In a comment thread this week my main man OGC listed all the prospects he considers "keepers," which I take to mean players he's very unwilling to trade. It was a long list. I replied that I would soon post my own.
But the more I think about this exercise, the harder it is to make the list. After all, no one's really untouchable. OK, maybe Buster Posey. But if some meth'd-up GM wants to trade four All-Stars for Posey, wouldn't you at least listen? What about Dan Haren and Miguel Montero for Tim Lincecum? I still probably wouldn't do it, but you get my point: There are unrealistic scenarios for trading anyone, and building a "keeper" list is really more an exercise of deciding what's within the realm of the possible and passing judgment upon it.
Another example: Madison Bumgarner for Prince Fielder. It's not crazy to the point of impossibility, but would either side actually do it? Would you, either as the Giant GM or the Brewer GM? If you would, does that mean Bumgarner isn't on your keeper list?
Perhaps a better way to approach the question of "Who would you trade?" is to answer "Everyone has a price," then acknowledge that for a select few -- Bumgarner, Posey, Lincecum, Sandoval, and Cain -- the price is probably too steep for any sane, relatively sober GM to meet.
For everyone else in the minors or majors, let's parlay-voo. I'd have a hard time moving Andres Torres right now because the Giants have no one else with his leadoff skills. But if someone major-league ready with a .375 to .400 OBP and excellent basestealing skills came back to the Giants in the trade, or in a different deal, I'd be willing to listen.
As for the prospects we have such high hopes about, is Roger Kieschnick really a "keeper"? Thomas Neal? Brandon Crawford? Zach Wheeler? Tommy Joseph? Hell no. There are still large odds against any of them ever making the bigs, let along having an impact.
Then there's Brandon Belt, who has risen so fast since April that it's tempting to deem him off-limits, at least for another couple months to see if he can sustain his otherworldly pace an entire season. But off-limits? If, say, the Mets wanted to shed contract and were willing to trade David Wright (or Padres/Adrian Gonzalez? or Nats/Ryan Zimmerman?) for a package built around Belt, would he still be off-limits? Again, those scenarios are wildly unlikely, but from time to time a GM loses control of his faculties. (Steve Phillips hasn't been a GM for years, but weird shit happens on the job, too.)
The rumors continue to filter in. I'll be shocked if the Giants stand pat between now and Aug. 1. The arrival of Posey and Bumgarner and revival of the Panda and Affeldt are a great orange-and-black tailwind of momentum, but the lineup could certainly use another bat, the bullpen another arm. Keep the pedal to the metal. Something's going to happen, and if Brian Sabean can convince other GMs to make it happen without the five guys on my keeper list, I will plant a big wet one on his moustachioed smackeroo.
But the more I think about this exercise, the harder it is to make the list. After all, no one's really untouchable. OK, maybe Buster Posey. But if some meth'd-up GM wants to trade four All-Stars for Posey, wouldn't you at least listen? What about Dan Haren and Miguel Montero for Tim Lincecum? I still probably wouldn't do it, but you get my point: There are unrealistic scenarios for trading anyone, and building a "keeper" list is really more an exercise of deciding what's within the realm of the possible and passing judgment upon it.
Another example: Madison Bumgarner for Prince Fielder. It's not crazy to the point of impossibility, but would either side actually do it? Would you, either as the Giant GM or the Brewer GM? If you would, does that mean Bumgarner isn't on your keeper list?
Perhaps a better way to approach the question of "Who would you trade?" is to answer "Everyone has a price," then acknowledge that for a select few -- Bumgarner, Posey, Lincecum, Sandoval, and Cain -- the price is probably too steep for any sane, relatively sober GM to meet.
For everyone else in the minors or majors, let's parlay-voo. I'd have a hard time moving Andres Torres right now because the Giants have no one else with his leadoff skills. But if someone major-league ready with a .375 to .400 OBP and excellent basestealing skills came back to the Giants in the trade, or in a different deal, I'd be willing to listen.
As for the prospects we have such high hopes about, is Roger Kieschnick really a "keeper"? Thomas Neal? Brandon Crawford? Zach Wheeler? Tommy Joseph? Hell no. There are still large odds against any of them ever making the bigs, let along having an impact.
Then there's Brandon Belt, who has risen so fast since April that it's tempting to deem him off-limits, at least for another couple months to see if he can sustain his otherworldly pace an entire season. But off-limits? If, say, the Mets wanted to shed contract and were willing to trade David Wright (or Padres/Adrian Gonzalez? or Nats/Ryan Zimmerman?) for a package built around Belt, would he still be off-limits? Again, those scenarios are wildly unlikely, but from time to time a GM loses control of his faculties. (Steve Phillips hasn't been a GM for years, but weird shit happens on the job, too.)
The rumors continue to filter in. I'll be shocked if the Giants stand pat between now and Aug. 1. The arrival of Posey and Bumgarner and revival of the Panda and Affeldt are a great orange-and-black tailwind of momentum, but the lineup could certainly use another bat, the bullpen another arm. Keep the pedal to the metal. Something's going to happen, and if Brian Sabean can convince other GMs to make it happen without the five guys on my keeper list, I will plant a big wet one on his moustachioed smackeroo.
