2018 Trade Deadline ROSTERBATION

If Ian Happ could play 3B he’d be a good get. He’d ultimately end up in LF, but could give us options at 3B as well for the interim
 
I find it useful to put pitching prospects in one of three buckets. Bucket 1 has over 50% chance of making it as major league starters (say 2 out of three in this bucket). Bucket 2 has about a 50% chance. Bucket 3 less than 50% (say 1 out of 3 chance).

So where have the recent pitching prospects fit into this scheme?

Bucket 1 has had only 1 pitcher for me: Soroka

Bucket 2 has been a pretty big group: Wisler, Folty, Wright, Gohara, Allard, Anderson, Wilson, Stewart

Bucket 3 has the following: Blair, Newcomb, Fried, Wentz, Touki, Rangel, Gant, Sims, Weigel

Note that these are their peak rankings while still in the minors. Obviously, they do not all sustain those peak rankings. And some in the third bucket go on to out-perform when reaching the majors (as Newcomb seems to be doing). I start out Stewart in bucket 2, which is actually quite optimistic considering he has yet to throw a pitch as a professional. Someone like him could obviously move into bucket 1 within the next year as Soroka did not long after signing. Weigel was getting close to bucket 2 for me just before he got hurt.

There is also a fourth group. The long shots. It is ok to talk about them and even get excited about them. But some realism is called for.

Newk in the same bucket as Blair and Gant??
 
Solarte is another player we should consider for reinforcing the left side of the infield. He has options at reasonable prices for 2019 and 2020, so not strictly a rental. He's been a pretty steady hitter. OPS of .808 in 2016, .731 in 2017 and .777 so far this year.

Would be totally reasonable target. Probably can still back up 2B and maybe the OF.
 
CURRENT feeling:

Bucket 2: Soroka, Gohara, Wright, Anderson, Touki, Stewart, Weigel (I'd have had him with this group before injury, not sure about now)

Bucket 3: Allard, Fried, Wentz, Muller, Wilson, De La Cruz, Tarnok, Trey Riley, Ricardo Sanchez, Tristan Beck

Bucket 4: Walker, Harrington, Rangel, Higgenbotham, Mader, Biddle, Wisler, Sims
 
CURRENT feeling:

Bucket 2: Soroka, Gohara, Wright, Anderson, Touki, Stewart, Weigel (I'd have had him with this group before injury, not sure about now)

Bucket 3: Allard, Fried, Wentz, Muller, Wilson, De La Cruz, Tarnok, Trey Riley, Ricardo Sanchez, Tristan Beck

Bucket 4: Walker, Harrington, Rangel, Higgenbotham, Mader, Biddle, Wisler, Sims

Seems about right....
 
CURRENT feeling:

Bucket 2: Soroka, Gohara, Wright, Anderson, Touki, Stewart, Weigel (I'd have had him with this group before injury, not sure about now)

Bucket 3: Allard, Fried, Wentz, Muller, Wilson, De La Cruz, Tarnok, Trey Riley, Ricardo Sanchez, Tristan Beck

Bucket 4: Walker, Harrington, Rangel, Higgenbotham, Mader, Biddle, Wisler, Sims

It would appear I rate Wilson more than most around here
 
Weigel is a wild card next year. Could never regain what he had, could be a MOR or TOR, could be a high leverage bullpen peice.

Imagine IF he regained his stuff. Imagine facing Folty, Newk, Gohara, Soroka and Weigel. That’s a bunch of cheese.

Then two of those guys go to the bullpen in the playoffs.
 
If Ian Happ could play 3B he’d be a good get. He’d ultimately end up in LF, but could give us options at 3B as well for the interim

Not sure why they would deal him, but he's got a 41% k-rate and a .385 BABIP. hard pass.
 
Back
Top