steveno89

Takes two, or sometimes even more, to tango.

The floated prices are absurd. teams do not pay for past performance, and MBum at 5 years and Keuchel at 4 would be obvious desperation by the Sox. This is not the only shot at free agency they will ever have, and trade negotiations are healthy and natural.

I mean, do you love the idea of giving MBum 5 years? Keuchel 4 years? Ryu 4 years? Ozuna and Castellanos 5 years? exactly why they may be exploring trades

I’m reading between the lines of what has been said. i think the Sox are not liking the current free agent costs being floated around for pitching and position players, so they are exploring the trade route and trying to work several deals. Nothing seems close, but they will continue to try.

Smell has four seasons of control remaining for reasonable money. the mlb trade simulator would closely value Vaughn plus Cease for Snell, but idk if that’s even enough. If Snell were made available it would be for a haul and they would get other clubs involved. Can’t see the Rays dealing him at this stage.

Depth charts and steamer project 2020 Ryu for 2.9 WAR, considerable regression from his stellar 2019 season. Give the he injury history and age, I’m not sure he’s the sort of player we want to hand a 3-4 year expensive deal?

The Rays probably win the AL Central in 2019, agreed

I have tried to come up with a potential quality SP trade target who makes sense and I am struggling to do so. Unless someone is surprisingly available, outside of Gray/Price, there is not much clarity. Gallen does not qualify as established by any means. Thor is available, but with two seasons of control I do not think he fits the mold of what we would be looking for, and would be costly to trade for.

idk if Wacha even gets a major league deal after his crappy 2019. He's projected at around 1 WAR in 2020, mehhhh his best days look to be behind him

Jon Gray for Lopez/Fry/Sheets checks out through https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trade-simulator/ Not sayign that is actually what it would take, but from rough valuations it is what you'd be looking at. Snell would be much more expensive to trade for potentially.

Cease's name was tossed out as a potential trade chip. I doubt he gets dealt this offseason. Stiever is a player they might look to deal after his strong 2019?

Kopech would have no argument coming off TJS. The club can say they were protecting the player's long term future by having him rehab and build strength before being called back up to the majors. It's totally reasonable.

This is all speculative right now. Sox rumored to be working the trade market for starting pitching, also rumored to have quality prospects potentially on the table in negotiations, unclear who may even be available though.

Sox will never compete with the huge spenders, but that does not mean they cannot be aggressive for top of the market players.

Cubs need to clear payroll to do anything. They have spent a ton in recent offseasons and that finally has caught up to them. They are not a threat to sign any substantial FA until they shed $$$$

Was not my intention to mislead, just to point where the Sox might be headed

I'd honestly rather roll the dice on plenty of other starting pitching options than go 3-4 years on Keuchel for $15-18 million per. I just do not think he's that good anymore.

Why would the Rays trade Snell after a 96 win season when he is under control for the next three years?

I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but it's a genuine question as to which quality starting pitcher is even available via trade? Fangraphs has Cease projected to be worth 2.2 WAR in 2020 making league minimum. If I am punting years of cheap control over him I had better be getting a legit piece back.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=80&type=8&season=2019&month=0&season1=2019&ind=0&team=&rost=&age=&filter=&players=&startdate=&enddate=&page=1_30 Look at the first two pages of this list and who jumps out as being available? Contenders surely would not trade a quality starter for prospects. Jon Gray's two seasons of control might be available? Beyond that who? Marco Gonzales? Joe Musgrove? Matthew Boyd? Jon Means?

What quality starting pitcher is even available via trade right now? That is a genuine question. I scoured fangraphs and am not seeing any obvious fit. Jon Gray possibly?

We can all hope for better, but the way this market might quickly shape up should concern Sox fans. Missing on Wheeler was a big blow.

I shudder to think what this board will do if Keuchel is our marquee free agent acquired outside of Grandal. There's a decent chance it becomes a reality.

Known facts now: -Cole is going to be paid massively. I'd predict 8 years, approaching $300 million with full NTC. LAA and NYY heavily involved. -Rendon is unlikely to return to the Nationals. LAD, ATL, TEX are clear suitors, others possibly?

The deferments do include interest though to account for the NPV loss