Suppan and Coffey for Mike Lowell?

[JohnBriggs12]

Just tossing out this. Red Sox have been looking for a reliever and a longer term 3rd baseman but need to unload Lowell and his $12 million.

 

Lowell and Suppan's salary are close matches. Lowell could split time with McGehee and be a heck of bat off the bench when he's not playing so he might be of more value than Suppan would be to the Brewers. Coffey is the sweetener and since he's due an arby raise, the deal would result in some savings for the Brewers.

[chadomac]

Why would we trade an overpaid pitcher we don't need AND a quality reliever for an overpaid 3B we REALLY don't need?

 

This seems like a minimal salary dump to me. Coffey doesn't make that much, I don't see the purpose unless you REALLY want Suppan out of that 5th spot in the rotation... which I can't blame you for http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[JohnBriggs12]

Why would we trade an overpaid pitcher we don't need AND a quality reliever for an overpaid 3B we REALLY don't need?

 

This seems like a minimal salary dump to me. Coffey doesn't make that much, I don't see the purpose unless you REALLY want Suppan out of that 5th spot in the rotation... which I can't blame you for http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

I think you have it reversed. They REALLY don't need an overpaid starting pitcher who they don't want in their rotation because there's no other use for him and with Hawkins and Vargas and any number of other relievers, they don't really need Coffey all that much either. On the other hand, it's true they don't need a 3B, but Lowell's still good enough that he's useful as a part time player and righthanded PH. Their bench currently is all lefthanded.

[Invader3K]

The only way I could see Lowell making sense is if the Brewers trade Prince in a blockbuster and need a stop gap first baseman. He would be a downgrade from Gamel or McGehee at 3B at this point in his career.

[JohnBriggs12]

The only way I could see Lowell making sense is if the Brewers trade Prince in a blockbuster and need a stop gap first baseman. He would be a downgrade from Gamel or McGehee at 3B at this point in his career.

Lowell would make sense if you were otherwise going to release Suppan and eat his salary if only to add strength to your bench. That's my point. Either way, you are going to pay. This way you've strengthened your bench. At least that's more than Suppan would give you if he were collecting paychecks out in California.

[TooLiveBrew]

The value Lowell would provide in limited playing time would not be worth losing Coffey.

[804Sox]

bad trade for both sides. Suppan would have no value to the Sox and the Brewers really don't need 3 3B when they might struggle to find adequate pt for 2. Additionally, it doesn't serve as salary relief for either team, which would be the point of tradig Suppan and Lowell in the first place.

[PeaveyFury]

they don't really need Coffey all that much either. On the other hand, it's true they don't need a 3B, but Lowell's still good enough that he's useful as a part time player and righthanded PH. Their bench currently is all lefthanded.

 

Coffey's not going to be unused due to Hawkins' signing, so he's still more useful to the Brewers than Lowell is as a RH bench player.

[dadofandrew]

If Coffey can put up a year like '09, he has oodles more value than Lowell. No sense to me at all.

[804Sox]

The Sox seem to be trying really hard to unload Lowell so they can sign Beltre. I don't think he has much value at all the way his defense has regressed, but he's only a 1-year commitment at this point. Lowell for Hart might be roughly equivalent in this scenario, but again, I'm not sure why the Brewers would want him

[igor67]

I could see a more complex scenario possibly making some sense. They swap Lowe and Suppan. Hart is traded for Soriano from the Braves to stack the pen and Gamel moves to RF. Lowell then serves as a back-up at 3rd and OF, and overall we get a higher quality pitcher.

[MessiahRp]

Igor67:

 

I like your idea... except if we get Soriano, the Sox would have to get Coffey back. They want a salary dump on Lowell for sure but don't want to give him away free...

 

So if we tweaked it to go like this:

 

Red Sox get:

Coffey

 

Braves get:

Hart

Suppan

 

Brewers get:

Lowe

Soriano

Lowell

 

I mean yes the Brewers are going to spend a decent chunk for Lowe but probably not too much more than another FA pitcher signing of Lowe's caliber would cost and Soriano's only inked for one year. Lowell and Suppan even out.

 

And I'm of the belief that when healthy Lowell is still a very good player. Not MVP caliber like a few years back but a considerable upgrade to McGehee whom is probably a one year wonder and Gamel whom we don't even know if he can hit at the big league level yet.

 

My only concern would be finding a decent bat at corner OF to replace Hart (Matsui for a year?).

 

Rp

[Invader3K]

That would be a landslide deal for the Brewers. Not sure what incentive the other two teams would have to do it.

[MessiahRp]

Invader3K-

 

I would probably say to pull Coffey out and swing Soriano over to Boston.

 

Boston's interested in Soriano anyway. For the Braves, they dump over half of Lowe's contract and get a young OF who has tremendous upside. For Boston, it's mostly about dumping Lowell but getting a reliever back is a win for them. For Milwaukee it's all about an extra veteran arm for a couple years.

[804Sox]

Boston would probably do it if they got Soriano, but what would the Braves incentive be? They'd give up a good overpaid starter and a good reliever on a 1-year deal for a bad overpaid starter and a fringe starting OF. Braves would probably need to get Coffey in that scenario, but more likely a Brewers prospect. I don't think Lowe's value is that low (no pun intended), he's just surpluss and expensive and the Braves would prefer to spend the money invested in him elsewhere. Swapping him for Suppan doesn't necessarily help them. They still have more starters than they think they need, including one that's making a lot of money that they could spend on a bat. The situation with Soriano is similar. He has pretty solid value, but after signing Saito and Wagner the Braves feel the back end of their bullpen is complete and would prefer to spend that 7-8 mil elsewhere.

[nate82]

Looks as though Texas is being really busy this off season and they are about to get Lowell. Thank God is all I have to say about that. Rosenthal's tweet.

[804Sox]

max ramirez is a decent return, but the Sox are eating a ton of money