For the first time since 2005, there isn't a single team from either East division in the LCS round. That just means we're going to be hearing a lot more about them during the hot stove season. Here are some East Coast links…
- Earlier today we heard that the Reds are expected to listen to offers for Joey Votto, and Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post thinks the Marlins may kick the tires (Twitter link). The Fish are expected to make a splash before moving into their new stadium, and Votto would certainly qualify. Click here for Tim Dierkes' Offseason Outlook.
- Although the Marlins are expected to be quite active this offseason, Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (via Twitter) doesn't expect them to be in on Yu Darvish as the club isn't terribly active in Asia.
- No surprise here, but Yankees GM Brian Cashman says that he still wants to return next season, writes Chad Jennings of The Journal News. Cashman's contract expires at the end of the month, and ESPN's Buster Olney hears (on Twitter) that talks about a new contract are going smoothly. A deal could be done by the end of next week.
- Jennings looked back at the trade deadline and asked if the Yankees missed an opportunity. He says it's easy to say they did in hindsight, but he agrees when Cashman says "I don't see there was any missed opportunity I could have done differently."
xfipMachine
Way to go out on a limb, Goldy
Jon Stark
Votto to the Jays. Make it happen AA.
xthetouristx
Why would they give up talent when they could get Pujols without giving any up? It’s not as though the Jays are a small market.
rfffr
what can the marlins offer? Morrison won’t cut it
WrigleyTerror37
Do the Marlins have Pitching prospects? Bc i remember reading some where that the Reds want a Ace Maybe Josh Johnson? When hes is healthy he is a ace.
ARodinyourPujols
The Marlins won’t trade Johnson. They want to make a splash and make their team better and compete in the first year in the new stadium, trading their ace will not make them better.
xthetouristx
With his health history, maybe they should trade him for some value.
Ethanator99
Votto for Hanley and Stanton
Alex Ferrer
LMAO
Sniderlover
That would be an epic deal for Cinci. Marlins? Not so much.
John Cabrera
doesn’t make sense to me…..is vote really better than a healthy Hanley and the young upcoming Stanton…i don’t think so
wadecounty561
Are you high?
Ethanator99
Drunk
xthetouristx
Maybe for Hanley and Sanchez, with a minor piece going with Votto in return.
Mike Martin
I was thinking Nolasco, Morrison and what ever else works.
Dave_in_Gainesville
I, for one Yankee fan, am happy my team didn’t mortgage its future (?again?) for a trade-deadline move that may well have left us worse off, even in the *short* term. Thinking about what was available out there, and what the Yankee needs were, can any among us reasonably speculate that a trade-deadline deal wouldn’t have included Jesus Montero and, on that basis, can we reasonably speculate that the resulting loss of offense wouldn’t have *cost* us games, rather than picking them up for us?
Cobby Box
Doug Fister coulda come in kinda handy. Even if just to make him not on the Tigers.
Deekay
trading for Fister just to prevent the Tigers to trade for him? That’s obviously as dumb as it gets.
woadude
Brian Cashman didn’t miss, his team made the playoffs, and everyone knows that at hat point it is the hottest team, not the most expensive, a GM who missed was Theo Epstein going for that damn discount bin again and getting Bedard instead of Fister, I mean Seattle was just giving away one of the most hottest commodities and you take Bedard?
slider32
I agree, that trade by the Tigers made all the other GMs look bad.
Vmmercan
East news!?!? Stop ruining the World Series!
brandondc
Votto to the Brewers for Braun… Makes sense for both teams, assuming Fielder is definitely not returning, and frees up a spot for Alonso at 1B
Johnnie
Braun>Votto dude, and besides the Reds won’t take on that extension
brandondc
Not necessarily… Votto is a machine with runners on, he just never has anyone on base with Stubbs and the rotating offensively-challenged shortstops batting 1st and 2nd. He didn’t win MVP for nothing. Braun definitely has him in the stolen bases category, but Votto is better defensively.
Matthew Wilson
Have you seen Braun’s contract? A straight-up swap makes no sense for the Brewers….
notsureifsrs
reds*
Matthew Wilson
Doesn’t make sense for either club really, but the Brewers would be getting the worst end of it.
YanksFanSince78
Votto is owed 2/$30 whereas Braun, while signed to a longer more expensive total contract, can be had for $30 mil over the next 3 years plus a very reasonable 6/$103 after that. Unless the Brewers plan on blowing the team up in the next 2 years and dumping salary then that deal makes no sense for them. They draw well and they are in the playoffs this year. Braun should be the centerpiece of that team for years to come.
mikeclyne
Make it a 3 team trade – NYY Mil Cin
Yankees get Braun
Cin gets Montero
Mil get Votto and Brackman from Yankees
notsureifsrs
disgustingly delusional
vtadave
Yankees fan…what did you expect?
YanksFanSince78
Honestly, I don’t know why the Reds would want to move Votto but if they did I have to imagine they want a young pitcher already demonstrating success at the mlb level. To trade him for nothing but prospects sounds like a major step backwards for a team that was in the playoffs last year.
notsureifsrs
i think you nailed the rays as a great suitor. votto is strong defensively and has an MVP bat – the only kind they could tolerate paying for
they need to move shields after 2012 at the latest, and he could lose value if he regresses next season. if they can agree on some auxiliary pieces (an OFer or a SS), i think it’s a great swap both ways
YanksFanSince78
Ummm…you’re killin’ me dude.
No way that deal ever happens. Montero, in a perfect world, ends up being the next Votto and that’s far from a guarantee. Why would the Reds make that deal, especially since the thing they need most is pitching? As far as I know, it’s not a salary dump.
And Brackman can’t be considered a top pitching prospect anymore. If the Brewers were going to move Braun, who they have control over much longer than Votto and is the face of the franchise, then they need more than Votto even though Votto is a better hitter.
bonestock94
Trading away Votto is completely nuts
xthetouristx
Not really. It all depends on what is coming back. The Reds won’t be able to afford him once his current contract expires. They could have him for two years and then get two draft picks… or get something shiny for him now. I could see Michael Pineda, Brandon League, and an outfielder getting it done from the Mariners. Or Ogando, Feliz, and something small getting it done from Texas. Either of those packages would be better than 2 draft picks unless the Reds plan on going all in next year or the year after.
Matthew Wilson
What on earth could the Marlins offer the Reds? Morrison and/or Sanchez won’t be enough, and they won’t be including Stanton. Hanley’s not going anywhere and the Marlins farm system is in shambles. Don’t see them selling low on Josh Johnson either…..
The only logical fit here that I see is Stanton and Nolasco for Votto, and I don’t see it happening. The Reds need pitching and the Marlins just don’t have enough of it…..
YanksFanSince78
I think Votto to the Rays makes the most sense. Yes, I understand it’s the Rays and $15 mil is a lot for them but it’s a short deal and Votto could be a difference maker for them next year. They have plenty of pitching to spare also and could probably shoot some salary the other way to offset some money.
Votto for Hellickson and a couple of prospects? Maybe Hellickson and Upton straight up?
Slopeboy
Now that’s a trade that makes sense! Baker might be the manager to reach Upton and get the most out this talented head case.Votto would add the protection that Langoria needs.
notsureifsrs
votto for shields and another piece imo. rays won’t give up hellickson in his second year of service time. shields already costs $4M and will need to be traded next year at the latest
$17M is a helluva lot for the rays to absorb in 2013, but they’ll be clear of upton’s $5M by then and shields’ money too even if he isn’t the one that goes to the red. they could do it
re-a-lign! re-a-lign!
slider32
The Rays will have to move out of town and that god awful stadium, the fan base stinks.
Mike Martin
Votto and Volquez for Shields, Brinac and a certain CF.
notsureifsrs
why would the reds want a CF? not on their list of needs. not sure they’d want brignac either, but if they did shields+brignac for votto is pretty close to fair value imo
YanksFanSince78
I didn’t include Shields simply because he’s a bonafide ace right now whereas Hellboy still has to prove himself.
johnsmith4
Your suggestion isn’t that outlandish. It will be similar to Rays trading for Rafael Soriano in his final year of his contract. The short term lowers the risk of having the high salary and the Rays end up with a 1st round pick and supplemental pick at the end of the contract.
baconz11
if im the mariners, im offering a package centered around pineda…
Andy Mc
Henderson Alvarez + Jake Marisnick + Drew Hutchison = Joey Votto?
Lunchbox45
+ Escobar or Hech.
notsureifsrs
gotta be hech from the jays perspective. opening a hole at short to upgrade at 1B doesn’t make a lot of sense
johnsmith4
It sounds like acquiring a top SS is key to Reds…they might insist on Escobar if they are in a “win now” mode
Sniderlover
They can insist all they want, it just won’t happen. Doesn’t make any sense from Jays perspective since it’s much harder to fill the shortstop position than 1st baseman even though Votto has arguably been the best 1st baseman over the past 2 years.
They seem to need a LF so I think one of Thames or Snider could make sense in the deal. Hech could too since they have a need for a shortstop.
Andy Mc
No way Escobar is going anywhere. In ‘real’ value, he’s close to Votto, IMO. The Reds could be overwhelmed by the Jays. Something like Alvarez + Drabek + Hechavarria + Thames would be very tough to resist. I’m not sure it would be worth it for the Jays, though. Marisnick and Hutchison should be A prospects, that’s why I suggested Alvarez + those two.
eyedessert
The way I understand it, the Reds are merely listening; however, make no mistake just about any deal involving Votto and any player(s) the Marlins would be realistically willing to part with would be an absolute steal for the Marlins. I could see the Marlins parting with Gaby and/or Volstad, who can be an effective pitcher when consistently good.
rfffr
Walt Jocketty would check the calendar and then suggest beinfest seek mental help
John Cabrera
*Votto
jwsox
wow a healthy and focused Hanely, votto, stanton, and L-Mo thats a scary 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6 no matter how you order it (probably hanley-votto-stanton-LOMO) scary and potentially amazing…throw in a bounce back form coughlin, and gabby being gabby the Marlins could be nice team
slider32
Votto to the Jays for Bautista.
baconz11
yea i would think a mariners offer of like Pineda, trayvon robinson, and alex liddi would get it done…The reds get their big time SP and then a decent lf prospect that actually can play defense…and then they get a solid 3b prospect who is ready to play now with big time power..
Mike Martin
Pineada is the repeat of what the Reds don’t need.
Tim Montague
People are really underestimating Joey Votto. He’s a beast at hitting for average, taking walks, and hitting for power. Plus he plays a great 1B according to UZR. I know there’s a lot of good hitting first basemen, but he’s one of the 10 best hitters in the game, with 2 years of control left. It’s going to take a huge package.
VadaPinson
3rd best BA with RISP. .383 I believe. The only consistent thing, by far…in that lineup.
He had barely any protection from Bruce…let alone Rolen.
vtadave
Niese and Fernando Martinez.
Signed,
Mets fans
RP0973
Joey Votto, I like better the idea of have a player like him that Prince Fielder or Pujols,Pujols is 32 years old and he wants a 10 year contract at 30MM lets say 8 Years at 28 or 30MM steal a 40 year old at youngest by the end of the contract that is crazy Fielder is a better option that pujols he’s youngest and will demand less money bud votto is a better player all around,trade Nolasco,Volstad and cougland to get him
VadaPinson
The Reds would want Shields and Hellickson….maybe a position player, but I do not know who.
The Reds would probably include Wood or Volquez. Do not know if Rays would even want them though.
wvredhead93
Votto won’t be going anywhere. Period.
gunsnascar
garza for trade for what