The 2016 Cubs: SPLOOGE SPLOOGE SPLOOGE

[SKO]

Heck, Cole Hamels was the prize piece of the last two years and he netted:

Jerad Eickhoff (never even ranked)
Jorge Alfaro, AA Catcher, highest ranking was #31
Jake Thompson, roughly about the same caliber of prospect as Duane Underwood
Nick Williams, outfielder ranked about as highly as Billy McKinney
Matt Harrison (salary dump)

So a top tier starting pitcher under a below market value contract who was the biggest fish in the sea for two offseasons netted one top 50 prospect, another 70/80ish ranked OF, two middle of the rotations starter prospects, and the Phillies had to eat Matt Harrison's salary to get Texas to give up those guys.

You're telling me a relief pitcher is going to net a prospect package better than that? Because if not, Albert Almora would seem like a pretty damn good get for the Yankees.

[SKO]

Papelbon was the best reliever traded at last year's deadline (and he's not as good or as young as Miller so Miller would undoubtedly get a bigger return) and the Nats got him for their organizational equivalent of Pen's beloved Ryan Williams.

[Saul Goodman]

So we're sold on Tim Anderson then? I'm just trying to keep up.

[Oleg]

Heck, Cole Hamels was the prize piece of the last two years and he netted:

Jerad Eickhoff (never even ranked)
Jorge Alfaro, AA Catcher, highest ranking was #31
Jake Thompson, roughly about the same caliber of prospect as Duane Underwood
Nick Williams, outfielder ranked about as highly as Billy McKinney
Matt Harrison (salary dump)

So a top tier starting pitcher under a below market value contract who was the biggest fish in the sea for two offseasons netted one top 50 prospect, another 70/80ish ranked OF, two middle of the rotations starter prospects, and the Phillies had to eat Matt Harrison's salary to get Texas to give up those guys.

You're telling me a relief pitcher is going to net a prospect package better than that? Because if not, Albert Almora would seem like a pretty damn good get for the Yankees.

Counterpoint: Shelby Miller

[Oleg]

So we're sold on Tim Anderson then? I'm just trying to keep up.

Next Alex Garciaparra.

[Quality Start Machine]

Heck, Cole Hamels was the prize piece of the last two years and he netted:

Jerad Eickhoff (never even ranked)
Jorge Alfaro, AA Catcher, highest ranking was #31
Jake Thompson, roughly about the same caliber of prospect as Duane Underwood
Nick Williams, outfielder ranked about as highly as Billy McKinney
Matt Harrison (salary dump)

So a top tier starting pitcher under a below market value contract who was the biggest fish in the sea for two offseasons netted one top 50 prospect, another 70/80ish ranked OF, two middle of the rotations starter prospects, and the Phillies had to eat Matt Harrison's salary to get Texas to give up those guys.

You're telling me a relief pitcher is going to net a prospect package better than that? Because if not, Albert Almora would seem like a pretty damn good get for the Yankees.

Since it's Sterling and Hoyer negotiating, by the end of it all, I wouldn't be surprised if the Yankees wind up being giddy over getting Vogelbach. They do always get glassy-eyed over LH power bats.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I am enjoying all this debate about a guy who's got about 4 weeks left in the Cubs system.

Say, anybody know how Almora's WAR stacks up against Andrew Miller's?

Seems to me that the three pillars of this here newly-minted 2017 Cubs Splooge Thread oughta be (the aforementioned Willson, the Return of the Schwar Machine, and perhaps more than anything else...) Every Day Javy.

But then, I suppose Every Day Javy might be an actual thing even before Almora not being a Cub anymore becomes a thing.

The Yankees have no interest in Almora. They've got a fortune sunk into their outfield.

Scout Fork is now GM Fork. Because yeah the response to having bad expensive old outfielders certainly wouldn't be "replace them with cheap young outfielders" and the Yankees aren't a franchise with the money to pay guys to not play for them. No way.

If they're shopping in the Cubs farm system, do you seriously think Almora is anywhere on their list? If he is, he's after Contreras, Underwood, Blackburn and Torres at the very least.

I think if Almora is better than whatever they have in the pipeline in CF then yes, they're probably looking at him. That is how this works

If we're going by what the Yankees have in their pipeline, then shit, send them Murton.

I have no idea what you're talking about anymore.

Oh, nothing but two seemingly diametrically-opposed notions in sucessive posts, my god it's nearly taken my breath away, beginning with some Matt Harvey-sized Forkperbole: A) Yankees have no need Almora, he's down their list etc. and then B) The Yankees minor league outfield depth is so thin that Matt Murton would be an improvement, they'd happily take him.

I need to sit down.

[Quality Start Machine]

I am enjoying all this debate about a guy who's got about 4 weeks left in the Cubs system.

Say, anybody know how Almora's WAR stacks up against Andrew Miller's?

Seems to me that the three pillars of this here newly-minted 2017 Cubs Splooge Thread oughta be (the aforementioned Willson, the Return of the Schwar Machine, and perhaps more than anything else...) Every Day Javy.

But then, I suppose Every Day Javy might be an actual thing even before Almora not being a Cub anymore becomes a thing.

The Yankees have no interest in Almora. They've got a fortune sunk into their outfield.

Scout Fork is now GM Fork. Because yeah the response to having bad expensive old outfielders certainly wouldn't be "replace them with cheap young outfielders" and the Yankees aren't a franchise with the money to pay guys to not play for them. No way.

If they're shopping in the Cubs farm system, do you seriously think Almora is anywhere on their list? If he is, he's after Contreras, Underwood, Blackburn and Torres at the very least.

I think if Almora is better than whatever they have in the pipeline in CF then yes, they're probably looking at him. That is how this works

If we're going by what the Yankees have in their pipeline, then shit, send them Murton.

I have no idea what you're talking about anymore.

Oh, nothing but two seemingly diametrically-opposed notions in sucessive posts, my god it's nearly taken my breath away, beginning with some Matt Harvey-sized Forkperbole: A) Yankees have no need Almora, he's down their list etc. and then B) The Yankees minor league outfield depth is so thin that Matt Murton would be an improvement, they'd happily take him.

I need to sit down.

Their entire farm system is putrid. But they just happen to have greater needs than center field.

[Canadouche]

I am enjoying all this debate about a guy who's got about 4 weeks left in the Cubs system.

Say, anybody know how Almora's WAR stacks up against Andrew Miller's?

Seems to me that the three pillars of this here newly-minted 2017 Cubs Splooge Thread oughta be (the aforementioned Willson, the Return of the Schwar Machine, and perhaps more than anything else...) Every Day Javy.

But then, I suppose Every Day Javy might be an actual thing even before Almora not being a Cub anymore becomes a thing.

The Yankees have no interest in Almora. They've got a fortune sunk into their outfield.

Scout Fork is now GM Fork. Because yeah the response to having bad expensive old outfielders certainly wouldn't be "replace them with cheap young outfielders" and the Yankees aren't a franchise with the money to pay guys to not play for them. No way.

If they're shopping in the Cubs farm system, do you seriously think Almora is anywhere on their list? If he is, he's after Contreras, Underwood, Blackburn and Torres at the very least.

I think if Almora is better than whatever they have in the pipeline in CF then yes, they're probably looking at him. That is how this works

If we're going by what the Yankees have in their pipeline, then shit, send them Murton.

I have no idea what you're talking about anymore.

Oh, nothing but two seemingly diametrically-opposed notions in sucessive posts, my god it's nearly taken my breath away, beginning with some Matt Harvey-sized Forkperbole: A) Yankees have no need Almora, he's down their list etc. and then B) The Yankees minor league outfield depth is so thin that Matt Murton would be an improvement, they'd happily take him.

I need to sit down.

I ... think Fork is saying that Almora is a gem the Cubs don't need to part with to get what they want from the Yankees.

[Yeti]

I am enjoying all this debate about a guy who's got about 4 weeks left in the Cubs system.

Say, anybody know how Almora's WAR stacks up against Andrew Miller's?

Seems to me that the three pillars of this here newly-minted 2017 Cubs Splooge Thread oughta be (the aforementioned Willson, the Return of the Schwar Machine, and perhaps more than anything else...) Every Day Javy.

But then, I suppose Every Day Javy might be an actual thing even before Almora not being a Cub anymore becomes a thing.

The Yankees have no interest in Almora. They've got a fortune sunk into their outfield.

Scout Fork is now GM Fork. Because yeah the response to having bad expensive old outfielders certainly wouldn't be "replace them with cheap young outfielders" and the Yankees aren't a franchise with the money to pay guys to not play for them. No way.

If they're shopping in the Cubs farm system, do you seriously think Almora is anywhere on their list? If he is, he's after Contreras, Underwood, Blackburn and Torres at the very least.

I think if Almora is better than whatever they have in the pipeline in CF then yes, they're probably looking at him. That is how this works

If we're going by what the Yankees have in their pipeline, then shit, send them Murton.

I have no idea what you're talking about anymore.

Oh, nothing but two seemingly diametrically-opposed notions in sucessive posts, my god it's nearly taken my breath away, beginning with some Matt Harvey-sized Forkperbole: A) Yankees have no need Almora, he's down their list etc. and then B) The Yankees minor league outfield depth is so thin that Matt Murton would be an improvement, they'd happily take him.

I need to sit down.

Their entire farm system is putrid. But they just happen to have greater needs than center field.

The organizational health of the Cubs is clearly better, but here are 2 sites that ranked the Yankees' system as better than the Cubs' system. I don't pretend to know that much about the Yankees' farm system, as there are 30 teams and knowing the depth of one system is enough, let alone 29 others, but people who write about it claim the Yankees' system isn't "putrid"
https://mlbreports.com/prospects/2016-mlb-farm-system-rankings/
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2016/4/2/11333890/minor-league-baseball-farm-system-rankings-for-2016

[SKO]

I am enjoying all this debate about a guy who's got about 4 weeks left in the Cubs system.

Say, anybody know how Almora's WAR stacks up against Andrew Miller's?

Seems to me that the three pillars of this here newly-minted 2017 Cubs Splooge Thread oughta be (the aforementioned Willson, the Return of the Schwar Machine, and perhaps more than anything else...) Every Day Javy.

But then, I suppose Every Day Javy might be an actual thing even before Almora not being a Cub anymore becomes a thing.

The Yankees have no interest in Almora. They've got a fortune sunk into their outfield.

Scout Fork is now GM Fork. Because yeah the response to having bad expensive old outfielders certainly wouldn't be "replace them with cheap young outfielders" and the Yankees aren't a franchise with the money to pay guys to not play for them. No way.

If they're shopping in the Cubs farm system, do you seriously think Almora is anywhere on their list? If he is, he's after Contreras, Underwood, Blackburn and Torres at the very least.

I think if Almora is better than whatever they have in the pipeline in CF then yes, they're probably looking at him. That is how this works

If we're going by what the Yankees have in their pipeline, then shit, send them Murton.

I have no idea what you're talking about anymore.

Oh, nothing but two seemingly diametrically-opposed notions in sucessive posts, my god it's nearly taken my breath away, beginning with some Matt Harvey-sized Forkperbole: A) Yankees have no need Almora, he's down their list etc. and then B) The Yankees minor league outfield depth is so thin that Matt Murton would be an improvement, they'd happily take him.

I need to sit down.

I ... think Fork is saying that Almora is a gem the Cubs don't need to part with to get what they want from the Yankees.

maybe that was what his second statement indicated, but that completely contradicts his first post, which basically said the Yankees would refuse to negotiate unless the Cubs gave up one of their prospects that's better than Almora.

[Saul Goodman]

Heck, Cole Hamels was the prize piece of the last two years and he netted:

Jerad Eickhoff (never even ranked)
Jorge Alfaro, AA Catcher, highest ranking was #31
Jake Thompson, roughly about the same caliber of prospect as Duane Underwood
Nick Williams, outfielder ranked about as highly as Billy McKinney
Matt Harrison (salary dump)

So a top tier starting pitcher under a below market value contract who was the biggest fish in the sea for two offseasons netted one top 50 prospect, another 70/80ish ranked OF, two middle of the rotations starter prospects, and the Phillies had to eat Matt Harrison's salary to get Texas to give up those guys.

You're telling me a relief pitcher is going to net a prospect package better than that? Because if not, Albert Almora would seem like a pretty damn good get for the Yankees.

Since it's Sterling and Hoyer negotiating, by the end of it all, I wouldn't be surprised if the Yankees wind up being giddy over getting Vogelbach. They do always get glassy-eyed over LH power bats.

Who is Sterling? Does Brian Cashman know about this?

[Shooter]

Papelbon was the best reliever traded at last year's deadline (and he's not as good or as young as Miller so Miller would undoubtedly get a bigger return) and the Nats got him for their organizational equivalent of Pen's beloved Ryan Williams.

The Red Sox got a pretty good haul for Miller when they traded him at the deadline in 2014 (when he was a FA after the season).

[Quality Start Machine]

I am enjoying all this debate about a guy who's got about 4 weeks left in the Cubs system.

Say, anybody know how Almora's WAR stacks up against Andrew Miller's?

Seems to me that the three pillars of this here newly-minted 2017 Cubs Splooge Thread oughta be (the aforementioned Willson, the Return of the Schwar Machine, and perhaps more than anything else...) Every Day Javy.

But then, I suppose Every Day Javy might be an actual thing even before Almora not being a Cub anymore becomes a thing.

The Yankees have no interest in Almora. They've got a fortune sunk into their outfield.

Scout Fork is now GM Fork. Because yeah the response to having bad expensive old outfielders certainly wouldn't be "replace them with cheap young outfielders" and the Yankees aren't a franchise with the money to pay guys to not play for them. No way.

If they're shopping in the Cubs farm system, do you seriously think Almora is anywhere on their list? If he is, he's after Contreras, Underwood, Blackburn and Torres at the very least.

I think if Almora is better than whatever they have in the pipeline in CF then yes, they're probably looking at him. That is how this works

If we're going by what the Yankees have in their pipeline, then shit, send them Murton.

I have no idea what you're talking about anymore.

Oh, nothing but two seemingly diametrically-opposed notions in sucessive posts, my god it's nearly taken my breath away, beginning with some Matt Harvey-sized Forkperbole: A) Yankees have no need Almora, he's down their list etc. and then B) The Yankees minor league outfield depth is so thin that Matt Murton would be an improvement, they'd happily take him.

I need to sit down.

I ... think Fork is saying that Almora is a gem the Cubs don't need to part with to get what they want from the Yankees.

maybe that was what his second statement indicated, but that completely contradicts his first post, which basically said the Yankees would refuse to negotiate unless the Cubs gave up one of their prospects that's better than Almora.

I also don't think Almora is the guy who is going to make Yankee front office people's nether regions tingly. A glove guy with no power is something they don't usually pursue.

[Brownie]

Heck, Cole Hamels was the prize piece of the last two years and he netted:

Jerad Eickhoff (never even ranked)
Jorge Alfaro, AA Catcher, highest ranking was #31
Jake Thompson, roughly about the same caliber of prospect as Duane Underwood
Nick Williams, outfielder ranked about as highly as Billy McKinney
Matt Harrison (salary dump)

So a top tier starting pitcher under a below market value contract who was the biggest fish in the sea for two offseasons netted one top 50 prospect, another 70/80ish ranked OF, two middle of the rotations starter prospects, and the Phillies had to eat Matt Harrison's salary to get Texas to give up those guys.

You're telling me a relief pitcher is going to net a prospect package better than that? Because if not, Albert Almora would seem like a pretty damn good get for the Yankees.

Counterpoint: Shelby Miller

Well, the genius couldn't just give Dansby Swanson away.