LAROYAL wrote: The pitching staff is looking better but now seems very righthanded.  Chen and Smith are our lefties and in our division against Cleveland, Detroit and Minny its very good to have some effective lefties.  If Smith can continue his improvement and become Burhle-like that would be great.
What pitchers are left that are affordable?  Maybe you can get Shawn Marcum for a one year stint following an injury so he can build up value for 8-9 mil.  Another possible is prying away John Lackey from Boston via trade with his 15 Mil contract if Boston would eat say half.  I think Lackey can be effective in the big K and Boston doesn't seem too pleased with the big Texan. Tampa deal would be good but playing poker with Maddon means tough profit. A nice lefty would wrap it up for us. Hope Duffy comes back soon.

1.)  Guthrie

2.)  Santana

3.)  Chen

4.)  Mendoza

5.)  Hochevar/Smith (if Hoch is traded)

This is likely what we'll see on opening day.  Other SP's on the 40 man roster may include:

Hochevar

Paulino  (DL)

Duffy  (DL)

Moscoso

Volstad

Will Smith has options, so he can be sent down when Duffy or Paulino return and if he's not performing well.  Hochevar is out of options, so he may either be traded, released, or start the season in the rotation instead of Smith and be released or traded if/when he doesn't perform well.  Mendoza and Chen are serviceable 3/4 type pitchers.  Mendoza actually ended up having quite the solid campaign last year.  If Chen bounces back to what he's capable of, we could have a pretty solid, if not spectacular rotation.  Still need one more guy, though. 

- the DUKE

NoOutsToGo wrote: I take it you forgot about Odorizzi.

Volstad was just DFA'd, so he's no longer an option.

GeorgeBrettsPineTar wrote: At this point, There is too much smoke around SEA and TB that I cannot see a third destination. Maybe AZ, but after that, I just don't see the fit. Given what Olney tweeted about KC wanting their third acquisition to be a younger guy, I see no other fits.

NoOutsToGo wrote: I take it you forgot about Odorizzi.

Volstad was just DFA'd, so he's no longer an option.

GeorgeBrettsPineTar wrote: At this point, There is too much smoke around SEA and TB that I cannot see a third destination. Maybe AZ, but after that, I just don't see the fit. Given what Olney tweeted about KC wanting their third acquisition to be a younger guy, I see no other fits.

paulydime wrote:

GeorgeBrettsPineTar wrote: At this point, There is too much smoke around SEA and TB that I cannot see a third destination. Maybe AZ, but after that, I just don't see the fit. Given what Olney tweeted about KC wanting their third acquisition to be a younger guy, I see no other fits.

Given what Olney stated, these are the guys that came to my head as potential trade targets due to youth and team circumstance:

Derek Holland, 26, signed through 2018 (team buyouts in last two years)
Wade Miley, 26, under control until 2018
Tommy Hanson, 26, under control until 2016
Mike Minor, 24, under control until 2018
Lucas Harrell, 27, under control until 2018
Jonathon Niese, 26, signed through 2018
Vance Worley, 25, under control until 2018
Jeremy Hellickson, 25, under control until 2017
Alex Cobb, 25, Pre-arb eligible
Jordan Zimmerman, 26, Super 2 status, under control until 2016

There would obviously be different levels of excitement if one of these guys was obtained, but any of them would seemingly make this rotation better.  I'm sure there are plenty of others I'm just not thinking of, but these guys seemed to feature the ingredients of youth, talent, and being on a team that could be looking to move them for various reasons (get something for them now before they walk, or making play for bigger FA's, rebuilding, want prospects, etc.)

GeorgeBrettsPineTar wrote:

paulydime wrote:

GeorgeBrettsPineTar wrote: At this point, There is too much smoke around SEA and TB that I cannot see a third destination. Maybe AZ, but after that, I just don't see the fit. Given what Olney tweeted about KC wanting their third acquisition to be a younger guy, I see no other fits.

Given what Olney stated, these are the guys that came to my head as potential trade targets due to youth and team circumstance:

Derek Holland, 26, signed through 2018 (team buyouts in last two years)
Wade Miley, 26, under control until 2018
Tommy Hanson, 26, under control until 2016
Mike Minor, 24, under control until 2018
Lucas Harrell, 27, under control until 2018
Jonathon Niese, 26, signed through 2018
Vance Worley, 25, under control until 2018
Jeremy Hellickson, 25, under control until 2017
Alex Cobb, 25, Pre-arb eligible
Jordan Zimmerman, 26, Super 2 status, under control until 2016

There would obviously be different levels of excitement if one of these guys was obtained, but any of them would seemingly make this rotation better.  I'm sure there are plenty of others I'm just not thinking of, but these guys seemed to feature the ingredients of youth, talent, and being on a team that could be looking to move them for various reasons (get something for them now before they walk, or making play for bigger FA's, rebuilding, want prospects, etc.)

Some of those guys aren't going anywhere.  Why would WAS deal Zimmermann?

I was thinking even YOUNGER.  COnnecting dots here....

1. Reports are that they do not want to move anyone on the MLB roster.
2. They want to use MiLB guys.
3. Only a couple MiLB hitters in our system are high enough to merit a significant return. I see two at this point (Myers and maybe Starling)
4. No team trading a name SP wants to wait on Starling.
5.  So we are talking Wil Myers.
6. What teams that are near contention have SP to move and have an OF need? Some of those guys named either a) are on teams that can't afford to lose 'em; b) Aren't worth Wil Myers or c) Play on teams who can sign an Upton, Hamilton or Bourn in FA.

The candidates, as I see 'em (assuming it is Myers that gets dealt):
ARI - Bauer, Miley (AZ would probably rather deal Bauer at this point)
SEA - Hultzen, Walker, Paxton (I don't think KC goes after Walker because he isn't ready, and Paxton's ceiling is not high enough. Actually, I am not sure Hultzen is ready either)
TB - Hellickson, Archer, Price

I agree with you on Niese as one who I had not thought of. I imagine the NY brass like the thought of a trio of Niese, Harvey and Wheeler for the next 4 or 5 years though. Niese is a long shot at this point.

I just don't see any other fits given the three stipulations I stated in Pt. 6. You can say "Go get 'Player X'" all day long, but it has to make sense to the other team. And a few of these guys mentioned like Harrell, Cobb, even Archer, are not huge impact guys for THIS season. It is clear that they want someone young, MLB-ready, and can be had with MiLB parts.

dmspm4 wrote: I still think it will be Hellickson, although I wouldn't be surprised if they've been talking Shields. (He just makes more sense for TB to get ride of).  If we could get Hellickson for any collection of youngsters not including Myers then I'd be happy.

I hadn't though of ATL lately...Myers for Jurrjens, right Soren?

DukePoplar wrote:

NoOutsToGo wrote: I take it you forgot about Odorizzi.

Volstad was just DFA'd, so he's no longer an option.

I didn't forget about him.  He sucks, so I didn't list him. 

- the DUKE

Hawks112 wrote:

DukePoplar wrote:

NoOutsToGo wrote: I take it you forgot about Odorizzi.

Volstad was just DFA'd, so he's no longer an option.

I didn't forget about him.  He sucks, so I didn't list him. 

- the DUKE

Odorizzi sucks?

`