We’re finally here! 2041 is upon us and with that, Season 3 of This Week In Trades kicks off to review the offseason. It feels good to be back, especially on the eve of Real Fake Baseball tomorrow morning. So settle in folks, let’s get this party started!
Returning as MC/Editor/Punctuation and Capitalization Adder of this shindig is yours truly, everyone’s favorite Cheese. Returning from his vacation to the South Pole after missing the Triple last season by a Game 109, Chros is back to mock you all from his throne atop the PL. And finally…perhaps even most importantly, TWIT has picked up a new sucker contributor to replace the lazy editor and provide actual insight into trades, the mighty Tuna joins the team and can provide fresh perspective. He’s got his finger on the pulse of the 3L and told me it’s dead. Seeing as how he’s going to be contributing most of the content to this publication as he buys, then sells, then buys again within the course of a week, it’s only fitting we force him to explain himself. In all seriousness though, big props to the Chros and Tuna tag team for putting in a huge amount of work this offseason for your reading pleasure. Please make sure to give them the appropriate shout outs and feel free to file all complaints with Fred in HR.
| BUF | RP Jorge Villanueava C Alaska Abney (AA) 2042 BUF 2nd Round 2042 BUF 3rd Round | MON | C Tom Dickinson (30%) |
Gave up a couple of picks for one of the better hitting catchers in the league. Like this upgrade over Fuji, and saved an additional 1.2m by trading Villanueva instead of buying out his team option.
This deal is meh, so saying that I think it’s fine for both teams. Dickinson is true to his name and is a dick. He is my kind of hitter though. Panda needs to build for the future and this deal is doing that.
| NV | C Fleix Plugge(100%) | MON | 2042 MON 4th Round |
This is ok. Felix is a nice defensive backup catcher.
4th round pick for a back up catcher. With our drafts I like this deal for both teams. I am being wayyyyy too nice.
| LI | SP Martin Luther (AA) 3B Juan Amengual (A) 2042 LI 2nd Round | CHI | SP Valentin Calmahar (100%) |
I like this deal for Strong Island. Calmahar is easily a #1 in the 3L/SL, and he’ll be healthy by ST. He does not have a history of many long term injuries. Lots of DtD stuff, but only finger blisters that last 2-3 days. Luther looks like a future #3 to my scout, and I’m not a fan of Amengual. He appears to be the type of player that tools scouts love, so he can either suddenly become a star, or turn out to be not so great. My scout sees him as quite average.
Dmoney starts doing what he does. Trading an injured starter for two good prospects and a 2nd round pick on top of that. Great start in the Chicago rebuild. If Calhamahar comes back and pitches well, it won’t hurt as bad for LI. Early winner is Chi for sure.
Early thoughts are this is a highway robbery from new GM D$ in Chicago. Calmahar is hurt for another 7 months with a torn elbow ligament. He has been no stranger to injuries and this could be a bad sign for things to come. Luckily for Michael he’s paid through 2041 at whatever the arbitration number is, I guess. Luther and Amengual both look like future solid contributors for a winning PL team.
| NO | SP Gerardo Pagan $5,000,000 | VAN | 2041 NO 2nd Round |
Pagan probably isn’t as bad as his numbers last year, but at his age I don’t picture him performing much better. Trade is ok since NO is throwing in cash.
This trade looks funny to me. NO is trading for their pick back and that always makes me laugh. This one is a wash.
| COL | C Blythe Plumpley (100%) | MON | 2042 BUF 3rd Round |
Meh.. they just acquired a backup C earlier. Would rather not give up a 3rd for one.
A BUF 3rd is more like a 4th so Panda has traded two 4ths to lock up the back up catcher role. Plumpley will do fine in the 3L. I think this is fine for both.
| SEA | SS D’Artagan Rasberry (A) 2042 SEA 1st Round | CHI | RP Eugenio Piniero SP Alvin Randolph |
The league has always been split on their thoughts on Rasberry, but I’m not a fan. Seattle gets a steal here for a #1 starter and a good bullpen arm.
I liked Rasberry but I like Randolph a lot more. He will be our ace and while I don’t feel like every trade is a win for me (see my trade with Nova from last season), I won this one.
| KT | RP Jeffery van Veldhuizen 2041 KT 2nd Round | MON | SP Elroy Quaid (ML) RP Kent Horton (AAA) |
I don’t like Veldhuizen at all, meanwhile Quaid has the ratings of a 3rd starter but has underperformed for nearly his whole career. Decent return with the KT pick because they are bad and it’s more like a late 1st.
If I was Panda I probably would have kept Quaid for that return but its not bad. The 2nd round pick is good.
| BUF | 2042 BUF 1st Round SP Anibal Fernandez (R) CF Wouter Bonsink (R) | MON | SS Jose Santos |
I might have slightly overpaid here, but I’m ok with it. Fernandez has a chance to be ok, not a fan of Bonsink. Santos is signed long term to a very friendly deal, and is a former Gold Glove winner, although at 3B. He should still provide plus defense and an upgrade offensively over what we’ve had the past few years.
Santos is a great fielder and I like that part but I do feel like Chros overpaid. Panda needs to keep this train going of selling the vets and building for the future.
| FTW | P Luis Bongers (A) P Shao-Zu Chow (R) | MON | SP Ignacio Uribe (ML) |
Uribe is a good cheap setup guy and I don’t like those prospects from FTW.
A jerk average RP for an average and below average prospect. This deal makes sense for both.
| TOL | 2042 TOL 2nd Round $1,000,000 | MON | RP Jasper Jordan (3L) RP Ricky McCauley (3L) |
Montana gets a valuable pick for two very average relievers.
Panda…. going through these trades you are doing amazing. Moving old meh players for future stuff is always smart. I hope you don’t mess it up down below.
| NO | SP Mike Bennett (A) RF Niek Bendt (R) 2042 NO 1st Round | CHI | SS Bren Spillane |
I’m not sure what to make of Spillane. Even though I was admittedly going after him, I still wasn’t sure at the time. His overall ratings say he’s a backup, but his splits suggest he’s a decent platoon bat with great defense. It feels like he has really outperformed his ratings lately but if he can continue his current production, it’s a good deal for both.
Another great trade for CHI. Hitting wise, Spillane way over performed. I think both of those prospects have a chance to make it and D$ gets a 1st round pick too. Easy winner for Chicago.
| COL | RP Pedro Huerta | TOL | 2042 TOL 4th Round |
Meh.
A 4th for a guy I could find in the FA bin…. Not a huge deal.
| NO | 2042 NO 5th Round $1,000,000 | CHI | CF Jorge Castillo (AAA) |
Meh… Castillo is a good defensive backup.
Small win for CHI here. A 5th and 1 million is not a big deal to give up.
| LI | SP Craig Fitzgerald | TOL | SP Jeremy Brody RF Martin Pliego (AA) 2042 TOL 3rd Round 2042 TOL 5th Round |
I really like this deal for Long Island, selling at the peak of Fitz’s value. Brody is already nearly as good as Fitz, and Pliego is a damn good prospect.
I agree that LI won this. I like Fitz but Brody is a younger/cheaper Fitz. I don’t hate it Teej but think LI won this one.
| LI | 2042 NV 2nd Round | CLE | RP Mac Hippenhammer (100%) |
Hippenhammer adds a much needed pen arm to LI, and is good enough to close in the 3L. Solid deal for both.
I personally think a 2nd might too much for Hipp being he has bad control. Its a NO 2nd though so that will probably be close to a 3rd. Fine deal for both. Ed note: It’s a NoVa 2nd so this could be a very good pick and Tuna needs glasses.
| SEA | $4,000,000 | STL | 3B Jur Prokop |
Not a bad deal, but Prokop is 28 and needs to put it together this year.
Cash is king. I already have a Prokop on my team with Grosjean. Hopefully in my park, Prokop can produce the same way. He also can play a lot of positions and that is why I wanted him. He is penciled in as the starting RF right now.
| SEA | 2042 2nd Round 2042 5th Round | NV | 1B Mathew Mayo |
Mayo is only 25 and crushed the minors, has good ratings. Seattle got a steal here for a good bat/DH.
Davey robbed me in the Kroening trade and may have felt bad for it. I would say though that DH is an easy position to fill so maybe I gave up too much. Time will tell.
| BUF | RP Juan Guillen | NV | $7,000,000 |
I jokingly put Guillen on the block after being yelled at for his extension, and didn’t expect serious interest. I also didn’t expect to trade him and was happy to put him in my pen, but I had to take this deal as it was enough cash to potentially sign an upgrade over Guillen.
7 Million for a meh SP… What am I missing here?
| CHS | RP Phil Soto 2042 CHS 2nd Round | NV | RP Juan Guillen (100%) |
I don’t care for Soto at all, but the end result of this trade is clearly worth it for NoVa. CHS gets their man as Guillen returns home, and I look forward to teeing off against him all year.
I still don’t get any of this.
| MON | SP Ton Jobse 2042 TOL 2nd Round 2042 BUF 2nd Round | NV | RP Phil Soto |
Davey turns about 7.7m in cash into three 2nd round picks and a quality mid-rotation starter who had a 3.35 ERA as recently as 2039. MON is happy to get out from that contract, but he was good very recently and should bounce back in a friendlier park and NoVa’s defense. I have often said I do not understand Davey’s “genius”, but I have to give him props here – the result of these 3 trades was masterful.
Oh I see, Davey is a god. On this trade alone though I don’t hate it for Panda.
| MISS | C Marcos Mansilha (A) 2B Shun Fukui (A) | CHI | SS Melvin Thomas (25%) |
This is a light return for probably the best SS in the game, regardless of his pending FA. Don’t like Fukui, and while good hitting catchers are hard to find, he has zero power and poor discipline.
Dpenny was in a bad spot with Thomas. He was not going to get what he wanted and Thomas alone was not going to keep in the PL (If that is his truly his goal). Fukui is ok and I do like Mansiha. Beau was the only knocking so he won the prize.
D$ is a jerk. Ok, he’s mostly not I guess. I just am sad I didn’t get Tuna. Sad enough to make the effort to comment on this trade and publicly cry about it. Anyway, back to the actual TWIT content.
| LI | RF Martin Pliego (AA) RP Ron Meredith (A) 2042 LI 1st Round 2042 TOL 5th Round | MON | RP Jorge Villanueva 2042 MON 1st Round 2042 BUF 1st Round |
Pretty fair trade. LI is gambling here by exchanging Pliego for Montana’s 1st. Montana should be a top 3 pick, maybe #1 overall as they continue to sell. Pliego is a very good prospect, and while he’s not perfect he’s well developed so far and a safe bet. LI will have to hope the draft isn’t a dud like this year. Montana gains a little value by exchanging BUF’s 1st with LI’s, but LI gets a solid reliever at 100% retention who should do well in the 3L.
Panda, I was giving you praise above and you deserved it. IMO you would have got a better player than Pliego with the #1 overall pick next year. Your pick is probably going to be the best pick out there and you should have held on to it.
| ACKC | 1B Francisco Vargas P Carlos Rosado (R) | MON | 1B Jimbob Ghostkeeper (25%) |
Ghostkeeper had a huge year last year. I know it’s hard to get value for 1B’s, but I don’t like the prospects from ACKC.
Its fine….
| PORT | SS Gonzalo Perales (R) RP Ricardo Corona (R) 2042 PORT 5th Round | THB | LF An-te-hai Qing |
Qing looks like a decent bat with good power. Corona is the best prospect going back to THB but looks like a long reliever.
Welcome to the trade market Portland. I really like this trade for buck. Both prospects are meh for my scout and Qing has good pop and will put butts in the seat.
| BUF | RP Carlos Medina (A) 1B Vaclav Steur (R) | LV | RP Jeff Mahl |
I was leading for Mahl in FA and then he went and signed with LV without so much of a contract negotiation update, but I got his ass anyway.
Mahl will look good in the Buf pen and Chros did not have to give up alot. I like Medina but like Mahl a lot more.
| SEA | LF Yaakov Shmerkin | SM | $3,000,000 |
Shmerkin looks like a nice platoon bat but his defense is very questionable. Not bad to get something for him.
This was an easy trade to make, Shmerkin was going to be stuck behind at least 2 other players for some time. It is nice to have injury insurance but give me the cash.
| SEA | RF Shun Komatsu $1,500,000 | CHI | 2042 CHI 4th Round |
Komatsu is a decent platoon DH. Nice pickup by Chicago for a low cost.
I save a little money for a 4th round pick. Komatsu was going to be a on the bench.
| PIT | SP Maverick McNealy (AAA) LF Urs van Munster (AAA) P Joe Henriksen (AA) P Jim Harris (A) | CHI | 2B Gerrie Bond |
Bond is a great fielder whose average bat probably plays better in the infield. Chicago got a couple of decent prospects here. I think PIT overpaid a bit but Bond will do well in the 3L.
I am not high on Bond even if he is an amazing fielder. I will say it again Chi was trying to sell and build for that future and this is a good return for a good fielder.
| HOL | SS Quinn Albracht (AAA) | MISS | 2042 MISS 3rd Round |
Ok. Albracht is a nice little utility guy.
A late round draft pick for a utility guy…..NEXT.
| CLE | SP Rodney Johnson (A) 2042 CLE 5th Round | ACKC | SS Armando Altagracia |
I don’t like Altagracia.
A guy who has struggled in the 3L will struggle in the PL. Desperate move.
| CHS | 2042 CHS 1st round 2042 CHS 3rd round 2042 CHS 4th round 2042 CHS 5th round | ACKC | SP Scotty Bingham (100%) $2,000,000 |
This seems like an overpay for an average pitcher. Charleston is in a tough spot financially and with their pitching, but value wise I think all those picks should have brought something better back.
This looks like another desperate move. Bingham is maybe worth a 2nd on his best days.
| HOL | 2B James Hemwick 3B Ramon Degollado | SM | SS Ji-hyun Yi (A) |
Hemwick is a fringe starter and Degollado is a backup. Yi looks like a nice future utility guy who can hit a little with great defense. Hollywood wins here, dumping over 6m worth of scrubs for something that can be useful in the future.
Cheese does what Cheese does. He can take meh expensive players and turn them into better cheaper meh players…
| BOS | 2B Roberth Bethune (R) | MON | RP Luke Corner (R) |
Corner looks like a good future reliever and possibe setup guy, while Bethune appears to be a backup infielder.
I dont understand this one but sometimes I just miss things. I guess its ok.
| MON | SP Gerald Orlebar | PORT | 1B Jeff Solis SP Mike Barraza (R) 2042 PORT 1st Round 2042 PORT 4th Round |
Pandas did well here to get a 1st rounder, which is all I managed to get before he got signed to that contract extension. Prediction: Next offseason, Buck will post Orly Bear on the trade block 10+ times in attempt to dump his contract while asking for your firstborn child in return.
I love Buck and have played with him for years but I really hate this trade. I saw Panda put this guy on the block and I thought hell maybe I will trade for him. I looked at him and was like oh hell no. the more I thought about it, I would not have moved a 4th round pick for him. Panda got a 1st and a 4th…..Panda, I love this trade for you. Well done sir.
| PIT | OF David Baez (R) OF Orland Trujillo (R) | PORT | SS Luis Escribano (A) |
Ugh who cares. That wraps up this offseason edition, thanks for reading!
Agree who cares….. Lots of good trades though and I had fun.
| NV | RP Jason Reynolds (A) | TOL | SP Eddie Kop (65%) |
Well I thought we were done but of course Davey has to make me do extra work with this non-sense. This is shit. Why even agree to pay Kop a single dollar? He is shit. This is a shit trade. I take back my comment about your genius.
Not sure what the plan is for both teams on this one. Reynolds is a ok prospect but is he worth covering 65% of Kop. I thought Toledo needed pitching. Interested to see how this one plays out.
And that’s it folks! Below are the other deals made this offseason. I hope you tune in next week as Chros and Tuna continue to judge your trades!
| ACKC | $4,000,000 | PORT | 2041 PORT 2nd Round |
| VAN | 2041 BUC 3rd Round 2041 DC 3rd Round 2041 NO 3rd Round 2041 NO 5th Round | PIT | $8,750,000 |
| PORT | 2041 PORT 1st Round 2041 PORT 3rd Round 2041 PORT 5th Round | PIT | $13,000,000 |
| NO | 2041 NO 2nd Round | BOS | $3,900,000 |
| LI | 2042 LI 3rd Round 2042 LI 4th Round 2042 LI 5th Round | NV | 2042 NV 2nd Round |
| PIT | P Timoteo Sassetti (AAA) P Randy Gabaldon (AA) | MON | 2042 MON 5th Round |
| CLE | $10,000,000 | MON | LF Wilbur Davis (AAA) 2042 LI 1st Round |
| LV | $4,500,000 | MON | 2042 MON 3rd Round 2042 PORT 4th Round |
| THB | C Ambrose Watkins (AAA) | SM | SS Jesus Odilia (R) |