Quote:
Originally Posted by jd1020
There's nothing the Cubs can do with the pitching staff for at least another year. They are stuck with Z and Demp. Garza is going to be the ace. 4-5 will be in house options.
2013 FA pitchers include Cain, Hamels, Greinke, Danks, Shields*, Haren*, Floyd*
*- club options.
Shields is most likely going to be traded. The Rays wont be able to afford him.
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The Rays have him on an absurdly team-friendly deal for at least 2 more seasons (and maybe 3, if memory serves).
If they trade him, it will be because they need offense badly and they have an absolute embarrassment of riches in their pitching staff. Honestly, I think I'd keep him and just bury Niemann or convert him to relief. A staff fronted by Price, Shields, Hellickson, Davis and Moore could very easily be the best in baseball, Philly included.
With the absurdly undervalued deals they have guys like Longoria and Zobrist on, they can absolutely keep Shields in their salary structure if they want to. The only question is whether or not they can get a good enough player in return for him to make up for the loss. It won't be a money trade, but a baseball trade.
Look at this:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?...Qg&output=html
It's incredible how much
cheap talent they have on that team. Every major component of last year's team is locked up next season and they only have $23 million in payroll committed. Upton will probably count for an extra $7 million and Joyce may come in around 2, but you're still looking at no more than $35 million for their 25-man roster if they felt so inclined and they wouldn't take a talent hit for it.