A Trade Target in Oakland

[Cody Pirkl]

The shelves in Oakland are bare as the A’s continue to gut their roster. One key piece remains however, and if Billy Beane and company are looking to shed even more payroll, the Twins should be on the phone.

Image courtesy of © Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

 

Ramon Laureano was once a huge name on the trade market before failing a PED test and having a down season in 2022. Still, at 28 years old the talented outfielder has a lot to offer a team that’s trying to contend.

Laureano’s peak season came in the juiced ball season of 2019 when he posted a 127 wRC+ and was a 4+ win player. Though failing to match that level of output since, Laureano has been an above average hitter in two of three seasons. His defensive value has taken a bit of a hit, though his outfield jump and arm remain at near elite levels. His days as an everyday centerfield may be behind him, but his four defensive runs saved in right field in 2022 show that he can still be a plus defender in the corner with the ability to slide over in a pinch.

 

 

Laureano isn’t an elite hitter, but he’s a solid one. His best tool is typically his barrel rate and the right-handed hitter is fantastic against left-handed pitching, slashing .268/.346/.444 against southpaws in his career. Despite a disappointing .663 OPS in 2022, Laureano still carries a .768 OPS in his career. It’s hard to imagine he’s done producing at his age.

Ramon Laureano is a fiery player and would provide the Twins with a superior and more versatile right-handed option in the outfield than someone like Kyle Garlick. With news that Joey Gallo will be moving around, sometimes to DH and even in the infield, there should be plenty of at bats to go around in the outfield rotation if the Twins want to consolidate their depth.

 

 

In regards to cost, the Twins would be buying low on Laureano who was a slightly below average hitter in 2022 and proved that his days as an everyday centerfielder are likely finished. Still, a rebound to some degree is probably in the cards, and him being a plus defender in a corner is likely with his raw skills. He won’t cost as much as he once would have, but given his team control through 2025, he’ll still cost a fair bit. 

Looking at recent trades the A’s have spun for players such as Sean Murphy and Frankie Montas, they seem to favor quantity on the return to quality. Given their inability to fetch top tier prospects for either of these two, the Twins farm system may be a good match considering we’d prefer to hang onto players at the top of our rankings.

It’s entirely likely that prospects such as Austin Martin are options as part of the package. Even someone like Gilberto Celestino could make up a portion of a trade given the disappointing debut of Christin Pache in 2022. It’s hard to say what Oakland would be interested in, though it’s safe to say they’re willing to unload Laureano’s increasing arbitration money, and it’s unlikely his cost would cripple the Twins farm system.

Adding another dependable outfielder could also open up players such as Matt Wallner or Trevor Larnach for trade packages to acquire further talent if the Twins chose to go that route. While it seems like they have the outfield squared away, Laureano could shake things up and open up an entire world of possibilities.

It’s sounded like the Twins are focused on the position player side in trade talks. They should be, assuming Carlos Correa works out a deal elsewhere. Laureano would be the solid right-handed outfield bat it was long expected they’d be pursuing. It may finally be time for the Twins to get involved in the gross teardown in Oakland by prying their final asset away,

 

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[Trov]

As an upgrade from Garlick I am for it, but I am not for trading away any high level prospect for him.  As pointed out he has not been elite since juiced ball year.  His defense is getting worse.  Will he be that much better than who we can put out there now?  If not, why give up prospects that could be used for other trades, or possibly be better overall?  He just seems way to low in value right now to pay big for him. 

[Heiny]

Just NO!!!  For Austin Martin?   "HELL NO"!!!

[miracleb]

a poorer fielding Joey Gallo (with less pop in his bat.)

Passing on this one....even if he was a free agent and you didn't need to trade anything for him........

 

[old nurse]

Lauereno is not the player Montas nor Murphy is. Oakland does like quantity of low level prospects along with a roster filler for the year. It is as likely for a trade 3 of the prospect you would go who? The fourth one would be someone like Celestino, a player with an unmet ceiling that does something well

[SF Twins Fan]

At this point I'd rather the Twins just play the rookies this season and get them experience.  The Twins have a solid starting pitching staff with Mahle, Gray, Ryan, Ober, Winder, Maeda and Paddock at some point and a much deeper bullpen than they did at the start of last season.  If it goes downhill trade off the aging vets: Gray, Maeda, Pagan, Polanco and Kepler.

By the end of the season the position players should be as follows:

1st: Arraez or Kiriloff

2nd: Edouard Julien

3rd: Miranda / Lee

SS: Lewis

Left: Larnach / Gordon

Center: Buxton / Gordon

Right: Kiriloff / Wallner

DH: Arraez / Miranda

There will be injuries and ineffectiveness, but playing the rookies should give the front office an idea of where the roster is moving forward.

[Sparky1]

Meh

[Otaknam]

The Twins are clearly in rebuilding mode. Let’s see if Martin, Julian, and others are ready to contribute instead of a mediocre to slightly above average player who bats right handed. The FO has lost enough minor league depth already, trading for injury prone pitchers. No more please!

[chinmusic]

6 minutes ago, Otaknam said:

The Twins are clearly in rebuilding mode.

They might be, but it's still early for that supposition.

The trend of this front office has been for some late action.

Give it at least until the start of spring training to wave the white flag.

[farmerguychris]

No way am I trading anyone with starter potential for someone slightly better than Garlick.  

[baul0010]

If Oakland is disappointed in Pache's 2022debut...I'd rather trade and bet on his comeback for 2023.

[tony&rodney]

"Just say no." - Nancy Reagan

[LA VIkes Fan]

1 hour ago, SF Twins Fan said:

At this point I'd rather the Twins just play the rookies this season and get them experience.  The Twins have a solid starting pitching staff with Mahle, Gray, Ryan, Ober, Winder, Maeda and Paddock at some point and a much deeper bullpen than they did at the start of last season.  If it goes downhill trade off the aging vets: Gray, Maeda, Pagan, Polanco and Kepler.

By the end of the season the position players should be as follows:

1st: Arraez or Kiriloff

2nd: Edouard Julien

3rd: Miranda / Lee

SS: Lewis

Left: Larnach / Gordon

Center: Buxton / Gordon

Right: Kiriloff / Wallner

DH: Arraez / Miranda

There will be injuries and ineffectiveness, but playing the rookies should give the front office an idea of where the roster is moving forward.

I'm with you on the concept, just slightly different on the details. Let's be honest, the chances of improving the club through FAs is gone other than a decent middle relief option like Fullmer. Trades tend to be more of a reshuffling than an addition unless we trade prospects for MLB quality and we traded most of those prospects last year. Unless we can trade Kepler plus prospects outside of our top 10 for a starter like Lopez or Luzardo (unlikely) or Kepler for quality MLB relief or decent prospects (also unlikely) I'm generally not in favor of any of the trades I hear rumored. The rotation is solid, bullpen is close to solid, and the lineup is a question mark. That's who we are and who we're likely to be. 

I say play the younger guys and play them now. These players aren't 22 or 23, they're 25 and 26. They need to play to see if they are MLB worthy guys. Play them, play them 5 days a week, and live with the results for at least the first half of the year. 

The one person missing from your list is Gordon. I think he may be a MLB starting player in LF, and has a chance to be a good bat, decent glove SS or 2B. I would like to see him get a real run at SS in spring training, start the season playing there at least in a platoon with Farmer (and maybe even 5 days a week), and see if he can handle the position and still hit like last year. He can move aside for Lewis in the second half if he can't handle the spot. If he can and does, Lewis can move to LF. Having too many good young players is a good thing and it's far too early to pick winners from guys who haven't shown quality over an extended sample. Let's make them earn it and give them a chance to do so. 

Overall though, I agree. Barring injury, I'd love to see Larnach, Kirilloff, Miranda and Gordon get 500 ABs this year, Lewis get 300 (only because of injury rehab time), and Lee and Julien and maybe Martin getting 200-250. I also want to see Ryan and Ober get at least 25 starts apiece, with Varland and SWR getting 10-15 each. It may not be pretty all the time but it would be fun to watch.

[BuxtonBonanza]

1 hour ago, baul0010 said:

If Oakland is disappointed in Pache's 2022debut...I'd rather trade and bet on his comeback for 2023.

Agreed, I really dug Pache's game on the Braves (the A's, not so much) so we if we are dumpster diving go for the upside. Zips projects slightly above replacement level so ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯ 

2023

FGDC

PROJ

71

308

8

.227

.280

.373

.286

90

0.7

[jimmyc]

Why would you think about trade any asset for a 4th outfielder when you have a glut of outfielders (even if you trade one)?  If you make any outfield trade, it should be for a quality starting right handed bat without discounting the young outfield talent.  Treat the youngsters as real talent.  If you don't get fully valued in a trade do not do it.  Or trade for a quality pitcher???

[RJA]

Horrible suggestion.

[Mike Sixel]

4 hours ago, Heiny said:

Just NO!!!  For Austin Martin?   "HELL NO"!!!

Agreed. I have no idea how this is a good idea. People seem desperate for moves, or content. 

[LanceJS]

Only, and ONLY, if that is done in order to make a bigger trade, like how the trade for IKF went last season. I thought that was going to be the case with Gallo (Him or another OF moving). So now add yet another corner OF? Not much of a case was made for that IMO

[ashbury]

Our new trainer Nick Paparesta, lately of the A's himself, probably has some useful opinions regarding Laureano, since the player was apparently banged up in a couple of ways last season.

I wouldn't want to give up much for Laureano. While I'm not high on Austin Martin as some kind of uber-prospect anymore, I'd still rather see a trade chip like that go for something of a more pressing need.

[Cody Pirkl]

4 hours ago, Heiny said:

Just NO!!!  For Austin Martin?   "HELL NO"!!!

I think we need to revisit Austin Martin's production since he's come over. His best chance at sticking at a position looks to be at 2B where he's blocked by two plus players. He's also shown no ability to actually hit and was absolutely horrid in AA last year. 

[Cody Pirkl]

54 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Agreed. I have no idea how this is a good idea. People seem desperate for moves, or content. 

I'm more desperate to capitalize on the little value Martin has left before its gone. He just posted a sub .700 OPS and hit .241 in AA and can't play defense. Not really sure why we're pretending he's untouchable, he's been out of any top prospect conversation for a year and a half now.

[Cody Pirkl]

4 hours ago, miracleb said:

a poorer fielding Joey Gallo (with less pop in his bat.)

Passing on this one....even if he was a free agent and you didn't need to trade anything for him........

 

FWIW I'd love a right handed Joey Gallo on this team but there's no similarity between these two whatsoever aside from their plus arms. Laureano is nowhere near the strikeout or walk rates and even in a bad year clubbed LHP. Also he posted 4 Defensive Runs Saved in a brief time in right field. He's a plus defender aside from Center.

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, Cody Pirkl said:

I'm more desperate to capitalize on the little value Martin has left before its gone. He just posted a sub .700 OPS and hit .241 in AA and can't play defense. Not really sure why we're pretending he's untouchable, he's been out of any top prospect conversation for a year and a half now.

And yet, a year ago he was a top prospect. IMO, you don't give up on that after one bad year, where he was somewhat hurt. YMMV, of course. Also, no idea how trading anything for a 4th OF is a good idea.....like, of all the way to use assets, I don't get this. 

Laureano hasn't been healthy for two years, playing less than 100 games each of the last two. 

[Cody Pirkl]

1 minute ago, Mike Sixel said:

And yet, a year ago he was a top prospect. IMO, you don't give up on that after one bad year, where he was somewhat hurt. YMMV, of course. Also, no idea how trading anything for a 4th OF is a good idea.....like, of all the way to use assets, I don't get this. 

Laureano hasn't been healthy for two years, playing less than 100 games each of the last two. 

It's not giving up on Martin, it's getting value for a player that looks like a future bench player at best due to a lack of an opening and his declining performance. Laureano also could easily play everyday in a corner spot.

Throw out Martin though and make up whatever package you'd like. He had premier defense when he wasn't playing in CF and can fill in in a pinch when Buxton is out. He was suspended at the start of last year too, not injured. I think he's a great way to consolidate too many low impact and redundant options like Garlick, Kepler, Celestino etc. He was still seen as an impact player that teams were interested last trade deadline and that wasn't for no reason.

[Mike Sixel]

19 minutes ago, Cody Pirkl said:

It's not giving up on Martin, it's getting value for a player that looks like a future bench player at best due to a lack of an opening and his declining performance. Laureano also could easily play everyday in a corner spot.

Throw out Martin though and make up whatever package you'd like. He had premier defense when he wasn't playing in CF and can fill in in a pinch when Buxton is out. He was suspended at the start of last year too, not injured. I think he's a great way to consolidate too many low impact and redundant options like Garlick, Kepler, Celestino etc. He was still seen as an impact player that teams were interested last trade deadline and that wasn't for no reason.

All fair.

[Nashvilletwin]

2 hours ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

I'm with you on the concept, just slightly different on the details. Let's be honest, the chances of improving the club through FAs is gone other than a decent middle relief option like Fullmer. Trades tend to be more of a reshuffling than an addition unless we trade prospects for MLB quality and we traded most of those prospects last year. Unless we can trade Kepler plus prospects outside of our top 10 for a starter like Lopez or Luzardo (unlikely) or Kepler for quality MLB relief or decent prospects (also unlikely) I'm generally not in favor of any of the trades I hear rumored. The rotation is solid, bullpen is close to solid, and the lineup is a question mark. That's who we are and who we're likely to be. 

I say play the younger guys and play them now. These players aren't 22 or 23, they're 25 and 26. They need to play to see if they are MLB worthy guys. Play them, play them 5 days a week, and live with the results for at least the first half of the year. 

The one person missing from your list is Gordon. I think he may be a MLB starting player in LF, and has a chance to be a good bat, decent glove SS or 2B. I would like to see him get a real run at SS in spring training, start the season playing there at least in a platoon with Farmer (and maybe even 5 days a week), and see if he can handle the position and still hit like last year. He can move aside for Lewis in the second half if he can't handle the spot. If he can and does, Lewis can move to LF. Having too many good young players is a good thing and it's far too early to pick winners from guys who haven't shown quality over an extended sample. Let's make them earn it and give them a chance to do so. 

Overall though, I agree. Barring injury, I'd love to see Larnach, Kirilloff, Miranda and Gordon get 500 ABs this year, Lewis get 300 (only because of injury rehab time), and Lee and Julien and maybe Martin getting 200-250. I also want to see Ryan and Ober get at least 25 starts apiece, with Varland and SWR getting 10-15 each. It may not be pretty all the time but it would be fun to watch.

Yes. If that last paragraph came to fruition (btw, I’d add in Wallner and Balazovic) we’d pretty much know exactly what we have in NINE young position players and an additional FOUR young starters. We know what we have in Buxton, Jeffers, Vasquez, Arraez, and Ryan. (Note: Kepler, Gallo, Farmer, Garlick, and most possibly Polanco are not part of the next core). Let’s see what transpires in the Gray, Maeda, and Mahle extension sweepstakes (btw, I have the under on 350 combined innings thrown by those three) and we will have plenty of cash to round out any holes that become apparent next offseason.

And yes, this team would be really fun to watch and will likely be the only reason many of us tune in come late June. 

[JD-TWINS]

4 hours ago, SF Twins Fan said:

At this point I'd rather the Twins just play the rookies this season and get them experience.  The Twins have a solid starting pitching staff with Mahle, Gray, Ryan, Ober, Winder, Maeda and Paddock at some point and a much deeper bullpen than they did at the start of last season.  If it goes downhill trade off the aging vets: Gray, Maeda, Pagan, Polanco and Kepler.

By the end of the season the position players should be as follows:

1st: Arraez or Kiriloff

2nd: Edouard Julien

3rd: Miranda / Lee

SS: Lewis

Left: Larnach / Gordon

Center: Buxton / Gordon

Right: Kiriloff / Wallner

DH: Arraez / Miranda

There will be injuries and ineffectiveness, but playing the rookies should give the front office an idea of where the roster is moving forward.

I’d trade Celestino in combination with just about anyone for some upside in return. Would prefer not to see him in Twins OF going forward! Upside with Laureano though, is blah.

Relative to roster, Pagan is less desirable than Celestino. If we could combine them with Kepler (gotta be moved after Gallo signing) for a pitcher, that would be a home run!

Polanco is in last year - agreed. Kepler gone somehow. Gallo a one year guy.

I’d extend the better performers between Maeda - Mahle - Gray by end of June for best economics. Maeda has a fresh arm after surgery, once strengthened. He may be the best option of the 3?

With your core of 10 players plus the 2 catchers, we’d be at $42 million/ year.  Add a big bat for $15M. Total is $57M. Arraez at $6.5 ……Buxton at $15……….Vazquez at $10…….everyone else at $750K. Go get a big ARM and sign another shutdown guy in backend. New arm at $25M - BP guy $12M…….extensions Gray at $16M - Mahle at $16M - Maeda at $13M. Rest of staff maybe  $25M.

GENERALLY:

Pitching $97M …….Everyday guys $57M = $154M……….Solid pitching with Ace plus our 3 vets from current squad. A nice young club on the field with a veteran power bat. Right on target with budget for ‘24!!

[baul0010]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

Agreed. I have no idea how this is a good idea. People seem desperate for moves, or content. 

I'd much rather just throw Martin out there and see what happens.  

If we were itching for a trade we should've got involved when Murphy was dealt.  There were two quality-ish catchers moved that day.  Contreras might not be a great catcher but he is young and can hit.  I'm sure we could have used him more then Laureano.

[jkcarew]

I mean if you really think this roster is currently a legitimate contender…then this would, I think, make a marginal improvement in lineup balance and flexibility. Marginal.

But, unless this somehow becomes off-season move #5 or #6…it makes little sense. Just like the Gallo move.