Hoping to change my username to 75769023
I'd have to think Senzel + India would move the needle, if not get a deal done. Two top 5 picks that play premium positions for a guy who will get paid a ton over the next two years before walking?
Not saying I'd definitely do that if I'm the Reds, but it should certainly make both sides stop and think.
Go BLUE!!!
What package would you accept from the Reds for Lindor, Tribe Guy? Maybe the answer is none.
I don't see the need for the Indians to trade Lindor now unless they get a great package including MLB ready players which few teams could do. The Dodgers have shown interest and could put together something that could make it happen.
As far as the Reds goes, I am not sure that I could make a package. It would depend on what the Indians think of Nick Senzel and his future. He would have to be in the trade if they were high on him. The Indians top prospect is also a 3B and MLB.com has him higher rated than India. Winker as the only MLB ready piece wouldn't be enough. A MLB or MLB ready bat is what they would need the most. They have an immediate need for a 2B or 3B to replace Kipnis, but there are many on the free agent market for a year until Nolan Jones or Tyler Freeman are ready.
To answer your question, Kal, it would depend on what the Indians think of Senzel. Honestly, I don't see the Reds as a trading partner. I really see Lindor as an Indian in 2020 unless a team like the Dodgers overpay. Remember all of last offseason, there were rumors that the Indians were trading Kluber and/or Bauer and nothing happened because no one met their price. I can see that happening this offseason. Bauer was finally traded at the deadline when their price was met and the Indians did quite well in the deal.
Baseball is such a team sport. A superstar can only move the needle so far by himself. Most teams who pay huge ransoms for a superstar seem to regret it because they sacrifice their ability to field a team that is competitive at all positions. Basically, it's better to have a lot of good players than a great one or two and a bunch of warm bodies.
Acquiring Lindor or Betts etc makes sense if you can do it without hurting another spot. In fact, I'd srgure it would be better to acquire one with an expiring contract in a year or two than to be the team that has to pay them afterwards for several years. Rent a star when you need one and get rid of him is a valid approach I think.
On the flip side, the Sox and Indians are holding a card that helps them on the field, but decreases in value as their contract plays out. At some point both will decide to cut them loose to get as much as they can if they don't think they can or should resign them. The Sox are probably already there. The Indians are likely competitive in their division to start the season, so maybe not in their case. That doesn't me we can't or shouldn't be asking.
I think the Indians are definitely going to trade Lindor because a) they’re cheapskates b) they should recognize that he has probably twice as much trade value now as he will next offseason with only a year of control remaining and c) they aren’t going to let him just walk for nothing.
There’s too much smoke around that trade for it to not happen at this point, from my POV.
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And let’s not forget, the Indians aren’t immune to trading big names while they are supposedly trying to compete, if that were the case, Trevor Bauer wouldn’t be a Red right now.
REDREAD (12-06-2019)
Lindor’s trade value will rapidly start to decline.
Think about what he could seemingly fetch now. Think about what Mookie Betts could fetch now. (Much less)
That’s where Lindor will be in a year. The Indians (assuming that they will trade him at some point) need to time this right.
REDREAD (12-06-2019)
REDREAD (12-06-2019)
Unless they're actually going for it (and not, as years past, sorta kinda being good and hoping maybe they might sneak in to perhaps do well), Cleveland will deal Lindor at the earliest opportunity.
LA is looking to make a splash.
Beyond that, no big-pocket/ big-prospect team has a need at SS, the prospects to salivate over, and the cash to make it happen.
And if LA goes for Rendon (or another 3B) and a starting pitcher (as has been rumored), Cleveland will watch Lindor's value plummet.
I do laugh at the whole "Cleveland's front office is genius" mantra going on. If they were so smart, they should have seen how badly Kluber might have aged and dealt him last season. Or dealt Bauer for more in the off-season.
Both of those guys are/ were worth a fraction of what they were before the season.
If Cleveland chooses to hold into Lindor, it's going to cost them.
Assuming they're smart, they'll either put players around him (unlikely) or deal him soon.
alwaysawarrior (12-06-2019),The Operator (12-06-2019),Tom Servo (12-06-2019),Wonderful Monds (12-06-2019)
That’s true. They ended up sitting on their hands with Bauer and ended up getting what, Puig and Franmil Reyes for him? If they had dealt him last offseason, they could’ve probably gotten a top 20 prospect (at least) and more. And as noted, they’re sitting on Kluber as a pretty significantly depreciated asset. They’ve had a couple flubs in the last year or so.
Tom Servo (12-06-2019)
...the 2-2 to Woodsen and here it comes...and it is swung on and missed! And Tom Browning has pitched a perfect game! Twenty-seven outs in a row, and he is being mobbed by his teammates, just to the thirdbase side of the mound.
Chip R (12-06-2019)
Wonderful Monds (12-06-2019)
The Indians have been a constant contender for a small market team. That credit goes to Chris Antonetti and the Indians organization. Other teams have been hiring people from the Indians. Minnesota's GM and the Yankee new pitching coach came from the Indians organization. The Indians are a team that many organizations are trying to model. They do not do their business in the media. I trust that they will make the best decision this offseason on Lindor.
As far as the Bauer trade, they did very well. Besides getting the rental Puig, they received 5 years of a power hitter in Reyes that they needed. They also got a good lefty pitching prospect in Logan Allen as well as Scott Moss from the Reds and a lotto ticket prospect. Moss looks to be the type of pitcher that the Indians have had good luck with (Bieber, Civale, Plesac). I think that the Indians easily won the trade between the three teams.
REDREAD (12-10-2019)
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