Start with trade needs then targets then determine the cost. Don’t focus on salary dumps.

[Carp4Cy]

This is how a GM wins trades or at least breaks even and gets better.

We need to be focusing on established players or prospects that could help our team and then ask the GM what it would cost and determine what we’re willing to give up. Just dumping FA to be or high priced vets with a no trade clause for an unspecified return (read lotto ticket or JAGs) does not get us a winning team. We’re not going to get anything that moves the needle for dumping veterans with high salaries. That will just make Bill’s wallet happier.

[Cusecards]

This is how a GM wins trades or at least breaks even and gets better.

We need to be focusing on established players or prospects that could help our team and then ask the GM what it would cost and determine what we’re willing to give up. Just dumping FA to be or high priced vets with a no trade clause for an unspecified return (read lotto ticket or JAGs) does not get us a winning team. We’re not going to get anything that moves the needle for dumping veterans with high salaries. That will just make Bill’s wallet happier.

Good points.
Although....if you KNOW you’re NOT going to resign a pending FA it kind of creates a sense of urgency.

[Carp4Cy]

This is how a GM wins trades or at least breaks even and gets better.

We need to be focusing on established players or prospects that could help our team and then ask the GM what it would cost and determine what we’re willing to give up. Just dumping FA to be or high priced vets with a no trade clause for an unspecified return (read lotto ticket or JAGs) does not get us a winning team. We’re not going to get anything that moves the needle for dumping veterans with high salaries. That will just make Bill’s wallet happier.

Good points.
Although....if you KNOW you’re NOT going to resign a pending FA it kind of creates a sense of urgency.

But IF we can acquire a bat that gets us into the playoffs, it might well make more sense to keep Mikolas for October than to trade him for someone with an expected future WAR of 0.

[Cusecards]

This is how a GM wins trades or at least breaks even and gets better.

We need to be focusing on established players or prospects that could help our team and then ask the GM what it would cost and determine what we’re willing to give up. Just dumping FA to be or high priced vets with a no trade clause for an unspecified return (read lotto ticket or JAGs) does not get us a winning team. We’re not going to get anything that moves the needle for dumping veterans with high salaries. That will just make Bill’s wallet happier.

Good points.
Although....if you KNOW you’re NOT going to resign a pending FA it kind of creates a sense of urgency.

But IF we can acquire a bat that gets us into the playoffs, it might well make more sense to keep Mikolas for October than to trade him for someone with an expected future WAR of 0.

True
Lots of posts about what the Cards will do at the deadline?
Honestly....for myself I’m still not sure.
Still a ways to go.

[Wattage]

This is how a GM wins trades or at least breaks even and gets better.

We need to be focusing on established players or prospects that could help our team and then ask the GM what it would cost and determine what we’re willing to give up. Just dumping FA to be or high priced vets with a no trade clause for an unspecified return (read lotto ticket or JAGs) does not get us a winning team. We’re not going to get anything that moves the needle for dumping veterans with high salaries. That will just make Bill’s wallet happier.

Good points.
Although....if you KNOW you’re NOT going to resign a pending FA it kind of creates a sense of urgency.

But IF we can acquire a bat that gets us into the playoffs, it might well make more sense to keep Mikolas for October than to trade him for someone with an expected future WAR of 0.

Even if we somehow still snuck into a 3rd wildcard spit, we arent go I ng anywhere this year. Focus should be on fufure. Dont hang onto players and then get nothing for them or trade away assets for.more rentals. Nit aint happenning this year. We shluld have traded helsley in the offseason when his value was higher

[Carp4Cy]

This is how a GM wins trades or at least breaks even and gets better.

We need to be focusing on established players or prospects that could help our team and then ask the GM what it would cost and determine what we’re willing to give up. Just dumping FA to be or high priced vets with a no trade clause for an unspecified return (read lotto ticket or JAGs) does not get us a winning team. We’re not going to get anything that moves the needle for dumping veterans with high salaries. That will just make Bill’s wallet happier.

Good points.
Although....if you KNOW you’re NOT going to resign a pending FA it kind of creates a sense of urgency.

But IF we can acquire a bat that gets us into the playoffs, it might well make more sense to keep Mikolas for October than to trade him for someone with an expected future WAR of 0.

Even if we somehow still snuck into a 3rd wildcard spit, we arent go I ng anywhere this year. Focus should be on fufure. Dont hang onto players and then get nothing for them or trade away assets for.more rentals. Nit aint happenning this year. We shluld have traded helsley in the offseason when his value was higher

DBacks just won a pennant from the 3rd wildcard. They were a 500 club all season and made some helpful deadline trades.

[Carp4Cy]

This is how a GM wins trades or at least breaks even and gets better.

We need to be focusing on established players or prospects that could help our team and then ask the GM what it would cost and determine what we’re willing to give up. Just dumping FA to be or high priced vets with a no trade clause for an unspecified return (read lotto ticket or JAGs) does not get us a winning team. We’re not going to get anything that moves the needle for dumping veterans with high salaries. That will just make Bill’s wallet happier.

Good points.
Although....if you KNOW you’re NOT going to resign a pending FA it kind of creates a sense of urgency.

But IF we can acquire a bat that gets us into the playoffs, it might well make more sense to keep Mikolas for October than to trade him for someone with an expected future WAR of 0.

Even if we somehow still snuck into a 3rd wildcard spit, we arent go I ng anywhere this year. Focus should be on fufure. Dont hang onto players and then get nothing for them or trade away assets for.more rentals. Nit aint happenning this year. We shluld have traded helsley in the offseason when his value was higher

And again it depends on who we’re getting back. There’s no point in trading Helsley or even Fetty or Mikolas if all were getting back is a Roycroft level third tier reliever.

Instead of leading with what we wanna get rid of to dump salary and asking a GM what they’ll give us as a cast off, start with who we want.

If we target a 3 to 4 war outfield bat and they’ll accept a Fedde and a prospect in trade then that’s probably a trade worth doing. Also with Helsley you have to weigh the return against a draft pick comp from a QO. That’s how we got Wacha. Comp pics are often better than what a team Will give up for Rental.

[Jatalk]

This is how a GM wins trades or at least breaks even and gets better.

We need to be focusing on established players or prospects that could help our team and then ask the GM what it would cost and determine what we’re willing to give up. Just dumping FA to be or high priced vets with a no trade clause for an unspecified return (read lotto ticket or JAGs) does not get us a winning team. We’re not going to get anything that moves the needle for dumping veterans with high salaries. That will just make Bill’s wallet happier.

Good points.
Although....if you KNOW you’re NOT going to resign a pending FA it kind of creates a sense of urgency.

It didn’t with Goldy but should have