Wouldja? Trading For Giants Closer Will Smith
Jul 15 2019 08:02 PM |
John Bonnes
in Articles
Image courtesy of © John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
7/26/18 - Chicago White Sox trade Joakim Soria to Milwaukee Brewers for LHP Kodi Medeiros and RHP Wilber PerezFive days before the trade deadline, the Brewers got their shutdown setup man. Joakim Soria had been the White Sox closer, posting a tidy 2.56 ERA with the requisite stats (11.4 K/9) to match. He was purely a rental as he had a player option at the end of the year which he was sure to exercise, making him a free agent.
That sounds a lot like Will Smith, the left-handed closer for the Giants, who is one of the more highly sought relievers at the deadline. Both have fantastic stuff, both have been closers this year, but are probably better used as setup men. Both are veterans, and (most importantly) both will be free agents. I suspect most would probably rather have Smith over Soria, so we’ll make sure the second half of the trade upgrades the prospects a bit, too.
To get Soria, the Brew Crew had to give up two minor league arms:
Kodi Medeiros was a former first round draft pick (12th overall) who had struggled in the minors, especially with his control. But the 22-year-old was doing better, both with his control (3.9 BB/9) and with the results (3.14 ERA) in AA.
Kohl Stewart (#37 on Twins Daily’s midseason prospect list) is not a terrible comp for him in the Twins system. He was also a high draft pick, and also struggled. Has also bounced back a little, and is level higher and two years older. I think most would choose Stewart, but we need to upgrade the package a little anyway.
Wilber Perez was a 20-year-old right-hander who was pitching in the Dominican Summer League at the time he was acquired. He has had success there (1.92 ERA) and to a lesser extent this year in Low A (3.92 ERA), but he reportedly has about a 91 mph fastball, so this is not a fire-thrower.
Twins prospect Edwar Colina is a level higher, two years older, and has a little more success, so he’s a rich man’s Perez. Colina is also the #24 Twins prospect in our 2019 midseason prospect ranking. But we’re trying to upgrade the package, so let’s keep him as the comp.
So, would you trade Stewart and Colina to get Giants closer Smith? You can tell us below, just register and give us your breakdown.
40 Comments
Yes
Yes
Qualifier,think Giants are looking more for infield and outfield prospects than pitchers, but nice comparison. Maybe Gordon, plus low level prospect or just Gordon.
Already giving up Stewart, I don't see why it would take a RHP prospect in AA who hits triple-digits too.
To be fair, a 20-year-old still in the DSL isn't even a prospect anymore...
then again, maybe it's just me... I have Colina as my #13 Twins prospect, and I might have a thing for your pitchers capable of being a starter who hits 100 mph pretty much every game and has three or four pitches and is already at AA.
How about Prelander Berroa instead of Colina?
Giants can probably do better.
Thanks for the research. I only saw Colina pitch two innings in spring training but I would not trade him. I would try some combination of two of Stewart, Gonsalves, Gordon, Larnach
Larnach for a rental RP? I sure hope not.
I like it. I don't see Stewart panning out for us so this is as good a time to cut bait with him as any.
Colina isn't a good comparison. As Seth said, a 20 year old in the DSL isn't really a prospect at that point. That's 3 seasons of not getting promoted... I'm guessing that's a bit high.
That siad, I'd do it.
The Twins get a great relief pitcher and swap out a guy on the 40, umm yes please.
Did you hear that?
That was the heartbeat that went by when considering this question.
Yep.
Agreed. That seems like a pretty cheap price.
I would do that deal in a New York minute
Soria is a RHP, Smith is LHP.
Soria was 5 years older.
Sofia was making twice as much in salary.
Soria's career K/9 is only 9.8. He was likely due to regress from his 2018 numbers (and he has). Smith's career mark since moving to the pen is 12.0, so 2019 is well in line.
Kodi Medeiros is a LHP; Stewart is a RHP.
Neither Medeiros or Perez was on the 40-man roster at the time. (Although the White Sox did add Medeiros after the season.)
Put another way: the Giants may wind up settling for a return like Stewart + filler. But, there are probably a dozen teams willing to make that kind of offer. The Twins making that offer too doesn't actually give them good odds of landing the player. If the Twins can take him or leave him, that may be fine, but if the Twins actually want to land Smith, they may need to make a better offer that could beat other offers.
That's not enough! Come on now.
If that happened, I'd do cartwheels.
To be even more fair, Perez wasn't "still in the DSL" in that he had been stuck there a long time. It was his first full pro season. (He signed the previous summer at age 19.)
I think he was still a fringe prospect, but he was a late signing rather than a DSL veteran. Alcala signed at age 19 too.
They're only 3 games back in the Wild Card race, but they'd have to leap over five-six other teams to get there (including three in their own division.) They're still currently 4 games under .500. I think they're selling, it just might be another week or two before they do. (And I hope the Twins only take Smith instead of a Smith/Bumgarner combo, personally.)
Yep, though we'll see how the next couple weeks shake out.
The NL is so weird right now. The Giants are in last place in their division ... and only three back of the Wild Card. They took a series at Milwaukee and then swept a doubleheader at Colorado yesterday.
Smith is a better piece than Soria and Medeiros was significantly younger than Stewart.
Smith is still a better add than Britton as Britton was coming off injury. It took three near ready major league pitchers to get Britton. Maybe Stewart, Gonsalves and Stashak would be a match for that deal. It might take Thorpe over Gonsalves.
They gained 4 games on the wildcard since July 1st and passed 3 teams in that stretch. With how close everyone is, passing 6 teams isn't that big of a deal. They could pass 2 teams today if they win and San Diego losses, they would be tied for 3rd in their division. They have been 22-15 since June 1st and the 5 teams immediately ahead of them have been playing poorly.
I still think they sell or should sell but I also think they can ask for more now that they have this illusion of being in the race.They can rightly argue that the buying team would be taking them out of contention. The NL should be fun to watch at the deadline and hopefully in the final days of the season.
The new trade deadline is already having a huge impact. I think multiple fan bases will be disappointed in decisions to sell so close to the wildcard while other teams will wish they sold when they drop off after the deadline.
Britton trade as a comp, the Orioles got back a once ranked starting prospect who has not panned out and 2 fringe relievers. The Twins could come up with that.