2012 Free Agent and Trade Ideas Thread 18

[StriveGreatness]

The reasons to like Porcello:

Groundballs
4 Above average seasons by the age of 23, which historically just is not a common occurrence from career underperformers. At 23 most guys are just breaking into a rotation or making their overall debut in another manner.
Continuously improving DIPs numbers
Improved fastball velocity - was more consistently 92-94 in 2012 with an average of 92
Both his curveball and changeup are possibly underrated pitches that have the potential to develop further with more use
It's fairly easy to explain why his ERA is higher than his DIPs numbers as the Tigers are not just a bad defensive team but one of the worst in the league (infield - Jackson carries a solid OF defense)
Very high grades on his makeup and poise, perhaps most demonstrated by his age 20 season including the start of game 163

If you look beyond the ERA and choose not to harp on him not yet matching the hype as a prospect but rather looking at the why then he's a very, very appealing arm to develop further. It's really not surprising to read the rumors that NL teams have been calling about him for a while now to me...He's a pretty solid breakout candidate if he can find a defense to pitch in front of, even if he's not a true #1 in the future it's not hard to see him becoming an innings eating #2-3 type starter with the proper coaching and context for his skillset.

What would you offer for him? I've seen Barney's name floated around but that doesn't make sense for the Tigers.

That would be selling low and I'd rather just keep him if Barney was the best they could do.

[SenorGato]

Barney makes sense for the Tigers if they want to up their D, but if they're trading Porcello then why go out of the way to improve the infield anyway? I've always thought that was just a weird fit.

Logan Watkins would add some OBP and speed along with the ability to play 2B, so he would be apart of it. The Tigers obviously prefer offense to defense, and Watkins fits that profile better than Barney does. The Tigers board seemed receptive to him, but obviously a deal would require more from the Cubs' end.

Any trade offer I throw out will be seen as ridiculous so I'll just go with this one:

Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Marmol, Logan Watkins, Rafael Dolis, and Trey McNutt to the Tigers for Rick Porcello, Avisail Garcia, Casey Crosby, and Jose Ortega.

Tigers get a real LFer, a late inning arm for the terrible bullpen, an offensive minded cheap middle infield prospect, and a couple more young pen arms fairly close to the majors...I have zero doubts this will fail to enthuse. Cubs get Porcello obviously, a young OFer who's shown some surprising chops, another struggling hyped arm, and then a possible lottery pen arm in Ortega.

[ZamboniCub]

how about

Marmol, Russell 4 Porcello+

sign JP Howell

EDIT:
we need to take advantage of yanks trying to get under cap

Sori+cash, Zych, Vitters, Wood around Hughes, Granderson
Garza 4 Olt+
Dejesus, Sappelt 4 Francour++

Sign Bourn
Sign E. Jackson
Sign Adams

Bourn CF
Castro SS
Rizzo 1B
Granderson LF
Olt 3B
Castillo C
Holt/Frenchy RF
Barney 2B

Shark
Hughes
Jackson
Porcello
Baker/Feldman/Viz

Fujikawa
Adams
Howell
Camp
Rondon
the rest of them

.... easy to get carried away on an impromtu mock.... im not a big fan of my KC trade but we need a platoon in RF and the defense here is solid...

[SenorGato]

how about

Marmol, Russell 4 Porcello+

sign JP Howell

Not a crazy price at all, but it would require doing some spending on some relievers. Howell + another lefty (Gorzellany, Choate, etc), plus probably another reliever or two like Adams and M. Lowe.

[CubbieSteve]

Randy Chode got signed by the Cardinals GATO

[Tryptamine]

Looks like Adams signed too.

[SenorGato]

No worries, there's other interesting relievers. Lowe...Lindstrom...Howell...Gorzellany...Gonzalez. ..possibly Saito...maybe Frasor....OK it got less interesting pretty quickly.

[Jack the Ripper]

Randy Chode got signed by the Cardinals GATO

That puts the Cardinals 40-Man at:

Pitchers
Michael Choad
Mitchell Choad
Barrett Choad
Keith Choad
Chris Choad
Randy Choad
Maikel Choad
Eric Choad
Sam Choad
Jaime Choad
Joe Choad
Lance Choad
Victor Choad
Shelby Choad
Jason Choad
Edward Choad
Jorge Choad
Trevor Choad
Marc Choad
Fernando Choad
Eduardo Choad
Kevin Choad
Adam Choad
Jake Choad

Catchers
Tony Choad
Yadier Choad

Infielders
Matt Choad
Matt Choad
Daniel Choad
David Choad
Rafael Choad
Ryan Choad
Pete Choad
Ty Choad

Outfielders
Carlos Choad
Adron Choad
Allen Choad
Matt Choad
Jon Choad
Shane Choad

[CubbieSteve]

Agreed.

Though I think their backup catcher's name is Tony Schlongthroat

[s2obed]

Phillies close to signing Mike Adams to a two year deal with a vesting option for a 3rd year. -Tim Brown

[cubbiefan_est88]

Phillies close to signing Mike Adams to a two year deal with a vesting option for a 3rd year. -Tim Brown

2 yrars 12 million they agreed too

[A New Era]

2 yrars 12 million they agreed too

Is that alot?

[CubsRule08]

Blue Jays almost about to acquire R.A. Dickey from the Mets for Travis d'Arnaud and possibly Anthony Gose, per MLBTR

[Mell413]

That's a terrible deal for aa and Toronto if true. You aren't allowed to give up prospects even if its for an ace

[1908_Cubs]

Blue Jays almost about to acquire R.A. Dickey from the Mets for Travis d'Arnaud and possibly Anthony Gose, per MLBTR

Wow. Blue Jays are spending their prospects in odd ways, imo. Dickey's great, but he's going to be 38. And if he doesn't come with an extension.....that's a pretty hefty price to pay for a 38 year old SP who is only signed one year.