2018 Trade Deadline rumors/speculation

[Patchmk88]

Well maybe we just wait till Trout becomes a free agent.

[EDmuch]

So, another 3 years .........

[Patchmk88]

Maybe so. I don’t know. I think they have to get a super star bat and if they have no chance of Machado in the offseason I don’t know where they are going to acquire one.

[Philsmania]

BTW, I have come to hate the Dodgers (maybe I’m envious). They seem to have an endless supply of money and talent to do whatever they want every offseason and trade deadline. Extremely aggravating!

Dodgers have pretty much been state-of-the-art since 1945. Since that season, they've had stretches of two losing seasons in a row only three times, not a single stretch of three or more losing seasons in a row. They contend far more often than not. Pre-analytics era, analytics era, they always seem to be a step ahead of other organizations, particularly with the way they scout and develop talent. Its just a culture of competence in that organization and a resolute drive to be and remain one of baseball's smartest organizations that not even that dopey owner McCourt could trash.

[Philsmania]

Re-signing Machado will almost certainly take the Dodgers out of the mix for Harper but the Yankees and Cubs will probably be in on him.

The only thing we can do now is risk playing the Sixto card.

[allentown]

Why should we even briefly consider that for a rental. MM will sign in LA next season.

[Florida_Sunshine]

AT,

Why are you so absolutely convinced that MM would never sign with us long term?

And I am all on board with you that this would have been a overpay and would rather see other trades for areas of need.

[Austinfan]

I think that's what Klentak and Kapler are trying to do here, and free agency is the least important aspect.

You build the organization from the ground up, first top notch scouting, both international and domestic, then player development up and down the organization, not hiring retreads to give them jobs but first rate teachers, top flight facilities, helping kids with nutrition instead of giving them a paltry meal allowance, and so on.

By maximizing the flow of talent to the major league club, you accumulate assets to use to provide cheap WARs and talent for trades. That's when you have the flexibility to trade and buy the pieces you need to compete.

I think the Phillies are two to three years away from reaching "critical mass," the top minor league talent came out of trades, now the task is to develop that talent internally - and the performance and talent at the lower levels of the minors suggests they're on track.

[zambonir]

I don't think it's a given he'll stay in LA but funny how having him "in hand" suddenly seems a lot more valuable when it's not us!

Of course the package we talked about yesterday was probably never/real true, if it was (or is) the Phillies might still be in it. Making the deal purely as a rental the Dodgers are in a much better position to than the Phillies are, they are trying to win the WS, we're just trying to have a good playoff run. If not getting him as a rental means not getting him next year, then they should up the offer. But no one knows for sure.

As for the 2019 picture in general the Phillies have depth and money, they will be able to make trades if free agency isn't the answer. But this is still a team that was supposed to be built around an IF of Hoskins, Kingery, Crawford and a 3B tbd (originally Machado if not Franco). Kingery and Crawford (and Hoskins, at another position) have already shown it can be a bit of a process, and Williams still isn't the answer either (but he might be).

If Hoskins was an all-star and Kingery was a rookie of the year candidate (bet those posts are funny to read now, I know I made one) this team would be set. So now the question is, are you trying to win big while you still have Hernandez and Arrieta and Santana (in which case you probably do trade Crawford or Kingery and/or trade for a RF) or do you stick to the plan (in which case maybe you trade Hernandez)?

They'll certainly still make some moves this deadline regardless though. The offense is not consistent, but it will be back, if they improve the bench and the pitching and their Top 3 bats return to form while Franco and Williams continue to contribute, they will keep winning at this pace or better. Will they win a seven-game series in October? Probably not but no one can ever truly guarantee that.

[Austinfan]

If Machado signs with the Dodgers, it won't be because they traded for him.

More likely, they were told through back channels there was a good chance that he'd go there and that motivated trading for him.

[bigegypt0417]

At is convinced that the ownership as they were compromised a decade ago is still the same thing. MM could end up signing somewhere else but it wont be because the Phillies aren't able to put the money up for top shelf talent.

[bigegypt0417]

If Machado signs with the Dodgers, it won't be because they traded for him.

More likely, they were told through back channels there was a good chance that he'd go there and that motivated trading for him.

is that different than why the phillies would?

[zambonir]

I doubt anyone has been told that, because Machado wants to get the biggest free agent contract ever. There's no benefit to whispering to the Dodgers or the Yankees, even if that's his preference and he truly doesn't want to play for Philly, he needs us in the bidding.

But sure, he could also like it there so much that he changes his mind and signs on Day 1 of the off-season. That's why some us want the Phillies to get him now.

[Austinfan]

Keep building the pitching staff and they have a shot anytime they get into the playoffs.
Though the 2008 staff was by far the worst of the 2008-2011 stretch. So go figure.
Sometimes someone gets hot (Lidge) and that's the difference.

Phillies have a lot of youth, and there is safety in numbers:
C: Alfaro, Knapp (who been hot), Grullon, Bossart
1B: Santana for now, Hoskins, Listi/Hall, Green
2B; Hernandez for now, Kingery, Valentin
SS: Kingery, Crawford
3B; Franco, Bohm
LF: Hoskins for now, Haseley
CF: Herrera, Quinn
RF: Williams, Altherr, Hernandez

Point is even over the next 2-3 years, there could be substantial improvement just from kids growing up.
And 3-4 years out, Ortiz, Moniak, Pujols, L Williams, etc could be arriving.

This is a .500+ team with a lot of upside and more talent on the way.
There is no reason to panic, to make moves just to make moves.
Just focus on continuing the rebuild, if you can buy a good fit, do it, if you can make a trade for value, do it.
But don't trade for "names" to convince people you're serious about competing - JUST WIN BABY.

[Florida_Sunshine]

At MM’s level, he is going to get the contract whether he is in NY, Boston, Philly or LA. I think it really comes down to his choice and where he wants to play.

[zambonir]

I look at that list and see the same thing in two years as I see today. They likely need a left-side infielder and a RF. Could they wait and see how it goes next year to find out for sure? Of course. Is it possible Bohm, unlike every other Phillies rookie in the past 10 years, could be an instant star. Perhaps, but probably not.

It's this year that's different. It's only partially about what the Phillies are doing. It's also about the NL East being there for the taking, so you still want to be aggressive about that and not just hope Kingery and Crawford and Franco and Williams get you there. Maybe they get you the wild card, maybe they don't, but the division is a real and worthy goal. And a lot is going to happen in the the next two weeks.

[Lawman]

So, to me it seems that if offense is needed to be purchased, we'll have to look elsewhere.

Assuming we'd be looking to upgrade at either SS or RF:

Adam Jones may be available. Castellanos. Scooter Gennett - if he can play SS - intrigues me.

[Austinfan]

We'd need to plant a lot of palm trees to make him feel at home in South Philly.

[bigegypt0417]

We'd need to plant a lot of palm trees to make him feel at home in South Philly.

SO would the Yankees since that's the team it seems like he wants to play for.

[zambonir]

Yeah I am definitely not assuming he stays in LA. Sure, he might just want to live there. But if not, counting spring training and all the division road games that is a solid seven months a year spent far away from Miami. An East Coast team with spring training in FL still has a shot.

And the Phillies do have the best money shot because they are the only team not dealing with the luxury tax. Resetting the tax penalty is not the same thing as no luxury tax at all, the Dodgers, Sox and Yankees will still start paying it again if they sign him, and it will hamper future contracts if they have to give him too much. The Phillies have no such limits (in theory).