06-28-2023, 05:11 PM
(06-19-2023, 11:19 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: I would be willing to trade the young chips that are more than 2 years away. Cam Collier, Sal Stewart, Victor Acosta, Hector Rodriguez, Alfredo Duno and Edwin Arroyo. Even Chase Petty.
Not many of them are high profile pieces yet, but Hector Rodriguez is currently hitting .305/.357/.563/.920 in A ball at just 19 years old (230 PAs) and was recently given the Low A minor league player of the month award for May.
Edwin Arroyo and Cam Collier are top 100 prospects (top 50 in some areas) and Petty is rising up the lists as well with a 1.50 ERA in 6 starts with 26 SOs and only 5 BBs surrendered in high A ball at just 20 years old.
The others (Acosta, Duno, Stewart) are still just potential but someone may be enticed by their tools to want them as a secondary piece of a trade if we were to go after some starting pitching at the deadline.
I would not be willing to give up CES at this point. CES is too close to the majors and looks like a legitimate power hitting prospect. He honestly should be on the big league team right now, but he's being blocked by a few players that may not be here past this season (Myers, Votto, Newman, Maile, Casali).
Marte is one that I'd be willing to part with, but only if we get a legitimate quality starting pitcher with at least 1 additional year of control in exchange.
Marte + Acosta + Aguilar/Richardson for Shane Bieber would be a trade I'd consider, but only if we're confident we could re-sign Bieber to a long term contract, as next year will be the last season of arbitration for him.
I have a feeling the Guardians will want two premium prospects for Bieber though, unfortunately.
The cost of trading for veterans is so often so expensive, I'd be more interested in just renting an arm for one of the lower tier prospects just to have someone who could fill innings and get Weaver out of the ***** rotation haha.
If I'm selling out for an ace, which I don't think they will do, I'm going all in for Cease. I'm not sure that's the way to go, because historically that kind of player is insanely expensive in prospect capital.
Castillo netted us Marte and Arroyo, two top 100 prospects, and he only had a year and a half of control left. Cease has 3, I think, so you'd be forking over your point of flesh. Bieber would be a similar price tag.
If I'm the Reds, I'm going for slightly less expensive game. Maybe JP Sears from Oakland. I'd also look in on middling veterans with fewer years of control.
Realistically, unless the rebuild is done, and I don't think it is, this is a band-aid scenario. See what you can get for lesser guys like Hopkins, Acosta, etc. I wouldn't oppose floating Stephenson out there. If I'm trading a major prospect, it's probably Arroyo, as he may well be blocked by the time he's MLB ready.
The lineup is rounding out well. India, Steer, Friedl, McLain, and Elly are entrenched for the long term IMO. I'd hate to sell out our chance to add a Marte and a CES to that group for the next 4-5 years in exchange for a few years of ace pitching. They can get more starters in the offseason when the payroll drops again.
Get a Lance Lynn and a Corey Kluber, hope the offense can float the difference, thank yourself next year when the second wave of young talent gets to Cincinnati. I'd also see what KC would want for Aroldis, btw. It couldn't be a lot. Get a 8th and 9th inning lock down crew of receivers to take pressure off of the staff.
