Is it too early to trade for a closer?

[CubinNY]

What would it take to get Mason Miller? 

[Tim]

1. Yes, it's too early
2. A lot

[squally1313]

Not at all gospel, but the trade value site has Miller as more valuable than everyone in the Cubs organization besides: Steele, PCA, Horton, Shaw, and Morel. The implication is that Nico wouldn't be enough by himself. Given the Athletics general approach to everything, they'd want prospects (but seemingly be ok with giving up the most electric player on their team who is locked up for four more years after this?). It's probably something like Alcantara and then either Rojas or Triantos. This is for a guy who has been absurdly dominant in 12 innings this year but also kinda....average? in 33 innings last year. 

Also, yes, too early. I wouldn't mind seeing a little more Alzolay in the middle innings to get him right as I think he's clearly still the best option long term.  It'd be nice if we could get some consistency in the rotation and then have one or two of the Brown/Wes/Smyly/etc just fully focus on becoming a 1-2 inning monster. But that might just not be in the cards this year. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

1 minute ago, squally1313 said:

Not at all gospel, but the trade value site has Miller as more valuable than everyone in the Cubs organization besides: Steele, PCA, Horton, Shaw, and Morel. The implication is that Nico wouldn't be enough by himself. Given the Athletics general approach to everything, they'd want prospects (but seemingly be ok with giving up the most electric player on their team who is locked up for four more years after this?). It's probably something like Alcantara and then either Rojas or Triantos. This is for a guy who has been absurdly dominant in 12 innings this year but also kinda....average? in 33 innings last year. 

Also, yes, too early. I wouldn't mind seeing a little more Alzolay in the middle innings to get him right as I think he's clearly still the best option long term.  It'd be nice if we could get some consistency in the rotation and then have one or two of the Brown/Wes/Smyly/etc just fully focus on becoming a 1-2 inning monster. But that might just not be in the cards this year. 

I don't believe they think Alzolay is right. He hasn't pitched for almost a week. He spoke about his inability to tunnel right now, so I am thinking that behind-the-scenes, they are still trying to iron that out and don't want him pitching unless it's in mopup duty. He has 1 K over his last 4 appearances. Hitters are having no trouble distinguishing his pitches. 

 

I think It's insane to actually think Mason Miller will be a target of the Cubs. They'd probably rather Kyle get healthy and stick Brown there, but Jed will likely never empty a farm like that. He'll roll with Hodge and the Iowa shuttle eventually. I don't really see significant RP getting traded yet, but Ryan Pressly would greatly interest me. HOU is gonna trade him but they'll probably wait until his ERA aligns better with his peripherals, which are right in line with his career numbers. I'm curious to see what they get for him, though. 

[JHBulls]

14 hours ago, CubinNY said:

What would it take to get Mason Miller? 

More than Jed would want to trade. I happened to click on two recent Mason Miller outings lately and one (or maybe both) were against the Yankees and both against the heart of the order, Volpe/Judge/Soto. Miller crushed them, just crushed.

He’s been my fantasy lately to trade for. Not happening though.  

[Tim]

On the bright side, there are so many teams that already have no hope this year that I think trades will start to happen in late May / early June. Oakland has some targets other than Miller that should come cheaper (I really like Erceg from that group). There aren't as many obvious options on other teams, but Colorado, the White Sox, the Marlins, and Angels are already down to a near zero percent chance of making the playoffs. 

I'm actually hoping Washington craters over the next month. I'd love to target Hunter Harvey as someone that could help this year and next. He's not a "closer", so he'd come a bit cheaper. But he throws a ton of strikes, throws hard, and gets whiffs. He's even been a ground ball monster so far this year, too. 

[Derwood]

Reliever trades are starting up. Not closers, but the Braves and D-Backs have already made trades. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

Maybe I'm crazy, but I wouldn't be opposed to a conversation centered around PCA in a Mason Miller deal.  Yeah I know, there are injury concerns with Miller, but the guy is dominant when healthy and under control through 2029!

[mul21]

On 5/3/2024 at 12:45 PM, Irrelevant Dude said:

Maybe I'm crazy, but I wouldn't be opposed to a conversation centered around PCA in a Mason Miller deal.  Yeah I know, there are injury concerns with Miller, but the guy is dominant when healthy and under control through 2029!

I was very concerned about PCA until he hit that home run to get his first hit because he just looked antsy and lost at the plate, but he's been so much more comfortable since then that I think he really has that star potential.  I'm not saying he doesn't have flaws and isn't going to struggle a bit, but i really think his ceiling is incredibly high and I would hate to trade that for a relief pitcher, even if it is a 100 mph throwing closer.

[CubinNY]

IDK what it takes, I want Mason Miller on the Cubs. 

[spaincubsfan]

8 hours ago, CubinNY said:

IDK what it takes, I want Mason Miller on the Cubs. 

 

 

[JD94]

Bleacher Report has us as the favorite to land Miller. Their proposal has us giving up Alcantara, Caissie, and Triantos for him. Hardddddd pass for me if that’s the price. 

[Tim]

You could probably talk me into a deal centered around Alcantara and Triantos, combined with a 35 prospect or two. But there's no way I'm giving up Caissie in that deal, too. You're approaching the cost SD paid for Juan Soto when he still had 3.5 years of control.

[JD94]

1 hour ago, Tim said:

You could probably talk me into a deal centered around Alcantara and Triantos, combined with a 35 prospect or two. But there's no way I'm giving up Caissie in that deal, too. You're approaching the cost SD paid for Juan Soto when he still had 3.5 years of control.

I’d definitely be cool if it was centered around Alcantara. But I’m not doing all 3 as Bleacher Report mentioned. Relievers are so volatile and he has a very small track record of being this dominant. I’d love for Jed to be able to pull it off, but if that’s the package, then I’d rather just piece the bullpen together with guys like Harvey from Washington as mentioned above, Nardi from Miami is interesting if you look past his ERA (although he’s under control for multiple years also), Yimi Garcia from Toronto, etc. There’s tons of solid relievers out there that you can piece the pen together with rather than going and trading big time prospects for a big name closer no matter how fun it would be having him in a Cubs uniform. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

I was never cool with how easily we discarded Jeremiah Estrada after he showed huge swing and miss stuff and then had a little stumble on his first taste of MLB. Looking like a pretty decent miss by Hoyer. Closed for the Padres tonight and struck out the side hitting 98, sub-1 ERA so far. Hoyer gave up way too soon on that guy.

[BKHoo]

Kyle is a part of this teams future? 

[Bertz]

Good read on reliever volatility in general, but also relevant as the Cubs will probably be in this space.  Guys like Mason Miller with his level of dominance or Ryan Pressly with his level of track record (+ dominance) will obviously be different.  But if you want a pop-up arm like Yimi Garcia the price is probably in line with what we got back for Ryan Tepera and Andrew Chafin.  Fun live arms from the back of our top 30.

 

[squally1313]

Mason ‘we should trade multiple top 100 guys for him’ Miller: 2.84 ERA

Hector ‘Cut his ass yesterday, he is the worst pitcher I’ve ever seen’ Neris: 2.50 ERA

[We Got The Whole 9]

37 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Mason ‘we should trade multiple top 100 guys for him’ Miller: 2.84 ERA

Hector ‘Cut his ass yesterday, he is the worst pitcher I’ve ever seen’ Neris: 2.50 ERA

His ERA is 2.05 after getting beat up a bit today. The Rockies of all teams brought that K% down a little.

[squally1313]

1 hour ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

His ERA is 2.05 after getting beat up a bit today. The Rockies of all teams brought that K% down a little.

Thought I saw 2.84 on the live page for FG but that’s been a little buggy for me. Also obviously was mostly joking and a little making a point about volatility and sample sizes. 

[Dfan25]

Taylor Rogers just got put on waivers by the Giants . He has 1 year left at 11 mil . If they will end over the tax this year , they should maybe put a claim on him ?  A high leverage lefty is a need for 25. 

[Bertz]

That is probably too rich for Rogers.  Not by a ton, it wouldn't be silly, but there are some yellow flags in his profile and 1/$11M can probably go a little further over the winter.I think if we were closer to the playoffs this year or it was earlier in the season I'd be a little more hell yeah about it. 

But if we want to jump the FA market on a reliever I am going to keep banging this drum that I think we should try and lock down Lopez.  With reliever volatility there's definitely something to be said for "we already know this guy and Tommy Hottovy really vibe."