Offseason Trade Pondering

[DirtyBird]

How about Mountcastle for Taylor Ward, straight up

[Roll Tide]

16 hours ago, DirtyBird said:

How about Mountcastle for Taylor Ward, straight up

They are trying to add offense. Why would they want to trade Ward?

[DrinkinWithFermi]

I'm not interested in gutting what is left of our farm system for two years of a SP when we should be able to just sign a FA of similar quality, so no thanks on Crochet. 

Trading Mountcastle for some prospects to restock the farm a bit is something I am definitely open to though.

[OriolesMagic83]

On 10/10/2024 at 10:50 PM, Roll Tide said:

I’m guessing they ask for Mayo or Basallo of Kjerstad. For me …I’d give them Kjerstad since he’s defensively challenged IMO.

Maybe Kjerstad, McDermott, Beavers, and O’Ferrall? 

Would the White Sox be open to including Robert for a reasonable price?  Probably not.  I hate to give up Beavers in a trade when we could use him later in 2025 in the OF.  

[DrinkinWithFermi]

1 hour ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

Would the White Sox be open to including Robert for a reasonable price?  Probably not.  I hate to give up Beavers in a trade when we could use him later in 2025 in the OF.  

They would probably want two of Mayo, Basallo, Holliday, and Kjerstad, plus other pieces (likely at least one good pitching prospect, so someone like Povich or McDermott), for both Crochet and Robert.

[Camden_yardbird]

The Orioles have a lot of flexibility both in terms of prospects, money and potential veterans that hold value.

Vets - I could see the Orioles moving on from any of Mountcastle, Mullins, Urias, or O'Hearn. These players may hold the most potential to bullpen upgrades.

Money - The Orioles will certainly spend this offseason and that more flexibility than they have had.  I would like to see 1 or 2 extensions, 1 high profile FA, and maybe 1 more solid addition.

Prospects - I could see any of the big 4 going somewhere.  I really think the Orioles and Pirates match up really well.  The Pirates have a plethora of young pitchers and the Orioles have young hitters.  I wouldn't be surprised to see the two match up.

[OriolesMagic83]

3 hours ago, DrinkinWithFermi said:

They would probably want two of Mayo, Basallo, Holliday, and Kjerstad, plus other pieces (likely at least one good pitching prospect, so someone like Povich or McDermott), for both Crochet and Robert.

Good luck with that.  Robert is coming off a .657 OPS season.  Probably not worth trading him especially since he will be playing on a $15 million option.  Most teams aren't going to offer more than salary relief and marginal prospects.  I just don't see the O's giving up what Getz will see as fair value.  Best bet for the WS is to hope he rebounds and trade him at 2025 trade deadline.  

[Jagwar]

On 10/11/2024 at 11:07 AM, Sports Guy said:

No one is trading anything close to that for Crochet.

But I agree..spend money, not prospects.

Maybe trade Mountcastle... or Mullins... or Urias... or all of them... for a bunch of lottery ticket pitching prospects? Or am I setting my sights too low?  

[EddeeEddee]

On 10/11/2024 at 9:37 AM, e16bball said:

I tried to look into this last night, because I was thinking there might be a world where the Reds would also want Mullins, and then we could wheel around and do a Crochet/Robert deal with the White Sox. 

The Reds were 30th in baseball in fWAR from 1B last season, which makes Mountcastle a natural fit there (as the original article suggests). But they were also 26th in fWAR from CF, and there’s no obvious answer there, whether on the MLB roster or in the organization. With Francona coming aboard to try to wrangle all that youth, a couple proven veterans from a successful organization might be a valued addition.

They don’t have a ton of matches for us, necessarily, though RHP Chase Petty probably makes sense as a guy on the same sort of level as McDermott and Povich. They also have a big stuff (and big walk) reliever named Zach Maxwell that I find intriguing for us. What they do have, however, is some younger talent (both IFA and recent US high school draftees) that might be appealing to a team in CWS’s position.

Mullins had a better year in 2024 than Robert did.  Hard to believe but true.  Robert is very talented but he's a pretty big risk.  It seems injuries keep holding him back.  He only played in 100 games in 2024, and that's the second most he's played in a season going back to 2020.  

Then there's Crochet -- his durability and his attitude.  

Plus, it's difficult to see the Reds trading enough for Mountcastle or Mullins to make a real difference in prospects for Crochet and Robert.  Neither of them presents a major upgrade at their positions and Mullins would be in his walk season.  And Mountcastle feels close to being regarded as a platoon player at this point in his career.

And then the O's create a hole at first base, which maybe Mayo is ready to fill -- but maybe not quite ready yet.  

 

[EddeeEddee]

On 10/11/2024 at 11:06 AM, DirtyBird said:

How about Mountcastle for Taylor Ward, straight up

I like that idea, though I can't see why the Angels would do it.  I wonder if the Angels have thought about moving Mike Trout to 1B or even DH.  Maybe the Angels would rather have Mullins than Mountcastle, but they aren't trading Ward for Mullins either.  

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, Jagwar said:

Maybe trade Mountcastle... or Mullins... or Urias... or all of them... for a bunch of lottery ticket pitching prospects? Or am I setting my sights too low?  

I think they could look for prospects or one of those guys dealt for a potentially very good reliever.

[DirtyBird]

2 hours ago, EddeeEddee said:

I like that idea, though I can't see why the Angels would do it.  I wonder if the Angels have thought about moving Mike Trout to 1B or even DH.  Maybe the Angels would rather have Mullins than Mountcastle, but they aren't trading Ward for Mullins either.  

Yeah, Ward is a guy that would fit well in our OF, but it would take more than Mountcastle. Not sure they would have any interest in Mullins, being on his final year of team control.