Teams that would be a good fit for Vladimir Tarasenko

The St. Louis Blues missed the playoffs last season. They are in danger in missing it again this season. Their record is 11-14-4 with 26 points and St. Louis is currently in sixth place in the Central Division. Because of their horrific start, it is possible the St. Louis Blues will trade some of their super stars including winger Vladimir Tarasenko.

He is 27 years old and Tarasenko is in the prime of his career. He is an elite goal scorer and many teams could use his services. In 29 games so far this season, Vladimir Tarasenko has scored nine goals and has recorded 11 assists. His plus/minus rating is -13.

Tarasenko has four more years remaining on his contract and he will have a $7.5 million cap hit. Which teams could trade for him?

The first team that comes to mind is the New York Islanders. Mathew Barzal does not have a go to scorer on the first line right now. Tarasenko would fit in that scheme perfectly. It would also be a reason to convince players like Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle to stay after this season. The Islanders have the prospects to trade for Tarasenko. He would do very well in a system coached by Barry Trotz and they are in position to make the playoffs this season.

The second team that comes to mind is the New York Rangers. They are going to through a complete rebuild, but they don’t have a true go to goal scorer. He would be the guy that could change this franchise around. New York has been drafting better lately and it would be interesting to see what they would give up.

The third team that comes to mind is the New Jersey Devils. They were just in the playoffs last season and New Jersey didn’t make enough changes to the roster to improve. Can you imagine a first line of Taylor Hall-Nico Hischier-Vladimir Tarasenko? Ray Shero needs to make a move because they are in danger of missing the playoffs once again this season, even though they need help on defense and goaltending.

The fourth team that comes to mind is the Detroit Red Wings. They have a ton of young prospects in their system, but would St. Louis ask for Filip Zadina? If they ask for him, Detroit should hang up the phone immediately. If they don’t ask for him, I would definitely think about it because they are playing better, but they need that veteran and goal scorer inside the dressing room.

The fifth team that comes to mind is the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado is really good, but they might be relying too much on the top line. Tarasenko would provide scoring depth on this team in a top-6 role. They might have to give up prospect defenseman Cale Makar, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft in order to get him.

The sixth team that comes to mind is the Edmonton Oilers. They have no depth on the roster and can you imagine getting Connor McDavid a legit goal scorer on his line? That could be really run and the culture has changed in Edmonton under Ken Hitchcock.

 

– Glenn Kaplan, WTF Sports Intern

 

Edited by Scott Edwards

The Yankees acquire James Paxton from Mariners

Paxton Dealt to New York

The New York Yankees have just made a big splash in the trade market. The pinstripes went all in on 30-year-old James Paxton. “The Big Maple” is a hard-throwing left-hand pitcher, sitting 95-98 MPH with his fastball and can touch 90 MPH with his slider. When he puts it all together Paxton is magical to watch. What I really like about his pitch selection is the depth he gets on his slider combined with a filthy curveball. They end up at similar points but cross the plate at different angles with a roughly eight MPH difference in velocity. Paxton has had some elite showings, such as his 16 strikeout performance in seven shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics. He would then follow that game up with a no-hitter on May 8th, 2018.

While Paxton possesses all the talent in the world, he is not a dominant ace that opposing hitters will bow down to. Last season Paxton went 11-6 with a 3.76 ERA and 208 Ks in 160.1 IP. He is a great fit for the Yankees as his problem over the years has been not getting deep into starts. As with most strikeout pitchers, Paxton struggled to get deep into games, averaging 5.2 IP per start last season. His ERA was much higher than the 2.98 ERA he posted in 2017, despite his WHIP going down slightly, and his H/9 (7.5) and BB/9 (2.4) staying exactly the same. Most of his advanced statistics were consistent year to year, making for an unusually large disparity between his 2017 and 2018 earned-run average.

The Yankees went all in for a pitcher that is already 30-years-old and has never logged more than 160.1 IP in a big league season. The Yankees have the lefty under team control for two full seasons before he hits free agency. Paxton is injury prone with a ton of upside. If I had to give a player comparison to Big Maple, I would say that the Yankees just got themselves a Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi has not had the successes that Paxton has had in the regular season but is two years younger and should peak at the same age.

Mariners Land Top Prospect in Sheffield

New York dealt their biggest prospect in Justus Sheffield, as well as two other prospects. Sheffield is a 22-year-old lefty with a ton of potential. He is expected to start the 2019 season on the Mariners’ roster as he is considered MLB ready. He got a taste of the majors by logging 2.2 IP at the end of the season in 2018 for the Yankees and will shift his focus to making an opening day roster. Sheffield went 7-6 with a 2.48 ERA in 25 games with Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season.

The Yankees also sent Erik Swanson, a 25-year-old RHP who had a 2.66 ERA in 2018 between A, AA, and AAA ball. Both pitchers will compete for a spot in the rotation on opening day. 23-year-old CF Don Thompson-Williams was also shipped to Seattle after hitting .299 with 22 HRs, 74 RBIs and 20 steals in A-ball. This was a great trade for the Mariners considering they have chosen to enter a minor rebuild. The Mariners got two players who will compete for starting spots on the MLB roster, including a top prospect and a young outfielder that dominated the minor leagues in 2018.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Evaluating the Chris Archer Trade

The Pittsburg Pirates made big splashes landing Chris Archer and Keone Kela the day of the 2018 Trade Deadline. The newest acquisition’s give the Pirates a shot to land a Wild Card spot in 2018, but more importantly are under contract for multiple years allowing for some time to improve and really contend in the near future. I love the strategy here as well as the trade for both sides. The Pirates get a pitcher who could be a true ace now that he is finally apart of a real organization. Archer currently owns a 3-5 record but has a 4.31 ERA with 102 Ks in 96 IP. I could see Archer stepping up when needed in a postseason race. He is under control through 2021 and is only 29-years-old.

The Rays finally admitted defeat and dealt a man who deserved to be released from the torture that was suiting up for Tampa Bay for five seasons. They made the right move by dealing him with years of eligibility as they are not seriously contending anytime soon and the return was significantly higher than what a rental of his talent would haul in.

Austin Meadows  is hitting .292 with 5 HRs, 13 RBIs and a .795 OPS through 49 games this season. Meadows is a 23-year-old left-handed outfielder that projects to be a big time impact player in coming years. It is a little surprising the Pirates were willing to deal Meadows even for a stud like Archer. He has a ton of potential and is a guy to keep on your radar in the coming years.

Tyler Glasnow has been a prospect for the Pirates for a while now and has finally hit somewhat of a stride. Glasnow is a massive 6’8″, 220 lb right-hander that is only 24-years-old and under contract through 2022. Since moving into a bullpen role full time in 2018 Glasnow has put up a 4.34 ERA with 72 Ks in 56 IP. While the ERA is a little high, the strikeout rate is promising and he’s only 24. He is someone to get excited about as well.

Overall I love the move to trade for controllable talent in Pittsburg as well as the decision to deal Archer for maximum value as a player with years of contract control. Archer should be fun to watch as a Pirate while Tampa is on it’s way to building a solid foundation with Meadows and Glasnow.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

MLB Trade Deadline Eve Recap

Osuna to Astros

The Astros made a splash move to acquire All-Star reliever Roberto Osuna with less than 48 hours until the deadline. They acquire Osuna in exchange for Ken Giles who’s has been garbage this season (0-2, 4.99 ERA) and has an attitude problem, RHP prospect David Paulino who was a top prospect before getting popped for PEDs, and minor league RHP Hector Perez. Osuna has a career 2.87 ERA, with 253 Ks in 223 IP and has converted 104/124 Save opportunities. With Osuna under control through 2020 and only 23-years-old this deal seems like a slam dunk for the Astros. I have no idea how they managed to pull this off. It should be noted that Osuna is suspended until August 5th for domestic violence.

Zach Duke to Mariners

Zach Duke has been a solid reliever for the Twins with a 3.62 ERA in 37.1 IP. Duke is nothing special but can get the job done and will help the Mariners bullpen. The Twins get RHP Chase De Jong, a 33-year-old bum with a 6.35 ERA and corner infield prospect Ryan Costello.

Adam Warren to Mariners

The Yankees continue their unusual trade deadline by trading away yet another Major League reliever, this time 30-year-old righty Adam Warren. Warren has been a big part of the Yankees bullpen with a 2.70 ERA in 30 innings of work this season. Losing Warren weakens the depth of the Yankees bullpen much like the trade of Chasen Shreve. The Yankees will get “future considerations” for Warren or in other words they essentially just gave him away for free. I do not get what the Yankees are trying to accomplish by trading MLB players for lesser pieces. The Evil Empire seems confused lately as they are trading away players to make their Major League roster worse while trailing the Red Sox 5.5 games. What the Yankees are doing makes absolutely no sense, there is no positive to making these moves, I’m just confused.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

The Red Sox may be in on Adrian Beltre reunion

Rumors of Adrian Beltre returning to Boston have been floating around for years. Beltre came to Boston on a one year prove it deal in 2010 and did just that. He hit .321 with a league leading 49 doubles, 28 dingers, 102 runs driven in, and a .919 OPS during his time in Boston. That season has left the fans wanting more, and they might finally get it.

Last night, Rafael Devers pulled up running the bases with a hamstring injury and has been placed on the disabled list for the second time this month. With the deadline fast approaching we would hope Dombrowski would not go into the thick of a playoff race with a Tzu-Wei Lin/Eduardo Nunez timeshare at third, moving Brock Holt to a full time spot at second. Beltre is certainly on the trade block, and was a healthy scratch from todays lineup meaning a deal may be already in the works. Beltre has a full no trade clause meaning he can reject any team he desires. It would seem unlikely that he would say no to playing for a Boston fanbase that adores him and for a Red Sox team with the best record in baseball.

The biggest rumor swirling around is Beltre to Atlanta, but Ken Rosenthal says otherwise:

#Braves more focused on adding pitching than Beltre, per sources – Camargo good defender, higher OPS than Beltre (.789-.747) in similar number of at-bats. ATL, however, is looking to upgrade bench, whether now or in August. Beltre a consideration for right acquisition cost.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 29, 2018

Hopefully the Red Sox somehow get this done, even if it does cost Michael Chavis who is a steroid using bum. In his age 39 season Beltre has a .292 AVG, 5 HRs, 33 RBIs and a .747 OPS after missing time early in the season with a hamstring injury. He has a higher batting average and OPS than Devers and is about 50 times the defender with five Gold Gloves and two Platinum Gloves. Beltre could serve as a useful mentor especially on the defensive side of the ball. Here’s how the lineup could shake out come playoff time:

1. CF Mookie Betts
2. LF Andrew Benintendi
3. RF J.D. Martinez
4. 1B Mitch Moreland
5. SS Xander Bogaerts
6. 3B Adrian Beltre
7. DH Rafael Devers
8. 2B Eduardo Nunez/Brandon Philips!?!
9. C Christian Vasquez/Sandy Leon

I’m keeping Bradley on the bench if we could add Beltre and using Steve Pierce to get some spot starts and clutch hits. Bradley will be well over his July hot streak and back to his offensive deficiency. This lineup would be a lot stronger than what we are currently rolling out there. Also side note: Blake Swihart is playing third base as we speak this team needs an upgrade and soon.

Second side note: Beltre is great for baseball and could use a bigger audience:

Beltre does NOT like his head touched

 

Stare Down

Just being a clown

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

 

 

Yankees just got worse

Today the Yankees made a move that just makes no sense. On July 24th the Evil Empire made a splash move to trade for a once elite closer who is still in his prime. It appeared that the Yankees were trying to bolster that bullpen with a bunch of studs. I wrote about how that move improved the Yankees team and why they made the move here:

Why would the Yankees trade for a bullpen arm?

However today the Yankees traded away a quality bullpen arm in Chasen Shreve (2-2 with a 4.26 ERA, in 38 IP with 46 Ks and 18 BBs). Zach Britton has a 1-0 record with a 3.57 ERA in 17.2 IP and 15 Ks to 12 BBs. Britton has been slightly better but nothing special so far this season. Now Britton takes Shreve’s place instead of the Yankees just outright adding another above average relief pitcher. Instead of lengthening the bullpen depth they just got slightly better for two top 15 prospects.

Now the question is, who did they get for Shreve? The answer… Luke Voit. WHO? A 27-year-old minor league first basemen who is hitting .299 with 9 HRs and 36 RBIs in 271 at-bats at the AAA level. In other words an older prospect who is having a solid season for a minor league affiliate of the 4th place Cardinals. I have no idea how Luke Voit is going to help the New York Yankees playoff push more than a reliever with a 4.26 ERA.

The Yankees could use help at first base with a 25th best .701 OPS out of the first base position, but why on earth would they trade for Luke Voit? The should have called the Rangers and asked for Adrian Beltre and moved Andujar to 1st. They could have made a move for plenty of other bats not named Luke Voit who you have never heard of until today unless you are a Cardinals fan or know too much about baseball like me. To put this in Bostonian terms, the Yankees just gave up a quality 6th or 7th inning reliever for Sam Travis.

This article isn’t to slander Zach Britton, he absolutely has the talent to get back into a groove and become Britton of years past who was one of the best relivers in the game. I’m just questioning why a contender with a good farm system is trading away major league pieces for role players who are not even MLB ready.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Mike Moustakas headed to Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers officially traded for Mike Moustakas today (7/28/18) in exchange for OF Brett Phillips (Brewers #10 Prospect) and RHP Jorge Lopez. Phillips will go directly to the Royals MLB roster as he is no longer blocked by the talented Brewers outfield crop. Phillips hit .276 with 4 HRs, 12 RBIs, and a .799 OPS in 87 at-bats last season. He is 24-years-old and will be under Royals control through 2023. Lopez is a 25-year-old with an up and down professional career thus far. This season he has a 2.75 ERA in 19.1 IP with the Brewers after getting slapped around at the AAA level with a 5.65 ERA in 28.2 IP. He is essentially a throw in here while Phillips was the piece that got the deal done.

The Brewers will move Shaw over the second base, which was a problem area for them offensively. Shaw will move over with a .249 AVG, 19 HRs, and 59 RBIs. His .812 OPS is quite the upgrade out of the second base position. Moustakas will man third base with almost identical numbers: .249 AVG, 20 HRs, 62 RBIs, and a .778 OPS. Moose will lengthen their lineup and give them a boost during this intense National League Central Division race that is currently separated by one game. Moose also has plenty of playoff experience with back to back World Series runs in 2014 and 2015. Moose has hit only .222 in the postseason but has 6 HRs and 15 RBIs in 117 at-bats. His numbers do not jump off the page but Moose came up in some huge spots for the Royals during that two year window. This is an interesting add that should impact the NL Central race.

Clutch Homerun in Game Three of the ALDS in 2014, two games after hitting a game winning homer in the 11th

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Trading for Nathan Eovaldi was a good baseball decision for both teams

Nathan Eovaldi is 3-4 with a 4.26 ERA in 57 IP. He has a 0.98 WHIP in 10 starts. Eovaldi has been a solid starter so far and will benefit this Red Sox pitching staff. He can throw as hard as any other starter and can pitch deep into games. Drew Pomeranz’s time in a Boston uniform is ending this offseason, and his time as a weekly starter may be ending much sooner.

Eovaldi is an interesting addition though he is not the flashy name fans are looking for. This deadline will feature more mundane players than years past. There aren’t any Yu Darvish’s or Justin Verlander’s in this years trade deadline. That said, getting a guy like Eovaldi who has a quality arm and more upside than the average 28-year-old is a good baseball decision. Dombrowski only gave up LHP Jalen Beeks who has showed promise with a 2.89 ERA in AAA Pawtucket but has a 12.79 ERA in 6.1 IP for the Red Sox this season. It will be interesting to see how Beeks performs at the Major League level with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays are adding a 25-year-old pitcher that has been dominate at the AAA level, one tier below the big leagues. They get Beeks for a player that has costed them virtually nothing and would not have had any effect on the club long term. For Beeks, he will get his first real shot at the Major League level, where I believe has a good shot of succeeding. This is a win-win for both sides as the Red Sox get some much needed pitching depth and the Rays acquire a legit prospect for very little cost.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Why would the Yankees trade for a bullpen arm?

The Yankees traded their #9 (Dillon Tate RHP) and #15 (Cody Carrol RH Reliver) prospects as well as LHP prospect Josh Rodgers in exchange for now former Orioles Closer Zach Britton. The Yankees already have the best bullpen in baseball with a 2.76 ERA. The question is, why trade for another reliver when there starters are only 13th in the league with a 4.02 ERA and lack depth?

Answer: The game has changed and the market for starters is terrible.

The Yankees are gearing up for a playoff run, and that requires a strong bullpen. Gone are the days of number two and three starters pitching deep into postseason games. In today’s game the objective of a postseason starter is to keep their team in the game for four or five innings before handing it over to the bullpen. Closers are used to get out of jams in the 6th or 7th, and aces are coming out of the bullpen to get saves. There is no such thing as a standard bullpen usage in the playoffs or set roles, unlike in the regular season where their is a 7th, 8th, and 9th inning guy. With the lack of quality starting pitching on the Yankees staff, they will be calling to the bullpen as early as possible. With the extra rest and bullpen depth, the Evil Empire will just have to get their starters not named Severino to the 4th or 5th before employing the arms of Aroldis Chapman (2.03 ERA), Adam Warren (2.39 ERA), Dillon Betances (2.49 ERA), Chad Green (2.63 ERA), David Robertson (3.05 ERA), Luis Cessa (3.10 ERA) and now Zach Britton (3.45 ERA) in whichever order they please.

The other reason is that the current market for starters is so bad that they had to get creative to figure out how to improve their pitching staff. The best guys available are aging veterans who are having solid seasons, nobody is doing anything special. The Yankees still may be in the market for a quality arm like J.A. Happ (10-6, 4.18 ERA) but he isn’t scaring anyone, even if it does make the team better.

Current Red Sox Steve Pierce taking Happ deep prior to Happ giving up a grand slam to future MVP Mookie Betts

While on the surface the move seems a little strange, give props where it is due. Yankees GM Brian Cashman made a great move to acquire yet another lethal bullpen arm, even if he did overspend a little. The Orioles did a phenomenal job as well considering Britton was not expected to bring in a haul that included two top fifteen prospects in an above average farm system. This is a move that I love to see as a baseball fan, and hate as a Red Sox fan… your move Dombrowski. (Eovaldi doesn’t count)

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Chris Archer should be dealt this Trade Deadline

According to Ken Rosenthal, Chris Archer is drawing significant interest on the market:

Sources: #Rays drawing significant interest in Chris Archer. More in this video… https://t.co/QaL8nDCD8N

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 21, 2018

Is 2018 the year Archer is finally moved? The Rays have been in a constant state of almost competing for a playoff spot the last few years, currently sitting at 50-49. While I respect the idea of trying to put out the best roster they can as a low market team, (instead of joining the myriad of teams out of contention) it may be time for the Rays to deal Archer. They should get out of Tampa by relocating and completely rebuild, hopefully with less cheap owners. Archer might finally escape Tampa Bay.

Archer Realizing His Time in TB Could Be Ending

Archer has been solid this season with a 4.30 ERA in 16 games after missing time with a left abdominal strain. He has showed signs of his elite past this season and at only 29-years-old the right-hander may just need a change of scenery. In 2015 Archer posted a 3.23 ERA in 212 IP, with 252 Ks to 66 BBs. Archer could still blossom into a dominate starter if placed on a contender. Chris Archer went only 31-29 between 2013-2015 despite pitching like an ace for three straight seasons (3.26 ERA in 535.1 IP).

Archer has a unique contract situation. He could become a free agent after 2019, but has club options in 2020 and 2021 worth $8,250,000. That number is an absolute steal for Archer which would allow Tampa to really drive up his price. To add to that, Archer is far more talented than the other names being thrown around this deadline excluding deGrom who will not get dealt. The team that deals for him will be keeping him for a long time, so where could he end up?

New York Yankees

No chance. The Yankees will be  mentioned a lot and will have plenty of interest but not even the Rays would trade a guy of his talent in division until 2021. They need a starter more than any other contender but will not be acquiring Chris Archer’s talents.

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are also in need of a starter, but will not land David Price’s successor for the same reason as the Yankees. That and the fact that they have zero talented prospects.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners are somehow 59-40 with a -5 run differential. They win close games by the skin of their teeth with a closer in Edwin Diaz who has been unstoppable. They could really use some ace like pitching behind James Paxton with a starting pitcher team ERA of 4.06, 15th in the league. The Mariners sit six games behind the Astros and are being chased by the Athletics who are only trailing by three games and are officially buyers. Adding Archer would give the Mariners some insurance on their way to Wild Card spot number two.

Philadelphia Phillies 

General manager Matt Klentak has suggested a desire to obtain a young, skilled and controllable starting pitcher according to Brad Berreman of fansided.com. Archer definitely fits that description. However, before todays game Klentak said “We’re very encouraged about not only the five here but also what we have in Triple-A, and we’re hopeful that’s going to mean that we can stay out of the starting pitcher trade market at the Deadline, because if you can avoid it, that is definitely a market to avoid.” It feels like he is referring more to rentals than a guy like Archer but this quote certainly leads me to believe Archer to Phillies is nowhere near in the works.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers have a starting pitcher team ERA of 3.91, 10th in the MLB. They are currently 56-45, 3.5 games back of the Cubs and hold the second Wild Card spot. They have a young, talented core that Archer could become a huge part of. They have the prospects to get the deal done and the talent to contend.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves are in a really good spot with their starters posting a 3.57 ERA, 5th in the league. That said the Braves are another team that have talked about trading for controllable guys rather than rentals. Adding Archer would create a rotation that would consist of All-Star Mike Foltynewicz (7-5, 2.66 ERA), Sean Newcomb (8-5, 3.51 ERA), Julio Teheran (7-6, 4.00 ERA) Chris Archer (3-4, 4.30 ERA), and Anibal Sanchez (5-2, 2.88 ERA). The Braves have the firepower in the farm system to make the deal and would create a young, controllable pitching core to a team that already has young position players like Freeman, Albies, Acuna Jr., and Swanson.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks are in the hunt to win the National League West Division. They currently sit 1.5 games back with a 54-46 record. Arizona was willing to make a splash as one of the teams in the Machado sweepstakes and should now shift their attention to Archer. The Diamondbacks have a starting pitcher team ERA of 4.12, 16th in the league. They could use a boost in the rotation, and Archer could be that guy. They have the prospects and may need to make a blockbuster trade to counter the Dodgers acquisition of Manny Machado.

Recap:

There is no guarantee Chris Archer goes anywhere, but if he does, this is the list of teams who will make a call for him if they haven’t already. Teams like the Cubs may call as well, but this is the list of teams I think should look into shaking up their rotation’s.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports