Trade Deadline Madness, Crowning a King in '19

[LetsGoMocs]

Can you believe the 2019 trade deadline is less than one week away?

2019 will be remembered as the season of the long ball. The league is on pace to shatter the single season record for homers, and many teams are on pace to blow past their team records for homers in a year.

OOTP's new live start feature gives us the ability to start from today's date with updated statistics and standings.

In this thread, I will take over as the commissioner/God Figure for this version of the rest of the 2019 season. I will start on today's date (July 25). I will make deadline trades as I see fit. Where will Syndergaard, Stroman, Boyd, etc be? Will they even go anywhere?

We'll closely follow the happenings of the 2019 deadline, the pennant race, and postseason. From there, I'll also be the commissioner/God Figure for the 2019-2020 offseason, controlling all 30 teams and sending free agents where I see fit (this doesn't mean there won't be bidding wars for free agents, I can have multiple teams offer a player).

This thread will end following the 2019 offseason and it will spawn a new thread. I will either take over a team that intrigues me starting with Opening Day 2020 or I will sim until there's an available job, taking the first available job.

Let the madness begin!

[LetsGoMocs]

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

WHEELER IMPRESSES IN POSSIBLE LAST START AS A MET

New York Mets starter Zack Wheeler pitched a magnificent game for the Mets Friday night, leading them to a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wheeler received a standing ovation from the 30,000 fans on hand when he walked off the mound following his 7th and final inning, recognizing that it could be the last time he dons a Mets uniform.

"I tried my best to take in the moment," Wheeler said. "There's a lot of uncertainty over these next couple of days. These fans have treated me well over the last seven years."

Wheeler is an impending free agent, and he's expected to be traded before the MLB trade deadline on July 31st. 2019 marks the first year without the August waiver trade period, incentivizing teams out of the hunt to sell players earlier. The 47-56 Mets are 8 GB of the second wild card spot, and players like Noah Syndergaard, Jason Vargas, Seth Lugo, Todd Frazier, and Wilson Ramos could also find themselves on new teams by the end of the week.

The market for Wheeler is expected to be a hot one, especially following his dazzling outing against the Pirates. Contenders like the Braves, Phillies, Twins, Athletics, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Red Sox, Rays, and Yankees could all be in on the right-hander. While the AL West-leading Astros are in need of a pitcher, they're expected to look at starting options with more club control, as rotation stalwarts Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley are both free agents at the end of the year.

Wheeler may be the best rental starter on the market. San Francisco Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner was expected to be the top rental available, but the hard charging Giants are only 2 1/2 GB of the second wild card, and they may hang on to MadBum for one last pennant run.



Note: I'll be back after the deadline with a recap. Maybe a small blurb about each trade.

[LetsGoMocs]

Deadline Day Standings

[ayaghmour2]

This is going to be really cool to follow. Imagine if you predict a few trades too!

[LetsGoMocs]

JULY 31, 2019

BUSY DEADLINE CLOSES

A busy couple of days full of transactions have come to a close with the passing of the July 31st trade deadline. A total of 29 trades were made involving major league players. Here's a rundown of all 29 below.

Milwaukee Gets: LHP Mike Minor
Texas Gets: OF Tristen Lutz, 1B Jesus Aguilar, C/1B Jacob Nottingham

Milwaukee acquires some much needed starting pitching help with hopes that Minor will take some stress off of the bullpen with the most innings pitched in baseball. Lutz is a power bat that was ranked 4th in the Brewers farm system. Aguilar was an All-Star just last year, but has struggled mightily in 2019 and has lost playing time to the likes of Eric Thames and Ryan Braun. Nottingham is an offense-first catching prospect.

New York Yankees Get: RHP Marcus Stroman
Toronto Blue Jays Get: OF Clint Frazier, OF Everson Pereira, RHP Clarke Schmidt

The Yankees won the bidding war for Marcus Stroman, edging out Houston, Oakland, and Philadelphia. Frazier is a former top-5 prospect in all of baseball that the Yankees acquired for Andrew Miller. There are defensive and swing-and-miss concerns with Frazier, but he has tons of tools. Pereira is another toolsy outfielder that is a top-10 prospect in the Yankees system. Schmidt is a high-floor, low-ceiling pitcher that projects as a back of the rotation arm.



San Diego Padres Get: Noah Syndergaard
New York Mets Get: 2B Luis Urias, OF/1B Josh Naylor, LHP Ryan Weathers

In one of the most shocking moves of the deadline, the Padres dipped into their deep farm system to acquire Noah Syndergaard from the Mets. The Astros and Rays were also in on Syndergaard, but neither team were willing to include a prospect on the level of Urias. Naylor is a bat-first prospect that doesn't have a defensive home, and he could have trouble finding consistent AB's with the presence of Dominic Smith and Pete Alonso, but the bat is real. Weathers is only 19-years-old and is a few years away, but he projects as a top-of-the-rotation arm.



Philadelphia Phillies Get: LHP Matt Boyd
Detroit Tigers Get: RHP Adonis Medina, SS Luis Garcia, OF Mickey Moniak, C Deivi Grullon

The Phillies picked up the heavily sought-after Boyd from Detroit for a large haul of prospects, edging out Houston and Oakland for his services. Medina was the top pitcher in the Phillies system. Whether or not he pans out depends on whether or not he finds the strikezone. Garcia is another exciting prospect. The 18-year-old will report to Detroit's Low-A affiliate. Moniak is a former number one overall selection that has disappointed as a professional. While Moniak will be a big leaguer barring something unforeseen, he likely won't be an All-Star. Grullon is a defense-first catcher.

Atlanta Braves Get: LHP Robbie Ray
Arizona Diamondbacks Get: RHP Bryse Wilson, LHP Luiz Gohara, 1B/OF Greyson Jenista

The Braves picked up one of the top available pitchers and didn't have to give up anyone too valuable to their farm. While Wilson and Gohara are highly thought of, they had fallen behind other young arms like Sean Newcomb, Mike Soroka, Kolby Allard, Touki Toussaint, and more. Jenista is a bat first prospect that doesn't really have a defensive home. Houston was also in on the bidding for Ray.

Minnesota Twins Get: RHP Zack Wheeler
New York Mets Get: 1B/OF Brent Rooker, SS Nick Gordon

Minnesota gets one of the top rental arms on the market in Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler. Rooker put up one of the best offensive seasons in collegiate history in his senior year at Mississippi State, and he's raked his way through the minors as well. Scouts disagree on his defensive ability. Some think he isn't athletic enough to play the outfield, and some think he is. Gordon is a former first round pick that has underperformed as a pro but still has value.

Houston Astros Get: RHP Zack Greinke
Arizona Diamondbacks Get: OF Derek Fisher, C Max Stassi, RHP Francis Martes

The Arizona Diamonbacks get a tad of salary relief with the trade of Zack Greinke. Arizona will retain $34M of the $62M remaining on his contract. In return, the snakes acquire a toolsy outfielder in Fisher, who in three separate big league stints has impressed twice and been woeful once. Stassi is a defense-first catcher that will be a solid backup to Carson Kelly. Martes is a wild card who used to be one of the top prospects in all of baseball but has since had a poor first stint in the big leagues, Tommy John, and an 80 game PED suspension.



Cleveland Indians Get: OF Yasiel Puig
Cincinnati Reds Get: LHP Sam Hentges, RHP Nick Sandlin

The Indians get a corner outfielder that they've been seeking for seemingly a century. The Reds get two minor league arms.



Oakland Athletics Get: 2B Jonathan Villar
Baltimore Orioles Get: OF Greg Deichmann, RHP Grant Holmes

The A's get a dynamic second baseman that has outperformed Jurickson Profar. Deichmann has tons of pop and tons of swing-and-miss, Holmes has swing-and-miss stuff, but often struggles to throw strikes.

Oakland Athletics Get: LHP Madison Bumgarner
San Francisco Giants Get: OF Lazaro Armenteros, OF Skye Bolt

The Giants held off on selling for quite a while, but ultimately Farhan Zaidi decided that a team that is a game under .500 after over 100 games was unlikely to be a true title contender, especially in the age of the super-team with the Dodgers, Yankees, and Astros. The A's weren't on Bumgarner's no-trade list, and the trade is reminiscent of when Oakland dealt for Jon Lester in 2014. Armenteros is a top-100 prospect and Bolt is close to MLB-ready, a solid haul for a rental. Bumgarner stays in the Bay Area...just not in orange and black.



St. Louis Cardinals Get: RHP Shane Greene
Detroit Tigers Get: 3B Elehuris Montero, LHP Evan Kruczynski

The Cardinals initially tried to swing a deal for a bat, targeting Royals star Whit Merrifield, but all the attempts for offense fell through. Instead, the Cardinals bolstered the bullpen by adding Shane Greene, who has a microscopic 1.76 ERA.

Chicago Cubs Get: LHP Will Smith, RHP Reyes Moronta
San Francisco Giants Get: OF Ian Happ, RHP Adbert Alzolay

The Cubs add arguably the best available reliever in Smith and a controllable arm in Moronta. The Giants get a former top prospect in Happ that has fallen behind in the Cubs deep outfield depth chart and a pitcher with electric stuff in Alzolay.

Philadelphia Phillies Get: OF Corey Dickerson
Pittsburgh Pirates Get: RHP Enyel de los Santos, C Logan O'Hoppe

The Phillies needed an outfielder to fill in for their injury ravaged situation. Dickerson fit the mold.

Tampa Bay Rays Get: OF Jorge Soler
Kansas City Royals Get: 2B Alberto Figuereo, SS Taylor Walls

Soler has had a sneaky good season, belting 27 homers for the Royals. The Rays add some much needed thump.

Tampa Bay Rays Get: UTIL Derek Dietrich
Cincinnati Reds Get: OF Joe McCarthy, Cash Considerations

The Rays continued on their quest for power by trading for Dietrich, who has hit 19 homers this year. He can also play all over the diamond, something that Kevin Cash and the Rays value.

Los Angeles Dodgers Get: RHP Alex Colome
Chicago White Sox Get: C Connor Wong, RHP Martin Santana

The Dodgers lost out on Smith and Greene, and the Pirates and Padres were unwilling to deal their elite relief arms Felipe Vazquez and Kirby Yates, so they turned their attention to tier two of the available relievers. Colome will join Kenley Jansen in the back end of the 'pen.

Los Angeles Dodgers Get: RHP Kyle Crick
Pittsburgh Pirates Get: RHP Tony Gonsolin, RHP Edwin Uceta

Crick is a high-spin rate guy that analytically driven teams covet. He will join Jansen and the aforementioned Colome in the back of the bullpen.

Washington Nationals Get: RHP Ken Giles, 1B Justin Smoak
Toronto Blue Jays Get: LHP Tim Cate, RHP Mason Denaburg

The Nationals get Giles, who is having a renaissance in Toronto, to fortify a leaky bullpen, and Smoak, who will fill in at first with Ryan Zimmerman on the DL. Toronto adds two intriguing prospects to their already deep farm system.

Washington Nationals Get: RHP Ian Kennedy
Kansas City Royals Get: 2B Yasel Antuna, OF Gage Canning

Ian Kennedy has been sneaky good for the Royals. Kansas City was willing to eat $12M of the $24M remaining on Ian Kennedy's deal, which made him enticing enough to the bullpen-needy Nationals.

Houston Astros Get: LHP Jake Diekman
Kansas City Royals Get: RHP Brandon Bielak, Cash Considerations

The Astros didn't have a single lefty in the bullpen. Diekman has a high strikeout rate and fits the Astros philosophy. Bielak is a high-floor minor league arm.

Atlanta Braves Get: RHP Sam Dyson
San Francisco Giants Get: SS A.J. Graffanino, RHP Freddy Tarnok

The Braves add an experienced arm to an inexperienced bullpen.

Philadelphia Phillies Get: LHP Tony Watson
San Francisco Giants Get: OF Simon Muzziotti, LHP JoJo Romero

The Phillies already had plenty of lefties, but they just needed reliable arms in general as they make their playoff push.

Houston Astros Get: C Bryan Holaday
Miami Marlins Get: Cash Considerations

The Astros needed a defense-first backup catcher for Robinson Chirinos after trading Max Stassi for Greinke.

Oakland Athletics Get: RHP Jordan Lyles, RHP Keone Kela
Pittsburgh Pirates Get: INF Jurickson Profar, RHP Daulton Jefferies

The A's felt it was okay to deal Profar after acquiring Villar. Seeking more pitching help, Lyles and Kela will go a long way towards providing depth to a thin staff.

Los Angeles Angels Get: RHP Tanner Roark
Cincinnati Reds Get: OF Michael Hermosillo, UTIL Taylor Ward

The Angels have played great baseball since the unfortunate passing of Tyler Skaggs, making them a dark horse wild card candidate. Roark will attempt to fill the void that Skaggs left in the rotation.

Minnesota Twins Get: RHP Jesse Chavez
Texas Rangers Get: Cash Considerations

Chavez will attempt to help a taxed bullpen as the Twins try to hold off the hard-charging Indians.

Cleveland Indians Get: RHP Chris Martin
Texas Rangers Get: SS Luke Wakamatsu

Martin is a tall drink of water that has been a reliable reliever for a few years now.

Boston Red Sox Get: RHP Lance Lynn
Texas Rangers Get: INF Antoni Flores, RHP Tanner Houck, SS C.J. Chatham

The Rangers cash in on their offseason signing of Lynn by flipping him to the defending champs for a trio of prospects that should produce at the big league level in some form or fashion one day.

Boston Red Sox Get: RHP Mychal Givens
Baltimore Orioles Get: OF Nick Decker

Mychal Givens isn't Craig Kimbrel, but he's somebody.

[LetsGoMocs]

For those that may be curious, I used https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trade-simulator/ to assist in making the trades. The website assigns values to all of the players and prospects in baseball. It wasn't the be-all-end-all of all the deals, but it certainly helped. It made it fun for players that had multiple offers in on them, as I could go to that website and see who had the best package assembled.

[LetsGoMocs]

Friday, August 2, 2019

COLE CORRECTS REELING ASTROS

Gerrit Cole had a masterful performance against the lowly Seattle Mariners, halting the Astros six game losing streak. The losing streak found the Oakland Athletics, who had an off day Friday, just two games back of the division leading Astros. Cole pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing just two-hits and striking out 15 Seattle Mariners. Cole now has 232 strikeouts on the year, a commanding 34 strikeout lead over Max Scherzer.

"Gerrit is spectacular. That's the job of the ace is to keep the train from derailing and keep it on the tracks, and that's what he did today," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.

Cole improves to 12-5 with a 2.91 ERA. Combine that with his MLB-leading strikeout numbers, and he could be the favorite for the AL Cy Young Award, battling it out with former Astro Charlie Morton and fellow Astro Justin Verlander.

"I'm not really worried about that type of thing. I'm worried about winning the division and ultimately a World Series," Cole said.



AROUND THE LEAGUE

Justin Smoak hit two homers in the Nationals win over Arizona. The deadline acquisition has three homers in nine at-bats as a National.



The Cleveland Indians are on a six-game winning streak, leaving them 1 GB of the Twins and in the driver's seat for the AL Wild Card.

Boston swept both ends of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, scoring a blistering thirty runs over the two games.

[LetsGoMocs]

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

AROUND THE LEAGUE

The Dodgers will be without MVP candidate Cody Bellinger for 6-8 weeks after the outfielder tore his right quad. Bellinger leads the NL with 40 homers.

The New York Mets are 9-1 over their last 10, improving to 57-57, placing them just 2 1/2 GB of the second wild card spot. The Mets optioned Luis Urias to AAA. Urias is expected to play center field in an attempt to learn the position. He was the main piece of the Noah Syndergaard trade.

[LetsGoMocs]

Thursday, August 8, 2019

TWINS TAKE GAME ONE OF BIG SERIES

The Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians began play Thursday night tied atop the AL Central, and it would the Twins that left Target Field atop the AL Central after winning 7-2.

Minnesota (70-45) has seen their 11 1/2 game lead over the Indians disappear. The disappearance has more to do with the hard-charging Indians than a collapse, as the Twins have played over .500 baseball during that period. Minnesota hopes that the three game set will give the team some momentum and that they will begin to pull away once again.

"It was definitely a big win for us, but the bottom line is that's a good team and we've got to go win another one tomorrow," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.

The Twins got a quality start from left-hander Martin Perez, who is back in the rotation following an injury to Michal Pineda, who is expected to be out for the rest of the regular season with biceps tendinitis. Perez pitched 7 2/3, scattering 10 hits and striking out 10 hitters while only allowing two runs.

"It felt good to be back in the rotation and help the team win," Perez said.

As has been the story all season, the home run ball powered the Twins offense, as Ehire Adrianza, Miguel Sano, and Jonathan Schoop all homered.

The two teams will square off again at Target Field tomorrow night. All-Star Game MVP Shane Bieber (11-4, 3.55) will take the mound for Cleveland, while Jake Odorizzi (12-5, 3.78) will pitch for Minnesota.

[LetsGoMocs]

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

BUMGARNER RETURNS, GIANTS WALK IT OFF

40,000 fans lined the seats at Oracle Park to watch Madison Bumgarner toe the rubber as they had done so many times before. This time, however, they had to wait until the bottom of the frame to watch MadBum attack hitters. This time, Bumgarner was donning green and gold. The Giants would go on to win the game on a walk-off homer by Evan Longoria, an exciting end to a memorable night.

Just 15 days after being traded across the bay to Oakland, Bumgarner returned to pitch against the team that he had spent his entire career with. He took the mound to a standing ovation in the first inning. It was the second ovation he received on the night, following a video montage showed pre-game.

"Obviously I love these fans and I loved my time with the Giants. I walked into this ballpark for the first time as a visitor with the goal to make the Giants lose. We didn't do that," Bumgarner said.

Giants fans were in for a classic Bumgarner performance, as the lefty pitched seven innings, allowing one run on four hits and two walks. He struck out seven Giants. Bumgarner left with a 2-1 lead, but another deadline acquisition, Keone Kela, allowed solo homers in the 8th and 9th innings, blowing the lead, and ultimately, the game.

With the loss, the Athletics fall to 69-51, three games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays for the second wild card spot. The Giants improved to 61-60 three games back of the second wild card spot in the NL.

"I hope [the Giants] lose tomorrow, but aside from that I wish them nothing but the best and I hope they make a playoff run," Bumgarner said.



AROUND THE LEAGUE

The Houston Astros are the hottest team in baseball, having won 11 in a row.

The Cleveland Indians have taken command of the AL Central, and they now lead the Twins by 2 1/2 games.

A four game losing streak by the Cubs finds them 2 1/2 GB of the Milwaukee Brewers for the second wild card spot.

[LetsGoMocs]

I have finished simming through August. A comprehensive review of the month will come tomorrow, maybe after the deadline has passed so I can compare my trades/predictions with what has actually happened.

I got Stroman to New York right, just not the right New York team.

I got Yasiel Puig to Cleveland right...I just didn't think the major piece of that deal would be Trevor Bauer going to Cincy.

Who'da thunk real life is more mad than a video game?

[GoPedro99]

Dude!!!!! You predicted greinke to Houston!!! Haha