Could Livan Hernandez Become Available?

The good thing about Livan is that you know what you are getting. A rubber-armed innings eater with great control who will post an ERA of 4-4.5. He is a perfect 4-5 starter. I do think that his W/L numbers could attract a moderate power hitter for the Twinkies. His ability to hit also adds a little bit of interest for a National League team.

Livan + Kubel for Duncan from the Redbirds sounds good. Gives St. Louis a potent lefty bat off the bench and allows them to play Shoemaker more.

Livan + Harris for Johnson with the Braves makes some sense as well

Duncan alone is a down-grade over Kubel & Johnson is a good bat in my Bravos offense. Absurd.

"AA, are you seriously posting that?!?!?! The Twins would never give up 2 guys like that with Livan! Kubel is the Twins future DH and Harris is the future shortstop! All three (Livan, Kubel, Harris) are quality players and to package them for role players like Johnson or Duncan is absurd!"

Wow, what a homer. Its almost stupid. I love Kubel as much as anybody, but he is clearly not as established a hitter as Duncan. Chris Duncan and his career career 121 OPS+ >> Jason Kubel and his career 96 OPS +. Brendan HArris is going to be 28, so I doubt he is anybody's anything of the future. Kelly Johnson, again, has established himself as a very good 2B who is versatile and has pop. He is coming off an 800 OPS season at 2B, which isvery good and has followed it up by mashing to a .300/.350/.500ish line. So yeah, to crown Kubel and Harris as two future contributors (especially Harris, because Kubel may have a very solid future), while calling Duncan and Jonhson, who are established good major leaguers, role players, is actually the absurd part.

"AA, are you seriously posting that?!?!?! The Twins would never give up 2 guys like that with Livan! Kubel is the Twins future DH and Harris is the future shortstop! All three (Livan, Kubel, Harris) are quality players and to package them for role players like Johnson or Duncan is absurd! Besides the Twins won't trade Hernandez until they are truly out of it."

Johnson and Duncan are far more proven and far more consistent than Kubel. They are also better defensive players. As for Harris v. Johnson, there is absolutely no contest as to who to take.

"First off, the Braves need a #2 starter, not a back of the rotation guy. And secondly, KJ isn't going anywhere. He was the Braves most inquired-about player in the offseason, so why do you think he's still here?"

I didn't say he was going anywhere, but the trade chips would make sense for both clubs. Jurrjens is pitching like a solid number 2 at this point, so the real need is for middle-back of the rotation help. Getting Hernandez would mean no more pissing about with James or Reyes, both of whom are pitching terribly.