The trade deadline is fast approaching for all of baseball. Like most fans I have no idea where anyone is going to end up. I also am probably selling too short on many players in hopes my team the Royals can add something big. Now with all of that being said lets talk about what might happen.
Cole Hamels – I do not see the Royals being able to pay the price in talent and the price in $$$ to the Phillies. Everyone more or less wants Hamels. The Dodgers have all the money in the world it seems and need another big arm to run the billion dollar machine.
I think the Royals could afford to bring in Hamels if they made another move to get rid of some salary. The books get a little heavier for next year now that Vargas is going to be taking up 10-12 million the next 18 months while somewhere in Arizona in shorts sitting next to a doctor. The bigger issue in my mind is the amount of prospects the Phillies will want in return.
The deal for Hamels that I would push for if I am the Phillies is attaching Ryan Howard and part of his awful deal onto the trade. The Dodgers are most likely not going to let go of their top few prospects in any deal which could become a sticking point in any Hamels deal. The Phillies were said to be willing to eat all but $10 million or so of Howard’s deal during the summer. If I am the Dodgers I use my truckloads of cash as a level B prospect in the Hamels trade. I pitch the Phillies take your pick from prospects 5-15, another from 20-35 two below the 50’s and we will take on $25-35 million of the Howard deal.
David Price – The Tigers are said to be sellers but the AL Central fan in me doesn’t believe it. If Price is dealt it will most likely be to a team that thinks they can sign next year. This brings the Dodgers back to the front of the line. I think the Dodgers could build a package around Ryu who is hurt but under control for another 3 years and Puig who is signed through 2018.
The Tigers could send a package of David Price, Yoenis Céspedes, & Joakim Soria, to the Dodgers for Yasiel Puig and Hyun-Jin Ryu
This deal allows the Dodgers to get Price on this years roster and betters their chances of signing him next season. It also gets Puig who many thing would be addition by subtraction gone but with a stop gap replacement in Céspedes for a playoff run. This deal also brings much needed bullpen help.
The Tigers get back two All-Star caliber players that are under team control for several years on deals that are steals in the current market. The three biggest trade chips the Tigers have are used in this trade but bring back the biggest return in MLB proven players.
This deal strengthens the Tigers for next year for sure without completely killing their chances at a wildcard spot.
Johnny Cueto – There is lots of talk of Cueto coming to the Royals. I think this one has a chance but again I think some other team will throw more prospects at the Reds than the Royals can match.
Cueto – To Cubs
Jeff Samardzija – Goes to the Blue Jays. I have no clue for what but that is what I am feeling.
Mike Leake and Jay Bruce – To the Royals. I think this deal makes sense. The Royals get to spend less in prospects and cash on this pair and with Bruce they get player to used or traded next year.
I think if the Royals make this deal they would have enough prospect value left to make a run at another bat or more likely another pitcher like Haren, Latos, or one of the Padres guys not named Shields.
I think the Shields deal keeps him out of the Royals plans because he got overpaid last summer.