Zack Greinke [Latest: Deal for Odorizzi/Cain/Escobar/Jeffress in place? reply 464]

[PrinceEatMeat]

Has anyone considered that we could pick up some prospects fro Prince, and possibly flip them in a Greinke deal? I think that would work out nicely.

[ramssuperbowl99]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/105359658.html

 

TH chimes in on the situation. Apparently the Royals are officially making Greinke available. I say go get him Doug!

Who is this Zach Greinke guy? I'd rather go get C.D. Sabathia, Z.J. Burnett or Thomas Lincecum.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1943&position=P

One thing for a topic on a forum, but TH just spelled the name of the 2009 Cy Young award winning pitcher wrong.

One thing of note, Greinke has a list of 8-10 teams that he can block a trade to. With the publicity about how many pitchers have Milwaukee listed on their NTC, it's certainly a significant possibility that we are on there. Especially if he wants to go somewhere where he can "win now".

[Invader3K]

We have to remember that there's probably fans on at least 28 other message boards discussing this same player. I fear we're just going to have to give up way too much to get him. I'd really hate to see the farm system stripped of its pitching depth for likely only two years of a starting pitcher.

[PrinceFielderx1]

Does anybody have espn insider that can post the entire ESPN Buster Olney article on Greinke? I guess he mentions team by team odds to get Greinke...

[And That]

Who is this Zach Greinke guy? I'd rather go get C.D. Sabathia, Z.J. Burnett or Thomas Lincecum.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1943&position=P

I suppose Zack with a "k" makes more sense anyway. Fixed. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Invader3K]

Does anybody have espn insider that can post the entire ESPN Buster Olney article on Greinke? I guess he mentions team by team odds to get Greinke...

It's against forum rules to post entire articles from pay sites like ESPN Insider. Here's what he says about the Brewers:

Greinke would be a great complement for Yovani Gallardo, but like the Indians, the Brewers are in the midst of trying to rebuild their young pitching, and it's uncertain whether they would have enough to satisfy Kansas City's demands.

He names the Phillies, Rockies, Twins, Yankees, and Red Sox as his predictions for Greinke's most likely trade destinations.

[Oxy]

If I am Melvin, I would offer:

 

1. Rogers, Jeffress, or Odorizzi

2. Lawrie

3. Any pitcher they want in our system except those above, Yo, Axford, and perhaps Heckathorn

4. Any non-pitcher in our system not on the 25 man roster

 

If I am Dayton Moore I counter with: Escobar, Rogers, Odorizzi, and Braddock, and then throw Yuniesky Betancourt into the deal. If I am Melvin, I silently curse to myself, let things breathe for a few days and go back to the drawing board.

[Invader3K]

Just saw this on MLB Trade Rumors:

 

The Royals will listen to offers for the 2009 Cy Young Award winner, but not every club has a realistic shot at acquiring him. Zack Greinke will be able to block trades to half of the teams in baseball between now and the 2011 trade deadline, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Kansas City Star recently reported that Greinke would be able to block deals to eight to ten teams, but FOX Sports is reporting that he’ll have even more leverage.

 

Greinke’s contract runs through 2012, but he loses the right to block trades after next year’s July 31st trade deadline, according to Morosi. The right-hander could block trades to 20 teams including the Yankees and Red Sox during the 2009-10 seasons. Small market teams including the Rays were on Greinke’s list of acceptable destinations from 2009-10 (it’s possible that the list has since changed).

 

Yeah, I have no idea if the Brewers would be an "acceptable destination" for him or not, but this is looking more and more like it has "pipe dream" written all over it to me.

[ramssuperbowl99]

By the way, I can't see a Greinke thread going 7 or 8 pages without some good old fashioned Greinke quotes from the Kansas City Star:

10. "I could hit me if someone were on base. It wouldn't be easy, but I could do it. If no one were on base, I wouldn't care as much, so I could get me out."

9. Upon hearing then-GM Allard Baird was going to watch him throw: "And you're gonna be impressed,"

8. "I'd say the average person wouldn't eat a Chipotle burrito and still do his running, full speed, like me. That's why they call me special."

7. "I was giving Brian Bannister all the credit for being the best-hitting pitcher on the team, until today. Now, I've got my confidence back. They're throwing me sliders, and it doesn't matter."

6. "For the first month of the season, (Billy Butler) has definitely been an above-average first baseman. That's hard for me to say because I never thought anyone would say that but him and his family."

5. Two years ago, with Alex Gordon struggling, Greinke pulled him into the video room to show him a clip of Greinke hitting his home run. "In case you forgot," Greinke said, "this is what a home run looks like."

4. "Nice effort by the defense. They didn't get tired of running after balls to the wall. I was pretty impressed by that."

3. To Jeremy Affeldt after Affeldt gave up a homer on what he thought was a good pitch. "Really, I went back to the clubhouse and looked at the pitch on video. It was a really bad pitch. Right over the middle of the plate, and you got it up. I mean it was a bad pitch."

Affeldt: "Thanks, Zack."

Zack: "Right down the middle. I could have hit it out."

Affeldt: "Thanks, Zack."

Zack: "Yeah."

2. On making the Sports Illustrated cover: "There's a lot more interesting stuff going on right now. They should have something else on the cover. Playoff basketball or something else. So it's a mistake. They'll probably sell their least amount of magazines in a long time -- except when NASCAR was on the cover."

1. On hoping President Obama would cuss him out at the All-Star game: "Because none of the White Sox guys like me. So I was hoping that he'd recognize me and be like, 'You punk, I hate you.' But he didn't do that."

 

EDIT:

There is one that the guy didn't report that I found. This was Greinke's reaction to Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt's breakup: "She's way more big-time than me. She's pretty old too. I cried in my bed moaning, 'Why? Why did this have to happen?'"

[PrinceFielderx1]

What about a 3 team trade for Greinke?

 

Something like Fielder and cash to the 3rd team, and mlb ready prospects from the 3rd team to KC, and Greinke to Milwaukee... This would allow the Brewers to keep the Majority of their top prospects and actually allow the Brewers to trade Fielder and possibly contend the next couple years. Heck maybe the Brewers could then trade some of there top prospects for a second top pitcher like a Matt Garza and that could make up for the loss of Fielder. They would then have one of the top rotations in the NL. Just a thought.

[PrinceFielderx1]

Small market teams including the Rays were on Greinke’s list of acceptable destinations from 2009-10 (it’s possible that the list has since changed).

This actually gives me even more hope that the Brewers might actually be one of his acceptable destinations. We shall see.

[Oxy]

Those quotes are outstanding. We have to get this guy, and then sign Sheets to a deal for a couple of mill. I have a feeling Greinke might give him is mojo back and the Brewers would roll into the playoffs.

[ramssuperbowl99]

Small market teams including the Rays were on Greinke’s list of acceptable destinations from 2009-10 (it’s possible that the list has since changed).

This actually gives me even more hope that the Brewers might actually be one of his acceptable destinations. We shall see.

Something that you might not want to overlook is that Greinke loved being a position player (he was a SS in the minors I believe) and still loves to hit. See the above quotes if you don't believe me. Being able to hit for an NL team might be a draw for him.

[Teatoe993]

With Greinke's past emotional issues it makes me wonder if he'd really want to get traded into a pressure cooker city like NYC, Chicago or Boston. If I were him, I'd prefer to stay in a friendly midwestern town.

[geddymd73]

The price seems pretty high for this club at this point. Even putting aside all the minor league talent to give up just to get Greinke here, the 2 years $27 million is a stiff price to pay and a bit of a risk. If we aren't competitive in that 2nd year, he'll probably be packing his backs again. Given that Melvin has failed to produce any significant headway in his past attempts to get guys like Halladay, Lee, or Sanchez, I doubt his ability to pull this one off given the number of other successful small market teams with interest.

[paul253]

Quotes like the one from Buster Olney really irritate me. It's unknown whether Milwaukee would have enough to satisfy KC's demands? Between Odorizzi, Gamel, Rogers, Jeffress, and Lawrie, we have plenty to meet their demands. It's just a matter of would we meet their demands.

[jerichoholicninja]

The price seems pretty high for this club at this point. Even putting aside all the minor league talent to give up just to get Greinke here, the 2 years $27 million is a stiff price to pay and a bit of a risk. If we aren't competitive in that 2nd year, he'll probably be packing his backs again. Given that Melvin has failed to produce any significant headway in his past attempts to get guys like Halladay, Lee, or Sanchez, I doubt his ability to pull this one off given the number of other successful small market teams with interest.

He did get the Sabathia guy. He was kinda good.

[ListachRides]

The price seems pretty high for this club at this point. Even putting aside all the minor league talent to give up just to get Greinke here, the 2 years $27 million is a stiff price to pay and a bit of a risk.

Going by Fangraphs numbers, $13.5mil per year is an excellent value for Greinke if he performs like he did this season (and highway robbery if he performs like he did in 2009). In fact, I think the reasonableness of his contract is part of what's appealing about Greinke. That, and the fact that he's filthy.

 

I still say Lawrie, Jeffress and two lesser pieces (say, Heckathorn and Gindl) is the best-case package for the Brewers. Royals don't have a need for Gamel given their stockpile of corner players. I agree that it will take one of Lawrie or Odorizzi and I'd rather keep Odorizzi given the possibility we can resign Weeks and thus not have a big need at any of Lawrie's most likely positions. After that, I'd prefer to keep Rogers over Jeffress because I think Rogers has a better chance of making it as a starter. The two lesser pieces aren't as important and are pretty much up to KC. That may not be enough, but I find it hard to believe we can get it done for any less.

[TooLiveBrew]

Even putting aside all the minor league talent to give up just to get Greinke here, the 2 years $27 million is a stiff price to pay and a bit of a risk

 

It's not that big of a risk. The Brewers have a lot of money coming off the books this offseason, and Greinke will easily be worth his AAVs of $13.5M. If the Brewers aren't competitive, they can deal him away.

 

And it's not fair in any sense to hold Roy Halladay not wanting to come to MIL (no-trade clause) against Melvin.

[Hsee2006]

I like the idea of getting Greinke but it may cost a lot. Looking at the Indians trade of Cliff Lee to the Phillies they were able to get the Phillies 2nd Carrasco), 3rd (Donald), 4th (Marson) and 10th (Knapp) rated players according to their Baseball America rankings. That means a trade for Greinke may cost Gamel or Lawrie, Odorizzi or Rogers, Kentrail Davis and maybe Jeffress or Braddock.

 

I think we should sign Weeks and then trade Lawrie, Odorizzi, Davis and Jeffress or Braddock for Greinke. Then trade Fielder to SF for Bumgarner and go with a rotation of Greinke, Gallardo, Bumgarner, Wolf and Narveson with Narveson possibly being replaced by Rogers in 2011 or 12. Then play Gamel at first or sign an aged veteran free agent to play first like Thome to a short term deal.

[Oldcity]

This will probably be yet another frustrating instance of a top player blocking a deal to Milwaukee that we won't hear about for a while.

[PrinceFielderx1]

This will probably be yet another frustrating instance of a top player blocking a deal to Milwaukee that we won't hear about for awhile.

Possibly. It is encouraging though that Greinke likes small market teams, and that he didn't want to go to Boston or New York.

[GAME05]

Greinke might very well not like Milwaukee, but if KC only gets joking offers from everyone else but Milwaukee, he'd be left with a choice of KC vs. Milwaukee if we make a good enough offer. he might very likely ok a trade here if his only other option is to stay in KC and lose another 90 games.

 

if KC wants more ML-polished players, i would just as easily send them Weeks and cross my fingers with a Lawrie/Veteran platoon at 2b in Milwaukee next year (although that could be frightening defensively).

[DannoMac21]

I like the idea of getting Greinke but it may cost a lot. Looking at the Indians trade of Cliff Lee to the Phillies they were able to get the Phillies 2nd Carrasco), 3rd (Donald), 4th (Marson) and 10th (Knapp) rated players according to their Baseball America rankings. That means a trade for Greinke may cost Gamel or Lawrie, Odorizzi or Rogers, Kentrail Davis and maybe Jeffress or Braddock.

 

I think we should sign Weeks and then trade Lawrie, Odorizzi, Davis and Jeffress or Braddock for Greinke. Then trade Fielder to SF for Bumgarner and go with a rotation of Greinke, Gallardo, Bumgarner, Wolf and Narveson with Narveson possibly being replaced by Rogers in 2010 or 11. Then play Gamel at first or sign an aged veteran free agent to play first like Thome to a short term deal.

I agree with this very much.

[monkeyman343434]

I like the idea of getting Greinke but it may cost a lot. Looking at the Indians trade of Cliff Lee to the Phillies they were able to get the Phillies 2nd Carrasco), 3rd (Donald), 4th (Marson) and 10th (Knapp) rated players according to their Baseball America rankings. That means a trade for Greinke may cost Gamel or Lawrie, Odorizzi or Rogers, Kentrail Davis and maybe Jeffress or Braddock.

 

I think we should sign Weeks and then trade Lawrie, Odorizzi, Davis and Jeffress or Braddock for Greinke. Then trade Fielder to SF for Bumgarner and go with a rotation of Greinke, Gallardo, Bumgarner, Wolf and Narveson with Narveson possibly being replaced by Rogers in 2010 or 11. Then play Gamel at first or sign an aged veteran free agent to play first like Thome to a short term deal.

I agree with this very much.

This would never happen. There's no way in h. e. double hockey sticks that the Giants would trade Bumgarner for Fielder. 6 years of controlable/cheap starting pitching, for one year of close to market value of a 1B? Along with depleting the system for 2 years of a SP at good value.

 

I think if the Brewers deal for Greinke, they're basically trying to go for it in 2011 and/or 2012. In that case, Prince won't be dealt. I understand the SP needs to be upgraded, but Greinke really isn't a long term solution. I think it'd be a great pickup, but I'm a little wary of giving up too many prospects for 2 years of a SP, although it could be compensated with receiving two draft picks when he leaves.