Martin Maldanado

[NievesNoNO]

I short while back I remember seeing the Rays were interested in a young catcher (MLBTraderumors.com). Would Maldonado have any value? He wasn't really much of a prospect but he's playing well and would likely be an upgrade for them. Would they give us Cobb, Archer or Niemann? Maybe that's a bit optimistic.

[chickinbrickin]

NO NO

[PrinceEatMeat]

It would be incredibly stupid to trade Maldonado. He's a perfect backup catcher for this team, and can help ease the load on Lucroy. He's far and away better than Kottaras as a backup. I'm not sure he has a ton of trade value anyway, but he has value to this team. Just get rid of Kottaras and be done with it.

[Nader Raider Tim]

If you can get a team to overpay for him, of course you trade him. However there is no way he would bring back someone like Cobb, Niemann or Archer. If the Rays are enamored with Maldonado then I'd be trying to push my luck and steal away Wade Davis. The Brewers would be getting a steal.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't think this Maldonado trade idea is a bad question to ask, but at this point I genuinely wonder if some Brewers fans have significantly lowered expectations* of what constitutes a prospect with legitimate value/trade value due to the Brewers not really having many in recent years.

 

Maldonado's a useful player for the Brewers, in that he's young, cheap, and talented in ways that fit nicely with the current 25-man roster. But I'd be willing to bet that many clubs have C prospects of similar value to Martin, and enough that there wouldn't be much demand for him on the trade market.

 

* I know there are other former MadTV viewers out there... tell me you don't always think of that skit whenever you come across that phrase

[nate82]

I don't think this Maldonado trade idea is a bad question to ask, but at this point I genuinely wonder if some Brewers fans have significantly lowered expectations* of what constitutes a prospect with legitimate value/trade value due to the Brewers not really having many in recent years.

 

Maldonado's a useful player for the Brewers, in that he's young, cheap, and talented in ways that fit nicely with the current 25-man roster. But I'd be willing to bet that many clubs have C prospects of similar value to Martin, and enough that there wouldn't be much demand for him on the trade market.

 

 

I think the Rays would value Maldonado rather highly. How highly is the question and I don't believe they would give up someone like Cobb. Maybe they would give up something a little bit less than Cobb. Maybe someone like Felipe Rivero or on the high side Chris Archer. Though Archer maybe pushing it and is probably somewhat untouchable. Over at raysprospects.com they have Archer as their #1 prospect.

 

I would think that a realistic option would probably be Felipe Rivero or more realistically Alex Torres.

[HiAndTight]

It would be incredibly stupid to trade Maldonado. He's a perfect backup catcher for this team, and can help ease the load on Lucroy. He's far and away better than Kottaras as a backup. I'm not sure he has a ton of trade value anyway, but he has value to this team. Just get rid of Kottaras and be done with it.

 

 

I've been driving the Maldy bandwagon since I 2010 just based on his skills, but give me Cobb, Archer, or Nieman, and it'd be incredibly stupid IMO not to trade him.

 

Just like it'd be stupid not to trade Gallardo for Verlander or Braun for Mike Trout(if he was signed long term). Good and valuable doesn't mean don't trade. You really don't get much value if you go that route.

 

I'm at a just stand still mode right now. No trades, leave the team the way it is unless you can get a Scutaro for a Gindl or something like that.

 

Seriously people....look at August and how many times we play the teams ahead of us and who we have coming back, and how this team has been playing as of late. Ax doesn't blow two saves and we're REALLY looking good right now.

 

I still like this team. Hate the 1st half performance, but I'm so did fans of a lot of other teams who made their move in the 2nd half.

[HiAndTight]

I don't think this Maldonado trade idea is a bad question to ask, but at this point I genuinely wonder if some Brewers fans have significantly lowered expectations* of what constitutes a prospect with legitimate value/trade value due to the Brewers not really having many in recent years.

 

Maldonado's a useful player for the Brewers, in that he's young, cheap, and talented in ways that fit nicely with the current 25-man roster. But I'd be willing to bet that many clubs have C prospects of similar value to Martin, and enough that there wouldn't be much demand for him on the trade market.

 

* I know there are other former MadTV viewers out there... tell me you don't always think of that skit whenever you come across that phrase

 

 

No clue on the skit, but I think you're vastly underrating the catching position. He's a guy who's an elite defensive catcher, and who I think I can hit .250//315/.420. That's a very solid starter at the hardest position to find a player at.

 

I don't think most teams have a player like him. They MAY have players with his skills, but guess what, Jed Bradley has Andy Pettite's skills. I don't see him becoming Pettite(though I'm open to it as you just never know).

 

Performing as he has at the big league level isn't luck or a fluke. You don't throw and block like that because you got lucky. And he hits the ball hard and has a pretty good eye. He's over performing, but he's as good as Blanco has been in his career and I think he will continue to be. That's a 7-8 year starter at the toughest position to find(arguably, SS is tough as well).

[jerichoholicninja]

So only sometimes we want young, cost controlled players?

 

Maldanado is a more than adequate backup catcher and will prevent the team from wasting money on washed up backup catchers in the future.

[PrinceEatMeat]

So only sometimes we want young, cost controlled players?

 

Maldanado is a more than adequate backup catcher and will prevent the team from wasting money on washed up backup catchers in the future.

 

Exactly. It's nice to know we actually have a solid backup for years to come for once, instead of constantly cycling through overpaid garbage.

[endaround]

The reason you trade Maldanado (if you do) is because someone values him as a starting catcher. Backup catchers are cheap. The $500K savings is more than made up for if Maldanado brings back a starting caliber player.

[chickinbrickin]

It would be incredibly stupid to trade Maldonado. He's a perfect backup catcher for this team, and can help ease the load on Lucroy. He's far and away better than Kottaras as a backup. I'm not sure he has a ton of trade value anyway, but he has value to this team. Just get rid of Kottaras and be done with it.

 

 

I've been driving the Maldy bandwagon since I 2010 just based on his skills, but give me Cobb, Archer, or Nieman, and it'd be incredibly stupid IMO not to trade him.

 

Just like it'd be stupid not to trade Gallardo for Verlander or Braun for Mike Trout(if he was signed long term). Good and valuable doesn't mean don't trade. You really don't get much value if you go that route.

 

I'm at a just stand still mode right now. No trades, leave the team the way it is unless you can get a Scutaro for a Gindl or something like that.

 

Seriously people....look at August and how many times we play the teams ahead of us and who we have coming back, and how this team has been playing as of late. Ax doesn't blow two saves and we're REALLY looking good right now.

 

I still like this team. Hate the 1st half performance, but I'm so did fans of a lot of other teams who made their move in the 2nd half.

 

Keep telling yourself all you want that this team will turn it around, but the reality is they don't have the firepower to make a run this year. Do you really think Marcum/Lucroy coming back makes them a contender? I hope I am wrong, but I see zero chance of this team even coming close to sniffing the WC let a long the division.

[3and2Fastball]

zero chance? Even if Lucroy and Marcum come back 100% and the core of Weeks, Braun, K-Rod, Axford & Hart all play to their potential? I would agree that it isn't likely, but no way is it 0% probable.

 

At any rate, no way do I trade Maldonado unless blown away by a ridiculous overpay of epic proportions. I actually think that Maldonado is so valuable behind the plate that in the off-season you find a new position for Lucroy (2B? RF?) and have Lucroy catch one out of 5 games. I know that isn't likely but that is what I'd do.... Lucroy only having to catch one out of 5 games would likely hit consistently over .315 and Maldonado could win a Gold Glove or three. Win-Win. But yeah, I know it won't happen

 

Provided he comes back 100%, this offseason would be a great time to trade Lucroy in a classic "trade-high" scenario. He'd have very real trade value and could bring us back someone very good

[dlk9s]

I actually think that Maldonado is so valuable behind the plate that in the off-season you find a new position for Lucroy (2B? RF?) and have Lucroy catch one out of 5 games. I know that isn't likely but that is what I'd do.... Lucroy only having to catch one out of 5 games would likely hit consistently over .315 and Maldonado could win a Gold Glove or three. Win-Win. But yeah, I know it won't happen

 

Provided he comes back 100%, this offseason would be a great time to trade Lucroy in a classic "trade-high" scenario. He'd have very real trade value and could bring us back someone very good

 

http://i.imgur.com/QjwFF.gif

[ninja33]

I actually think that Maldonado is so valuable behind the plate that in the off-season you find a new position for Lucroy (2B? RF?) and have Lucroy catch one out of 5 games. I know that isn't likely but that is what I'd do.... Lucroy only having to catch one out of 5 games would likely hit consistently over .315 and Maldonado could win a Gold Glove or three. Win-Win. But yeah, I know it won't happen

 

Provided he comes back 100%, this offseason would be a great time to trade Lucroy in a classic "trade-high" scenario. He'd have very real trade value and could bring us back someone very good

 

http://i.imgur.com/QjwFF.gif

 

Your ability to capture my exact reaction to posts in GIF form is just astonishing

[jmeks23]

Wow...some people on here have some crazy ideas. I won't even do it the justice of elaborating, it speaks for itself.

[Hate those Rodents]

You certainly should see what the offers would be for Maldanado now. If somebody blows you away, trade him. More than likely you keep him. But it'd be nice to sell high and get an impact prospect at a position that we don't have a guy like Lucroy currently manning.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Twins were in a similar situation with Wilson Ramos. Now Ramos was much more highly rated as a minor leaguer than Maldonado, but if Maldonado finishes of this year well, it's a pretty fair comparison as both are blocked by young talented everyday catchers (not putting Lucroy in Mauer's class, but that's irrelevant) and Maldonado appears to be guy capable of starting.

 

Twins were able to convert Ramos into Matt Capps, at the time decent major league closer and one could argue that's more value than any backup catcher provides.

[Hate those Rodents]

It wouldn't be a horrible idea to add Maldanado to a Greinke package to Texas. Might help us get not only Olt, but maybe a SS prospect like Odor or help get us Holland as the second piece. We'd still have Kotarras as a competent backup.

[trwi7]

Twins were able to convert Ramos into Matt Capps, at the time decent major league closer and one could argue that's more value than any backup catcher provides.

 

That trade was awful for the Twins from the beginning. If those are the kinds of offers we get for Maldonado, I'd rather just keep him.

[RockCoCougars]

Why would you trade Maldonado at this point? Maybe at some point down the road in a year or two you trade either Lucroy or Maldonado, but I don't see the point right now - especially as a throw in on a bigger deal.

 

Just DFA Kottaras already. The guy is easily replaceable if necessary. It seems like he hasn't gotten a hit since mid-April.

[Hate those Rodents]

Do you guys that are so adamant against trading Maldanado now understand how real the possibility is that he becomes a .225 hitter every year from this day forward?

 

ETA - Using Maldanado to try and coax Texas into giving up Odor or Holland as part of a bigger Greinke/Olt trade is exactly something we should all be for.

[RockCoCougars]

I'd rather have a .225 hitter with the defensive acumen of Maldonado then a .225 hitter who is poor defensively like Kottaras.... meaning that even if Maldonado tails off with the bat in a big way, he will still have value.

[JohnBriggs12]

Twins were able to convert Ramos into Matt Capps, at the time decent major league closer and one could argue that's more value than any backup catcher provides.

 

That trade was awful for the Twins from the beginning. If those are the kinds of offers we get for Maldonado, I'd rather just keep him.

 

Capps was 16 of 18 down the stretch in 2010 with a 2.00 ERA helping them get in the postseason. The Twins went 38-22 after dealing for him. There were a lot of reasons the Twins collapsed last year. Capps' role was fairly minor.

 

My point is that Ramos was dealt for a guy with a good track record to fill a very significant role on the team. What he did for the Twins is really irrelevant. The fact is he had significant value.

[trwi7]

The Twins traded an above average, young starting catcher under control for six years for a reliever. That's a bad deal, I don't care if the reliever is Mariano Rivera. It's still a bad deal.