Here’s the latest from around the National League…
- In an interview with Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link), Brewers GM David Stearns said that his team will continue to listen to other teams about Ryan Braun. This doesn’t represent much of a change from Milwaukee’s pre-deadline stance, as the team wasn’t shopping their slugger though several teams were checking in on his availability. Even if the Brewers did want to actively move Braun, his 23-team no-trade clause is a major obstacle, especially given that Braun may have a particular desire to stay put since his family is expecting a new baby.
- The process behind the Diamondbacks’ already-infamous trade for Shelby Miller is recapped by Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, as the Snakes were intent on adding another top-caliber arm to pair with Zack Greinke last offseason. Names such as the Marlins’ Jose Fernandez and the Indians’ Danny Salazar were discussed but GM Dave Stewart said those clubs were asking for more than the D’Backs eventually gave up to land Miller from the Braves; both teams wanted A.J. Pollock and Miami also wanted Patrick Corbin. Once the Braves moved off Pollock themselves and the D’Backs made it clear that pretty much anyone else (including first overall pick Dansby Swanson) could be had, the trade came together quickly.
- The value of Fernando Rodney’s 2017 team option has risen to $3.5MM due to Rodney reaching various incentive clauses for game played and games finished, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Rodney’s appearance on Sunday was his 53rd of the season, so he is well on pace to earn another $500K bonus for hitting the 60-game plateau. Today was also his 35th game finished, and Rodney will also earn another $500K if he finishes 40 games and then $500K more for every five finishes thereafter. Though he got a save today, Rodney will likely return to his role as setup man for the Marlins now that A.J. Ramos is back off the DL. Jackson isn’t sure if the Fish will exercise Rodney’s option or buy him out for $400K.
Btw thanks Dave Stewart
Braves fans everywhere
Dodger fans as well !!
What might a Braves proposal including a then-healthy A.J. Pollock have looked like?
Fernandez, Sale etc.
No matter what production has or will happened from the players involved, what will always make this a bad deal is the value Arizona gave up compared to what value they received in return. We live in an age where actual value (quality major leaguers,at worst) is far and way outweighed by perceived value (prospects). Sure, the Diamondbacks could’ve looked at it and said: We doubt Blair has what it takes to be a major league starter, Ender had a good year for us, but he’s not someone who’s going to make a HUGE impact on a team, and Dansby is going to be a very good shortstop for a long time, but he was the first pick in a week draft and not some franchise changing talent. However, at the time the value of Blair was that of a top 50ish prospect in baseball (I think just outside the Pipeline’s top 50 though), a young center fielder coming off a good year with the bat and a great glove, and the top overall pick in the previous draft who plays the 2nd most important position on the field. Personally speaking between the two parallels, I think the truth with ultimately end up somewhere in the middle, but no matter what they may ever admit, Arizona would take a do-over on this deal if it presented itself to them.
Had the team foreseen Pollock’s injury, there would have been no deal. Swanson and Blair were not going to contribute in any meaningful way in what was thought to be a contention window.
It was certainly a bad deal, but mostly because Miller has proven what most people thought: That he is nowhere near a top of the rotation level pitcher. However, IF you can imagine a scenario where he DID show that kind of ability, it’s not that bad anymore.
Inciarte is a 4th OF at best. Blair looks awful right now (but could always right himself of course). And I may be the only one who thinks this, but I don’t see much in Swanson. Decent SS. Maybe league average.
Are you serious or trolling?
Yes tony, all 29 teams thought it was a dumb move at the time
Well, 28 teams did. The Braves thought it was a brilliant move.
It just shows how delusional the front office was and still is. They still don’t get that while other teams liked Miller too EVERYONE thought it was an extremely lopsided trade. The people that he knows personally were just trying to be nice. Like when your friend gets a horrible haircut you say, “well you did need a haircut.”
What’s amazing is no one swung in and said “you can have my x-player if you trade me that trio of prospects.”
That’s the absolutely insanity of this trade, and I guess the Donaldson one too: I’m going to guess that if Stewart came out and said those 3 were available, or if Beane told the league Donaldson was available, then in both cases vastly superior returns could have been had. Just insulating and infuriating to be a Snakes or A’s fans in both cases.
So the Marlins were asking for Pollock, Corbin, Swanson, Inciarte, and Blair for Fernandez? As much as I don’t want to give the D-Bags credit for anything, at least they somewhat mitigated their disaster because that trade would have been a Herschel Walker trade that would have set them back for 5 years. The Miller trade was bad, but it only sets them back a year or two at the most.
That’s a bad trade, but Fernandez is about 100x a better pitcher than Miller ever will be.
“Tony La Russa, the Diamondbacks’ chief baseball officer, tells Piecoro that the criticism directed towards the Miller deal wasn’t unanimous at the time.”
Tony’s drinking again, not one person affiliated with any team or analyst did anything less than completely pan this trade. Tony forgot everything is online now.
The Braves probably didn’t have much criticism, so technically it wasn’t unanimous…
Put a sock it in dude. “IF” and that’s a BIG “IF” Shelby is close to 2015 Shelby
Pollock is Pollock, there would be little said about the trade. Luckily for the hindsight experts it ALL went bad for the D’backs. Congrats!
I don’t get all the speculation over Braun. What motivation do the Brewers have to move him? He’s still one of the premier hitters in the game. Yes he has a big long term contract but it’s not enormous for a player of his ability. $80 million is guaranteed over next 4 seasons.is a lot but in this era? Besides, other than Braun’s contract and Garza’s who’s will run out after 2017, the Brewers have no other big money on the books. The payroll has already been trimmed greatly. Brewers farm system has already been replenished to the point where they have one of the best in the game. Braun is still likely to be a contributor for the next 2-3 seasons at least, when this team could be contending. They’ve had several players emerge this year that figure to be part of the initial stages of the Brewers resurgence.
Stearns is listening, but he’ll need to be blown away to deal Braun. That means if you offer a few B level prospects or expect the Brewers to pick up salary, forget it.
Well I think all you said is why he is so good to be moved, still a premiere hitter and relatively cheap by Stanton and Pujols (Current), Trout and Harper (future contracts) standards. The return should be great. Look what they got for Lucroy and Jeffress.
I agree those are all reasons TO move him. Also the brewers are kind of in full rebuild mode if you haven’t noticed. Why keep one guy that could never see his value this high again? He’s not going to miss any less games than he has this year (which is a pretty decent amount) in the coming years.
Definitely agree that LaRussa has been drinking again. No one except for Barves Nation liked that trade, and rightfully so.
But there are some facts about the D-backs that need to be considered, too:
No one could have predicted that Shelby Miller would be so bad that he’d be headlining the Reno Ace’s rotation by July. Those who know baseball understand that Miller wasn’t going to be a co-ace to Greinke, but we didn’t think he’s be the worst starter in baseball, either. Indeed, it was reasonable to assume that he’d again be the 3-3.5-win player that he was with Barves, but the cost to get him was still deemed a gross overpay. The only way that deal doesn’t get viewed as an overpay is if Miller pitched like a deGrom or a Fernandez.
Even with a healthy Pollack and a non-disappointing Miller, the Diamondbacks weren’t going to contend for anything more than the second wild card. Everyone also knew that Grienke wouldn’t come close to duplicating 2015 either, nor did we expect the dreadful start he got off to, but at least he’s begun to normalize. The fact is, this team was no better than a safe bet for 3rd place in the NL West, as they simply had too many holes and no depth to cover significant injuries, which inevitability did happen. And nowhere did this lack of depth manifest itself more than defensively, where the Diamondbacks are among the worst teams in the league.
Bottom line is that this team was never destined to be as good this year as some of the pundits (and fans) were claiming in March. Of course, no one expected them to be this bad, either.