2B trade proposal

[Big_Maple]

I know everyone’s attention is on the game that’s starting soon, so here’s a trade proposal idea for whenever your attention returns to trade talks.

I have a proposal to solve our 2B need next year - a trade with the Twins.

Minnesota has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to their infield. Even with Correa leaving next year, they have a hugely talented Luis Arraez at 2B, switch-hitting Jorge Polanco, also at 2B but who also plays SS, and a departing Carlos Correa.

Polanco is having a down year (.235/.346/.405), but his career stats are a little better (.270/.334/.405) But it is Arraez that has my attention. His slash line this season is an eye popping .316/.375/.416 and a career OPS of .784 He’s young (25) and controllable through 2025, and last season he had 4.4 WAR.

His natural position is 2B, but he’s played a lot of 3B, 1B and DH. Here’s the red flag: he has bad knees which is why he’s been put in the 1B role for most of last season. If he can stay healthy, he could rotate between 2B and DH with DMo or Haggerty playing 2B every 4th or 5th game if his knees are still an issue next season. I’m fact, his knees are the only hesitation I have with this proposal since knees only get worse with age and not better. Might he be worth the risk?

Why the Twins would go for it: they have a ridiculous number of top prospects who can play SS, 2B or 3B. They have Royce Lewis who is almost MLB ready, #2 prospect Brooks Lee and #7 prospect Noah Miller who are both SS, and four more top 20 prospects who was all capable of SS or 2B. They are seriously stacked, and they must be happy Correa left since he’d be blocking one or more of them eventually. As a plot twist, Royce tore his ACL a few months ago, so he will be out until likely June of next year. Even with Correa leaving, the Twins could play Polanco at 2B, Arraez at 1B and stopgap someone at SS till Royce gets healthy. Or they put Arraez back at 2B, move Polanco to SS and acquire a 1B in FA or through trade.

The Twins need pitching help - both starting and relief. Seattle definitely has pitching to offer, and I don’t think we’d even have to take a major punch in the nuts to get it done.

Trade proposal:
Mariners get
2B Arraez (trade value 19.7)

Twins get
SP Matt Brash (trade value 13.1)
RP Diego Castillo (trade value 6.3)
UTIL Abraham Toro (trade value 0)

Total:
Twins: 19.7
Mariners: 19.4

On balance, a fair trade. We get Arraez with all the upsides and potential downsides I mentioned.

The Twins get a solid reliever in Castillo who is under team control for 2 more years (2 years of arb), and a potential middle rotation arm in Brash. I admit I threw in Toro because frankly I’m sick of his suckiness, but he is moveable around the infield, and he could be a stopgap solution for the Twins till Royce returns.

Thoughts?

[Seattle or Bust]

I don't think the M's are super interested in trading a guy who could become one of the more dominant relievers in baseball.

Arraez is good but they've got plenty of cash to spend before trading proven, young talent.

[Big_Maple]

I don't think the M's are super interested in trading a guy who could become one of the more dominant relievers in baseball.

Arraez is good but they've got plenty of cash to spend before trading proven, young talent.

Cash to spend? On what? The market for 2B is thin. Really thin. The top 2 (Segura and Wong) have club options. The third is Frazier and it goes downhill from there.

The SS market is complicated, but I’ve seen no evidence that the M’s would go all in on one, and none of the SS (Crawford included) would be interested in moving to 2B, so our problem remains.

On balance, this is a reasonable trade proposal. I’m not sure I understand the logic of “we need a 2B, but I don’t want to give up anything to get it”. The proposal is giving up proven, young talent for proven, young talent.

[Seattle or Bust]

I don't think the M's are super interested in trading a guy who could become one of the more dominant relievers in baseball.

Arraez is good but they've got plenty of cash to spend before trading proven, young talent.

Cash to spend? On what? The market for 2B is thin. Really thin. The top 2 (Segura and Wong) have club options. The third is Frazier and it goes downhill from there.

The SS market is complicated, but I’ve seen no evidence that the M’s would go all in on one, and none of the SS (Crawford included) would be interested in moving to 2B, so our problem remains.

On balance, this is a reasonable trade proposal. I’m not sure I understand the logic of “we need a 2B, but I don’t want to give up anything to get it”. The proposal is giving up proven, young talent for proven, young talent.

2B is a position where they can be extremely flexible.

Just because you Google 2B free agents and a ton of names don't show up doesn't meant that there aren't players that can slot in at the position.

And after what Brash just did to the Astros, they better not trade him.

[Big_Maple]

Just because you Google 2B free agents and a ton of names don't show up doesn't meant that there aren't players that can slot in at the position.

You’re right. Like Arraez.

[Seattle or Bust]

Just because you Google 2B free agents and a ton of names don't show up doesn't meant that there aren't players that can slot in at the position.

You’re right. Like Arraez.

The difference being that the M's have upwards of $100 million to spend to get to the top 10 of payrolls and baseball... so why trade proven, young, mlb talent when you can just spend cash?

I don't dislike the idea of trading for him. Just don't do it with guys who can contribute in a big way now.

[bpj]

The forum can't focus when you name names. It's nearly impossible to present trade proposals in here without most having a conniption about somebody, which of course is their prerogative.

This looks like a good frame for a deal if there's a deal to be made. If you don't want to trade Brash, just insert some other name you're willing to give up that has good value and continue the discussion. But that's not how a lot of guys take proposals here. And that's fine.

Move a name here or there and if the Twins are willing to trade him, it seems like a move that could make the team better. That's the bottom line to me.

Good stuff Big Maple

[Seattle or Bust]

They can have JP Crawford instead.

They're gonna need a SS with Correa leaving.

[Big_Maple]

The difference being that the M's have upwards of $100 million to spend to get to the top 10 of payrolls and baseball... so why trade proven, young, mlb talent when you can just spend cash?

Dude. I see your point. I’d love the M’s to get splashy with a FA 2B if one existed, and they were willing to do so. But….

1. There doesn’t seem to be a glut of talented 2B in FA, and Trea, Xander, Correa, Dansby and whatever other SS might be available next year don’t seem to want to move to SS.
2. JD has a pinky promise with Crawford to let him stay at SS.
3. None of our in house options work.
4. This is trader Jerry we are talking about. Name 3 major, long term FA he’s acquired in his tenure.
5. Why are you reluctant to trade? Tonight, Crawford, Mitch, France, Suarez, Munoz, Kelenic, Sewald and Santana all came to the Mariners through trades. So did Frazier. And Castillo. And Trammell. Not all panned out, but 3/4 of our starting roster tonight came here through trade.

[Seattle or Bust]

The difference being that the M's have upwards of $100 million to spend to get to the top 10 of payrolls and baseball... so why trade proven, young, mlb talent when you can just spend cash?

Dude. I see your point. I’d love the M’s to get splashy with a FA 2B if one existed, and they were willing to do so. But….

1. There doesn’t seem to be a glut of talented 2B in FA, and Trea, Xander, Correa, Dansby and whatever other SS might be available next year don’t seem to want to move to SS.
2. JD has a pinky promise with Crawford to let him stay at SS.
3. None of our in house options work.
4. This is trader Jerry we are talking about. Name 3 major, long term FA he’s acquired in his tenure.
5. Why are you reluctant to trade? Tonight, Crawford, Mitch, France, Suarez, Munoz, Kelenic, Sewald and Santana all came to the Mariners through trades. So did Frazier. And Castillo. And Trammell. Not all panned out, but 3/4 of our starting roster tonight came here through trade.

If you knew anything about me... you would know that I'm the furthest from reluctant to trade compared to anyone on this forum.

I'm not reluctant to trade. I'm reluctant to trade a kid with a generational slider who throws 97-100.

Go get Arraez, just don't trade guys who are currently here providing big value.

Unless they're JP Crawford because having a .680 OPS SS is a crime.

Trade Crawford for Arraez, then sign one of the SS's.