Justin's revised no-trade list

rico43

<B>Director of Minor League Reports</B>
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.
 
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.
 
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).
 
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.
 
Upton to Cubs doesn't make sense to me because they lack pitching and have a ton of hitting prospects. They can fit them all in. Soler LF, Alcantara CF, Bryant RF, Baez 3B, Russell SS, Castro 2B, and Rizzo 1B.
 
Yea I don't see the Cubs as a match. We would be looking for high upside pitching in a trade for Justin i'm sure. But Starlin Castro has been rumored to be available. Not saying for Justin but he would look good at 3B for us.
 
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