Pre-Emptive Trade Reactions
I’m driving to upstate New York for a wedding this weekend, so I probably won’t get a chance to respond to any kind of trades that the M’s might make over the next few days. So, here are my reactions ahead of time, and hopefully they’ll be useful if something gets announced shortly.
Trade Yuni? Yay.
Trade Wlad? No problem.
Trade Clement? Understandable.
Trade Halman? Sure.
None of those guys have a future in Seattle. As long as the M’s are getting a decent return, I’m okay with them all leaving. As for who they might get back.
Jack Wilson? Yuni’s bat + Cedeno’s glove = solid player, but not a long term solution.
Freddy Sanchez? Ichiro-lite, infield version. Value is tied to his BABIP, which makes him a risk.
Ian Snell? If you’re trading with Pittsburgh, get him in the deal please. See here.
Comments
16 Responses to “Pre-Emptive Trade Reactions”
Thanks, Dave. I didn’t want to go off-topic in the other thread.
I’d be happy with Sanchez, but Snell would be fantastic. I hadn’t noticed Sanchez’s BABIP.
Small sample and all, but Sanchez has played some pretty good third base in stints there the last few years. If Beltre were to come back though, who would play short?
I meant to say: “I’d be happy with Sanchez, but including Snell to that would be fantastic.”
I’m guessing there won’t actually be any trades over the weekend anyway. I suspect things won’t be finalized, or at least announced, until after the All-Star Game. That’s especially true if Sanchez is involved, since he’s supposed to wear a Pittsburgh uniform for it.
None of the current M’s Dave mentions would hurt the current 25 man roster. (A righty OF bat could easily be found to replace Wlad.) And in the case of Clement and Halman, C/1B and OF are the places from which the M’s have depth to deal.
With Joh, Johnson and Moore ahead of him at C and Branyan, Carp, and Lahair at 1B, Clement has no real future with the M’s. And as long as Wakamatsu manages, Clement would probably never see time at C, no matter who was ahead of him.
Halman would be the toughest to lose, but, similar to giving up Valbuena in the Gutierrez trade, the M’s will need to provide something of significance.
The M’s can always determine who might fit best at 3B between Sanchez and Lopez. Use whatever defensive alignment works best. Sanchez’s option will also vest, meaning he would be on the M’s next year too. If Tui isn’t ready, Sanchez can play 3B post-Beltre or 2B if Lopez is moved.
Snell would add depth this year and, maybe more importantly, next year to the rotation. Bedard and Wash are saying all the right things about wanting to be back in Seattle, but the idea of both them returning seems far fetched.
To elaborate on my previous comment, Geoff Baker rightly points out that there could be more than one deal, but anything with Pittsburgh is more likely to happen a little later.
I’d take Wilson, Sanchez and Snell.
I have no problem moving Halman if it nets the M’s middle infield help and/or Snell. The M’s are obviously in serious need of middle infield help and Snell would really allow them to trade Bedard or Washburn for other parts.
But if you look at an OF of Saunders/Guti/Ichiro next year and for the forseeable future, and then you also have Ackley in that mix, Halman’s path could be pretty blocked. If his stock is still good now, trading him for pieces that help the team more makes all the sense in the world to me.
I agree, but he is still the toughest with which to part if only because his potential value is the greatest. Still, he can be moved in the right deal. Plus, Langerhans might be around next year. That would add to the OF depth.
I tend to think the M’s are going after Wilson more than Sanchez. He’s just a better fit a shortstop. I also think they’d be crazy not to try to get Snell thrown into the deal, even if it meant sending the Pirates a reliever like Kelley or Lowe.
[9 errors]
I thought that Yuni was untradeable as no one would want him. Has that changed?
It’s just so refreshing to not be dreading the trade deadline, for once.
Liam: if it’s a matter of balancing money (i.e., if we’re taking enough back), Yuni’s tradeable.
Ya……kinda sad that I’m a journalism major and I still let stuff like that happen (laziness). If anyone cares, I was just saying that Sanchez would be a pretty nice number 2 hitter behind Ichiro, and I salivate thinking how affective the hit and run could be with those guys hittin back to back.
I have to agree with the concern, though, if it’s anything more than money. That is, I’d take on Jack Wilson or anybody else’s salary to trade Betancourt. But I wouldn’t package players to get somebody to take Betancourt. It’s not easy to separate out, but if for example Halman + Clement gets you a better package than Halman + Clement + Betancourt, then you take the better option.
Drayer reports that Yuni is off to KC for two minor league pitchers (heard it on 710 ESPN).