We need some young blood...

[caulfield12]

Just my opinion, but I think you'll be very disappointed in the return the Sox get when the sell off this season. Contreras won't fetch Andrus alone, let alone Salty to boot. Jose is old and that contract would be an albatross for Atlanta. Dye migth fetch a single C level prospect (think of the Ray Durham trade). Garland and Buehrle I think could get the same return the Sox got for Garcia -- a B level pitching prospect. Crede's back, performance and cost make him untradeable for anything valuable.

 

The problem with a poorly performing team is that you can't get much for players playing badly.

 

 

Dye might be the biggest bat available on the market, and, despite his .240ish and climbing average, he's still projecting to 35 homers and 100+ RBI's. Think that doesn't have any value to a team like the Angels? Last year, we were willing to give up our best pitching prospect (almost) for Soriano.

 

Dye's not quite in the same league as Soriano (reputation-wise), but baseball insiders love what Dye can bring to a team in terms of leadership and presence. We'll get something much better than Jon Adkins if we trade him, plus the team that acquires him will only have to pay $2.5-3.5 million for the remainder of the season, so that opens up the bidding to teams like the Brewers who wouldn't be able to take on a big contract, even for a half season.

 

Contreras could be VERY valuable to any NL team that needs a #2 starter, although that contract (through 2009) will work against him, even though it's not a bad contract, and Contreras had a low 2's ERA for all of his starts this season, with the exception for his first and last start. Don't write him off yet...and he should get better in June and July as the weather heats up.

 

You're undervaluing Buehrle and Garland way too much. How can you say Garland has no value, based on his affordable contract, his age and his durability? We could get much better than Floyd/Gio back, as the Astros proposed trade would suggest.

 

Buehrle will be one of the Top 5 Free Agents available...and the #1 pitcher over Zambrano if Carlos doesn't go on the market, and maybe ahead of Z anyway with the way he's pitched for the Cubs this season, his emotional immaturity, etc. I think Zambrano will get more money than Buehrle, but MORE teams will be interested in Mark because of what he brings to the table.

 

If Crede stays healthy for the next couple of months, there will be a couple of teams willing to take a chance on him, since he's a proven playoff/WS performer, a great defender, and the downside risk isn't as great since he's affordable and they wouldn't have to keep him past 2008 if he had back problems next year.