Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

tululush said:
Some random person posted this on Twitter so it’s 99% false, but on the 1% chance it’s real, what does everyone think?

“I have no idea if it’s reputable and I’m not going to provide a name, but a #Braves friend of mine said Indians are asking for Langeliers, Waters, Riley, and De La Cruz for Ramirez.”
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That's the exact trade package discussed here:

https://www.sportstalkatl.com/braves-a-trade-proposal-for-landing-jose-ramirez/

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's BS.
 
Carp said:
That's the exact trade package discussed here:

https://www.sportstalkatl.com/braves-a-trade-proposal-for-landing-jose-ramirez/

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's BS.
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I don't put much stock in the article. It says Cleveland would receive RHP Joel De La Cruz from the Braves. Problem is that De La Cruz last pitched in the Braves' system in 2017. I'm pretty sure that the De La Cruz in question is Jasseel, but the article makes it clear that Joel could contribute in the Indians' bullpen. Now I could be wrong, but who writes this sh*t and expects to be taken seriously?
 
If the Braves can manage to obtain Ramirez without giving up Pache or Anderson, I'd be extremely surprised. I suppose if they value Riley enough, a package centered around Waters, Riley, and Wright could work.
 
ixiXSolidXixi said:
If the Braves are talking with the Indians they probably don’t want to include Drew Waters and probably thats what is holding any trade.
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If we don’t want to include Drew Waters then I don’t see how the deal happens. Heck, I’d be willing to bet Cleveland wants Pache, not Waters. A trade for JRam starts with Pache, not Waters, unfortunately.

Cleveland: We want Pache+
AA: We’re not giving up Waters. How about Ender?
Cleveland: Huh? We said we want Pache.
AA: Listen, the best I can do is Ender. I’ll even eat his salary, but I’m going to need you to pick up half of JRam’s remaining salary. Waters is off limits.
Cleveland: Call us back when Pache is available.
 
tululush said:
If we don’t want to include Drew Waters then I don’t see how the deal happens. Heck, I’d be willing to bet Cleveland wants Pache, not Waters. A trade for JRam starts with Pache, not Waters, unfortunately.

Cleveland: We want Pache+
AA: We’re not giving up Waters. How about Ender?
Cleveland: Huh? We said we want Pache.
AA: Listen, the best I can do is Ender. I’ll even eat his salary, but I’m going to need you to pick up half of JRam’s remaining salary. Waters is off limits.
Cleveland: Call us back when Pache is available.
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Lol
 
tululush said:
Some random person posted this on Twitter so it’s 99% false, but on the 1% chance it’s real, what does everyone think?

“I have no idea if it’s reputable and I’m not going to provide a name, but a #Braves friend of mine said Indians are asking for Langeliers, Waters, Riley, and De La Cruz for Ramirez.”
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It seems a bit light, but it fits the pattern the Indians have followed in their returns for Lindor and Clevenger. Lots of controllable talent that is either MLB ready or close to it. I would expect them to ask for more pitching than that though. JDLC isn’t moving the needle in a trade like that, so think more along the lines of Wright or Touki.

I do agree that the only way a Ramirez trade makes sense is if the Indians overvalue both Riley and Waters.
 
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Enscheff said:
Ignorant statement as usual from him
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wait, you're still here? i thought i'd heard the braves had signed you by now. keep working it sparky, which i see you are. you'll get there eventually with your imaginary GM role! we're pulling for you. 20000 posts! you are definitely on the short list for the next GM! keep going!
 
Enscheff said:
It seems a bit light, but it fits the pattern the Indians have followed in their returns for Lindor and Clevenger. Lots of controllable talent that is either MLB ready or close to it. I would expect them to ask for more pitching than that though. JDLC isn’t moving the needle in a trade like that, so think more along the lines of Wright or Touki.

I do agree that the only way a Ramirez trade makes sense is if the Indians overvalue both Riley and Waters.
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The question I'd have is more quantity or quality?

I'd have no problem sweetening it to Touki rather than De La Cruz since I've all but given up on Touki as a SP - if that does it. I think he screams Closer - I understand giving guys with those types of arms every chance to adjust when you're building, but this team's close enough that if they're not ready to transition him to the pen and trading him gets you a piece like Ramirez, it's time to cash him in.

If it needs to be more quantity, I'd go as far up the depth chart as adding Muller, Shuster, Davidson, or Newk to go along with De La Cruz, but probably not higher.
 
I know the tribe sold a lot of players already. But why would they sign Rosario and then trade a cheap mvp type player. I just don’t see this happening nor AA pulling the trigger.
 
bravesfanMatt said:
I know the tribe sold a lot of players already. But why would they sign Rosario and then trade a cheap mvp type player. I just don’t see this happening nor AA pulling the trigger.
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Cleveland (like Tampa, Baltimore, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh) is constantly in a rebuilding state. They've actually probably been the second best-run organization for a while, staying in the mix while trading pieces away. As long as they keep spacing out the pieces they bring in as well as they have, there's no reason they shouldn't be able to remain relevant in that division for a long time to come. They can probably turn Rosario into something like Aristedes Aquino who can be part of their RF platoon right away and another wildcard prospect who's a little further away. Nolan Jones is going to be ready some time this year (Riley would be Ramirez' "replacement", and Jones will slide in to replace Rosario), and Arias or Freeman will be ready to step in at either 2B or SS to save them another $5+ million next season. Langeliers would be part of their catching tandem and Waters would be their CF for a long time.

They control their entire rotation for the next 5 years other than Bieber, so they can spend all their money keeping it together if they keep adding controllable offensive pieces and arms that are farther away - given their track record when it comes to developing pitching, that's a pretty nice spot to be in.
 
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I disagree. I see them thinking they can compete with that young pitching and you g core that has some talent. Keeping JoRam is not a real risk. They can always blow him up at the deadline for a greater return. But if things break right they can easily make the playoffs. Especially if it is expanded. Outside of the Sox’s the central is not great.

And all of this is predicated to AA being willing to separate from his top prospects. Which he hasn’t. What is the highest rated prospect he has traded in the three years he has been here. And that was with a loaded system.
 
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bravesfanMatt said:
I know the tribe sold a lot of players already. But why would they sign Rosario and then trade a cheap mvp type player. I just don’t see this happening nor AA pulling the trigger.
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They almost certainly won’t. Everything I’ve read suggests they were allowed to increase payroll a bit to add Rosario, and they are pretty much done. They converted their expiring assets into cheaper ones in hopes of competing in 2021...sort of like a less competent implementation of the Rays strategy.

Same with the Cubs. For some reason they were allowed to spend a bit recently, so they snatched up Pederson even though they just dumped a very similar player in Schwarber.

I wonder how much those moves caught AA off guard. If he expected to be able to circle back to those guys later in the offseason, then those teams suddenly finding payroll space may have scuttled those plans.
 
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Cleveland Plain Dealer says Ramirez is going nowhere for at least another year. He is the one solid position player among a middling lineup.
 
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