Report: Twins Acquire Matt Capps
Multiple tweets reporting this including this one. Minor league catcher Wilson Ramos headed to Washington.
over 1 year ago
Al Yellon
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Ramos has been overhyped but
excellent deal for the Nats. Signing and spinning Capps was likely always the plan, with Storen the hoped for future closer. They net a solid catching prospect. Considering the issues with Flores, and the fact that Norris is a few years away, they get a guy that could be their starter next year.
And I think it's a good deal for the Twins.
They get a closer, which they need. Ramos was buried behind Mauer. Twins are in win-now mode.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
here's my issue with the move
it’s a decent move for them, imo. on the whole, yes they are in a win now mode and they needed more security at the back end of the pen. That said, they gave up arguably their top trade chip, the only guy that likely was available (Aaron Hicks and Miguel Sano likely weren’t getting moved) and they didn’t address their starting rotation. The move also means that they are reacting to a bad month from Jon Rauch. Maybe it’s a sign of things to come with Rauch, a guy who always ran a bit hot and cold, but they have a capable pen crew around him, with guys like Mijares, Duensing, Guerrier, Crain.
Now, the flip side is that, they might be hoping that Rauch will bounce back, and thus, hoping that they can shorten the game. Furthermore, Scott Baker has had a decent-solid season but has had some bad luck. Liriano/Pavano/Baker isn’t a trio that’s going to scare folks, but it’s likely a decent enough group. They also have enough to make a move for a Lily-esque arm if they wanted to.
Nats are gonna be good...
Wish we had brass as smart as the Nats! We sign a player like Byrd for cheap and he plays his ass off. Then instead of auctioning him off for some good prospects for the future we will hold him to the bitter end. When he starts to tank then we will expect someone to swoop in and give us a king’s ransom. Cubs just don’t get it!
by cubsluver22 on Jul 29, 2010 9:27 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Soooo...we sign him for cheap, he plays well and we should trade him
2/3 of the way through the season. If he’s cheap what exactly are we going to get for him that’s better? You don’t make much sense here.
Starlin Castro singles on a pop up to catcher Jason LaRue.
Ryan Theriot scores. Two out -Gameday 7/23/10
by Sandberg's evil twin on Jul 29, 2010 10:43 PM CDT up reply actions
The idea is that 2010-11 don't matter.
The next Cubs playoff team may have Marlon Byrd on it, but it’s more likely that it won’t – especially if they don’t gel for 2012.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
If that's really his idea,
Then I’d like to hear it from him. You can’t know if that’s exactly what he means as it applies to both the Nats and the Cubs.
Your argument is a very complicated one. It’s hard to say exactly whether the Cubs are being foolish or not with him on the team without seeing the trades proposed for him. I believe Hendry should be reviewing all possible trades for Byrd and all the vets on the team…whether he is ignoring a good value for the future will always be hard to say. The criteria of trading him will always vary from fan to fan…but I get your frustration with the contracts we have signed and his with those we are now stuck with. I think as long as Hendry is our GM we have to expect he will make more mistakes like he has.
Starlin Castro singles on a pop up to catcher Jason LaRue.
Ryan Theriot scores. Two out -Gameday 7/23/10
by Sandberg's evil twin on Jul 29, 2010 11:30 PM CDT up reply actions
Nobody is saying "move Byrd for whatever"
It’s not about clearing salary. It’s that other than Lilly, Byrd is one of the few real attractive players on the Cubs roster. He’s having a great year, and is relatively cheap.
The 2011 Cubs aren’t likely to be much better than the 2010 version. Soriano, Ramirez and Byrd will all be a year older on the wrong end of their peak years, and while there is hope for Soto, Castro and even Colvin to take the reins as the core of the team, there’s not really anything to suggest that they are going to be anything other than respectable.
The general consensus is that the next most likely season for the Cubs to become serious contenders again is 2012, when Byrd will be likely to be worse than he is now (won’t he be 35?) and we could potentially have both Colvin and Jackson in the OF. So hanging onto Byrd when he is the player that could likely fetch the largest bounty on the market doesn’t really make much sense.
I like Byrd. He’s having a great year, and he doesn’t loaf like some of the other guys. But he’s not going to get better in the coming years, and he’s a good bet to get worse. Moving him while he is at his max value AND while the Cubs aren’t likely to make the playoffs with him on the roster is clearly logical.
Shameless self promotion: Check out my website!!!
http://www.itsnotabook.com
by WittyUserName on Jul 30, 2010 11:15 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
By that logic, why play 2011 at all?
Let’s just save the heartbreak and forfeit the entire year.
There is a ton of money to be made!
They aren’t going to be contenders, but Year 2 will also be about the continued maturation of Colvin/Castro/Cashner, the potential arrival of BJackson, and the walk years for just tons and tons of increasingly dead weight contracts.
It’s going to be a transition year. Ricketts has apparently decided that he wants Jim Hendry guiding that transition. I think that’s a horrible risk to take with one’s family’s fortune, but whatever.
In the meantime, we try to acquire any elite-level talent that hits the market for any reason, and we hope to catch lightning in a bottle and maybe even contend with our starting pitching or whatever.
But seriously, though, this team is printing money. One year of likely heartbreak is no reason to stop the printing presses.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
But seriously, though, this team is printing money. One year of likely heartbreak is no reason to stop the printing presses.
Don’t count on that if they don’t at least pretend to contend in 2011. They won’t be able to sell as many tickets at these high prices.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
They can pretend to contend with the big name contracts already on the roster.
You can plausibly market “Aramis! Dempster! Marmol! Soriano! Soto! Byrd! And how ’bout those youngsters Castro and Colvin!” for one more year.
Especially if you grab a 1-year “name” place filler for 1B, and (fingers crossed) possibly a little bit more of an offensive threat at 2B.
They should probably scale back ticket prices regardless.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
Exactly my idea...
The fact of the matter is Byrd can be 1 of two things. He could stick around and be a damn good mentor to our up and coming youngsters or he could be good trade bait. I seriously doubt we will be much more than we are this year. Even with yet another expensive patch job by Hendry in the offseason. That is exactly what we don;t need!
Keeping him is gambling he will continue to be produce like he has this year. I just don’t see any reason we need to do that. Most of the players on the market are expensive in terms of contract $$$ or marginal at best, thus not worth giving up true blue chippers.
Byrd is a unique situation. What I mean by that he’s a great fielder, great hitter, great attitude and cheap. All of which will open the market up to even the small market teams that can’t otherwise afford such a player. Teams prospect rich that don’t have alot of financial flexibility such as the Twins, D-Rays, Padres could all get involved and offer up a damn good player or 2. All of which are in heated playoff races and at least 1 was rumored to be wanting Jayson Werth.
I'm thinkin' we have nobody that anybody wants.
Ron Santo - 8,143 ABs, .277 BA; 342 HR; 1331 RBI = NO Hall of Fame?
Brooks Robinson - 10,654 ABs, .267 BA; 268 HR; 1357 RBI = Hall of Fame.
Any more questions ?
good news
if miguel tejada, alberto callaspo, jorge cantu and jhonny peralta can get traded there is at least a chance the cubs can move some of their spare parts.
by circuitclout on Jul 29, 2010 11:21 PM CDT up reply actions
And yet...
The more trades that are done, the less likely ours become. Less needs to be filled. Less teams willing to give up prospects. Less prospects to be traded. I can always hope we are able to get salary relief.
Starlin Castro singles on a pop up to catcher Jason LaRue.
Ryan Theriot scores. Two out -Gameday 7/23/10
by Sandberg's evil twin on Jul 29, 2010 11:34 PM CDT up reply actions
maybe, maybe not
but the opposite could also happen and clubs that decide they are still in it could be motivated to make a move or two to keep pace.
by circuitclout on Jul 29, 2010 11:51 PM CDT up reply actions
I guess. Sounds reasonable anyway.
I just get the feeling of Easy Ed. Save perhaps for a few players on the team, no one wants our junk.
Starlin Castro singles on a pop up to catcher Jason LaRue.
Ryan Theriot scores. Two out -Gameday 7/23/10
by Sandberg's evil twin on Jul 30, 2010 12:26 AM CDT up reply actions
it's early yet
and despite rumors that it would be a quiet deadline we saw five deals today. should be a busy day tomorrow and into saturday.
by circuitclout on Jul 29, 2010 11:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Just because one day is busy, does not mean the next one will be.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
true
but its turning into another action packed day.
by circuitclout on Jul 30, 2010 5:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Remember when we could have signed Capps?
We got Grabow instead!
Ted Lilly is the only move that will possibly be made……
Tom Ricketts loves this team the way it is!
Agreed. Capps actually turned down the Cubs for the Nats
So I wouldn’t lament the Cubs didn’t try hard enough for him.
"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008
But Grabow
was a stupid signing regardless. I think there was one person on this entire message board who thought signing Grabow was a good idea at the time. Everyone else thought it was a colossal waste of money to sign a mediocre reliever with a nearly 1.5 career whip, especially when they paid a premium for his left-handedness, yet he’s not really any better at getting left-handed batter out.
DEJESUS!!!
Hey, he's only making $5 million next year.
On the bright side, he’s another big contract falling off the books after 2011. The team is going to be rolling in dough after next year…. I just hope they do a better job of spending it this time around.
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