A few days ago the Kaline Drive and Old Detroit Wolverines kicked off the EFL trade season with a bang. It must have been the spark to start the fire, because just a day or two later, the Boston Red Sox traded two RPs to the Phillies for the first MLB trade of the year.
With the MLB trade deadline 9 days away, I expect to see more trades happening, though who knows if they will be considered big trades or not, due the uniqueness of this season. What about the EFL? Do owners see this shortened season as important enough to swing some trades in order to strengthen the weak parts of our teams for the final 30ish games? We’ve seen that large swings can happen in the standings, and most often a 4 or 5 game lead in September would spell doom for the rest of the league. But not this year! There are so many variables that things seem to shift almost daily. So how valuable are our players? Do I have someone you might want? Do you have someone I might need, in order to finish strong this season but also prepare myself for next season?
Fangraphs has attempted to help us out, yesterday posting their 2020 Trade Value Top 50. One it are many different EFL players. We own 80% of the Top 10, and in total can claim 39 of the 50 for our EFL teams. So should we just hold onto these valuable trade chips? Or seek to cash them in over the next 9 days? See below to find out…
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
RS |
RA |
| Kaline Drive |
17 |
10 |
.642 |
— |
138.1 |
102.2 |
| Haviland Dragons |
15 |
12 |
.559 |
2.2 |
153.7 |
136.0 |
| D.C. Balk |
12 |
14 |
.458 |
4.9 |
127.3 |
138.7 |
| Cottage Cheese |
11 |
14 |
.452 |
5 |
115.0 |
126.7 |
| Flint Hill Tornadoes |
11 |
14 |
.439 |
5.4 |
123.9 |
146.0 |
| Peshastin Pears |
12 |
16 |
.420 |
6.1 |
131.8 |
155.0 |
| Bellingham Cascades |
11 |
16 |
.411 |
6.2 |
129.3 |
166.9 |
| Canberra Kangaroos |
10 |
16 |
.398 |
6.5 |
123.0 |
152.4 |
| Portland Rosebuds |
11 |
17 |
.388 |
7 |
156.6 |
196.6 |
| Pittsburgh Alleghenys |
10 |
17 |
.376 |
7.2 |
122.1 |
156.8 |
| Old Detroit Wolverines |
7 |
18 |
.269 |
9.6 |
91.9 |
149.8 |
Kaline: L, 3-8 (42PA; 15IP)
| AVG: 0.167 |
OBP: 0.286 |
SLG: 0.417 |
OPS: 0.702 |
The Drive addressed their most pressing need already, acquiring a catcher to address the 55 replacement innings at the position this month. Their most glaring need left is at 2B, where they have received modest production from Michael Chavis, but he has not played enough which means the Drive management believes they can do better at the position. Their targets should include: Brad Miller, Jason Kipnis, or to make a big splash, Jose Altuve.
Though the Drive have proven to be a formidable presence atop the standings this month, they have shown some cracks the past couple of days, giving the rest of the league (well, a lot of the rest of the league) some hope.
Haviland: W, 5-4 (37PA; 1IP)
| AVG: 0.219 |
OBP: 0.324 |
SLG: 0.375 |
OPS: 0.699 |
The Dragons eked out a win though they didn’t really impress on the field yesterday. Their August has been especially productive and they now find themselves just 2.2 games back of the Drive. Their biggest needs appear to be at 1B and in the OF. Thus, they should be targeting some of the following: Michael Conforto, Josh Bell, Kyle Schwarber, Jose Aguilar, Joey Gallo, Byron Buxton, Brian Goodwin, Stephen Piscotty or to make a big splash, Yasmani Grandal who would give him depth at Catcher and also fill in at 1B.
DC: L, 0-8 (31PA; no pitching)
| AVG: 0.161 |
OBP: 0.161 |
SLG: 0.226 |
OPS: 0.387 |
A poem: 5 hits and no walks on the day, that’s not the way the Balk need to play (end poem). The Balk have been fortunate (or just good at planning) to not have any replacement players in the field. Pitching has been another story, though. They have had over 20 innings of replacement SP and another 5 of RP. So they know their target – pitching! Who has extra pitching to unload? Two teams have said aloud or at least insinuated their chances for winning this year are moot, and these two teams have also been able to stave off very many replacement innings in terms of pitching – the Wolverines and the Alleghenys. So here is who the Balk might target on those teams: AJ Minter, David Phelps, and perhaps Robbie Ray from, the Wolverines, and from the Alleghenys he could focus on several players, the most enticing being Frankie Montas and Jon Gray.
Cottage: W, 7-4 (32PA; 5IP)
| AVG: 0.379 |
OBP: 0.438 |
SLG: 0.655 |
OPS: 1.093 |
The Cheese players demonstrated yesterday that they want their owner to push for a championship this year, putting up excellent numbers on the day led by Yandy Diaz (3 for 3 with a HR) and Danny Duffy (5IP, 1ER). So who do the Cheese need in order to take the next step? Their most glaring needs are at catcher and 3B. We already mentioned Grandal as one catching target for them, and I know for a fact the Tornadoes have 3 catchers performing quite well right now: Cervelli, Severino and Romine.
At 3B, there might be some intriguing options to pursue: Gio Urshela, Eduardo Escobar and Alex Bregman, to name a few.
Flint Hill: W0, L(-1) (-8)-(-9) (46PA; 4IP)
| AVG: 0.190 |
OBP: 0.261 |
SLG: 0.333 |
OPS: 0.594 |
The Tornadoes were helped by the Rays loss and fall from first place in the AL East yesterday. With the Yankees not playing this weekend, there could be some more flip-flopping happening for the Tornadoes and Wolverines (both in the AL East), which will be bad for Flint Hill if we continue to play as we have been. What we need is a shot of adrenaline through a blockbuster trade or three. Our pitching has been our achilles heel this month, and we need to address it if we want to have any chance in these last 30 games. We also need to address 1B, so if you have an idea of how we could do that, let me know! I’ve already pestered so many of you, but maybe your heart has been strangely warmed today and you’d like to offer me another chance at your players. Let’s make a deal!
Peshastin: L, 2-5 (39PA; 4IP)
| AVG: 0.171 |
OBP: 0.256 |
SLG: 0.286 |
OPS: 0.542 |
We are getting into the area of the EFL standings where I am guessing (and in some cases have been told) that teams are more likely to sell than to buy. So who would return the most for the Pears if they were to trade them this season? A couple of names stand out: Alex Wood and Victor Robles. Both of them have contracts that expire in 2021 and are positions of strength for the Pears. Both of them would attract a good return due to their contracts going beyond this year and their ability to help a club this season.
Bellingham: L, (-2)-0 (25PA; 12IP)
| AVG: 0.087 |
OBP: 0.160 |
SLG: 0.087 |
OPS: 0.247 |
The Cascades have some intriguing names to shop, and will have to decide if they want to try and finish better than they ever have or if they want to try and gather some emerging talent for the next few years – both options seem fun and interesting! Hanser Alberto is cheap, good, and controllable through next season – I imagine he would return a couple of very good and long term pieces. Paul Goldschmidt could also be intriguing, though a little more expensive. It would give the Cascades some financial flexibility in the years to come, which might be nice.
Canberra: L, 6-10 (32PA; 3.7IP)
| AVG: 0.250 |
OBP: 0.344 |
SLG: 0.393 |
OPS: 0.737 |
The Roos have some intriguing names to float to interested owners, beginning with those already mentioned – Alex Bregman and Michael Conforto. Each would have a slightly different return, I am guessing, but both of them would add a shot of excitement into the fans of a contending team. Another name for a contending team with money to consider – Starling Marte, who is quietly having a nice year and is controllable through 2021.
Portland: W, 11-8 (36PA; 5.6IP)
| AVG: 0.406 |
OBP: 0.472 |
SLG: 0.750 |
OPS: 1.222 |
Rosebud batters, perhaps afraid of being shipped off to a team with a less storied past, had themselves a monster day. New addition Marcell Ozuna had 2 HRs and Anthony Rendon had 4 hits. I know for a fact that Rosebud management is shopping different players, and has thus signalled his willingness to make some deals. Some players who many be of particular interest to someone: Yasmani Grandal, Trevor Williams, or Tommy Pham (depending on your level of risk since he is currently on the IL). It will be fun to see what the Rosebuds conjure up in the next few days, because if history is an indication, you know they will be active.
Pittsburgh: “L,” 6-5 (39PA; 11.7PA)
| AVG: 0.314 |
OBP: 0.385 |
SLG: 0.429 |
OPS: 0.813 |
| ERA: 4.62 |
WHIP: 1.197 |
IP: 11.7 |
Allegheny management has been very quiet on the trade market for as long as I have been in the league. Though he does make them, it has to be a very shrewd deal to pique his interest. I’ve already mentioned Altuve as one name who could net him some future talent, and his OF is full of people with contract expiring this year or next who might have enough value to infuse some youth into the Pittsburgh roster. This might be the year for Pittsburgh to have some trade deadline movement – we’ll see!
Old Detroit: W1, L(-2) (-3)-(-21)
| AVG: 0.205 |
OBP: 0.280 |
SLG: 0.409 |
OPS: 0.689 |
Perhaps Wolverine management took too long to make a trade this season, if this is how his team was going to respond. They gained 1.5 games on the Drive, and now sit just 2.4 games behind the Alleghenys. We know Wolverine management likes to make trades, and his offers are always well-thought out and usually reasoned for you so you have to do little work besides saying yes or no (though you might have to do some work to see if his reasoning is indeed sound). He has already made one move, and I would bet on at least one if not two more. I have already been rebuffed by him, and while it stung a little, it has no deterred me nor should it deter you. Some names to pursue: Josh Bell, Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner. What about if you offered him your first round pick? Could you pry away the likes of Rafael Devers, Eloy Jimenez or Walker Buehler? Probably not, but maybe?
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| New York Yankees |
16 |
9 |
.640 |
— |
| Tampa Bay Rays |
17 |
10 |
.630 |
— |
| Toronto Blue Jays |
13 |
11 |
.542 |
2.5 |
| Baltimore Orioles |
12 |
14 |
.462 |
4.5 |
| Flint Hill Tornadoes |
11 |
14 |
.439 |
5 |
| Boston Red Sox |
9 |
18 |
.333 |
8 |
| Old Detroit Wolverines |
7 |
18 |
.269 |
9.3 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Atlanta Braves |
15 |
11 |
.577 |
— |
| Miami Marlins |
10 |
9 |
.526 |
1.5 |
| New York Mets |
12 |
14 |
.462 |
3 |
| D.C. Balk |
12 |
14 |
.458 |
3.1 |
| Washington Nationals |
9 |
13 |
.409 |
4 |
| Philadelphia Phillies |
9 |
13 |
.409 |
4 |
| Canberra Kangaroos |
10 |
16 |
.398 |
4.7 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Minnesota Twins |
17 |
10 |
.630 |
— |
| Cleveland Indians |
16 |
10 |
.615 |
0.5 |
| Chicago White Sox |
16 |
11 |
.593 |
1 |
| Kansas City Royals |
11 |
15 |
.423 |
5.5 |
| Detroit Tigers |
10 |
14 |
.417 |
5.5 |
| Bellingham Cascades |
11 |
16 |
.411 |
5.9 |
| Pittsburgh Alleghenys |
10 |
17 |
.376 |
6.8 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Chicago Cubs |
16 |
9 |
.640 |
— |
| St. Louis Cardinals |
7 |
8 |
.467 |
4 |
| Milwaukee Brewers |
11 |
13 |
.458 |
4.5 |
| Cincinnati Reds |
11 |
13 |
.458 |
4.5 |
| Cottage Cheese |
11 |
14 |
.452 |
4.7 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates |
5 |
17 |
.227 |
9.5 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Oakland A’s |
19 |
8 |
.704 |
— |
| Kaline Drive |
17 |
10 |
.642 |
1.7 |
| Houston Astros |
15 |
11 |
.577 |
3.5 |
| Haviland Dragons |
15 |
12 |
.559 |
3.9 |
| Texas Rangers |
10 |
15 |
.400 |
8 |
| Seattle Mariners |
9 |
19 |
.321 |
10.5 |
| Los Angeles Angels |
8 |
19 |
.296 |
11 |
| TEAM |
WINS |
LOSSES |
PCT. |
GB |
| Los Angeles Dodgers |
20 |
8 |
.714 |
— |
| San Diego Padres |
16 |
12 |
.571 |
4 |
| Colorado Rockies |
13 |
13 |
.500 |
6 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks |
13 |
14 |
.481 |
6.5 |
| San Francisco Giants |
12 |
16 |
.429 |
8 |
| Peshastin Pears |
12 |
16 |
.420 |
8.2 |
| Portland Rosebuds |
11 |
17 |
.388 |
9.1 |
Nice post, Jamie. It was fun to read speculations about our trade intentions. You did at LEAST as well, I’m guessing, with similar amounts of information as Jim Bowden did today in his piece on trades he wishes teams would make in MLB’s western divisions.
In answer to your final two questions: No, and No.
On the other hand, you might be onto something about Trea Turner. I hadn’t given him enough thought as trade bait. But now that Luis Urias is eligible at 2b, 3b AND ss, I have someone who can finish the season for me…
Let’s see– who did you say would be looking for middle infield help?