Quote Originally Posted by Pacman Fever View Post
I think it's becoming obvious that a 3rd place team that responds to being 3 1/2 games behind the two front-runners (and responds with a two hit effort) isn't quite "World Series Caliber". With that being said, (& with the farm system looking it's weakest in years), let's take a look at what exactly we "have to sell":

1st Base - Votto = signed to 1 of the most ridiculous contracts in the history of ANYTHING, even the Yanks wouldn't touch him.

2nd Base - Phillips = the heart and soul of the team (even if he has been outplayed offensively by Izturis this month lol)

Shortstop - Cozart = Untradeable K machine

3rd Base - Frazier = Untradeable out machine

Catcher - Hanigan/Mesoraco = Hanigan has become a limp-wristed bum (untradeable), and we totally "missed the boat" on trading Mez (compared to last year, we'd only get peanuts for him)

Left-Field - Paul/Heisey/Robinson/Ludwick = you couldn't get anything but extreme fringe prospects for these throwaways

Center-Field - Choo = now it gets interesting. At the trade deadline Choo could very well still be worth a blue-chipper to a contender (heck, ask Arizona if we can please have DiDi back)

Right-Field - Bruce = Signed for a while on a rather "team friendly" contract. He is a K machine, so if someone wanted to offer a mega package we should atleast consider, but he probably stays

Bench - Hannahan/Izturis = Should both be playing in the Indy Leagues

Starting Pitchers

1. Cueto = Has proven quite injury prone in these last 9 months, should definitely consider an incredible package for him

2. Bailey = Everyone says this guy has "turned the corner", but to me he still looks like a mess. Would love to get 1 (or 2) TOP Prospects for him

3. Latos = the very best player on this team. He IS "The Franchise"

4. Arroyo = I'd take a bag of chips at this point, but his contract is so back-loaded (through 2020?) nobody would even give us that for him

5. Leake = has grown from a lowlife criminal/shop-lifter into quite a quality young man this year (plus has been rather impressive on the mound). I say we keep him around for awhile

6. Cingrani = he looks like a keeper, infact so much so that we should be starting him right now (if the bullpen wasn't such a frickin' joke)

Bullpen

1. Chapman = while he's much more like Rob Dibble than Johnny Franco, he's still one of the best we've seen around here in a while. There are still rumors that he may sign elsewhere in '16, so if offered a mega package, I'd say we should atleast consider it

The Rest (Broxton/Marshall/Hoover/Parra/Simon/LeCure/Masset/Partch) = perhaps someone would atleast give us a couple bucks for these guys (of course we'd just use the cash to throw at keeping Votto in town for yet another 30 years)

So, with all that in mind, are there any Top Prospects out there that you guys have your sights set on? Do you think that I have under/over-valued any of our guys?? Discuss:
Breath into a paper bag man.

It's June 27.