Johnny Sleeper
Member
The Phillies are getting upset about no one being willing to overpay for Hamels. The Cubs are not going to do a Baez for Hamels deal, which I assume also takes Castro, Russell, Bryant and Soler off the table. If the Phillies are willing to accept something like Alcantara, C.J. Edwards, McKinney, Castillo and Wood that might happen. However, no one is currently willing to give the Phillies multiple top 25 prospect for Hamels, and his contract. There is too much other pitching out there. There is going to be a lot out there next off-season also. The Phillies are on the wrong side of the market. How smart does Theo look for loading up on position player prospects instead of pitching now?
I'd rather have Revere than Byrd as a bat from the Phillies. There have been some rumors of the Phillies being interested in Castillo and Wood so one of them for Revere makes sense. I still think the Nationals and Cubs line up the best with Span and Zimmermann coming to the Cubs and Alcantara as the top piece going to the Nationals. They also have a lot of other pitching depth. Maybe Fister ends up being traded instead.
The Cubs can also just add Gomes and Ross and make a minor move by trading Castillo and maybe Wood then see how the first half goes. If they are in it then they could try to make the move(s) to get over the top. The best players on the team are not 25 yet. The offense will go though up and downs this year. I don't think they will make a move for Wil Myers, although I really like him, or any other long-term OF. It just doesn't make sense to tie up LF, long-term, when you have Bryant and Schwarber who could both end up needing to play there. Ideally, you are looking at an infield of Rizzo, Russell, Baez and Castro with an OF of Bryant, Almora and Soler with Schwarber catching. Alcantara as a super utility type and some veterans and lesser prospects filling the bench. There just isn't any reason to add a long-term bat unless they are going to trade one of their top prospects or Castro, which Theo has said he doesn't intend to do.
I'd rather have Revere than Byrd as a bat from the Phillies. There have been some rumors of the Phillies being interested in Castillo and Wood so one of them for Revere makes sense. I still think the Nationals and Cubs line up the best with Span and Zimmermann coming to the Cubs and Alcantara as the top piece going to the Nationals. They also have a lot of other pitching depth. Maybe Fister ends up being traded instead.
The Cubs can also just add Gomes and Ross and make a minor move by trading Castillo and maybe Wood then see how the first half goes. If they are in it then they could try to make the move(s) to get over the top. The best players on the team are not 25 yet. The offense will go though up and downs this year. I don't think they will make a move for Wil Myers, although I really like him, or any other long-term OF. It just doesn't make sense to tie up LF, long-term, when you have Bryant and Schwarber who could both end up needing to play there. Ideally, you are looking at an infield of Rizzo, Russell, Baez and Castro with an OF of Bryant, Almora and Soler with Schwarber catching. Alcantara as a super utility type and some veterans and lesser prospects filling the bench. There just isn't any reason to add a long-term bat unless they are going to trade one of their top prospects or Castro, which Theo has said he doesn't intend to do.