It's time to crack open the MLB mailbag! This week we get into a potential position change for Aaron Judge, possible Luis Robert Jr. trade packages, the AL Cy Young race, possible targets for the Reds, Pirates, and Royals, and much more.
Casey asks:
When Anthony Rizzo's contract runs out with the Yanks, do they move Judge to first? (He's tall enough to make a great stretch, should lower his injury risk and it makes room for Jasson Dominguez or Spencer Jones.)
The Yankees clearly won't be picking up Rizzo's club option for 2025, so he'll be a free agent after this season. Judge, meanwhile, is signed through 2031 yet will turn 33 in April of next year.
It's so hard to take a competent outfielder and move him down the defensive spectrum with seven years left on his large contract. On the other hand, that's similar to what the Phillies did with Bryce Harper, ending his time as an outfielder at age 30 with nine years left on his deal. I never really understood that decision or why the Phillies weren't questioned more on it. Here's what Harper said in February:
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@AFrenchBullDog
Well, if you can’t pay $2.49 per month or a total of $29.89 per year, then you probably have more pressing issues to deal with in your life than reading articles on the internet. I choose not to pay but instead, click on ads. This is a private website that can do as they please with their access. I appreciate that they do offer a lot of content for free and accept that in certain situations, I probably wont be able to see articles.
Sounds like it would be worth it. I think it is
“Would be worth it”…I tend to agree it’s worth the price. My main problem/issue is psychologically getting used to paying for things I’ve gotten for “free”(Advertising model)my entire life. At some point, I’ll get over that and almost certainly subscribe to this rather excellent baseball site.
mlb – It’s well worth it, trust me. Being able to read Tim and Steve on a regular basis is a treat.
Like you I have often been a holdover when it comes to change. I was among the last to subscribe to cable TV, among the last to pay for bottled water, and among the last to pay for air.
Just take the plunge and subscribe!
The ads are complete Dog s*it I guess they realized we were having too much fun. I don’t get notifications anymore any the layout for replies is complete ass
Yet you’re here, reading and commenting.
I choose to be subscribe because I find the price reasonable to support the digest of baseball happenings in one location. I’m also on the site alot, and I have too much stuff to click on ads for more stuff! But to each his own.
You’re a tigers fan why the hell should your opinion hold much merit. But anywho.
Their “ front office “ segment requires a paid subscription to read the entire article
Notice the words “ Front Office “ in bold red letters
I get embarrassed by Giants fans who make ridiculous trade offer suggestions looking for agreement.
Luis Robert Jr had MVP votes last year. He’s only 26. No team is going to take SFG’s depth players AND Soler for a guy like that.
With the emergence of Ramos acquiring Robert is less of a need. Wade Jr is coming back soon. Other Giants bats need to heat up. And once Luciano figures out how to play defense his bat will play.
“Embarrassed by Giants fans”…Not to rip on the Giants, but I don’t even see any position players on their Major League team I’d be interested in, let alone their minor Leaguers. I’d be surprised if the Giants had any prospects worthy of a Luis Robert. The Giants best chance at that type player, is to draft and develop better.
The Giants just gave Lee over 100 million dollars to play center. Robert doesn’t make any sense for them.
“Lee over 100 million..doesn’t make any sense”…Excellent point. I’d forgotten that actually.
Absolutely nothing wrong with having two true centerfielders in your outfield, especially in Left Field when you play half your games in San Francisco.
Ramos plays center or at least he can. I just think there are other teams that make more sense for Robert.
Luis Robert
Garret Crochet
Cash
For
Jordan Walker
Victor Scott
Tommy Edman
Steven Matz
Cesar Prieto
Jordan Graceffo
I like this deal for the Cardinals because it would slightly increase their chances in 2024 but the trade is more for the next few years. Robert is a dynamic bat and Crochet hopefully a number 2 starter.
For the White Sox they get Walker who was once the number 1 overall prospect in baseball. They get Scott for center with Edman holding it down until Scott is ready. Matz is a bounce back candidate. Prieto can either be a utility guy or a full time 2b to replace Lopez. Graceffo is a potential long term rotation piece.
So you’re saying the Cardinals dump some underperforming personnel to get two top tier guys and salary relief?
Walker is a talented guy. Scott also talented guy both were rushed to the bigs and need the step back they are now getting. Matz and Edman are bounce back candidates and the Cardinals would pay some of their salary that’s what the cash in the proposal is for.
Robert is coming off a serious injury. Crochet is going to be on an innings limit and is only under control through 2026. That’s a lot to give up for those guys.
Two All stars for your garbage . Not a chance!!
@Black
1) The Cardinals are likely to be sellers not buyers.
2) The White Sox would be dumb to package Robert Jr and Crochet together. (It is the White Sox, though)
3) It will take Hence plus more just to get Crochet (You’re paying for the 2 years he has left). Then the same or even more for Robert Jr
4) Matz is not a bounce back candidate. The Cardinals are stuck with him and his contract.
I don’t think the Cardinals will sell. They really don’t have much to sell even if they want to sell.
Walker was the number one prospect in all of baseball back in April of last year. He’s a valuable player.
Hence is simply not available. Cardinals need pitching with upside they won’t trade Hence.
Like I said twice already the Cardinals would pay half the salary of Matz and Edman. For that kind of money they are bounce back candidates that could be dealt at next year’s deadline. Or in Edmans case they could move him to shortstop and sign him long term.
I would check the values on trade simulator but someone told them it was a good idea to start charging money for access to the site so that’s not gonna work. Pretty sure it would say this deal is fair. I saw a video on YouTube that had Robert’s current value his is 35 million or so can’t remember what Crochets was. Walker’s was 55 early this season but obviously it’s decreased since then.
I wasn’t that keen on Walker last year, and he hasn’t done anything to improve his standing. He’s a little bit of the Adell thing going on. Decent power, but not great. Some contact issues, and no position.
He certainly hasn’t done anything in 2024 besides play poorly. But the bat is legit he can hit the team was messing with his swing but he can hit. And he could be a good right fielder eventually but he definitely wasn’t last year. Between Septemeber of last year and this year his defense is a heck of a lot better. The tools are there but he needs experience. The team rushed him up to the majors when they shouldn’t have. Long term he’s a good player.
@Black
I’m an Arizona fan, so take or leave my opinion, but if my team had Crochet and Robert and was looking to package them to STL, the offer would have to start with Hence, Winn, and Walker with additional pieces. And if you want me to take expensive players like Matz (even at half price…), you have to include someone of current value I can also pay (or flip) like Goldy or Gray.
STL just doesn’t have the need and excess value to make a deal like this work. I’m skeptical they even have the ability to obtain either of those players this year.
Why do people think Crochet is super valuable? He’s not going to help a contender for a postseason run in 2024. And Robert while very talented has a pretty nasty injury history.
Hence, Winn and Walker????? That’s complete nonsense. And then include Gray??????
Crochet and Robert aren’t that valuable. Wait and see. They will probably be dealt so wait and see. Crochet could be dealt after the season it won’t change his value much because he really isn’t going to help anyone in 2024.
If they weren’t super valuable you wouldn’t want your team to trade for them…
Robert is an MVP candidate *when healthy* on an extremely reasonable team-favored contract. He’s going to be worth a minimum of 2-3 Top 100ish players on his own.
Crochet is a finally healthy guy having a huge breakout. He will net at least one Top 100 prospect on his own, if not two.
Robert is far more valuable than Crochet, but my point was more: STL doesn’t have the extra pieces to justify the cost of someone with even Crochet’s value right now. They are at best the 2024 version of the 2023 Miami Marlins. What they should be doing is preparing for a minor rebuild and restructuring their development pipeline that has faltered in the last decade.
To say nothing of how overpriced it would be to convince Chicago to package their two best trade chips into one deal rather than maximize value by trading them separately.
I am open minded. I actually want the Cardinals to sell and trade away Helsley but I don’t think they will do it.
Robert is owed 55 million from 2025 through 2027. That’s team friendly but it’s not crazy valuable. Trade simulator has him st 35 million surplus value I think that’s about right.
Crochet is having a break out of course but he only has 2 years of control left and won’t really be able to help a contender in 2024. That limits his value.
We will see what happens. The Cardinals do have pieces to trade if they wanted to but that doesn’t mean they will or should trade them. One big problem with the Cardinals lately is they aren’t develop9ng their young players properly. I hope they fix this but if they don’t then they might as well trade their prospects to someone who will
You keep saying Crochet can’t help a contender and I don’t understand why? He’s an improvement to almost any team.
As for your trade sim… I assume you mean BTV. Personally, I don’t trust that site at all. They claim to be the most realistic one, but often need to add context when a trade gets announced because their system didn’t approve it. My mistrust is increased now that it’s behind a paywall; now they can pretend it says whatever they want and far fewer people can challenge them. But to each their own – like I said initially, take my opinion or leave it.
He’s going to be on an innings limit dude. He can help for some of the regular season but this isn’t a guy who will be pitching deep into October it’s not happening.
I saw a YouTube video the other day with Robertd value that’s why I know what it is. 35 million seems about right that values Robert at 90 million from 2025 through 2027 which again seems about right to me. If you have a better site let me know.
I don’t have a better site. $90M feels like the most conservative value to me.
Innings Limit yes, but the way a team uses that is different. Any number of contenders can afford to skip every other of his starts to make him last. Or immediately make him a bulk reliever for 2024 and starter again in 2025. His value is high. Especially given salary and the way arbitration hurts all players excepts the biggest stars.
How is 90 million conservative? Robert has had 1 good season. All other years 30 million a year would be a big overpay. He has upside but there is very real risk.
Crochet even more risky. If he’s a reliever for the rest of 2024 that’s not very exciting. Maybe Crochet is one of the best starters in baseball moving forward but he’s incredibly risky.
Guess it’s a good thing Robert is *only* making $20M at most each season then…
Every playoff race there is one team that shows just how important a solid bullpen is to competing for a ring. My Diamondbacks just did it last October. It’s very exciting. I hope your Cardinals get to experience it again sometime soon.
If you need pen help there are far cheaper ways to get it than Crochet. Tanner Scott is 100% available and won’t cost much at all to acquire.
Cardinals are looking good. I have experienced quite a bit in my lifetime.
Nope, not close imo. For either guy, you probably need multiple top-75 to top-100 guys. Walker’s value is diminished by being just an okay bat with no position. And Edman and Matz have no value to a rebuilding team.
Edman and Matz would be bounce back candidates and the cardinals would pay roughly half their salary. That has value.
Walker will hit. Defensively he’s got issues but he will hit. He’s young he was rushed to the big leagues he needs time to develop.
Walker’s value is diminished by having no position due to his being one of the worst “defenders” in the entire MLB pantheon.
In unrelated news, last night Bobby Dalbec cracked Boston’s all-time whiffs list, reaching #50. And he rarely plays. Way to go, Bob.
In other news, 7 of the 16 called strikes for the Yankees pitchers were out of the strike zone. And they still lost. Can you imagine if the dumpires actually called their pitches correctly? They’d be in last place. But hey, it’s not fixed or anything.
Life could be worse. Angel Hernandez could end up being an NBA ref.
hayzee – Are you seriously trying to say the umpires don’t make bad calls against other teams? I mean I know you like to play the contrarian quite often but that’s ridiculous!
Literally 10 minutes ago the Red Sox were handed 4 runs because of a horrendous non-strike call on Duran. You gonna tell me the umps are trying to help the Sox win too? Come on now.
The umps are uniformly screwing/ helping everyone with some of the most God awful calls I’ve ever seen. They’re an embarrassment to the game.
I’m not paying for articles where the writer can’t use proper punctuation and syntax. “Meanwhile” is a conjunctive adverb and it has start the sentence. It can’t come in the middle between commas.