Would the Brewers trade KRod?

[Mudville9]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120402&content_id=27847126&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

 

Andrew Bailey may need surgery on his thumb.

 

Not sure what it would take or if we want to mess with our bullpen this early in the year, but might be worth it if we can get a SS prospect out of the deal.

[PrinceEatMeat]

There's no way we trade K-Rod unless we are out of it at the deadline. And I don't see that happening. It's too enticing to have the 8th and 9th shut down all season.

[CheezWizHed]

Everyone is tradeable for the right price. Generally, there are only a couple people per team (Braun), where the "right price" is ridiculous. K-Rod isn't one of those.

 

Its nice to have the 8th and 9th locked down, but K-Rod isn't Mr. Automatic anymore. And he pitches in the BP (~70 innings of impact).

 

If they can get a good return, they would be foolish to hang on to him.

[Oxy]

The Brewers gave up NOTHING to get him last year, and he is still getting paid a good chunk of change. Why would he be worth something now? There is a reason that he didn't opt to go the free agency route in the off-season, so it will be very difficult to trade his current contract and get anything of worth. The Brewers would have to be out of it, and a rich contending club would really need help in the bullpen in order to give up anything of even marginal value.

[monty57]

Everyone is tradeable for the right price. Generally, there are only a couple people per team (Braun), where the "right price" is ridiculous. K-Rod isn't one of those.

 

Its nice to have the 8th and 9th locked down, but K-Rod isn't Mr. Automatic anymore. And he pitches in the BP (~70 innings of impact).

 

If they can get a good return, they would be foolish to hang on to him.

 

I like the concept, but is this the Melvin reality? This is the last year of Melvin's all-in period before he sails off into retirement. Trading K-Rod for a good prospect seems like a really good idea from a long-term perspective, but I haven't seen Melvin put long-term over short-term in quite a few years.

 

Why would he be worth something now?

 

Because he's still a good pitcher with a strong history of closing who is now signed to a reasonable one-year deal and doesn't have a "games finished" clause attached to him. Most teams with playoff inspirations who lose their closer to injury would like to have K-Rod.

[TooLiveBrew]

Melvin would never do this, it's too creative (since he'd have to "find" an 8th inning guy). But I love the idea; shedding that $8M contract for a one-inning RP would be excellent, provided the Sawx would give a prospect with a bit of upside.

[3and2Fastball]

I think if a team wants to overpay for K-Rod, the Brewers should do it, but it'd have to one helluva overpay.

 

I'd take Jose Iglesias for K-Rod in a split second. Despite his questionable bat, the kid has an incredible glove http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=iglesi001jos

 

It is not out the question for the Red Sox to trade Iglesias because they have Xander Bogaerts coming up after him... I'd actually like Xander even more.... http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bogaer001xan

[3and2Fastball]

Jose Iglesias http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM_RWcWUKvM&feature=related

[RockCoCougars]

I don't see a match. It's pointless for the Brewers to trade for prospects right now. Let's see how things stand at the All-Star break.

[TooLiveBrew]

Wow, what a sensational play. I can't decide if the stop or the throw was better.

[3and2Fastball]

Here are some more Iglesias highlights

 

That .285 OBP in AAA last year scares me, but he's got a Gold Glove caliber D and he's only 22....

[monty57]

I don't see a match. It's pointless for the Brewers to trade for prospects right now. Let's see how things stand at the All-Star break.

 

It's not pointless, as we have no shortstops in our entire system. It just wouldn't help us win the division this year.

[craigharmann]

we have no shortstops in our entire system.

 

I know they are farther down but Yadiel Rivera and Orlando Arcia do count as shortstops and are part of the entire system. However, they may or may not pan out, so getting a few more prospects isn't a bad thing at all. I would wait until the deadline, though. I have a feeling we'll be buyers as opposed to sellers.

[TheCrew07]

I don't see a match. It's pointless for the Brewers to trade for prospects right now. Let's see how things stand at the All-Star break.

 

Right. Let's limit the window to the trade deadline when the return is at it's lowest possible point... Team's no longer get compensation for letting rental players walk. K-Rod's value is at it's peak right now going into the season.

[Eye Black]

I have an uneasy feeling about K-Rod entering this season. I hope the organization would entertain any offers for K-Rod that included a combination of salary relief and future talent.

 

As far as the Red Sox, if Middlebrooks and Bogarts both project at 3B, maybe they would be willing to deal 3B prospect Garin Cecchini.

[RockCoCougars]

I don't see a match. It's pointless for the Brewers to trade for prospects right now. Let's see how things stand at the All-Star break.

 

Right. Let's limit the window to the trade deadline when the return is at it's lowest possible point... Team's no longer get compensation for letting rental players walk. K-Rod's value is at it's peak right now going into the season.

 

Shall we start the rebuild now then? The bottom line is that, on paper, the Brewers don't really need anything outside of perhaps a backup SS. All the spots in the lineup are filled and there is a surplus of outfielders. There are not even any question marks in the starting rotation. Therefore, any trade of K-Rod will either be for prospects, a salary dump, most likely a hybrid of both. These are the mark of a rebuilding team. I'm not concerned with getting peak value for K-Rod. First of all, I don't believe that his value is very high (considering what the Brewers gave for him- nothing, and the fact that anyone could have signed him to a one year deal in the offseason and there were no takers), and secondly I'm fully expecting that he will walk with no compensation at the end of the year, and I'm fine with it.

[TooLiveBrew]

Shall we start the rebuild now then?

 

No, that's the entire point. It's not black & white. You can sell high on a player & still continue to contend.

[RockCoCougars]

The problem is that there is no selling high on K-Rod in my view. I could see him being moved to dump salary but that's about it. No one is going to give a good prospect up for a guy that they could have had for a one year deal a few months ago.

[TooLiveBrew]

The problem is that there is no selling high on K-Rod in my view.

 

Fair enough.

[Bombers]

If they can get a good return, they would be foolish to hang on to him.

 

You can sell high on a player & still continue to contend.

 

I agree with both of these points. If we can get a good return, I think it would be foolish to keep him. The start of the season is where his value would be at it's highest. If a GM thinks he is a closer away from contending, this could happen.

[TooLiveBrew]

One other thing to consider with regards to Rodríguez's value is that an $8M, 1-season commitment for a Closer™ isn't really that much. I mean, for the love of... I'm sorry to bring this up, please forgive me... the Brewers signed ERIC GAGNE to a 1 yr./$10M deal, and that was 4 seasons ago.

 

On top of that, K-Rod notched his 7th season with a sub-3 ERA, and it wasn't fluky. The dude is still an elite reliever, even with decreased velocity.

 

As well-informed baseball fans, most here at BF understand how vastly overrated the closer 'position' is. But around MLB, it's nothing to scoff at, and teams continue to pay a premium on the FA market for guys' services in that role. The most recent example is Ryan Madson -- the Reds guaranteed him $8.5M, and if the mutual option built into the contract for 2013 would've been exercised, the Reds would've been paying him $11M next year. Madson's been a good reliever, but not better than Rodríguez (ERA-wise), whether you look at their careers or the past 5 seasons.

 

I think that, if the Brewers had a GM that would actually consider it, a team like the Red Sox would absolutely be willing to deal from a position of strength to add an elite bullpen arm like Rodríguez.

[HiAndTight]

The Brewers gave up NOTHING to get him last year, and he is still getting paid a good chunk of change. Why would he be worth something now? There is a reason that he didn't opt to go the free agency route in the off-season, so it will be very difficult to trade his current contract and get anything of worth. The Brewers would have to be out of it, and a rich contending club would really need help in the bullpen in order to give up anything of even marginal value.

 

 

They gave up "NOTHING," for him last year because the Mets couldn't possible afford to pay him 17.5 this year in a non-contending year.

 

He's been a fantastic pitcher, just as he was for us this year and is among the current leaders in saves.

 

 

And I'm not sure how it elludes you that in the off-season with everyone injury free a players value may change vs the in-season after your CLOSER goes down.

 

So to recap;

 

1-He was traded last year strictly for payroll.

2-He's been a dominant reliever nearly his entire career.

3-A big market team that has a WS of bust mentality every year just lost their closer.

 

 

Gee, can't think of a single reason anyone would be interested in him.

[CheezWizHed]

The problem is that there is no selling high on K-Rod in my view.

 

In the OP, the idea was broached because of the Red Sox's closer getting injured. Thus, need creates demand. I don't think anyone thinks we should be "shopping" K-Rod.

 

But if someone comes knocking...

[Mudville9]

Yeah that was kinda my point. Not that we need to get rid of him, but that the Red Sox might give us something of value for down the road and might give us a little flexibility at the trade deadline if we need it. I was pretty much hinting that if we can get a SS or an impact bat somewhere else (both areas we are very thin in the minors) we should consider it.

[HiAndTight]

One other thing to consider with regards to Rodríguez's value is that an $8M, 1-season commitment for a Closer™ isn't really that much. I mean, for the love of... I'm sorry to bring this up, please forgive me... the Brewers signed ERIC GAGNE to a 1 yr./$10M deal, and that was 4 seasons ago.

 

On top of that, K-Rod notched his 7th season with a sub-3 ERA, and it wasn't fluky. The dude is still an elite reliever, even with decreased velocity.

 

As well-informed baseball fans, most here at BF understand how vastly overrated the closer 'position' is. But around MLB, it's nothing to scoff at, and teams continue to pay a premium on the FA market for guys' services in that role. The most recent example is Ryan Madson -- the Reds guaranteed him $8.5M, and if the mutual option built into the contract for 2013 would've been exercised, the Reds would've been paying him $11M next year. Madson's been a good reliever, but not better than Rodríguez (ERA-wise), whether you look at their careers or the past 5 seasons.

 

I think that, if the Brewers had a GM that would actually consider it, a team like the Red Sox would absolutely be willing to deal from a position of strength to add an elite bullpen arm like Rodríguez.

 

 

 

That may be the most condescending comment I have ever heard. You're not informed if you don't buy into the consensus that closers are overrated. Because it's been proven time and time again that just any reliever can step into the relievers role and deal with the pressure placed upon such an important role.

 

I value the closers role a great deal. It's cost us, or at least significantly contributed to many of our downfallsin the past few years. Hoffman, Gagne, Turnbow.

 

Sabermetrics has changed the games, but it's getting a little absurd. Example is WAR. Where people take WAR to literally mean a player is worth this many wins rather than a measurement against his peers taking into account the totality of the player.

 

Just the suggestion that if you don't agree with a particular sentiment means you're not a "well informed baseball fan," is asinine IMO.

 

An elite closer can have a huge impact on a bullpen as Axford showed last year, especially after getting K-Rod. There are plenty of pitchers who have great stuff, but fail year after year in the closer role while dominating in the 7th or 8th inning role. Though again, the main point here is that because the consensus on this board is that the closer position isn't highly valued, those who disagree are not well informed fans is what's truly condscending.