If Melancon is worth >4/$60mm, what is Zach Britton worth?

[Frobby]

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Mark Melancon has multiple offers in excess of 4/$60 mm.     He's very good, but arguably only the third-best reliever on the market.    If he's going to pull down a deal like that, I have to think Britton would pull 4/$70 mm or more.    What in the world is going on with reliever salaries?

[ChuckS]

More than we can afford to pay......or should pay.  

[Aristotelian]

If O'Day is worth 4/$40, then Melancon is worth 4/$60 and Britton is worth 5/$90. 

[wildbillhiccup]

As I read this thread I'm starting to convince myself that they should trade Britton. His value will never be any higher. And if the Orioles have an inkling (like I do) that Manny has no intention of resigning (i.e., he wants his big pay day) then they should trade him too. Either this season, if they fall out of contention, or next season. 

[Bahama O's Fan]

I agree, trade him. He is getting too expensive. We have already committed big money to a reliever that could close. We have other guys that could do it. Many of our young arms project to the pen.

[Moose Milligan]

Teams have figured that you don't have to have a great starting rotation in order to win.  You can have some decent guys to get you through 6 innings and if you have a lockdown bullpen to get you through the rest of the way you can win.  Hell, it's worked for us as well as the Royals.

Relievers were the new Moneyball a few years ago, an underappreciated asset which allowed teams that didn't have gigantic payrolls the ability to compete with the big boys.

If you can have a bullpen full of guys that that can come in and get a strikeout or a groundball out no matter what side of the plate the hitter is on, you've got an advantage.  And while relievers are getting expensive, I'd almost feel better about giving some good deals to those guys rather than spending even bigger money on starting rotation pitchers who'd be even more expensive.  

[Rene88]

Another thread debating if we should trade a closer. Of course we should. Will DD? Probably not, because he likes to watch things percolate. He should have traded Brach at the deadline last year after seeing the haul on Chapman. Cashman gets it. Why? Because he is a savvy GM.

We aren't resigning Britton and Brach isn't all that. Sell high on one of them. It's obvious: you sell high on strength and we could use those pieces for either prospects, an actual useful SP or a combination of both.

With the new CBA, I would think this should impact trade strategy and draft pick compensation for many. Should be an interesting offseason.

Glad to see the Nats are going for the gold at least.

[Aristotelian]

1 minute ago, Rene88 said:

Another thread debating if we should trade a closer. Of course we should. Will DD? Probably not, because he likes to watch things percolate. He should have traded Brach at the deadline last year after seeing the haul on Chapman. Cashman gets it. Why? Because he is a savvy GM.

 

Yankees were in a completely different situation than the Orioles. They were in 4th place while we ended up winning the wild card. Cashman would not in a million years have traded Chapman if the Yankees had a shot at the playoffs.

[Rene88]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

Yankees were in a completely different situation than the Orioles. They were in 4th place while we ended up winning the wild card. Cashman would not in a million years have traded Chapman if the Yankees had a shot at the playoffs.

Brach was at the pinnacle of his value last year. Givens and Wright could have given you the same. Why the Orioles are holding onto this hope that Wright is a starter is moronic.

You do trade from strength when the haul is so great.

And btw, the Yankees almost made the playoffs after all those moves.

[Aristotelian]

Just now, Rene88 said:

Brach was at the pinnacle of his value last year. Givens and Wright could have given you the same. Why the Orioles are holding onto this hope that Wright is a starter is moronic.

You do trade from strength when the haul is so great.

And btw, the Yankees almost made the playoffs after all those moves.

They had a nice little run but still finished 4th in the division and five games back of us. 

I do agree we should be looking at trading Brach as I posted a couple of weeks ago...although with two years of control he still has plenty of value now.

 

[Rene88]

2 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

They had a nice little run but still finished 4th in the division and five games back of us. 

I do agree we should be looking at trading Brach as I posted a couple of weeks ago...although with two years of control he still has plenty of value now.

 

Exactly why you trade him or Britton. Problem with trading Britton is he is SOOO good. You would have to get 2 stud prospects plus to consider it.

Maybe consider trading Ubaldo too, since Buck feels he is a more valuable bullpen asset with the game on the line. Too soon?

[Superbee83]

8 hours ago, Rene88 said:

Brach was at the pinnacle of his value last year. Givens and Wright could have given you the same. Why the Orioles are holding onto this hope that Wright is a starter is moronic.

You do trade from strength when the haul is so great.

And btw, the Yankees almost made the playoffs after all those moves.

 

     While I agree that Brach was at his highest trade value last year ( strong first half, AllStar appearance, etc.) I disagree that the Orioles made a mistake by not trading him 

     at the deadline. IMO, the Orioles would have been weakening their pen when they were in contention for a division title. Further, O'Day was injured last year and until 

     they acquired Hunter they seemed to be one guy short in the pen. So I don't think that the Orioles would have actually dealing from a position of strength. The 

     Yankees did a nice job of acquiring good value for Chapman and Millers and hanging around the Wild Card race. I am not sure that the orioles would have done the same 

     if they traded Brach. 

    

     

[Dark Helmet]

Well, of the Marlins are in fact offering Jansen the 5/80 being reported...I'd say Britton is atleast 5/90...he might be the first $20m a year reliever if he doesn't drop off the planet the next 2 years.

[Redskins Rick]

17 hours ago, Frobby said:

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Mark Melancon has multiple offers in excess of 4/$60 mm.     He's very good, but arguably only the third-best reliever on the market.    If he's going to pull down a deal like that, I have to think Britton would pull 4/$70 mm or more.    What in the world is going on with reliever salaries?

Its salary all across the spectrum.

Look at mediocre SP is getting 11-15 million per year.

Look at what COFs are getting. Fowler is told her could get 18 million.

Ace SP get 31-33 million.

[theobird]

A lot of teams are reported to be asking about Zach Britton. I sure hope that DD is listening.