Axford

[NievesNoNO]

What do people think Axford's trade value would be? I've been throwing the thought around in my head lately and think he's likely our best trade chip, albeit an important piece to our current roster. His value can't get higher than it is now can it?

 

I'm not sure if Baltimore intends on getting in the Prince derby and what their financial situation is but would they move Markakis to sign Prince? Not sure if they'd need to clear salary to REALLY consider making a push for him.

 

What about Axford for Markakis?

 

Hart could then be moved to 1st, Gamel back to 3rd and we'd have a couple lefty bats in the lineup. McGehee and Green to the bench. Green seems like he might be a really nice super-sub type.

 

1. Weeks

2. Markakis

3. Braun

4. Hart

5. Gamel

6. Lucroy

7. Gomez

8. FA SS

[Raw Biz]

What do people think Axford's trade value would be? I've been throwing the thought around in my head lately and think he's likely our best trade chip, albeit an important piece to our current roster. His value can't get higher than it is now can it?

 

I'm not sure if Baltimore intends on getting in the Prince derby and what their financial situation is but would they move Markakis to sign Prince? Not sure if they'd need to clear salary to REALLY consider making a push for him.

 

What about Axford for Markakis?

 

Hart could then be moved to 1st, Gamel back to 3rd and we'd have a couple lefty bats in the lineup. McGehee and Green to the bench. Green seems like he might be a really nice super-sub type.

 

1. Weeks

2. Markakis

3. Braun

4. Hart

5. Gamel

6. Lucroy

7. Gomez

8. FA SS

Gamel, like Braun, should never see 3B again. He should more than hold his own at 1B and probably would be decent in RF as well. No reason to make our defense any worse than it is by putting him back at 3rd.

[Hate those Rodents]

I'd listen to offers for Axford. I'd have to be pretty blown away though or at least close to blown away. Otherwise he may have the same value after next season and maybe we can chase the pennant with him again. If nothing else, I'd offer KRod arby and if he somehow accepts, then we can revisit this option.

[Nader Raider Tim]

With the abundance of Closers on the Free Agent Market I would be all about shopping Axford for the right price. However with the abundance of Closers on the Free Agent Market who would be willing to pay premium prospects to get Axford when there are probably going to be some really nice closer bargains this year.

[dadofandrew]

Axford would interest every team in MLB, as he's so cheap for two more years, he could easily be a set-up guy. Unless another cheap closer fell into their laps, it seems very unlikely they'd even consider dealing a healthy, effective Axford.

[Dollarbill13]

So we'd be replacing Axford on our roster and Green/McGehee (<$3M combined) in our lineup for Markakis ($12M)...

 

Axford is a very valuable trade chip. Keep him unless you can get a major upgrade at SS.

[RockCoCougars]

I think that trading Axford would be foolhardy, even if you subscribe to the school of thought that closers are overrated. He's young, under control and most importantly cheap for the next few years. The only way that I'd even think about trading him would be for a young all-star bat at a position of need. That said, any team looking to add a closer has got to be on the fringes of competing. Quite unlikely a team like that would give up a good bat for a reliever. On the other hand most teams that dump closers tend to do so for prospects because they are rebuilding.

 

In my view, the difference between bullpens was pretty much the primary reason that the Brewers won the division over the Cardinals this season. Brewers fans should be sending Coco thank you notes for his greed, because had he not went for the extra couple million, the Brewers would have been paying him 25 times as much to do a worse job closing. K-Rod is gone, along with possibly both Saito/Hawkins. Doesn't make sense for me to completely overhaul the primary strength of the team when the free agent defections alone will be enough to overcome.

[chadomac]

I agree with Al and RockCoCougars... I don't think there's any way they'd trade Axford unless we got at least 2 good AND cheap/controlled players in return. No reason to. I also believe closers are overrated, but he's an extremely good relief pitcher that you can count on, and he's dirt cheap right now. His value to us is incredibly high regardless of when he pitches.

[TooLiveBrew]

Axford is one of the few players the Brewers probably wouldn't trade for nearly anything. He's exactly the kind of arm this organization hasn't developed enough of, & is still super cheap. I get the discussion, just exploring possibly selling at an all-time high... but the Brewers finally are in the position of having a lot of good pitching & there'd be very little to gain by trading away your best (& cheapest, basically) reliever.

[NievesNoNO]

Yeah, they really would have to be blown away to move him. I was just wondering what people thought he could bring back. I remember there being a rumor of a Storen for Span deal during the season that seemed pretty fair. I guess that might be a decent comparison. Markakis is probably not the type of player the Brewers should look for in return as his salary is a bit high for his actual production and not a need for the Brewers.

 

Spring Training is too far a way!

[Hotdog]

Cory Hart and Shawn Marcum for Nick Markaksis and JJ Hardy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Raw Biz]

Cory Hart and Shawn Marcum for Nick Markaksis and JJ Hardy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Corey, *Shaun, *Markakis. And no thanks. Hart is better and cheaper than Markakis. Marcum is still a good, if not very good, pitcher (#2/3) and I don't think Hardy will come close to what he did this year.

[JohnBriggs12]

I think that trading Axford would be foolhardy, even if you subscribe to the school of thought that closers are overrated. He's young, under control and most importantly cheap for the next few years. The only way that I'd even think about trading him would be for a young all-star bat at a position of need. That said, any team looking to add a closer has got to be on the fringes of competing. Quite unlikely a team like that would give up a good bat for a reliever. On the other hand most teams that dump closers tend to do so for prospects because they are rebuilding.

 

In my view, the difference between bullpens was pretty much the primary reason that the Brewers won the division over the Cardinals this season. Brewers fans should be sending Coco thank you notes for his greed, because had he not went for the extra couple million, the Brewers would have been paying him 25 times as much to do a worse job closing. K-Rod is gone, along with possibly both Saito/Hawkins. Doesn't make sense for me to completely overhaul the primary strength of the team when the free agent defections alone will be enough to overcome.

You are absolutely right. The Brewers won the division not because of their starting pitching but largely because of the bullpen in the 2nd half. The Brewers were 49-43 at the break without K-Rod and Saito. Loe had 7 losses in relief to that point in what would become K-Rod's role and Estrada had 5 losses in relief in what would become Saito's role. Saito and K-Rod lost 1 game total over the next 70 games in which the Brewers went 47-23. Without Axford, they might have been buried by the break

 

Axford has value, but they have lots of guys that have trade value: Hart, Weeks, Wolf, Greinke, Marcum just to name a few. They have no replacement for Axford and he's still cheap. Dealing him makes no sense.

[madtowndrunkard]

While I think Axford getting traded has no chance of happening. I do think acquiring Markakis would be great move. He's one of the more under rated players in baseball who IMO needs a change of scenery. Put him in our lineup and he'll produce.

[Raw Biz]

While I think Axford getting traded has no chance of happening. I do think acquiring Markakis would be great move. He's one of the more under rated players in baseball who IMO needs a change of scenery. Put him in our lineup and he'll produce.

Markakis would be nice if his salary was half of what it is. But he's due to make $12 mil next year, then $15 mil the next 2 years, then a $17.5 mil team option. His OPS has basically been .800 or under (.756) in 4 of his 6 seasons, including the last 3. It was almost .900 in 08 but his HR numbers and OBP have dropped since (career high HR still only 23). And he will be 28 next season (some might think this means he will bust out since he will be in his "prime" but I don't think so since he's already been in the league 6 full seasons). Meanwhile, Corey Hart OPSed almost .900 in 07, fell down to .750 in 08 and 09, and jumped back to .865 the past 2 years. And he's only due to make $9 and $10 mil the next 2 years. I would much rather have the better/cheaper player in Hart (and I'm not even a Corey Hart fan).

[RockCoCougars]

Markakis would be a nice fit if you moved Hart, but he makes way too much money. I can't believe the O's gave him that kind of contract.

[pingman]

If you trade Axford you create a huge hole in order to fill another.....and with no one in the organization capable of being the next closer, the cost of going outside the organization to find his replacement will be very expensive....

 

No thanks, must keep Axford......

 

 

also, finding closers is risky & expensive.....for example the Orioles; they gave huge free agent money to Mike Gonzalez & he sucked from day 1 ..... and the Yankees made a huge mistake when they signed Rafael Soriano to a huge contract (to be a setup man, part time closer, and successor to Rivera)

[Dollarbill13]

If the Brewers decided that after losing Fielder, their opportunity to win the WS is gone, it might make sense to try and flip Axford for a top prospect who is close to the majors. He probably has more trade value now than he ever will. That being said, the Brewers should still be competitors next year so there's no reason to dump a guy like him.

[narwhalattack]

If I was DM, then I wouldn't trade Axford unless there is an absolutely mind-blowing offer that I just can't refuse.

[NievesNoNO]

Sorry, couldn't help myself. Hope he turns it around soon!

[Bombers]

Sorry, couldn't help myself. Hope he turns it around soon!

As the 7th or 8th inning guy

[adambr2]

On the bright side, the arbitration price tag on Axford has fallen harder than the housing market in 2008.

[torts]

On the bright side, the arbitration price tag on Axford has fallen harder than the housing market in 2008.

 

into this!