Will Bloom do something similar to the Betts trade with Donovan?

[2ninr]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

I don't know enough about Bernal but Nootbaar brings nothing in return. Same with Walker. Mathews walked 74 in 99 innings. The only potential bright spot is if Bloom is changing the overbearing front office knows everything attitude and possibly Walker will revert to his rookie year before they sent him down to change/ruin his swing. Nootbaar would be a trade simply to clear a roster spot. Could Mathews learn how to throw strikes? Doubt he will bring much in return until and unless he does.

Arenado would be to clear roster space. Unless they can hit a home run in a Donovan trade I'd keep him with an infield of Donovan, Winn, Wetherholt and Contreras or Hererra or Burleson at 1B depending on possible trades.

I believe Contreras would bring good return. Gray is still a legit starter although no longer an ace but his contract is probably going to get him traded.

Scotch-Mel is wrong about all of this except Aranado. Noot, Walker, and Matthews have no real trade value. We would be giving them away. Donovan has value. Bernal is not the catching prospect they trade. Melville likes Crooks.

[ScotchMIrish]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

I don't know enough about Bernal but Nootbaar brings nothing in return. Same with Walker. Mathews walked 74 in 99 innings. The only potential bright spot is if Bloom is changing the overbearing front office knows everything attitude and possibly Walker will revert to his rookie year before they sent him down to change/ruin his swing. Nootbaar would be a trade simply to clear a roster spot. Could Mathews learn how to throw strikes? Doubt he will bring much in return until and unless he does.

Arenado would be to clear roster space. Unless they can hit a home run in a Donovan trade I'd keep him with an infield of Donovan, Winn, Wetherholt and Contreras or Hererra or Burleson at 1B depending on possible trades.

I believe Contreras would bring good return. Gray is still a legit starter although no longer an ace but his contract is probably going to get him traded.

Scotch-Mel is wrong about all of this except Aranado. Noot, Walker, and Matthews have no real trade value. We would be giving them away. Donovan has value. Bernal is not the catching prospect they trade. Melville likes Crooks.

You think I am the same person as Melville?

[2ninr]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

I don't know enough about Bernal but Nootbaar brings nothing in return. Same with Walker. Mathews walked 74 in 99 innings. The only potential bright spot is if Bloom is changing the overbearing front office knows everything attitude and possibly Walker will revert to his rookie year before they sent him down to change/ruin his swing. Nootbaar would be a trade simply to clear a roster spot. Could Mathews learn how to throw strikes? Doubt he will bring much in return until and unless he does.

Arenado would be to clear roster space. Unless they can hit a home run in a Donovan trade I'd keep him with an infield of Donovan, Winn, Wetherholt and Contreras or Hererra or Burleson at 1B depending on possible trades.

I believe Contreras would bring good return. Gray is still a legit starter although no longer an ace but his contract is probably going to get him traded.

Scotch-Mel is wrong about all of this except Aranado. Noot, Walker, and Matthews have no real trade value. We would be giving them away. Donovan has value. Bernal is not the catching prospect they trade. Melville likes Crooks.

You think I am the same person as Melville?

There's only 1 Mel and you aren't it.

[ScotchMIrish]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

I don't know enough about Bernal but Nootbaar brings nothing in return. Same with Walker. Mathews walked 74 in 99 innings. The only potential bright spot is if Bloom is changing the overbearing front office knows everything attitude and possibly Walker will revert to his rookie year before they sent him down to change/ruin his swing. Nootbaar would be a trade simply to clear a roster spot. Could Mathews learn how to throw strikes? Doubt he will bring much in return until and unless he does.

Arenado would be to clear roster space. Unless they can hit a home run in a Donovan trade I'd keep him with an infield of Donovan, Winn, Wetherholt and Contreras or Hererra or Burleson at 1B depending on possible trades.

I believe Contreras would bring good return. Gray is still a legit starter although no longer an ace but his contract is probably going to get him traded.

Scotch-Mel is wrong about all of this except Aranado. Noot, Walker, and Matthews have no real trade value. We would be giving them away. Donovan has value. Bernal is not the catching prospect they trade. Melville likes Crooks.

You think I am the same person as Melville?

There's only 1 Mel and you aren't it.

That's correct. Perhaps you should re-read what I posted. It wasn't the same as Melville.

[2ninr]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

I don't know enough about Bernal but Nootbaar brings nothing in return. Same with Walker. Mathews walked 74 in 99 innings. The only potential bright spot is if Bloom is changing the overbearing front office knows everything attitude and possibly Walker will revert to his rookie year before they sent him down to change/ruin his swing. Nootbaar would be a trade simply to clear a roster spot. Could Mathews learn how to throw strikes? Doubt he will bring much in return until and unless he does.

Arenado would be to clear roster space. Unless they can hit a home run in a Donovan trade I'd keep him with an infield of Donovan, Winn, Wetherholt and Contreras or Hererra or Burleson at 1B depending on possible trades.

I believe Contreras would bring good return. Gray is still a legit starter although no longer an ace but his contract is probably going to get him traded.

Scotch-Mel is wrong about all of this except Aranado. Noot, Walker, and Matthews have no real trade value. We would be giving them away. Donovan has value. Bernal is not the catching prospect they trade. Melville likes Crooks.

You think I am the same person as Melville?

There's only 1 Mel and you aren't it.

That's correct. Perhaps you should re-read what I posted. It wasn't the same as Melville.

I ws agreeing with you. I do know about Bernal. Mel insists they're trading him and keeping jimmi Crooks. Bernal is better defense by far and switch hit.

[ScotchMIrish]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

I don't know enough about Bernal but Nootbaar brings nothing in return. Same with Walker. Mathews walked 74 in 99 innings. The only potential bright spot is if Bloom is changing the overbearing front office knows everything attitude and possibly Walker will revert to his rookie year before they sent him down to change/ruin his swing. Nootbaar would be a trade simply to clear a roster spot. Could Mathews learn how to throw strikes? Doubt he will bring much in return until and unless he does.

Arenado would be to clear roster space. Unless they can hit a home run in a Donovan trade I'd keep him with an infield of Donovan, Winn, Wetherholt and Contreras or Hererra or Burleson at 1B depending on possible trades.

I believe Contreras would bring good return. Gray is still a legit starter although no longer an ace but his contract is probably going to get him traded.

Scotch-Mel is wrong about all of this except Aranado. Noot, Walker, and Matthews have no real trade value. We would be giving them away. Donovan has value. Bernal is not the catching prospect they trade. Melville likes Crooks.

You think I am the same person as Melville?

There's only 1 Mel and you aren't it.

That's correct. Perhaps you should re-read what I posted. It wasn't the same as Melville.

I ws agreeing with you. I do know about Bernal. Mel insists they're trading him and keeping jimmi Crooks. Bernal is better defense by far and switch hit.

Okay. Do you think Hererra will be able to catch after the arm surgery or was he bad at throwing out runners prior to the injury?

[2ninr]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

I don't know enough about Bernal but Nootbaar brings nothing in return. Same with Walker. Mathews walked 74 in 99 innings. The only potential bright spot is if Bloom is changing the overbearing front office knows everything attitude and possibly Walker will revert to his rookie year before they sent him down to change/ruin his swing. Nootbaar would be a trade simply to clear a roster spot. Could Mathews learn how to throw strikes? Doubt he will bring much in return until and unless he does.

Arenado would be to clear roster space. Unless they can hit a home run in a Donovan trade I'd keep him with an infield of Donovan, Winn, Wetherholt and Contreras or Hererra or Burleson at 1B depending on possible trades.

I believe Contreras would bring good return. Gray is still a legit starter although no longer an ace but his contract is probably going to get him traded.

Scotch-Mel is wrong about all of this except Aranado. Noot, Walker, and Matthews have no real trade value. We would be giving them away. Donovan has value. Bernal is not the catching prospect they trade. Melville likes Crooks.

You think I am the same person as Melville?

There's only 1 Mel and you aren't it.

That's correct. Perhaps you should re-read what I posted. It wasn't the same as Melville.

I ws agreeing with you. I do know about Bernal. Mel insists they're trading him and keeping jimmi Crooks. Bernal is better defense by far and switch hit.

Okay. Do you think Hererra will be able to catch after the arm surgery or was he bad at throwing out runners prior to the injury?

I am baffled by it. He ((Herrera) wasn't just bad. I don't see how this surgery transforms him into a good defensive catcher. The only thing I can figure is he asked and they're accommodating him. Maybe he plays until Bernal is ready.Bernal is the best defensive catcher we have in the system. His offense tailed off last year, or I would say he had a shot out of spring training. I don't see them trading Herrera, but it's more likely than Bernal.

[sikeston bulldog2]

I’m muffed. Face first. We don’t have a Betts so I don’t think it applies. That shook baseball. Trading Donovan would barely rattle STL.

[Cardinals4Life]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

Mel,

You knew Mo better than he knew himself. That was obvious. What about Bloom?

[redbirdfan51]

Bloom is creative and thinks out of the box. I wouldn't be surprised if he couples a player like Nado with a big contract with a prospect or a player with an affordable contract like Donovan, prospect or Noot to sweeten the deal.

[ecleme22]

Bloom is creative and thinks out of the box. I wouldn't be surprised if he couples a player like Nado with a big contract with a prospect or a player with an affordable contract like Donovan, prospect or Noot to sweeten the deal.

No, he wouldn't do that. Unless it sweetens the return in an way he approves of.

[ScotchMIrish]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

I don't know enough about Bernal but Nootbaar brings nothing in return. Same with Walker. Mathews walked 74 in 99 innings. The only potential bright spot is if Bloom is changing the overbearing front office knows everything attitude and possibly Walker will revert to his rookie year before they sent him down to change/ruin his swing. Nootbaar would be a trade simply to clear a roster spot. Could Mathews learn how to throw strikes? Doubt he will bring much in return until and unless he does.

Arenado would be to clear roster space. Unless they can hit a home run in a Donovan trade I'd keep him with an infield of Donovan, Winn, Wetherholt and Contreras or Hererra or Burleson at 1B depending on possible trades.

I believe Contreras would bring good return. Gray is still a legit starter although no longer an ace but his contract is probably going to get him traded.

Scotch-Mel is wrong about all of this except Aranado. Noot, Walker, and Matthews have no real trade value. We would be giving them away. Donovan has value. Bernal is not the catching prospect they trade. Melville likes Crooks.

You think I am the same person as Melville?

There's only 1 Mel and you aren't it.

That's correct. Perhaps you should re-read what I posted. It wasn't the same as Melville.

I ws agreeing with you. I do know about Bernal. Mel insists they're trading him and keeping jimmi Crooks. Bernal is better defense by far and switch hit.

Okay. Do you think Hererra will be able to catch after the arm surgery or was he bad at throwing out runners prior to the injury?

I am baffled by it. He ((Herrera) wasn't just bad. I don't see how this surgery transforms him into a good defensive catcher. The only thing I can figure is he asked and they're accommodating him. Maybe he plays until Bernal is ready.Bernal is the best defensive catcher we have in the system. His offense tailed off last year, or I would say he had a shot out of spring training. I don't see them trading Herrera, but it's more likely than Bernal.

I think Hererra is either a DH or 1B going forward. One reason I could see a Contreras deal. I'd move him before I moved Burleson or Hererra and we might get something in return.

[Alex Reyes Cy Young]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

I think if this takes place you’ll see him package Burley or someone like that with Donovan to secure a high profiled / valued prospect. I don’t see them leveraging Donny to dump one of the high priced vets. I think that trade should happen in isolation. Too much risk these players can back out at the last minute and F the whole thing up.

[Melville]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

Mel,

You knew Mo better than he knew himself. That was obvious. What about Bloom?

I recently posted this:
"As was illustrated many, many times, I knew Mo better than Mo knew Mo.
But things have changed.
There simply are not enough indicators as of yet to clarify the DeWitt / Bloom vision.
Of course, I know exactly what Bloom SHOULD do - but it is far too early to predict what he WILL do."
Bottom line.
I do not know Bloom....yet.
But I will.
And I will know what he will think and what he will do before he does.
In time.
But first, I will need some opportunity to observe.
Bloom may blossom and he may fade.
Let's see what happens.

[ScotchMIrish]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

I think if this takes place you’ll see him package Burley or someone like that with Donovan to secure a high profiled / valued prospect. I don’t see them leveraging Donny to dump one of the high priced vets. I think that trade should happen in isolation. Too much risk these players can back out at the last minute and F the whole thing up.

It would have to be a very high prospect for me to want to trade both Donovan and Burleson and if that highly rated prospect turn in results like Caglianone then it's a mess.

[Melville]

By no means am I comparing Betts and Donovan in terms of trade value but Bloom coupled Betts with David Price who was making $32 million a year with 2 years remaining on his contract and his talent had fallen to far below that number.

Could Donovan be coupled with either Arenado or Gray to try to get the other team to take on a lot of salary? Perhaps in the deal we get a prospect and some international signing money and with the money saved we sign a free agent?

That would diminish the return for Donovan which would defeat the purpose of dealing him to begin with.

100% correct but that's exactly what he did with Betts and he has indicated he is looking to deal Gray and Arenado along with Donovan.

The way to trade N/A is to simply eat money.
STL traded him once already and can easily do so again.
N/A is owed less now than he was then, and exactly as I predicted N/A realized the blunder he made in refusing to report.
He will gladly leave this time.
As for Gray, the CORRECT BASEBALL DECISION is to keep him.
There is zero upside to trading him this off-season.
The correct trade pieces are Mootbaar (as I alone have correctly advised for the past 4 seasons), Walker, Mathews, and Bernal - along with a handful of others who could complement assorted trade packages.
Donovan should move to LF and be offered a reasonable 3 year extension - and if he does not sign it, he should be moved in July.
This stuff ain't hard.
We are about to learn if Bloom is smart enough to see it.

I don't know enough about Bernal but Nootbaar brings nothing in return. Same with Walker. Mathews walked 74 in 99 innings. The only potential bright spot is if Bloom is changing the overbearing front office knows everything attitude and possibly Walker will revert to his rookie year before they sent him down to change/ruin his swing. Nootbaar would be a trade simply to clear a roster spot. Could Mathews learn how to throw strikes? Doubt he will bring much in return until and unless he does.

Arenado would be to clear roster space. Unless they can hit a home run in a Donovan trade I'd keep him with an infield of Donovan, Winn, Wetherholt and Contreras or Hererra or Burleson at 1B depending on possible trades.

I believe Contreras would bring good return. Gray is still a legit starter although no longer an ace but his contract is probably going to get him traded.

Scotch-Mel is wrong about all of this except Aranado. Noot, Walker, and Matthews have no real trade value. We would be giving them away. Donovan has value. Bernal is not the catching prospect they trade. Melville likes Crooks.

You think I am the same person as Melville?

There's only 1 Mel and you aren't it.

Never about me.
Only and always about the game.