Tribe says Justin Masterson available

[splitterpfj]

Masterson's numbers have been all over the place over the last couple of years, but he's controlled through 2014, I'm sure someone will want him.

[JohnBriggs12]

Well Corey Hart would seem to be a great fit there, but I wouldn't do that deal.

[Kelbysdaddy]

I think if offered, id trade Corey for masterson.

[Hate those Rodents]

I think we have enough starting arms, save resigning Marcum to a one year deal. It's going to be time to give these kids all a shot, starting with opening series next season.

 

I'd be open to trading Corey, but I'd be more looking for adding a bat at 3B, 1B, OF. Basically looking for a younger and longer controlled Corey Hart.

[NievesNoNO]

Hart for Masterson is an interesting thought. If some of our young pitchers hadn't shown any ability I'd be all over that deal however I'm a little reluctant because of what Fiers, Estrada, Thornburg, and Rogers have all shown. On the right day, I'd make the deal. It would be nice to have another guy we could just pencil into the rotation next year. Masterson is either a drop in BB% or tick up in K% from being a 1-2 type stater. He's youngish yet so that could come. He seems like a guy the Cardinals would trade for and go on to win 40 games over the next two seasons.

[And That]

Masterson is a ground ball inducing machine, so how much you value him may depend on how much you value your infield defense. I'd certainly think about taking two years of him over one year of Hart.

 

Edit: Just looked and the Cleveland first basemen have the third-worst OPS in MLB. Though, I don't know how apt Cleveland would be to trade for a starting first baseman with the Brewers, as they tried getting a first baseman of the future from Milwaukee four years ago and it hasn't worked out too well.

[SRB]

I bet moving to the NL Central would do Masterson wonders. Could be a very nice #3/#4 for our rotation. Would the Indians really want Hart though? The main rumor coming out of there is that they are trying to trade away an OF (Choo), not add one.

[smbrewersfan15]

But one of the reasons I've heard is that they are trying to deal Choo because he is a Boras client. Maybe Hart would appealing to them. I'd say Masterson would be better than some of the stuff we've thrown out there lately.

[TURBO]

Better than Wolf, ok, better than the rest, I think not... (Assuming you are talking about our starters)

[molitor fan]

In 3 starts vs. NL central opponents this years, Masterson has thrown 23 innings, giving up 15 baserunners versus 1 earned run and 24 k's.

[chickinbrickin]

I would make that deal as well. Masterson is either great or he gets shelled, and that depends on how that sinker is working. If he could figure out a way to make those 8 earned blow ups turn into 4 or 5 earned he would be very solid #2 or #3.

 

Someone mentioned him as a #1 but that is unrealistic.

[HiAndTight]

Better than Wolf, ok, better than the rest, I think not... (Assuming you are talking about our starters)

 

 

I'm a Fiers fan to the hilt, but given the chance, I'd go with Justin Masterson next year over Mike Fiers...certainly over Wolf, Estrada and Rogers.

 

He IS just a slight improvement in an area or two from being a legit #2. And if you can't have an ace, you need a few #2's in order to really compete and win.

[HiAndTight]

I would make that deal as well. Masterson is either great or he gets shelled, and that depends on how that sinker is working. If he could figure out a way to make those 8 earned blow ups turn into 4 or 5 earned he would be very solid #2 or #3.

 

Someone mentioned him as a #1 but that is unrealistic.

 

 

 

Unlikely, but not unrealistic. He reminds me a bit of Tim Hudson who was a Ace for a sustained period of time.

 

He can throw his fastball at 93-94 and that sinker at 91-92 and has a very effective slider. The problem with this discussion is that you're talking about trading Hart, and with a GB pitcher, I really love Hart at 1st base as he is entering Derek Lee territory IMO in saving his IF errors. He just gives us such a huge target as opposed to Prince.

 

I'd love to see him pitch to an IF of Aram(just going off the eye test, but he's a tremendously underrated 3rd basemen IMO who's underrated by the metrics), Segura(who sounds like he has the range and a very strong arm), Weeks who has improved himself to the point of being a very solid 2nd basemen and Corey Hart who makes those three just that much bettter.

[brettac1]

Masterson is a good pitcher. I'd love to have him, and I think he's probably a 3.50 ERA type guy in the NL and pretty durable to this point. Hudson is sort of a good comp, though Masterson is probably about 8" taller (in real life height).

[HiAndTight]

I bet moving to the NL Central would do Masterson wonders. Could be a very nice #3/#4 for our rotation. Would the Indians really want Hart though? The main rumor coming out of there is that they are trying to trade away an OF (Choo), not add one.

 

 

Why? Is the AL Central THAT difficult? I think sometimes these moves are exaggerated. It didn't really do Greinke "wonders," as he didn't see a huge spike in numbers making that same move. I don't think the Royals, Twins, White Sox, and Tigers are a whole lot more dangerous than the Cardinals, Reds, Pirates and the Cubs. In fact the first three of those teams are pretty damn good, and the Cubs have some young pieces they're starting to bring up.

[Roderick]

I bet moving to the NL Central would do Masterson wonders. Could be a very nice #3/#4 for our rotation. Would the Indians really want Hart though? The main rumor coming out of there is that they are trying to trade away an OF (Choo), not add one.

 

 

Why? Is the AL Central THAT difficult? I think sometimes these moves are exaggerated. It didn't really do Greinke "wonders," as he didn't see a huge spike in numbers making that same move. I don't think the Royals, Twins, White Sox, and Tigers are a whole lot more dangerous than the Cardinals, Reds, Pirates and the Cubs. In fact the first three of those teams are pretty damn good, and the Cubs have some young pieces they're starting to bring up.

 

Well someone mentioned ERA, which obviously will look betting in the NL facing a pitcher instead of a DH.

 

With the Astros moving out and the Pirates improvement, I assume there will be less mentioning of an NL Central "effect" in the future.

[HiAndTight]

I bet moving to the NL Central would do Masterson wonders. Could be a very nice #3/#4 for our rotation. Would the Indians really want Hart though? The main rumor coming out of there is that they are trying to trade away an OF (Choo), not add one.

 

 

Why? Is the AL Central THAT difficult? I think sometimes these moves are exaggerated. It didn't really do Greinke "wonders," as he didn't see a huge spike in numbers making that same move. I don't think the Royals, Twins, White Sox, and Tigers are a whole lot more dangerous than the Cardinals, Reds, Pirates and the Cubs. In fact the first three of those teams are pretty damn good, and the Cubs have some young pieces they're starting to bring up.

 

Well someone mentioned ERA, which obviously will look betting in the NL facing a pitcher instead of a DH.

 

With the Astros moving out and the Pirates improvement, I assume there will be less mentioning of an NL Central "effect" in the future.

 

 

Yeah, obviously not having to face a DH is nice, but I think the idea that you take a 4.00 ERA pitcher in the AL and move him to the NL and he's going to see this huge improvement can be a bit overblown. Marcum who came from the AL East saw almost an identical ERA and his peripherals where a touch worse. There is the issue of not having to face a DH, but that's because you now have to hit. Which can have an impact on pitchers as well. I think in the end my just off the wall guess is you'd see a .2 ERA difference between the leagues and less than that from the AL Central to the NL Central. In fact, I think the NL Central's going to be better in the very near future.

[SRB]

Yeah, obviously not having to face a DH is nice, but I think the idea that you take a 4.00 ERA pitcher in the AL and move him to the NL and he's going to see this huge improvement can be a bit overblown. Marcum who came from the AL East saw almost an identical ERA and his peripherals where a touch worse. There is the issue of not having to face a DH, but that's because you now have to hit. Which can have an impact on pitchers as well. I think in the end my just off the wall guess is you'd see a .2 ERA difference between the leagues and less than that from the AL Central to the NL Central. In fact, I think the NL Central's going to be better in the very near future.

 

There is a very real drop. For example: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/sports/baseball/14score.html (though there are probably better sources if I Google'd longer). From 2000-2005 it was an average 0.85 ERA drop, 0.70 increase going the other direction. I think it could actually be more now, given how much offense is concentrated in the AL.