General managers don’t expect many frontline hitters to be available in trades this summer, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports. Here are more of Olney’s notes:
- Carlos Quentin of the Padres could be the most sought-after hitter on the trade market, but teams may have concern over the outfielder’s injury history. Olney speculates that teams such as the Reds, Rays, Indians, Dodgers, Braves, Blue Jays, Pirates and Marlins could have interest in Quentin depending on how the next two months unfold. In case you missed it, I set out to determine Quentin’s trade value last week.
- It was somewhat surprising to see potential first overall selection Mark Appel stay on the board until the Pirates made him the eighth pick of the draft, but executives from many teams had Appel projected as the fourth or fifth-best pitcher available, Olney reports. The presence of agent Scott Boras wasn’t scaring teams off, the clubs simply preferred other players.
- Most of Olney’s sources believe the Pirates did well to select Appel eighth overall, yet there’s an expectation that the team won’t be prepared to spend wildly and forfeit future draft picks to complete a deal.
The Padres can have their choice of any two pitchers in the system other than Cole, Taillon, and Heredia, and maybe any hitter other than Marte or Dickerson. Let’s make a deal!
What’s so special about Luis Heredia? I don’t think he’s that special, and won’t be necessary if the Pirates are able to sign Appel.
he has the potential for a plus plus fastball, plus curve, and plus change. that’s pretty special
He’s also extremely raw and very far away, I don’t think Pirates should trade him for Quentin per say but he shouldn’t be untouchable.
He has the potential to pitch over 200mph. That is what’s so special about him. He has an above average fastball, breaking ball, curve, knuckle ball, and can make change of a dollar. He is the Chuck Norris of baseball. Simply untouchable.
Quentin for Josh Bell. Straight up.
One can dream.
the pirates system is too top heavy for this.
Quentin to Phils? Seems to make sense, especially if they are sour on Brown.
So they can continue trading their depleting/non-existent farm system after trading for Pence, Lee, Halladay, and Oswalt?
They can afford to pay about 6 Pence on the dollar for players with the prospect situation…
For who? They shouldn’t be sour on Brown in a week he’s made his stat line respectable.
Not big on Quentin. Rather see a trade for a player who could be a long-term solution. Not that he can’t be but he is injury prone. If we sign Appel, maybe we start talking about trading one of our big name arms. That is the reward of drafting well, having more bargaining chips to get some really special players.
Quentin is the ultimate mirage…just a matter of time until he is hurt again.
Maybe Boras wasn’t scaring teams off, but I still don’t think the combination of an Appel and a snake was a good idea.
Good one Chico.
If Quentin is traded, San Diego will erupt in mass protest like the one seen after the
Rodney King verdict. Sign Carlos..Sign Carlos..Sign Carlos…to at least a 3 year deal
Love the idea of signing a premier player to anchor the Pads offense. Not sure someone as fragile as Quentin has been throught his career is the right place to spend limited bucks though. A three year deal could be the wrong kind of anchor if he’s only on the field for and year and an half of that time.
when is the right time? Who is the right player? At some point, the Pades are going to have to commit to fielding a winning team and having a player who can lead or co-lead their offense. I think this is the time and Quentin is the player. I’m not saying they should offer him a contract today but if he continues to perform like this, he is the guy. A local guy who wants to play in SD makes the deal much more attractive.
I will be amazed if the Pirates sign Appel. If you presumed that Boras was going to squeeze every dollar he could out of Pittsburgh, isn’t it arguably in any elite player’s best interest to sit for a year and hope the next draft turns up a team with pocketbooks? Not just for the money that can be had on the rookie contract, but for the contracts you could sign between that and free agency. Let’s face facts- Pittsburgh is Baseball Hell.
“isn’t it arguably in any elite player’s best interest to sit for a year and hope the next draft turns up a team with pocketbooks?”
No. There are very set limits on spending for the draft now and the penalties for exceeding them get severe fast. “A team with pocketbooks” might give Appel a couple extra million dollars of wiggle room and that’s at the absolute top, assuming they waste the rest of their draft picks on players who will sign significantly under slot so they can give more to him. And that is at the cost of a year of your career and entering free agency a year younger — not a good idea unless you have no belief that you will succeed.
“Not just for the money that can be had on the rookie contract, but for the contracts you could sign between that and free agency.”
There’s nothing that says a player has to sign an extension or take a team’s offers in the arbitration process. If you want the most money between drafting and free agency, just perform well and keep going to arbitration. Arbiters don’t care what team you play for, they just pick the most reasonable submitted number for your performance.
Incidentally, if that is your concern then going to a team like Pittsburgh with a fast path to the Majors is your best bet. The sooner you’re playing major league baseball the sooner you can get to arbitration, to free agency and to making the big bucks.
If he’s trying to avoid Pittsburgh specifically, well, that’s his call I guess. The way they’ve been drafting I would feel pretty good about them personally.
Baseball hell? They’ve got the best ballpark in the game and a ton of talent in the farm system.
I’m an Astros fan, but I’ll gladly catch a game at PNC Park anytime.
“isn’t it arguably in any elite player’s best interest to sit for a year” — maybe so, but if Appel was actually an elite pitcher (remember, “executives from many teams had Appel projected as the fourth or fifth-best pitcher available”), he wouldn’t have slid down to 8th overall.
And “Pittsburgh is Baseball hell”? — no, at least not since Jason Kendall left.
Don’t trade him unless you get an offer you can’t refuse.
Someone has to play San Diego’s games while they are waiting for the youngsters to develop. Just because you aren’t going anywhere doesn’t mean you have to give up every player that has any value at all. The Padres would like at least a few fans show up in the meantime, wouldn’t they?