The other way to build a 1st place team

[wildbillhiccup]

8 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

The trade for Schoop last season was pretty lame, and from their point of view, a bust.

The Brewers seemed to break character last season because they unexpectedly found themselves in contention. The Schoop, Moustakas and Gonzalez trades almost seemed like panic moves because they felt like they had to do something. Then when the dust settled they were left with all these pieces that didn't really fit. Moving Shaw to 2B  and playing Schoop at SS were really odd decisions. 

[maybenxtyr]

12 hours ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I'm certainly a fan of the Rays and how they've managed to do more with less, but saying they're as good as the Cubs and the Cardinals is a leap. I wouldn't be surprised if both teams flirted with 100 wins this season. 

Tampa did win 90 in 2018 in spite of New York and Boston. I don't know about winning 100 this year, but equalling the Cubs, and or Cardinals is a possibility.

[Frobby]

30 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

True, but even the mediocre fans here, knew Schoop couldnt play SS, thats what really blew me away with that one trade.

Not that I’m advocating Schoop as a regular SS, but from what I can see, he did a decent job when he played there for Milwaukee.    He played 15 games at SS, 11 of them starts, and made one error.    The advanced metrics at SS were all slightly positive: +1 Rtot, +1 Rdrs, +1 UZR.    The problem was, he didn’t hit in Milwaukee, and his playing time therefore was very erratic.   

[theocean]

35 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

The Brewers seemed to break character last season because they unexpectedly found themselves in contention. The Schoop, Moustakas and Gonzalez trades almost seemed like panic moves because they felt like they had to do something. Then when the dust settled they were left with all these pieces that didn't really fit. Moving Shaw to 2B  and playing Schoop at SS were really odd decisions. 

It was weird, but they were able to add those three guys without really giving up too much. They're also in the NL, so having the infielders be able to play anywhere was a plus.

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, theocean said:

It was weird, but they were able to add those three guys without really giving up too much. They're also in the NL, so having the infielders be able to play anywhere was a plus.

Villar could have done that.

[theocean]

1 minute ago, Redskins Rick said:

Villar could have done that.

Very true. The Brewers were really down on him for whatever reason. Their GM basically came out after the season and said the Schoop trade was a mistake.

[wildbillhiccup]

8 minutes ago, theocean said:

It was weird, but they were able to add those three guys without really giving up too much. They're also in the NL, so having the infielders be able to play anywhere was a plus.

True, but it seemed strange to me that they were so willing to play them out of position. Lots of players can play multi-positions...not as many can play them all well. 

[wildbillhiccup]

7 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

Villar could have done that.

They definitely had a beef with Villar. Maybe he complained about playing time or pouted (who knows), but they've been trying to dump him for the last two years. 

[Camden_yardbird]

16 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Milwaukee is in the NL central. We’re where the big boys play. The AL East. 

Yea because the Cubs dont spend anything.  

The Cardinals are an organization with a history of disappointment.

The Pirates have failed to build any sort of farm system

I've got nothing for the reds...

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, Camden_yardbird said:

Yea because the Cubs dont spend anything.  

The Cardinals are an organization with a history of disappointment.

The Pirates have failed to build any sort of farm system

I've got nothing for the reds...

Cubs payroll for 2019 is up over 205 million.

Cardinals have 11 WS titles, two more than the Orioles have since 1983, with 2006 and 2011 and 6 NL Pennants since the Orioles and 1983.

[Redskins Rick]

7 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

They definitely had a beef with Villar. Maybe he complained about playing time or pouted (who knows), but they've been trying to dump him for the last two years. 

Funny thing is, with the Villar trade, he gets reunited back with Elias.

[DrungoHazewood]

2 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Bichette might bust.

Maybe he'll repeat his Dad's mind-bending feats.  Like having a season where he hit .298 with 34 homers where he was 2.3 wins below replacement.  Or having a 1700-game career with 274 homers worth the same as Manny's 2018.  Or being a legitimate triple crown contender in a 1.2-win season.

In 1999 the Rockies scored 906 runs and were 18 games under .500.  Runs were like Deutsch Marks in 1923.

[wildbillhiccup]

2 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Bichette might bust.

I'm curious why you think this. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 70 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 60

Yet another talented Blue Jays prospect with deep baseball bloodlines, Bo is the son of four-time All-Star Dante Bichette and the brother of Yankee farmhand Dante Bichette Jr., whom the Yankees took 51st overall back in 2011. While Bo didn't come off the board quite as early as his brother, his impressive hitting ability still got him an above-slot signing bonus of $1,100,000 as Toronto's second-round pick. He put on a hitting clinic in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League after signing, batting a robust .427/.451/.732 in 22 games, and then did so once again across two full-season levels in 2017, when he paced all Minor League hitters with a .362 average and captured Midwest League MVP honors. The move up to Double-A in 2018 brought a new challenges for Bichette, though he was anything but overmatched at the more advanced level, earning midseason All-Star honors in the Eastern League as well as his second straight SiriusXM All-Star Futures Games selection.

Bichette proved an advanced hitter during his amateur career, and his raw power was on display when he won the Under Armour All-American Game home run derby in Chicago. He combines plus bat speed with a violent-but-controlled swing to produce tons of hard contact from line to line, and scouts like his chances of becoming a plus-or-better hitter with above-average power. He's an average runner with good range and instincts at shortstop, and the Blue Jays plan to keep him at the position for as long as they can. Some believe he's best suited for second or third base, or perhaps even left field, but so far he's passed every test at his natural position.

Much like his teammate and friend Vladimir Guerrero Jr., there seems to be no limit to Bichette's offensive ceiling. His career-to-date points to a bright future as a perennial All-Star who could regularly compete for batting titles.

[wildbillhiccup]

1 hour ago, Camden_yardbird said:

Yea because the Cubs dont spend anything.  

The Cardinals are an organization with a history of disappointment.

The Pirates have failed to build any sort of farm system

I've got nothing for the reds...

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or serious, but just in case...

1) I believe the Cubs ranked third in average salary last season. 

2) Honestly if I had to pick one franchise to emulate, in terms of how they do things, it would probably be the Cardinals or Astros. The Cardinals rarely make bad trades / acquisitions and their farm system is always well stocked. And they've only finished with a sub .500 record two of the last twenty years. 

3) The Pirates have three top 100 prospects. Keller 16), Hayes (48th) and Swaggerty (75th). And current players like Marte, Polanco, Taillon, and Bell came up through their system. They also traded Meadows and Glasnow (two more highly touted prospects) to the Rays last summer. Both will be starting MLB players this year. That seems like a pretty good track record of success in terms of building a farm system to me. 

4) As for the Reds maybe you should take a closer look at their roster and the moves they've made this offseason. They have potential all-star players at 1B, 3B and 2B, and a newly bolstered OF with Puig and Kemp. And with the additions of Wood and Roark they're rotation should be much better. Also, if you haven't seen L. Castillo pitch he has one of the best change ups in the game. It's just a matter of time before he puts it all together and breaks out as a Cy Young candidate. And they also have a lights out closer in Iglesias. This is a team that can probably challenge the Brewers for third in the division this year. 

[wildbillhiccup]

2 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or serious, but just in case...

1) I believe the Cubs ranked third in average salary last season. 

2) Honestly if I had to pick one franchise to emulate, in terms of how they do things, it would probably be the Cardinals or Astros. The Cardinals rarely make bad trades / acquisitions and their farm system is always well stocked. And they've only finished with a sub .500 record two of the last twenty years. 

3) The Pirates have three top 100 prospects. Keller 16), Hayes (48th) and Swaggerty (75th). And current players like Marte, Polanco, Taillon, and Bell came up through their system. They also traded Meadows and Glasnow (two more highly touted prospects) to the Rays last summer. Both will be starting MLB players this year. That seems like a pretty good track record of success in terms of building a farm system to me. 

4) As for the Reds maybe you should take a closer look at their roster and the moves they've made this offseason. They have potential all-star players at 1B, 3B and 2B, and a newly bolstered OF with Puig and Kemp. And with the additions of Wood and Roark they're rotation should be much better. Also, if you haven't seen L. Castillo pitch he has one of the best change ups in the game. It's just a matter of time before he puts it all together and breaks out as a Cy Young candidate. And they also have a lights out closer in Iglesias. This is a team that can probably challenge the Brewers for third in the division this year. 

...and if the Reds pull off a trade for Kluber I'd say they have a legitimate shot at the wild card. 

Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report that the Indians, Padres and Reds have discussed a three-team trade that would send Corey Kluber to Cincinnati.

The Padres would want to acquire Nick Senzel from the Reds in the trade, but Lin cautions that Cincy "does not want to move" the top prospect and "no deal is close" at this time. San Diego is on the lookout for a third baseman and it appears this is just one of the scenarios they've kicked around. The Padres have been connected to Kluber a few times this offseason, but Lin says it would be to flip him to another team.

Related: Reds, Padres