A case for keeping Markakis and adding Puig

[gilesfan]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/yasiel-puig-could-be-yours-if-you-want-him/

But Puig has been available for a while. The Dodgers have actively marketed him, expressing a willingness to sell low, and there haven’t been enough bites.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-sp-dodgers-mailbag-20160606-snap-htmlstory.html

http://thecomeback.com/mlb/yasiel-p...ld-have-been-dealt-at-mlb-trade-deadline.html

Given that Puig has so little value to the Dodgers that they aren’t even bringing him on the road (despite him taking up a spot on the 25-man roster), it’s very difficult to believe that an opposing team couldn’t have offered up something of interest. The Dodgers have already likely decreased the trade value for Puig by not moving him after last season and this public disturbance isn’t going to help. When they ultimately trade him, it will be for much less than it should have been.

http://dodgersway.com/2016/06/09/dodgers-case-trading-yasiel-puig/

I believe Puig’s struggles right now would not be able to net a huge prospect like SS Dansby Swanson from Atlanta, but OF Nick Markakis and a minor league arm might make sense.

These are older articles discussing minimal trade value. (Markakis and a minor league arm; or lower level prospects). Word on the trade deadline front over the weekend was that the Dodgers would essentially give Puig away if another team was interested. Which is essentially what a Neck/minor league arm is. Even if the trade involves something more than nothing (an A ball pitcher), it makes a ton of sense.

 

[KB21]

Its an excuse when teams lose. It doesn't matter when teams win.

That's a bullspit statement that typically comes from people who have never played.

 

[gilesfan]

That's a bullspit statement that typically comes from people who have never played.

I have played with some of the scummiest humans you will ever laid eyes on and we won. Because they could hit a beisbol. I'd venture to guess every professional player and dealt with crappy teammates and leaned how to still do their jobs while having crappy teammates.

 

[yeezus]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/yasiel-puig-could-be-yours-if-you-want-him/

But Puig has been available for a while. The Dodgers have actively marketed him, expressing a willingness to sell low, and there haven’t been enough bites.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-sp-dodgers-mailbag-20160606-snap-htmlstory.html

http://thecomeback.com/mlb/yasiel-p...ld-have-been-dealt-at-mlb-trade-deadline.html

Given that Puig has so little value to the Dodgers that they aren’t even bringing him on the road (despite him taking up a spot on the 25-man roster), it’s very difficult to believe that an opposing team couldn’t have offered up something of interest. The Dodgers have already likely decreased the trade value for Puig by not moving him after last season and this public disturbance isn’t going to help. When they ultimately trade him, it will be for much less than it should have been.

http://dodgersway.com/2016/06/09/dodgers-case-trading-yasiel-puig/

I believe Puig’s struggles right now would not be able to net a huge prospect like SS Dansby Swanson from Atlanta, but OF Nick Markakis and a minor league arm might make sense.

These are older articles discussing minimal trade value. (Markakis and a minor league arm; or lower level prospects). Word on the trade deadline front over the weekend was that the Dodgers would essentially give Puig away if another team was interested. Which is essentially what a Neck/minor league arm is. Even if the trade involves something more than nothing (an A ball pitcher), it makes a ton of sense.

None of that says they'd give him away for basically nothing. You didn't link to anything that said they'd just give him away, you only say it in your last paragraph. My guess is they'd still want a little something with upside. But I wouldn't blame teams for not being interested in doing that. And if a team wants to give him away for nothing, that's a huge red flag in and of itself.

 

[gilesfan]

You cant buy low on a player if the team is expecting a great return.

The bottom like in Puig is more talented (and probably better right now) than any OF in our system and is 25 years old. He could be had for very little, if anything.

 

[Enscheff]

That's a bullspit statement that typically comes from people who have never played.

And what level did you play baseball at? A jerk teammate is very toxic at the high school level among 15-18 year old males desperately trying to fit into social circles, but MLB players are grown men who should know how to distance themselves from guys like Puig.

 

[Enscheff]

Albies 2B
Inciarte CF
Freeman 1B
Kemp LF
Ramos C
Swanson SS
Puig RF
Peterson 3B
Pitcher

That is a really solid lineup. Obviously that's add two players that there's no guarantee with. But we'd compete.

You can always switch guys up, like with Mallex, but I'm just saying.

While I disagree with adding Ramos and the contract he is likely to command, and I think they desperately need to upgrade at 3B, an OF of Kemp, Inciarte and Puig has a legitimate chance to be productive enough to push a team to contention. There is obviously risk involved in buying low on Puig, but I don't see any other realistic way the Braves can acquire a 4-5 WAR OF talent anytime soon.

Bottom line, any OF combination of Kemp, Inciarte, Mallex and/or Markakis is not good enough. They need to make a change, and Puig is probably (maybe definitely) the highest upside option available. Of course, he could completely bust, but that might be a risk worth taking. If Cox was still the manager I wouldn't hesitate, that was his specialty.

 

[Enscheff]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/08/august-trade-waiver-candidates-mlb.html

Interesting players to Braves fans:

Derek Norris, C, Padres: The Padres still have Austin Hedges demolishing Triple-A El Paso, and with Christian Bethancourt also playing well this year, Norris doesn’t look like a future piece for the Friars. They could hope he rebuilds some value in August and look to move him this winter, but they were shopping him hard in late July and there’s no reason to think they won’t be motivated to move him in August whether he’s claimed or clears trade waivers.

Yasiel Puig, OF, Dodgers: We debated Puig’s placement on the list internally, but I left him with a high ranking not because I feel he’ll clear waivers, but rather because it’s easy to see a team like the Braves (who currently have pole position on the waiver wire) being genuinely motivated to get a deal worked out if they claim him. I can’t see many, if any teams passing on Puig, but in the off chance that he does clear waivers, he becomes even more likely to be dealt.

Jim Johnson, RP, Braves: Johnson is cheap and has pitched well since returning from a DL stint on June 3 (1.69 ERA, 23-to-10 K/BB ratio, 55.6 percent ground-ball rate in 26 2/3 innings). The Braves explored deals for him prior to the non-waiver deadline, and a claiming team would probably give up a low-level prospect in order to add him to its bullpen for six or seven weeks (plus a potential postseason run).

Brian McCann, C, Yankees: McCann’s going to clear waivers by virtue of the $39.4MM left on his contract through 2018 (as of this writing), and at that point whether or not he’s moved will probably come down to how much money the Yankees are willing to eat to move him and clear a spot for Gary Sanchez to take the reins behind the plate.

Nick Markakis, OF, Braves: There’s still $24.3MM remaining on Markakis’ contract, and while he’s actually displayed some of the pop that had been missing from his bat over the past month, that’s too much for any team to claim him. He should clear and give the Braves will have an opportunity to discuss him with all 29 other teams.