Some links to sift through as your Monday night winds down…
- Carlos Lee is remaining quiet on the potential Astros-Dodgers trade that would have sent him to Los Angeles, writes MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. "When I'm ready to talk, I'll come to you," Lee told reporters on Monday.
- Mike Newman of Fangraphs and Scouting the Sally writes that Gabriel Lino, who the Phillies acquired from the Orioles in this weekend's Jim Thome trade, is one of the Top 5 catching prospects he's scouted in person in terms of talent and ceiling. Newman opines that Ruben Amaro Jr. did well to turn a one-year deal like Thome into a talented teenage catcher.
- Josh Slatger of MLive.com writes that if the Tigers decide to make a run at Cole Hamels, third base prospect Nick Castellanos could be the "golden ticket" to acquiring the Philadelphia ace. Castellanos is blocked with both Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder locked into Detroit long-term.
- MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince looks at the ten biggest buzz topics heading into this year's trading season.
How is castellanos blocked exactly.
you move one of fielder/miggy to Dh and castellanos plays 3rd.
Castellanos forgot how to take a walk in AA? Ugly.
/obv. not meant as a reply
So who’s the higher regarded prospect, Castellanos or Olt?
Olt.
In hindsight (even plain sight at the time) I wish the Phillies would’ve picked Castellanos over Biddle. Nothing against Jesse, but Nick would be nice to have right now.
I’d probably want Turner back in a deal too. Not sure if the Tigers would do that, but Verlander/Hamels is scary going into a short series.
Olt is going to turn 24 this year and he is still in AA.
He might be better than Castellanos RIGHT NOW, but he’s much older.
John Sickels just updated his top prospect list and has Castellanos at 19 and Olt at 38.
Exactly. Castellanos is the better prospect.
I agree with your general premise, but turning 24 while in AA is hardly a knock on a prospect. The average age of a AA player is around 24 and the average age a major league prospect makes their debut is around 22-25.
Considering he’s a college guy who has hit well at every level with an advanced, patient approach at the plate, and for some reason did not play full season ball his 2nd year, I’d say he’s in a nice position in his development all things considered.
If Beltre severely pulled something and were out for 6-8 weeks, Olt would be the everyday 3b for a contender right now.
Doesn’t mean hes the better prospect, he’s got some contact issues – but his age is standard for a college prospect and he’s pretty much ready to go.
Castellanos
castellanos for sure..
but maybe the phillies would prefer someone more major league ready?
I think Castellanos is probably the better prospect, but Olt is still solid. And Olt is closer to MLB ready… which may make the Phillies favor Olt.
Either way, I’m not sure I want Hamels. there’s no way the Tigers can sign him long term… 4 20 mil players would be silliness…
They would have to deal Victor Martinez too.
by the time castellanos is ready that wont be a problem
Castellanos would be going in the deal too.
But honestly, I don’t really see Martinez being in this trade. Phillies have no use for him this season, and he couldn’t play even if they did. He doesn’t play 3B, can only catch part time (if at all) and all that was before he had major surgery. They don’t have a DH spot for him. He might be able to spell 1B but he’s not gonna be starting over Ryan Howard at $25M/yr. Martinez to the Phillies doesn’t really make any sense.
Of course it doesn’t. I was saying that the reason Cabrera/Fielder can’t DH is because of Martinez and that they’d have to move him to make room for Castellanos.
Don’t think either would be very happy just DH’ing.
Why are all these players supposedly so anti-DH? That would be like if they only had me come into work every other day to press the enter key but paid me like I was working 40 hours a week. I would LOVE that.
This is not some boring job. If I got paid to play baseball I would want to play the field too, not just sit on the bench for most of the game. They have only 4 at bats a game, how boring would that be.
but it makes the team better, so that doesn’t matter.
I doubt Cabrera is having much fun at 3B
He’s actually been better than anticipated. He is no where near as bad as many thought he would be. His range isn’t great, but he’s got sure hands and has a great arm. He makes the plays he’s supposed to.
As far as ‘he’s not happy there’, going back to third was his idea. And he tried to do it last year. He is not an issue at 3rd.
You didn’t get the memo that Miggy is in the best shape of his life and will be playing on 3B for the next 5 years? Get with it.
so your whilling to have a 130 miillion dollar DH in cabrera or a 200 million dollar DH in fielder? and what do you do with V-Mart? you have avilia at catcher. guess you could always throw cabrera back where he came up as and thats RF lol.
cabrera has just as much value as DH as he does at 3B.
and fielder has more value at DH than 1B, and vmart will be tradeable when castellanos is ready.
Might have more since he wouldn’t be playing the field and hurting the team.
He’s blocked because next year you will have V-Mart back.
incorrect. he’s 20 years old he probably wont be ready next year
You have V-Mart for two more years.
I also feel like people forget scouts see Castellanos excelling as a corner outfielder as well, so if you’re the Tigers and Castellanos is ready and you’re not in a position to move Cabrera, Prince, or even V-Mart, you make Nick your everyday LF. Problem solved.
Ding ding dig ding ding! There is the correct answer.
If Hamels isnt signable, Id pack his bags for him to get Castellanos.
Were only making that trade if there is an extension involved
1B named Lee- drama queens
Is it really wrong of him to use his no trade clause to turn down a deal to a place he’s not comfortable? He’s happy with himself in Houston, so why leave? Maybe playing to win isn’t important to him, but where he plays at. Some people are just so cynical.
I agree, nothing wrong at all to want to stay where you have played most if not your whole career. some people care about loyalty more then championships.
He signed his deal with the no trade clause because he wanted to stay, Signing team gave it to him, they shouldn’t expect that he just drops it if they ask, what would be the point.
Im curious what they offered (If anything) to accept the trade. Give him a check for a mil or two and i think he would have waived it.
Doubtful. He’s made well over $100 million in his career already, so that’s like giving normal people a couple grand to go somewhere where they aren’t comfortable.
Not saying that Carlos didn’t have a right to veto the trade, but it’s not really loyalty that he cares more about than championships. It’s convenience and comfort.
He lives halfway between his ranch and Minute Maid Park. He visits his ranch about 4 times a week during long homestands. He couldn’t do that if his home games were at Dodger Stadium.
Im sorry i know you guys prob think other wise but Hamels is not worth all of these prospects. unless he agrees to a sign and trade deal I just dont see him sticking around with the team he is traded to whether its Texas,Detroit,New York or even boston. believe it or not i can see him ending up right back in philly after they get these prospects. just not worth it for 1 championship.
Anything is worth a championship.
when you start off saying you guys will probably think otherwise
you are saying, hey I know I’m wrong but here’s my wrong opinion anyways.
prospects flame out, championships are forever
Getting hamels does not guarantee a championship, and for 5 prospects with 6 years control of ml talent vs 2 months of hamels, prospects give you more chance win more championships long run.
Its not going to be 5 prospects. Its going to be 1 great prospect and then some mediocre filler with a chance of upside.
It’s gotta be more than that, they get a first rounder and a sandwich if they keep him the rest of the year and offer arbitration. Plus then they could still make a playoff run.
its going to be similar to the deal the Indians got for CC. two top end prospects and two average prospect. otherwise why would i trade him especially with the second wild card. this pitching staff can get hot and sneak into the playoffs. if your not going to get close to what you want id rather take the draft picks and try to make a late seaon push
It’s going to be a fairly large return. WE get draft picks for him.
Even if we’re not contending, it’s not like we can’t resign him.
anything is worth a championship.
bad rental trades happen when teams that are not well positioned to make the playoffs trade for rentals, or teams overpay for mediocre players that don’t really get them closer to making the playoffs.
but you trade prospects to get into the playoffs and get that championship every day.
Sounds like the Carlos Lee trade.
I don’t think anybody’s going to meet the asking price. Texas and Detroit are two “win-now” organizations that might be crazy enough to do it but even then, it’s a lot to ask for a 2 month rental. Even though he’s a difference maker in the post season.
Ultimately, my gut tells me he stays here and the Phillies and he work out a long term deal in the off season. He’s not going to be a Dodger.
If somebody IS willing to meet that asking price (Olt + or Castellanos +, etc) they’re going to have a tough decision to make.
“When I’m ready to talk, I’ll come to you” Translation: Never going to talk about it.
Castallenos and a LHP prospect for Hamels makes sense.
Pretty sure the Tigers can just move Castellanos to a corner outfield spot IF he is even ready within the next three years. If he is going to be as good as advertised, pretty sure they can find a spot for him on the field somewhere.
I think the Astros would be stupid to get rid of Carlos Lee. Next year they are going to need to sign a DH and with Lee they know he can hit in their park and he would be a veteran to have in the club house.
It’s not like they couldn’t sign him in the off season after trading him…