Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reports:
Sources: #SFGiants have shown interest in #Reds CF Billy Hamilton on trade market. Bobby Evans looking for ways to improve outfield defense; Jackie Bradley Jr. is another option, as previously reported. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 13, 2017
Hamilton is 27 years old and entering his second year of arbitration. He can become a free agent after the 2019 season. He made $2.625 million last year and estimated to earn about $5 million in arbitration this year.
San Francisco’s enormous outfield is obviously a good fit for Hamilton. That extra value to the Giants might make the return good enough for the Reds to consider this.
On the other hand, San Francisco has a lousy farm system. No obvious matches at first glance. Top prospect Christian Arroyo is blocked at SS (Brandon Crawford through 2021) and 2B (Joe Panik through 2020). But Arroyo just had hand surgery.
He would be a great fit in that huge field,but I still hate to see him go,unless they could get a starting pitcher.I don’t see him bringing enough pitching,unless a big package deal
I have always sort of liked Arroyo. I wanted him or Fox over Mella as the main piece coming back in the Leake deal at the time. He didn’t do well offensively with the Giants in his first taste of the majors in 2017. But he’s young and his minor league numbers were pretty good last year and in previous years. Doesn’t walk a ton, but doesn’t K a bunch either, at least in the minors.
Andrew Suarez, a LH SP is another guy I like in their system.
Hamilton and Garrett and Mesoraco for Semardja and a minor league catcher. A revenue neutral swap.
If I were the Giants, I don’t think I’d want the broken catcher at $13-million; especially as Smardzija has been worth at least close to his lofty salary.
Billy Hamilton for Johnny Cueto.
Billy Hamilton for Cueto plus their #1 prospect. LOL!
Love to c him back in Red,also I’m a sw Va.boy myself.I just retired from DOC Bland in July 17.Very knowledgeable Reds fan since 68.Send me a friend request if you so choose.Always love talking Reds baseball with another Reds fan.The STATS that Johnny put up in the little home park were amazing,truly one of the best during his run.
I knew someone would say it… I wouldn’t have guessed you though Chad!
Anybody else think that Billy would immediately win a Gold Glove playing in that monster outfield?
Not if, as seems to be the case, more than great fielding is required to win a GG. He should have won it a few times already. If he had hit better, I think that he would have.
Three team trade that sends Yelich to the Reds? A guy can dream!
Any trade involving Yelich will be complicated. A three team swap might very well be necessary.
Yelich is not being moved …..he’s cheap and team controlled…….unless a complex 3 team deal could be arranged which ties markings salary relief to it.
The Marlins will have a very hard time unloading Stanton. They need a bailout and the Dee gordon and Martin Prado and Wei-Yen Chen contracts are awful.. The Giants are one of the few teams that could assume such a stanton contract and it’s in the reds interest to make sure the Cardinals don’t get Stanton.
A mega-trade with the Marlins.Reds.Giants could help all 3. The Giants need a power hitter. The marlins need to start over financially and acquire young players. The reds need a CF and pitching.
So long Billy, we barely knew ya’
Hamilton in AT&T is a good fit and Cueto back to the Reds as the ace we need.
The Reds enjoyed the best seasons Cueto will ever have as an ACE. The Giants got burned, just like almost every other team signing a top shelt FA starter and paying him for past performance. Cueto’s days as an ACE are behind him. We have the good memories of Cueto as an ACE. Let’s not cloud that picture by bringing Cueto back.
There was specualtion from a Dallas beat reporter regarding a matchup between Cincinnati and Texas for a swap of bad contacts involving Choo and Bailey. Again, no thanks. The Reds got the best season of Choo’s career. The Reds just didn’t take advantage of the one opportunity that Choo provided when they had it.
Don’t worry about me clouding the picture. Nothing I say on this blog is going to bring Cueto back. It’s just an opinion, that’s all.
WHAT?! You’re saying nothing we say on this blog actually influnces any decisions the Reds management might make? I’m soooooooo disillusioned and completely shattered. I think I need to go curl up in a corner with my blankey now.
Now now, Mr. Shchi, don’t be disillusioned and shattered by my little comment. No need to curl up in your blankey. Any of us would be remiss to feel your vast knowledge does not influence Reds management.
As Doug Gray has pointed out, the Giants’ farm system is very thin. I would think the more likely trade partner would be a team with a deeper farm system, unless the Reds just want to give BH away to dump salary.
The reds system is not.
Giants – Mike Stanton/Billy Hamilton/Amir Garrett.
Marlins- Adam Duvall/Robert Stephenson/Christian Arroyo and several hundred million in salary relief.
Reds- Christian Yellich and Jeff Semardja- 3 years 54 million left…proven 200 innings solid mid- rotation.
Giancarlo.
Oh my. I threw it out there as a joke. You’re making me a believer!
That type of framework could be the basis needed to make this happen. Unless Giancarlo is tied to Yelich in the trade, it’s hard to envision the Fish parting with Yelich. By the same token, it’s hard to envision the Fish receiving the kind of salary relief from the Giancarlo contract and any kind of prospect return unless Giancarlo is tied to Yelich in the transaction.
The pundints are kicking around a figure of around $60-million needed from the Marlins to move Stanton. That contract is just a monster. The guy is still owed a minimum of $295-million over the next 11 years, assuming the option in 2028 is bought out. Health has also been an issue for him, although the beaning incident was a freak injury that isn’t likely to happen again. He did play an awful lot in 2017 and he absolutely crushes baseballs.
I think the Reds would have to kick in an additional prospect to both the Fish and Giants though, with a the better prospect headed to the Fish and the lesser prospect headed to the Giants.