MacPhail's negotiations - confusing results

[Shopay]

Of course i have skepticism.

AM himself said Jan 31 is probably the deadline to get deals done. That isn't that far away and that doesn't mean he is willing to hold out that long to trade the big 2(or that other teams will hold out that long).

Maybe AM threw out the Jan 31st for other teams' consumption. Who knows. Since there isn't a true, drop dead trade deadline, he may be trying to create an artifical one himself.

If there is anything we should all know by now it's that, like it or not, AM keeps his thoughts very private. Heck, look at Tejada to the Stros for a good example. I love all the information we get from our insiders, but I think AM is very careful with sharing his actual thoughts and intentions. I wouldn't be surprised if his inner circle is very small, and any leakage of true inside information would be quickly dealt with. Just my opinion.

[Sports Guy]

The first part of the post is key.

Not really....I have very little doubt that we can move those guys...My point is that teams aren't fighting over them to the point where we need to decide the best packages.

[Sports Guy]

Maybe AM threw out the Jan 31st for other teams' consumption. Who knows. Since there isn't a true, drop dead trade deadline, he may be trying to create an artifical one himself.

If there is anything we should all know by now it's that, like it or not, AM keeps his thoughts very private. Heck, look at Tejada to the Stros for a good example. I love all the information we get from our insiders, but I think AM is very careful with sharing his actual thoughts and intentions. I wouldn't be surprised if his inner circle is very small, and any leakage of true inside information would be quickly dealt with. Just my opinion.

Common sense and past history tells you that Jan 31 is a pretty good indicator...Many things don't happen, at least on a larger scale, once you get into Feb...Always exceptions to this but for the most part, it just doesn't happen.

[clarence]

The problem with dealing Bedard and getting maximum value is that only one team is really a player for his services at this time. Tough to negotiate when you only have one customer. Maybe AM sees this, realizes that some teams that plan on contending are going to come out of the gate slow, injuries are going to happen and fans/ owners that expect to win now are getting worked up into a frenzy. I can see this situation happening easily with the Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, and Angels and probably another team or two like Colorado. Everyone says it is impossible to get a great deal during the early part of the season or at the deadline, but we aren't really getting anything more than one player (Jones) that is ready in the current deal. All of the teams I mentioned could be very interested in EB by June and offer more than the M's are offering now because they don't have to offer more because they have no competition. I think holding on for a better deal is probably the smart play for the true future of the franchise, but maybe not for the first two to four months of this season. A season that we all agree means nothing except to build for the future. I'll take my chances with EB's health if this is all that is out there.

[olehippi]

Teams aren't knocking down the door for Millar, Mora Payton, et al....You need to move those guys and their salaries.

What makes you think AM isn't trying to move them? Just because he hasn't, doesnt mean he isn't trying. And, as you state, they aren't exactly in demand. You want MacPhail to just dump them for whatever he can get? That would be kinda dumb, don'tcha think?

[RShack]

Yea, people can make all the excuses they want but the bottom line is it shouldn't be THIS hard and it shouldn't take THIS long.

Why? Why do you think it should it be easy and quick? Big important trades aren't easy, they're very high-risk for everybody. Why do you think it's easy?

If it was easy, big dramatic trades would happen all the time. They don't, and that's no accident. They're only easy to talk about. There's nothing easy about actually doing them.

[Sports Guy]

What makes you think AM isn't trying to move them? Just because he hasn't, doesnt mean he isn't trying. And, as you state, they aren't exactly in demand. You want MacPhail to just dump them for whatever he can get? That would be kinda dumb, don'tcha think?

I wouldn't trade Millar or Ramon for anything...Other than that, the rest of them can be dumped for table scraps for all i care..Their roster spots and the moved saved on them is very valuable to us.

[Shopay]

Common sense and past history tells you that Jan 31 is a pretty good indicator...Many things don't happen, at least on a larger scale, once you get into Feb...Always exceptions to this but for the most part, it just doesn't happen.

You may be right. Although, Boom's earlier post does support AM waiting until February/March to do deals, some of which were arguably major. I know from personal experience that I have thrown out dates, which were not true drop dead dates, to try to move a negotiation along. I have mixed success with this tactic.

[Sports Guy]

Why? Why do you think it should it be easy and quick? Big important trades aren't easy, they're very high-risk for everybody. Why do you think it's easy?

If it was easy, big dramatic trades would happen all the time. They don't, and that's no accident. They're only easy to talk about. There's nothing easy about actually doing them.

Beane sure made it look easy.

It didn't take the Marlins 3 months to deal MCab and Willis.

[Fairfax Bird]

Beane sure made it look easy.

It didn't take the Marlins 3 months to deal MCab and Willis.

And again, Smith in Minnesota has waited. It is different in every situation, unless you know for sure, which you don't, you can't really say for sure.

[Sports Guy]

And again, Smith in Minnesota has waited. It is different in every situation, unless you know for sure, which you don't, you can't really say for sure.

And again, he is an idiot.

Hell, Hughes by himself may be worth dealing Santana for.

But to also get a top prospect and Melky with that? That is a great offer.

[Fan4Life]

Beane sure made it look easy.

It didn't take the Marlins 3 months to deal MCab and Willis.

Had the Dodgers failed to sign Kuroda, perhaps things would look different for us as well. I have to say, it baffles me how (IMO) the hangout (Several Posters) keeps lowering the bar for what they'll take for Bedard. Apparently MacPhail hasn't, which is why some posters are frustrated nothing has gotten done.

[Roll Tide]

The problem with dealing Bedard and getting maximum value is that only one team is really a player for his services at this time. Tough to negotiate when you only have one customer. Maybe AM sees this, realizes that some teams that plan on contending are going to come out of the gate slow, injuries are going to happen and fans/ owners that expect to win now are getting worked up into a frenzy. I can see this situation happening easily with the Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, and Angels and probably another team or two like Colorado. Everyone says it is impossible to get a great deal during the early part of the season or at the deadline, but we aren't really getting anything more than one player (Jones) that is ready in the current deal. All of the teams I mentioned could be very interested in EB by June and offer more than the M's are offering now because they don't have to offer more because they have no competition. I think holding on for a better deal is probably the smart play for the true future of the franchise, but maybe not for the first two to four months of this season. A season that we all agree means nothing except to build for the future. I'll take my chances with EB's health if this is all that is out there.

It appears they are a pretender only if they can steal him!

[Camden_yardbird]

Beane sure made it look easy.

It didn't take the Marlins 3 months to deal MCab and Willis.

Both dealt with GM's they were familiar with if Im not mistaken. Didn't Drombowski used to be in FLA. I would imagine in deals this big that there is a period of time that must be undertaken just to establish the relationship. Once both sides are comfortable with one another, then I would imagine a big trade can happen. In my opinion more doors are closing for AM right now, and it takes awhile to get other GM's to even open their doors to serious negotiation.

Then again it was reported that AM got the Tejada deal done in like 3 hours, so I could be completly full of it.

[olehippi]

I wouldn't trade Millar or Ramon for anything...Other than that, the rest of them can be dumped for table scraps for all i care..Their roster spots and the moved saved on them is very valuable to us.

Hm-m-m......Their roster spots are only valuable IF you have someone better/cheaper/younger to fill them. And filling those spots depends largely on who we get in return on trades, or what FA's we might sign. Do you advocate dumping them for table scraps before we know we can get a player to replace them? I have to think MacPhail realizes this.