Millar and Griffey

[igor67]

I did a quick sweep on non contenders and the two names I came up with that might be beneficial are Kevin Millar and Griffey. Millar's slugging is down quite a bit but still OK and his OBP is still quite high which is an asset on this team. I'd wager for a modest pitching prospect and Mench there's a reasonable deal there. Someone on the Sarfate, Jackson or even Spurling if they were so inclined for some reason.

 

Griffey is a lot tricker for many reasons no trade clauses and what not, but he'd definitely be an upgrade in LF and make the line up really scary. The Reds need pitching so we could offer up Vargas a relief prospect, Jenkins and a bat of some kind like Gamel or Ford?

[hauser42]

Where does Millar fit in?? He would be a huge liabilthy out in LF and he lacks Mench's power.

 

Reds are going to want some very solid young players to take Griffey off their hands. Jenks is not going to get it done, Vargas and another young starter might be a good starting point.

[Invader3K]

I had been thinking Griffey to the Brewers would be ludicrous, but the more I think about it, maybe not so much.

 

I'm guessing he would like to win a championship soon. I also get the feeling that he likes working with younger guys. Throw in the fact that he and Prince Fielder are very close (Prince is like a younger brother to him), and maybe Griffey coming to Milwaukee (at least as a rental player) isn't out of the question.

 

As for what it would take...maybe Vargas/Bush/Jenkins? Heck, throw in Gabe Gross and/or Laynce Nix.

[igor67]

That what kinds of my point hauser. Millar doesn't have the power he once did but isn't a slap hitter either. Offensively our biggest weakness really is our relatively low OBP. As a spot player playing only against lefties he'll produce more then Mench, and you got good options for defensive replacements in Gross and Jenkins. And actually if you compare SLG this year Millar has Mench outdone .436 to .421. I'm a little less enthusiastic though since you made me look up the splits Millar has actually had a reverse platoon split 4 years running, the OBP is still good but his power and average get pretty weak.

 

I agree that Griffey is going to take and is actually worth some good players. Jenkins has to be in the trade for salary reasons at a bare minimum. A younger starting pitcher is pretty valuable and then it becomes a question of what else can you get away with. I think Doug has established a precedent in being willing to deal slightly disapointing pitchers with good potential. Sarfate springs to mind and generally you are giving better percieved value with nearly ready players.

 

Just to throw some numbers. Jenkins and Mench total Runs above replacement so far is 16. Griffey's is 30. For a half season then that's a 14 run difference or 2 full wins.

[sveumrules]

i don't see us moving jenks during the season. he's been a soldier as the longest tenured brewer and suffered through some terrible teams. to move him at this point before he's about to taste the postseason for the first time would be a classless move on the organization's part.

 

now during the offseason...

[Lil Dummy]

Two things I would bet my life savings on:

 

1) Griffey's not coming to Milwaukee.

 

2) Jenkins won't be traded during the stretch run.

[JoeHova]

I don't like getting either guy. With Griffey you are buying way too high, as he is playing the best he has since 98 or so. With Millar, he just isn't enough of an upgrade over Mench to be worth the trouble, imo. Part of that may be because I hate Millar for some reason though, because he is a significantly better hitter than Mench.

[Jopal78]

Griffey has already said on record that Milwaukee is a boring city, that he doesn't look forward to travelling to. Since he has the no trade clause, my guess is the Brewers could offer the moon and stars and Griffey still would nix the deal.

 

Millar is essentially a 1B/DH, where would he play?

[Never Outhustled]

Jenkins OPS after the break the last 3 years is 933. Odds are pretty good that Jenkins will be better than Griffey after the break this year. The Brewers should save there cash and prospects for pitching help.

[Big Reed]

I'd like to add griffey, but in looking at the reds, they are going to want prospects or young players in return for him, not veterans with $12 million salaries..

 

For the brewers to acquire griffey, the brewers would want to unload some payroll as part of the deal. however, the only reason for the reds to trade griffey is if they too could unload some payroll as part of the deal. neither team is really known as a team with a lot of extra money to spend.

 

griffey sells tickets. without him, the reds would be looking at some other way to either sell tickets or drastically reduce their payroll. Down on the farm, the reds have several bright outfield prospects and Votto at first. I would believe their real needs are a potential future all star middle infielder, catcher, or starting pitcher.

 

if the brewers were truly interested in acquiring griffey, i would have to believe looking at the deal from the reds' perspective they would be asking for players like weeks or hardy, or Charlie, Yo, parra or Inman. I realize brewers fans would never want to part with any of these players. and that's the main reason so few trades that fans propose are ever accomplished.

 

the reds are not going to want the spare parts brewer fans are willing to give up. And the brewers are not going to rip apart their infield or young pitching just to acquire an aging $15 million outfielder.

 

peter gammons likes to get people excited by throwing out 20,000 trade proposals that he thinks teams should make. but the reality is that only about 2 of those sure thing proposals are ever made.

 

melvin said about 3 years ago that trades for hitters are made in the off season, and trades for pitchers are made at the trading deadline. looking at the trades that have bee n made at the past deadlines, melvin's statement is close to the money.

 

a trade i could see happening: the braves trading Saltamachia or mc cann for griffey. it gives the reds an all star name that they can market. it saves payroll. and it provides the braves a power bat to put in their lineup.

[brwrsfan]

Let me start out by saying that if Ken Griffey Jr were to become a Brewer, I would literally jump up and down with excitement. Griffey has been my favorite player since I was about 10 years old (I'm 25 now...). That being said......

 

Ken Griffey Jr has about as much chance of becoming a Brewer as I do. The teams really don't match up well (we can't take on his salary, they won't want any salary back and I don't think we're willing to give up the prospects necessary to get him). Even if this all happened, I just can't see him waiving his no-trade clause to come here.....but we can hope!!

[dadofandrew]

I don't see Griffey as improvement over Jenkins at all. While he may well outproduce him when healthy, he is bound to miss time and also be hobbled some games, hurting his offense and defense.

[DrWood]

Since Millar hits lefties worse than righties, he certainly is no replacement for Mench in a platoon.

 

I wouldn't mind Griffey at all, but what do you do with Jenkins?

[Big Reed]

I'd love o add griffey.

 

I just can't see any viable trade package that cincy would see as acceptable. then again, their GM made a terrible deal sending Casey to the tigers, and made a terrible deal with the nationals last year. So who knows?

[endaround]

So the Brewers trade Jenkins, Parra and Inman for Griffey and have to pick up his 2009 option to get him to waive his no trade clause. So no Sheets extension. Then Griffey has his yearly injury and misses all of August and we'll be treated to Mench full time and miss the playoffs.