Matt Garza?

[Oldcity]

Similar to Marcum, Garza seems like a great quick-strike target while teams are still waiting around on Lee and Greinke. It sounds like some teams are seeing Garza as a backup plan if they can't get either of those two. I'd love to see Doug move quickly on this one.

True, but if Tampa Bay is aware that everyone who doesn't

get Lee or Greinke is going to come calling, don't you figure they'll

probably hang onto him until then?

Quite possible, but I'm speculating that Lee could drag on into the winter, and perhaps Greinke too. Tampa might not want to be in limbo that long. Possibly wishful thinking on my part, but the Jays did just deal Marcum very quickly.

[nate82]

How much money is Upton roughly supposed to make this year?

Upton would cost somewhere between $4-6m the Rays are in salary dump mode right now and still want to compete so trading Upton for Cain when you get the same production for less would be appealing to them. The amount of money that the Rays would save along with the production of the players changing hands not being all that much this would be something that the Rays would want to do.

 

It is not that the Rays would be giving up on Upton it is just that they would be able to get the same production out of Cain that they would have for Upton at a much more cheaper price and they will have more years of control also.

[yoshii8]

Just saw this article from bleacher report. I would be shocked if all it took was Casey Mcgehee to get Garza. I love that were still being mentioned for guys like Garza, even after we got Marcum. This is a very fun offseason so far.

 

 

 

 

 

http://bleacherreport.com...-garza-for-casey-mcgehee

[Invader3K]

I really wouldn't put any stock into anything on Bleacher Report. Just sounds like a writer pulling out a trade idea from thin air.

[yoshii8]

I know, I'm not putting any stock into it, that's why I said I would be shocked.

[pingman]

1) the Rays have $$$$ problems....they are in no position to take on Prince's salary.... Why do you think they're letting good players like Crawford & Soriano leave? because they have no $$$$!

 

they're rumored to trade Bartlett (once again, a salary dump) to the Orioles for Reimold plus prospects, therefore no use for MacGhee

 

2) the Rays are filling their holes within, however they're very thin in their bullpen & need a closer.... IMHO they'll demand Axford plus prospects in any deal involving Garza or any of their other starters

[lcbj68c]

Tampa resident, so got to weigh in. The Brewers connection has serious legs here locally. 620WDAE batted around the idea for a full hour this morning. Locally, they have no problems dealing Garza, but would prefer to ship Shields out from a talent standpoint. As long as it isn't Hellickson, nobody's crying about losing a quality starting pitcher. In return, they really need relief pitching and some type of first base candidate outside of Johnson. Lorenzo Cain is appealing to them, but only if Upton goes, because Jennings is waiting in the wings as well.

 

It would seem that the media and fanbase would be tickled with a Jeffress or Axford + Gamel + low level in return for Garza. An established bullpen piece also might be a part of the mix instead of a third prospect. Add a straight up Cain for Upton to that if the parties so desire.

 

Garza + Upton for Jeffress, Gamel, Cain and Parra (or low level prospect)

[And That]

If we don't have to give up Cain to get Garza, I wouldn't want to trade Cain for Upton. If all Garza costs is Jeffress/Gamel/Kintzler or Ke. Davis, do it yesterday.

[strawbossisevil]

If the Brewers get Garza and keep Fielder, they would have to be the preseason favorites to win the division.

[NievesNoNO]

The Cubs are now supposedly in on Garza. I'd say the price just went up. Or it's at least an attempt by the Rays to move the price up for a team who's shown legitimate interest. Actually, I'm not sure why more teams aren't "in" on Garza.

[crewcrazy]

The Rangers were also being brought up yesterday, with the rumors saying Garza is their Plan B if they can't land Lee or Greinke. If the Brewers are in on Garza, I wouldn't expect anything to happen soon. Tampa would be wise to let the market shake out and see how desperate teams like the Rangers (and others that lost out on Lee and Greinke) get. The more time that passes, the higher the asking price probably gets.

[JohnBriggs12]

Just saw this article from bleacher report. I would be shocked if all it took was Casey Mcgehee to get Garza. I love that were still being mentioned for guys like Garza, even after we got Marcum. This is a very fun offseason so far.

 

 

 

 

 

http://bleacherreport.com...-garza-for-casey-mcgehee

This won't happen for the simple reason the Brewers don't think Gamel is a everyday third basemen defensively and they don't want to burden their pitching staff they've worked so hard to improve with such a huge defensive liability.

[dadofandrew]

McGehee for Garza would be done already. Garza and Greinke will both take several prospects, and very good ones at that.

[BrewCrewForever]

If Doug Melvin is serious about making our starting pitching better, he will pass on Pavano and make a Garza deal work somehow. I covet prospects as much as the next guy, but to get a guy like Garza for 3 years to add with Gallardo and Marcum would be huge.

[twobrewers]

Am I the only one who thinks Matt Garza is overrated?

 

Everyone acts like he is "ace" type material. I'd like to have him, but I think he would be a #3 behind Gallardo and Marcum. So I am not interested in giving in too much. If we have to give up one of Jeffress, Rogers or Odorizzi - I'm not interested.

[barbados73]

Sure Garza is being overrated a bit, but he is a clear upgrade over what the Brewers have and also the options on the FA market. I still don't want to sell the farm to acquire him, but I would much rather deal the prospects for him than the ones that it would take to get Grienke who I feel is even more overrated.

[BrewCrewForever]

I think Garza would cost Jeffress or Rogers plus. But I do not think we would have to give up Odorizzi, nor would I give up Jake in a deal for Garza.

[MJLiverock]

Given the Brewer's poor track record in harnessing power arms with questionable control I'd give up one of Jeffress or Rogers for 3 years of Garza. The first couple years of Jeffress or Rogers are likely to be limited innings well below the 185 to 200 a guy like Garza in his prime would provide. Not to mention all the ups and downs as command struggles, learning curve, injury risk, etc.

[And That]

Am I the only one who thinks Matt Garza is overrated?

 

Everyone acts like he is "ace" type material.

I don't think he's an ace, but I think he'd be better than every starting pitcher we have except Gallardo and possibly Marcum. I think he's a #2/#3 in the NL. And we'd have him for three years, that's the big thing that's attractive, at least to me.

[brains and braun]

I agree. People discount the impact of those factors when they say we have six years of these young guys. Especially if we are in "win now" mode.

[twobrewers]

I guess I should have stated that I can't believe how many people hate the idea of adding Pavano for 3 years, but think trading some of our best prospects for 3 years of Garza is a great idea.

 

Garza is better than Pavano - but I'm not sure he is so much better than I am willing to part with the top prospects required to obtain him. Pavano just costs money. (And not even my money!)

 

I would prefer Pavano & Cain to Garza & Gomez.

[And That]

I would prefer Pavano & Cain to Garza & Gomez.

That might well be true this year. However, it's 2012 and 2013 I'm worried about with Pavano. One of our other CF prospects should be ready by 2012, anyway.

[TooLiveBrew]

Officials from the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs met for the second time during the Winter Meetings on Wednesday night to discuss the parameters of a trade that would send right-handed pitcher Matt Garza to Chicago for a number of the Cubs' top prospects, according to multiple sources.

 

Both the Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers have also had meetings with Tampa about Garza, a major league source said. It appears, however, that the Cubs have the strongest bid at this point. A major league source told ESPNChicago.com that Milwaukee is talking to Carl Pavano about a three-year contract. Texas is still waiting to see what Cliff Lee is going to do.

Link

[wibadgers23]

Isn't the Cubs farm system pretty crappy right now? What prospects might they send over to TB?

[pretendastronaut]

To go along with TooLiveBrew, TH just posted;

 

ESPNChicago is reporting that Brewers are still in on Garza but I was told that the talks with Tampa did not move forward.