@jonmorosi

Anthony Swarzak is a sleeper trade candidate. He's having career year with #WhiteSox, will be free agent after '17; 1.00 WHIP in 41 IP. @MLB

 

 

Sorry posting from my phone

 

Swarzak will be pitching for a different team August 1st barring injury. He should be able to return a decent piece.

Swarzak will be pitching for a different team August 1st barring injury. He should be able to return a decent piece.

 

No doubt he will be somewhere else. Hopefully he brings back at least a B rate guy.

@jonmorosi

Anthony Swarzak is a sleeper trade candidate. He's having career year with #WhiteSox, will be free agent after '17; 1.00 WHIP in 41 IP. @MLB

 

 

Sorry posting from my phone

 

That honestly looks better than the embed function so good work!

What does Swarzak net back? I assume a very mediocre prospect or two

What does Swarzak net back? I assume a very mediocre prospect or two

 

Hard to say. Contenders are always looking for bullpen help at the deadline, and Swarzak is having a career year.

 

Could be an attractive rental piece for sure.

Hard to say. Contenders are always looking for bullpen help at the deadline, and Swarzak is having a career year.

 

Could be an attractive rental piece for sure.

 

Probably a B prospect that is further away from the majors or a guy that doesn't have a ton of upside but is blocked. Could be interesting enough. Hoping for someone that will slot in the 10-15 range in the Sox top prospects.

Probably a B prospect that is further away from the majors or a guy that doesn't have a ton of upside but is blocked. Could be interesting enough. Hoping for someone that will slot in the 10-15 range in the Sox top prospects.

 

I'd love a Duke type of deal, minus the whole players all suffering horrific injuries part.

I'd love a Duke type of deal, minus the whole players all suffering horrific injuries part.

 

Swarzak has arguably been even better than Duke was at the time he was traded.

 

A similar return, ideally minus the injuries, should certainly be possible.

Swarzak has arguably been even better than Duke was at the time he was traded.

 

A similar return, ideally minus the injuries, should certainly be possible.

 

Swarzak also has no history of being this good, or close to it. That will be the big negative when it comes to him.

Swarzak also has no history of being this good, or close to it. That will be the big negative when it comes to him.

 

For relievers we live in a "what have you done for me lately" sort of league right now. Swarzak's peripherals are very good and he should generate some interest as a middle relief option for a contender.

 

He is a pure rental and won't be priced as high as guys like Robertson/Kahnle/Hand/etc.

Swarzak also has no history of being this good, or close to it. That will be the big negative when it comes to him.

Duke, at the time, wasn't a rental either. Maybe Swarzak's more than occassional dominance makes up for it. A Tilson-like prospect makes some sense.

Duke, at the time, wasn't a rental either. Maybe Swarzak's more than occassional dominance makes up for it. A Tilson-like prospect makes some sense.

I don't think years of control matter that much for relievers due to their inherent fickle nature. In fact in many cases they're probably more of a deterrent than a bonus, which I think happened with Robertson this past winter.

I don't think years of control matter that much for relievers due to their inherent fickle nature. In fact in many cases they're probably more of a deterrent than a bonus, which I think happened with Robertson this past winter.

 

But should be less of an issues with prearb and arb guys. A guy like Kahnle isn't going to be devalued because of his control, but it also is not a guaranteed contract.

But should be less of an issues with prearb and arb guys. A guy like Kahnle isn't going to be devalued because of his control, but it also is not a guaranteed contract.

 

Kahnle's value increases as a result of his inexpensive control, so much to the point where I do not think he gets traded.

 

He could be very attractive as a trade chip next deadline if he proves he can be a quality closer

^ guys, you gotta remember Duke was actually making a lot of cash for a solid reliever ($7 million a year I think). Swarzak's lack of years might actually be superior to that.

People need to stop saying this has come out of nowhere or that it's a career year that he's very unlikely to replicate. He's pitching basically the exact same as he did for the Yankees last year, minus the ridiculous home runs, and similarly to how he pitched for the Yankees AAA in 2016 and the Indians AAA/MLB in 2015. He added a few mph onto the fastball and has since then been a dependable 9ish K/9 to a 2ish BB/9, 45ish GB%. That's likely gonna lead to around a 3 ERA, with the usual reliever variance depending on LOB%, HR/FB% and BABIP. Add to that his ability to go multiple innings as a former starter and that's a valuable piece.

People need to stop saying this has come out of nowhere or that it's a career year that he's very unlikely to replicate. He's pitching basically the exact same as he did for the Yankees last year, minus the ridiculous home runs, and similarly to how he pitched for the Yankees AAA in 2016 and the Indians AAA/MLB in 2015. He added a few mph onto the fastball and has since then been a dependable 9ish K/9 to a 2ish BB/9, 45ish GB%. That's likely gonna lead to around a 3 ERA, with the usual reliever variance depending on LOB%, HR/FB% and BABIP. Add to that his ability to go multiple innings as a former starter and that's a valuable piece.

 

What sort of return are you expecting for Swarzak?

What sort of return are you expecting for Swarzak?

Maybe a Flete and Rose 2.0 type deal, nothing big, probably actually ranked prospects this time however, some org's 15-30 guy or two

Maybe a Flete and Rose 2.0 type deal, nothing big, probably actually ranked prospects this time however, some org's 15-30 guy or two

I wouldn't trade him for that.

I wouldn't trade him for that.

Me neither. Deadline reliever rentals usually fetch much more.

Maybe a Flete and Rose 2.0 type deal, nothing big, probably actually ranked prospects this time however, some org's 15-30 guy or two

 

I'd expect more than that since Swarzak is pitching pretty well. He could help a contender in the 7th and 8th innings.

 

I'd like to get at least one decent prospect back

I wouldn't trade him for that.

 

If that is the best offer you do. Literally no reason to not trade him before the deadline.

Me neither. Deadline reliever rentals usually fetch much more.

 

Yep. When you stack the post season teams side-by-side, you usually find that they all have a strong lineup and a strong SP rotation--one sometimes way better than the other, but both usually strong. That's a given to make the playoffs over a 162 game season. But the true differentiator is the bullpen because there is so much variance between teams. That's why serious teams know that if they don't have a strong pen--they are going to get beat (DETROIT TIGERS). Last major expense of a winning team are the bullpen ringers (if you don't already have them). There's no coincidence that when putting the team together, we took some nice gambles on roster positions that are usually in high demand at the deadline--SP and bullpen.

If that is the best offer you do. Literally no reason to not trade him before the deadline.

If that's the best offer, you didn't look hard enough.

I'd expect more than that since Swarzak is pitching pretty well. He could help a contender in the 7th and 8th innings.

 

I'd like to get at least one decent prospect back

So what's a potential Swarzak deal with someone? (WSH, NYY, BOS, etc.)