On Trading Catchers....

He’s going to get that backup SS/3B who will no doubt play most of the year, but other than that, WHY trade the prospects before they start to bloom? We are stacked everywhere lets wait for Kenny Williams to call for his next Swisher (who the Yankees said is available, incidentally) and wants to empty out his farm on our players.

We dropped a few spots in terms of organizational rankings, I see 2010 as the year where we come back strong and maybe even get to #1. That is meaningful when youre bringing up young players AND having a sick farm system, the other teams will take notice then start making offers (except TB, they are too well-run to fall prey to short-sightedness).

I could totally accept a package deal of Green or Ladendorf, and Stassi if it meant we could get back talent like Yunel.

Do you have any idea how quickly that would get the phone slammed down in your ear?

His quote suggests that any trades will be to bring in young talent, not necessarily to trade it. His comments don’t speak one way or the other to whether the A’s would likely be parting with veterans, young players, or prospects.

I was waiting for someone to write a new fanpost referencing it.

I’ve given it a few hours of thought, and here’s what I got:

a.) Typically, a desirable hitter on the trade market is someone who has a great track record, is getting more expensive in arb, and plays for a small-market team that wants to clear payroll, and/or is not at the peak of their contending cycle. The three most attractive offensive players that fall into this category are: Carl Crawford (1 year, 10M remaining), Prince Fielder (2 years, including a scary final year of arb which will probably net him a record $21M or more), and Adrian Gonzalez.

I don’t see the A’s pursuing any of those three players, in part because 1b/DH appears to be the one position that they are most stacked at offensively down the road, and because the Rays appear to have decided to keep Crawford and instead cut payroll elsewhere (Iwamura).

b.) From there, if you’re taking Beane’s comment at face value, it means that he’s looking at trade candidates that are young and improve the big league club. Who trades those kinds of guys, though? I can’t even imagine how overwhelmed the Nationals would have to be to part with Ryan Zimmerman, or for the Mets to give up David Wright. We’d probably have to give them Community Prospects #1-16 and Zonis, too. But the tier of young major leaguers below those guys – Alex Gordon(?) – isn’t very sexy, either, because they don’t really represent a guaranteed upgrade. In other words, they might suck.

Pretty confusing comment all the way around, Billy. How do you acquire good, young players via trade? Isn’t that exactly the player that every team in baseball is trying to keep and build around?

c.) Suzuki is probably the team’s best trade chip. His value will never be higher than it is right now. He has four years of control left, he’s one of the best defensive catchers in the game, he’s remarkably durable, he’s a great clubhouse presence, and he appears to have established a solid true-talent level of “OPS of .700-.750ish hitting in an AL graveyard.”
The only way his trade value could go up from here is if the power spike is for real and he hits 20-25 bombs next year. That might off-set the additional lost year of club control.

It would be heart-wrenching to trade Suzuki. On the other hand, if trading him, Wuertz, and Hairston to the Rays could get Jennings, Brignac and two of Davis/Hellickson/Barnese…wow. How bad do you want to win now, Rays?

What I do like about that trade – and again, there’s plenty I don’t like about it – is it gives us an opportunity to see if Landon Powell can play every day, it frees up left field so we can watch Buck/Patterson/Cunningham, and it continues the plan of acquiring players of the same young age who will be maturing during the A’s next contention window, which I don’t view to be opening for another 2-3 years. I expect Wallace/Cardenas/Carter to be very good when they’re 25; I don’t expect them to set the world on fire in their first cup of coffee. By the time those guys are 25, Suzuki is 30 and nearly gone through FA.

d.) His comments basically mean that there won’t be an attempt at Tejada/Scutaro/Beltre/Figgins/Glaus/etc. But I can’t decide if his comments rule out the possibility of pursuing Aroldis Chapman. Chapman is young (21), but you could interpret Beane’s comments as, “We’re pretty much avoiding free agents altogether.”

e.) I think you’re going to see Chavallace at third base for the A’s next spring. Lots of heartwarming fluff pieces by the beat writers as Chavallace rotates in the ground ball lines at the hot corner. “This guy was my idol growing up in the East Bay…it’s amazing just to watch him stoop down for bunts…” … “It’s the passing of the torch…that’s one of things I can give these young guys, it’s the same help Wash gave me when I was young…”

probably for young guys just approaching MLB-ready, but nothing huge.

While I agree we’re somewhat full at the catcher position, I think the position where we really have excess is relief pitcher, and I expect to see one or two of them moved, whether it’s veterans like Wuertz or Ziggy, or prospects like Demel or Rodriguez.

I do see Donaldson as a real possibility for trade. The main supply of prospects we’ll keep, but we could afford to spare one or two, and Donaldson seems the most expendable in terms of position.

Moving Suzuki seems very unlikely to me; much more likely that they’ll sign him to an extension, I’d say. Trading Ellis and/or Cust (after picking up the option) seems possible, but I don’t think it’s likely.

Billy, I’m 27 and will play for free!

Nothing makes my sweat-glands rupture like a good trade talk.

My take:

Firstly, I saw the Holliday transactions as a modest success. We traded young or redundant talent for younger talent that fits in more with our positional needs and window of legitimate competition. Distant Secondly, we got half a year of Matt Holliday.

If we could again trade away some redundant talent, ie: catchers +, we may be able to rent a Carl Crawford, and spin him into a younger player who plays a position of need.

I would be heartbroken if Billy traded Zooks. That’s the kind of thing I’d like to see the A’s stop doing, frankly. I think Kurt means too much to this team to trade him now, regardless of his value “peaking”. I mean, it would have to be one “Fucking A!” deal to convince me. As a diehard A’s fan, I think even an overpay by another team for Suzuki would still probably leave me feeling empty. Hopefully, Beane signs Suzuki to a fat extension this winter. That’s would I would like to see happen. Go A’s!