Back End of the Bullpen Trade Targets

[Rustbelt]

Trading for major bullpen arms quite often turns into bad investment.  For every Andrew Miller (some may say this was not a good trade), there are many disasterous ones like Jorge Lopez, Heathcliff Slocomb, Larry Anderson, Eric Gagne, John Rauch, so on.  Trading for elite relief pitchers sounds good yet many of them they do not work out well.  It is much better to develop them or make low key moves.  Look at the Orioles bullpen or the Yankees.  Very good bullpen arms without investing heavily into them.  Kimbrell signing was an out of character siging for Elias.  

[sportsfan8703]

We’re talking about upgrading the #5 RH in our pen which is currently one of Baumann/Tate/Baker by my estimation with Kimbrel, Cano, Wells, and Webb, in front of them. Who could we realistically get that is clearly better than them?  It’s nice to have the #5 RH spot be occupied by optionable pieces. Baumann doesn’t have options, so that’s why he might make the OD roster, but is also the most vulnerable to a DFA. 

A trade for a set up guy at the deadline could happen if need be. Also, McDermott could be an option as well. 

The only type of move that would make sense now is if we pulled off a small trade for a RH RP with an option. Or if we claimed that type of waivers. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

[Aristotelian]

4 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Keep in mind that the last two years Elias has pulled off a trade involving relievers at the end of ST and right before OD. Tanner Scott and Cole Sulser going to Miami. Then Coloumbe coming here for cash. 

A guy like Justin Topa makes for the twins makes sense. RH reliever with options. I’m a little surprised that we weren’t in on Zuniga that got traded from STL to LAA last week. RH RP that throws 100. Out of options though. 

I do think we underrate Webb here because of he was a waiver claim and gave up the homer that lost us game 1 against Texas. 

...and a grand slam in Game 2!

[btdart20]

4 hours ago, Rustbelt said:

Trading for major bullpen arms quite often turns into bad investment.  For every Andrew Miller (some may say this was not a good trade), there are many disasterous ones like Jorge Lopez, Heathcliff Slocomb, Larry Anderson, Eric Gagne, John Rauch, so on.  Trading for elite relief pitchers sounds good yet many of them they do not work out well.  It is much better to develop them or make low key moves.  Look at the Orioles bullpen or the Yankees.  Very good bullpen arms without investing heavily into them.  Kimbrell signing was an out of character siging for Elias.  

Are there more “Rauch” types than Miller’s in the league?  Special players are more rare, right?  Teams get desperate and make foolish decisions too.  

Kimbrel checks a box for Elias.  Just like Lyles, Gibson, Frazier, and Burnes.  Elias is willing to overpay to get his guy.

[interloper]

Red Sox want to cut payroll and are looking to move Jansen's 1/$16 contract. They are in need of right-handed outfielders.

Seems to me the O's could take on the vast majority of that contract for Ryan McKenna, who is getting pushed out faster every day it seems, and maybe Webb. 

O's get a steady bullpen guy with tons of experience, clear some of their outfielder backlog, and take on some salary. 

[Jim'sKid26]

50 minutes ago, interloper said:

Red Sox want to cut payroll and are looking to move Jansen's 1/$16 contract. They are in need of right-handed outfielders.

Seems to me the O's could take on the vast majority of that contract for Ryan McKenna, who is getting pushed out faster every day it seems, and maybe Webb. 

O's get a steady bullpen guy with tons of experience, clear some of their outfielder backlog, and take on some salary. 

Does Kenley want to be a closer? Seems like the O's have one already. Do you think he would be ok sharing the role? 

[ScGO's]

3 hours ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

Does Kenley want to be a closer? Seems like the O's have one already. Do you think he would be ok sharing the role? 

He'd have to be okay with it. Kimbrel needs to be closer to open the season to honor his free agency sign, but if he slips, its nice having Jensen backing him up

I still feel like the Orioles have the inventory to make a move, and RP is really the only area we need to improve still. Losing Felix and Hall is huge bc they were the only guys with high K rates. Everyone else in the bullpen has under 9 K per 9.

If the O's could really swing Jansen for Webb and McKenna, then I think they still have enough to try and bring in a Tanner Scott or Devin Williams too. I don't think the O's need to make a play for Snell or Montgomery and spend that money. If they want a depth move for SP bring in Lorenzon, Ryu, or Bauer to compete for the #5 or Long Relief role on a 1 year deal.

[Roll Tide]

On 2/11/2024 at 7:17 AM, Rustbelt said:

Trading for major bullpen arms quite often turns into bad investment.  For every Andrew Miller (some may say this was not a good trade), there are many disasterous ones like Jorge Lopez, Heathcliff Slocomb, Larry Anderson, Eric Gagne, John Rauch, so on.  Trading for elite relief pitchers sounds good yet many of them they do not work out well.  It is much better to develop them or make low key moves.  Look at the Orioles bullpen or the Yankees.  Very good bullpen arms without investing heavily into them.  Kimbrell signing was an out of character siging for Elias.  

Kimbrel was brought in to close…I don’t like his age and decline. But, we are clearly better than going with Cano as closer. 

Edited February 15 by Roll Tide

[sportsfan8703]

McDermott could be a shot in the arm to the pen this year. I don’t think it will be a surprise given his stuff. It’s just how long do we let him start for until we make that switch?

Heasley’s stuff supposedly plays up to mid 90s out of the pen. 

Webb, and Baumann, get the first crack at the #4/#5 RH roles.  I’ve been following the waiver wire and there isn’t a name you could really point to this offseason and say give that guy a shot over either one of Baumman/Webb. Same with FA really. Realistically, how much better were players like Ottavino/Maton than Webb?

We pulled off the trade for Burnes without depleting our farm. I think we roll with who we have and then look to make an in season trade if need be.

or… McDermott solves this and is lights out in ST and wows everyone. 

Edited February 15 by sportsfan8703

[CP0861]

What about Hunter Harvey?

He's settled in pretty nicely with the Nats. Recorded 10 saves last year. 2 years of control in which the Nats will be going nowhere.

Edited February 15 by CP0861

[interloper]

33 minutes ago, CP0861 said:

What about Hunter Harvey?

He's settled in pretty nicely with the Nats. Recorded 10 saves last year. 2 years of control in which the Nats will be going nowhere.

Yeah I don't hate that. But it's tough to give up anything of major value for him when he's had 1 healthy season in his career. I think the Nats probably value him more in their pen than what they'd receive back. 

[Il BuonO]

Didn’t really see another thread where this might be answered so, here goes; is it a foregone conclusion that Akin doesn’t make the team? Is Perez a lock? Perez didn’t have a great first half last year and’s doesn’t look good this spring. Akin looks pretty good right now and had a good year in 2022.

Just wondering how the bullpen shakes out.

Edited March 7 by Il BuonO

[Tony-OH]

8 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

Didn’t really see another thread where this might be answered so, here goes; is it a foregone conclusion that Akin doesn’t make the team? Is Perez a lock? Perez didn’t have a great first half last year and’s doesn’t look good this spring. Akin looks pretty good right now and had a good year in 2022.

Just wondering how the bullpen shakes out.

I think Perez is definitely a lock minus an injury. He's a slow starter, but he's a groundball machine from the leftside. Akin is not a lock because of his options. He very well may pitch his way onto the team, but it won't be over potentially losing a pitcher like Webb. Webb is a little underrated by some around here, but if you look at his numbers with the Orioles last year, he was very good besides a few outings where he was overused due to need.

I don't think this team needs a 5th or 6th bullpen guy, they need another lockdown high leverage guy. Cano should be good again, and I'm going to hope Kimbrel will get has act together and pitch like he did most of last year, but I don't feel like we have that high strike out guy. 

@Sports Guy talked about Luke Little from the Cubs. While i don't know anything other than what I saw on his baseball savant page, he certainly looks like a guy who will miss bats. Now the question is can he handle pressure late in games?

 It would probably take a Westburg type talent to get him though in my opinion which I would do.

[Just Regular]

Sam Kennedy might need to make one more speech about how the Red Sox compete relentlessly, but in the wake of the Giolito news I do wonder if Kenley Jansen or Chris Martin become more likely to be moved before Opening Day.

Nice job Red Sox locking up Brayan Bello today, though.     Were Bradish healthy now, that's the kind of good young pitcher deal many of us would have been glad to see.

[DirtyBird]

Devin Williams got cheaper