A few notes from MLB’s Central divisions as the majority of tonight’s games come to a close…
- Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez will not be investigated by the league in connection to the civil lawsuit that has reportedly been filed against him by a Florida woman, reports ESPN’s Mark Saxon. Per Saxon’s source, Martinez’s case falls outside of the domestic violence policy’s jurisdiction, and beyond that, no police report was ever filed in connection with the matter. Martinez tells Saxon that he doesn’t consider the issue to be a distraction, noting that it’ll be handled by his agent and his lawyer.
- On the heels of a recent Ken Rosenthal report pertaining to Ryan Braun’s potential trade candidacy, Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron speculates on a handful of clubs that could make sense as a trade partner for the Brewers. The Red Sox, White Sox and Nationals, Cameron opines, are the three best fits for Braun, though there are reasons that each club would struggle to fit Braun into the books and onto the roster. Cameron makes a reasonable case for each team, noting that Braun would deepen Boston’s bench by pushing Brock Holt to a super-utility role, and he’d be an upgrade in Chicago as well, where Avisail Garcia is effectively a replacement-level placeholder on a win-now club. Cameron concedes that the Nationals are somewhat of a stretch, but it’s hard to argue with Braun serving as an upgrade over Jayson Werth and/or Ryan Zimmerman, and pairing him with Bryce Harper in the middle of the lineup would give the Nats an imposing middle of the order duo.
- The Pirates announced earlier this week that top catching prospect Elias Diaz would undergo surgery on his right elbow, but there were no further details and no timeline provided by the club. MLB.com’s Adam Berry adds some context to the report, tweeting that Diaz underwent a debridement of his throwing elbow and is currently expected to miss seven to nine weeks while recovering from the injury. While that’s still bad news for the organization, it’s fortuitous that Diaz’s ulnar collateral ligament remained intact and that he seemingly has a strong chance of returning before the 2016 season comes to a close.
- The Twins got a first-hand look at Luke Gregerson as he closed out an Astros win over them last night, but Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Minnesota wasn’t far off from seeing quite a bit more of Gregerson. The right-hander tells Berardino that the Twins pursued him heavily as a free agent in the 2014-15 offseason prior to his signing with Houston. Gregerson, of course, wouldn’t comment on the specifics of Minnesota’s offer, but he did tell Berardino that the Twins came “pretty close” to Houston’s offer of $18.5MM over a three-year term. The tipping point for Gregerson, it would seem, may have been Houston’s willingness to let him serve as the team’s closer, which he said made their offer “hard to pass up.” Said Gregerson: “I think if the situation was a little different, I think it would have definitely been able to work out. I’m happy where I ended up.”
Why exactly is Ryan Braun considered a fit for the Red Sox? Offense isn’t the issue. They’re in the top 5 or 10 of most offense categories. The issue is the starting pitching. And frankly the Red Sox shouldn’t take on major salary unless it does address pitching.
I’m with Purple, I see no need for Braun on the Sox. Boston needs another starter to maintain their present pace over 162 games. I agree Holt should be returned to a utility role, with no offence intended to Holt, but acquiring Braun is not the approach to accomplish same. Lastly, I just don’t like Braun, his attempt to escape his steroid abuse was plain pitiful.
Why the Red Sox? Because writers always speculate about them adding talent. And the Nationals, as well. Of course you are correct, Purple.
Agreed. Paying Braun 20mm AAV from 2017 to eternity is a waste of resources, they have no use for another OF, or a DH. Figure by 2017 Ramirez can slide to DH and Sam Travis move to 1b. Benny hopefully will be ready, maybe Moncada will be moved to the OF/1b by then and he’ll even be ready.
Guessing possibly another SP is what they will be needing short ter until either Espinoza/Kopech/Lakins is ready.
Good ol Sam Travis
With Benintendi coming, I can’t see Boston making a move for an OF. He’s going to move very quickly through the system, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in Boston this year.
What about the Cubs? Lost Schwarber and Soler is not producing. I would personally move KB to left and JavyB play everyday at 3B
because his contract..
he’s signed through at least 2020 at about 20 million per season
given that Schwarber’s only out for the season, and Szczur only out for less than the next two weeks, they’ve also got Almora hitting well in AAA. the Cubs don’t need another long-term, big money deal for a position where they already have plenty of options anyway
plus when you factor in the inherent ‘interdivision premium’ that teams inevitably have to pay in these kind of deal…. yeah, giving up prospects just to take on a guy they don’t really even need for this year but would be stuck with for 4 doesn’t make a lick of sense.
Well said Petrie
I could see the Dodgers going after him if they can move Crawford
Dodgers can’t move Crawford. He’s a sunk cost and may as well just be released. He has very little value.
Rosenthal said that the angels were the perfect fit for Braun
The actual “perfect fit” for the Angels would be a LF who hit from the left side and doesn’t push the team deeper into the luxury tax.waters. There is also the small matter of the what exactly that Angels could offer the Brewers in the way of acceptable compensation.
And I wonder if the news about their 2 top starting pitchers makes the Angels an even less likely fit… They might not be in contention around the deadline. Time will tell.
If they would take Pablo, Allen Craig and prospects for Braun I’d listen
Boston fans always looking to dump their garbage. They would never take those guys that would cost them more that suck. Dodgers took your garbage once and others watched.
He was joking.
Not a chance he was joking. Soxfan1. They pulled a pretty good one on Dodgers, nothing would surprise me with trades anymore
You’d better get your sarcasm detector fixed
The Brewers will not trade Braun this season. Whether it’s worth it or not, the asking price will be way above and beyond what a team will want to give up, and no team would willingly pick up that contract
There would be teams lining up to take Braun at the price he is being paid.
I know everyone wants to say “no” to a Braun trade at this point, but you have to imagine that teams would be pretty interested if he continues producing at this rate and stays healthy. I could also see a scenario in which the Brewers would eat some salary off his contract in order to gain more prospect value in return keeping in mind that they are not in contention this year or next year. If the crew ate $40MM off his contract in a trade this season, I would guess a handful of teams that would have interest.
Figuring that a team currently on his no trade list is included, picking up his option would probably be required; Braun at $12M a year would be a steal even if the back end is somewhat cumbersome.
Agree with that. I enjoy watching him play, but if the Brewers are really going to ask for something significant in return, might as well eat some of that salary to make him more appealing. Although, I’m no GM and nobody asked my opinion on it 🙂
Either Ryan Braun or Carlos Gonzalez would be ideal fits for the White Sox, professional hitters who would bolster the middle of their batting order in 2016 and beyond. Of course, the cost might be prohibitive in terms of return assets and remaining contractual obligations.
Gonzales might be more attractive due to his left-handed bat, along with fewer years and dollars remaining on his contract. His more “affordable” deal might also cost the White Sox a greater return in assets going back to the Rockies. There is also the small matter of Colorado being potential contenders in N.L. West as the trade deadline approaches, primarily due to under-performing teams in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Arizona. “Cargo” also comes with more concerns regarding home/road platoon splits as well as his production versus left-handed pitching.
Braun figures to more attainable with the Brewers well out of contention both in the short and long term in a more competitive N.L. Central. His cost in return talent going back to Milwaukee might be less due to his larger remaining contract commitment, something that might be prohibitive to a White Sox team that still has trouble drawing despite possessing the best record in the American League. Braun also has a limited no-trade clause that does not include the White Sox as a preferred destination.
Aside from bolstering a still anemic offense, both Gonzales and Braun would fit well into the White Sox OF/DH rotation. Both could play either corner and might allow the switch-hitting Melky Cabrera to become the primary DH. Manager Robin Ventura would also have the increased flexibility to rotate either “Cargo” or Braun with Cabrera between LF and DH while also using Austin Jackson more as a platoon option in CF with his below average offense. Adam Eaton could start more games in CF versus right-handed pitching with Jackson becoming the regular against southpaws and a late game defensive replacement otherwise. Eaton would be continue to be in the lineup most every day, either in RF or CF.
Adding either Gonzales or Braun would leave a still 24-year old but under-achieving Avisail Garcia without a role on the White Sox. Because of his potential ability and age, he might also be a logical asset going back to either the Rockies or Brewers as part of a trade package that would also figure to include pitching, something the White Sox do have some depth at in their otherwise lacking farm system. Like ‘Cargo” and Braun, Garcia is also a corner outfielder and could serve as an immediate replacement for either player. A change of scenery might be just what Garcia needs at this point of his young career. He would also figure to get regular AB’s with either the Rockies or Brewers. Playing half his games in Coors Field could be intriguing with Garcia’s still untapped hitting potential. Running around in their vast outfield might also keep Garcia in better playing shape than what he’s managed thus far in Chicago, especially being their primary DH in 2016. (lol)
Moving Eaton back to CF for any extended period of time would be a god awful move. So far this seasons, he’s pretty easily been the best defensive outfielder in ALL of baseball. In CF, he’s an average defender. The impact of Austin Jackson in this lineup goes FAR beyond his offensive numbers.
If Jackson’s bat doesn’t heat up at some point this year, I would still only give Eaton 1-2 games a week in CF at most – it’s just not worth it. Especially when your next best OF option is Avi.
Even if they added someone like Braun, they’d be much better off overall splitting his time between DH and LF. You don’t mess with something (like Eaton in RF) that has been working THAT well.
No doubt Adam Eaton has played a Gold glove caliber RF for the White Sox to begin the 2016 season. Ausitin Jackson has also supplied some decent defense in CF as well. Eaton struggled in CF last season but was a GG finalist as the White Sox regular CF as recently as 2014 so it’s not as if he couldn’t duplicate that feat again this season if necessary, at least in a part time role there on days when Jackson sat against tougher right-handed pitching.
I don’t believe that Jackson is an everyday MLB hitter. I am also of the opinion the White Sox are still an average offensive ball club at best and can’t afford to have replacement level production in CF, SS, C and DH. Adding an additional power hitter like “Cargo” or Braun would help the lineup immensely, especially at DH with the new arrival splitting time there or pushing current LF Melky Cabrera into that role on a regular basis. This still doesn’t address the offensive output from the other 3 positions, ones that don’t exactly have GG level players there either. If the White Sox were able to add some punch at one of those other three spots, like acquiring Braun’s teammate Jonathan Lucroy to catch, I could live with the defense that Jackson provides in CF and Jimmy Rollins supplies at SS.
Bottom line: Austin Jackson has proven in the past few seasons that he is a capable 4th OF on a playoff contending team. He no longer demonstrates an ability to be a starter for one. Unless the White Sox can seriously upgrade their offense elsewhere or Jackson suddenly blossoms into the player many he thought he would become years ago, the club is better off platooning him in CF with a left-handed hitter like Eaton. Jackson would also provide late game defense in CF when he didn’t start, with Eaton sliding back to RF, the position “Spanky” would play regularly otherwise.
This was also why I had preferred the White Sox signed switch-hitting CF Dexter Fowler last offseason, especially when his price dropped and after they whiffed on LF’s Yoenis Cespedes and Alex Gordon. Jackson was a decent final fallback option, as was Jimmy Rollins at SS, but neither appear to be more than replacement level producers anymore. Imo, the White Sox also missed a golden opportunity by letting Ian Desmond slide through their fingers when his price also dropped late in the offseason. Fowler and Desmond could have provided cheap, short term 2-4 WAR level production as regulars in CF and SS while also offering similarly good club house presences that both Jackson and Rollins provide. It might have cost the White Sox a late first round compensatory draft choice and their second round one as well but in my opinion it would have been well worth the price.
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I think everyone thinks Braun’s a good fit in Boston because he cheated and lied. Would be a lot of money for a bench player. Milwaukee will have to eat a good portion of salary to get anybody interested. Wasn’t Atlanta looking for some bad contracts for draft picks? If not Boston banish him to Atlanta, maybe they can eat salary then trade to contender for draft picks.
Unless I’ve been under a rock ( and that is possible) draft picks are not tradable in baseball.
Sorry they were looking for prospects for taking bad contracts. So on that note Replace draft picks with prospects in previous offering. It’s a double dip
Don’t follow MLB draft much other than who my team takes and top 10 after the fact. It’s not made into an event as the NFL and NBA make it into. I don’t see much of NHL draft either but do check who team gets, top 10, and read about players.