Trade?

[Red Leader]

My starting lineup (along with positions we start):

C- V. Martinez
1B- R. Sexson
2B- C. Utley
3B- M. Mora
SS- R. Furcal
OF- J. Bay
OF- M. Holliday
OF- B. Hawpe
UTIL- J. Gomes
UTIL- T. Hafner

SP- R. Harden
SP- J. Patterson
SP- B. Myers
SP- E. Bedard
RP- B.Ryan
RP- C. Ray
P- J. Papelbon
P - T. Gordon
BN - J. Bonderman
BN- B. Penny

A guy in my league is offering me SS J. Peralta, 3B Eric Chavez, and 2B/3B Jorge Cantu for DH Travis Hafner and a SP.

I think he's offering all of them to me because I told him Hafner was my one untouchable. This sounds like a pretty good deal, but I'm not sure I want to do it. I really hate giving up Hafner because he's my favorite player. If I take Hafner out of the trade, I wonder what it would cost me to get Chavez, or Cantu, or a package of Cantu and Chavez.

What do you think I should do?

[Red Leader]

Also considering offering OF Jonny Gomes and SP Jeremy Bonderman for 3B Eric Chavez and 2B/3B Jorge Cantu.

[Buckeye33]

This guy seems to know that it would take a lot to get Hafner, but he's also not giving up the farm to get him if you look at the players.

Cantu has big upside, but has already been hurt this season and walks about once every 4 weeks.

Peralta is in the best offensive lineup in baseball and will put up very nice #s. If you get him though, that would force you to use him at UTIL with Furcal already on your team.

Chavez is off to a great start and is pretty consistent and will give you .270/28/100 most likely. This seems like a sell high to me with the way he has started.

I have Hafner in 2 of my 3 leagues and I believe he is in the top 12 players in the league. Especially if your leagues uses OBP, BB, OPS, or SLG. This is his true breakout season.

If you were to do this deal, I'd make sure I got a good OFer to replace Cantu. Hawpe and Holliday have good potential but if I'm giving up Hafner I'd want someone I can count on to upgrade my OF along with Chavez and Peralta.

Also, make sure the pitcher you send to him is Penny. He is a curve ball away from the DL. Try to sell high with him, which might allow you to get a good upgrade at the OF spot.

Hafner/Penny for Chavez/Peralta/(Sheffield level OFer) is pretty decent, but it would still be hard for me to move Hafner.

Good luck.

[Red Leader]

For this league:

Offensive categories are: R, H, HR, RBI, SB, BB, AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS,

Pitching categoreis are: IP, W, L, SV, R, HR, BB, K, ERA, K/9

[Johnny Footstool]

Hafner is a first-round talent. It's generally a bad idea to trade first-round talent for depth, unless the deal just blows you away.

I don't really like Cantu all that much -- I'm not big on guys with poor K/BB ratios. Chavez alone would be a good acquisition, though.

If it were me, I'd offer Gomes and Bonderman for Chavez and Cantu. If he said no, I'd drop Cantu from the deal and ask for an outfielder.

[Red Leader]

I think Gomes is one of the next players to really break out.

He walked 39 times last year in 348 AB's and finished with a .906 OPS.

He's already walked 12 times in 40 AB's this season. If he keeps up that BB rate, he could really be a stud.

We've discussed Cantu and Chavez for Gomes and Bonderman, and neither of us are sure we want to do it.

He knows now that I will not give up Hafner.

[Red Leader]

Another trade I could possibly pull off would be SP Jeremy Bonderman and OF Matt Holliday for OF Ichiro Suzuki, or

Bonderman, Holliday and Tom Gordon for Lance Berkman and a throw-in like Prince Fielder or Jason Lane.

[Johnny Footstool]

Bonderman, Holliday and Tom Gordon for Lance Berkman and a throw-in like Prince Fielder or Jason Lane.

I like that deal for you. Berkman is first-round talent, too, and you'd be getting him for a bottom-tier closer, mid-level pitcher, and extra outfielder. If you can get Fielder as the throw-in, jump on it.

[Buckeye33]

I like that deal for you. Berkman is first-round talent, too, and you'd be getting him for a bottom-tier closer, mid-level pitcher, and extra outfielder. If you can get Fielder as the throw-in, jump on it.

Totally agree with the above. Berkman is fully recovered from his knee issues and will put up 1st round talent numbers this season.

Bonderman, Holliday, Gordon for Berkman and Fielder is golden.

That would have you with:

C- Martinez
1B- Sexson
2B- Utley
3B- Mora
SS- Furcal
OF- Bay
OF- Berkman
OF- Hawpe
UTIL- Gomes
UTIL- Hafner
B- Fielder

Getting Berkman would also allow you to move Hafner if you wanted to. Hafner/Mora for Chavez, Peralta, a top tier closer, and a OFer to replace Hawpe?