A wrap-up of items from Wednesday…
- We've heard that the Brewers have begun to explore the possibility of extending Prince Fielder's contract, but ESPN's Keith Law thinks "it makes no sense for the Brewers to keep Fielder" given that the team doesn't look like a contender this season or next. Law also describes Fielder as, "the type of player who doesn't age well."
- Kerry Wood isn't bothered by trade rumors linking him to Minnesota to fill the Joe Nathan void, reports Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. Castrovince adds that it's "hard to imagine" the Twins acquiring Wood given the veteran closer's $10.5MM salary in 2010 (plus an $11MM option for 2011 that vests if Wood finishes 55 games this year).
- Speaking of Wood, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer argues that the Tribe shouldn't deal Wood to a division rival until the Indians know what kind of a team they have this season. If they contend, then they could keep Wood for a pennant race. If they don't contend, Wood will still have trade value at midseason.
- Tyler Kepner of the New York Times talks to Matt Stairs, who is enjoying his role in the Padres camp as "the grandfather of the team." Stairs said he won't go to the minors if he doesn't make San Diego's opening day roster, and he might just return to his job as a hitting coach for the University of Maine's baseball team.
- MLB.com's Matthew Leach reports that Chris Duncan doesn't blame the Cardinals for dealing him to Boston last summer.
- Anthony Ranaudo, thought by some to be the top pitcher available in June's Amateur Draft, may fall down the draft board after battling elbow problems, reports ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill.
- Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told MLB.com's Bill Ladson that despite Stephen Strasburg's strong outing on Tuesday, "it's not going to change my plans" about how Strasburg will be brought along. Strasburg may well start the season in the minors, but ESPN's Buster Olney thinks it could be a brief stay: "You get the feeling that his time in the minors may be as short as it was for Tim Lincecum." Lincecum, for the record, has made only 13 lifetime appearances in the minors and made just four minor league starts in 2007 before being called up to San Francisco.
I think Keith Law is completely off on this one. The Brewers are certainly headed in the right direction and with Prince Fielder in the lineup everyday will just increase the chance of the Brewers winning the division.
How about Ben Revere for Jason Frasor? With Spanny in Center and Hicks making his way through the system, it may only make sense to trade Revere even though he is one of the Twins’ top prospects. If the Twins were to acquire Heath Bell about they send Wilson Ramos, Alex Burnett and Ben Revere?
So basically, the Twins will trade their #5 prospect for a 32 year old middle reliever ? I don’t get it. Why not just use Rauch or any in-house replacements ?
If they’re aiming for a top closer, why not go for Papelbon ? (I’m kidding of course)
Your willingness to just shell out the farm system for relievers is rather astounding. Just because the Twins may not have a place for Revere in their long-term future doesn’t mean that he’s expendable and should be dumped off for a mediocre arm like Frasor. If nothing else, Revere can be included in a package deal to bring in something of more value in the future.
And Burnett, Ramos, AND Revere for Bell? Really?
Okay but I expect the Paders to be stingy. Maybe Duensing, Bromberg, and Plouffe?
You go from our #2 and #5 prospects, plus a 21-year-old reliever (Burnett) who dominated A+ and AA last season to the tune of a sub-2.00 ERA and nearly a K per inning… to a 26-year-old back-end starter, our #10 prospect, and a first-round bust in Plouffe?
I really don’t get the logic behind most of your trade proposals. It seems like every time you post one, it’s just random names…
At any rate, what’s the point of going after Bell, when Nathan could be back and healthy in 2011? He’ll be making $11.25MM, and then Bell will be getting a raise on the $4MM he made through arbitration this year.
Trading for someone that’s going to be a sizeable payroll commitment in the season the Twins are trying to begin Joe Mauer’s new contract extension doesn’t make business sense. You can’t just cherry-pick names of good players on bad teams and think it’s all going to work out. The Twins, if anything, need a relatively low-cost option who will be off the books or extremely cheap next season. Bell doesn’t fit that bill. Frasor fits it slightly better, but who’s to say he’s a vast improvement over internal options? A 32-year-old coming off a career year is hardly a solid bet.
Because after this season, Orlando Hudson will be gone. Pavano will be gone. Thome. This is the Twins year to compete and I guarantee that after this season, the Twins could easily shop Bell. Even if it is an in-house option, the Twins still need to make sure that the closer role is filled. Maybe they can sign Joe Biemel and make Guerrier or Rauch the closer. The Twins would love to have one of their guys be the David Aardsma of last season. They need to fill that void somehow. But I usually don’t just throw names out there do I? I mean you have to give me a little bit of credit right?
Hey Hoynsie, don’t think you have to worry about the Tribe contending this season.
ha, agree. Love my Indians and love the young players they have, but they aren’t a contending team this year and they aren’t the 2008 Rays. 2011 or 2012 they could make some noise, but they could really use that money they’d save by dealing Wood. Choo just switched to Scott Boras…..Even if you have to eat $3M of Wood’s deal, that’s over $7M extra you got to try and work out a long term deal with Choo.
I think Shapiro and the entire Indians front office would be doing backflips if the Twins agreed to take on Wood and all his money. Chris Perez is the future closer. Only way to know that for sure though is to let him close….he can’t do that with Wood blocking him.
So if the Twins get Wood and the Indians don’t eat any salary, the Twins will be paying 21.75 million between the two. That is a lot for them to spend.
Doubt the Twins want Kerry Wood, and can almost guarantee they’d never take him without Cleveland eating most of his salary. We’re already at record heights for payroll and trying to extend Mauer.
An $11MM vesting option on an injury-prone, aging closer who looked awful last season isn’t really appealing.
ESPN wants me to pay $2.50 a month so I can read about how Keith Law thinks the Brewers shouldn’t try and keep one of the best sluggers in the league on their team? PASS.
I normally like KLaw but don’t see it with the Brewers. The NL Central is a crapshoot. I think the Cards are the team to beat but the Brewers could definitely compete. You trade Prince away and then what do you have? Might as well move Braun as well and start the entire rebuilding process from scratch.
And while Fielder may not age well, you have to be comfortable in offering a 5 year type deal. Going 8 years would be crazy but 4-5 seems like minimal risk to me. Fielder is a stud who has flown under the radar for far too long. With all the attention that A-Gonz gets, people forget that Fielder is just as good with the stick and is 2 years younger. To be 25 and already have 2 1000 OPS seasons under your belt is impressive.
Well, I’ll start with the first trade proposal then ..
Lars, Westmoreland, Buccholz, Doubront and Bard ?
Bad form, bro. The first trade proposal in any given thread is REQUIRED to involve the Mets…F-Mart in particular.
I guess Prince FIelder should be traded because Keith Law does not think the brewers will contend. Gosh maybe the poor fans who spend there hard earned money are tired of rebuilding since 1982 and would like there team to keep there superstars. While the greedy Rat BA##ARD owner pleads poverty, like the McCourts who have made over 100 million dollars over the last few years and have not paid a penny in taxes. While the poor shmuck who buys the ticket pays 40 to 50% off there pay check for taxes.
Gotta agree with the people on here over Keith Law, the Brewers should definitely keep Fielder, he MIGHT not age well but hey he’s what 25? No one is saying give him a 10 year deal, 5-6 years should be just fine, and who’s to say the Brewers can’t contend next year? A top teir pitcher or breakout from one or two prospects and they become scary, but only with Fielder, because without him their lineup becomes a lot less intimidating.
I still say the Brewers should trade Fielder to a different team and get some highly touted Triple-A, Major League ready, prospects. Fielder is good, but pitching is what we lack.
That sounds nice, but it seems like teams aren’t even willing to give up those “highly touted young high upside pitchers” these days, even for a player of Fielder’s caliber.
I think the most likely scenario is that they try to re-sign him, but failing that, if the team is out of it this summer, trade him before the deadline. Otherwise they’ll deal him next off-season for maybe one decent pitcher and a couple throw ins.
Ideally I would initiate a trade with the Red Sox. Fielder would be a beast in Fenway with Penske’s Pole. Also, they have Youk, who is getting old. They also are DEEP in pitching. I would think they could trade someone like Bucholz and throw in another minor leaguer.
Youkilis is only like 30, so I doubt they’re worried about replacing him yet. The Red Sox also seem to have a glut of 1B types already, so I’m not sure they’re going to be that interested in Fielder. I have the feeling they’re going to pursue Adrian Gonzalez instead.
That said, if they were willing to give up Bucholz and maybe Lars Anderson (the Brewers really don’t have an in-house 1B replacement other than maybe Mat Gamel or Casey McGehee), I’d probably go ahead and do it.
Bucholz, or someone of his quality and caliber would be an ideal trade candidate for Fielder.
If they lock up Beckett, I suspect Buchholz is headed out of Boston one way or another.
Fielder is to the Brewers what Pujols is to the Cardinals and Mauer is to the Twins. As long as he and Braun are on the same team, the Brewers have a shot. To say they aren’t contenders is ludicrous. Yes the starting pitching is questionable, but they upgraded it over last year and they still won 80 with arguably the worst starting pitching in the NL. They also have upgraded the bullpen which now is the deepest in the division.
There wasn’t anything “arguable” about it. They had the worst pitching in the NL, and tied for worst in all of MLB with only the Orioles (if I’m not mistaken).
Keith Law should only be allowed to analyze womens softball.
Even if they don’t want to trade Fielder. Would the Brewers really be in a position to turn down say Bucholz, Andersen & Bard?
If I’m the Brewers GM… well first I wouldn’t sign Wolf to that ridiculous contract but I’d have to look at the payroll flexibility whilst still being in a position to win that a trade like that would give a mid market team.
I don’t know why people constantly include Westmoreland in trades, I think it is EXTREMELY doubtful that the Red Sox ever trade him.