In advance of Monday’s Winter Meetings kickoff, let’s take a moment for a few anticipatory notes…
- The Rays, as Juan Toribio of MLB.com rightly notes, will head into San Diego’s Manchester Hyatt hotel with a laundry list of roster items in need of attention. GM Erik Neander may be looking for a backup catcher, while the offense was already in need of a boost before the departure of Tommy Pham. But Toribio notes that trading from the club’s ample middle infield depth might be the most obvious course of action for the trade-happy Rays. The reporter (smartly) doesn’t mention the likely untouchable Wander Franco in his piece but suggests that Vidal Brujan and Lucius Fox would be “attractive” to other teams. Brujan, this observer notes, is ranked as the 15th-overall prospect in the game by Fangraphs but may be hard-pressed to find an MLB role in a system featuring Brandon Lowe, Willy Adames, Michael Brosseau, Daniel Robertson, Franco, and (now) Xavier Edwards. Still, a Brujan trade can hardly be called a likely outcome–while this winter has provided us with a refreshing amount of activity on the trade and free agent fronts, Edwards’ trade to the Rays marked the first time a “consensus” top-100 prospect has changed hands this offseason.
- Speaking of increased activity, front offices had committed $449MM in new contracts and extensions heading into the Winter Meetings at this time last year; as of Sunday morning, $609MM in new-money guarantees have been made so far this offseason, as notes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com (link). As a site that specializes in transactional news, we’d like to thank MLB front offices for their willingness to get Christmas shopping done early. Secondly, it’s worth noting that there are still a number of top players who could make headlines with new deals this week, as notes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. Stephen Strasburg, Madison Bumgarner, Anthony Rendon, and Josh Donaldson are all still in need of homes, while Gerrit Cole reportedly has the Yankees frothing at the mouth. With increased early movement and a deep market of available players, this could be a red-letter week in San Diego.
How about something built around Wander Franco for Christian Yelich. Yelich has three years of control left, Milwaukee lost a lot of talent this offseason already, Tampa could/would have to send other good pieces so could really set Milwaukee up well for next several years.
Or they could just keep Wander Franco and his superstar-level potential, since he’s cheaper for a cost-controlling franchise, and he has much more control then Yelich, who would never end up resigning with the Rays in three years.
They wouldn’t want to re-sign him in three years; they would want him in his late 20s when he is a perennial MVP candidate, not on some deal that takes him into his late 30s.
The superstar potential of 2012’s top four prospects (Jurickson Profar, Dylan Bundy, Wil Myers, and Taijuan Walker) says hello to the man who won’t trade for an MVP runner up locked up long-term to a cheap deal.
Don’t forget Oscar Tavares in that 2012 prospect list. He was #2 behind Profar. Granted he passed away, but all that shows is that nothing is guaranteed when it comes to prospects. Anything can happen. For every 1 that makes it, there are 10 that have various stories of why they didn’t.
I truly think Stearns considers all players tradable, however one would have to think even he would want the moon and stars to trade Yelich in his prime. The combination of talent, production, remaining control, and low dollar commitment make this an almost impossible trade. But a team like the Brewers has to be open to the potential influx of talent.
LOL. The Rays aren’t trading Franco.
I think if they can get some SP help for brujan they ought to look into it. I was thinking this might be the plan after acquiring X. They are gonna have a tough time giving out playing time to X and Brujan with Franco and Lowe in the picture
Pitching isn’t really a need for the Rays though. They led the AL in ERA last year with everyone returning (even if ERA isn’t the best pitching metric, it still supports the proposition that the Rays don’t really need pitching).
Rays trade: Brujan, Perez, Robertson
Cubs trade: Contreras, Happ
Seems a little light so I’ll throw in Padlo as well
LOL. That trade ain’t happening either. Contreras is no Realmuto and Happ is really not much of an improvement on what the Rays already have.
It would be interesting to see what kind of package Brujan or Fox would be included in as Tampa doesn’t often trade their higher end prospects. And both have been mentioned in trades the past year and a half. Though to be a bit bit picky
The Rays again have me keenly interested whith rumors surrounding Contreas or Merrifield for some of our prospects. I also hear they were close to signing Hendricks the other day as well. Very sad about Pham but it’s early in offseason trades.
Snell was angry that Pham was traded due to the “swag” he brought to the team. Then again, Snell isn’t the brightest guy in baseball. His high level of baseball talent is about the opposite of his low level of intelligence.
I’m glad you’re crystal ball is working old man.
What exactly stirred up your dislike for his intelligence? Just curious. Hadn’t heard that before.
You hadn’t heard it before because the only one lacking intelligence is the person who made the post.
Wasn’t Urias a consensus top 100 prospect?
249 plate appearances will take him off every year-end prospect list.
San Diego gots a back up for you
Having re-signed Zunino, I doubt TB has any interest in Contreras, unless the Z-man goes back to Chicago.
And please, enough of this “glut” of middle IFs the Rays have; Rays fans always are worried about “gluts”; you would think they’ve won 4 WS in a row. BLowe can’t play 2B on a championship level, Fox can’t hit his way out of a paper bag, Brousseau’s a great story but a dubious MLBer, Robertson’s a great kid whose skill set screams utility. Brujan is really a CF (as is first draft pick Jones), Franco maxes his set as a 3B.
Neander knows all this, which led to the Xavier Edwards acquisition; besides the obvious salary dump, Edwards was the real key of the SD trade; a legit middle IFer with very possible offensive impact on top of the order. Renfroe? Without the super ball, a whole lot of “meh”, with under appreciated defense value; a slightly better version of Kevin Pillar….maybe.
Merrifield?. Now that’s one that SCREAMS Rays. I’m not sure I’d include Brujan, but a couple of those 3rd/ maybe 2nd starters the Rays have would work I would think. Maybe add in the aforementioned 1st draft choice Jones, with, say, Ryan and McClanahan. Whit’s got probable decreasing skills, but he would really fit that lineup over the next couple of years, anyway.
So basically you’re saying since they resigned a top of the line defensive catcher to a team friendly deal just in case nothing else arises this offseason that means they have no interest in a top 5 catcher in MLB? Lmao another genius Bob take. You’re saying Zunino blocks Contreras lmao that’s about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. You think you’re a scout and just dog every single prospect the Rays have its endless with the oh they suck oh they can’t hit or can’t field I’m not sure how you’re smarter than any other scout of executive giving the Rays the 2nd best farm in baseball. You have the worst takes
Yea that was what he was saying. Lol
No one who actually watches baseball would comp Pillar and Renfroe. Franco is a SS not a 3B. Dubious takes here…
The article is on MLB Baseball News and Rumors about Contreras yesterday. They briefly mention Michael Perez with Ryan and another pitcher in return.
I’ll say it for the 17th time.
Merrifield isn’t going anywhere! Once the KC brass falls in love it’s forever…..
I’m curious as to what they’ll do with Adames, who’s a good young regular but not in the same class as Franco.
I don’t think GMs, especially those who reach the playoffs once every 5 years or so, stay up nights worrying about having too many good players.
Unless they over promote wunder Wander, something the Rays almost never do, Adames will be arb-eligible by the time Franco gets to Tampa. I think you know how that will end.
Because of the cost factor, there’s no universe where the earth revolves around the sun where Zunino and Contreras are on the Rays roster next spring; hard stop. 1/8 of your payroll to a catcher and his backup….ya. Now we can put on our funny hats, get into our small cars, and drive to the circus.
It’s going to take a lot to get Contreras. Theo may not be the shrewdest guy signing Free Agents (many of which are ownership-driven anyway), but he generally makes good trades.
Perez (under-appreciated), Ryan (short, “crafty” RHs aren’t exactly highly valued) and Chirinos maybe? Dunno, but it’s going to take a lot.
No way they’re on the same roster and nobody said they would be but zunino will be very easy to trade and getting a backup is easy
Jeez… Contreras is not the player you think he is. He doesn’t come close to the return Realmuto nabbed last year.
Rays fan here ,Got a trade I the is fair. Yonnny,Vidal and Rolando Hernandez for Contreras.cubs get. A #3 starter 2nd baseman of future and Very good catcher prospect. Rays get stud bat for next two years at reasonable coast
No way rays give up Hernandez for Contreras
You’re over-valuing Contreras by a ton. No way that trade gets made. Also no way the Rays trade Hernandez for 2 years of any catcher, let alone a defensive liability like Contreras. I could see them adding Contreras though. Maybe Yonny and Fox get it done.
They should trade for Lindor. He won’t resign and is extremely expensive by their standards but he’s their type of player. An elite ss defensively with hit and speed is great he also has power. Tb has a 40 man glut every year so why not consolidate. The Indians need to retool while saving money. Rays send addames, KK, Yarborough, and Castillo/lower pitcher Indians send Lindor.
That’s not a bad proposal at all. The Rays are likely in heat to move KK’s onerous contract, and that balances the books a bit. Moreover, a move like that might actually begin to build a fanbase in Tampa, something they failed to do the last cycle when they were good. The Tribe can use those guys constructively.
So the Rays replace one of their best players with 5 years of control for a slightly better player with 1 year of control (that they could possibly pay), while also creating a hole at CF and weakening their reliever corp by 2 guys. I just don’t see that happening.