Kingdom

It is fun to think of what if and what might have been. It's fun to create something out of nothing. Most of which, tends to only happen in fantasy baseball or simulator game leagues (or OOTP). I am going to lay out trades that I would like to see happen in Major League Baseball this season. But, the likelihood of any of these deals happening, or anything close to them happening, are far fetched. And I admit that. My point is, there is some logic behind these trades, for at least one team and in some cases, both teams. I'm not going into why it couldn't happen, I just don't care about that. Because life works in ways we don't want it to.




1. St. Louis Cardinals trades 3B David Freese, a solid prospect, and Cash or a Contract
Cincinnati trades 3B Scott Rolen and SP Aaron Harang

Whoa whoa whoa reds fans, let me talk before you wield pitchforks and torches. I would only consider this when you fall out of contention. You might not. And therefore, this doesn't need to be considered. But if you do falter, if things begin to fade, take it into serious consideration. You will shed a lot of money. You will get a 26 or 27 year old 3B who makes great contact and could fit in with some of the young bats the reds have in the majors now and certainly have drafted in recent years. Harang has gotten better, although his ERA isn't indicative of such progression. He's still not what he was just a couple of years ago. St. Louis would be able to bring back Rolen, who's found power and Jesus apparently. He's hitting like the Rolen back in St. Louis. Which would be scary considering the Cardinals currently roll out a Holliday-Pujols-Luddwick-Rasmus order right now. And if Duncan can turn Suppan, Lohse, and Pineiro into quality pitchers, Aaron Harang would be their biggest coup in years. Then the cardinals have give the reds an assist for the World Series run.


2. Los Angeles gets: SP Cliff Lee, CF Franklin Gutierrez, 2B/3B Chone Figgins and MR Chad Cordero
Seattle gets: CF Matt Kemp, SP Chad Billingsley, SP/MR Carlos Monasterios, and a prospect in AA/AAA

Perhaps this draws the most ire, or maybe not. What this obviously does for Seattle, it says we ****ed up, we weren't ready to contend, we only have a couple of pieces, it was a mistake to add Lee, Figgins, and a couple of towel racks. They rid themselves of contracts, they get a guy who I believe is under control for awhile in Kemp (plus, he's a power hitter, something they don't have). They get young starting pitchers they can mold to that cavern they call a park. The dodgers get a great defensive center fielder that could cover left field while he's at it, a utility fielder who has a good track record but just isn't playing well, and obviously.. an ace in Lee. We have seen how good Figgins can be for Anaheim, there's no reason to think he could re-kindle the bat in the NL. Plus they don't have to use guys like Dewitt or Carroll as much. Lee, well, he clearly knows how to pitch in the NL. This would torpedo Colorado and San Diego's confidence in the process.


3. Seattle gets 3B Brandon Wood, Prospect A, Prospect B, and a lower tier Prospect C
Anaheim gets 2B/3B Chone Figgins and SP Cliff Lee

Anaheim is bound to have prospects. They always do. It's time to give up on the Wood era. Ship him to somewhere in which he has no foreseeable competition in the next couple of seasons, so he 3B is all his. Maybe he excels with no leash, and no one breathing down his back. Maybe not. That's why Anaheim is going to pump out a pair of nifty prospects and a third guy to boot. Figgins right now, he doesn't carry any value right now. Not when he has no slugging, he's striking out an absurd rate, and his speed and what not just isn't off-setting the zero power. So send him back home. Again, admit the off season was ill-conceived. You ****ed up, move on. Just ensure you get great prospects out of Lee cause it'll likely be better and ultimately cheaper than the draft picks. Plus you never know when the draft picks choose not to resign or go back to school. Anaheim is hot. They could use a classic Sciosca guy, and Lee would put Weaver and Santana in the 2 and 3 spots, where they need to be. He's also better than Lackey.


4. Milwaukee trades: 1B Prince Fielder, SS Craig Counsell, and SP Randy Wolf
Texas trades: 2B Joaquin Arias, 1B Chris Davis, SP Tommy Hunter, Prospect A, and Prospect B

This is where you admit to yourself, Fielder ain't going to re-sign with us. So you go stock up. With this, you pick up a good young SP in Hunter, a young infielder in Arias, and a reclamation project in Davis. At the very least, it's a pair of under 30 starting infielders and someone to throw in behind Gallardo- plus quality prospects from a growing farm. Sorry, it just won't be Smoak or Neftali Perez. As for Texas, Smoak is not ready. He has the power. He seems to have an eye. But he's not Prince Fielder. Tell me you wouldn't want him batting with Cruz, Hamilton, Kinsler, and Young? Prince Fielder would be hitting 50 homeruns while having a heat stroke in Arlington. How is that not entertainment!? Texas would also pick up a veteran leader, with playoff, World Series, and just plain meaningful game experience in Counsell. And Wolf, well, again, Milwaukee conceives this was a mistake. Texas needs an inning eater. It works. Nolan Ryan can sell his sperm on ebay to pay for the trade.


5. New York trades: C Francisco Cervelli, P Joba Chamberlain, and Prospect A
Houston trades: LF Cliff Lee and SP Roy Oswalt

Houston needs a leader behind the plate. Despite lack of offense, when Brad Ausmus was there, they had some good years. It's time to rebuild, in a drastic way. And if someone truly wants Oswalt, you make them take Lee. Make the Empire give out a couple more billion to put Oswalt in the rotation. This would end the days of Marcus Thames, Kevin Russo, Daniel LaRusso, whoever platooning in the outfield, DHing and filling in for injured players. Lee is decent enough in left. And he could obviously DH. He's struggling, but you know he hits for power and can driving in people with consistency. More importantly, you get Roy Oswalt and probably another world championship. Houston can either decide they got themselves a starting pitcher or a closer, not a run of the mill reliever (I hope).



Stay tuned for part two.