Buster Olney & #8207;@Buster_ESPN 3m3 minutes ago
Reds willing to trade Jay Bruce to the Mets for Zack Wheeler now. Worth watching over the next 20 hours.
If we were able to land Parra or Gomez shutting down Lagares was a no brainer imo. It appears we aren't landing a CF. If we are able to sign a COF Lagares has to play regularly. Bruce and Granderson get the lions share of AB's and you either send Conforto down or he sits.
Conforto is the future he isn't the now. You don't acquire a Bruce to platoon or sit Grandy who is our best hitter. The rookie takes a back seat. It's not ideal but that's how it has to be. I'd return Conforto to the minor to play everyday. He'll be back in a month anyway.
anymore anyway. Kirk has started like 4 of the last 5 games. Lagares will play against left-handed pitchers and come in for late inning defense. Most reports swirling around suggest Granderson would get some time in CF, even if its in some sort of a rotation.
I like Bruce a lot and he has a cannon arm but I don't think he's quite that good in the field.
He's been a gold glove finalist in the past and he has a gun for an arm. Link - ( New Window )
I don't get to see a ton of Reds games.. I've seen him make nice plays but the metrics don't seem to really reflect that. I can't stand defensive metrics, though. So.. there's that.
has a bazooka. Would be a welcomed sight after watching Granderson's arm. I really don't think the OF would take a major hit defensively. Lagares isn't playing full time anymore anyway. Granderson has logged a TON of innings in CF.
I don't see the big appeal of Bruce, he's basically a .250 hitter who's power numbers are inflated for playing in Cincinnati. IMO Wheeler would be giving up too much for him.
making the postseason, with Collins as manager, no matter what trade they make.
They just don't have the horses this season. Their bullpen is falling apart now.
Hopefully next season will be the real deal.
Wouldn't get crazy about the bullpen just yet.
Familia wasn't going to continue having a Mariano-type season. He has to work through this. Clippard will settle in, and there are arms in there pitching well.
Granderson hasn't played CF in years and wasn't all that great htere
To be clear I wasn't knocking him. I just meant his defense is mostly based on his arm. His range was better in his youth. He's more than fine out there. Granderson every day in CF is going to be another story.
Granderson can't play CF anymore. He doesn't have the range.
Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1 9m9 minutes ago
1 reason #Mets are willing to include Wheeler in trade talks is emergence of a healthy Michael Fulmer. Scouts who have seen say Fulmer
Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1 9m9 minutes ago
Is 96-97 mph, wipeout slider, still developing change. Works both sides of plate. Throws inside. High praise from many #Mets
for Bruce, but i wouldnt want to give up anymore then wheeler. I mean that seems like a pretty fair trade. Does CIN have any bullpen pieces other then Chapman we might be able to get wiith Bruce?
Andy Martino
Gap to bridge between #mets #reds last night involved whether Wheeler enough. "Should b interesting" said 1 official of today. Still talking
cause some log jam issues, but the Mets must find the prices on rentals like Upton/Cespedes too much. If they are going to give up a wheeler its got to be for a guy that you at least can get a season+ out of.
Bruce makes the Mets a better team right now and it's not even debatable. We aren't getting Wheeler's best until 2017 and the emergence of Fulmer is playing a large role in this.
We tried for the CF (Gomez, Parra) and SS (Tulo) and failed to get a deal done. This is the best we're going to do now. It'd still be a good get.
that Bruce will be better than Conforto in 2016? If we make this trade, we'll need to send Conforto to the minors until 2017 to get him everyday ABs.
I think Bruce is a 2015 upgrade and maybe with his reasonable contract we can move him and recoup part of the Wheeler cost to acquire him if Conforto is raking so bad we can't keep him in the minors anymore.
wondering how we didn't get a deal for Tulo done. The return Toronto gave CO wasn't that big. Tulo would've made us contenders immediately. Sandy was clearly interested and even admitted to talking to the Rockies about him. I wonder if the Wilpons money issues were the main impediment.
Why do we have to keep Conforto in the minors in 2017? There are other options. We could deal Granderson this winter or give him a few games here and there in CF for now.
Even if Conforto goes back down now, he'll be Sept. call up anyway.
On one hand, he's pure middle of the order lefty power, 28 years old, team option for 2017, 100-rbipotential (97, 99, 109 in '11-'12-'13. He'd look pretty good in a 3-4-5 lineup of Duda-Wright-Bruce (L-R-L) to me.
On the other hand, in a good year he'll get to 150Ks and not be a high average hitter.
I think I'm just being a picky B-R.com reader. In the current environment for baseball, a power bat like this is a pretty rare commodity to have available.
Question - Wheeler for Bruce or Nimmo + Fulmer for Upton?
I prefer Upton to Bruce since he's a power hitter, but I don't think we can spend the money to resign him. After yesterday's display I'm pretty convinced out of everybody that was out there Upton is the best pure RH hitter and that's what we need.
But obviously it's 99% likely he'd be a pure rental vs. 3 years of Bruce. I think Bruce is a damn good player, just think he and Duda are really really similar in both good ways and bad ones.
Bruce strikes out.. a lot of power hitters do. The high average power hitters who don't K are the elite, cream of the crop players.
And essentially "doubling" what Granderson is giving us right now is a good thing, not a bad thing. Bruce is quite a bit younger than Granderson and is a bit better overall anyway.
this lienup could really use another Granderson. He has been pretty solid this year.
My only issue would be fitting in Conforto, Bruce, and Granderson next year without playing Curtils 100+ games in center. But hey we want to go for it now and im sure we could always look to move Bruce in the winter if we were that worried bout it.
Why do we have to keep Conforto in the minors in 2017? There are other options. We could deal Granderson this winter or give him a few games here and there in CF for now.
Even if Conforto goes back down now, he'll be Sept. call up anyway.
I don't think using Conforto as a 4th OF really makes sense at this stage in his career. This is a kid who we think is going to rake, and sooner rather than later. I want him getting max ABs. Sept. callup is fine, and I think in 2015, sending Conforto back to AA is fine, I guess I just don't see how it works for us in 2015.
Trading Granderson (and maybe selling high based on the increasingly good year he's having) might be possible but he's been our best lineup regular this year and the return would be minimal given his contract and age.
Yes - a 2nd Granderson (slightly better version) is a HUGE upgrade
Only problem with Granderson is his age and potential for regression, if he plays like this again next year his contract he is an asset.
The Gomez fiasco was enormously deflating to this organization in combination with the blown saves & 2 losses to Pads. Not impossible to come back from, but they need to win 2/3 this weekend in the worst way. Losing more ground to the Nats and taking the gut punches they've taken the last 48 hours might be the straw that breaks the camels back.
He's been a gold glove finalist in the past and he has a gun for an arm.
Link - ( New Window )
Think teams are pulling an all nighter. This is the last night lol.
Conforto is the future he isn't the now. You don't acquire a Bruce to platoon or sit Grandy who is our best hitter. The rookie takes a back seat. It's not ideal but that's how it has to be. I'd return Conforto to the minor to play everyday. He'll be back in a month anyway.
4pm EDT
Quote:
I like Bruce a lot and he has a cannon arm but I don't think he's quite that good in the field.
He's been a gold glove finalist in the past and he has a gun for an arm. Link - ( New Window )
I don't get to see a ton of Reds games.. I've seen him make nice plays but the metrics don't seem to really reflect that. I can't stand defensive metrics, though. So.. there's that.
They just don't have the horses this season. Their bullpen is falling apart now.
Hopefully next season will be the real deal.
They just don't have the horses this season. Their bullpen is falling apart now.
Hopefully next season will be the real deal.
Wouldn't get crazy about the bullpen just yet.
Familia wasn't going to continue having a Mariano-type season. He has to work through this. Clippard will settle in, and there are arms in there pitching well.
To be clear I wasn't knocking him. I just meant his defense is mostly based on his arm. His range was better in his youth. He's more than fine out there. Granderson every day in CF is going to be another story.
Middle Infielder
Steady Reliever
???
Probably begging the Reds to pay as much of his contract as possible.
Link - ( New Window )
1 reason #Mets are willing to include Wheeler in trade talks is emergence of a healthy Michael Fulmer. Scouts who have seen say Fulmer
Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1 9m9 minutes ago
Is 96-97 mph, wipeout slider, still developing change. Works both sides of plate. Throws inside. High praise from many #Mets
I wish the mets wouldnt be so cheap with negotiations, asking for money back
Gap to bridge between #mets #reds last night involved whether Wheeler enough. "Should b interesting" said 1 official of today. Still talking
Keep hearing #Padres having difficulty moving Shields/Kemp/JUpton and ownership wants cut payroll.
Keep hearing #Padres having difficulty moving Shields/Kemp/JUpton and ownership wants cut payroll.
Well they can ask for lesser prospects. Anyways, the Mets wont take on the expensive contracts without money back so it wont work.
The Wilpons are all about money, and winning is second
We tried for the CF (Gomez, Parra) and SS (Tulo) and failed to get a deal done. This is the best we're going to do now. It'd still be a good get.
I think Bruce is a 2015 upgrade and maybe with his reasonable contract we can move him and recoup part of the Wheeler cost to acquire him if Conforto is raking so bad we can't keep him in the minors anymore.
Even if Conforto goes back down now, he'll be Sept. call up anyway.
Player A: .255/.790 OPS/119 OPS+/16 HR/125 wRC+ from RF
Player B: .257/.827/125/17/123 from RF.
One is Jay Bruce, the Curtis Granderson
On the other hand, in a good year he'll get to 150Ks and not be a high average hitter.
I think I'm just being a picky B-R.com reader. In the current environment for baseball, a power bat like this is a pretty rare commodity to have available.
But obviously it's 99% likely he'd be a pure rental vs. 3 years of Bruce. I think Bruce is a damn good player, just think he and Duda are really really similar in both good ways and bad ones.
And essentially "doubling" what Granderson is giving us right now is a good thing, not a bad thing. Bruce is quite a bit younger than Granderson and is a bit better overall anyway.
My only issue would be fitting in Conforto, Bruce, and Granderson next year without playing Curtils 100+ games in center. But hey we want to go for it now and im sure we could always look to move Bruce in the winter if we were that worried bout it.
Even if Conforto goes back down now, he'll be Sept. call up anyway.
I don't think using Conforto as a 4th OF really makes sense at this stage in his career. This is a kid who we think is going to rake, and sooner rather than later. I want him getting max ABs. Sept. callup is fine, and I think in 2015, sending Conforto back to AA is fine, I guess I just don't see how it works for us in 2015.
Trading Granderson (and maybe selling high based on the increasingly good year he's having) might be possible but he's been our best lineup regular this year and the return would be minimal given his contract and age.
The Gomez fiasco was enormously deflating to this organization in combination with the blown saves & 2 losses to Pads. Not impossible to come back from, but they need to win 2/3 this weekend in the worst way. Losing more ground to the Nats and taking the gut punches they've taken the last 48 hours might be the straw that breaks the camels back.