Braves and Cleveland Indians Hypothetical Trades
- Braves and Reds Hypothetical Trade
- Braves and Cubs Hypothetical Trades
- Braves and Rockies Hypothetical Trades
- Braves and Diamondbacks Hypothetical Trades
The Indians, who will be the Indians for one more year, are a good baseball team. They were 35-25 in 2020 and collected 93, 91, 102, and 94 wins in the 4 years prior. After trading Mike Clevinger, the Indians moved into the Top-10 in farm systems and in that trade, they picked up Francisco Lindor’s likely replacement in Gabriel Arias. While they seem like they should have the payroll flexibility to keep Lindor, some of my Cleveland contacts think that the team’s payroll could be slashed all the way down to $45-50MM in 2021. If that’s the case, they’ll be forfeiting 2021 and building the best farm in MLB for a run starting in 2022. Let the games begin. As per usual, I’ll be using the MLB Trade Simulator to even out these fake deals.
Trade Value of Francisco Lindor
Lindor had a lesser 2020 by his standards, but it was seemingly fluky and it definitely didn’t affect his trade value, which is valued at $32.8MM. That’s pretty impressive considering he’s only under 1 year of control and is projected to get $22MM through his last year of arbitration.
Trade Value of Jose Ramirez
Fellow Braves Journal writer, Matt Pocza, has already dropped a piece on Jose Ramirez in mid-November, and after his 2020 season, his value has never been higher. He is controlled for 3 more years at a crazy good rate. His trade value is through the roof, as it should be, coming in at $72.8MM.
Trade Value of Roberto Perez
If you’re not in the know, Perez has a great reputation as a good framer and “pitcher’s catcher”. He broke out with the bat in 2019, but for now that seems like an outlier. He’s signed for $5.5MM for 2021 with a $7MM club option for 2022. However, the trade simulator seems to agree that the 2019 is the outlier and not the norm, and puts Perez’s projected value at $2.9MM.
Trade Number 1
- Braves get Francisco Lindor
- Indians get Dansby Swanson and Kyle Muller
Breakdown: This deal makes little sense and is a near 0% chance of happening, but this would be the cost. The Indians would get 2 years of Dansby and 6+ of Kyle Muller. Weird to say, but it could cost even more.
Trade Number 2
- Braves get Jose Ramirez
- Indians get Drew Waters, Austin Riley, and Tucker Davidson
Breakdown: This…would hurt. However, Jose Ramirez would make the 3rd MVP-caliber player on the Braves team. Flags fly forever, baby.
Trade Number 3
- Braves get Roberto Perez
- Indians get Sean Newcomb and Alex Jackson
Breakdown: Yeah…I traded Sean Newcomb again. It’s my hope that something like this doesn’t go down and the Braves believe enough in William Contreras to give him the backup spot but I’m not sure that’s true. Perez would be a solid addition to Travis d’Arnaud.
Concluding Thoughts
If the Indians are willing to trade Jose Ramirez, the Braves would be foolish to pass on adding an MVP caliber player at a remarkable price for the next 3 years, even if an add-on or 2 had to be made. And with the price, there’d still be enough money available for an outfield add.
JC’d
Chief Nocahoma says:
January 5, 2021 at 7:15 am:
Who would have interest in a BJ Fantasy Baseball League?
I am down to be the commissioner/create the league. I prefer Yahoo to ESPN.
I’d do the Jose Ramirez trade so fast you’d miss it if you blinked.
And honestly I’d probably do the Perez deal too as he could be your starter next year while you wait on Langliers.
I’d be up for a fantasy league
As the CEO of the Charlie Culberson for the HOF Foundation, I am somewhat embarrassed to learn, reading The Athletic this morning, that Charlie has signed with the Rangers. He did so the day after my piece appeared, and the news was (at least for me) obscured by the death of Phil Niekro.
The good news is that I now know a major league team is taking my views seriously. The bad news is that it is questionable whether or not that team is really a major league team. But if the Rangers make the playoffs in 2021, you’ll know it was Charlie’s doing.
I would be up for a fantasy league as well
Same.
Why wouldn’t you do Dansbo and Muller for Lindor? I would. Lindor is the best player in baseball at his position, and he’s got a decent amount of surplus value in just one year.
These deals are interesting, and a lot of them would incrementally improve the team. But I’m just ready for the blockbuster. There are so many players with value from the 40-man that I would trade in the right deal: Dansby, Johan, Riley, Alex Jackson, Wright, Wilson, Touki, Muller, Davidson.
Also, I had a dream that Max Fried signed as a free agent with the Rays. That’s how much I’m missing baseball right now. It’s making me dream crazy things.
@4 I also missed that Charlie had signed with the Rangers, only to find out yesterday. I was crushed.
Multiple Cubs blogs want the Cubs to sign Kakes. Weird fanbase, those Cubbie fans.
https://cubbiescrib.com/2020/12/17/chicago-cubs-target-nick-markakis-free-agency/
https://www.cubshq.com/story/Nick-Markakis-is-a-solid-veteran-option-for-Cubs-17524
Little do they know that Kakes has a firm 3-hour cap from home for his operations.
@7, I’d say yes in a heartbeat and I expect Cleveland would say no in a heartbeat. I can’t imagine that they couldn’t do a whole lot better.
@9, Lord have mercy. Almost enough to make you feel sorry for those poor North Siders. The way they treated their World Championship like a racehorse with a broken leg was enough to drive any fan a little nutty.
New thread.
Would love to get Ramirez also even if it takes couple more pieces
I would like to get in on the fantasy baseball league