The Indians think it's unlikely they'll trade right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, tweeted ESPN's Buster Olney this morning. Olney says a Choo trade would require the perfect offer, which fits with yesterday's report from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the Tribe would need a good Major Leaguer with less than three years of service. Yesterday we heard that the Pirates, Rangers, and Reds have interest in Choo, but a deal with the Rangers isn't happening. The latest on Choo:
- The Phillies are interested in Choo, write Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Phillies appear open to subtracting certain veterans but also adding to their core with players like Choo or Padres third baseman Chase Headley, in whom their interest had been previously reported.
- The Pirates are very reluctant to include 23-year-old outfield prospect Starling Marte in a Choo deal, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Marte is the 36th-best prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America's midseason top 50.
- The Indians would be wiser to part with closer Chris Perez than Choo, writes MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince.
- Count the Dodgers among the interested teams, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.
- Choo badly wants to win, but considers the Indians like his family and has not and will not request a trade, he told reporters including MLB.com's Jordan Bastian yesterday. Regarding his contract status, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer quotes Choo saying, "That's why I have an agent. My agent and the Indians talk about it. I don't want to worry about it. It's a big headache. Scott [Boras] has done this a long time. He knows more than me." Choo is under team control through 2013, a season for which MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a $7.6MM salary.
I really like this guy.
he’s top 5 underrated player in the majors
Are the Indians looking for pitching or hitting? Starter or reliever? Or, if hitting, infield/outfield?
With underperforming Jiminez, Masterson, and Lowe… I’m guessing pitching should be more of a need than hitting.
A right handed power bat is what the Indians really need. The starting pitching has been, well, terrible. The Indians are not a playoff team this year and won’t be until they can figure out LF and Masterson and Jimenez pitch like they are more than capable of doing. Last time I checked they were 27th in baseball in team ERA (4.49). They are close, but not until those areas are improved. Choo, however, is an integral part to the Indians making the playoffs. As an Indians fan, I would be quite upset with they parted ways with Choo.
So we play like nice guys and let him walk after next season? Trade him so we can get something now. He might not be as valuable as he is this season
The Indians are not that far away from making a playoff run (next year), and trading Choo away now for high ceiling prospects, will just continue to delay ever being good. It’s what they have been doing since Jon Hart left. At some point they need to stop trading away players when they’re close to being a playoff team, and instead resign core players, and acquire via free agency guys to shore up what the farm system hasn’t been able to produce. Trading away Choo (and Masterson if those reports are true) just signals to the fans, as always, wait a couple more years (… for us to do the same thing again). As a fan I am very tired of seeing the same thing year after year after year.
well I guess if Cincy can’t get him I’m more OK with Bucs not getting him.
would’ve solved a bunch of problems though.
Who said Cincy can’t get him?
They will not get him and we will catch you and defeat you, it’s our time, you are next!
10 game win streak without Votto.. bold statement you got there.
Reds are playing ridiculous right now! I thought they were good, but not this good, especially without Votto.
Well we know how this turned out lol.
Is Choo their leadoff hitter? I would love someone who can set the table with a good OBP but not sure I’d want to trade Starling Marte for him? If he can be had for anything less, he may be a perfect fit. May not even have to lead him off. This would be a very solid lineup:
Marte/Presley (one would probably go in Choo deal)
Choo
McCutchen
Walker
Jones
Alvarez
McKenry/Barajas (time for McKenry to get the majority of the starts)
Barmes
I’m just not sure Cleveland is willing to trade him for anything other than a very good package, even though he’s not a “stud”, he is one of the most consistent outfielders in the league and is fairly affordable.
No it’s tot time for Mike to get the majority of the starts, catching is a hard job and the system is working just fine right now.
Choo is fairly good, besides last season hes sported a 5+ war for the majority of his career and is on pace for 5 war again this season, he’d be a huge get for the Pirates leadoff spot.
you think walker is good enough for clean up?
Choo started playing better once he got moved to lead off. Even if he isn’t a prototypical lead off man, he has hit well there.
Choo’s stats for leading off the game since moving to the lead off spot:
.383 BA .448 OBP .817 SLG 1.264 OPS
That’s with 7 doubles, 2 triples, and 5 home runs. That’s just leading off the game. 67 games played at Lead Off. Pirates would most likely win the division if they get Choo.
Pirates will not get Choo unless Marte is the center piece of a deal a beat writer from Pittsburgh was on Sirius radio this afternoon and said the only thing holding up the deal for Choo is the Pirates failure to be will to include Marte or Taillon as the key piece to the deal.
He stated that the indians and Pirates agree on the secondary piece or pieces parts of the deal but the original offer to the indians by the Pirates for Choo was turn down by Cleveland.
His sources said unless the Pirates are willing to include Marte or Taillon by the deadline then there will be no deal for Choo.
Only way the pirates get choo is if marte is in the deal.
Of course the Bucs aren’t including Marte. Marte was worth an Upton, that’s far more valuable than a nice little lead off guy like Choo. The Indians need to be realistic. He’ll be worthless as a rental next year so they need to trade him now when he has value. I’d say a player like Tabata + a good pitching prospect (Wilson or Locke) would be a slight overpay but far more than they’ll get next year.
nice little 5 WAR leadoff guy, dime a dozen
You need to be realistic. Why would the Indians trade Choo then? He’s under team control for another year, having an excellent season by any standards, so why on earth would the Indians move him for a bunch of leftover scraps? You’re not making any sense right now.
Choo is a 5 WAR player, good luck find another leadoff guy who will get you that.
Choo is hardly a ‘little lead off guy’.
have you ever seen him play?
clearly you haven’t
Holy heck, I wouldn’t trade Marte to the Indians if I’m Pittsburgh even if the Indians literally paid all of Choo’s contract!
I looked at Marte’s stuff, he is garbage. 3:1 Strikeout ratio? He gets thrown out the same number of bases he steals. Pittsburgh can hold onto this trashy prospect. We dont need him.
Garbage? come on man
Ya man for real, this guy is another Matt LaPorta. If you dont know who that is, we got him from MIL in the Sabathia trade, he was the main guy in the deal. He was supposed to be a 20HR 80-90 RBI guy. Total bust. I’m afraid to say that Marte is the same.
haha what a great brewer trade
Someone trade for Headley today……..No more articles telling us the same thing over and over. I hope us Padres fans didn’t research every team brought up on here’s entire farm system for no reason lol
if they can get marte, why not take the deal?
Pirates fans dont wana trade away a top prospect for a really good bat and outfielder so they can win NOW? Tradeing a “prospect” for a guy thats going to help right now “Yes Choo is a better option than Marte right now” is what the Pirates FO needs to do to show they wanan make the playoffs! You need to realize that not every prospect pans out. Take the Indians Matt Laporta for example. Was a Brewers top prospect and Kills the ball in AAA but sucks in the MLB! Trade your prospects if you want the Pirates to FINALLY make the playoffs!
Go Tribe
If the Pirates can extend Choo, I’d maybe be ok with trading Marte for him. I would exhaust every other option though first.