Who We Should Trade? What's Your Call?

Teams only make trades if the players acquired have some semblance of surplus value, value beyond what they are being paid for. Now there is some wiggle room around that rule (for example, there is a lack of availability of middle infielders, so Uggla may fetch a bit more than his surplus value), but for the most part teams won’t give up pieces for the right to pay players what they are worth. Theoretically they can go to the free agent market and do the same thing.

For higher-end guys, this holds a bit less for the reason I mentioned. But for low-end guys like Robertson and Helms, why would a team trade for them when they either already have someone similar or can easily sign a player from free agency? Those guys are close to replacement level, and young players or minor league free agents can offer similar production.

Uggla and Ross are really the only players who hold any value and are available (Nolasco as well, if the team is interested in trading him). Uggla will net a B or so prospect plus some filler, Ross maybe a B-level prospect, assuming we pay the remainder of their salaries.

Cantu would NOT get anything back. He’s not under team control next year, and he’s probably being paid almost what he’s worth production wise this year. There are better options at 1B available to most clubs, and most teams are aware that he’s an Uggla-level (if not worse) butcher at third base with the glove.

Nor would they trade for Wes Helms. There might be someone crazy enough to trade a very low grade prospect for Emilio Bonifacio or Jorge Cantu, but that’s about it. Uggla and Cody are the true trade values on the team, but neither are gonna land a really prized prospect unless a team becomes very desperate.

I’ve found announcers are more clueless (or at least sound more clueless) than any other mouthpieces around teams.

Ianetta is one of the best young catchers in baseball. It’s a shame he’s buried behind a terrible one like Miguel Olivo. In addition, he’s signed for two more years after this (I think) under very team-friendly terms. If this were to happen, this would be a coup for the Marlins.

I can’t believe the Rockies would be stupid enough to have that much faith in Olivo.

Out of 23 qualifying 3B this season, Cantu’s offensive production (represented by wOBA) is ranked 16th, only ahead of (among others): Alberto Callaspo, Pablo Sandoval, Jose Lopez, Chase Headley, and Miguel Tejada. Of those teams with worse hitting 3B, only two (the Giants and Padres) are in contention. The Giants are set in the infield, as Sandoval is their future on offense, and the Padres are likely to get similar production from Cantu as they would from Headley if Cantu moved to Petco Park.

Ross and Uggla do have value, and that is why they are the most likely trade targets. Dealing either or both would be smart, with Uggla being the preferable choice, since he’ll cost the most next year.