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Originally Posted by BigRedChief
 Thanks for the info. Informative.
To extrapolate a plan with this info, a GM should be trading top prospects for proven or semi-established MLB players. correct? That would be the safest route and keep whatever "value" your farm system has to benefit the MLB team? |
Depends on the team and really the era.
What you're talking about is the 'Walt Jocketty' model. Frankly, that model just might be dead. You'd be hard-pressed to find a team that has recently been built around acquisitions outside of the system with any success. I mean shit, even the Yankees are building from within. The Bosox are probably the closest you'll find and they only required a $230 million payroll, not to mention dealing a prospect they paid $50 million to acquire in order to get Sale. That model is simply cost prohibitive these days in most ways.
If you're sitting on a 90 win team with a chance to do damage in October - sure, the cost of rental players has never been lower. The fact that Arizona was able to get JD Martinez for a bucket of balls last year still astounds me. And Machado didn't yield a king's ransom either. Push some chips in when you're close, no question.
But if your operating premise is just shipping guys like Knizner out for #4 starters and 2 win infielders...you're gonna be a really mediocre team for a really long time. Your floor will come up but your ceiling will be for shit.