Rays & Reds
Submitted by: ShaquilleOatmeal
Rays
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt McLain | 24 | Majors | SS | 2B | 5 | 72.5 | 35.3 | 37.2 | 29.8 | 37.2 | 44.6 | |
| Sal Stewart | 20 | Minors | 3B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.2 | 6.6 | 8.2 | 9.8 |
Total Value:
45.40
Reds
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yandy Diaz | 33 | Majors | 1B | Medium | 2 | 46.3 | 22 | 24.3 | 19.5 | 24.3 | 29.2 | |
| Brayden Taylor | 22 | Minors | 3B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.9 | 15.9 | 19.9 | 23.8 |
Total Value:
44.2
Comments
8
I'm getting desperate for ideas right now. The Reds went from tons of IF, to needing IF. If they weren't sucking, they were getting suspended for PED or breaking bones. I hate to part with Yandy, but the Rays have a collection of first baseman, and that's the only position they should play. I'll miss Yandy, but Arand/Mead/Morel 1st base/DH platoon with McLain at SS and CF is light years better than Yandy and Walls, with those other guys on the bench, in Durham, or looking like failed abortions in the OF.
What is wrong with Carson Williams, SS? I would think that he is a superior SS, glove wise to McLain? I believe that Williams will be the #1 rated SS by MLB.com for 2025.
Carson is already the #1 SS prospect in baseball, but he’s probably 1-1.5 years away. This trade gets Walls off the team.
Yes, this is my thinking. Williams in 1.5 years from debuting. He's 3 years from being an anchor point on a playoff team. He's ready defensively right now, but it would be foolhardy to burn a year of control for 22 year old to bat 9th for us. He hasn't even reached AAA. Taylor Walls can fill that job of batting 9th and being overmatched..
He won't be to AAA until this season, he's amazing defensely but I would think TB would want him to cut down on the strikeouts before he comes up too
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I like it, and I agree with your logic. The Reds have a hot mess at 3B, a passable 2B with Lux, and an ok situation at 1B/DH that would be drastically improved by Diaz. Taylor’s natural position is 3B, which he can’t play with the Rays, but could with Cincinnati. I still think McLain might be a bit of an overvalued one year wonder, but I would be willing to take that chance to improve SS for the next 2 years.
What do you think about some under the radar SS that are blocked but ready? My favorite is Max Muncy, OAK, when Williams is ready he could slid to 2B or a utility role, other ones I'm really high on and would trade for Blaze Alexander, ARZ Luis Acuna, NYM Luis Vasquez, CHC Darell Hernaiz, OAK Logan Davidson, OAK Ryan Ritter, COL Alex Freeland, LAD Javier Sanoja, MIA Payton Eeles, MIN Tsung-Che Chang, PIT Josh Kasevich, TOR I would even skip AAA for Ritter and Chang to start them over Walls, Freeland and Acuna aren't under the radar but would be in the same boat as Muncy, Kasevich is a Rays type of player, hard worker, would be a good example on the team.
I'm ready to burn some prospect capital for a 4-5 win SS who makes league minimum. I'm really not interested in an experiment by bringing in guys to compete with Walls. If we want an experiment, just put Caminero at SS. I don't care about the 8 plays a month where a ball sneaks a hit through the IF compared to if Walls was the SS. Caminero won't have a 75 wRC+, and Walls will. I wish Morel or Mead were better defensively, because this would be the easiest and best solution if I thought we would have a semi competent 3b to pair with a semi competent SS. But baseball's worst defensive 3b playing next to Junior Caminero at SS? Lord have mercy on our pitchers. I said a year ago Mead was a horrific 3b. But then they went and got Morel, who is the worst fielder I have ever seen in my life, outside of Jonathon Aranda. This infield could be a shitshow, but it will score a lot of runs. I'll have to look at some of these, cause I'm not super familiar with them. I don't think Oakland parts with Muncy. You can never have too many MIF. I have never heard of a few of these. Good list, I'll check em out.