Talking 'Bout Andrew McCutchen ... Again

[Centerfield]

I spent the night convincing myself on McCutchen too. Think of the cover derby headline:

MCCLUTCHEN!!!

So CPF. What does it take to get him? Nimmo and Gsellman?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Andres Gimenez and Paul Sewald.

Edit: that's probably too much.

Marcos Molina, Paul Sewald and Matt Winaker

[Zvon]

Centerfield wrote: I spent the night convincing myself on McCutchen too. Think of the cover derby headline: MCCLUTCHEN!!! So CPF. What does it take to get him? Nimmo and Gsellman?

Classic headline, of course. Too bad they could only use it once. Well, maybe more like once a year.

UGH, I'm guilty of committing the sin of coveting our young guys. I don't want to move any of 'em. I'd be such a horrible, horrible, GM.
Either things would have to go storybookland, or we would go nowhere.

[Centerfield]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Andres Gimenez and Paul Sewald. Edit: that's probably too much. Marcos Molina, Paul Sewald and Matt Winaker

I can’t tell if you’re joking or not.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Pirates want prospects, not established major Leaguers, and if Mets take on the $$ they may take less. Gimenez is apparently our top prospect today and we have a 21- y-o SS already. Sounds like trade bait to me.

[ashie62]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Pirates want prospects, not established major Leaguers, and if Mets take on the $$ they may take less. Gimenez is apparently our top prospect today and we have a 21- y-o SS already. Sounds like trade bait to me.

Don't the Pirates just want to dump salary ? If so they pretty much get one "name" plus one A high ceiling player and one A as fodder.

It's doable.

[ashie62]

Can Rafael Palmeiro play 1B for us??

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/look-heres-proof-the-53-year-old-rafael-palmeiro-wants-to-make-a-comeback/

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Please, give me a break. Give me a week to prepare and I believe I can hit 80 mph BP fastballs in a cage and I'm 57+ years old. Unfortunately, for Palmeiro (and me) they don't regularly throw 80 mph fastballs in MLB (or high school baseball for that matter) so his cage BP sessions don't really mean much.

[Edgy MD]

I kind of enjoyed the prospect of Andres Gallaraga finishing-but-not-finishing his career with the Mets. I 95% suspected nothing would come of it, and nothing did, but stories make things interesting. I never saw such a massive set of guns as old Andres brought into camp.

I mean, it's farce, but it's all farce at some level, and the investment was right (a minor league deal with a few dozen at bats), and the plug was pulled at the right time.

That said, I don't think they're going there with Palmy.

[Frayed Knot]

Palmiero first floated this idea about a month ago.
I suspect the real reason behind this is that, if he manages to spend even one day back in the ML, it'll re-set his HOF clock and give himself another 10 year window where he hopes to run into a more forgiving group of voters and a changing view of that era.

[Edgy MD]

Probably onto something there.

[Centerfield]

Torn on this. I never liked him and think he’s a douchebag, but it would be cool to see a 53 year old major leaguer.

I find myself hoping he succeeds despite the fact that it’s Palmeiro

[Centerfield]

And back to topic, if Molina Flexen Winaker gets it done you make that trade today.

[Guest 41Forever]

Centerfield wrote: And back to topic, if Molina Flexen Winaker gets it done you make that trade today.

You have to figure Lagares you have to move in that deal or another, no?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

41Forever wrote: Centerfield wrote: And back to topic, if Molina Flexen Winaker gets it done you make that trade today. You have to figure Lagares you have to move in that deal or another, no?

Not in that deal, if the Bucs are trying to shed payroll.

Going to, say, a Lorenzo Cain sweepstakes runner-up? Maybe.

[Edgy MD]

They can take on a big league player and still shed payroll, just not as much. At the end of the day, they still have to field a team.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Yes, but not the best team, necessarily. As a matter of fact, if they're following their former division rivals' WS blueprint... not the best team, preferably. I mean, they're shopping Gerrit Cole-- who's not yet in arbitration-- for future considerations.

[Centerfield]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Pirates want prospects, not established major Leaguers, and if Mets take on the $$ they may take less. Gimenez is apparently our top prospect today and we have a 21- y-o SS already. Sounds like trade bait to me.

Write up on Gimenez. I still don't know a lot about him.

https://elitesportsny.com/2017/12/31/new-york-mets-ss-andres-gimenez-everything-need-know/

Sounds like the scouts don't feel like he has the superstar potential of Rosario.

[Centerfield]

Still in on McCutch according to John Harper.

[nymr83]

Centerfield wrote: Still in on McCutch according to John Harper.

that seems strange and i don't like the implications. Conforto injury worse than apparent?

[Lefty Specialist]

Nymr83 wrote: Centerfield wrote: Still in on McCutch according to John Harper. that seems strange and i don't like the implications. Conforto injury worse than apparent?

Either that or they're really down on /looking to trade Dom Smith.

[nymr83]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Nymr83 wrote: Centerfield wrote: Still in on McCutch according to John Harper. that seems strange and i don't like the implications. Conforto injury worse than apparent? Either that or they're really down on /looking to trade Dom Smith.

yeah, but if that were the case isn't Duda > Bruce if you KNOW you plan to play the guy at 1B almost exclusively?

[Edgy MD]

As I say above, I don't think he's specifically an indictment of their options in the outfield and at first, so much as the opening day starter and planned first stringer in right, and an alternative elsewhere if things go south.

[Guest 41Forever]

If they really are still in on McCutchen — I have doubts — do you think it might mean that they are shopping Conforto or Cespedes for a big pitcher or somethng?

The Bruce signing makes me think they are done with outfielders. They’re not singing him to be the fourth, and you wouldn’t get Andrew McCutchen to be a fourth.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

No way they're shopping Conforto, and Cespedes can't be all that coveted given his injuries and $$. If they get McCutcheon it's because they see Bruce as a first baseman and have less faith that Smith can be a productive first baseman, at least right away.

It's a hard call they have with Smith right now.

[Vic Sage]

Cutch is signed for 1 more year, so if they get him, Bruce moves to 1b when Conforto returns, and Dom goes to AAA. Fatboy hasn't done anything yet to prove he deserves a starting spot on the major league team. My major problem with Cutch is that, at this point, he hurts you in CF, his bat is in decline, and we'd have to give up player(s) to get him. I'd just as soon go with the Lagares/Nimmo platoon and spend the $10m difference in salary on pitching or at 2b/3b.

[Edgy MD]

Get a table setter of an infielder and it's like you have a team.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy MD wrote: Get a table setter of an infielder and it's like you have a team.

John Harper was advocating for Eduardo Nunez this morning.

[Edgy MD]

Think OBP, guys!

[G-Fafif]

Cutch about to be a Giant, per multiple reports.