SoCalChiSox

Sure starting to sound like 2 Top 100 prospects is floor not the ceiling.

That would be good

I read his latest post as suggesting the close one was Cease although I could have misinterpreted it. The only other move is Jimenez and there's no reason for anyone to rush to trade for him.

These NBB reports seem at odds with Pal's report that something is close. If they are "waiting for a monster haul" then theoretically nothing should be "close" and if there is a monster haul on the table and something is in fact close, what are they waiting for? I also don't know what people would think a monster haul is. I dont think 2 Top 100 prospects is a monster haul. I think 3 Top 100s is a monster haul or 2 Top 100s plus 2 10-20 org prospects in a deep system would also be a monster haul.

Vargas doesnt excite me. I'd rather have Vivas as the third piece.

I was reading DL Hall bounced back and may now be possibly a rotation option again. If so, Hjerstad, Ortiz and Hall would be great. We just gotta get BAL to move somehow.

The Gonzalez comment is great! Unfortunately his bat seems light years away from the majors. He was pegged as 55 hit/55 power which would be great as a LHH at either SS or 2B but so far it's kind of like Zack Collins where we were sold 55 hit but it turned out to be 20 hit so he couldn't get to any of his big time power. If you are sold on his D, then even 50/50 would be fine, but if it's gonna take forever or if the hit is 40 or less, they are kind of forced to get Ortiz.

Bannister will make or break Kopech, Nastrini and Eder. That dude is critical.

OK. I think Law also said he struggled at SS in AFL too. A real good LHH 3B who can hit for avg, power and very high OBP is still very valuable. But with a likely hole at SS they need to get Elias at BAL to stop acting like a little prospect hugging b**** then. Maybe after a few more pitchers go off the board BAL will get serious.

That would be an awesome lineup. If they could then somehow cobble together some alternative value to send to LAD (since Cease went to BAL) for Busch and plug him in at the 1B hole it would be perfect. There just isn't the value anywhere else imo that's movable but like you said they can definitely afford to buy a 1B.

IMO...depends on if we trade with LAD and if Busch is one of the pieces that come back. If so, Busch/Vaughn will be 1B/DH and switch off and Sheets is out of a job entirely.

Doesn't Ramos have a good arm? If so, could he be a corner outfielder (RF) if/when CM is moved to 3rd?

Yeah....no way, more likely 1 of the top 4 of those guys and 1 of the bottom 4 along with Busch.

Jimmy....what about Gonzalez? I know his bat has been underwhelming but what about his defense at shortstop to date? If they trade with BAL, they can solve this issue real easily with Ortiz.

Imo...Montgomery will likely end up at 3B and Busch at 1B, so if Ramos can play 2B well that would be huge. I have no clue if he can. I thought he was playing 3B because he had a good arm.

Since BA is "decently confident" Rushing can stick at C, I want the following realistic package (2 top 100s and very solid third piece): Busch, Rushing and Knack. You still get that high floor SP likely to end up in the lower middle of rotation and two great LH bats both with power and OBP, one of which likely to stick at a premium position. And if Rushing does indeed stick at C, you can move Quero for more pitching or OFers later. I'm pushing all the chips into the middle for left handed savagery in this trade.

Burgers hit tool with us looked more like 20-30, not 55. Burger also wasn't left handed and wasn't a walk machine. Bad analogy. Thus dude has elite savagery tools.

Thank you very much for this, bmags! I was hoping the glove would be 45 at 2B so it would be somewhat passable but at 40 that's tough. I've heard he's a very hard worker tho and has really tried to improve. It's a tough call. It's hard to resist 55 hit/60 power from the left side in our park tho. Playing 81 games at GRF with that short porch, dude could consistently hit 25-30 HRs a year and be the true heir to Jimenez (or at least what Jimenez was supposed to be if he wasn't made of glass). I'd take him in the final analysis. f*** it. I want the bat. I want left handed 55 hit and 60 power in our park. Montgomery at 2, Robert 3, Busch 4, that is tough to resist. Bring me the savage, the glove is what it is. Try it out at 2B in 24, see if it can be semi passable. We'll know by 25 if it is or not. If not, then 1B. Just give me .270/.350 and 25+ HRs. What's the writeup and grades on Rushing? I know in the chat they said they were decently confident he would stick at C.

Thank you for this. I wish they addressed whether Busch can adequately stick at 2B in the chat. What does their updated scouting report and grades say? Also what do they have his hit/power at currently?

Perhaps as Ron (or one of his aliases) pointed out earlier, the Braves thing is intended to scare the Dodgers. These are the two major powers in the NL jockeying for top regular season positioning. Cease to ATL would be a dick punch to LAD. Pal said again today somethings been close with Cease for a week. If you add it to what Bob said today it seems maybe things are close with the Dodgers but Getz is trying to push it over the finish line here with this scare tactic. My own pure guess is they are fighting over the third piece. LAD system is deep but lack elite monsters. Their best bats either have a high risk of ending up at 1B (Rushing, Busch)) or are coming off major injury (Pages) and all their good pitching prospects seem to have some meaningful flaws, so we prolly want a third top 100 player and LAD likely knowing BAL is gonna keep playing the prospect hugging bullshit game, are resisting.

Yeah....I'd consider 2 top 100s from them if they also throw in a couple guys in their 10-15 range because those guys could be close to top 100 in their own right fairly soon. I like that LHH 2B (Vivas) who kills RHH and will stick at the position. If they aren't going with Busch in the top 100 guys, that kid would be a good third piece.

This makes sense. CWS trying to push it over the top and I agree thr Braves thing would best spook the Dodgers. I'm assuming one SP prospect and one big bat as the Top 100 pieces. But the Dodgers do not truly have any super high end guys. All their pitchers have some meaningful flaw and both top bats have legit risk at ending up at 1B. Maybe that's why there's an impasse. It's a deep system but no elite monsters so maybe we want a 3rd top 100 and LAD resisting?

If they are close to a deal even before most FA SPers sign and before Winter Meetings it would stand to reason its a pretty strong offer if someone wants to finish it early. That would be a really good sign for us Any thoughts as to whether it will be position prospect heavy or SP prospect heavy?

Yep get like a 4/70 with an opt out after 1 year to see if they can fix him and then go get paid. If not, he has some good financial security. He deserves to be paid and to pitch for a great organization and I truly wish him all the best in his career and life. It was an honor to watch him play for us.

I'm waiting for Harold or Pal's smoke signal.