Diamondbacks & Guardians
Submitted by: brngnthepayne
Diamondbacks
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francisco Lindor | 26 | Majors | SS | Medium | 1 | 53 | 21.5 | 31.5 | 31.5 | 36.2 | 41 |
Total Value:
36.2
Guardians
| Name | Age | Level | P1 | P2 | Availability | Years | AFV | Salary | Surplus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seth Beer | Minors | 1B | 7.5 | 6 | 7.5 | 9 | ||||||
| Levi Kelly | Minors | RHP | 4.8 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 5.8 | ||||||
| Tim Locastro | 27 | Majors | UTIL | Medium | 4 | 9.8 | 4.1 | 5.7 | 4.6 | 5.7 | 6.8 | |
| Wilderd Patino | Minors | OF | 10.8 | 8.8 | 10.8 | 12.8 | ||||||
| Blake Walston | Minors | LHP | 8.3 | 6.6 | 8.3 | 10 |
Total Value:
37.1
Comments
8My thoughts: Cleveland realizes that their window for next year is hardly open. In order to make sure the window does not close for more than a short time, they send Lindor to Arizona for Tim Locastro, and prospects #s 5, 9, 11, and 14. Tim Locastro can help out the struggling Cleveland outfield for the time being while Valera, Patino (a 19 y/o in the advanced rookie leagues, rated at a 50 overall), and Daniel Johnson develop. He still has one year of pre-arb remaining, so his deal will be cheap and team friendly for the money-strapped Cleveland. Walston is a 19 y/o 50 overall prospect with a fastball that can hit 97. Combine that with Cleveland's pitching prospect machine, and you have a future star. Same goes for Kelly, a 21 y/o rated 50 overall, who can't hit as high of speeds, but makes up for it with a slider (low-mid 80s) with lot of bite to it. Beer is set to be MLB ready this year, and could be a viable option at first for Cleveland in case Bauers or Bradley need to continue to work on their consistency at the plate. For the Diamondbacks, they get a man that can sell tickets, merchandise, and give Perdomo some more time to develop so he isn't rushed through the system. At the very worst, you have either him or Ahmed play second, and have Ketel Marte in the outfield, allowing them to have Calhoun as a platoon for Marte or Peralta
I don't see the window as closed for 2021 with their starting pitching. The prospects here are too far away to help in 2021 and 2022 when we are sure to control outstanding starting pitching.
I still think we can get a better package for Lindor that can provide much better help for 2021 without hurting the future. I just don't see the upside for 2021 and 2022. Three of the prospects are several years away and Locastro looks to me to be another platoon outfielder. Beer has not seen time past AA so I doubt he will be ready to provide any help until the second part of the season at the earliest. I think the Indians can better than this. At least I hope so.
From another perspective.. the DBax package is reasonable..if not cluttered... Seth Beer has waay too much swing and miss for the Tribe's liking. He isn't going to move the needle as the Indians have, as you've stated two guys, Bradley and Bauers who can also "swing and miss" just as much.. The Indians system has Josh Naylor who could be the equivalent to Carlos Santana at 1B immediately and Franmill Reyes has been taking reps at 1B all off season. They should be okay at 1B So, the DBax can keep Beer and Kelly (12.3, combined). Walston, on the other hand..is someone that would be a fine addition to the Tribe..and a necessity for the deal to progress Now comes the real target.. an outfielder who will be near ML ready as early as 2022.. Alek Thomas (20.6).. If the DBax were so inclined.. they can add Carson Tucker (6.0), a SS & the Tribes most recent # 1 pick and someone who's value will climb as he matures... In as much as Cleveland (42.2) is giving up the most talented veteran player in the deal and the DBax are giving up the most risk involved (45.4).. that should make this a fair exchange... It would be understandable that the DBax would harbor some reluctance to agree to this deal.. but, remember, it's Frankie Lindor.. one of the top five players in all of MLB that the DBax would be getting.. not a bad deal for a middling OF'er and some prospects..
This is another good deal. The Indians farm at SS is very, very cluttered, and having Carson as well as Lindor in the deal could help move that logjam along. Walston is by far the key to this deal, as he has potential to be another special arm in this already stacked rotation.
Thank you for the comment... I see Tucker and Patino as a one for one type swap. Patino is just a wee bit further along in his professional career.. Tucker has the pedigree, toolbox, & work ethic to catch up in a hurry.. The Indians would benefit just a bit on this portion of the deal (10.6 versus 6.0 for the two guys, respectively, who may be looking at making it to the ML's sometime around 2025).. Meanwhile the Indians would sacrifice (36.2 versus 34.6) in the Lindor portion of the deal. It would be easy for a DBax fan to claim Lindor is a rental..but the truth is, even as a rental, Lindor would return a Compensatory pick and/or have the means and budget to extend him. As the 2020 season and projected 2021 season are such odd balls.. There is also the real potential that Lindor may benefit by signing an extension with the DBax with a "BIG" signing bonus prior to the start of the 2021 season.. He knows, as a member of the MLBPA's committee that a risk of a league wide shut down is possible. He knows he can't get that kind of bonus WITH the Indians.. but would hasten the deal by agreeing in advance of his trade to protect his personal financial requirements going forward. If he chooses to go the full monty on playing out his contract.. he could be on the outside.. looking in.. and this after a truncated season where his ARB III salary is prorated to reflect a less than 162 game season.. ...something to consider...
Thank you for the comment, and for being so polite with different offers that I hadn’t even thought about. That’s actually one of the reasons I really like this trade. Locastro is an immediate fill for the Indians so they don’t need to rush DJ, their most MLB Ready OF prospect. Meanwhile, the other players in this deal have more time to progress (would love to see Thomas add some power to his swing). Adding Carson to the deal not only makes it a better deal, but makes it so that the Diamondbacks have another piece in case Lindor walks, so the trade isn’t a complete loss for them. If I saw that deal go through today, I would think both teams came out with great deals. Just my thoughts on the deal we have constructed.
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That's one of the reasons I say to bite on this deal. We are getting two young guys with potential as starters, while getting outfield help in Locastro (4 years of control) and depth at 1st with Beer, since Santana has left the team. I agree, the window isn't closed for 2021. But I don't think it is wide open either. This trade doesn't hurt us for next year. In fact, it strengthens two positions we are in need of, while opening the SS position to one of the many high level prospects we have there.