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Orcin · 08-15-2018, 12:17 PM

This was my busiest, and most expensive, winter meetings ever. I increased the payroll by $55 million!

1. Signed SP Clayton Kershaw for 6 years, $180 million.

The rotation should be playoff worthy with Kershaw, Martinez, and Wacha as the first three starters. Alex Reyes seems to have received a TCR boost and looks to be the fourth starter. That leaves Weaver and Flaherty to compete with Wainwright for the fifth spot. Eventually, one of those two young pitchers might be traded but it is not an issue today since they both have options remaining.

2. Signed CF A.J. Pollock for 5 years, $100 million.

I had to go an extra year and more dollars to get him because he was coming off a 6 WAR season (.300/.348/.544, 29 HR, 100 RBI) and in high demand. Pollock was my best option to improve "up the middle" defense and upgrade the offense in one package. He will be worth the money IF he stays healthy. I gave up my first two draft picks with these signings and maxed my budget for a couple of years, so I really better be right.

3. Traded 3B Jedd Gyorko to the Angels for SS Andrelton Simmons

The AI was being silly about this and I could have stolen Simmons for any one of my 1/2-star minor leaguers. I selected this deal from the AI's long list of acceptable players because I thought it was fair and realistic. Gyorko is 30 and Simmons is 29. Both players are signed for two years, but the rebuilding Angels save $5 million in 2019 and get a team option with no buyout for 2020 instead of paying Simmons $15 million. Both players had a 4+ WAR season last year, but Gyorko's was based on offense while Simmons generated most of his WAR value via great defense. The Angels can fill the hole at shortstop by moving Zach Cozart (a good SS defender) over from 3B and replacing him at third with Gyorko, thus improving their offense without really hurting their defense much. I will go the other way, moving a weaker defender (DeJong) to third base and replacing him at SS with Simmons. DeJong is only rated 35 at 3B but he should improve quickly in spring training because his infield ratings are all 55+ with arm strength of 60.

Could the real Cardinals do all of this? I think so. Kershaw, Pollock, and Simmons are certainly all realistic and possible acquisitions, assuming that Kershaw opts out. The first two only require money, and the Cardinals have the money. There have been rumors that the Angels would trade Simmons, although they would probably want pitching prospects instead of a position player starter.

I certainly feel better about the realism of this version over my last attempt. It is much easier to believe that the Angels would trade Simmons than Trout. It's impossible to believe that the Red Sox would trade Betts (for Fowler!) or that the Diamondbacks would trade Goldschmidt for less than the draft pick they could have received from a qualifying offer.

By the way, I still have Fowler because I need him and his 2-3 WAR in the outfield. The outfield defense is much improved with Fowler in right, where he was a plus defender last year before I traded Pham, instead of center, where he was a minus defender. I am hoping a replacement develops from among the many prospects in our system this year and I will be able to trade Fowler before he declines to "overpaid veteran" status in my game. He is already there in real life.

08-15-2018, 12:17 PM	#428
Orcin Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,878	This was my busiest, and most expensive, winter meetings ever. I increased the payroll by $55 million! 1. Signed SP Clayton Kershaw for 6 years, $180 million. The rotation should be playoff worthy with Kershaw, Martinez, and Wacha as the first three starters. Alex Reyes seems to have received a TCR boost and looks to be the fourth starter. That leaves Weaver and Flaherty to compete with Wainwright for the fifth spot. Eventually, one of those two young pitchers might be traded but it is not an issue today since they both have options remaining. 2. Signed CF A.J. Pollock for 5 years, $100 million. I had to go an extra year and more dollars to get him because he was coming off a 6 WAR season (.300/.348/.544, 29 HR, 100 RBI) and in high demand. Pollock was my best option to improve "up the middle" defense and upgrade the offense in one package. He will be worth the money IF he stays healthy. I gave up my first two draft picks with these signings and maxed my budget for a couple of years, so I really better be right. 3. Traded 3B Jedd Gyorko to the Angels for SS Andrelton Simmons The AI was being silly about this and I could have stolen Simmons for any one of my 1/2-star minor leaguers. I selected this deal from the AI's long list of acceptable players because I thought it was fair and realistic. Gyorko is 30 and Simmons is 29. Both players are signed for two years, but the rebuilding Angels save $5 million in 2019 and get a team option with no buyout for 2020 instead of paying Simmons $15 million. Both players had a 4+ WAR season last year, but Gyorko's was based on offense while Simmons generated most of his WAR value via great defense. The Angels can fill the hole at shortstop by moving Zach Cozart (a good SS defender) over from 3B and replacing him at third with Gyorko, thus improving their offense without really hurting their defense much. I will go the other way, moving a weaker defender (DeJong) to third base and replacing him at SS with Simmons. DeJong is only rated 35 at 3B but he should improve quickly in spring training because his infield ratings are all 55+ with arm strength of 60. Could the real Cardinals do all of this? I think so. Kershaw, Pollock, and Simmons are certainly all realistic and possible acquisitions, assuming that Kershaw opts out. The first two only require money, and the Cardinals have the money. There have been rumors that the Angels would trade Simmons, although they would probably want pitching prospects instead of a position player starter. I certainly feel better about the realism of this version over my last attempt. It is much easier to believe that the Angels would trade Simmons than Trout. It's impossible to believe that the Red Sox would trade Betts (for Fowler!) or that the Diamondbacks would trade Goldschmidt for less than the draft pick they could have received from a qualifying offer. By the way, I still have Fowler because I need him and his 2-3 WAR in the outfield. The outfield defense is much improved with Fowler in right, where he was a plus defender last year before I traded Pham, instead of center, where he was a minus defender. I am hoping a replacement develops from among the many prospects in our system this year and I will be able to trade Fowler before he declines to "overpaid veteran" status in my game. He is already there in real life.