Braves send Justin Upton to san diago

[dmarx114]

So how much more did the Cards give up to get Heyward compared to what the Padres gave up to get Upton?

[ZigZagCardsFan]

So how much more did the Cards give up to get Heyward compared to what the Padres gave up to get Upton?

I'd say our package was more valuable, as it should've been.

[33anda3rd]

Fried > Jenkins by a landslide. But still, with Shelby in there, I'd say the Cards gave up more.

[Fat Strat]

So how much more did the Cards give up to get Heyward compared to what the Padres gave up to get Upton?

I'd say our package was more valuable, as it should've been.

It's hard to compare a 4 for one deal with a 2 for 2 deal. People always forget that we got Walden -- a reliever with closer quality stuff -- to go along with Heyward. The Padres did not give up a prospect of Miller's caliber, but they had to give up a significant chunk of their system to get this deal done.

[dmarx114]

Would we have rather given up a similar package of minor leaguers to get Upton, or are we happier with the Heyward trade?

[Jocephus]

i dont think this board could handle upton and reynolds

[33anda3rd]

I'd take Heyward over just about everyone except Trout and Kershaw so I'm pretty happy it was him and not Upton.

[TheoSqua]

I wonder what on earth Preller is doing with all these moves.

Matt Kemp is past his prime and his arthritic hips held the deal up. But he's a Padre.
Justin Upton's lone remaining virtue is his power and he's going to a park that kills power.
Derek Norris is great in a platoon but will cost value if he takes too many wrong-sided PA.
Having acquired R/R Norris who hits LHP great, they signed....R/R David Ross who doesn't make a suitable platoon partner.
Wil Myers just lost a year to a wrist injury and there are whispers about attitude/work ethic.
He has three right-handed power-hitting corner OF for two corner OF positions in the league with no DH.
Middlebrooks has never lived up to his prospect status and has appeared lost against MLB pitching.

Meanwhile, they're in a division with the Giants, who have won 3 of the last 5 World Series and whose core players are all 24-28 this year, and the Dodgers, who have all the money in the world and the best pitching staff in baseball that has gotten better with the addition of McCarthy. Upton is a one-year rental. So does Preller think he's competing this year? With this roster? He....I don't know, I think he'd have to be crazy to think that what he's put together here is a team that can win the NL West.

The goal is probably to establish credibility to the fanbase and players. It's like when the Blues signed Paul Kariya or the Cardinals traded for Mark McGwire. The moves weren't enough to take the teams from terrible to contenders, but it did help the new regime establish credibility. Making moves to improve your team will give credibility to your organization and hopefully give you a reputation for a team that is "on the rise" so to speak. Sometimes it's successful, sometimes you're Toronto.

San Diego needs to prove they're not going to be a perennial also-ran in the vein of Kansas City or Pottsburgh who, in the past, had to overpay for aging free agents to fill out their roster. This will help keep attendance from going into a funk and potentially help them attract free agents.

Can't you do that by acquiring players that make a little more sense?

I can't argue that San Diego couldn't have made better trades. But if you simply ask, did they improve their team for 2015? The answer is pretty much yes.

The top 3 OF for SD had a flat 4.0 WAR last season. Steamers projects Myers/Kemp/Upton to be 6.8 War combined next season. So an improvement of almost 3 wins. Also all 3 players they acquired have the potential to exceed their projections. Someone like Seth Smith doesn't really have a ceiling higher than 2 war.

So if you're just thinking 2015, and not the years after when Upton leaves for a big market, Kemp becomes even older, and Myers doesn't live up to his potential, it makes a little sense.

[Jmodene]

I'd take Heyward over just about everyone except Trout and Kershaw so I'm pretty happy it was him and not Upton.

Agreed. Upton has more raw power, but that's his only advantage over Heyward.

[33anda3rd]

For the WAR edge to work for SD of 4 to 6.8 those three guys have to play three corner OF spots. If one moves to 1B he loses D value. If one has to play a lousy CF he loses value.