TODAY: Though Chicago is pursuing a starter, the team has no interest in “pay[ing] a premium price for a rental,” tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today. There are several different ways to interpret that, of course: it could mean that the club prefers to go after controllable assets, that it is looking more at mid-tier arms, or just that it won’t part with its best young talent in a rental deal (but still might be involved).
YESTERDAY: The Cubs were among the first teams to express interest in left-hander David Price, multiple sources tell Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago.
Levine’s careful to note that while the Cubs have expressed preliminary interest, eight or more teams are likely to kick the tires on Price, in the event that the Tigers do indeed decide to trade him. (Multiple reports have expressed doubt that the former Cy Young winner will actually be moved.) The Tigers are reportedly considering a sale of Price, Yoenis Cespedes and other free agents to be, such as Joakim Soria, Rajai Davis and Alex Avila.
The connections between the Cubs and Price are many. The majority of Price’s career has come with the Rays, and Cubs manager Joe Maddon was Tampa Bay’s manager for every single one of those contests. Cubs top decision-makers Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod long watched Price terrorize the AL East when they filled executive roles with the Red Sox. Price is also more than familiar with bench coach Dave Martinez, who followed Maddon from St. Petersburg to Chicago.
Chicago has the minor league talent to entice the Tigers to part with Price, but the question will be whether or not Epstein & Co. want to part with premium young players for two-plus months of Price. The thought of a playoff rotation consisting of Price, Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta is enticing, but the Cubs would need to make it to an actual playoff series before that becomes a reality. The Cubs are nine games back in the NL Central with two teams to leapfrog, so as it stands, their best chance of reaching the NLDS would be via one-game Wild Card playoff. Paying the steep price of acquisition for Price when their postseason hopes still ride on a one-game playoff may not be the way in which the front office prefers to operate.
The Cubs have been linked to Cole Hamels, but he’s a long-term piece that could help them in 2015 and beyond. Price is the first pure rental of note — at least among pitchers — to whom the Cubs have been linked. Previous reports have indicated that the team hopes to add another top-flight pitcher for the 2016 season, but that end may ultimately be achieved by trading for a someone controlled beyond this season or by investing heavily in free agency for a second straight winter. The interest in Price is indeed notable, but as Levine notes in writing that the Cubs won’t trade their very best prospects, “proper perspective of him being a two-month rental is needed.”
Price to the Yankees for Severino…….Price hates the National League…..he doesn’t like to bat or face pitchers…….Tiger’s want Pitchers for Price….Cubs have none……….
Price to jays for Norris
Hey now, there are plenty of potential homes for David Price, don’t break up the perfect Johnny Cueto deal…
I think Norris is having a terrible year, not going to happen.
not really, just a lot of walks
I want to see the video where he says he hates the national league. You’re always putting this.
Right? Price has actually been very vocal about playing for Joe Maddens Cubs. Not only will that be a remarkable rotation but they have a solid, young offensive, inexpensive core of fielders.
Haven’t heard him say anything about playing for Madden, since he put on a Tiger uniform. Though he did say the manager didn’t matter.
Price has said multiple times in the past two years that the Cubs are a team on his radar. He loves the direction of the team and would be excited at the prospect of being on the Cubs when (if) they win a World Series. That right there should say that this OP is full of it.
And while you’re right that he did recently say that a manager won’t affect his decision, that doesn’t really mean anything. He also came back a few days later and joked that the media was getting him in trouble with all the Cubs questions. My takeaway from all this is that the Tigers are getting annoyed by the constant discussion that Price is going to go to Chicago this off-season, and that he’s just trying to skirt around the questions out of respect to his current employer.
I do see Price going to the Cubs sooner or later.
As a Yankees fan, absolutely not. No, no, no, no, no. Severino is a top 20 prospect in baseball, on a team that is desperately trying to build up a good system for the first time in a decade. Trading the best prospect on our team and one of the best pitching prospects in baseball for someone who would be on our team for 2 months would be a complete and utter disaster.
Severino is going to be a reliever down the road……It would be smart to cash in on him now…..while teams think he’s a starter…….
Many thought and said that very same thing about Pedro Martinez..
Severino looks a lot like Pedro, good comparision.
MLBTR needs an “ignore forever” button
I hope so. Nice avatar by the way.
Why?……….
He said he would love to be a cub…
When did he say he wanted to be a cub?
He implied it, saying he …”would almost rather have fun and lose than win and not have fun. I had fun playing in Tampa.” Cubs will sign him as a FA.
Price loves to bat, he’s not that good at it but he likes to. Pull anything else out of your bum lately?
link to csnchicago.com
There you go-check out that link where Price discusses how winning a title with the Cubs would be “the coolest”-doesn’t sound like he’s concenrned w NL/AL
Your constant posting of ridiculous statements w no merit are laughable
#trolling
You must be a big Price fan. He s never indicated he doesn’t want to pitch in the NL. In fact the only team he has ever expressed disinterest in is the Yankees.
link to espn.go.com
That is a little older but I doubt much has changed his views.
From a CBS article not long ago: “When David Price hits free agency following the season, a person who knows him from his time with Tampa Bay said the former Rays pitcher will prefer signing with an NL team because he loves to hit.”
Never happen, the Yanks won’t trade Severino for a rental.
he does like to bat
Price has said he loves to bat and he has never said anything about hating the NL. He’s a ball player league doesn’t matter
Trolling failed.
Doesn’t make a ton of sense to me. In addition to my arguing for a while now that we’re better served hanging on to our best prospects and spending in the offseason, the starting rotation would have to be pretty low down on the list of things to improve given that their starters have the fifth best ERA in baseball and the second best FIP. For a rental–even one they might hope to lock up long-term after the season–I don’t see the fit.
I see this season’s possible trades as incremental updates, with a decent outfielder who can play near the top of the order at the top of the list.
This narrative is dumb. Their 5th starters have an e.r.a of 4.6. The rest of the rotation is whats carrying those numbers. I think they might be interested in packaging a price and kinsler for a package of castro, mckinney and edwards.
It’s dumb to suggest that if you’re going to blow prospect to upgrade a team that is a fringe playoff contender that you should focus on the weakest areas of the team?
*shrugs* Okay.
5th starter is one of the weakest. And they have over a 60% chance of making the playoffs. Hardly fringe. And i said kinsler as part of the package because ss is the weakest spot and u slide russell to short.
well there only a little over 2 months left and if they can get by with what they have at pitching and upgrade the other spots of needs. if they make the playoffs they would really only need 4 pitchers. 5th pitcher would only matter in case of injure
Not only that, but as a red sox fan. I have watched Jon Lester stand on his head countless times in the playoffs. They should give mid level prospects for a Mike Leake type and make a run
If they make the NLDS, Price is a huge upgrade and allows us to not have to use Hendricks as a SP. 1-4 of Price, Arrietta, Lester, Hammel is straight up nasty.
As far as between now and then, the upgrade of Price from the production we’ve been getting from the #5 slot is massive. I can’t understate this. Hendricks then becomes the #5 and would be one of the better ones in baseball. I still like Hammels better because if the Cubs either don’t make it to the WC game, or don’t win it, we still have something to show for it. Giving up McKinney and/or Torres to get a pure rental makes me cringe. Not because I think they’ll be stars, although Torres could, but because those two are the main chips we have for a deal. Torres is tearing up A ball at 18…I’d think he and Almora would be a very nice start in a Hammels deal.
5th starters really only matter during the season. so if they can have at least 4 decent starters then the team should be fine. since playoffs teams really only use like 4 starters anyways
Except price would be a playoff starter as well. Lester, arrieta, price as a playoff rotation is as good as it gets
if the cubs can get a him at a decent price then by all means do it. but they shouldnt do it if it will weaken the team at other spots
Nothing i suggested does that.
Hammel would also start I’m assuming. That’s an absolutely sick 1-4.
And they have no pitching depth. You really can’t rely on Beeler to step up if someone goes down…they need pitching over hitting for that very reason they have the offense they are just young.
Having him instead of Hendricks as the “4th Starter” is huge for the playoffs as well.
That simply wont happen. No prospects will be dealt for a Price rental. The Cubs will prefer to give a compensation draft pick and sign Price as a FA.
Not if they want to win this year! They might decide to go after Hamels as a long term solution and sign Price next year. Either way they will be in on a top pitcher this week.
Wild card is the Cubs only chance to “win this year”. There is no way the Cubs give a top level prospect for David Price when the Cubs chance of winning a World Series hinges on a one game Wild Card play off. It just is not going to happen, especially when they can sign him as a FA and have to give up less.
Except they want to move castro. And a package centered around edwards or mckinney isnt really an overpay. If they give up gleybar torres that would be an overpay.
If they’ll take Castro, I’m 100% in on that deal.
It always makes sense to kick the tires.
Since 2012, two ace pitchers have been deal with 2 months remaining on their deal. Here are their returns:
Greinke – #55 rated prospect, two minor leaguers w/ fringy prospect status
Lester – 1 year of Cespedes, which was promptly flipped for the right to overpay Rick Porcello.
If the Tigers are actually serious about trading Price (I’m not convinced they are) will someone please tell me why they think he’s going to bring back a plethora or prospects. Based on recent history, a Cubs package centered around either Billy McKinney or CJ Edwards (not both, mind you) plus Dan Vogelbach and a low-level minor leaguer would be a more than fair offer.
If the Tigers trade Price it will be at the last possible moment, they want to be sure they are out of it this season.
Tough to say really. There are so many quality pitchers on the market right now that if the Tigers find a deal to their liking, they might be inclined to move fast just so that the Reds don’t jump their deal by offering Cueto for the same package…
Here’s a crazy trade idea – Price for Strasburg.
That move reminds me a lot of the Cespedes/Lester deal from a year ago where the team giving up the rental wasn’t looking to completely throw in the towel… and where the team acquiring the rental was willing to give up an all star quality player nearing free agency.
dodgers really dont need a OF but maybe get Yoenis Cespedes to upgrade LF.
They have 5 outfielders they don’t need more there stack
i know but dodgers were trying to trade ethier at one point and he has some value right now, crawford been hurt and scott van sklye not really a starter. oh and also they arent really playing Guerrero. wouldnt hurt to get a cuban in Yoenis Cespedes maybe that would make puig happy.
Dodgers aren’t acquiring any starting outfielders unless they deal Puig, which is unlikely, despite the made-up media narrative.
Guerrero isn’t getting dealt unless he waves his right to become a FA after any season in which he’s traded. That’s more likely than the scenario above but still probably isn’t happening.
No, the reality is, you’ll see some combination of DeLeon, Grand Holmes, Scott Schebler, and Darnell Sweeney traded away for a top-of-the-rotation starter, with some lesser names dealt for a bullpen piece.
They’re not getting any position players unless another mega-deal goes down like they pulled off to get Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Nick Punto, and Carl Crawford back in 2012. And this is pretty unlikely now, too.
The only way i see de leon being dealt its for hamels. He’s a top 20 prospect, which is valuable now in days. I don’t see a blockbuster trade happening either they got a nice tv contract cause of that trade, probably once in a decade trade.
Agreed, the Dodgers will get pitching, pitching, pitching!
Dodgers fans need to stop pushinv sweeney and schlebler. They are bench pieces with no real value. Maybe as a 5th piece but ghey are throwins.
I guess Grandal and Olivera aren’t Cuban?
They will if they move Puig.
I could see the Dodgers trading Either for a pitcher, sell high. He also has a bigger contract.
If the twins lose tonight that puts the Tigers only 3 games back of a wildcard spot. Are they still going to sell?
Tiger’s fan here. I would still sell price if I could get a young #3 starter or better for price. The tigers want to stay competitive past this year.
I’m not sure you get that for a 2 month rental. Nor am I sure that the Tigers sell.
It is extremely illogical for the Tigers not to sell. Their starters and bullpen are just not good enough this year to sustain any kind of run.
I would also caution about the certainty of what Price would be worth on the open market, 2 month rental or not. Are you telling me the Dodgers would not be salivating at the prospect of a Kershaw, Greinke, Price rotation heading into the postseason? And two of those guys come with no financial strings attached (Greinke will opt out) upon conclusion of the season.
I fully expect the cubbies to ensure a deal for Hamels this year and in the offseason, target another ace like Price or Cueto. They have money to spend. No need to dump all your prospects in a deal for a 2 month rental for a *possibility* of a one game playoff.
2016 rotation:
Hamels
Price / Cueto
Lester
Arrietta
Who cares, look at those four!
Its one or the other not both…
so your idea is spend alot of money on the rotation? sure they have money but do you really think they have that kind of money to get that kind of rotation? .this isnt the yanks or dodgers were talking about
So exactly how will the Cubs be contending in a couple of years when all of those starters are out of their primes and taking home $90 million a season?
The alternative is to operate like Tampa Bay or Oakland, and constantly trade away your players. Its the cost of winning. Unlike fantasy teams, fans buy tickets to see their favorite players.
Does it produce championships?
That’s one alternative, but not the only alternative. There is a middle ground where you’re neither trading away all your best players nor acquiring a roster full of all-stars. In fact, 95% of the teams in baseball operate in that world.
95% would be 29 of the 30 teams. I think you might want to do that math again. It’s probably closer to 50%.
It was clearly hyperbole. But let’s just do the math on teams that historically go one way or the other — not taking into account that some teams simply rebuild at points or ‘go for it’ other times.
The A’s, Marlins and Rays are the only teams that consistently trade away their best players.
The Yankees, Dodgers, and Red Sox are the only teams that consistently try to turn player acquisition into a video game w/o any fear of consequence.
So that’s 6 of 30 teams that fit on either side of this extreme. That’s 80% of the teams that operate somewhere in the middle, which is considerably closer to 95% than 50%… and still nowhere near the 0% implied by the poster.
Take out Price/Cueto…….insert samardzija or zimmerman……..
No thanks to Samardzija.
I only problem with that is what happens when you need to extend Bryant, Soler and Arrieta when all of those guys are still on the books?
LOL…This isn’t fantasy baseball. It’s real money. And besides, all of the previous examples of stacked rotations have ended in failure. See the 2010 Phillies as the prime example. But by all means, I hope the Cubs limit their future ability to play in the free agent market by signing “all the pitchers” to long-term contracts.
So they’re taking on money in Hamels while giving up prospects, signing Price/Cueto to a 7 year deal worth in excess of $200 million AND already paying Lester 7 years around $150mill I believe it was. You do realize at some point they’re going to have to pay Bryant, Russell, and the rest at some point with their arbitration numbers rising to hefty sums correct?
Getting Price as a rental should mean the Cubs have to unload a top and mid-tier prospect, but nothing like what they’d have to do for the Phillies/Hamels.
Baez still has a lot of upside/value (+.900 OPS this season before his injury) — he or CJ Edwards, plus a low Top 20 Cubs prospect and a guy doing well in high A ball gets this deal done.
The real coup would be to get Price to sign an extension as part of the deal. But the chances of that are probably slim to none.
Tigers will be looking for pitching
I’m not so sure of that. The Tigers could use a true lead off hitter and they are desperate for LH bats, particularly LH power bats.
The Tigers are super desperate for pitching. Ranking among the worst in both starter and bullpen ERA.
The lineup is actually pretty darned stacked. They have 4 capable outfielders on the pro team, and a couple guys that are close to major league ready in the minors. And really no openings in the infield unless someone is traded away. (i.e. Kinsler)
So yeah … expect the Tigers to target pitching in any trades. Big time.
“Baez still has a lot of upside/value (+.900 OPS this season before his injury) — he or CJ Edwards, plus a low Top 20 Cubs prospect and a guy doing well in high A ball gets this deal done.”
Why do the Tigers want a middle infielder?
Why did the Cubs want a middle infielder last year? Sometimes that’s the best offer on the table. Would you rather have a high upside middle infielder – or a lesser player at a different position?
Hey Phil’s want like Seager,Urias for Hamels and maybe Castro/Harang to the Yankees,Hamels to Cubs and like Mason Williams or another OF,Murohy,or Sanchez,Besz,Pitching to Phil’s. Also Tigers could use Beaz as future 2B if like Kinsler were to get Trade in future.
Disagree. Under the current system, the team that acquires Price (or Cueto) will put together a deal that’s either centered around a prospect ranked in the 30-60 range or – if they want to do something similar to Boston – they’ll trade for a big leaguer with 18 months remaining on his deal and buy themselves a bit more time…
In terms of the Cubs, the package would be centered around either CJ Edwards or Billy McKinney. A couple minor pieces would likely be included. This offer is very similar to the one Anaheim put together to acquire Zach Greinke.
An interesting possibility might be Stephen Strasburg in a straight-up swap. The Nats are desperately trying to win the WS right now, and Strasburg has struggled in a big way.Price would be an improvement in that regard. Additionally, dealing Strasburg right now would allow the Nats to go hard after re-signing Jordan Zimmerman (or even Price) in the off-season. For the Tigers, they could either spend 2016 trying to re-sign Strasburg, or they could flip him for a more cost-controlled asset. This proposal is based on the Lester for Cespedes deal a year ago.
Thats a lot more than the Tigers can expect in return for Price rental. Maybe one of those two you mentioned and a couple of fringe prospects. That may even be a little too much for a guy that will impact only 12 games of the regular season.
With the twins losing tonight, the Tigers are only 3 games out of a wildcard spot. Are they still selling at this point?
Depends on the offers. Make em an offer they can’t refuse, and they wont.
So the talking heads think the Cubs will avoid him because of the steep price for a one game playoff, but they think the Tigers will hold onto him instead of getting those prospects from somewhere and hope for a one game playoff? Doesn’t make much sense to me..
Because the Tigers have a QO to fall back on.
A QO pick has a less than 30% chance of making it to the big leagues.. If they ever do it won’t be for 3 years or so unless they are a reliever.. This entire prospects are untouchable and so valuable and that every draft pick is going to net you a superstar way of thinking is taking some of the excitement out of trade deadlines and off seasons.. How have the headliners of the Cliff Lee trade worked out for the Phillies? Jacob Turner is a TOR arm in Miami, right? Drabek is anchoring the Toronto rotation this year? Gose is patrolling the outfield in Houston? Maybe 1 in 4 top prospects will turn into plus players.. The madness needs to stop..
Hamels makes much more sense for the Cubs
Why?
Cubs will somehow never get passed the Cardinals………never win the World Series…….Price knows that…..he’s not some fool…….Why blow up your farm Cubs?…….Somebody please detonate Quigley Field………baseball would be better off……..
Blow up the farm? Schwarber, bryant, soler and russell are all rookies and they arent getting traded. Eloy jimenez is a name you have probably never heard of but will be a top 20 prospect in 2 years.
First he needs to prove he isn’t Elier Hernandez.. He has improved a bit this year with the promotion but he is going to slow down when he finishes filling out.. The power still isn’t there yet.. Its a little early to be calling him a future top 20.. The upside with him is huge though..
He basically made high a out of spring but the cubs held him back to limit his prospect status in trades.
And they still have a better chance than the yankees
If the Tigers do sell, CJ Edwards looks good as the main piece. Dombrowski also likes any pitcher that can touch 100 mph, just to point you in the right direction.
I feel like someone finally gets it! Rentals do NOT bring back top-20 prospects anymore. A guy like CJ Edwards, who sits anywhere from the high 30s to the mid 40’s (depending on the publication) is right in line with what the Tigers can expect for Price. Perhaps the Cubs throw in Vogelbach and another low-level minor leaguer..
You realize Edwards is a reliever? You aren’t getting Price for him as the main piece.
IF the Tigers are selling, they need a young, controllable pitcher for Price, NOT a no name prospect.
I would prefer they trade Cespedes + _______ for Cueto, in a Dombrowski trademark “3 team deal”. The narrative is Detroit does not have enough pieces to get top players via trade. That is a myopic view that does not account for leveraging their major league roster.
How does this help the Tigers? Adding Cueto is worth maybe, maybe!!!! 2 wins. It still doesn’t get the Tigers into the postseason.
The Tigers without Cabrera are 3 games out of a Wildcard. Price pitches today, then they play the Red Sox who have lost 7 in a row.
By the end of the weekend, the Tigers realistically could be 1-2 games out with TWO MONTHS to play and Miggy coming back.
You dont think they can make that up?
Making the playoffs is NOT the goal. Winning the WS is. With Price or Cueto, the Tigers would be favored in the Wildcard game against any other WC team, even on the road.
After that? They can have Price/Cueto/Sanchez pitch 70% of the playoff innings and never use Greene (their #5) and put Simon in the bullpen, where he belongs, in the playoffs.
The entire dynamic changes.
So, instead of trading their high-end pitcher who will leave at the end of the season, they acquire a second high-end pitcher who will leave at the end of the season? I’m not sure I understand.
Win. World Series. Now.
They are losing Cespedes anyway. It is not really a big risk because Cespedes does even give them a draft pick. Leverage him to get a top pitcher.
But Price is better than Cueto so how does that make any sense?
Price does not leave.
Tigers 2015 Playoff mantra:
“Cueto and Price and roll the dice…”
Price will join the Cubs in 2016.
I find it kind of odd that the Cubs have no interest in paying a premium price for a rental. They didn’t seem to have that problem the past few years when they were in the business of selling rentals.
And they see the results. How is Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop for a half year of Scott Feldman working out for Baltimore? How did Texas like a half season of Matt Garza for Neil Ramirez, Justin Grimm, and CJ Edwards?
Arrieta was basically a bust in Baltimore. That was very fluky. As far as Edwards goes, he hasn’t done anything yet and the other two are middle relievers. Not exactly a who’s who of MLB.
BTW, your argument is completely cherry picked. How about when the Dodgers picked up Manny Ramirez for 4 prospects that turned into nothing? The Giants won the World Series by picking up Marco Scutaro & Hunter Pence for prospects that turned into very little. It goes both ways.
I was talking specifically about Cubs trades Theo made from dealing rental pitchers, which is what you were talking about, not cherry picked. So you are saying that Baltimore and Texas wouldn’t redo those trades in a heartbeat?
Redo it for what? Texas traded away an average relief pitcher in Justin Grimm, and oft-injured relief pitcher in Neil Ramirez and a guy in CJ Edwards who still only projects to be a back-end of the bullpen type pitcher. These weren’t premium prospects. Edwards wasn’t even a top-100 guy. It’s head-scratching that so many people seem to think otherwise…
They didn’t get premium prospects for rentals!
For Dempster, they got two B- prospects in Hendricks and Villanueva.
For Garza, they got 3 guys that project as relief pitchers. Two of them were failed starters who struggled to adjust to a big league rotation… and the 3rd was a guy 2-years removed from being a 48th round draft pick. That was a haul about quantity more than quality.
As for Samardzija – HE WASN’T A RENTAL!
..
are negotiating windows still a thing? trade pending a negotiating window….last time i remember something like this was the mets Johan trade…
Yes, a 72-hour window is an option if the Tigers and Cubs agree to one. The problem is that we’re 8 days from the deadline, the market is flooded with premium pitching, and by agreeing to such a window, the Tigers are essentially taking Price off the market for 3 days with no guarantee that the trade is going to go through. Imagine how many teams will fill their pitching needs with either Cueto, Hamels, Shields, Gallardo, Latos, Leake, Samardzija, etc in those three days…I just don’t see Detroit risking such a scenario.
Price would be nice. Personally I’d take hamels and then sign Jordan Zimmerman this winter. They apparently have a need for left handed hitter.. They don’t need to use the lefty/righty matchup they need to Go in house call up Baez and trade Castro to finally move Russell to short. A change of scenery would be good for Castro. Chris Russo said they should try to get sydangaard for Russell that is plain dumb. Especially when Castro is at his peak right now. He’s not gonna improve with the bat he’s a .275-.290 hitter. 15 max hrs and 75 max rbi. Russell will only get stronger and could get upwards of 25-30 hrs. Same with Baez he’s a 35 hr a year guy down the road.
I think its more likely the Cubs are going after Shields, Hamels or another pitcher that is under contract or team control for two or more years. Two Cubs scouts were in attendance for Shields last start in SD.
OK…I am going to show my ignorance. In the NFL, a team can make trade contingent on resigning a player to a longer term deal. Does that not happen in MLB?