Per MLBTR: Cubs have reached out to Angels for pitching help

[Broad Street]

Schwarber is all bat, no glove.

He's a future DH.

That doesn't mean the Cubs are going to trade him. They still view him as their long term option at either catcher of LF and he's going to spend some time in AA-AAA learning how to field better. Though if he can play the same level of defense as Joyce, his bat is better, could make up for a couple defensive miscues.

I'd like him on the Angels don't get me wrong, but it's never going to happen.

[Chuck]

That doesn't mean the Cubs are going to trade him. They still view him as their long term option at either catcher of LF and he's going to spend some time in AA-AAA learning how to field better. Though if he can play the same level of defense as Joyce, his bat is better, could make up for a couple defensive miscues.

I'd like him on the Angels don't get me wrong, but it's never going to happen.

 

I believe they'd take Santiago and Bedrosian for him. 

[Stradling]

I don't know Schwarber, who is a major league comparison?

[ettin]

That doesn't mean the Cubs are going to trade him. They still view him as their long term option at either catcher of LF and he's going to spend some time in AA-AAA learning how to field better. Though if he can play the same level of defense as Joyce, his bat is better, could make up for a couple defensive miscues.

I'd like him on the Angels don't get me wrong, but it's never going to happen.

Kody you may very well be right. There are a lot of different avenues the Cubs could take to get starting pitching. The Mets have Steve Matz coming up for a "look-see" and he is certainly a strong LHP that I'm sure the Cubs would love to acquire (probably for a Castro or Baez based package).

[Docwaukee]

I don't know Schwarber, who is a major league comparison?

Paul Mcnaulty.  

[ettin]

I don't know Schwarber, who is a major league comparison?

Off the top of my head (and this may not be totally accurate) I'd say Adam Dunn with a few less walks but a few less strikeouts. Somewhere in that ballpark. Probably not quite as many home runs as Dunn in his prime either but more doubles? Will hit a little more for average than Dunn did I think. That's his ceiling anyway. His floor is a productive hitting DH which is valuable for an American League team.... a LHH Billy Butler with more walks and more strikeouts?

[nando714]

I don't know Schwarber, who is a major league comparison?

Idk why but he reminds me of Calhoun. Obviously Calhoun is the better defender though

[Inside Pitch]

I don't know Schwarber, who is a major league comparison?

 

For me -- off the top of my head...   Edwin Encarnacion with a better batting average.  Doesnt K a lot for a power hitter, doesn't really pile on the walks.  Same body types.

There isnt much of a sample size yet on him.  

Edited June 25, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[tdawg87]

Schwarber isn't available, I can tell you that right now. Best bat in the minors. But if he somehow were made available, you're talking Newcomb, Nat Delgado, Santiago and a lower minor RP like Jonah Wesely.

Could we afford that price? Yeah. Should we pay that? Maybe. Would the Cubs accept it? No. Why? Because even though we're offering to pay a fair price, Schwarber just isn't available.

It's sort of like Trout. Let's say a team literally offers a billion dollars and Giancarlo Stanton for Trout. Yeah, fair offer but you just don't trade those guys.

 

You cannot seriously be comparing Schwarber to Trout right now

 

If Schwarber is traded, it'll be after he's established himself in the majors at which time not only would he be able to bring in that pitcher the Cubs are looking for right now, but also a plethora of prospects. Simply put, there is minimal short term advantage and almost no long term advantage to the Cubs trading Schwarber right now.  There's a ton of upside to keeping him for at least a couple more years and the risk of doing such is minimal.  

 

We can fantasize all we want and debate until we're blue in the face about acquiring Schwarber for Hector Santiago but that just isn't the way it works, no matter how much you thinks it's reasonable or want it.  It just isn't. 

 

Also, if it counts for anything, I've been in contact with an editor at one of the main Cubs-centric fan sites.  He said there's no way Schwarber's promotion served as a showcase.  The Cubs feel its only a matter of time before he has LF down and the very design of the team is based more on run production rather than run prevention, which Schawrber fits.

 

Something else of note, after the MLBTR posting, HH went on to say they've had in-depth dialogue.  I'd just like to point out that HH is absolute crap as a site, and they are full of $#1+ if they're claiming to have explicit knowledge of Dipoto's personal conversations.  No one has those.  Sure, there's info on prospects and scouting all the time, but actual GM leaks, nope, not from the Angels at least.   These are all disciples of Rev Halo Fan, don't pay that infection any mind lest you wish it spread. 

 

These two statements seem kind of funny together. First you say you've been in contact with some random ass editor of some random ass website no one here knows about and seem to imply this person has legitimate insider knowledge, but then you say HH are full of shit and couldn't possibly have insider knowledge.

 

Has the editor of this Cubs fan site learned explicit knowledge from Theo Epstein?

[SoWhat]

Schwarber isn't available, I can tell you that right now. Best bat in the minors. But if he somehow were made available, you're talking Newcomb, Nat Delgado, Santiago and a lower minor RP like Jonah Wesely.

Could we afford that price? Yeah. Should we pay that? Maybe. Would the Cubs accept it? No. Why? Because even though we're offering to pay a fair price, Schwarber just isn't available.

It's sort of like Trout. Let's say a team literally offers a billion dollars and Giancarlo Stanton for Trout. Yeah, fair offer but you just don't trade those guys.

That's some serious overrating for a future DH.

[Dick B Back]

Paul Mcnaulty.

lOL, haven't seen that valued brand for awhile.

[Second Base]

Comparing Schwarber to Trout would be silly indeed, as would purposefully misconstruing a message to make it appear as though someone was in fact comparing the two, tdawg.

My main point here is to say that sometimes, you just don't trade a valuable asset, regardless of the price for a variety of reasons.

The reasons Trout won't be traded are different from the reasons Schwarber won't be. The only commonality is that they won't be dealt.

Edited June 26, 2015 by ScottyA_MWAH

[Cdaniel]

I believe they'd take Santiago and Bedrosian for him.

If that's all it takes then do it.

[stormngt]

Based on the chatter here Stanton would be a good comp.

I don't know Schwarber, who is a major league comparison?

[Second Base]

A comp for Schwarber isn't the easiest.  I'd say Carlos Santana with more power and a higher batting average may be fair.  A young Victor Martinez with more power would be applicable.  Encarnacion with a better batting average.  Post Cardinals Pujols perhaps. 

 

Basically I'm saying, he should hit around .300 with an very good OBP and 30+ HR's a year. 

 

I don't think he'll play much catcher in the majors but I do think he'll be an adequate yet below average LF.  Still, if you want 6 years of control over a borderline all-star making the league minimum for a while, you're going to need to pay.  Santiago and a RP alone aren't going to cut it unfortunately. 

[Docwaukee]

Think of Schwarber like we think of Newcomb.  

 

We aren't giving him up, and if we did, it would have to be for something pretty huge.  Not Hector Santiago or CJ Wilson.  

[Second Base]

Couldn't have said it better.  

[tdawg87]

Think of Schwarber like we think of Newcomb.  

 

We aren't giving him up, and if we did, it would have to be for something pretty huge.  Not Hector Santiago or CJ Wilson.  

 

Newcomb is the top prospect in a poor farm system.

 

Schwarber is the number 1 prospect (only because of the graduation of Bryant, Russell, and Soler) in a loaded farm system and a team brimming with young talent.

 

Heaney was traded to us for Howie Kendrick. Heaney was a top 30 prospect according to BA and a top 20 prospect according to MLB.com. Kendrick was a valuable piece, and certainly a very good second baseman. But is/was he elite? Not really. Certainly not a "huge" return. Before that he was traded by the Marlins for Dee Gordon. Same thing. For the Dodgers, Heaney would have been their 2nd best pitching prospect and 3rd best prospect overall. For the Marlins, I believe he was their 2nd best prospect at the time. BTW Kendrick was a 1 year rental.

 

Schwarber is a top 20 prospect according to BA and top 40 according to MLB. Pretty much in the same boat as Heaney was. Before this season started, Schwarber was the 4th best prospect on the Cubs. The top 3 are now on the big league club, contributing. Don't you think it would be reasonable for the Cubs to trade from one of their strengths to fill a need on the big league club? Or are they just going to hold on to all their top young guys because why not? Could they trade Soler instead? Sure, but he's on the DL right now and hasn't shown a ton at the big league level. I'm guessing his return would not be significant. At least not on his own. Schwarber though? This is one, single prospect, who could command a solid MLB pitcher under club control, and a good prospect in a trade. How often does that happen? How often is one single prospect enough to entice a team to give up an ace level starter, straight up?

 

Do I think CJ Wilson for Schwarber is a fair trade? No I do not. Do I think Santiago and a good prospect for Schwarber is a fair trade? You bet your ass I do. Does that mean the Cubs will do it? Probably not. Hell if they wanted to package Schwarber with Edwards Jr. and maybe another lower level prospect they could probably get a guy like Hamels. And take on his entire contract. Or, maybe they could trade Schwarber and nothing else for Santiago, Nate Smith, and Delgado. Sounds pretty fair to me. In fact, that seems like a hell of a lot to give up for a prospect.

[Second Base]

Newcomb is the top prospect in a poor farm system.

 

Schwarber is the number 1 prospect (only because of the graduation of Bryant, Russell, and Soler) in a loaded farm system and a team brimming with young talent.

 

Heaney was traded to us for Howie Kendrick. Heaney was a top 30 prospect according to BA and a top 20 prospect according to MLB.com. Kendrick was a valuable piece, and certainly a very good second baseman. But is/was he elite? Not really. Certainly not a "huge" return. Before that he was traded by the Marlins for Dee Gordon. Same thing. For the Dodgers, Heaney would have been their 2nd best pitching prospect and 3rd best prospect overall. For the Marlins, I believe he was their 2nd best prospect at the time. BTW Kendrick was a 1 year rental.

 

Schwarber is a top 20 prospect according to BA and top 40 according to MLB. Pretty much in the same boat as Heaney was. Before this season started, Schwarber was the 4th best prospect on the Cubs. The top 3 are now on the big league club, contributing. Don't you think it would be reasonable for the Cubs to trade from one of their strengths to fill a need on the big league club? Or are they just going to hold on to all their top young guys because why not? Could they trade Soler instead? Sure, but he's on the DL right now and hasn't shown a ton at the big league level. I'm guessing his return would not be significant. At least not on his own. Schwarber though? This is one, single prospect, who could command a solid MLB pitcher under club control, and a good prospect in a trade. How often does that happen? How often is one single prospect enough to entice a team to give up an ace level starter, straight up?

 

Do I think CJ Wilson for Schwarber is a fair trade? No I do not. Do I think Santiago and a good prospect for Schwarber is a fair trade? You bet your ass I do. Does that mean the Cubs will do it? Probably not. Hell if they wanted to package Schwarber with Edwards Jr. and maybe another lower level prospect they could probably get a guy like Hamels. And take on his entire contract. Or, maybe they could trade Schwarber and nothing else for Santiago, Nate Smith, and Delgado. Sounds pretty fair to me. In fact, that seems like a hell of a lot to give up for a prospect.

 

You aren't necessarily wrong in your assessment tdawg.  But to clarify, Schwarber WAS the 4th best in the Cubs system before the season began, before he moved up to AA and starting ripping them apart.  Had evaluators known what they do now, it's a safe bet he'd be ranked as their top prospect and likely one of the top 5-10 in baseball. 

 

but the going price for a top prospect at the trade deadline, the time prices are highest...my goodness it'd be astronomical.  Again, not comparing Schwarber to Trout, but how much do you think it would've cost to pry Trout away from the Angels when he was 19 and a top prospect?  Now if someone offered you Santiago, Smith and Delgado for the 19 year old Trout, not knowing that he'd be the superstar he is now, would you have accepted?

 

Likely not, but if you did, I'm pretty sure you'd lose your job and would become a cautionary tale for all GM's. 

[tdawg87]

But you're still comparing them. Schwarber is 22. What he is doing at his age, at his level is great. What Trout was doing at his age, at his level was astronomical. You say you aren't comparing them, but that's exactly what you are doing. Schwarber is nowhere near the level of prospect that Trout was. Not even close.

 

Also I would not agree that he is a top 5-10 prospect right now. Top 20? Absolutely. Top 15? Maybe. He's a top 5 hitting prospect for sure. But that's really all he is. Think Miguel Sano.

[ettin]

As I mentioned in my trade article series one way to avoid overpaying is to trade with another team that is in contention. The whole premise of the Cubs immediate need for starting pitching is that they must continue to win as we approach the deadline so that they are compelled to make a move to acquire starting pitching. If that happens and the Angels also stay in the race both Dipoto and Epstein could, potentially, make a trade that wouldn't gouge one another on the price.

It's when you are dealing with a cellar-dweller team like the Phillies where they try to pry away more than they deserve.

[wopphil]

I maintain that Richards is our most valuable tradeable asset, and should be moved if the right deal was available. If you could get two nice, major league ready pieces for him (say, two of Soler, Russell or Schwarber), you pull the trigger.

[TroutField]

I maintain that Richards is our most valuable tradeable asset, and should be moved if the right deal was available. If you could get two nice, major league ready pieces for him (say, two of Soler, Russell or Schwarber), you pull the trigger.

They better not. Trading Richards is the dumbest thing they could do right now besides the other obvious one.

[Corona]

If you start your trade offer for Schwarber with blantiago you'd get laughed out of the building. You might get them listening if you offered Santiago and newcomb. Imagine the Dodgers wanting newcomb and centering their offer around VAN SLYKE or Turner. Lmfao.

Edited June 27, 2015 by Corona

[SoWhat]

If you start your trade offer for Schwarber with blantiago you'd get laughed out of the building. You might get them listening if you offered Santiago and newcomb. Imagine the Dodgers wanting newcomb and centering their offer around VAN SLYKE or Turner. Lmfao.

Once again, we need a dislike button for crap like this.