Those who have visited this website with any regularity over the past few months know that Marlins outfielders Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna have frequently come up as potential trade chips. With the MLB offseason set to begin in earnest in a few weeks, questions regarding the trio will continue to abound, especially with a fresh ownership group at the helm. While the Marlins’ new face of baseball operations, part-owner Derek Jeter, essentially did nothing but win during his acclaimed career as the Yankees’ shortstop from 1995-2014, he’s likely in for some tough times in Miami.
The Marlins’ most recent playoff trip came in 2003 – a season in which they knocked off Jeter & Co. in the World Series – and given their limited talent in the majors, a weak farm system that Baseball America ranks last in the sport and a dire financial situation, the future Hall of Famer’s newest chapter in the game will begin with at least a few lean years. Jeter realizes that, judging by some of the comments he made during the introductory press conference he and principal owner Bruce Sherman held in Miami last week. Although Jeter was reluctant to say that losing will continue for the Marlins in the near term, he did admit that there’s a need to “rebuild the organization,” adding that “there’s going to be at times unpopular decisions that we make on behalf of the organization.”
To a Marlins fan base that loathed the franchise’s prior owner, Jeffrey Loria, in part because of his penny-pinching ways, there probably wouldn’t be a less popular move than trading Stanton – especially after he enjoyed an MVP-caliber 2017 in which he smashed a league-high 59 home runs. But getting out from under at least some of the $295MM he could rake in through 2028 would improve the franchise’s bottom line, so it seems likely Miami will consider offers for the 27-year-old. In theory, Stanton’s full no-trade rights – not to mention an opt-out clause after 2020 – could scuttle a potential deal, but it doesn’t seem he’d stand in the way of a swap if an acquiring team would give him a chance to play meaningful baseball into the fall.
“I don’t want to rebuild. I’ve lost for seven years,” the right fielder said last month.
Despite their best efforts, Yelich and Ozuna have joined Stanton in doing plenty of losing as Marlins. Considering their affordability, moving either would be far less complicated for Miami than trading Stanton, and it would beef up the team’s farm system.
Yelich, the 25-year-old center fielder, has been worth 4.5 fWAR in three of four seasons since becoming a full-time major leaguer (including in 2017) and is signed to a palatable deal. He’s due a guaranteed $43.5MM through 2021 and will collect either a $15MM salary or a $1.25MM buyout in 2022. Yelich is all the more appealing when considering the best outfielders who could hit free agency next month (J.D. Martinez, Justin Upton and Lorenzo Cain) are already over 30 and will rake in far richer contracts than his.
Ozuna doesn’t come with Yelich-esque team control, but the left fielder still has two arbitration-eligible years remaining after making $3.5MM in 2017, a career season. Across 159 games and 679 trips to the plate, the 26-year-old slashed .312/.376/.548 with 37 homers – much better production than he put up over the previous four years, though he was still a fairly respectable contributor from 2013-16. With an appreciable raise on the way this offseason and a trip to free agency only a couple years off, now may be the time for Miami to wave goodbye to the Scott Boras client.
There are other players the Marlins figure to market in the next few months, but their highest-profile chips are their starting outfielders, a trio that hit a combined .288/.368/.519 this year and topped the NL in fWAR (16.1). Marlins fans may not like it, but with the franchise going in a new direction, it stands to reason Stanton, Yelich and Ozuna have lined up in the same outfield together for the last time. Which player(s) do you think the Fish will part with in the offseason?
(Poll link for app users)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cardinals trade for all three
Reyes, Flaherty, O’Neill, Bader, Alcantara, Piscotty and Pham should get it done.
Keep Yelich, Cards keep Reyes and Pham, take on the entire Stanton contract is better. Could add Junior Fernandez.
Don’t need to put Reyes in that deal.
Flaherty, O’Neill, and Hudson might get Stanton if the Cards take on the entire contract.
Ozuna is actually More Expensive than Stanton, because of his contract status……..add Gomber, Sierra, and Alcantara if you want both.
Doubt the Cards will do a blockbuster but if they can’t swing the three outfielders pull out either Ozuna or Yelich and put Bour in. Or get Stanton and go for Moustakas
Deal!
Make that deal!
And trade half of Memphis for them?
Unlikely because of Dexter Fowler. But still fun to think about. The proposed trade isn’t terrible.
They already have more OFs in their system that deserve to be in the majors than they know what to do with. They’re going to be trading an OF this offseason, not trading for one.
Your right, they will trade four outfielders to miami in exchange for…
Trade for Ozuna or Stanton and add Moustakas or Hosmer in FA
NOT HOSMER……..BAD DEAL……..Not a good player to target.
Yeah I really understand why ppl want Hosmer.
^dont
Might as well trade them all.
All of them are at peak value, it’s now or never
I see all 3 departing within the next year. I’m sure the top priority for new ownership will be to get Stanton’s contract (or most of it) off the books this winter. I think the next to go will be Ozuna due to his arbitration eligibility and the fact his market value has never been higher. I could see them holding Yelich until next year’s deadline as their best opportunity for an overpay.
I don’t need to leave my own comment because this is exactly what I was going to say. It’s going to be a brutal winter for this team.
With Yelich he’s under and extremely friendly deal that ends in another 5 years at age 30. Fish can/should keep him till they can get a massive return.
Phils get Yelich and Stanton
Unless Bryce Harper agrees to a contract extension my guess is any team who wants Stanton is going to have to ask themselves which do they want, Stanton now or attempt to sign Harper later.
So even if Stanton is put on the block, my guess is the Marlins may not see as an aggressive of a bid as they might in a year.
Stanton is better and cheaper.
Better…? How?
More homeruns yes, but idk about better. Harper has an mvp
Stanton also has problems staying healthy. Did well this year, but past track record isn’t pretty.
So does Harper…
If Stanton didn’t want to rebuild he shouldn’t have signed the extension. with the Marlins he was never likely going to get consistent winning teams and all that money.
That being said if teams can’t afford to keep their star players baseball really needs to rethink there system. NFL has it right where even the smallest markets can regularly play for championships if they are ran right.
In baseball you need everything to break right if you are a smaller market team just to get a one to two year window.
Can’t wait to see the replies to this…
Not to mention at the time Stanton signed his extension there was a budding Ace at the front of their rotation.
Pretty sure cardinals are a small market team and they’ve hand a pretty big window in recent years
This is one of the most uneducated comments I’ve ever read. Cardinals have been middle of the pack for payroll for a while. Consider that “middle of the payroll” teams spend close to twice what the bottom payroll teams spend annually, sometimes more than double.
Regardless of payroll they are still small market team and they have routinely received competitive balance picks because of it.
Except they’re not really “Small market.” They shoe-horned their way into that terminology for compensatory picks, but the fact that they have one of the better attendance records, their regional sports coverage actually shows to a wider audience than most “mid-market” teams (their viewers are just physically farther from the stadium), and, yes, their salary expenditure is nowhere near the bottom 1/3 all indicate that they’re not really “small market.”
How many small market teams are a cash cow like STL not to mention having a BILLION dollar television deal?
I’d venture to say not many if any at all besides the Birds…
Baseball is a locally-driven sport, where football is more of a national sport. If fans in certain markets do not support their teams—i.e., going to games, watching on TV to drive up ratings and advertising revenues—it should not be up to teams in cities where their fans do support their team to support those who can’t.
In baseball, you get control of the players you drafted for 6 years AFTER they have already made it to the bigs. You also pay them the league minimum for the first 3 years in most cases. I have no idea where you’re coming from about small markets in baseball not being able to compete…
Stanton signed an backloaded deal because Loria promised to use that money to build a contender. Stanton didn’t trust him, so he required a No-Trade Clause and an Opt-out after 2020 (giving Loria plenty of time and cash to build a team). Loria didn’t do what he promised.
If Loria tells Stanton “what he’s really going to do”….Stanton doesn’t sign. Loria was a master manipulator and a lying POS. Still is, I’m sure…..laughing all the way to the bank..
The New Deal Is This…….Stanton has a Full No-Trade Clause. He will go to the Team That HE Chooses…….but he’ll have to choose from the ones that make offers. Most every team should be “making a call”…….because if the Marlins (Jeter) really want to shed his payroll…….you never know what they might accept.
Stanton wants to WIN. It wouldn’t surprise me if Stanton re-wrote his deal somewhat to “get the hell out of Miami”……
You can’t rewrite your deals in MLB…
You sort of can, if you sign an extension. Add another year of control at league minimum and the AAV on the entire deal goes down, for instance.
Jeter has a Yankees fetish, so expect him to attempt to bring Judge to Miami.
Having your plaque in monuments park tends to do that…
A good dental hygienist can take care of plaque….
Deja vu all over again…
Why would the Yankees give judge to the marlins??
Don’t even entertain the comment. It made no sense.
Sheffield, Clint Frazier, hicks, jacoby to Miami for Stanton
There is zero chance of attaching Ellsbury in this deal. Zero.
Hicks too probably. He’s a free agent after 2018.
You don’t trade 3 Future Hall of Famers for 1 player. No matter how much Jacoby costs.
Are you being sarcastic? Three future HOFers?
I think he means these three will be visiting the Hall of Fame together.
Why would the Yankees even consider this deal? Even if the Marlins took Ellsbury’s contract, the package they’re giving up is arguably better—and they have the resources to sign anyone (Harper, Machado, both) they want.
I predict that Stanton will end up in Philadelphia Ozuna will up in St. Louis and the last one will end up in Washington
I see the Giants getting involved in a deal for either Ozuna or Yelich. Their outfield has struggled for a long time, and either one of them would help shore up that team. Their farm system is not great, but has enough decent prospects to help get that deal done. The other player I could see heading to Toronto to take over for Bautista.
Stanton is definitely the harder to predict, simply because of the contract. Based off the size of the contract, the Yanks, Dodgers, BoSox, Cubs, Cardinals, and Tigers could make sense. However, Yanks have publically stated numerous times they are aiming to get under the cap, and already have a crowded outfield. Dodgers have been the highest paid team for the last few seasons, and again, have a crowded outfield. Boston could use a better RF, but what would the cost be? If Miami is looking to just dump the salary, they could part with lower prospects. If they are looking to get the best return possible, they will have to eat a lot of the contract, which would be counter-productive.
Cubbies don’t make a whole lot of sense for me. They’re going to have their own money issue soon when trying to lock up Bryant. Cardinals already have plenty of OF of their own that deserve to be in the majors, so I don’t see them clogging that up even more, unless they can move Stanton to 1B.
On paper, the Tigers could make the most sense, as they have a clear need for a power hitter to help Miggy. However, they are clearly going through a rebuild, which Stanton has stated he doesn’t want to be a part of. He’ll nix that trade.
Unless Miami is willing to eat a large portion of the contract, or take very low-level prospects (#s 15-25 on a team’s list), Stanton is not going anywhere. If he wants out of Miami, he will have to opt-out of his deal when the time comes.
Good points, though I don’t think you can rule out the Cubs or Cardinals quite so easily. Stanton would clearly improve either team and they’d make room for him.
Marlins fans know the Giants are a likely destination for an OF, but are hoping for a better farm system to plunder. Maybe a blockbuster of Yelich, Gordon, Ziegler, Tazawa, and Chen for Panik, Beede, and Slater, plus some lower-level prospects with good ceilings.
Don’t see the Marlins taking all that junk back.
There’s no chance Stanton goes to the Giants. They have so much money committed they’d need him to make under $10 million the next few years. They also have nothing that’d interest the Marlins. I’m sure the Blue Jays would want him but Toronto is also jammed on money, just not as much, and also has a weak farm system, outside of Guerrero and Bichette.
The Marlins would need a team that’s willing to take on at least 80% of the contract. Otherwise they’re not really saving much money and they can’t sell their fans on cutting costs if they’re paying a higher percentage. The team also needs to have some good players to give in return and a need for a RF. The Marlins aren’t taking back any aging or expensive players. If a team has a pricey RF now, they’ll have to get rid of him in another deal.
That’s why I said one of Ozuna and Yelich is going to the Giants, and the other is going to Toronto.
I never said anything about Stanton going to either of those teams.
This is why the Marlin’s aren’t going to find a perfect deal. They are desperate to unload Stanton, and everyone knows it. No team is going to give them a huge prospect haul and take the contract. It’ll be one or the other.
Desperate, but then again, not gonna trade a dude that hit 59 HRs for crap… I’m sure Miami can find someone to take part of Gordon’s deal and Prado. Edison Volquez’s 13 mil contract expires after 2018 so in 2019/2020, Marlins will be in better financial shape.
A lot of people buy into the albatross argument. They also buy into the needing to slash payroll argument as if it’s the sole purpose of trading guys, which it’s not. The obvious thing is the Marlins need to add talent to the organization, which is why this is happening
They may not want to trade him for crap, but they’re not going to get a huge pile of elite prospects for one of the worst contracts in baseball—the way it’s structured.
What team is going to give up their best prospects, and multiple of them, to pay the largest portion of the contract, and then possibly watch him walk away in 3 years? Oh, and that fact that in 7 full years in baseball Stanton has managed to play 130+ games just 3 times.
Yes, the Marlins will be in better financial shape if and when other contracts on their books run out, but it’s becoming apparent that the Sherman/Jeter group is leveraged significantly in this deal, and they need to cut payroll big time in order to avoid collapsing. (of course with Jeter in the mix, MLB likely will bail them out if needed, much like Selig did with his buddy Wilpon.)
Perhaps not one or the other. The Marlins aren’t getting 2 top 50 prospects for Stanton but they also aren’t taking flotsam. There’ll have to be two good young players (either prospects or pre-arb majors) in the deal. Not great, but good.
In any deal they’ll have to pay some of the contract but I doubt it’ll be more than 20%. I don’t know how they can sell their fans if they’re paying more than that. It’s likely that any payments would be backloaded. The Marlins would pay $10 million a year in the last 4-6 years of the deal. They’d be paying when Stanton isn’t worth it and they wouldn’t have to pay at all if he opts out.
People keep imagining the Marlins are going to take big contracts in return AND settle for players who won’t help them in the future. That’ll limit the teams that they can make a deal with but they only need one. If they can’t get a deal they can sell to their fans, they’ll wait another year.
Marlins should consider trading him & having him involved in the process. Even with him using the opt out or not there can be a creative trade package that can be arranged. Say he doesnt opt out the Marlins could agree to pay 1/4 or 1/3 of his yearly salary (when that happens) to get back more a prospects return.
Stanton had a NTC so any trade must get his approval. And Marlins are gonna need to eat some $$ to get any quality prospects back in deal.
Piecemeal won’t work for Miami. There is a radical option with a rational basis..
The Marlins trade their entire 25-man roster, plus DL players, for the same from Philly. As an added inducement for taking on more $, Phillies keep any four of their current pitchers.
Why does this work for Philly? 1) Marlin’s roster scored almost 100 more runs 2) become instant contender 3) can afford the payroll
Why does this work for Miami? 1) the only way to get to the desired budget 2) a young, exciting roster to build on.
Why does it work for fans? It’s unprecedented fun.
Yeah, super fun for one team’s fans.
This would be idiotic for the Phillies. Getting the Marlins’ 25 man roster does nothing for them, and does not make them an “instant contender”. If it would, the Marlins would have been contenders, which they were not.
You failed to read the post. It stipulated that the Phillies could select four of their pitchers to keep.
You keep floating this, and it doesn’t make any more sense now than it did before. It’s definitely “radical,” but it doesn’t have a “rational basis.”
The entire Marlins’ roster put up 31.1 fWAR in 2017, and the entire Phillies roster put up 25.0. However, the Phillies traded away or cut the guys who were dragging team results down, and promoted players who brought it up significantly. The marlins only called up a single player who qualified for Rookie status – Jarlin Garcia, who was adequate in the minors, but was not good in the majors – so you wouldn’t have any reason to expect significantly better team results in 2018 than 2017.
Also, the Marlins 2018 confirmed salary obligations are $98MM for 8 players. The Phillies’ are $3.35MM for 1. Even with arbitration increases, the Phillies’ payroll is going to sit south of $50MM for the full 40-man, unless they add significantly more in FA or trade – which they can either do, or retain that flexibility into the 2019 season when they may try to acquire one of the numerous “big-ticket” FAs (Marlins’ 2019 salary is $89MM currently).
It’s a damn shame that they have to shed players due to their inability to generate enough money to retain them. Strong OF. And I’m sure Jeter will dial in Cashman to see what he can pull from their system for Stanton. Cashman dreaming of Stanton and Judge back-to-back would be hard to resist.
Stanton and cash to LAD for Yadier Alvarez, Alex Verdugo and Julio Urias… Ozuna to CHC for Albert Almora, Jose Albertos and Mark Zagunis. Keep Yelich.
What would LA do with both Puig and Stanton?
I think the package back to Miami is more like Puig, Alvarez, White, and Hansen
Stanton plays in right and Chris Taylor in Center. Puig can shift to left or they can trade him. I dont think he would be of interest to Marlins. I think any trade that gives the Marlins two young star type prospects for Stanton, they’ll bite, and they should bite… honestly though…bnot a terrible package you proposed. I would just prefer another good prospect in place of Puig.
The point of trading Stanton is to not pay his salary, because of how leveraged the ownership group is. They’re not going to eat significant bucks to send him elsewhere unless they get an explosively good prospect return.
Jeter is going to want some young pitchers for Stanton, Yankks offer Frazier, Sheffield, and Adams for him. They could throw in either Estrada or Solek.
I’ve said it countless times, so I won’t go into it again. Bottom line is at this point I’m cool with moving everyone, and I guess that includes Stanton, but if anyone wants to trade for Yelich or Realmuto, it better be a crazy return to part with them
Or what?
…or it would be terrible value, and make no sense? Not sure what you’re asking…
thought maybe they’d be losing one of their few fans…
O well…i haven’t been a full season ticket holder in the last couple of years because of health/financial reasons, but I essentially was for like 20 years prior to that, since I was a really little kid
Regardless, I still have gone to half the games the last couple of years. I just don’t know how long I can keep it up. But, I still want my team to be a real baseball organization, which is why this situation has me looking on the positive, regardless of what happens. Loria is gone. Sometimes, things are necessary….
I can explain in better detail, but this story has been ongoing all year, and very little has changed lol.
I’d think much harder about trading Realmuto then Yelich. Very hard to find catchers as well-rounded as J.T.
Yelich is controllable on an extremely good contract for a long time, and he is really, really good, and I still think he’ll get better. It would be nice if we get another CFer, and could move him back to LF, but regardless, it would take something really significant for me to consider moving him. Those guys are arguably our best assets.
Why do so many people think the Marlins are going to get some team to give up huge talent AND take Stanton’s contract? They have no cards to play. The entire world knows they HAVE to get out from that contract or they’ll collapse financially.
When factoring that less than half the team’s in MLB can realistically afford Stanton’s contract, and that while he’s an amazing talent, he plays a full season once every three years, the market is going to be small.
The Marlins are likely going to have make a choice—financial relief or a boatload of prospects. If they pay down the contract significantly (30%+) they’ll get a big haul; if they don’t, they’ll get a couple of decent prospects but not any elite prospects. And if any team does so they are foolish.
They don’t HAVE TO…………If The Marlins could somehow move Prado, Ziegler, and Chen…..For No Return even……Just Salary Relief…………..they would free up enough Money to Pay Stanton for 3 years.
After 2 years…..by the winter of 19-20, Donaldson, Harper & Machado would all be signed, a few others would be as well (if they opt-out)………The Marlins would no longer have the most expensive player on the planet, and Stanton would be owed $51 Million less. Sure he’d be 29 by then, but he’ll probably have another 90-100 HR’s.
I see that Marlins being willing to pick up $15 million over the next 3 years……then More…….IF (and only if) Stanton doesn’t opt-out. I do see them getting a couple Top Prospects from a team who wants his bat for the next 3 years……possibly longer. Chances are…..He won’t opt-out if the team he is on is winning. That was protection against playing for a losing Marlins Team for hi whole career.
Everything that’s been put out there is that the Sherman/Jeter group needs to dump salary in order to stay afloat. They can’t gut their roster to simply keep Stanton. If they do, imagine that scenario? Stanton and a bunch of AA/AAA players who can’t play, they can’t compete, how would Stanton react to that? Think he’d go out and hit 59 home runs again? Doubtful. He’d become a malcontent (even more so than ever before, and I don’t blame him), and likely drive down his value in a trade. And being that he’d be so close to opting out, why would a team trade for him then, despite other players earning more?
” see that Marlins being willing to pick up $15 million over the next 3 years……then More…….IF (and only if) Stanton doesn’t opt-out. ”
I think they’ll need to eat $7M-$8M per year in order to get a substantial return.
“Chances are…..He won’t opt-out if the team he is on is winning.”
Winning has very little to do with whether a player will opt out. Sure, being on a bad team makes it easier to do, but it all comes down to money. If Stanton believes he can do better than $218M, he’ll opt out; if he doesn’t, he’ll stay wherever he is, even if that’s still in Miami.
It’s not mandatory to trade Stanton simply because at 25 million in 2018, and then 32 million in 2019, they can make moves to get to a better financial standpoint. For example, they could trade Marcell Ozuna and attach Volquez who is due 13 mil next year or Ziegler who is due 9 million… won’t get same quality of prospects however.
Red Sox give up bogaerts and Bradley and a pick for Stanton move Betts to center and Nunez to short while Stanton plays right at Fenway
You cant trade picks and Nunez is a free agent. And also, no way.
I see The Marlins trading Yelich, and Ozuna, I think Stanton is the likest to stay, due to his contract, and no-trade clause.
Don’t think Yelich goes. Ozuna definitely goes I think.
Phillies can take entire contract there is only $26 mil. On the books for 2018. Send O. Herrera $3.35 mil. (tot. 5 yr 30.5 mil. W/2 opt through 2023) F. Galvis, est. $ 7.4 mil, in last yr of arb. they need a SS and can flip him at the deadline for prospects, and # 18 prospect E. Garcia. We can also take E. Volquez off their hands. He won’t play next year (tj surgery) and is owed $13 mil In last yr of his contract.
The 2017 Marlins’ had the best overall defensive OF in MLB too:
LF – 1) Marcel Ozuna, 2) Justin Upton, 3) Alex Gordon
CF – 1) Byron Buxton, 2) Lorenzo Cain, 3) Ender Inciarte, 4) Christian Yelich
RF – 1) Mookie Betts, 2) Giancarlo Stanton, 3) Kole Calhoun
How in the world can you not have Billy Hamilton in the top 4 CFs defensively? I’d argue at least #2, if not #1.
CF – 5) Billy Hamilton and then a close 6) Jackie Bradley Jr on the list of best defensive CF. They both missed 30 games but still would only be in near Yellich if they played 150 + games. However, they’re not in the same class as Byron Buxton.. I though JBJ would be higher too. Regardless, all 6 are outstanding defensive CFs.
To finish out top six:
LF – 4) Eddie Rosario, 5) Adam Duvall, 6) Andrew Benintendi.
RF – 4) Nick Markakis, 5) Max Kepler, 6) Yasiel Puig.
I though Jason Heyward would be on this list but, he missed too many games to register.
The Twins and Red Sox have great defensive OFs too.
The best all time was the 1980 (Billy Ball) Oakland A’s: LF Rickey Henderson, CF Dwayne Murphy, RF Tony Armas..
I guess Brett Gardner should send his Gold Glove which he won in 2016,over to any of the American League LF players you mentioned above right?
Hmm, not agreeing with those rankings, and neither does Fangraphs.
LF
1: Gordon
2: Gardner
3: Duvall
4: Rosario
5: Ozuna
CF
1: Buxton
2: Taylor
3: Hamlton,
4: Herrera
5: Pillar
…
10: Yelich
RF
1: Betts
2: Puig
3: Heyward
4: Calhoun
5: Stanton
So?
So…. where are you coming up with your rankings from?
They should try to send Stanton and 100mm to SFG for Beede, Gregorio and Belt (to balance $$), then send Ozuna to STL for Grichuk and Reyes. Keep Yelich for CF.. Perhaps they can shop Bour to some cost-conscious team in need of 1B power and unwilling to entertain the FA market?
I can’t imagine Miami kicking in $100 million and taking Belt to “balance the money.” What would be the point of trading Stanton then???
Stanton is owed a ton; between the 100mm and Belt’s salary, that’s 168mm. Belt has some value, and could be flipped (possibly); so the Marlins getting two top 10s from SFG, plus Belt, plus 90+ mm in salary relief seems fair.
SFG’s top 10 isn’t exactly on par with the Yankees or Astros. And Belt’s trade value is kind of ‘meh.’ If the Fish move Stanton, they have to get great young players and/or massive salary relief.
What about Ozuna, Barraclough, Ellington, Nicolino, and Ziegler+ $4.5 million to the Cardinals for Bader, Gallen, Gomber, Arozarena, and Helsley? Is that too many prospects in AA or higher going back? Would it have to be reworked to include Flaherty instead of 1-2 others? Would the Marlins have to include someone like Conley b/c of less control on Ozuna than if they would have traded him during the season?
Would love it if jays acquired 1,2 or all 3 of them but u know
Stanton, Wittgren, Jarlin Garcia, Derek Dietrich (add Urena and/or Conley if necessary/generally w/e prospect(s) the Cubs might actually want) to the Cubs for Contreras, Happ (if necessary, take him out, as well as Dietrich and Garcia), Zobrist, Albertos, Maples, Tseng, Burks, and Moreno?
Maybe throw in Realmuto, and switch out Happ and Burks for Baez and Hatch? That’s probably too much involved, and slightly in the Marlins favor due to 1 extra year of control, although the Cubs would be getting controllable bullpen arms, and a much cheaper replacement for Zobrist, who also didn’t play well in 2017.
Thoughts? Too many moving pieces? Only a couple of guys at or close to the big leagues coming back in the first version. Marlins take all of Zobrist salary for 2 years…i don’t feel like either of these iterations really does anything to hurt the Cubs depth/farm system, and they do still retain their young guys. The 1st iteration probably makes more sense for them, but it could also make sense to try and get Realmuto to help behind the plate if they move Contreras
…they might be more inclined to go after rotation help though. They’re probably fine offensively, which is where I would see this not going too far. Just thinking out loud. Don’t crucify me lol
Likely a non-starter for CHC; everything I read seems to say they are high on Happ and Contreras (and besides, Realmuto is cheap and controllable for a while as well). I’d counter with Russell, De la Cruz, Alzolay and Young plus some $$. TBH i think they blow their trade wad this offseason on pitching, given the questions they have going forward.
Far too many pieces moving. Plus, Miami isn’t likely looking to trade any of their prospects, regardless who they get back.
What prospects? Lol. We don’t have any real ones
I still think the Dodgers make too much sense for Stanton. Puig, Alvarez, Sheffield, one each of Lux/Estevez and May/Oaks.
They really don’t. The Dodgers, under Friedman, have resisted trading top prospects for star veterans. They’ve also balked at really long contracts. They haven’t given anyone other than Maeda more than 5 years and Maeda’s deal was unique due to the low guarantee and his age. They wouldn’t give Greinke 6 years and let him walk.
If Stanton comes in he completely overshadows Bellinger and Seager and I think the Dodgers will feel that bringing in Stanton will disrupt chemistry.
I think Yellich is the only they keep. Stanton is going to be a distraction during the process. I think he will be traded befor the first of the year. Ozuna should get them a few good pieces back as well.
I think the Dodgers are a perfect fit for Stanton. He is from Southern California, the Dodgers need to stay ahead of everyone else, and can get creative where the Marlins will get value back and still not have to eat a ton of Stanton’s contract. I see Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig, and Joc Peterson for Giancarlo Stanton. A-Gon and Puig will be loved there and Joc could be a future star in Miami. An outfield of Puig, Yellich, and Peterson would still be very good. The Dodgers would have Stanton, Taylor, and Verdugo with Toles and Thompson on the bench and Bellinger at 1B.
I think the perfect fit for Ozuna is the Giants. They need a right handed power bat that can play RF. Ozuna has shown the ability to handle CF, but is better in a corner. RF at ATT is a different beast. They need someone who is a borderline CF to cover out there. The Giants could give quantity of prospects that are quality that could roll into 25 man roster spots as early as 2018. .
Nobody wants AGon. He’s deadweight. If the Marlins need to move Stanton to get younger, cheaper players, why on earth would they take Gonzalez?
Any chance White Sox fill their CF need with Yelich? Young player under control until 2020.