9:37am: FOX’s Ken Rosenthal hears that the D-backs remain reluctant to part with what be the No. 39 pick in this year’s draft (Twitter link).
8:45am: The Diamondbacks are in “active trade talks” and trying to move a second baseman, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). Moving one of their current options at the position would allow them to add Howie Kendrick to the fold, Nightengale adds.
Arizona has a number of options at second base, including Aaron Hill, Chris Owings and prospect Brandon Drury. Of the bunch, Hill is clearly the most appealing candidate to move, from Arizona’s perspective. The 33-year-old (34 in March) is set to earn $12MM in 2016 — the final season of a three-year, $35MM extension that was signed a few years back. The first season of that contract, while injury-shortened, was a productive one for Hill, but his bat has gone dormant over the past two seasons, yielding just a .238/.290/.359 slash line since Opening Day 2014.
The D-backs would need to eat the bulk of Hill’s remaining salary or take on a similarly undesirable contract in order to move Hill. Earlier this offseason, there was talk of Arizona sending Hill to Cincinnati in exchange for Brandon Phillips, although those talks reportedly fell through because the Diamondbacks felt they were being asked to take on too much of Phillips’ remaining $27MM in salary. The best bet to move Hill, in my view, would be to do so by taking on a similarly priced veteran to use as the club’s fourth outfielder or bullpen piece. Arizona, after all, has plenty of options around the infield and more rotation candidates than rotation spots following the additions of Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller.
The 32-year-old Kendrick would cost the D-backs their second draft pick of the offseason, as they’ve already forfeited their first-round selection (No. 13 overall) in order to sign Greinke. Surrendering that pick is something that GM Dave Stewart has firmly said the team would not do, though it’s always possible that their thinking or Kendrick’s asking price has changed since Stewart made those comments. Kendrick would be an unequivocal upgrade over the team’s collective .220/.266/.340 output from its second basemen last season. While Arizona could hope for better health and production out of Owings — and Stewart has said the team expects as much — adding some degree of certainty by signing Kendrick certainly has merit, especially when considering the lengths to which Arizona has already gone in an effort to build a contender this offseason.
I’ve mentioned since that time that this would be an odd time for the D-backs to draw a line in the proverbial sand and staunchly refuse to surrender further draft pick value. The team has already committed more than $34MM annually to Greinke over a six-year term and parted with an enormous amount of value to add Miller, so there’s little reason to suddenly hit the brakes from where I stand. Kendrick, of course, comes with some question marks — namely a decline in the eyes of defensive metrics — but he’s nonetheless been a steady, productive bat that would function as yet another upgrade to an improved Diamondbacks roster.
Braves have a few contracts in Bourn and Swisher that would offset Hill’s contract. Swap infield for outfield and add another Vet to the young braves lineup.
How about another trade with Atlanta. Aaron Hill (12 Million) and Daniel Hudson (3Million) for Nick Swisher (15 Million) and $6 MIllion Cash.
Sounds like a good trade, little heavy on the cash though. Arizona is talking about wanting to dump, $3M Max. But after the Miller fleecing, I guess we would have to sweeten the pot.
Fleecing? By the way a bunch of Braves fans were talking on here before the trade you’d have thought that Miller had won back to back Cy Young awards. Is Braves nation changing its tune now? Realizing he is a mediocre pitcher.
Look at what Stewart gave up to get him. Apparently he thought Miller has back to back Cy Youngs as well.
It was a fleecing, not many baseball minds have said otherwise. The reason Braves nation was so high on him is because he had such a great year last year and he was still cost controlled going forward. As dj277 said, Stewart apparently thought pretty damn highly of him.
Or maybe Braves fans just like seeing their team win trades? Hart and Coppy were absolutely brilliant at making Miller out to be the best pitcher on the market and holding out for long enough to where teams were getting nervous.
I promise Atlanta was talking to the Giants and Dodgers about Miller as well, the D’backs overpay was most likely for good reason.
Mediocre? Do you have any idea what league average is? The NL league average ERA was 3.91. I don’t think the D-Backs should have parted with all that they did but you don’t seem to know what you’re talking about.
What does it matter what Atlanta made him to be? They can call him Sandy Kofax for all I care. The Diamondbacks do their own evaluations. They thought it was worth it and they pulled the trigger. Nobody owes anyone anything
Braves should make the deal heck look at it as a extension from the deal with all the kids you got from them just do it Hill a winner with little skills left but you lose Swisher and get 3 mil cash
Nick Swisher? Where would he play, 1st base? RF? He would be a bench player plus you lose Hudson. Stupid trade, no t to mention Swisher is five years past a good season.
Why would the snakes deplete their RP, let alone DHudson who could close this year. He was excellent in a set up role last year. The DBacks management maybe dumb, but not that clueless.
Signing Greinke and trading for Miller signals D-backs want to win now or soon. So why not give up a #39 (No. 39! for gosh sake) pick for a prospect (and a prospect always equals a BIG maybe) if they can both get Kendrick and somebody else’s prospect(s) in return for excess 2B inventory?
I’m also trying to date a supermodel
Which One?
I’m sure the Reds would take on Hill still just to be away from Phillips for 2017, but of course it relies on Phillips accepting the deal which he probably won’t. Hill would become a backup/pinch hitter, and the reds would just eat the salary.
I know it would require trading within the division and with two teams that are going to be fighting with each other quite a bit, and already have… but it seems like an Arizona deal with the Dodgers makes a ton of sense for both sides.
Arizona gets their expensive outfielder and can upgrade 2b. The Dodgers can finally move one of their surplus guys out their, Ethier or Crawford, and they can upgrade their 2b situation for a season at the same time. Oh. And by the way, it also guarantees that Kendrick gets signed by someone and they don’t get snubbed on the draft pick for the QO. There hasn’t been much activity surrounding Kendrick this offsets on because mist teams aren’t interested in giving up a draft pick for a 2b on the wrong side of 30. This would assure that he gets signed and the Dodgers would still get the pick.
If both sides can get over their distaste for one another, I think this is actually a deal that could help both teams.
The Didgers don’t have a surplus of OF if yiu take health into consideration….Puig had hammy issues and that could very easily be an on going problem….Crawford is ALWAYS reinjuring himself….Joc needs to show he can rebound from his post ASG slide…that takes away their “surplus”.
Addressing the trade….NO ONE will take Crawford much less a division rival helping them rid that player…..Kike will play 2b neslct season w/ Utley as a back up….adding Hill who has been declining steadily isn’t desirable…Ethier has been gheir steadiest OF over the last few seasons….slot him in where needed and he won’t hurt them…..
I was thinking the same thing Chico. The Dodgers eat up some of money that belongs to Ethier or Carl OR send a low level prospect with either OF’er. Anything to get rid of the surplus of OF’ers.
I’d be so pissed if I was a Diamondbacks fan with what the front office has done to this team this offseason. They think they’re getting better but I honestly see them getting worse, or becoming just a more expensive version of last year’s team….. as an outsider looking in this is what it looks like.
Greinke….. waaaay overpaid for him. Also, if you look at his career before pitching in pitcher friendly Dodger Stadium he was actually just a “good” pitcher. Nowhere near this elite pitcher he is hyped up to be. Moving to VERY hitter friendly Arizona I seriously wonder if he reverts back to being the 3.50-3.60 ERA guy with other unimpressive peripheral stats.
Miller……. traded way way WAY too much for this #3 quality starter. Look past his ERA and you’ll realize he is almost #4 quality. I mean if the Diamondbacks wanted to cough up Swanson, Inciarte, and Blair (what an insane haul for the Braves) for a mediocre pitcher I’m sure the Cubs would’ve been more than willing to toss your way, say, Hammel or Hendricks….. similar quality pitchers IMO, and Hendricks might actually be better in the long run.
If I were the Diamondbacks I’d be less worried about adding a mediocre 2nd baseman in Kendrick and looking more at bullpen help. I can’t help but notice Greg Holland is still on the market. Yeah he is going to very likely miss all of 2016, but you could probably get him on a super cheap 2-3 year deal because of that. I’m thinking a 3-year $11-13 mil deal for him. Pay him $1M in 2016…. since he’ll be injured…… still, $1M to rehab….. sign me up. And then $5-6M per season the following 2 years. If he returns to form that would be a STEEP discount. He made just over $8M in 2015. I mean how much faith do they have in Brad Ziegler to continue to close out games? That offense was a strength last year. That bullpen ranked toward the middle of the pack in MLB last year in ERA. I’d be worrying less about Howie friggin Kendrick and be contemplating more about the addition of injured reliever/closer Greg Holland who is still a free agent. Sure he’ll likely miss all of 2016, but if you lock him up now you’d likely get a STEEP discount. I’m thinking a 3 year deal in the $11-13M range. $1M for 2016……. to essentially rehab. and then $5-6M for 2017 and 2018. He returns to form after the surgery you just got one of the best closers in the game for $5-6M a year…… heck of a deal. If he doesn’t return to form it’s not like $5-6M is going to bury the team in bad money. Writing this I actually hope the Cubs entertain this possibility. A 2017 bullpen of: CLOSER: Holland, SETUP 1A: Rondon, SETUP 1B: Ramirez, SETUP 1C: Strop, RP Grimm, RP Wood, RP Cahill? Richard? Edwards? New Guy?……………….. That’s a stanky bullpen right there. Full of closers and setup man-caliber pitchers. With that bullpen starting pitcher would have to get through 5 innings and the bullpen would shut down the offense the last 4 innings. 1-2-3 punch of Ramirez, Rondon, and Holland…… damn that would be sweet. All 3 could likely have ERAs below 2. Then Strop or Grimm in the 6th inning….. those 2 are no slouches either. Wood and Cahill in long relief…… hell, the starters would have to get through only 3 innings, hahaha.
Arizona’s middle infield offense is miserable right now and Howie is deefinitely a better option than Desmond.
Why would the Diamondbacks, who seem pretty clearly in a win now mode, go after Holland when guys like Cotts, Clippard, Morales, and Belisle are available and ready to go? The relief market is still pretty deep and Holland was playing over his head for a few years there.
I am a Dback fan and I like the Miller trade. A 300 hitting OF with 10 HR and good defense can be found elsewhere, Blair was one of a bunch of pitchers the Dbacks have a year or so away, and Swanson, although a 1st round, might be good or might be a bust. No one knows.
They want to win now, not save someone down the road. They needed an innings eater with a low era to put with Grienke and Corbin. They have a solid 1-3 with a few options at 4 and 5.
Yes they paid a lot, but to win costs money, not like the Braves who keep rebuilding.
Uh how many of those 300 hitting OF with 10 homers and good defense are out there? I’ll take another one.
Saying that hammel and kendricks are similar quality in talent and/ or future value makes me suspect you are smoking your breakfast.
Profar for Archie brailey
Oh, so now you care about your farm, Dave?
Maybe a potential deal involving Hill and Drury to the Braves for a couple middle-ish pitching prospects? Solves the 2nd base dilemma and sheds salary for Kendrick plus adds some pitching depth (not much, but some), and Braves get a solid young infielder to compensate.
Stupid
This is a joke, right? There’s no way your brain actually thinks like that.
I don’t think Stewart is drawing a line in the sand when it comes to giving up another draft pick in general terms. I think he’s specifically referring to if the DBacks should sign Kendrick, they’d be forfeiting both picks to their division rival in the Dodgers.