Angels might be looking to trade Kendrick:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/10/offseason-outlook-los-angeles-angels-of-anaheim.html
He makes $19M over the next 2 seasons, and should be able to put up a .330 OBP and a 750 OPS. Not great, but he is a at least a legitimate MLB player at 2B. No idea what it would take to get him.
They might take La Stella.
Straight up?
It's not ideal to trade for the right to pay a guy $9M per year for a 750 OPS, but this team only has 1 hole that can be realistically fixed (since BJ needs to get another chance in CF). If Kendrick can put up 2 more 3+ WAR seasons (no reason to think he won't) it will be a huge boost to the team.
I suspect they would want a little more. Maybe also a second tier prospect.
I think they'd want a much more valuable piece, like a good SP prospect. There's still no guarantee LaStella is 3/5 the hitter Kendrick is.
No guarantee Kendrick will be two-thirds the hitter La Stella will be either. Uncertainty is a funny thing. Works in both directions. Applies to old and young.
I do think Kendrick would be the better player in 2014. No guarantees tho.
Indications LAA are up against the cap tax and desperate for starting pitching. Dont think prospects would interest them much at this point. They also have a pretty good 2nd base prospect named Green IIRC>It's not ideal to trade for the right to pay a guy $9M per year for a 750 OPS, but this team only has 1 hole that can be realistically fixed (since BJ needs to get another chance in CF). If Kendrick can put up 2 more 3+ WAR seasons (no reason to think he won't) it will be a huge boost to the team.
Yeah but there's a lot more evidence at the major league level for Kendrick. There's none for LaStella.
I don't see why we can't just play LaStella.
I'm not as high as La Stella as some others around here, but I think we should give him a shot to win the job in spring training.
I would only agree with this if Wren didn't have resources to play with. If the Braves were up against their payroll cap, I would say it's wise to go into the season with a 2B a huge questionmark, and let Uggla/Pena/Pastor/LaStella battle it out.
But that's not the case. Why even take the chance when Wren can just fix 2B and not worry about it? All those other guys will still be there in case of injury, so why start the season without firing all your bullets in the offseason?
I just don't see the point in settling at 2B when there are plenty of options/resources to fix it.