Next week’s trade deadline promises to be a quieter affair than last season, when the Sox moved seven (!) major leaguers for eleven (!) minor leaguers, including da bessssss. This year Rick Hahn lacks the quality big league assets he used to snag Eloy Jimenez, and the organization is not yet in a place where it makes sense to acquire a premium major leaguer.
This was on my mind as I watched Tuesday’s All-Star Game, in which Blake Treinen mowed down Joey Votto, Christian Yelich, and Charlie Blackmon for a 1-2-3 inning. Treinen, the A’s 30-year old first-time All Star, was part of the package that Oakland received from Washington in exchange for Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson last July. The Athletics’ return seemed questionable then, but looks fantastic in hindsight, in large part because Treinen has become one of the three best relievers in baseball this year.
At the time of the trade, Treinen was a somewhat established reliever struggling to fill the Nationals’ closer role. The A’s front office was likely faced with the choice between acquiring Treinen or a mid-level prospect, and was savvy to choose the player with a bonafide major league skillset and years of control, but who didn’t come with the inflated price tag attached to many prospects. It was a shining example of the A’s organizational philosophy dating back to Moneyball days: find and acquire undervalued assets.
“Find and acquire undervalued assets” should be Rick Hahn’s prime directive right now. And without a Jose Quintana-like or even Tommy Kahnle-like (lol) centerpiece to dangle for prized prospects, nabbing the next Treinen is more realistic than nabbing the next Jimenez.
So what kind of major league pieces should be on the front office’s radar? I see possible targets falling into one of three groups.
Busted Prospects
The Sox have taken shots at highly regarded prospects who couldn’t put it together in the majors many times before, from Alen Hanson to Gavin Floyd all the way back to Paul Konerko. With no firm contention timeline, the organization can afford to give long looks to former prospects, and hope they turn things around when relieved of the baggage that comes with unmet expectations. Players like Pirates pitcher Tyler Glasnow or Mets first baseman Dominic Smith fit this description.
Blocked/Struggling Players
The Cardinals are an interesting trade partner, with multiple moving pieces on their major league roster, but holes in the infield and bullpen. Guys like Harrison Bader and Jose Martinez (whom the Cards front office intimated they may deal) don’t have obvious paths to regular playing time, so dealing one of them for a Joakim Soria or a Leury Garcia might more evenly spread St. Louis’s talent across the roster. Meanwhile, the White Sox could attempt to maximize either player’s value in a full-time role.
Similarly, Cardinals catcher Carson Kelly would be a good if more expensive target; the former top prospect has yet to thrive in a part-time role alongside Yadier Molina, and Andrew Knizer is squeezing him from lower on the depth chart. Likewise, tools-heavy outfielder Keon Broxton is something like sixth on the Brewers depth chart, and would give the Sox a chance to experiment with a higher-upside version of Adam Engel.
(A completely unrelated aside: while looking at the Cards’ org chart, I noticed that Rangel Ravelo is in the middle of his second straight excellent season at AAA Memphis, splitting time between OF and 1B. If St. Louis turns him into the next Martinez, I might have to give up on following the Sox minor league system.)
Head Cases
You might more charitably describe this category as "change of scenery candidates." The name that immediately comes to mind is Astros reliever Ken Giles, who punched himself in the face, cussed out his manager, then was optioned to AAA. The Sox have a history of helping troubled high-end talents like Bobby Jenks, and if the Astros want to get off the Giles roller coaster, he’d be a worthwhile gamble – either to stabilize the back-end of the bullpen over the next 2.5 years, or to rehab his value and flip.
Whether they target any of these particular players or not, Rick Hahn and company should take a discerning look at 25-man rosters around baseball. With many of the Sox’s best (or even marginal) prospects still years away, it’s worth acquiring an undervalued major leaguer who can plug a hole on the roster today, and potentially turn into Blake Treinen tomorrow.
(Figuratively. It’d be creepy as hell if Jose Martinez literally turned into Blake Treinen.)
