marcosantinia12

As for Phillips, I don't really like it. He is great defensively, but he has been below average with the bat for the past couple of seasons. I would much rather sign Howie who is decent defensively and has much better offensive numbers. On top of that, we would get 34-35 y/o Phillips. I say try to sign Howie for 3/30-36 on team home-town discount. He has been in LA his hole career and I'd imagine he would take a small salary cut to go back to the team he grew up through and stay home. We would get his 32-35 years. Having said that, Howie isn't worth losing a pick, but I believe we will lose the pick anyways through another signing (Heyward/Upton). If so, bring on Howie as well.

I think it would take a lot more to get Gordon. Probably Santiago and Gia + Ward and another prospect or two. And even then it probably would not happen. Gordon coming off a gold glove year, batting champion, young and inexpensive - there is no incentive for the Marlins to trade him. But man... if the opportunity opened itself, I would trade all of the above. Completely gut the farm, Idc. It would give us a team that is practically all 27 y/o and under team controlled guys (I'm going out on a limb and assuming we sign Heyward). It would be a tremendous run for the next 5 years as all of our young players play into their prime. We would have 5 or so years to replenish the farm.

Sorry, this is what I was referring to.

I completely disagree. It goes with the sense of direction. For example, if the Angels don't do anything to improve their club via Free agency or sign older guys then it does not fit the direction we are going towards. By signing a guy like Heyward, we set ourselves up for a young, controlled team. This means that we trade for a guy like Simmons to cover a premium position for the next 5 years along with Heyward, Trout, Richards, Calhoun, Heaney, Cron etc for the rest of our team controlled players. All very young. I would expect us to definitely be big on Heyward now, and if we are going to lose the pick, we may as well go for Howie at a hometown discount of 3/30. No he does not fit the youth movement, but we receive very good production for the next 3 years , with our larger commitments (Trout and Heyward) being towards younger players. Again, sense of direction. If I am correct, the objective is WIN NOW - for the remaining of Trout's contract.

I have to agree 100% on beefing up the reliever. With a 10-15 million we can create a completely shut down pen that shuts down a team and shortens the game to 6-7 innings. That has an incredible impact in both our regular season success and more so in the playoffs. $10-$15 million to a position player (Freeze/Murphy type) will not get you nearly as far.

I agree with AO. It makes a nasty lineup on paper if we could get both Frazier and Bruce. But man, would the lineup lack OBP and athleticism. Even Frazier has a pretty mediocre obp for a guy who smashed 35hr and should be pitched walk-heavy in that Reds lineup.

Holly hell. Asking price is too high. I understand SS will be a position of need next year, but unless we get an impact player or fill a current need then I am not ready to part with Nuke/Richards +.

Lol. And if he came out and said it publicly, it wasn't sincere right? Do you expect him to beg for forgiveness? He said what he had to say, and moved on from it.

I honestly feel like some of you are just skipping over my posts. If you don't want to read them then ok, so be it. But don't be redundant. I pointed out his age myself, but pointed at a few factors as to why I think he would not regress like some other players. I think he would produce well through his age 35 season- I can live with his two last seasons being below his value (Isn't that already an expectation with other free agents as well?). He isn't a Pujols type or a Hamilton type. He's an athletic player who was 6 stolen bases away from the 30 SB club last year. Also, some of you keep going back to the $111 million commitment, when not once did I say take the contract on fully. I stated that if they were willing to pay off a small portion off his contract that allows us to take 15-16 million a year for him then great. If we're going to have to take the contract on fully then no, there are obviously better options in FA for $5ish million more per year.

Woah, pedophile now? I understand you're using that as an exaggeration to emphasize your point but that's a completely different sitatuion. We're not advocating for a pedophile or even a Reyes who is in the center of negative media right now. We're talking about a guy who used PED's a few years ago. Yes he acted like an asshole, a liar, and a "bitch" but it's in the past. He hasn't been in any trouble since and has continued to put up strong numbers. Personally, he can be a dick for all I care, obviously not in the realm of disgust as a pedophile. But, for the sake of your own comfort here is an interesting article. http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/ryan-braun-addresses-media-i-regret-all-of-it-he-says-of-ped-scandal-b99151867z1-233636721.html "I wish that I could change it," Braun said. "I wish that I hadn't said anything about him. I wish I knew more at the time I said what I said. But he was really a special person and his family was a special group of people." "I'm deeply remorseful about what happened," Braun said during the 14-minute session. "I wish I had the ability to go back and change things and do things a lot differently, but unfortunately I can't do that." "All I can do is move on and try to do everything in my power to earn back people's trust and respect and support. I don't anticipate being able to earn back everybody's support, but I certainly intend to do everything in my power to do that and I won't stop trying." Doesn't sound like the pathetic excuse for human life you guys are making him out to be.

Nailed it right on the head.

I sure did.

I didn't realize how sensitive some people on this board were lol. The guy produces, period. I could careless that he is a jerk if he can play, the scandal is past him. As for age, I totally agree that our priority should be to bring young players. However, its not as if we are bringing him via a crazy contract. sorry for getting the numbers wrong but nevertheless, if you can work out a deal that brings him over for 16 mil per > then do it. That said NO, I am not for trading Newcomb or Richards. I was asking if there is a way we could acquire him without them. He's 31, that's right there with Gordon and just older than Cespedes and were talking about giving these guys deals. Cespedes, aside from his breakout year in 2015 has a .783 OPS in his career. Braun just last year had an OPS of .854. I don't think he'll age as fast as other players. What I found interesting is that his stolen bases doubled last year from 11 to 24. That's not an old beat up guy lol. 24 sb, 25hr, .285/.356/.498. I'd gladly take it for 16 million a year and anybody not named Newcomb or Richards. Let's say that for the majority of his contract hell drop down to an average of 18-20hr (more doubles), .265/.340/.460. That .340 obp .460 slg , with good base running would be so nice on the 2 spot in front of Trout.

I'm suggesting they pay 15 mil out of the 111 owed. Big request?

I wouldn't give them up. I'm asking if that's what it would take to get him, if so then no thank you. I'd do Heaney + Ellis + though.

Lol, cause he gets on base and sluggs.

I mentioned him in the Aybar-Simmons thread but it really got me thinking. What would it take for us to get Braun and take on 96 of his remaining 111 million? That's 16 mil a year for an impact player at our biggest need in position. That's much cheaper than Heyward, Upton, Cespedes, even Gordon, and maybe Fowler. And the best part is he hits FA at the best time, in 2021 when Trout hits FA. Milwaukee has to be willing to listen to shedding 100 mil in commitment and the possibility of getting back cheap, talented young arms. Ideas of what it would take to land a deal? Does it inevitably take a Richards/Newcomb centerpiece?

Maybe Braun for Heaney, Ellis, Gatto, Cron. Braun is owed $111 million through 2021 which happens to be the year Trout hits FA. What if the Brewers paid 15 million of his remaining contract leaving us with 96 mil (16 per year) to pay for him. There are projections that Fowler will get around that high. We'd be getting a bargain price and even though he will fall of the last couple years of his contract, he becomes FA at the PERFECT time. Brewers have to be listening. Shedding 100 mil in salary and receiving a bunch of years in cost control of talented young pitching. Not only is he an immediate impact player, but he is controlled through Trout's prime and he fills our team's biggest hole being LF. We save the money we were going to use in LF to fill our other holes. Edit: Do you think it would take Richards/Newcomb for Braun? I'd say Heaney may be enough as the centerpiece. That's a $100 MILLION commitment taken off their back plus a quality, albeit not amazing return for a team who won't be contending any time soon.

I'd love to get Simmons but it boils down to how big of an impact he makes. Is he an impact player? No. He improves the defense, but he won't be the reason for the Angel's overall success in 2016. Is Newcomb and impact player? He certainly has the upside to be one in a couple of years and possibly even a great help late this season. Let's say Ellis and a prospect instead of Newcomb. I still don't do it because like I said, he isn't an impact player (he's a strictly defensive guy) , and I think you can possible package Ellis for an impact player. Especially by pairing him up with other cost controlled pitchers like Heaney,Santiago, Trop, Smith, or Alcantara for team trying to unload salary.

This. O'day pleaseeee.

Same... Mystery team anyone?

Man, that would be great but no way it happens. I would imagine Richards would fetch Baez + 2 mid to above average level position prospects. If we could get a young 20-22 y/o OF with high upside and an mid-level infield prospect, I would do it. In addition to Baez of course.

This is one of the best looking wish lists that I've seen. Others mentioned we get older, that's true, but we also have very minor commitments with Aoki (maybe 2 years- FA in 2018) , Plouffe (2018), and Walker (2017). With Weaver and CJ leaving in 2017 and Hamilton in 2018 we get a lot of flexibility in investing into those positions at the time of their departure. More so than now and certainly a lot more than if we lock with a big bat/pitcher right now. And even Cueto who is a big signing, is at a very cheap value right now and we are going cheap on everything else. Its even possible that we are able to develop in house options for those positions and they are ready come 2018. Maybe trade for a couple B level position players within the next 2 years.More importantly, we are able to stay competitive into 2018 during the first part of Trout's tenure and then be able to have the money and the youth (by then) to sign an impact player or 2 and really make the last 2-3 years w/ Trout special. I'm talking about signing a 27 y/o Machado or around something those lines, someone truly special to pair with Trout.

Some good ideas to just ponder I suppose but overall, this probably would not work. I feel like we're working backwards in trading away an outfielder that meets our specific criteria of needs to sign 2 more expensive ones, even if one is not 1st tier. At first having a wheeler/matz in the rotation looked nice, but then you mentioned looking into dealing one of Richards, Heaney, or Newcomb. We're then back to where we started. I feel like your ideas are meant more for a change really, than upgrading on areas of need. It just feels like were swapping roster spots (Calhoun for 2nd/3rd tier ), (Richards/Heaney + more for Matz).

Definitely. I actually wanted Howie ideally, but seeing that he has the pick attached changes everything. If we do pick up a player that has a pick attached (other than Howie) than it makes sense. I just don't think Howie individually is worth a pick.