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I wouldn't trade Montero, Ackley, Walker and Paxton for anyone not named Willie Mays or Hank Aaron.
Whew. We can trade a couple of guys, say an IF and a P, because we we have loads of talented young guys at those positions and anyone may bust or go all All-Star on us. But I am not swapping 4 of them, no way.
By the way, we can find 115-120 OPS RF's and DH's in-house, if we are willing to platoon. Montero is a mashing 144 OPS hitter vL. Jaso is a 109 career hitter vR (and it was way better last year). Combine those two guys and you have a heck of a DH. (give'em both 20 games each at catcher and Montero 20-30 games a 1B to get them in the lineup)
Wells is a carer 123 OPS guy vL, Thames is 107 vR.
Add Zunino, and a rebounding Ackley (110 in '11) and you quickly have a decent offense, especially if you can get your 1B to hit at a 110+ level.
With those numbers, and our staff, you can win.
And it is the wise way to use your talent. Doing so, I wouldn't even whine if we just kept Guti in CF (he seems unlikely to be traded with just one year left). Saunders, then, plays left.
And I haven't even whined about the Carp trade that seems imminent.
If you have a 1B who can hit some (Brandon Belt's individual numbers don't seem THAT impressive: .275-.360-.421 with only 7 tater, but they equal a very nice 124 OPS), then you have a very potent lineup.
How about Ackley, Gutierrez, 1B, Montero, Zunino, Seager, Saunders, Wells, Ryan vs. lefties and Ackley, Saunders, 1B, Jaso, Seager, Zunino, Thames, Franklin, Guti Vs righties.
Add Liddi and that gives you 13 bats and multi-positional flexability. That's an offense you can win with.
I still don't think Smoak is the 1B to go with this recipe, btw. Romero or Gordon, anyone?
We ain't THAT far away guys.
moe