Brooklyn State of Mind: Robins Shockingly Trade For Cano (2060.4)

[lordtoffee]

As the Robins prepared to travel north to Charlotte to begin the BBA season against the Flyers, it seemed like the Robins had locked in their roster to start the year. Robins Chief Baseball Officer Ben Heuring had invested in the pitching staff, used the development lab, and had gone into the IFA well, and had thoroughly scouted the draft pool. All of those things had been done in public. What nobody knew was that his final BBA move was to swing a trade that has sent the BBA world into a frenzy. For the cost of two very good prospects, the Robins added Jorge Canó in a trade with Nashville. The trade caused a stir within the BBA community. Some wondered if the Robins gave up too much on a gamble, some wondered if this meant that Nashville fleeced another team, others wondered if the Brooklyn front office had lost their minds. Let's break down why the Robins chose to do this.

Cano was a key part of Nashville's lineup over the last two seasons, and has a BBA title and BBA Series MVP to his name. He's a really good player, and getting that type of player wasn't going to come cheap. He's hit 88 home runs in the 3 seasons he has played in the BBA, and getting a player that is in his prime, has demonstrated that he can stand out in a loaded lineup, and is going to help out the Robins is a deal that you have to seriously explore. And people are forgetting that the Robins already have hitters like Miranda, Morales Jr, Prieto, and Cookie Monster that have been hitting. Cano is able to add another piece to the lineup that makes the team better offensively every night.

For all of the talk about what the Robins gave up, Baseball America still has the Robins at 11th in the farm system rankings. Jose Torres is still waiting in the wings in AAA San Francisco, as is the two IFA signings the Robins made. The team already knows who they want in the draft, and can certainly add more pieces in IFA should they want to.

The final reason why the Robins chose to trade for Cano was that they have been earnestly trying to compete. This offseason saw them get a new group of starters, use free agency to get back end of the bullpen help, and were rumored to be in on some of the big boy starters if you believe the free agency rumor mill. Getting Cano makes the team better now, and the season preview generated by OOTP has them predicted at 66 wins before adding Cano. If you don't believe this writer, ask Heuring himself.

"I considered getting Cano very carefully, and believe that getting a guy who can hit for 40 home runs in his prime who has multiple years of control via arby years and is making league minimum this year is a deal worth taking. The goal of any franchise in the BBA is to win, and getting Cano was something that myself and our ownership wanted. He would make any team in the BBA better, and I know that our fans will enjoy seeing him at Ebbets Field."

[aaronweiner]

Like right? Because who among us after averaging 100 losses over the past FOURTEEN years hasn’t wanted to trade away blue chip prospects for lumping 27 year olds?

But thanks for the explanation. I think five more trades like this and you’ll be right as rain.

[jiminyhopkins]

Like right? Because who among us after averaging 100 losses over the past FOURTEEN years hasn’t wanted to trade away blue chip prospects for lumping 27 year olds?

But thanks for the explanation. I think five more trades like this and you’ll be right as rain.

You made your point, bro. No need to keep trashing the trade. Seriously.

[aaronweiner]

Like right? Because who among us after averaging 100 losses over the past FOURTEEN years hasn’t wanted to trade away blue chip prospects for lumping 27 year olds?

But thanks for the explanation. I think five more trades like this and you’ll be right as rain.

You made your point, bro. No need to keep trashing the trade. Seriously.

Don’t be silly. I was trashing the explanation for the trade. Now I’m done. But I’m also trying to help.

[jiminyhopkins]

Like right? Because who among us after averaging 100 losses over the past FOURTEEN years hasn’t wanted to trade away blue chip prospects for lumping 27 year olds?

But thanks for the explanation. I think five more trades like this and you’ll be right as rain.

You made your point, bro. No need to keep trashing the trade. Seriously.

Don’t be silly. I was trashing the explanation for the trade. Now I’m done. But I’m also trying to help.

Ok!

[RT60]

I don't have a problem with people constructively criticizing this trade or anything else that goes on in this league. Even ad nauseam. But I think there is a certain amount of nastiness in Aaron's post which is totally unnecessary to make a point. Likely not your intention Aaron, but that is what I got from your post. Perhaps follow Lincoln's example and throw away your first draft.

[aaronweiner]

I don't have a problem with people constructively criticizing this trade or anything else that goes on in this league. Even ad nauseam. But I think there is a certain amount of nastiness in Aaron's post which is totally unnecessary to make a point. Likely not your intention Aaron, but that is what I got from your post. Perhaps follow Lincoln's example and throw away your first draft.

If Brooklyn had real fans, would they be kind at this point? I'm a White Sox fan - you should read a percentage of the shittalking I've heard this year from the FANSITES. Brutal doesn't cut it.

Again, my goal is to break through the haze and help a little. Who knows? Maybe Cano's still great and those guys don't make it at all. But if I had lost 100 games for fourteen straight seasons, I'd take that time to reflect a little.

[JimSlade]

If I may stick my nose in a bit - not regarding the opinions, per se, over the value of the deal (I get both sides that have been expressed on that) - I can relate to this discussion on an emotional level. I extended a player a few seasons ago and got some flack for it. I knew no one was going after me personally, but as a GM, seeing other GMs on the forum ask what was I thinking with the extension stung.

I've long gotten my head around my old feelings of getting stung. Aaron's reply gets to this odd dynamic that crops up here more than I'm accustomed to seeing in my other league, probably because we write so much. Sometimes we comment as a fan of the league/media members. Sometimes we comment as a fellow GM. In this case, some people have shared opinions on the deal (and deals of this ilk) as fans of the league, stepping outside their role as a fellow GM. What can hurt is when we receive that criticism on a deal as if we've been called out publicly by a fellow GM. In real life, for instance, I don't see a Dave Dombrowski calling out a Chris Getz in public. Fans and the media will tear a GM a new one on a regular basis, but when any one of us gets up on the *public* forum and provides constructive criticism, are we providing it as a fellow GM, which may be in poor taste, or a fan of the league/media member, which is perfectly in bounds?

When I'm being mindful in any game, I remind myself that we're all pushing each other to make the most of the game. That seems to be the underlying intent of this thread. A little mindfulness from all directions goes a long way.

[ae37jr]

As long as your having fun, don't let the negative vibes bother you and keep doing what you are doing.

When I started playing in online leagues, I thought I was going to be great. I was quickly humbled by the competitive nature. Not only did people know more about baseball than me, but I found out that people dissect the software and play this as as software manipulation more than a baseball simulation. It kind of ruined all the fun for me. I was ready to quit.

But then I noticed a member of the league I was in who didn't give a "f". He had a funny team name, made bad trades all the time and just had fun. His team always finished around .500. it made me realize that I could have fun just playing how I want to play and not worry about what others thought.

This is one of the most competitive leagues there is. The best of the best play here. There is only one champion and 31 losers. I consider Ron to be the best OOTP player I have ever seen. He knows more about this game than anyone. Zero championships. That says it all. I could lose 100 games next year and not be embarrassed about it. There are sooo many great GM's here.

Sometimes you make good trades, sometimes you make bad ones. People are always going to have opinions. If you want to get better, reach out to any GM you respect and I guarantee they will give you tips or at least a second opinion before pulling the trigger. But if you are having fun figuring it out on your own, do what's best for you.

Every Savannah Banana needs a Party Animal and running the Party Animals can be fun too. In fact, I believe this game is 1000% more fun when you are the underdog trying to move up. It can be really hard, but a lot of fun.

[aaronweiner]

In real life, for instance, I don't see a Dave Dombrowski calling out a Chris Getz in public. Fans and the media will tear a GM a new one on a regular basis, but when any one of us gets up on the *public* forum and provides constructive criticism, are we providing it as a fellow GM, which may be in poor taste, or a fan of the league/media member, which is perfectly in bounds?

I get what you're saying, but those people's livelihoods depend on them not saying anything about other GMs, especially because they're looking forward to doing precisely the same thing to them that they objected to in their brains, if they can - which expands their livelihood. You betcha Dombrowski's watching what Getz is doing and figuring out how he can get the next Chris Sale to Philly.

Oddly, this has never been how I have felt about this game - anyone who's known me a long time knows that I have always, 100% of the time, looked out for the little guy. (My actual real world job is a math teacher in a Title 1 school.) If I were still writing the previews, I would have absolutely DESTROYED Brooklyn in them next year for this deal if they didn't hit at least a .500 record for the move and Cano was responsible. In the nicest, most analytical way possible, of course. I mean, man, fourteen straight seasons of 100 losses (on average). Are there any actual Brooklyn fans left?

I can tell you that I was done with the conversation, except that Brooklyn thought it would be just a super idea to write up just exactly why it was such a good trade for Brooklyn! Holding my tongue in that situation didn't feel right, and it still doesn't, and it won't later.

[recte44]

Enough already. Jeez.

[aaronweiner]

Enough already. Jeez.

I agree, man. I really was going to leave it at what I said in my first comment, and then people started railing on me for saying it, and, well, here we are eleven comments in. You, of all people, know that I have never been quiet in these situations, for literally decades.

I will, however, make the argument that I am awfully darn selective as to when I am not quiet, and the pattern is consistent: it's a bottom feeder and a top team, and in this case, we have the biggest of both, and there's no mystery as to how I feel about the whole thing.

[BaseClogger]

In general, as long as discussion isn’t personal and it’s limited to and specific to what’s going on in the game it should be fair game, IMO. We’re all adults.

[recte44]

I suppose, but...

[aaronweiner]

I suppose, but...

It's not a dead horse until we see how it all plays out though. I mean, if Cano hits 40 homers and Brooklyn makes the playoffs and Nashville's prospects die in an "accident," is there ANY chance that people won't be sticking this in my face for EVER? Features may be written whether it works or not. This is as far from over as it could get, considering the main prospect involved doesn't even get to drink publicly until 2065 and the main player involved is 27 and still has three years of cost control.

Case in point: Ron brought up Wulms this week, who at this point might literally have been transmogrified into an actual horse, run the Kentucky Derby, and actually died. Rest his soul, but Ed Murphy, the other owner in the deal, is actually tragically dead. This isn't going away entirely and maybe ever. That's the joy of a rich, storied history in the BBA.

[aaronweiner]

In general, as long as discussion isn’t personal and it’s limited to and specific to what’s going on in the game it should be fair game, IMO. We’re all adults.

Oh, and I'm sure Ben Heuring is a fine gentleman and a lovely person, and that's a decent piece of writing up there, even if I disagree with most of it. I'm thinking he could use some work as a BBA GM, since his team has averaged 100 losses for 14 years, which is not something you would brag about at parties.

[recte44]

In general, as long as discussion isn’t personal and it’s limited to and specific to what’s going on in the game it should be fair game, IMO. We’re all adults.

Oh, and I'm sure Ben Heuring is a fine gentleman and a lovely person, and that's a decent piece of writing up there, even if I disagree with most of it. I'm thinking he could use some work as a BBA GM, since his team has averaged 100 losses for 14 years, which is not something you would brag about at parties.

[jiminyhopkins]

Ok now you are just trolling. Whatever.

And yes I was the one who called you out for being nasty. It really is apparent. Oh and BTW this is Brooklyn's section of the forum. You wanna do a trade analysis? Do it in the proper forum and get 8 points for it!




(Can't wait to get one of PHX's many questionable trades ripped apart lmao Go ahead, there are tons to choose from!)