Greinke traded to Milwaukee; Latest -- more on how it came about

[Tedaldtada]

This is basically a Teixera trade except we got an ACE, not an All-Star first baseman.

Here is the PitchFx page for Greinke.

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

[dpapo]

Look like it's going to be Jeffress, per Haudricourt via Twitter:

 

"Jeffress still could be the PTBNL in Greinke trade. Royals are reviewing his record of drug suspensions before signing off on him."

 

http://twitter.com/Haudri...status/16549552135872512

[PeaveyFury]

More frosting on the cake?.....Another player that the Yankees don't get and you know that TB will never trade Garza or Sheilds to them. Have fun with round two of Pavano NY.

 

Just to touch on this- Yankees fans must be besides themselves right now.

[ramssuperbowl99]

Fangraphs with some interesting comments:

My first reaction to the package coming to Kansas City was: Really, that’s it? Clearly the asking price dropped a lot in the past 48 hours.

This is certainly quantity over quality. There are no can’t miss prospects and no blue-chip, young stars. You have a raw, potential No. 2 or 3 starter, an eighth- or ninth-inning reliever, a slick-fielding, light-hitting infielder, and a speedy centerfielder with contact issues. I would rather have infielder Brett Lawrie, whom Milwaukee recently sent to Toronto for pitcher Shaun Marcum, than any of the four players in the Greinke deal.

I think they're right. You aren't supposed to get top 10 pitchers without giving up All Star, blue-chip caliber players. We didn't do that here. I have no idea how this can be anything but a huge win for Milwaukee.

[valpocrewsader]

I was starting to become a huge Cain fan, but I'm dancing about Greinke being a Brewer. To think that last offseason we were convincing ourselves that Wolf was a true #2 and if we cross our fingers really hard, we'll be okay with guys like Davis, Bush, and Parra rounding out the rotation. A year later, Wolf is our #4 and spots 1-3 are held by legit, young aces. For someone who has always been drawn more to the pitching and defense side of baseball, I'm elated.

 

On the downside, I feel it's unlikely that our 2011 SS will be anyone other than Betancourt. I think DM acquired him to plug the SS hole -- I hope I'm wrong.

[PeaveyFury]

Tom's latest:

Because Jeffress has had two suspensions for marijuana use in the minors, the Royals want to thoroughly inspect his records. If they don't like what they see, they will be allowed to pass and select another player from a short list.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/112153074.html

 

Wouldn't it be nice to know who is on that list?

[Hofbraunhaus]

I wonder how Cain took this news. Didn't he get really upset during the winter meetings when his name was brought up in a trade rumor?

[giffted1]

I'm not sure how the team will look in 2014, but the next two years are going to be a lot of fun.

 

Bravo, Doug. Bravo.

[Thurston Fluff]

I think we got the best possible result pitching wise though I think Greinke is slightly overrated. Escobar is struggling in the winter league and wasn't as great defensively as advertised. Cain is gonna hurt partially because of who we have to replace him and partially because he is a guy who can both it and field which is something we lack. Living in Appleton I got to see Odorizzi this summer and he was as good as advertised. I know he's a few years from the majors but I hope he pans out for them. It would be nice if KC got back on the right track with this deal. Then it'd be a win win for two small market teams.

 

So can anyone remember when the Brewers out did the Yankees in off season acquisitions like this? I suppose when a team always gives up their first couple picks in the draft they don't have enough left to make big trades. Thus when the FA market fails them they are screwed.

[davemakovec]

This is an unqualified win. It's sad to lose Cain and Escobar, but you now have a team with three #1 pitchers from last year. Seriously, that's three opening day starters. The only team that can honestly say they have a better rotation is Philadelphia.

 

Losing Odorizzi is tough, but he's two years away at least, and he might be another Inman, or Parra, or any number of can't-miss SP prospects that, well, missed.

 

I think Gomez in center is a lot more palatable now. You make up for his negative bat with the seven hitters in front of him, and his defense helps to maximize the team's new #1 strength: starting pitching.

[thablingster]

It is nice to see the Brewers going for it this year. It is disappointing to lose Cain, but other than that you have to give quality to get quality. Provided Gomez sees most of the starts in CF and whoever plugs in at SS is an above average to good defender, these moves will help the team. We'll need everyone else to tighten up their defense a bit as well, but pitching and defense can win, as the Giants proved this past year.

[Patrick425]

Tom's latest:

Because Jeffress has had two suspensions for marijuana use in the minors, the Royals want to thoroughly inspect his records. If they don't like what they see, they will be allowed to pass and select another player from a short list.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/112153074.html

 

Wouldn't it be nice to know who is on that list?

Yeah, it would be nice to see who else is on the list. Depending on who is on that list, this part is somewhat of a no win for the Brewers. If KC inspects Jeffress' records and they don't like what they see, that would be a bit concerning even though we get to keep him. Otherwise they take him.

 

[Viva La Grinch]

One point I keep thinking about is when they hired Roenike it was said his greatest asset was communicating with players. Well, I would love to hear the conversations with Grienke.....

 

Part of me feels guilty about getting money from Kansas City..... its like when your little nephew gives you a gift at Christmas that they used all their allowance on but the gift is kinda lame. It means a lot to them but you think that they should have just kept the money, as a few dollars is more important to them then some socks to yourself.

[whizkid]

Going way out on a limb here but I think this is a better Christmas present than the Soup signing was.

 

I think the Betancourt thing went like this. With Escobar the Royals didn't need a SS and wanted salary relief. So Doug counters with ok but give us the money for his 2112 buyout. I think they go with Gomez/Dickerson in CF but still have some chips to get a light hitting but better defensive SS. 3B and 1B are really bad defensively, 2B around average. With this staff they can't add a really bad defensive SS to the mix.

[logan82]

Escobar is struggling in the winter league and wasn't as great defensively as advertised. Cain is gonna hurt partially because of who we have to replace him and partially because he is a guy who can both it and field which is something we lack.

 

It's the winter leagues and Escobar improved dramatically over the course of the season on defense. I think Escobar will actually hurt more because of who we have to replace him. A Dickerson/Gomez platoon will at least bring good defense. Betancourt, well, he hits like Escobar and defends like Hanley Ramirez.

[wallus]

Don't we have more strikeout pitchers now though? Isn't it all part of the strategy?

[JJHardy7]

I like the trade. For all bf.net folks here have been talking about defense and how it can somewhat change a pitchers numbers, how does our defense in 2011 as of now project to the Royals the past few years?

 

In other words, it seems like we're improving big-time with pitching, but our defense will stink up the joint.

 

What defensive SS are left in free agency? We don't need a big time hitter by any means. Also, I don't think it would take much to get JJ back.

[trwi7]

I certainly hope they don't stop spending money on this. I don't want Betancourt starting for this team anywhere. I'd ask Boston about Scutaro or sign Orlando Cabrera or Renteria. I'd also ask the Red Sox about Cameron.

[davemakovec]

Is Adam Everett still kicking around? Could he be had for $1 million? Cut Betancourt, eat the salary, and platoon Everett and Counsell. WOAHS SOLVDD.

 

Edit: also, look at how well focusing on defense worked for Seattle last year. That was a whole lineup that was a black hole at the plate.

[logan82]

Don't we have more strikeout pitchers now though? Isn't it all part of the strategy?

Best case scenario is that about 2/3 of balls are still hit into play. Betancourt at SS makes Weeks our best infield defender. Just something to think about.

 

Even Fangraphs is pushing the old baseball "by the book" dreck.

 

Escobar, like Cain, should be a top-of-the-order guy but he doesn’t walk

much so he’s more of a No. 2 hitter because he makes pretty good

contact.

[Gobias Industries]

Grunching..... I found out about this early in the morning, but wasn't near a comp so I wasn't able to post on it.

 

Phenomenal deal for us. I think Esco is more Ronny Cedeno than Reyes, so they can have him.

[splitterpfj]

Adam Everett has already signed with Cleveland.

[logan82]

also, look at how well focusing on defense worked for Seattle last year. That was a whole lineup that was a black hole at the plate.

Yeah but the 2 we are talking about replacing are already black holes at the plate.

[kramnoj]

The Brewers gave up a lot, but that's the price it took to get Greinke. I like that Greinke waived his no trade to come here. I like that his new agency represents players that have signed extensions with the Brewers.

 

The talent the Brewers now have should be a serious playoff contender, and once a team gets there, anything can happen. The Brewers will miss the players traded away in the future, but I don't think the team could have built a more talented team with current players and players in the minors than the team we have now.

 

This is incredibly exciting. Hopefully the Brewers will be able to extend Weeks and the Brewers can replace Fielder with Gamel in 2012 and we could have a lot of fun watching the Brewers for the next 2 years and maybe longer if the Brewers are winning and Marcum and Greinke sign extensions.

 

I think that people saying Melvin is gutting the farm to save his job aren't being fair. He's trading away talent to build a World Series Contender. This is exactly what his goal should be, and there's no way that Attanasio lets this happen without his consent. We aren't trading away Bagwell for Larry Andersen, we aren't trading away Kazmir for Victor Zambrano. We are trading away good talent, but we are getting a legitimate ace in return.

[Gobias Industries]

Also, props to guy who was insistent on saying we had enough for Greinke (think it was endaround or ennder). Just needed to add a few big league players. Spot on.