Another option for trading Bradley

by Cubsfan Waveland on Dec 15, 2009 11:35 AM CST Comment 31 comments

I have thrown out mutliple suggestions to trade Bradley in different threads, some of them could still be available to the Cubs. This is one more, and I wanted to see what others thought. Michael Young and Julio Borbon of the Texas Ranges would be my targets, I would offer Milton Bradley and 2 prospects 1 being Josh Vitters and the other could be a mid level pitcher. This would have us taking on a little more payroll this year and 2 extra years of a contract. I know this is not ideal but nothing seems to be at this point. Maybe we also kick in 1 million this year and next year at the most to sweeten the deal. This could give the Rangers the chance to resign Byrd. Young could play 2B, SS & 3B, I know his defense has declined a little but I think he would be a perfect fit offensively hitting 2nd or 5th in our lineup. Not many people know much about Borbon but he is 23 and I believe major league ready, he bats left and has plenty of speed to burn. Last year in 46 games he had 157 at bats hitting .312, 4hr, 20rbis, 19sb, .376obp. He may be a little raw but I like what I have seen. In getting Young, if Borbon struggles a little you could put Baker in RF and slide Fukudome to CF to give him days off from time to time.

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My hunch is that (on Rangers)

after finishing the Lowell deal, they’ll consider themselves done on the positional side. They are building around their young assets – meaning that Borbon is of high importance to them, particularly his potential as a top of the order bat to balance out the middle of the lineup. In getting Lowell on the cheap, they’ get their depth at the corner IF spots, while adding a DH option, to go along with their young bats.

by toonsterwu on Dec 15, 2009 12:09 PM CST reply actions

Mike Lowell will DH for Texas

Lowell has devolved into a bad 3rd baseman the past three seasons, to the point where he can no longer play the position.

The Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup in 2010.

by BLou on Dec 15, 2009 12:27 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not sure where you're getting that

While Lowell had a terrible year defensively at 3rd in 2009, his UZR in 2008 and 2007 were very good – higher than Aramis Ramirez’s.

by Wreckard on Dec 15, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions

I have a feeling he's referring to Lowell's hip problems from last year.

It did impact his defense last year, and if the hip continues to nag him, he won’t be long for third base.

That said, his hip isn’t holding up the deal with Texas; it’s his thumb.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Dec 15, 2009 3:42 PM CST up reply actions

Given what they gave up for him both money-wise and prospect-wise

…there’s no way they foresee him playing as a full-time DH.

The money alone would get them a better DH than Lowell, let alone giving up Ramirez as well.

by Wreckard on Dec 15, 2009 4:10 PM CST up reply actions

Honestly,

I don’t quite get this. Young’s name has come up a couple of times, and no one has been able to explain why the should trade a 2/23 contract for a 4/64. Young has declined, should continue to decline, and two years from now this deal will make Luis Castillo’s contract look smart by comparison. Lord, please pass.

by Damen Jackson on Dec 15, 2009 12:28 PM CST reply actions

I meant

Explain why they.

by Damen Jackson on Dec 15, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions

Well...

…. considering Young would be a useful player, I could see taking on the extra $.

Maybe you could get Texas to take some of the dollars, considering you would be taking the rest.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 15, 2009 2:10 PM CST up reply actions

I could see this being nice next season...

… and maybe the season after. But what will we think when he’s 37 and making approx $800,000,000,000?

Relieving ourselves of a problem now isn’t worth having another in two years.

Me no likey.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 15, 2009 2:43 PM CST up reply actions

Which is why...

… if I did it, I would ask the Rangers for some salary relief.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 15, 2009 3:16 PM CST up reply actions

They would see Bradley's contract as that salary relief

They know they could have Bradley from the Cubs for a few million dollars. They’re not going to see his $21M contract as $21M in value back.

by Wreckard on Dec 15, 2009 4:14 PM CST up reply actions

Well, true.

But given the fact that they would be getting out from under MORE of that for giving up Young, maybe they’d take a little bit of it back the 3rd and 4th year.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 15, 2009 4:31 PM CST up reply actions

what number?

800 what?

by RiskyBusiness on Dec 15, 2009 6:59 PM CST up reply actions

Its a lot.

I had to take off my socks to count that high.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 16, 2009 12:30 PM CST up reply actions

If you could, right now

…would you sign Michael Young to a 4 year / $41M deal as a free agent?

I sure wouldn’t. That’s essentially what you’d be doing – assuming you saw Bradley’s deal as a completely sunk cost (obviously Hendry does not, or the trade talk for him wouldn’t be hung up on dollars).

by Wreckard on Dec 15, 2009 4:12 PM CST up reply actions

i would

and that is how i looked at it.

by Cubsfan Waveland on Dec 15, 2009 4:16 PM CST up reply actions

That question has been

asked a few times recently, and I wouldn’t in a vacuum. If someone said 4/40, and it cleared Bradley off my payroll….maybe.

by Damen Jackson on Dec 15, 2009 9:43 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Texas' objective is to

lower their payroll. The ownership is under pressure to sell the team, and payroll commitments should make for for an easier sale. Subtracting Young’s payroll helps out more than any other move they could make.

by RiskyBusiness on Dec 15, 2009 6:58 PM CST up reply actions

That pressure is likely gone now.

The winning bid has been chosen, so there’s no way they’ll do anything to drastically change the value of the team (i.e. trading one of their biggest stars) until the sale is complete.

by Wreckard on Dec 15, 2009 9:07 PM CST up reply actions

I think Young can be useful

for at least 2 more years. For me it is about getting rid of Bradley and I really like Borbon. It is more about locking up a solid CF for the next few years.

by Cubsfan Waveland on Dec 15, 2009 2:53 PM CST up reply actions

Pass.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by dat cubfan daver on Dec 15, 2009 12:33 PM CST reply actions

C'mon daver, you're sporting the BLou

grumpy glasses today.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 15, 2009 1:28 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, I am, actually.

And this Michael Young seemed to make sense earlier in the off-season. But, as things have gone on, I’ve just become less and less thrilled with the idea of the Cubs taking on MORE financial obligation just to get rid of Milton.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by dat cubfan daver on Dec 15, 2009 1:50 PM CST up reply actions

One could argue

that the Cubs should wait and see what Holliday does with this big offer. If he takes it, maybe we do sell off on 2010 and just cut MB eating the whole contract.

"We’re going to come back here next year healthy and do what we’re supposed to do, and we’re going to be all right. That’s not Hendry’s fault. He thought it was the right move. It didn’t work out. But at the same time, he’s the same guy that put back-to-back championship teams together." - Aramis Ramirez

by DGU on Dec 15, 2009 2:21 PM CST up reply actions

Uh

I’m sorry but unless you’re talking about rank and file fantasy baseball players, Julio Borbon isn’t unknown to many folks around MLB. In fact, he’s the starting CF in Texas this year.

Unless Texas really wants to trim payroll, there is no chance in hell they trade Young and Borbon for Bradley, Vitters and someone else. For a couple of reasons…Borbon is already a better player than Vitters, is major-league ready and cheap. Second, it doesn’t make sense to basically exchange Bradley for Young unless the Cubs pay the tab for both players…which isn’t going to happen.

I’m not suggesting the idea isn’t novel, just not likely at all on a few levels.

Who needs a stinkin' tag line? What are they for anyway?

by krummy12 on Dec 15, 2009 3:56 PM CST reply actions

I understand your points and

don’t disagree. I really think Texas is trying to trim payroll and this would be a big move for them. Maybe we give up a major league ready bullpen arm with Vitters and Bradley along with some cash considerations as I suggested. Borbon may be known in MLB circles but I think people on here don’t know who he is except for a few. All I am saying is if we are going to throw a lot of cash to Tampa for Burrell, I would consider throwing it in a place where we get something useful in return.

by Cubsfan Waveland on Dec 15, 2009 8:21 PM CST up reply actions

My take.......

is that Milton will be with the Cubs in 2010.

I hope I am wrong because I believe it will be a train wreck BUT I do not see them cutting him. IMHO no team will (or should) pay one cent of the deal. The Cubs are over the barrell on this one. I would not want to be in Hendry’s shoes……….

by timeforachange2009 on Dec 15, 2009 8:58 PM CST reply actions

It will make for some interesting TV if he returns

Let’s be honest, Chicago fans are not going to treat him well.

And I hope if Bradley does get traded it’s to an AL team we play AT wrigley in interleague. Once again, the reaction he gets at-bat will be priceless.

by ak123 on Dec 17, 2009 11:10 PM CST up reply actions

Those teams total three.

Angels, White Sox and A’s. None of those is a likely destination for Milton.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 8:13 AM CST up reply actions

Kinda difficult trading with the Rangers

right now while they are not settled in their new ownership situation, isn’t it?

I do like the mix of proposals presented though, and agree that MB would likely be welcomed back in TX. May also depend on new ownership group. Isn’t Nolan Ryan part of the proposed new group?

Anyone have any insight into his view of a trade bringing back MB?

by GeneticCubsFan on Dec 16, 2009 10:54 AM CST reply actions