Marlins Firesale?

[rawaction]

If you eat half of Lowell's contract, you could move him somewhere like the Dodgers, who need a 3B and (if Kent moves to 1B) a 2B. Texas as mentioned is a possibility. The Nationals could be interested if Jose Vidro is toast. The Royals want to make a splash with the $20MM in new payroll ownership has given them.

 

Eat enough of Lowell's contract, and he's moveable. He's not TOO old, he's a year removed from a good season, and as awful as he was last year, he still drove in over 50 runs. That would be respectable production if he plays 2B.

 

If Texas is giving up Danks and Blalock, there's nothing the Cubs can do (within reason) to beat that deal. If Florida then wants to trade Blalock, that's where the Cubs can get involved. Blalock could be a key piece in getting Abreu to the Cubs.

[USSoccer]

If you eat half of Lowell's contract, you could move him somewhere like the Dodgers, who need a 3B and (if Kent moves to 1B) a 2B. Texas as mentioned is a possibility. The Nationals could be interested if Jose Vidro is toast. The Royals want to make a splash with the $20MM in new payroll ownership has given them.

 

Eat enough of Lowell's contract, and he's moveable. He's not TOO old, he's a year removed from a good season, and as awful as he was last year, he still drove in over 50 runs. That would be respectable production if he plays 2B.

 

If Texas is giving up Danks and Blalock, there's nothing the Cubs can do (within reason) to beat that deal. If Florida then wants to trade Blalock, that's where the Cubs can get involved. Blalock could be a key piece in getting Abreu to the Cubs.

 

You don't think Pie and Williams or Pinto would match that?

[rawaction]

If you eat half of Lowell's contract, you could move him somewhere like the Dodgers, who need a 3B and (if Kent moves to 1B) a 2B. Texas as mentioned is a possibility. The Nationals could be interested if Jose Vidro is toast. The Royals want to make a splash with the $20MM in new payroll ownership has given them.

 

Eat enough of Lowell's contract, and he's moveable. He's not TOO old, he's a year removed from a good season, and as awful as he was last year, he still drove in over 50 runs. That would be respectable production if he plays 2B.

 

If Texas is giving up Danks and Blalock, there's nothing the Cubs can do (within reason) to beat that deal. If Florida then wants to trade Blalock, that's where the Cubs can get involved. Blalock could be a key piece in getting Abreu to the Cubs.

 

You don't think Pie and Williams or Pinto would match that?

 

No. Blalock is a former AS 3rd baseman. He's still pretty cheap, and just 24 years old. Down year or not, the Cubs don't have anything to match that. Pie is probably a better prospect than Danks at this point, but not that much better. And not when you consider OF talent is easier to find than LH starting pitchers. Williams is still just 24 also, but doesn't have the upside of anyone else involved in the deal.

[SouthSideRyan]

I wanna say Lowell's one of the slowest guys in baseball. So no, he would not work in the OF.

[USSoccer]

If you eat half of Lowell's contract, you could move him somewhere like the Dodgers, who need a 3B and (if Kent moves to 1B) a 2B. Texas as mentioned is a possibility. The Nationals could be interested if Jose Vidro is toast. The Royals want to make a splash with the $20MM in new payroll ownership has given them.

 

Eat enough of Lowell's contract, and he's moveable. He's not TOO old, he's a year removed from a good season, and as awful as he was last year, he still drove in over 50 runs. That would be respectable production if he plays 2B.

 

If Texas is giving up Danks and Blalock, there's nothing the Cubs can do (within reason) to beat that deal. If Florida then wants to trade Blalock, that's where the Cubs can get involved. Blalock could be a key piece in getting Abreu to the Cubs.

 

You don't think Pie and Williams or Pinto would match that?

 

No. Blalock is a former AS 3rd baseman. He's still pretty cheap, and just 24 years old. Down year or not, the Cubs don't have anything to match that. Pie is probably a better prospect than Danks at this point, but not that much better. And not when you consider OF talent is easier to find than LH starting pitchers. Williams is still just 24 also, but doesn't have the upside of anyone else involved in the deal.

 

But in terms of cost, Pie and Williams will cost less than Blalock will when he gets to his arbitration years (assuming FL keeps him). Williams gives them a solid starter, and allows them to maintain the illusion of competition. Pie would replace Pierre when they deal him.

 

Diamond and Danks probably aren't ML ready. Williams is. Pie, along with Hermedia and Cabrera, would give them a really young, strong core of players, 2 of whom will be cheap for 3 years. I think it's comparable.

[rawaction]

If you eat half of Lowell's contract, you could move him somewhere like the Dodgers, who need a 3B and (if Kent moves to 1B) a 2B. Texas as mentioned is a possibility. The Nationals could be interested if Jose Vidro is toast. The Royals want to make a splash with the $20MM in new payroll ownership has given them.

 

Eat enough of Lowell's contract, and he's moveable. He's not TOO old, he's a year removed from a good season, and as awful as he was last year, he still drove in over 50 runs. That would be respectable production if he plays 2B.

 

If Texas is giving up Danks and Blalock, there's nothing the Cubs can do (within reason) to beat that deal. If Florida then wants to trade Blalock, that's where the Cubs can get involved. Blalock could be a key piece in getting Abreu to the Cubs.

 

You don't think Pie and Williams or Pinto would match that?

 

No. Blalock is a former AS 3rd baseman. He's still pretty cheap, and just 24 years old. Down year or not, the Cubs don't have anything to match that. Pie is probably a better prospect than Danks at this point, but not that much better. And not when you consider OF talent is easier to find than LH starting pitchers. Williams is still just 24 also, but doesn't have the upside of anyone else involved in the deal.

 

But in terms of cost, Pie and Williams will cost less than Blalock will when he gets to his arbitration years (assuming FL keeps him). Williams gives them a solid starter, and allows them to maintain the illusion of competition. Pie would replace Pierre when they deal him.

 

Diamond and Danks probably aren't ML ready. Williams is. Pie, along with Hermedia and Cabrera, would give them a really young, strong core of players, 2 of whom will be cheap for 3 years. I think it's comparable.

 

Blalock signed a 5-year, $15.25M contract before the 04 season, with an option for a 6th season. He'll be cheap for a while. They're already saving a ton going from Beckett and Lowell to Blalock. I don't think saving an extra $3M will cause them to take less talent.

 

And Blalock gives them more of an illusion of competing than Williams, because he's a named player who gained recognition by winning an All-Star game, the first one that "counted", IIRC.

[Outshined_One]

But in terms of cost, Pie and Williams will cost less than Blalock will when he gets to his arbitration years (assuming FL keeps him).

 

I swear that a year or two ago, he signed a cheap contract for a decent number of years that went beyond arbitration.

 

Edit: 5 years, $15m with an option for 2009.

[USSoccer]

Blalock signed a 5-year, $15.25M contract before the 04 season, with an option for a 6th season. He'll be cheap for a while. They're already saving a ton going from Beckett and Lowell to Blalock. I don't think saving an extra $3M will cause them to take less talent.

 

And Blalock gives them more of an illusion of competing than Williams, because he's a named player who gained recognition by winning an All-Star game, the first one that "counted", IIRC.

 

Ouch. I did not realize he had that contract.

 

Maybe then add another pitcher in the deal? Williams and Hill along with Pie?

[HoopsCubs]

If Texas is giving up Danks and Blalock, there's nothing the Cubs can do (within reason) to beat that deal. If Florida then wants to trade Blalock, that's where the Cubs can get involved. Blalock could be a key piece in getting Abreu to the Cubs.

 

Raw,

 

Good thinking! I think Beckett is a special player, so I think the Cubs must explore every avenue to get him, but if the ancillary benefit of doing this due diligence for a deal is that a pathway is created to get Abreu, then, even better.

[Illini Iceman]

If Texas is giving up Danks and Blalock, there's nothing the Cubs can do (within reason) to beat that deal. If Florida then wants to trade Blalock, that's where the Cubs can get involved. Blalock could be a key piece in getting Abreu to the Cubs.

 

Raw,

 

Good thinking! I think Beckett is a special player, so I think the Cubs must explore every avenue to get him, but if the ancillary benefit of doing this due diligence for a deal is that a pathway is created to get Abreu, then, even better.

 

After the Marlins / Rangers deal goes down:

 

Mitre, Novoa, CPatt and Pinto to Marlins for Blalock and Pierre then Blalock and Williams to Phillies for Abreu.

 

This is my current offseason delusion.

[MPrior]

Texas only wants Lowell if they're getting Beckett. Florida could attach Lowell to Pierre or Castillo, but are under the belief the best way to get maximum value is to attach him to Beckett. From everything I've read, he's available if you take Lowell and is being openly shopped that way. Even my source in Houston confirms that Lowell and Beckett are being shopped as a package deal.

 

Would you be willing to take Beckett if there was a chance Lowell became a very expensive backup 1B/3B bench player? I don't see a whole lot of teams that are going to want him on their own.

 

Beckett is too good of a talent to pass on lightly. Minnesota is interested in Lowell. Yankees want Torii Hunter. If I'm Hendry, I work out a 4-team deal a la the Nomar deal from 2004.

 

Marlins trade Beckett and Lowell to the Cubs for Glendon Rusch, Adam Greenberg and a marginal pitching prospect, but with the Cubs picking up Lowell's entire contract.

 

The Cubs turn around and deal Lowell, Walker, Patterson, a young pitching prospect and some cash (maybe $2M for Lowell) to Minnesota for Torii Hunter, and JC Romero.

 

The Cubs then trade Hunter to the Yankees for Gary Sheffield.

 

Net: Cubs get Beckett and Sheffield

 

You seem to have forgotten JC Romero. We'd get him too. That deal really DOES seem too good to be true.

[biittner77]

It seems like there should be a way that Lowell winds up on the Dodgers and Bradley on the Cubs.

 

Cubs get:

 

Castillo

Bradley

 

Dodgers Get:

 

Lowell

 

Marlins get:

 

Walker

Rohlicek

Hagerty

 

Everyone walks away happy.

 

Castillo

Bradley/ Murton

Lee

Ramirez

Giles

Murton/ Bradley

Barrett

Cedeno/ Perez

[Guest]

It seems like there should be a way that Lowell winds up on the Dodgers and Bradley on the Cubs.

 

Cubs get:

 

Castillo

Bradley

 

Dodgers Get:

 

Lowell

 

Marlins get:

 

Walker

Rohlicek

Hagerty

 

Everyone walks away happy.

 

Castillo

Bradley/ Murton

Lee

Ramirez

Giles

Murton/ Bradley

Barrett

Cedeno/ Perez

Sounds good to me, as we really aren't giving up much. Walker to Castillo is more or less a wash offensively, though Castillo has the edge defensively and would cost quite a bit more. Rolicek+Hagerty seems like a steal for Bradley until you consider the Dodgers may give him up for nothing. Of course I'm not sure they'd want to take on all of Lowell's contract as they're rumored to be in belt-tightening mode themselves. Would you still do that deal if the Cubs had to eat $5-$6 million of Mike's contract?