Quote:
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut
Because Jose Abreu would cost upwards of $10 million/season.
So if you're the Rockies you could have Tulo and Abreu for about $28 million/yr (and assume substantial health/performance risks) or Adams and Josh Rutledge for less than $1 million.
Are they likely contenders either way? No, probably not. And in 2015 when Carlos Gonzalez is making $10 million/season more than he's making now, perhaps they would prefer the payroll flexibility.
It wouldn't be a purely baseball move by any stretch, but the payroll considerations involved are substantial.
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The raw dollars aspect is a compelling argument, but I'd bet that the difference in WAR between Tulo and Abreu and Rutledge, Adams, and Wacha might be enough to weight the trade in Colorado's favor. They could always target Kendrys Morales for $5-7 million instead.
Tulo and Morales would make $22-25 million and would likely give them somewhere between 6-12 WAR.
Rutledge, Adams, and Wacha would cost $1 million, but how many wins do you get from them?
Is Rutledge Tyler Greene? Is Adams' ceiling a 2-3 WAR 1B? You also have to figure in that the Cards will likely pay a premium because Tulo is the face of that franchise and b/c they need a SS so badly. Additionally, Tulo's contract stipulates that he can't be traded from the team acquiring him in a trade, so if his salary becomes onerous, dumping him becomes more complicated.