Sox should trade Josh Fields

[GreatScott82]

Im with you Balta on trading Fields.... i know, i know but what about if Crede goes elsewear, then you likely will have a whole at 2b and 3b. Well that is when you use PK trade to the west coast a reality. PK to LA Angels for Chone Figgins/ pitcher. (He will probably allow a trade to LA to go play for Scoscia) Use Figgins as the 2b. And then bring in a crafty veteran or make another trade to play 3rd for one season, then convert Beckham to 3b in the minors. But that would be next year. This year its possible Fields can bring you Street and or Duscherer in a deal... were talking about this year and about making the playoffs this year!

[thedoctor]

i can appreciate the spirit of the thread, but i don't see a scenario where fields is the centerpiece of a deal that brings back anything appreciably better than what we have now.

 

i'd be more than willing to worry about next year's situation next year if dealing fields meant we could get someone who could step into the starting rotation and represent a certain significant improvement over contreras and/or vazquez. i don't see that deal out there. the same could be said for a reliever.

[GreatScott82]

sorry i meant Kalapse's interest in trading Fields not Balta. You interested in trading Fields too Balta?

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Starter-wise, there's just not a lot out there for us this year. It's kind of a weird year because some of the teams that are normally down, out, and selling (TB, Marlins for example) are doing great and are looking to buy while some teams that are out of it and have talent we'd want (Yankees, Detroit, Cleveland) either aren't going to sell or won't sell to us.

 

Really, we're already linked to the only interesting SP that are actually off the DL and available. You've got Duchscherer #1, Burnett #2, Daniel Cabrera #3, and that's pretty much all there is. As far as I can tell, this is pretty much how it looks as far as RHSP go for teams that either are selling or might decide to sell to us:

 

Guys who won't be available at all: Roy Halladay, Tim Hudson, Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Jair Jurrjens, Brian Bannister, Jeremy Guthrie, Jake Peavy, Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, Felix Hernandez

 

Guys who *might* under the right circumstances become available, but probably aren't going to be made available: Zack Greinke, Gil Meche, Aaron Cook, Roy Oswalt, Ian Snell, Zach Duke, Anthony Reyes

 

Guys who are or should be available, in order of how much I'd want them:

1. Justin Duchscherer

2. AJ Burnett

3. Daniel Cabrera

4. Aaron Harang

5. Kevin Millwood

6. Tim Redding

7. Greg Maddux

8. Vicente Padilla

9. Bronson Arroyo

10. Josh Fogg

11. Julian Tavarez

12. Miguel Batista

13. Carlos Silva

 

Of those players, 10-13 I wouldn't take for free, 5-9 I wouldn't give up more than a couple nobodies for, and 1-4 I wouldn't give up Josh Fields for at all. If we can't put together a package for Duchscherer centered around Poreda who last I heard still doesn't have much of anything for secondary stuff, then I'd much rather make a play at someone in the second category because at least the players there are good now or are a good bet to be good in the future. I'd be very happy if KW made a run at Anthony Reyes if he's pretty cheap, or if he went after one of the Pirates pitchers having bad years.

 

*Edit: I have to add though, if there was any way possible to say send off Contreras and a decent prospect for Millwood and assume his contract, even though Millwood is on the books through 2010, I think it would be a great deal. Millwood would be a very nice #4/#5 option and would certainly benefit from getting the hell out of Texas.

Edited July 21, 2008 by Kenny Hates Prospects

[knightni]

You never know whether or not Halladay will be available.

 

The Blue Jays are hard to figure out sometimes.

[Balta1701]

sorry i meant Kalapse's interest in trading Fields not Balta. You interested in trading Fields too Balta?

LOL, no, not without having another 3b option available first so that we're not stuck with Uribe there next year.

[sircaffey]

We're talking about Sabean here.

 

Not when it comes to the budget we aren't. There's no way ownership authorizes another 6-7 yr, $100 mil+ contract.

[DBAHO]

Cameron Maybin was also the main piece along side Andrew Miller in the acquisition of Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera. They aren't looking to move him, let alone for a mediocre prospect in Josh Fields.

C'mon Wite, Fields is not a "mediocre" prospect. How many prospects are there with his power potential in a corner infield spot?

[knightni]

Not when it comes to the budget we aren't.

San Fran doesn't have a true budget. They have a great park and an awesome fan base and good tourist setup.

 

They don't have Bonds' contract, now Durham's.

 

Outside of Zito, Winn and Rowand (as well as Roberts, Molina, Vizquel), there's not much of a huge consequence salary-wise left on that team.

 

They have maybe $60 mil in salaries and could easily take on $30 or $40 mil more if they wanted.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/roster?team=sfo

[Dick Allen]

C'mon Wite, Fields is not a "mediocre" prospect. How many prospects are there with his power potential in a corner infield spot?

He will be 26 years old next season. He strikes out 1 out of every 3 ABs in AAA. His OBP is fairly low. His walk rate is going the wrong way. He's mediocre, but passable defensively. He certainly isn't elite. I would say if he finishes up like he's played this year, mediocre is a good word to describe him as a prospect.

[Dick Allen]

San Fran doesn't have a true budget. They have a great park and an awesome fan base and good tourist setup.

 

They don't have Bonds' contract, now Durham's.

 

Outside of Zito, Winn and Rowand (as well as Roberts, Molina, Vizquel), there's not much of a huge consequence salary-wise left on that team.

 

They have maybe $60 mil in salaries and could easily take on $30 or $40 mil more if they wanted.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/roster?team=sfo

I think if Sabean even suggested to his owner that he would recommend signing a pitcher to a 6 or 7 year contract for over $100 million he will either be immediately fired or moved to a rubber room.

[witesoxfan]

He will be 26 years old next season. He strikes out 1 out of every 3 ABs in AAA. His OBP is fairly low. His walk rate is going the wrong way. He's mediocre, but passable defensively. He certainly isn't elite. I would say if he finishes up like he's played this year, mediocre is a good word to describe him as a prospect.

 

I agree completely. He's got fantastic power, but without the ability to draw a walk or hit for average, he could very easily flame out. My love for Fields has cooled quite rapidly this season.

[knightni]

I think if Sabean even suggested to his owner that he would recommend signing a pitcher to a 6 or 7 year contract for over $100 million he will either be immediately fired or moved to a rubber room.

Zito and Sabathia are two totally different pitchers.

 

 

[Dick Allen]

Zito and Sabathia are two totally different pitchers.

It doesn't matter. Pitchers are made to get injured. I like Sabathia as much as anyone, but he's already had some injury issues and he's dreadfully out of shape. Pitching puts a lot of strain on that huge body. I can see him falling off a cliff someday. He's a little like Bartolo Colon. He'll probably have a good year or 2, but he'll probably miss a season or 2 if you give him 6 or 7 years.

[gosox41]

The more I think about it, the more I want the Sox to trade Fields. If you can package Fields for a big time major leaguer that you'll have control over for the next few years, you have to think about it. Even if Crede doesn't return to the Sox next year, there should be a good amount of 3rd baseman available for the Sox to go after.

 

 

For the right deal, anyone is expendable.

[Balta1701]

For the right deal, anyone is expendable.

But...it would have to be a really lopsided deal for me to be willing to open up the hole at 3rd base that we'd have to spend money on in the offseason to fill.

[sircaffey]

San Fran doesn't have a true budget. They have a great park and an awesome fan base and good tourist setup.

 

They don't have Bonds' contract, now Durham's.

 

Outside of Zito, Winn and Rowand (as well as Roberts, Molina, Vizquel), there's not much of a huge consequence salary-wise left on that team.

 

They have maybe $60 mil in salaries and could easily take on $30 or $40 mil more if they wanted.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/roster?team=sfo

 

Every team has a budget. Perhaps if Sabathia's contract was a bunch of 1 year deals, but the risk involved in 6-7 year deals is enormous. Not to mention the insurance premiums on such a contract are extreme. They just had Zito's contract blow up in their face. Right now, Giants ownership is praying that Zito needs Tommy John so they can collect on his insurance policy. Unfortunately, he just sucks and ownership is wasting $100+ million...No...chance...in...hell.

[South Side Fireworks Man]

I also feel very comfortable with using Fields to get a ML contributor, particularly a starting pitcher.

Now read this from Cowley: Sun Times Article

[beck72]

Call me crazy, but I wouldn't be upset with a Joe Crede trade that helped the sox get younger, or helped their pitching, and allowed Fields to come up. Fields shouldn't be traded. The sox have too many guys in their 30's and need to get younger. If Crede could bring back a decent return, I wouldn't be upset. Especially the way Crede has been playing defense. And with what his asking price will probably be as a FA.

[Rowand44]

I agree completely. He's got fantastic power, but without the ability to draw a walk or hit for average, he could very easily flame out. My love for Fields has cooled quite rapidly this season.

He still hit 23 home runs in 373 ab's last season in the majors. Now I'm not that high on Fields either but someone who has already proven that they can hit that many homers in the major leagues is a bit better than a mediocre prospect imo. No doubt that his stats this season in the minors are troubling though.

[spiderman]

What pitcher are we going to trade for?

 

I'd rather gamble with a young guy than go after what's left on the market, especially if it's going to cost Fields.

[Chisoxfn]

All Guillen would say on the subject was that he didn't want a rent-a-player if it came down to it.

 

''I'm not the type of guy who likes to rent a player for months,'' Guillen said. ''If that player is going to guarantee me, for sure, one game in the World Series, then I'll do it with my eyes closed. But that doesn't guarantee anything. Believe me, if Kenny and myself and the organization need to make a trade because we need it, Kenny will do everything he can.''

That right there is great. I completely agree with Ozzie. I would absolutely under no way shape or form deal Fields for a rent-a-player, unless such rent-a-player would for sure net you two top picks (again, I have no problem stocking up on picks now to help rebuild what is an absolute barren farm system, however, people should realize those picks are probably 3-5 years away from truly helping the major league team and 2-3 years from helping re-establish the minor league system.

 

I think the better alternative is to consider moving Crede if possible, however, I must say that whomever the Sox get in return (if its a rental) should be able to net them draft pick compensation (as we should get at least one pick from Crede).

 

Also, I'm not going to lie, I don't think this team is quite ready to win a series. I expect Floyd/Danks to tire and considering this team is built around the strength of pitching as those guys tire this teams chances will also tire. I think Kenny should be on the phone looking to make deals which could help the team get into the playoffs this year, but more importantly, help set things up for a World Series run 1-3 years from now (again, not at all saying wave the white flag, rather saying I wouldn't be opposed to making deals to make the club better next year while staying roughly the same this year).

[DBAHO]

I'd still let Crede and OC stay for the season and get the 4 draft picks.

 

It allows us to keep contending, and then we can always plug in Fields / Getz / Richar if we want to next season, or target some players through a trade or FA such as Rafael Furcal, Adrian Beltre, Casey Blake etc.

 

Right now I think the main concern should be a starter / reliever, and maybe upgrading on the bench somewhere.

[Chisoxfn]

I don't think Crede will get Type A compensation but I could be wrong.

[Balta1701]

I don't think Crede will get Type A compensation but I could be wrong.

As far as that goes...I don't think anyone knows what level compensation Crede will get until the list is actually out, but with an all star berth this season, he's at least got a shot (one more hot streak this season would certainly help). Technically the system is supposed to look at their last 2 seasons...but in the past they've certainly ignored that rule, otherwise Eric Gagne would never have been type A when he left the Dodgers after pitching 7 innings in the 2 seasons before he hit FA. Joe's had solid seasons 2 out of the last 3 years and is going to be the top 3b on the market and probably one of the top infielders...hopefully that's enough.