Skinning the Big Bopper cat
OK, it seems that almost all of us think the M's will make a move for some sort of a big bopper. Stanton leads the rumor hit parade, of course. Otani is just behind, in second place, and Martinez, et al, are getting some mention. But there's another way to skin this bopper cat, one that takes advantage of a guy rumored to be on the block, from a team that might match up with us as a trade partner.
Jose Abreu and the Chicago White Sox.
It appears thaat the ChiSox might consider trade discussion for their 1B. MLBT-R even suggests that he might be a guy dangled as bait for Stanton. All of that is pretty kosher, as, once again, the White Sox are in place where it doesn't make sense to hang onto a valuable commodity who has only two years of arb left. And we know the South Side guys have no qualms about selling off talent, witness the Chris Sale sale.
With all that in mind, and realizing that Vogelbach may not be our cup of tea, Abreu fits us like a glove (although he's not a great glove at 1B). We might just have the youngsters to make it happen.
.301-.359.-524 is a pretty sexy line. Oh, Abreu K's some, but who cares when you ring up those numbers? He doesn't get hurt, he doesn't slump. and he over his career beats up both LHP (.300-.354-.521) and RHP (.302-.372-.537). The down side is you only get him for two years, likely. But, hey, that's what you draft Evan Whites for.
So what might it take to shake him free from the land of Bad Bad Leroy Brown? Well, it will take youth, of course. And it likely takes a pretty decent package, if and when Abreu gets dangled.
So you start with Vogelbach. The White Sox principle DH was Matt Davidson last season, although they generally ran a committee through that spot. So even if they don't like Vogs at 1B (Davidson, who hit 26 HR's can play both 3B and 1B, and the Sox really have nobady in AAA to fill the 1B position) they have a spot for him.
So you guys who are down on Vogs have to be with me already, right?
And then we add Heredia, because Adam Engel doesn't seem to be the Sox answer in CF. Or maybe they feel better about Braden Bishop. We could do that.
And then you have to add a young electric arm: Thyago Vieira, perhaps. There are a lot of years of club control between Vogs, Heredia and Vieira.
They might insist on Diaz, btw. Would you go there? Would they settle for Altavilla?
And then you maybe add on an Unsworth (if we can resign him) or Povse. I'm keeping Moore. Well, unless the deal is so sweet that I can't say no.
Or maybe they cut to the chase and say that Kyle Lewis has to be part of the deal. Are you there? Miranda is under club control until 2023. I like him. Let's keep him. All the same, we have enough young pieces, pieces that are cheap for a long time, that likely get well along in a conversation for Abreu. It is a conversation that Dipoto could, and should, initiate now. Abreu is going to be in the $15M range this season, more next. We can afford that.
We have the cash and we have the chits. Let's bring the Cuban Big Bopper here.