Potential Trade Deadline Targets

Lose Remerswaal

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This seems not bloody likely because the Astros are incredible, but if Correa, McCann, and Springer are more hurt than appear, it’s possible.
This is a good point .

FWIW, 538 gives SEA a 13 percent chance to win the division, a bit higher than the A’s overall chances of making the playoffs (10 percent).
You'll forgive me if I gave up on 538 about 20 months ago.
 

AB in DC

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You'll forgive me if I gave up on 538 about 20 months ago.
20 months and one week ago, every relevant analytics site except 538 opined that a certain event was nearly impossible. 538 was the only one that said otherwise. I believer their exact comparison was "the same odds as the Cubs winning Game 6 and Game 7 of the World Series" -- which is exactly what happened.
 

Tyrone Biggums

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20 months and one week ago, every relevant analytics site except 538 opined that a certain event was nearly impossible. 538 was the only one that said otherwise. I believer their exact comparison was "the same odds as the Cubs winning Game 6 and Game 7 of the World Series" -- which is exactly what happened.
Probably the worst incident to happen to the world in a long time. No one saw that outcome coming. No one.

Anyways, I wonder if a team like Seattle that’s desperate to make the World Series finally comes to the Sox and offers to take on the rest of Price’s contract in its entirety. I also wonder in that scenario if DD would do it. Would open up a lot of ability to make future moves.
 

Pitt the Elder

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Probably the worst incident to happen to the world in a long time. No one saw that outcome coming. No one.

Anyways, I wonder if a team like Seattle that’s desperate to make the World Series finally comes to the Sox and offers to take on the rest of Price’s contract in its entirety. I also wonder in that scenario if DD would do it. Would open up a lot of ability to make future moves.
I second this. 538, and Nate Silver in particular, can be a bit dickish and arrogant in their own way, but they're pretty dogmatic at putting their faith in hard numbers and statistical analysis rather than hot takes and black-and-white editorials.
 

richgedman'sghost

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Yeah Lose I seem to remember that 538 at least gave Trump an outside chance of winning the Presidency. None and I mean none of the other analysts or computer models gave the evil one a shot. So I would hold off the flippant remarks concerning the past Presidential election and 538's projections.
To bring it back on topic, do you think the Red Sox need a lefty reliever or would they call up Robby Scott?
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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To bring it back on topic, do you think the Red Sox need a lefty reliever or would they call up Robby Scott?
They've got Scott, Poyner and Jerez on the 40-man and in Pawtucket's bullpen, plus Beeks in the Pawtucket rotation and two more lefties on the DL (Johnson and Pomeranz) who could slot into the pen if/when they're healthy. Considering the two call-ups today were both righties, leaving the current pen overcrowded and still without a lefty, it seems a LOOGY isn't a priority for the moment. And there are plenty of candidates in-house should the need arise going forward.

I think it would have to be a remarkably good left handed reliever on a bargain deal (contract and trade) for Dombrowski to pull the trigger.
 

Cesar Crespo

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I'm probably in the minority here, but I'd trade Benintendi for deGrom. Benny's fallen back to earth pretty hard after that four-week hot stretch.

3/29 - 5/11: 136 PA, 99 wRC+, .290 BABIP, 21.1 Hard %
5/12 - 6/7: 109 PA, 221 wRC+, .365 BABIP, 31.3 Hard%
6/8 - 7/2: 102 PA, 93 wRC+, .275 BABIP, 29.8 Hard%

A passion for watching Benny develop has become one of this board's pieties, but I think the perception of his abilities outstrips reality both offensively and defensively. He's a good young player with a solid floor, but I don't see evidence he's the star in the making we think he is.
And in the 5 games since this post: .667/.750/1.067, 5bb, 4k in 20 PA. OPS back up to .898.

What do you think his floor is exactly? This is only his 2nd full season in the Majors and only his 3rd (and a half) as a pro. He slashed .312/.392/.540 in the minors with 74bb/63k in 657 PA. What do you think is fake? Do you think he won't hit for contact? Do you think he won't walk 10% of the time? Do you think he won't have an ISO close to .200? What do you consider a star? If he does all those things, he's a .280/.350/.480 type at worst.

He just turned 24 so to expect no improvement from last year or going forward seems odd. There is something about Ben10 you don't like because you've been consistent in your opinion about him. I just don't see what your opinion is grounded on.
 

dynomite

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Heyman says the Sox are interested in Zach Britton: https://www.google.com/amp/s/articles.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2018/07/mlb_trade_rumors_yankees_red_sox_orioles_britton.amp

Red Sox, who have the pen as a priority, are scouting Zach Britton as well. while the o's have been reluctant to trade with the Yankees in the past, they did make a big deal with Boston a few years ago (Rodriguez for miller)
Britton has looked pretty rusty in his return from the DL (serious achillies injury over the winter), but his fastball was apparently up to 96 yesterday and we could really use another high-leverage bullpen piece. He’s still owed about $6 million.
 

Maximus

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Heyman says the Sox are interested in Zach Britton: https://www.google.com/amp/s/articles.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2018/07/mlb_trade_rumors_yankees_red_sox_orioles_britton.amp



Britton has looked pretty rusty in his return from the DL (serious achillies injury over the winter), but his fastball was apparently up to 96 yesterday and we could really use another high-leverage bullpen piece. He’s still owed about $6 million.
Britton would be a great pickup for us and just the type of piece we need.
 

soxhop411

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grimshaw

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He's a big name and all - but he hasn't been very good since coming back.
His velocity is down quite a bit too (though just noticed upthread someone mentioned he was up to 96).
https://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxo.aspx?playerid=3240&position=P&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2016&end=2018&rtype=mult&gt1=15&dStatArray=SI&ymin=&ymax=

They have all sorts of arms that can be perfectly fine. I don't think there is an impact reliever to be gotten without blowing past the threshold - and I think it's a risk with him.
 

joe dokes

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When was the last time Britton came into a game with men on base? Or had to warm quickly for a rapidly-evolving not-9th inning?
 

edoug

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If he pitches well, they probably can't afford him. If he pitches like shit, they don't want him. There really isn't much to root for, other than him helping to beat the Yankees.
Even if he was lousy. His history plus just coming off the DL and playing for a horrible team Dombrowski might take a flyer on him. Not that I think it'll happen just some devil advocating.
 

nvalvo

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Here too, re: Machado...

https://www.mlb.com/news/manny-machado-draws-interest-from-red-sox/c-285230746

I can’t see how that happens. The only chips we have are too valuable long term, and would amount to a horrible trade... (Devers, mostly)

I’m not especially high on anyone in the minors, and I doubt the O’s are either.
I suck at fake internet trades, so take everything here with sufficient salt.

I don't think we're sending Devers. Rental players have been returning less and less. Remember what JDM went for last season: Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcantara, and Jose King. The best prospect in the deal is a 23 y/o AAA 3B with a career .700 OPS in the minors. That's like Will Middlebrooks with less power.

Machado is a more valuable chip than Martinez was because of his defense, but not so valuable as to bring Devers or Benintendi into the picture. People need to recalibrate.

If we're doing a deal with Baltimore — and I should be clear that I'm pretty skeptical about that, mostly for payroll reasons — their window is... not close, given that all of their good players are leaving, they have a farm system comparable to ours, and they owe Chris Davis $100m. It's more likely that we're building a deal around some of the actual talent in the lower half of our system: players like Dalbec and Diaz.
 

MikeM

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I suck at fake internet trades, so take everything here with sufficient salt.

I don't think we're sending Devers. Rental players have been returning less and less. Remember what JDM went for last season: Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcantara, and Jose King. The best prospect in the deal is a 23 y/o AAA 3B with a career .700 OPS in the minors. That's like Will Middlebrooks with less power.

Machado is a more valuable chip than Martinez was because of his defense, but not so valuable as to bring Devers or Benintendi into the picture. People need to recalibrate.
Honestly and behind a whole lot of hyped speculation, I wouldn't guess Baltimore gets much more then the general equivalent of his otherwise upcoming pick compensation. Especially if the other team is taking on the remaining $5m+ he'll still be owed for the 2 month rental in full.
 

MikeM

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He's a big name and all - but he hasn't been very good since coming back.
His velocity is down quite a bit too (though just noticed upthread someone mentioned he was up to 96).
https://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxo.aspx?playerid=3240&position=P&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2016&end=2018&rtype=mult&gt1=15&dStatArray=SI&ymin=&ymax=

They have all sorts of arms that can be perfectly fine. I don't think there is an impact reliever to be gotten without blowing past the threshold - and I think it's a risk with him.
It'll be an interesting dilemma to see play out if Britton is within acquisition grasp and DD ends up seeing him as that ideal upgrade piece though.

I mean at the end of the day it's not like you simple choose to avoid a second tier LT hit our of mere principle, and it must be awful hard for him to look ahead at this team and not think right now is probably the best he'll ever see himself positioned to win his GM defining World Series title here. Approaching the home stretch with MLB's best record, basically already printing out our playoff tickets, and having gotten somewhat lucky up to this point with no major injury concerns of dire note (obviously not counting an aging Pedroia since who knows what to expect there anymore going forward).

Certainly the potential there for hindsight regret, especially if we were to go on and end up getting eliminated in a super close series that sees a battle of the bullpens make the deciding difference, to end up outweighing the finite gain of not going over imo.
 

bosockboy

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I suck at fake internet trades, so take everything here with sufficient salt.

I don't think we're sending Devers. Rental players have been returning less and less. Remember what JDM went for last season: Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcantara, and Jose King. The best prospect in the deal is a 23 y/o AAA 3B with a career .700 OPS in the minors. That's like Will Middlebrooks with less power.

Machado is a more valuable chip than Martinez was because of his defense, but not so valuable as to bring Devers or Benintendi into the picture. People need to recalibrate.

If we're doing a deal with Baltimore — and I should be clear that I'm pretty skeptical about that, mostly for payroll reasons — their window is... not close, given that all of their good players are leaving, they have a farm system comparable to ours, and they owe Chris Davis $100m. It's more likely that we're building a deal around some of the actual talent in the lower half of our system: players like Dalbec and Diaz.
Agreed, re: Devers. In the unlikely event this happened I think it’s at the expense of JBJ’s starting slot. Devers becomes a DH, and JDM plays the OF. The only credence I’d put into this is that it’s DD, and he’s as bold as they come.
 

Cesar Crespo

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Machado is a more valuable chip than Martinez was because of his defense, but not so valuable as to bring Devers or Benintendi into the picture. People need to recalibrate.

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Not really suggesting it, but wouldn't Xander make more sense than Ben10 and Devers? Not sure the O's would want Xander, though, considering he's already pricey and not under control as long.
 

bosockboy

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Not really suggesting it, but wouldn't Xander make more sense than Ben10 and Devers? Not sure the O's would want Xander, though, considering he's already pricey and not under control as long.
The O’s will likely and should be doing a full rebuild, they won’t contend for 4-6 years minimum as is. Can’t imagine X would interest them.
 

JimD

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I'm happy to see Dombrowski in touch with the Orioles, if for no other reason than to keep their dealings with Brian Cashman honest. The only thing worse than the MFY's getting Machado and/or Britton would be if they got them cheap because there weren't any other serious suitors.
 

Cesar Crespo

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The O’s will likely and should be doing a full rebuild, they won’t contend for 4-6 years minimum as is. Can’t imagine X would interest them.
Which brings us back to the Sox not having anything the Orioles want because if they truly won't contend for that long, they shouldn't be interested in any major league players and should want a package entirely of prospects.
 

BoSox Rule

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The Red Sox would not trade Bogaerts for Machado because it literally solves nothing. It has never even entered their minds, not even as a joke.
 

PrometheusWakefield

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I've been against using any minor league talent to upgrade this team, both because I think this team is good enough as it is to win, and also because I think the biggest concern for the franchise should be thinking about the 2020-2021 window when we will need to be replacing some of our current talent with home grown talent or turn into the Tigers.

OTOH, given the way the trades went down last trading deadline (e.g. the JDM trade) and given that there are so many sellers this trading season and so few buyers, it's making me wonder whether the price for some of these guys might come down to the point where we should think about making a move.

For example, I wonder what the Twins will end up getting for Brian Dozier. He's in a funny place as an impending FA, off to a slow first half (BABIP related) but with a long history of heating up in the second half, certainly historically important to his franchise but they gotta get something for him, right? Here's his spray chart for HRs this year:dozier spray.png
Edited to correct when JDM was traded.
 

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I'm happy to see Dombrowski in touch with the Orioles, if for no other reason than to keep their dealings with Brian Cashman honest. The only thing worse than the MFY's getting Machado and/or Britton would be if they got them cheap because there weren't any other serious suitors.
The only way the Sox, or anyone else, can drive up the price for Machado is to make an offer. Phone conversations that don't include an offer will not be considered.
 

grimshaw

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Not really suggesting it, but wouldn't Xander make more sense than Ben10 and Devers? Not sure the O's would want Xander, though, considering he's already pricey and not under control as long.
That's more of a value for value deal (whose ship has sailed since Bogaerts has been great this season). The O's have zero chance of contending any time soon and would be foolish to target him other than flipping him for pitching.

The time for them to move Machado for a blue chipper was this off-season. I don't think that happens anymore.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I'm happy to see Dombrowski in touch with the Orioles, if for no other reason than to keep their dealings with Brian Cashman honest. The only thing worse than the MFY's getting Machado and/or Britton would be if they got them cheap because there weren't any other serious suitors.
Problem is the Red Sox aren't really in a position to bid the price up, so it's hard to consider them serious suitors. Their best offer probably requires taking a piece off the current 25-man roster, which a) won't interest a rebuilding team and b) wouldn't really improve the overall roster anyway so would be a pointless gesture. In other words, the Yankees can top a Red Sox bid and still have their offer be objectively considered "cheap".
 

TonyPenaNeverJuiced

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OTOH, given the way the trades went down last offseason (e.g. the JDM trade) and given that there are so many sellers this trading season and so few buyers, it's making me wonder whether the price for some of these guys might come down to the point where we should think about making a move.
I believe you're referring to last July's JDM deal. That deal looks awful for the Tigers, who received 3 players, only 1 of whom is ranked (arbitrarily from what I've looked at) in their Top 20. If someone presented us with a 3-for-1 deal for a star, and the highest ranking player we gave up was Bobby Dalbec... I'd be very happy.
 

MikeM

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I believe you're referring to last July's JDM deal. That deal looks awful for the Tigers, who received 3 players, only 1 of whom is ranked (arbitrarily from what I've looked at) in their Top 20. If someone presented us with a 3-for-1 deal for a star, and the highest ranking player we gave up was Bobby Dalbec... I'd be very happy.
Looks awful comparative to what though? Keeping him would of left them spending roughly $3m extra on the lost season, and I believe was only going to net a post 4th round comp pick being a LT offender.

The new CBA and escalating qualifying offer figure in relationship to this current market basically killed off a lot of the previous don't end up folding your hand leverage.
 

nvalvo

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Agreed, re: Devers. In the unlikely event this happened I think it’s at the expense of JBJ’s starting slot. Devers becomes a DH, and JDM plays the OF. The only credence I’d put into this is that it’s DD, and he’s as bold as they come.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to start Machado at 2B and leave the OF alone?

I don’t understand why people are still itching to get JBJ out of CF when he’s posted a .700ish OPS for a month or so now. With his defense, that’s plenty.

Not really suggesting it, but wouldn't Xander make more sense than Ben10 and Devers? Not sure the O's would want Xander, though, considering he's already pricey and not under control as long.
How does that upgrade the team, though?

I don’t see why we’d want to downgrade the defense and give up an extra year of control in order to add .070 points of OPS to the SS position. For the remainder of the season, Machado is likely less than a win’s upgrade over Bogaerts.

We’re not dealing 9 months of a 5 WAR player for three months of a 6 WAR player. Or we shouldn’t be. And as you say, I don’t think the Orioles will be a contender before Bogaerts reaches FA at the end of 2019.

I don’t think we’re dealing anything off the ML roster, except maybe a Nuñez salary dump.
 

johnnywayback

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Completely agree that a Machado trade makes zero sense. And it's not clear to me that a Britton trade makes much more sense. We have a ton of bullpen depth. And if even most of the Thornburg/Workman/Wright/Pomeranz group are healthy and effective, it's not at all clear to me that a still-questionable Britton is better than the guy he'd be replacing on the depth chart.

I think we have one very clear need for 2018 (2B), and one very clear need for 2019 (an elite reliever to replace whichever of Kimbrel/Kelly we don't re-sign). I think 2B should be top priority, and if they're going to add a reliever, he should be not just unquestionably better than Heath Hembree, he should be controlled beyond 2018. Calling the Reds about a Gennett/Iglesias trade makes a lot of sense to me. Bidding up for Britton does not.
 

Cesar Crespo

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Wouldn’t it make more sense to start Machado at 2B and leave the OF alone?

I don’t understand why people are still itching to get JBJ out of CF when he’s posted a .700ish OPS for a month or so now. With his defense, that’s plenty.



How does that upgrade the team, though?

I don’t see why we’d want to downgrade the defense and give up an extra year of control in order to add .070 points of OPS to the SS position. For the remainder of the season, Machado is likely less than a win’s upgrade over Bogaerts.

We’re not dealing 9 months of a 5 WAR player for three months of a 6 WAR player. Or we shouldn’t be. And as you say, I don’t think the Orioles will be a contender before Bogaerts reaches FA at the end of 2019.

I don’t think we’re dealing anything off the ML roster, except maybe a Nuñez salary dump.

I thought Machado was better defensively at SS than he is, but nope. Our middle infield is pretty brutal so if he was a plus defender at SS, it would make more sense.

Re Bradley: He had 2 good games. People are using those 2 good games to say he's been good for a month now. He has not. Bradley has sucked outside of those 2 games. He had another decent game last night tho so maybe it's the start of something... but we've said that about 50 times this year.

edit: Bradley reminds of Carl Crawford when he had that series against the Yankees and everyone used that to talk up Crawford for a few months. Take out the 2 game stretch where JBJ went 6/7, and over the last 30 days he is slashing .165/.253/.304. Although since that 2 game stretch he is slashing .237/.318/.421 in the 11 games since so maybe it is something.
 
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Tyrone Biggums

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Completely agree that a Machado trade makes zero sense. And it's not clear to me that a Britton trade makes much more sense. We have a ton of bullpen depth. And if even most of the Thornburg/Workman/Wright/Pomeranz group are healthy and effective, it's not at all clear to me that a still-questionable Britton is better than the guy he'd be replacing on the depth chart.

I think we have one very clear need for 2018 (2B), and one very clear need for 2019 (an elite reliever to replace whichever of Kimbrel/Kelly we don't re-sign). I think 2B should be top priority, and if they're going to add a reliever, he should be not just unquestionably better than Heath Hembree, he should be controlled beyond 2018. Calling the Reds about a Gennett/Iglesias trade makes a lot of sense to me. Bidding up for Britton does not.
I certaintly agree with that. The problem however is that the Sox have a bottom 5 farm system. Devers would probably be the only piece that interests the Reds.
 

Doctor G

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Wouldn’t it make more sense to start Machado at 2B and leave the OF alone?

I don’t understand why people are still itching to get JBJ out of CF when he’s posted a .700ish OPS for a month or so now. With his defense, that’s plenty.



How does that upgrade the team, though?

I don’t see why we’d want to downgrade the defense and give up an extra year of control in order to add .070 points of OPS to the SS position. For the remainder of the season, Machado is likely less than a win’s upgrade over Bogaerts.

We’re not dealing 9 months of a 5 WAR player for three months of a 6 WAR player. Or we shouldn’t be. And as you say, I don’t think the Orioles will be a contender before Bogaerts reaches FA at the end of 2019.

I don’t think we’re dealing anything off the ML roster, except maybe a Nuñez salary dump.
Machado probably covers a lot more of the SS 3rd hole than Bogie does . He would help Devers defensively.
 

RedOctober3829

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Completely agree that a Machado trade makes zero sense. And it's not clear to me that a Britton trade makes much more sense. We have a ton of bullpen depth. And if even most of the Thornburg/Workman/Wright/Pomeranz group are healthy and effective, it's not at all clear to me that a still-questionable Britton is better than the guy he'd be replacing on the depth chart.

I think we have one very clear need for 2018 (2B), and one very clear need for 2019 (an elite reliever to replace whichever of Kimbrel/Kelly we don't re-sign). I think 2B should be top priority, and if they're going to add a reliever, he should be not just unquestionably better than Heath Hembree, he should be controlled beyond 2018. Calling the Reds about a Gennett/Iglesias trade makes a lot of sense to me. Bidding up for Britton does not.
A trade for an elite-level trade is likely needed if they want to win a World Series. Kelly is not elite as it looks like you’re saying.

Zach Britton is probably not going to take top prospects to acquire. It’s a 2 month rental. Two closers comparable to Britton’s situation being rentals were dealt last year. Brandon Kintzler was traded straight up for Tyler Watson who is now a fringe prospect for Minnesota. Tony Watson was dealt for what is now the 12th rated prospect in the Pirates org and a crappy 22 year old A ball player.
 

snowmanny

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A couple months of Chapman only yielded Torres plus, a couple months of Miller only yielded Rodriguez.
 

shaggydog2000

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Machado probably covers a lot more of the SS 3rd hole than Bogie does . He would help Devers defensively.
Machado is the worst defensive SS by DRS, RPM, and UZR, and all by a huge amount. Like the difference between him and the next worst SS is equivalent to the difference between that guy and a top tier defensive SS. He is terrible this year, and that really surprised me too. And the top reason according to UZR is that he has by far the worst range. Xander is below average, but he is nowhere near as bad as Machado is.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=ss&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2018&month=0&season1=2018&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=21,d

If Machado comes here (which I severely doubt he is) there is no way he is pushing Bogie off short.
 

nvalvo

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Re Bradley: He had 2 good games. People are using those 2 good games to say he's been good for a month now. He has not. Bradley has sucked outside of those 2 games. He had another decent game last night tho so maybe it's the start of something... but we've said that about 50 times this year.

edit: Bradley reminds of Carl Crawford when he had that series against the Yankees and everyone used that to talk up Crawford for a few months. Take out the 2 game stretch where JBJ went 6/7, and over the last 30 days he is slashing .165/.253/.304. Although since that 2 game stretch he is slashing .237/.318/.421 in the 11 games since so maybe it is something.
I understand what you're saying, and there's some truth to it.

But we could do this with a lot of players. For example, if you remove the last five games where Benintendi has a 1.761 OPS, he would have a .658 OPS over the remainder of his last 30 — totally unacceptable for a LF! — instead of .852.

FWIW — and maybe this should be in another thread — my theory of Bradley's season is that he tried to do the swing plane/launch angle thing, and then couldn't make contact with high fastballs. The league noticed fast and ate him alive for over a month — 39 Ks in 26 games at one stretch — so he went back to his older mechanics, probably when Cora sat him for a few days between May 8 and 17. But these transitions aren't frictionless, so it took a few games to get locked back in. But since mid-May, he has been basically 2017 Bradley since (low .700s OPS with a poor BABIP, hotter in recent games as a few more balls fell in). If you close read his game logs, it's not hard to see.

Here's one way of looking at it. Here are his (horrible) numbers in April, and then cumulative numbers since for the 10 weeks since May 1, the 9 weeks since May 8, etc.

On May 1: .600 OPS
Since May 1: .647 OPS
Since May 8: .697
[Brief benching]
Since May 17: .721
Since May 22: .737
Since May 29: .732
Since June 4: .725
Since June 11: .708
Since June 18: .814
Since June 26: .902
Since July 2: .801

With his defensive capabilities, Bradley is an above average regular at a .720 OPS. At .820, he's an All Star-caliber player. That's basically the 2017 and 2016 vintages.

I expect him within those bounds, BABIP permitting, for the rest of the season.
 

johnnywayback

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 8, 2004
1,421
A trade for an elite-level trade is likely needed if they want to win a World Series. Kelly is not elite as it looks like you’re saying.

Zach Britton is probably not going to take top prospects to acquire. It’s a 2 month rental. Two closers comparable to Britton’s situation being rentals were dealt last year. Brandon Kintzler was traded straight up for Tyler Watson who is now a fringe prospect for Minnesota. Tony Watson was dealt for what is now the 12th rated prospect in the Pirates org and a crappy 22 year old A ball player.
I mean, if we can get Britton for Roniel Raudes straight-up, then sure. But is Britton the kind of "elite-level" talent that has historically commanded a huge prospect return? Or is he on the level of Kintzler and Watson -- the level where, given that you'd have to DFA Heath Hembree and his 3-plus years of control, the improvement to our bullpen is marginal at best? It seems like the only way it makes sense is if he is indeed elite but we're the only team that recognizes it. Which I guess could happen but generally doesn't.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
I mean, if we can get Britton for Roniel Raudes straight-up, then sure. But is Britton the kind of "elite-level" talent that has historically commanded a huge prospect return? Or is he on the level of Kintzler and Watson -- the level where, given that you'd have to DFA Heath Hembree and his 3-plus years of control, the improvement to our bullpen is marginal at best? It seems like the only way it makes sense is if he is indeed elite but we're the only team that recognizes it. Which I guess could happen but generally doesn't.

I'm sure you were just throwing out a random name, but Raudes is out for the rest of the season with elbow inflammation. He's not going anywhere.
 

dynomite

Member
SoSH Member
Britton is not on their level currently.
That’s the real question: what are you getting with 2 months of Britton? A Chapman-level closer, or a Kinzler-level setup guy? MLBTR put it well today when noting that the Phillies have expressed interest in Britton:

There’s no reasonable way to handicap the chase for Britton at this point. After all, most contenders need relief pitching and the southpaw has a history of high-leverage excellence. He’s a rental player earning a hefty $12MM salary, which certainly limits his value but hardly means a trade can’t be sorted out.

The real question in the pursuit of Britton is how teams will truly evaluate his present ability level. He dealt with injuries for much of last year and only recently returned from offseason surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, meaning the recent track record is relatively thin.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/07/phillies-among-teams-with-interest-in-zach-britton.html

Ultimately i think the Phillies make a lot of sense for Britton — the Orioles wouldn’t have to trade him in the division, and the Phillies have a stacked farm system, seem to want a real closer, and should probably add a veteran with meaningful experience to that young bullpen.
 
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