Where could Kimbrel be traded, and for what?

[caulfield12]

Only for trade partners/speculation…not Madrigal/Heuer commentary.

 

LAD  K. Jansen off the books, but he could also return for much less than $20 million 2021 salary, could go with a Knebel/Melancon type and save a lot

SD   Melancon will decline affordable option and hit market coming off overachieving season, Padres are near luxury tax threshold, need to dump Myers, Hosmer, Frazier/Kim/Profar

Cardinals  might not be 100% set with Gallegos, also saw “good” version of Kimbrel firsthand in 2021, but not the first franchise you think of spending that money on a closer…new manager will have a big say in decision 

LAA  depends on QO situation and keeping Iglesias happy with multi-year deal better than “bargain” $9,125,000 deal this year…top closer on the market if he leaves, would be looking at 3/$39-45 realistically.

Milwaukee could throw a wrench in the White Sox plans by putting Hader on the market…they certainly wouldn’t want to take on Kimbrel’s salary.  Kimbrel for Narvaez reunion, haha?

Minnesota….but they won’t spend like that unless they lock up Buxton and go for it next year, highly unlikely due to budget/payroll

Cincy had Iglesias and didn’t want to pay him big money in the first place, or Wade Miley for that matter.  Unlikely.

Joe Kelly is a pitcher who also is going to draw considerable interest as a potential closer.  Kendall Graveman will draw interest as well.

 

Teams unlikely to be looking.  Sea, Cle, Philly, Atl, KC, SFG, Toronto, Houston, NYM

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/early-2022-fantasy-baseball-relief-pitcher-rankings-top-20-shows-that-bankable-closers-are-in-short-supply/

 

[caulfield12]

Boston would be another big market team but limited interest in a Kimbrel reunion…they could go after one of the other names, though, helping out by driving up potential demand.  

 

1. Relief Pitcher

“Different people have different perspectives on the pros and cons of spending big on relief pitching, and that’s all well and good. Regardless of the approach they take, the Red Sox need to find some bullpen help this winter, and that’s especially true if Houck and Whitlock enter the season as part of the rotation picture. That seems likely to be the case, and so that means the Red Sox would be left with a back-end of Matt Barnes, Josh Taylor, Ryan Brasier, Darwinzon Hernandez, and Hirokazu Sawamura. That’s not going to cut it. Not even close. There are some interesting options ready to come up from Worcester, but there needs to be some real attention to this group. I’d prefer a mix of established names and potential diamond in the roughs, but either way new faces are needed.”

https://www.overthemonster.com/2021/11/2/22755577/boston-red-sox-2021-2022-offseason-preview-chaim-bloom-eduardo-rodriguez-jd-martinez-vazquez-arroyo

[Chicago White Sox]

The Phillies seem like the most likely landing spot IMO.  Huge need for a closer and Dombrowksi is super familiar with him.  I wouldn’t expect much, but perhaps a lesser reliever or a couple C prospects is attainable.

[caulfield12]

7 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

The Phillies seem like the most likely landing spot IMO.  Huge need for a closer and Dombrowksi is super familiar with him.  I wouldn’t expect much, but perhaps a lesser reliever or a couple C prospects is attainable.

Someone had Dominguez coming back...which seems generous.

Forgot Mychal Givens, too.

https://www.sportstalkphilly.com/2021/10/phillies-5-free-agent-closers-for-2022.html

 

That seems like a pretty big gamble for Philly...can't afford to keep missing the playoffs with that payroll and keep your GM job.  Because if it goes wrong, everyone will be able to make the hindsight arguments just like we did with Adam Dunn in 2011. That helped push KW into the C suite.

[Chicago White Sox]

5 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Someone had Dominguez coming back...which seems generous.

Forgot Mychal Givens, too.

https://www.sportstalkphilly.com/2021/10/phillies-5-free-agent-closers-for-2022.html

 

That seems like a pretty big gamble for Philly...can't afford to keep missing the playoffs with that payroll and keep your GM job.  Because if it goes wrong, everyone will be able to make the hindsight arguments just like we did with Adam Dunn in 2011. That helped push KW into the C suite.

I had Dominguez coming back.  Why is that generous?  Great arm but dude only has three years of control left, is coming off injury, hasn’t seen all his velocity return, missed all of 2020, and performed poorly in the minors last year.  If I’m the Phillies, I’d seriously consider giving up him for Kimbrel if the alternative was giving Iglesias a 4 or 5 year deal for massive dollars (and I say this is a massive Iglesias fan).  Given the volatility of relievers, there is real value in short-term commitments.

[caulfield12]

7 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I had Dominguez coming back.  Why is that generous?  Great arm but dude only has three years of control left, is coming off injury, hasn’t seen all his velocity return, missed all of 2020, and performed poorly in the minors last year.  If I’m the Phillies, I’d seriously consider giving up him for Kimbrel if the alternative was giving Iglesias a 4 or 5 year deal for massive dollars (and I say this is a massive Iglesias fan).  Given the volatility of relievers, there is real value in short-term commitments.

Then they just give K.Jansen $10-12 million for one year and keep Dominguez.  Or Melancon $7-8 million.  Or trade for Hader.

I just don't see any reason they would do that without $2-3 million coming along with Kimbrel in the exchange.  When I said generous, I meant Philly giving up much of anything for taking on that contract, not a particularly well researched insight into Dominguez.

Also don't see Iglesias getting 4-5 years from anyone but the Dodgers or maybe Angels...but you certainly could be right, we just don't know how the CBA uncertainty will impact the FA market quite yet.

[Texsox]

Here’s a little nightmare. What if you could get more for Liam?

[caulfield12]

9 minutes ago, Texsox said:

Here’s a little nightmare. What if you could get more for Liam?

Well, that doesn't have any potential to backfire.  Besides you take one of the team's emotional leaders who'd just signed a long-term deal to be a part of the championship window and put him on another contender...not to mention the fact that Hahn's unlikely to do that because he would actually be risking his job if it blew up in his face.

That said, not even sure post-trade Sox Kimbrel can mess up the AL Central next season.  

Edited November 7, 2021 by caulfield12

[Chicago White Sox]

29 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Then they just give K.Jansen $10-12 million for one year and keep Dominguez.  Or Melancon $7-8 million.  Or trade for Hader.

I just don't see any reason they would do that without $2-3 million coming along with Kimbrel in the exchange.  When I said generous, I meant Philly giving up much of anything for taking on that contract, not a particularly well researched insight into Dominguez.

Also don't see Iglesias getting 4-5 years from anyone but the Dodgers or maybe Angels...but you certainly could be right, we just don't know how the CBA uncertainty will impact the FA market quite yet.

I’m sorry, but why is Jansen only getting a one year deal?  And you think they should keep Dominguez so they can trade only god knows what for Hader?  As for Iglesias, he’s the top reliever on the market, so he’ll likely get paid extremely well.  Maybe five years is pushing it, but four seems incredibly attainable.  

Also, if there is no CBA, doesn’t that just temporarily pause the free agent process?  I don’t see why that has a significant impact on eventual spending.  Once a CBA is in place, teams will spend like usual.

[poppysox]

57 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I had Dominguez coming back.  Why is that generous?  Great arm but dude only has three years of control left, is coming off injury, hasn’t seen all his velocity return, missed all of 2020, and performed poorly in the minors last year.  If I’m the Phillies, I’d seriously consider giving up him for Kimbrel if the alternative was giving Iglesias a 4 or 5 year deal for massive dollars (and I say this is a massive Iglesias fan).  Given the volatility of relievers, there is real value in short-term commitments.

If Dominguez is the best we can do...I don't see why RH would risk a QO.  I think RH would have released Kimbrel and spent the 18.4 million elsewhere.  I believe RH knows something that we don't on this one.

[Sarava]

11 minutes ago, poppysox said:

If Dominguez is the best we can do...I don't see why RH would risk a QO.  I think RH would have released Kimbrel and spent the 18.4 million elsewhere.  I believe RH knows something that we don't on this one.

I agree. The Sox have had a month to find out what they can get for Kimbrel. I just don't them bothering to exercise the option for a tiny-ish return.

[Chicago White Sox]

20 minutes ago, poppysox said:

If Dominguez is the best we can do...I don't see why RH would risk a QO.  I think RH would have released Kimbrel and spent the 18.4 million elsewhere.  I believe RH knows something that we don't on this one.

His option is only worth $16M FYI.  Also, if he’s traded, the money is being spent elsewhere, so if you have a high degree of confidence he can be moved, why not extract something of value?   A piece like Dominguez could be very helpful given how thin our bullpen is at the moment.

[poppysox]

5 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

His option is only worth $16M FYI.  Also, if he’s traded, the money is being spent elsewhere, so if you have a high degree of confidence he can be moved, why not extract something of value?   A piece like Dominguez could be very helpful given how thin our bullpen is at the moment.

Yep...just confused the option with the QO.  Still think RH knows he got some takers for more than scraps.

[Timmy U]

I feel like in every trade Sox need to get back pitching depth. If they got some kind of Lambert/Pilkington type, I’d be satisfied.

[southsider2k5]

Bad contract for bad contract, but a better fit seems the most likely to me.

[SoxAce]

Wasn't Boston heavily involved in talks with the Cubs for Kimbrel before the Sox got him? 

[hi8is]

They can take a can of tuna I’ve had at the back of my pantry for the last 8 years.

Kimbrel can do things around the house for me all year.

[kleedawg]

On 11/6/2021 at 8:26 PM, poppysox said:

Yep...just confused the option with the QO.  Still think RH knows he got some takers for more than scraps.

Maybe he believes Tampa would still do Kimbrel for Glasnow that was offered at the trade deadline?

[turnin' two]

On 11/6/2021 at 11:46 PM, hi8is said:

They can take a can of tuna I’ve had at the back of my pantry for the last 8 years.

Kimbrel can do things around the house for me all year.

We know he would be great at taking the dog for a walk.  If you need to clean anything out, he can load up the bags.  He can't make pancakes though.  He loses control and hits the batter too often.

 

Alright, that's all I got.  I'll show myself out. 

[hi8is]

8 minutes ago, turnin' two said:

We know he would be great at taking the dog for a walk.  If you need to clean anything out, he can load up the bags.  He can't make pancakes though.  He loses control and hits the batter too often.

 

Alright, that's all I got.  I'll show myself out. 

My freezer started leaking water all over my floor so his first duty would be to go shopping and secure a replacement.

[tray]

26 minutes ago, hi8is said:

My freezer started leaking water all over my floor so his first duty would be to go shopping and secure a replacement.

Sounds like the common LG freezer issue.

Seriously, since Hahn got away with giving away Tatis Jr, Madrigal, Pilkington and Heuer for nothing, he isn't worried about making another disastrous trade.

[turnin' two]

2 hours ago, hi8is said:

My freezer started leaking water all over my floor so his first duty would be to go shopping and secure a replacement.

Man!  That sucks.  Too bad you don't have Kimbrel.  He's perfect for mop up duty!

 

Seriously though, sorry about that.  That's terrible.  We had a bunch of damage to our floors when something like that happened so be careful, water can be miserable.

[Jerry McNertney]

Obviously, the White Sox can't get anything in return in a trade of Kimbrel. The question is, if the Sox pay his entire salary, will any team accept Kimbrel as a gift. That's doubtful.

[kleedawg]

2 hours ago, Jerry McNertney said:

Obviously, the White Sox can't get anything in return in a trade of Kimbrel. The question is, if the Sox pay his entire salary, will any team accept Kimbrel as a gift. That's doubtful.

This is not obvious. I don't believ the option would be picked up otherwise.

[Chicago White Sox]

2 hours ago, Jerry McNertney said:

Obviously, the White Sox can't get anything in return in a trade of Kimbrel. The question is, if the Sox pay his entire salary, will any team accept Kimbrel as a gift. That's doubtful.

I pray this is sarcasm