 14 months, has been a touch below average these last two years, and passed through waivers without any contender wanting to have him around. Plus while there aren't an abundance of high end CF options in FA(Fowler is pretty much it unless you consider Cespedes a CF), there are some other options of similar quality like Rasmus, Span, even Drew Stubbs if you believe in him.

 

I ask because when you think about next year's roster, there's a hole that Jackson fills really, really well. Schwarber will naturally get a good chunk of playing time in LF, but a superior defender who is right handed but still capable of playing every day if need be(Schwarber to full-time C, Soler crash/injury, etc) is just what rounds out that unit. Even more than Coghlan, who while he's the better player overlaps a good bit with Schwarber's talents, for better and worse. Jackson's ability also allows you the luxury of not needing to have another roster spot taken up by someone who is primarily a CF.

 

Maybe I'm daydreaming, but I'd be really interested to see what the price is to bring Jackson back for 2 years. What do you think he gets in FA? Or better stated, what would he need to come back to the Cubs in what's likely a somewhat smaller role than he could get on the open market?

[davell]

I doubt he'll come cheap. Too many teams with need. My guess is 2/20 to 2/24.

[Guest]

I doubt he'll come cheap. Too many teams with need. My guess is 2/20 to 2/24.

 

Not disagreeing with you, but what teams do you think will be after an everyday CF? Just running down in my mind:

 

AL East - Blue Jays maybe

AL Central - Indians

AL West - A's and Rangers doubtful but possible

NL East - Mets; Nationals doubtful but possible

NL Central - Reds and Brewers I guess?

NL West - Giants, Padres

[davell]

Braves maybe? I could see them shopping Maybin again. I don't know that I'd limit it to just teams in need of a CF though. With the lack of bats available, I could see some teams overpaying a bit to get the bat and versatility into the lineup as well.

 

I could see the Cards valuing him too, since they'll be losing Heyward most likely. He could play some CF for them and a corner the rest of the time, I guess. I bet the O's go after a bat too, even if it's LF.

 

If I'm ranking(more just a general list though)

 

Tier 1- Heyward, Upton, Cespedes

 

Tier 2- Gordon, Fowler

 

Tier 3-Parra, Jackson, Span, Rasmus

 

Tier 4-Davis, Murphy, DeJesus, Denorfia, Pearce, de Aza

 

I figure everyone Tier 3 or higher gets a true starting gig, if they want it. And Murphy/Davis possibly can too. I've got no idea what Fowler gets at this stage, but 5/85 or so seems realistic to me. If we balk at that, Jackson is obviously a fallback option. No idea how important sticking in CF is to Jackson. But if he's going to be willing to play a corner, I bet he'll get a bit more money the more I look at this.

[Backtobanks]

From MLBTR:

 

Marcell Ozuna has been the source of some controversy this season, and that, paired with his disappointing offensive output, could have him on the trade block this winter. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that while many in the organization would like to hold onto Ozuna given his considerable upside, team owner Jeffrey Loria is “disappointed” in Ozuna and “very much open to trading him” in exchange for pitching help.

Ozuna, still just 24 years old, broke out in 2014 when he hit .269/.317/.455 with 23 homers in 153 games. Ozuna coupled that above-average production with solid play in center field to deliver a season valued at roughly 3.5 wins above replacement, per both Fangraphs and Baseball Reference. Entering the season, he was expected to contribute to what many (myself included) regarded as the best young outfield in all of baseball.

 

Not exactly a out trade chip abundance, but he might be an interesting trade candidate.

[davell]

We have no place to put him. Pass.

[Clem Fandango]

Not a believer in Ozuna. Also, what did he do that's so controversial it has Loria not liking him?

[Guest]

We have no place to put him. Pass.

We currently have no CF for next year. If the trade piece for him was the equivalent of a 1st supplemental pick, we could get him for "free" and save money to invest in pitching / Heyward.

[davell]

I didn't realize he played some CF. But I think we'd have enough in the budget that we can keep Fowler and go after one large FA target.(trading Castro to open up some cash) If its Heyward, we'd have to trade for a cheap controllable SP. Either way, I'd be disappointed if Ozuna was in our everyday plans next year.

[Guest]

Call me crazy, I don't want anything to do with Heyward.

[SouthSideRyan]

Not a believer in Ozuna. Also, what did he do that's so controversial it has Loria not liking him?

 

Saved a busload of orphans.