SoCalChiSox

Perhaps as Ron (or one of his aliases) pointed out earlier, the Braves thing is intended to scare the Dodgers. These are the two major powers in the NL jockeying for top regular season positioning. Cease to ATL would be a dick punch to LAD. Pal said again today somethings been close with Cease for a week. If you add it to what Bob said today it seems maybe things are close with the Dodgers but Getz is trying to push it over the finish line here with this scare tactic. My own pure guess is they are fighting over the third piece. LAD system is deep but lack elite monsters. Their best bats either have a high risk of ending up at 1B (Rushing, Busch)) or are coming off major injury (Pages) and all their good pitching prospects seem to have some meaningful flaws, so we prolly want a third top 100 player and LAD likely knowing BAL is gonna keep playing the prospect hugging bullshit game, are resisting.

Yeah....I'd consider 2 top 100s from them if they also throw in a couple guys in their 10-15 range because those guys could be close to top 100 in their own right fairly soon. I like that LHH 2B (Vivas) who kills RHH and will stick at the position. If they aren't going with Busch in the top 100 guys, that kid would be a good third piece.

This makes sense. CWS trying to push it over the top and I agree thr Braves thing would best spook the Dodgers. I'm assuming one SP prospect and one big bat as the Top 100 pieces. But the Dodgers do not truly have any super high end guys. All their pitchers have some meaningful flaw and both top bats have legit risk at ending up at 1B. Maybe that's why there's an impasse. It's a deep system but no elite monsters so maybe we want a 3rd top 100 and LAD resisting?

If they are close to a deal even before most FA SPers sign and before Winter Meetings it would stand to reason its a pretty strong offer if someone wants to finish it early. That would be a really good sign for us Any thoughts as to whether it will be position prospect heavy or SP prospect heavy?

Yep get like a 4/70 with an opt out after 1 year to see if they can fix him and then go get paid. If not, he has some good financial security. He deserves to be paid and to pitch for a great organization and I truly wish him all the best in his career and life. It was an honor to watch him play for us.

I'm waiting for Harold or Pal's smoke signal.

Besides the Braves thing Bob mentioned what else?

Maybe the pitching market will start to move now a bit.

Not if those are the 3-4 we really want.

I thought the owner was cheap tho?

Yeah that killed me too. And Harold says that after seeing him the team is very down on Gonzalez.

BOS would also be a good partner. Cease, Jimenez, Santos and maybe a bit of money on Jimenez deal for Anthony and Teel. And yes I know Santos had an injury issue, but he still has some value if their doctors pass him. And if you want pitching you could turn around and deal Quero for a Top 100 SP after you acquire Teel.

I think it's enough that where you can relegate SP to a close to MLB ready #4 type as the third piece in a trade. Someone like Knack or Povich. You've got to develop some of those guys you traded for. IMO, Nastrini and a fully healthy Eder should both be in the rotation. Bush is prolly a swingman. We really need premium positional talent. They don't seem to like Colas and they really don't like Gonzalez per Harold. Montgomery may shift to 3B. If you can get BOTH a future mainstay RF and SS in one shot and play Ramos at 2B, you've solved alot of problems.

They got pitching in other moves. They need some premium position prospects. Thats why BAL is such a great partner. You can get 2 good position players and maybe you can still get a very decent pitching prospect as the 3rd piece. ATL frankly is an awful trading partner, nothing but pitchers and RHH.

Please be another leak to pressure BAL. position player prospects >>> SP prospects

We don't need anymore right handed average players.

I stopped reading at Jonathan India.

I was referring to an eventual trade which I think at some point may happen. Probably not now or 25 but they aren't going to pay him 300 plus million in 4 years when he's 30.

Oops my bad you are right...I was confused I thought she was referring to Ortiz. I agree Outman cannot be primary piece either....JAG risk is Extreme.

Nah...BAL will never allow him to be the third piece. Dude will be a plus defensive SS and can also probably be average offensively. That's pretty valuable. Regarding Montgomery, it seems FG and Law (in AFL he didn't like his defense) both think CM ends up at 3B, so if we can get a plus SS who can hold his own at the plate that would be huge. And then they don't have to worry about Gonzalez being unable to play SS. Ortiz is the second piece and I believe Chicago really wants Cowser as the first piece. Getz wants D and athletic ability not just bat only guys. Some people believe Cowser eventually he will be 55 hit and 55 power to go with good D and arm and he can run as a LHH thats huge if the bat actually comes thru. He can slide right in at RF and if they eventually move Robert he might be able to hold down CF so he provides huge all around value and flexibility. I think if they trade with BAL, they are going to insist on those two guys. I hope they don't use Cease for more pitching. We got pitching in the other trades, you need to develop them. We really really really need some bats that can defend. I would like Hjerstad too for his LHS but Getz doesn't seem to want guys who could end up at 1B even if they are a LHS. Looks like trade values updated their values and if you add Cowser to Ortiz it's actually more than Cease now....something like 50 to 40. If that's an accurate reflection of teams own value systems, we might even need to throw in Colas or someone with 10 or so SV and forego a third piece as well.

Joey Ortiz is a fine second piece but not a primary piece.

Well played

Yeah I know but I had my hopes up anyway. I just want to see something meaningful that doesn't involve crap signings just to fill spots.

I thought @Pal suggested something (not necessarily Cease) was pretty close and might go down before Thanksgiving.

Ugh.....we need to be trading for bats.