Justin's revised no-trade list

[rico43]

MLBTR reporting that Justin Upton has revised his no-trade list. His contract allows him to post four team to whom he can block a deal, and those teams are The Blue Jays, Brewers, Cubs and Indians, FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi reports (via Twitter). Upton’s contract allows him to block deals to four teams per year, and since his deal is up after the 2015 season, there have been whispers that Atlanta could explore trading Upton this winter. One team notable by its absence on this year’s list is the Mariners; when Upton was with the Diamondbacks, he vetoed a deal that would’ve sent him to Seattle in January 2013.

[MadduxFanII]

Justin's not much for the Midwest or Canada, I take it.

[50PoundHead]

Justin's not much for the Midwest or Canada, I take it.

Hard to believe with the improved exchange rate.

He'd probably hit 90 HRs at Wrigley. Wonder why he'd prefer the Southside to the Northside.

[MadduxFanII]

He'd probably hit 90 HRs at Wrigley. Wonder why he'd prefer the Southside to the Northside.

Might be a strategic thing- his agent figures the Cubs are more likely to make a trade than the White Sox.

Of course, the other element here is financial. The Brewers and Indians are already solid teams, and the Cubs are about to transition to the part of the play where they try to win games. I can't imagine Justin would truly hate to play for any of those. He and his agent might anticipate a deal (or at least the possibility of a deal) with those clubs. Placing them on his no-trade list means he can demand a contract extension in exchange for accepting the trade.

[Hawk]

I agree with the suggestion that Justin's revised list is more financially motivated than any sort of real indicator of teams he doesn't have a desire to play for. That being said, while I can definitely see the Cubs being willing to pay a lucrative 'relocation' bonus -- or however the language is worded -- to get Upton to waive his no-trade, and likely following that up with a generous extension offer, I don't see the Brewers/Indians/Blue Jays having that kind of flex (especially once the steep price of acquiring him to begin with is factored in).

[50PoundHead]

I think J. Upton to the Cubs (if indeed we decide to move him) makes too much sense. Hence, it probably wouldn't happen. I doubt Epstein and company would do it without a signed extension, but they've got the prospects who, along with someone like Valbuena, could comprise a decent deal.