Offseason trade target: David Price

[7Mo]

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I guess it does depend on ones definition of nothing.

I don’t think we would have to trade anything inside the top 15 prospects or so.  I think we could trade redundant, replaceable pieces that we won’t miss.  Now, there could be talent in one of those players but I think a package of say, Ortiz and Sedlock (just picking 2 names out of thin air) could get it done.  Something like that.    To me, that’s basically nothing or very little.  Not that those guys don’t have some talent but it’s not anything we will miss.

If they're redundant, replaceable pieces for the O's, would they be redundant and replaceable for the Dodgers who seemingly have one of the deepest farm systems in baseball? And I don't see us with redundant talent anywhere. We don't have too many middle infielders, not too many outfielders, not too many catchers and sure not too many pitchers of any kind, well not the kind that get people out anyway.

As said above, good thread. Putting a name and numbers on it makes for good discussion. JMO but what Price wants is significant. I do not think the Dodgers would trade him to a place he doesn't want to go and again, just my opinion, I don't think he yearns to be an opening day starter again or to be one of the leaders of the starter staff.

But this might be the right category, someone who has been successful, who is on the back end of his career, that could help young pitchers, and who has a fire to have 1-2 more really good seasons. 

Signing King Felix and Matt Harvey was a (very low dollar) move in that direction. The question is whether it's time to devote more money to this type of category where there's a larger possibility that you have a July asset to trade (or keep) but also a bigger downside if the guy is not able to recapture past glory. 

The idea of trading for a talent because a team has payroll problems is a good one but I don't think the Dodgers should be the target. They don't seem to be phased in any way with payroll. But lots of teams would and will. 

IMO we have to find/sign 2 starters (that aren't here now) to pair with Means for opening day. It seems highly unlikely that the opening day starting rotation will feature any of Rodriguez, Baumann, Bradish, Kevin Smith, Tyler Wells or DL Hall. Best case to me is that by June/July, Rodriguez and Baumann are forcing themselves into the rotation, but I don't see them here before then. 

As others have said, every trade to this point has targeted a return of minor league talent, with most of it years away. The focus hasn't been on ML returns. And I doubt that anyone in the GM's office believes the pipeline is stocked. So the only way to add ML talent is FA signings or taking on salary for a reclamation project. I think this winter is when that needs to start.

[Sports Guy]

I don’t think the Dodgers would care much about what Price wants.  Do you think he wants to be a reliever right now?  
 

They don’t have loyalty to him. He has barely pitched for them.

[Pickles]

13 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I guess it does depend on ones definition of nothing.

I don’t think we would have to trade anything inside the top 15 prospects or so.  I think we could trade redundant, replaceable pieces that we won’t miss.  Now, there could be talent in one of those players but I think a package of say, Ortiz and Sedlock (just picking 2 names out of thin air) could get it done.  Something like that.    To me, that’s basically nothing or very little.  Not that those guys don’t have some talent but it’s not anything we will miss.

I personally think Price is a good target.

So I concede that, but that's kind of the exact problem in terms of acquiring him.

It's not necessarily about the Dodgers.  It's about the other 28 teams.  Someone- who wants to win and is motivated by that and not just taking a flier- will pay more than our "nothing" for Price I believe.

But it's a call I'd be willing to make.

But I think the better play is to move up in the FA market a bit from the Harveys of the world.  Of course, historically that has been very unkind to us.

[Sports Guy]

24 minutes ago, Pickles said:

I personally think Price is a good target.

So I concede that, but that's kind of the exact problem in terms of acquiring him.

It's not necessarily about the Dodgers.  It's about the other 28 teams.  Someone- who wants to win and is motivated by that and not just taking a flier- will pay more than our "nothing" for Price I believe.

But it's a call I'd be willing to make.

But I think the better play is to move up in the FA market a bit from the Harveys of the world.  Of course, historically that has been very unkind to us.

Teams have to be willing to take on the salary and look past the idea that the Dodgers didnt want to start him, even when they had the need due to injuries.

I think he’s largely a salary dump this offseason although he has time this year to change that narrative. 

[Pickles]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Teams have to be willing to take on the salary and look past the idea that the Dodgers didnt want to start him, even when they had the need due to injuries.

I think he’s largely a salary dump this offseason although he has time this year to change that narrative. 

Well, you seem to be able to get over that pretty easily.  It doesn't bother me either tbh.

[Sports Guy]

31 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Well, you seem to be able to get over that pretty easily.  It doesn't bother me either tbh.

Well I think when you have a nothing payroll and no expectations, you can make moves like this.

Not as easy for other teams.

[Pickles]

4 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Well I think when you have a nothing payroll and no expectations, you can make moves like this.

Not as easy for other teams.

I think it's a lot easier for other teams that have more money and are actually looking to win meaningful games with a move like this.

We'll have to keep our eyes on Price this offseason.

[Three Run Homer]

If we don't have to give up notable prospects for him, I'd rather have Price than another Matt Harvey-type reclamation project in the rotation next season.   

At this point, I think the only younger pitchers who have earned a spot in the opening day rotation next season are Means, Zimmerman and maybe Baumann (who should get a shot before the end of this season). 

So I have no problem with having a couple of veterans to round out the rotation, until people like Bradish, Smith, GrayRod and others prove at Norfolk that they have mastered the MLB ball.  

[Just Regular]

In case Elias places the call feeling out the market for a veteran leader with more in the tank than M. Harvey, and Friedman asks him for anything, or balks at including a decent percentage of the remainder he is still owed:

Veteran left-hander David Price and reserve outfielder/first baseman Billy McKinney have been left off, replaced by relievers Justin Bruihl and Evan Phillips

Since the 2018 heroics exorcising the early career October ghosts, I feel like Price's baseball life is basically complete, and wouldn't go near him unless his representation signaled somehow the Crash Davis job appealed to him at all.

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, Just Regular said:

In case Elias places the call feeling out the market for a veteran leader with more in the tank than M. Harvey, and Friedman asks him for anything, or balks at including a decent percentage of the remainder he is still owed:

Veteran left-hander David Price and reserve outfielder/first baseman Billy McKinney have been left off, replaced by relievers Justin Bruihl and Evan Phillips

Since the 2018 heroics exorcising the early career October ghosts, I feel like Price's baseball life is basically complete, and wouldn't go near him unless his representation signaled somehow the Crash Davis job appealed to him at all.

Unless he is mentally done with the game, there is no evidence that his baseball life is complete.

I would gladly take him if they pay most of his contract and we don’t have to trade much to get him.

[OriolesMagic83]

I would target Grienke over Price.  Obviously Grienke is a free agent and won't require prospects.  He is the kind of veteran starter who has been durable and would be good influence on younger pitchers.  I don't see the O's making that kind of financial commitment.  Probably could be signed on 3 year deal, or even 2 years , w/ an option. 

Means, Grienke, Gray Rod would be a formidable 1,2,3.  If the O's sign an affordable 5th starter and one of the myriad of mediocre pitching prospects steps up, they could have an above average starting rotation, IMO.  The 5th starter would be signed for a year, so Wells will have a spot in 2023 (assuming he gets healthy and keeps on a path to the majors. 

 

[HowAboutThat]

Unless the front office has given up on a few of the guys who got brief auditions this season, a question whether there will be enough innings to go around if we bring in a prominent outsider. In addition to the five guys who are potential starters, you’ve got at least one guy coming to the show from AAA, possibly one or two others, plus we have Tyler Wells and Lopez who might be starters, and need their own audition innings

I don’t really have a problem with bringing Harvey on board this past season, although he was kept too long, but next season is allegedly another year forward, And we will need more innings for our own audition guys. With that in mind, I think whether we sign a significant arm all depend on what Mike is expecting from our own guys.

[waroriole]

19 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I would target Grienke over Price.  Obviously Grienke is a free agent and won't require prospects.  He is the kind of veteran starter who has been durable and would be good influence on younger pitchers.  I don't see the O's making that kind of financial commitment.  Probably could be signed on 3 year deal, or even 2 years , w/ an option. 

Means, Grienke, Gray Rod would be a formidable 1,2,3.  If the O's sign an affordable 5th starter and one of the myriad of mediocre pitching prospects steps up, they could have an above average starting rotation, IMO.  The 5th starter would be signed for a year, so Wells will have a spot in 2023 (assuming he gets healthy and keeps on a path to the majors. 

 

I think you’d have to pay Greinke 3/80 to have a shot. Would you give him that contract?

[OriolesMagic83]

24 minutes ago, waroriole said:

I think you’d have to pay Greinke 3/80 to have a shot. Would you give him that contract?

I was hoping more like 3/60.  Houston is pondering whether it is worth giving him a qualifying offer.  IMO, this is the type of pitcher the O's need to stabilize the rotation, if they want to compete.  Of course, if they don't want to compete, they can just keep cycling non prospects thru the rotation.  There is no big long term contracts keeping the O's from signing anyone.  Oh well, I'm sure we'll see more Harvey/Milone/Eshelmann type moves. 

[waroriole]

57 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I was hoping more like 3/60.  Houston is pondering whether it is worth giving him a qualifying offer.  IMO, this is the type of pitcher the O's need to stabilize the rotation, if they want to compete.  Of course, if they don't want to compete, they can just keep cycling non prospects thru the rotation.  There is no big long term contracts keeping the O's from signing anyone.  Oh well, I'm sure we'll see more Harvey/Milone/Eshelmann type moves. 

Gotta think we’d need the best offer by far to have a chance. There’s no reason he would want to go to a HR park with no hope for the playoffs.