It's been a long winter for Carlos Gonzalez—one of those MLB[1] stars who just can't seem to shake those pesky trade rumors.
CarGo is the most prominent player left stranded on the block, but he's got plenty of company from some fellow outfielders who are also twisting in the trade winds. With Yoenis Cespedes finally off the board[2], there's reason to believe the trade market for those guys will begin to ramp up.
To figure out the top potential landing spots for each of those bats, we've considered two key factors:
- Published reports from throughout the winter
- The remaining needs of the various logical suitors
Outfielders like Gonzalez dominate the list, but there's also room for one big-time backstop who is not only a top bounce-back candidate but is also playing on a bargain of a salary.
2016 Opening Day Age: 29
Contract Situation: Owed $12.5 million in 2016 and has a $13 million club option (with a $1 million buyout) for 2017
The Fit
It's no sure thing that Jay Bruce will be back with the Cincinnati Reds for a ninth season in 2016.
Just last week, Jerry Crasnick[3] of ESPN.com reported "the Reds are still listening on Bruce." Crasnick also shared an email from Reds general manager Dick Williams, which explains the organizational thought process this offseason:
Deciding to focus on the long-term means you have to constantly evaluate opportunities. Trading [Todd] Frazier and [Aroldis] Chapman certainly begins to move us in the direction we need to go, as a small market team. Once you start down this road, it is important to continue with the tough decisions and not pull up in the middle of the project.
Trimming Bruce and his remaining salary would be a logical next step as the Reds continue down the rebuilding road.
Looking around the league, the San Francisco Giants stand out as one possible trade destination for the 28-year-old. The National League West squad, which has already added Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija and Denard Span, is gearing up for yet another even-year run.
Bruce could be just the guy to provide the Giants with some much-needed thump. As MLB Network[4] noted on Twitter, the lefty has the most homers (187) in the Senior Circuit since 2009.
Admittedly, Bruce hasn't been at the top of his game over the past two seasons, as he posted a .654 OPS in 2014 and a .729 mark in 2015. Still, his knack for exiting the yard would be a big boost for San Francisco. Last season, the Giants were No. 26 in the bigs in homers. Meanwhile, Bruce connected on 26 bombs, which would have been good for the team lead.
The Top Potential Landing Spot: San Francisco Giants
2016 Opening Day Age: 25
Contract Situation: Pre-arbitration eligible (made $513,000 in 2015); Can't become a free agent until after the 2020 season
The Fit
Right now, the Atlanta Braves are in the business of collecting assets for the future.
As Bill Shanks[5] of the Telegraph argued, jettisoning Ender Inciarte could be a shrewd way to grab a few more promising pieces.
"If the Braves can get significant value for what looks like a nice player, not a great player but a nice player, they should do it. They still need to accumulate as many young players as possible."
The Houston Astros are one team that has some talented young players to offer. According to Bleacher Report's latest farm rankings, the American League West club has the fifth-best[6] minor league setup.
According to Jerry Crasnick[7] of ESPN.com, the Astros have expressed an interest in acquiring Inciarte, who posted a .303 average and 21 steals for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015. As Crasnick noted, the Astros would likely have to ship out incumbent center fielder Carlos Gomez[8] to clear a spot for Inciarte.
Looking at the big picture, dealing Gomez would make a lot of sense for a Houston team whose window of opportunity just opened up. While Gomez is set to hit the free-agent front next winter, Inciarte remains under club control through the end of 2020.
The Top Potential Landing Spot: Houston Astros
2016 Opening Day Age: 30
Contract Situation: Owed $9 million in 2016
The Fit
Back during the winter meetings, Evan Drellich[9] of the Houston Chronicle tabbed Carlos Gomez as one of the Houston Astros stars who was garnering trade "interest."
Drellich identified the Chicago Cubs as an interested party, but their crosstown neighbor, the Chicago White Sox, would also make for a logical fit.
After the White Sox ranked last in runs, homers and OPS in the AL a season ago, the front office has brought in all sorts of bats. Todd Frazier tops the list, but the brass has also imported Brett Lawrie, Alex Avila and Dioner Navarro.
That's a solid start, but it's worth remembering that the White Sox reside in the savage AL Central. The division includes the World Series-winning Kansas City Royals, the Minnesota Twins (who missed a wild-card spot by three games), a reloaded Detroit Tigers squad and a Cleveland Indians team that led the Central in ERA.
In such a competitive division, the South Siders need to acquire as many game-changers as possible. Gomez, who was an All-Star in 2013 and 2014, has the potential to be that kind of guy. He also has the incentive to, as he hits the open market next offseason.
The Top Potential Landing Spot: Chicago White Sox
2016 Opening Day Age: 29
Contract Situation: Owed $4 million in 2016 and has a $5.25 million club option (with a $250,000 buyout) for 2017
The Fit
Jonathan Lucroy knows exactly what's in store for the Milwaukee Brewers as the club overhauls its roster.
"I want to win and I don't see us winning in the foreseeable future," Lucroy explained, per Tom Haudricourt[10] of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I want to go to a World Series. That's what all players want. Rebuilding is not a lot of fun for any veteran guy."
Even after an injury-riddled 2015, which saw him hit just seven home runs and post a .717 OPS, Lucroy is still an intriguing trade piece. After all, the backstop is only one year removed from a monster 2014, when he clocked in with a .301 average and an .837 OPS while earning the fourth-most votes for the NL MVP award.
The 29-year-old is also playing on a remarkably team-friendly contract, which pays him $4 million in 2016 and includes a $5.25 million club option for the year after that.
As James Wagner[11] of the Washington Post reported in the first week of January, the Washington Nationals "really like" the 2014 All-Star. It takes just one look at the numbers to understand why. Last season, the club's catchers combined to post a .609 OPS, which was the worst mark in the NL.
The Top Potential Landing Spot: Washington Nationals
2016 Opening Day Age: 30
Contract Situation: Owed $17 million in 2016 and $20 million in 2017; Has a $1 million assignment bonus if traded
The Fit
It doesn't take a genius to figure out why Carlos Gonzalez has found himself at the center of so much trade speculation. Simply put, CarGo is a good player (.864 OPS in 2015) stuck on a bad team (94 losses a season ago).
As Patrick Saunders[12] of the Denver Post reported, GM Jeff Bridich is doing what he can to quiet all the buzz and chatter.
"I did speak with CarGo. I told him that there's a lot of media rumors, speculation and guessing going on about his status. [I] reminded him that if he reads something but doesn't see me quoted directly, then it is likely a rumor or a guess and nothing more."
The exec picked his words carefully. He's not promising the Venezuelan that he'll be back at Coors Field in 2016, but rather advising Gonzalez to be a thoughtful consumer of all the latest speculation.
Speaking of speculation, as Jim Bowden[13] of ESPN.com sees it, the St. Louis Cardinals are the team that needs to be giving Bridich a ring.
The case for bringing Gonzalez to Busch Stadium is a compelling one. As Bowden pointed out, the Redbirds were No. 11 in the NL in runs and homers in 2015. As a team, the Cards left the park just 137 times. Gonzalez tallied 40 big flies on his own.
The Top Potential Landing Spot: St. Louis Cardinals
Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com[14] and MLB.com[15]. All salary information courtesy of Cot's Baseball Contracts[16] on BaseballProspectus.com.
If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck[17].
References
- ^ MLB (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ off the board (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Jerry Crasnick (www.twitlonger.com)
- ^ MLB Network (twitter.com)
- ^ Bill Shanks (www.macon.com)
- ^ fifth-best (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Jerry Crasnick (twitter.com)
- ^ Carlos Gomez (bleacherreport.com)
- ^ Evan Drellich (blog.chron.com)
- ^ Tom Haudricourt (www.jsonline.com)
- ^ James Wagner (www.washingtonpost.com)
- ^ Patrick Saunders (blogs.denverpost.com)
- ^ Jim Bowden (insider.espn.go.com)
- ^ Baseball-Reference.com (www.baseball-refere nce.com)
- ^ MLB.com (mlb.mlb.com)
- ^ Cot's Baseball Contracts (www.baseballprospectus.com)
- ^ @KarlBuscheck (twitter.com)
