2012 Free Agent and Trade Ideas Thread 15.0

[Assman22]

ABTY is the only reason we have anything to talk about in November....let it continue here boys

Post 3,000 woo! Hello Hall of Fame!

[Assman22]

Theo wants a dozen for the core...already halfway there he says with Castro, Shark, Baez, Soler, Almora, and Rizzo with Barney and Castillo poised to join that group. I disagree with the Barney/Castillo part. I think you sell high on Barney if the right deal comes along and don't feel like Castillo's name should be mentioned with the others, at least not yet. Here's my road to 12 core pieces...

- #2 pick in 2013 should be someone for the core.

- Trading Garza and another SP signed via FA for another two pieces for the core.

- Soriano+ and Barney+ trades could each fetch a core piece.

- Trade a top hitting prospect for a top pitching prospect, perhaps B-Jax and/or Vitters to add another core piece.

[Chi~TwnHawksFan]

Theo wants a dozen for the core...already halfway there he says with Castro, Shark, Baez, Soler, Almora, and Rizzo with Barney and Castillo poised to join that group. I disagree with the Barney/Castillo part. I think you sell high on Barney if the right deal comes along and don't feel like Castillo's name should be mentioned with the others, at least not yet. Here's my road to 12 core pieces...

- #2 pick in 2013 should be someone for the core.

- Trading Garza and another SP signed via FA for another two pieces for the core.

- Soriano+ and Barney+ trades could each fetch a core piece.

- Trade a top hitting prospect for a top pitching prospect, perhaps B-Jax and/or Vitters to add another core piece.

That is actually really well thought out. I really like that, Although i think our core will eventually come through a signing or two...

[KyleJRM]

"Core" is a really silly, overrated concept.

[Jack the Ripper]

Core is a word that the Blackhawks brass has used to a nauseating degree.

[SenorGato]

"Core" is a really silly, overrated concept.

Yep. The fact that three of the guys of the Cubs' present "core" haven't even spent a season in High A says a whole lot about how that buzzword should be valued.

[JBears79]

I don't get how prospects can be considered part of the "core". They haven't done anything of relevance in the MLB yet. Their more of "valuable assets" right now. Could they be part of the "core" in the future, of course, but I think it's rather silly to consider guys who haven't reached AA yet as a "core" piece.

To me we have 3 core guys: Shark, Castro and Rizzo

2 fringe core guys: Barney and Castillo

The rest are valuable assets who could A) develop into "core" pieces with time and development or B) become trade bait for a true core piece. Guys who I believe fall under this category are: Garza, Jackson, Baez, Almora, Soler and Vitters

I just don't get the concept of considering prospects "core" players. BTW, this isn't meant to be an insult or condescending to anyone.

[gaughan333]

Did he say core players, or core type of players? Because they are core type of players...as in they could develop to be a core member of your team. But I agree that considering someone as low as them as part of your core is rather premature.

[Yagyu+]

According to Carrie Muskat, here's the quote:

What was encouraging was watching future Cubs in Instructional League in Arizona earlier this month.

"That was a really nice feeling to be down there and see a lot of dedicated Cubs baseball [operations] personnel, some new, some old, all buying into the collective 'Cubs way' of doing things that they helped define, impacting a really talented group of young players," Epstein said.

"I also wake up every day and recognize we lost 101 games and understand how painful that was for everybody, including me, and that provides further motivation to get out of this position that we're in," he said. "I think there were a lot of positives. That core, at least in my mind, went from one player to half a dozen, and if we can do that again in 2013, and we look up and we have close to a dozen players in our core, I'll feel great about the overall health of the organization.

"I also want to make the playoffs and I understand that's a big challenge, so I hope we hit on a few guys this winter and get off to a good start and we have one of those unexpected seasons."

[KyleJRM]

That's just stretching the definition of "core" to the point where it's meaningless, if it wasn't already.

[SenorGato]

The "Core Four" for the Yankees didn't even get that label until they were 10 years in, and even then that just sounded good more than it was true. It's totally meaningless and it's something you talk about after the fact, not as it's happening.

[SenorGato]

Anyone besides me think that actually moving on Greinke is more possible than it might be given credit for at this time?

He's the right age, he's never been injured, he's very athletic for a pitcher so long term durability can be seen as realistic, he's durable, he throws hard, he throws strikes, the team has a need, the team has the dough, everyone is interested but there's no clear favorite...He seems like an ideal FA to come out of left field for.

[gaughan333]

If he signs for less than 25/yr I wouldn't be surprised to see the cubs in on him.

[SenorGato]

If he signs for less than 25/yr I wouldn't be surprised to see the cubs in on him.

Yep, and I think he ultimately will sign for less than 25. I'm thinking 6 or 7/135 or so.

I know nobody wants to give 7 years to a pitcher, and I get the logic. OTOH, FA inflation is going to add an unwanted year or two, and possibly not being wanted does nothing to stop him from being a solid pitcher in those years. I'm pretty sure he'll only be 35 or 36, the same age Dempster was for his very solid 2012. I also don't think he's really stabilized/peaked as a pitcher yet, and he's entering a pitcher's prime years.

[SenorGato]

Football just annoys me:

FA:

Zack Greinke
Francisco Liriano
Scott Feldman
BJ Upton
Eric Chavez/Placido Polanco platoon
Miguel Olivo
JP Howell
Mark Lowe

Matt Garza to the Tigers for RHP Rick Porcello, RHP Brenny Paulino, and C James McCann.

C: Olivo/Castillo
1B: Rizzo
2B: Barney
SS: Castro
3B: Chavez/Polanco

RF: DeJesus
CF: Upton
LF: Soriano

Greinke
Samardzija
Porcello
Liriano
Feldman
Wood
Vizcaino