2063.04 Trades and Reasoning - Part Three

[shoeless.db]

After ridding the Robins of all debilitating (or somewhat debilitating) contracts, my next move was to begin bringing in players who could help alter the philosophy of play in Cobble Hill. There's no secret in my preference for defensive-minded guys, so when tasked with rebuilding this franchise I focused nearly single-mindedly on finding the most elite fielders I could.

TRADING WITH VADER

Who better to reach out to and to take advantage of then perennial trade loser Chad Nason in Nashville? Sometimes one has to deal with the Devil to accomplish small goals, and Chad is infamous for hoarding quality centerfielders. Service time and options helped me out here as it left high-end, 6'8" CF defender Bob Park open for the taking. Chad's no dummy. He'd rather get something rather than nothing when guys can be swiped by the R5 or waivers. Here, I gave up some quality pitching projects to get the guy I absolutely needed to match my earlier SS-defense get from Twin Cities. Adams and the money don't hurt either. A second trade was done with the Bluebirds soon after to scoop up another Nashville 40-man victim, the former massive prospect Zee-loo Tsao. Cobble Hills experimental coaching and training is certain to develop Tsao into the ballplayer he was destined to become.

TRADE ONE
Nashville Bluebirds send:
CF Bob Park
LHP Tim Adams
$4,000,000

Brooklyn Robins send:
SP Maroof Din (A)
CL Júlio Ocampo (S A)

TRADE TWO
Nashville Bluebirds send:
CF Zee-loo Tsao (ML)

Brooklyn Robins send:
SP Horatiu Haidu (S A)

GOING BACK TO THE POPE'S WELL

When taking over Brooklyn, I made a promise to not trade for all my Sacramento guys and simply create a Mad Popes 2.0. But with Ben interested in bringing over his closer from last year, Cade Miller, the door was open to bring one of my favorite Popes prospects in LHP José Betancourt. Shipping several big armed relief prospects with Miller made the trade a good one for both sides as the voluminous Basilica in Sacramento will certainly make both these young pitchers better.

I'm looking for Betancourt to join Cobble Hill in 2064 where I'll have a solid defense to play behind him. The Robins' ballpark heavily favors lefty power hitters, so getting a quality LH starter to anchor the back end of a rotation was a massive want.

Sacramento Mad Popes send:
LHP José Betancourt (AA)

Brooklyn Robins send:
CL Cade Miller
RP Charlie Egan (AAA)
CL Pedro Uralde (AA)

ATTEMPTING TO ROB ROB

I wasn't actually trying to rob Rob, but the title was simply too good not to use. Here is another example of finding a player who was going to be a roster victim and turning them into a Cobble Hill starter. His outfield defense (7/9/8) is a bit suspect for my hardline defensive philosophy but still rates as a 9/9 in left and 8/8 in right. Beggars can't be choosers when procuring a decent bat.

Yellow Springs Nine send:
LF Negussu Adisa (ML)

Brooklyn Robins send:
CL Madhav Kapadia (R)

FLYING TRUJILLO TO THE FLIERS

It was my intention to keep Alfredo Trujillo in a Cobble Hill jersey, but paying a guy $5m to be a right side platoon DH (and occasionally again RHP also) when I'm trying to drastically reduce payroll pushed me to trade him away. In return for absolutely destroying our Fan Interest (down to a fun and interesting 34!), we procured another high-end outfielder in Onan Ogun (an amazing name, too) who was never able to reach his ratings. Bergman and Fernandez will give the minors depth in areas of need (Bergman is a lefty power-hitting first baseman, something the Robins were oddly short on despite having 55 first baseman in the organization).

Charlotte Flyers send:
LF Onan Ogun (ML)
3B Paul Bergman (AAA)
LF Víctor Fernández (AA)

Brooklyn Robins send:
1B Alfredo Trujillo (ML)

WAVING AT MARCO AT DENNY'S AND PILFERING HIS WAIVERS

Likely a common thread for Cobble Hill in 2063, we noticed Phoenix dumping middle reliever Noori bin Mu'awiyah onto the waiver wire. Seeing his value in a Robins jersey, we moved quickly to secure him via trade rather than gambling on getting him via a waiver claim. To get him, we gave up two nameless, faceless righthanded first baseman.

Phoenix Talons send:
LHP Noori bin Mu'awiyah (ML)

Brooklyn Robins send:
1B Hilel bin Umayr (R)
1B Saqr Nazeeh (R)

[RonCo]

Looks like the Left Wind is in full motion.

[Dington]

You should do an age check on Tsao when eligible.

[woods]

You must be new to this having a bad team thing — there is no such thing as "gambling" on a waiver claim, because you have #1 priority. If you want the guy, he's yours.

[shoeless.db]

You must be new to this having a bad team thing — there is no such thing as "gambling" on a waiver claim, because you have #1 priority. If you want the guy, he's yours.

Ha. I suppose so. But then how am I going to get rid of these first basemen?

[BaseClogger]

You should do an age check on Tsao when eligible.

You played him in the BBA which makes him ineligible.

[Dington]

You should do an age check on Tsao when eligible.

You played him in the BBA which makes him ineligible.

Ahh yeah you’re right.

[shoeless.db]

You should do an age check on Tsao when eligible.

You played him in the BBA which makes him ineligible.

Nashville f*cking me one more time...

[Graham]

Nashville f*cking me one more time...

I believe that's ripped right from the cover of Tennessee's Office of Tourism bachelorette party planning guide.