If you were a GM of a contender, what moves, if any, would you make to try and get your team ready for the stretch run?
Here are mine: NOTE: Weakness is according to how I have evaluated the team.
AL East:
New York YankeesBiggest Weakness: Bridging from starter to Mo.
Strategy: Hold pat. I would hope for a return to form from
Chien Ming Wang to be my 5th starter down the stretch. I would also hope to make
Phil Hughes a 2 inning set up guy for the stretch drive, as he has been one of the best relievers.
Boston Red SoxBiggest Weakness: SS
Strategy: Hold pat. I think
Jed Lowrie will play well enough down the stretch to at least get us into the wildcard. Done making moves.
Tampa Bay RaysBiggest Weakness: Bullpen depth.
Strategy: The loss of
Chad Bradford hurts my manager's ability to play matchups. I would inquire with the Cleveland Indians about
Joe Smith, 25 years old, (holding RH's to a .220 average) and would offer a close to major league ready prospect that doesn't project as much (a
Fernando Perez, Chris Nowak, John Jaso) or deal from my surplus of starting pitching prospects as part of a bigger deal including
Kerry Wood and offer someone along the lines of a
Alex Cobb or
Nick Barnese in addition to my near major league ready prospect.
If that fails, I evaluate
Ehren Wasserman, 28 years old, of the White Sox (holding AAA RH's to a .228 average) and offer a AA upside bat, such as
Rashad Eldridge, a 27 year old who appears to be a good shot to be at least a 4th OF and looks to be able to play CF, a position of organizational need for the White Sox.
Yes, Bradford is only out for the supposed 15 days, but I believe Smith would be an obvious upgrade and Wasserman is a guy who can replace Bradford next season. Always wary of him staying completely healthy.
AL Central:
Detroit TigersBiggest Weakness: Corner Outfielder
Strategy: With
Matt Holliday out of the market and
Wilkin Ramirez having too high of K totals for me to expect him to help us, I evaluate names such as
Luke Scott,
Jack Cust and
Josh Willingham. However, with us moving towards more of a defense oriented pitching squad, these acquisitions would be downgrades defensively. I would sit pat, especially with the return of
Carlos Guillen.
Chicago White SoxBiggest Weakness: 2nd Base.
Strategy: I evalute players such as
Brian Roberts,
Alberto Callaspo,
Mark Ellis,
Freddy Sanchez and
Luis Castillo, but decide the prices would be too much and hope Getz and Nix can provide enough offense to get us to the playoffs.
Minnesota TwinsBiggest Weakness: 2nd Base and 3rd Base, relief depth.
Strategy: With those 2 gaping holes, I try to correct one of them and hope re-slotting our infielders does the trick. I agree with the current rumor going around, I would look to acquire
Orlando Cabrera and
Michael Wuertz from the A's. My package would consist of a young lefty pitcher that I personally like as a starter,
Brian Duensing and would also include one of
Rene Tosoni or
Erik Lis. I would not be looking to pay much more then that, as Tosoni projects to a be a major league regular and Cabrera is a rental while Wuertz value is off-set by Duensing being a lefty who could start.
If that fails, I inquire with the Nats about getting
Willie Harris, who can spot start at all those positions and should be a good fit for the turf, and
Joe Beimel, who should slot well as a 2nd lefty. The package I give up for this would be much smaller though, likely around a starting prospect,
Ryan Mullins (who is projectable, which the Nats love, I think he is destined for the pen) and High-A reliever
Blair Erickson.
If that fails, I hold my assets and hope
Alexi Casilla relearns how to play and that Brian Buscher/Nick Punto/Brendan Harris can keep us afloat at 3B.
AL WestLos Angeles AngelsBiggest Weakness: Starting pitching depth, another reliever
Strategy: I try and get in with the A's about Wuertz, but am not willing to pay a premium for an intra division deal.
Doug Davis would be a terrible fit and
Roy Halladay would be too expensive. We are familiar with
Jon Garland, but the package we would offer likely wouldn't be enough, as if we liked him enough, we would have re-signed him. Sit pat and hope for
Ervin Santana to bounce back.
Texas RangersBiggest Weakness: Another reliever, starting pitching depth.
Strategy: I inquire with the Mets about
Sean Green, a reliever I am familiar with from his days at Seattle and has the groundball tendencies to be solid enough for us for years to come at this ballpark. He also stands to benefit from our infield defense. I offer someone along the lines of
Joaquin Arias (who can fill their utility infielder role),
Greg Golson (toolsy OF that we mis evaluated) or AAA reliever
Brian Gordon (fly ball tendency wouldn't play well for us). I don't give up anyone who has a shot at being great (outside of Golson), but could be MLB ready for the Mets as they try and make a push next year.
If that fails, I pursue Diamondbacks reliever
Chad Qualls, but offer a package that is closer to that of a mid level reliever and not a closer. They likely won't accept, but the package would be built around major league ready prospect
Julio Borbon or
Brandon Boggs. My offer would be Borbon, relief pitcher
Thomas Diamond and relief pitcher
Evan Reed for Qualls and Garland.
Seattle MarinersBiggest Weakness: 3B and SS.
Strategy: I stand pat. No sense making a move when our brighter days are ahead of us. I do dangle guys out there, such as
Russell Branyan,
Erik Bedard and
David Aardsma to see if I can get anyone to blow me away.
NL EastPhiladelphia PhilliesBiggest Weakness: SP depth.
Strategy: I do it. I make the move everyone is saying they should. I offer the Blue Jays a package of
Carlos Carrasco,
Dominic Brown,
Jason Donald and
Joe Savery for
Roy Halladay and
Scott Downs. I tell them this is the best package you are going to get. We are not going to give up Drabek, but we will add in Savery. You get our best SS and OF prospect.
If that fails, I stand pat.
Atlanta BravesBiggest Weakness: Power bat somewhere, Relief pitching depth
Strategy: I talk to Kansas City about
Ron Mahay for
Diory Hernandez. The Braves likely value Diory higher then I do though, so a more realistic offer would be
Deunte Heath, who is more likely to turn into a reliever.
If that fails, I see if the Pirates would be interested in the same type of deal for either
John Grabow or
Evan Meek.
Florida MarlinsBiggest Weakness: Starting pitching depth.
Strategy: Monetary constraints. Standing pat.
NL CentralSt. Louis CardinalsBiggest Weakness: 3rd base.
Strategy: I used the last of my funds to get
Matt Holliday.
Chicago CubsBiggest Weakness: Underperforming big contracts.
Strategy: I look to acquire another starting pitcher, but there aren't any power pitchers that would fit well. I hope
Kevin Hart keeps pitching better then his peripherals until
Ryan Dempster returns and hope the hitters start performing.
Milwaukee BrewersBiggest Weakness: Starting pitching.
Strategy: I pursue
Jon Garland and
Doug Davis, but pulling off that deal earlier in the week for
Felipe Lopez tells me that I can't get a deal done there. I then pull to a dark horse and offer the Athletics 2B prospect
Drew Anderson for
Justin Duchscherer. I don't want to pay anything higher due to him being such a wild card.
If that fails, I turn my attention to trying to extract
Jarrod Washburn from Seattle and I let Jack Z take command of the negotiations since he knows the system so well and decide if that is a price I am willing to pay. I would think it would center around young 3B prospect
Taylor Green and AAA utility infielder
Hernan Iribarren, which I would reject.
Houston AstrosBiggest Weakness: Starting pitching depth.
Strategy: I stand pat. Can't thin out an already thin system
NL WestLos Angeles DodgersBiggest Weakness: SP depth.
Strategy: I offer the Blue Jays a package of
Devaris Gordon, Xavier Paul, James McDonald, Pedro Baez and
Alberto Bastardo for Halladay, Downs and
Jeremy Accardo. If they reject this, I stand pat.
Colorado RockiesBiggest Weakness: Reliever
Strategy: I stand pat after aquiring reliever Betancourt after not being able to get them to give away Kerry Wood.
San Francisco GiantsBiggest Weakness: Power Bat
Strategy: I stand pat. We may be able to compete, but I have visions of a rotation featuring Cain-Lincecum-Sanchez-Bumgarner-Alderson and will wait until these guys prove themselves until I mortgage the future for a hitter.
