Stock Up, Stock Down on MLB's Top Projected Trade Targets, Week 7
When we last looked at the stock values of MLB's top projected trade targets roughly two weeks ago, I wrote about the volatility of the marketplace—and how a team's fortune (or misfortune) could change the composition of the marketplace.
So say goodbye to Chicago's Jeff Samardzija, as the streaking White Sox, winners of six consecutive games, have put themselves firmly back into the playoff picture—at least for the time being.
What I failed to mention, however, was that the fortunes of an individual player can do the same. Atlanta's Jason Grilli found that out the hard way, as he too has been removed from the market as it's been nearly a month since he's worked a clean ninth inning for the Braves.
You can be sure that when we revisit the marketplace in two weeks (this is a biweekly exercise), there will be more noticeable changes—both additions and subtractions. Of the players who remain, has anyone managed to raise his stock over the past week, which for our purposes, ran from May 12 to May 18?
Let's take a look.
Stock Up: 3B Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers
1 of 10
Weekly Stats
27 PA, .333/.333/.500 (8-for-24), 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 K
Overview
What do Adrian Beltre, Chipper Jones, Eddie Mathews and Mike Schmidt have in common?
They're the only four players to spend at least 75 percent of their career at third base and hit 400 homers, per MLB.com's Cody Stavenhagen, a fact that will only strengthen Beltre's case for enshrinement in the Hall of Fame once his career comes to an end.
But with the way he's been swinging the bat lately, that end isn't coming anytime soon.
Over his last 14 games, Beltre is hitting .333 with eight extra-base hits, 11 RBI and a .920 OPS. That's a stark difference from his first 24 games, after which he was hitting .214 with six extra-base hits and a .590 OPS.
2015 Stats
38 G, .258/.293/.426, 14 XBH (5 HR), 15 RBI, 7 BB, 15 K
Stock Up: SP Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds
2 of 10
Weekly Stats
GS, 2.57 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Overview
If you thought that a pair of mediocre outings was enough to dissuade potential suitors from pursuing a trade for Johnny Cueto, think again. Per Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News, 20 scouts—a group that included San Diego's Randy Smith and Toronto's Ed Lynch—saw Cueto return to form his last time out against San Francisco.
While he committed a costly balk that bought in one of the two earned runs he surrendered—his fourth balk of the season—Cueto looked sharper than he had recently, consistently getting ahead of hitters and calling upon his cutter more often than he has at any other point in 2015.
With a number of teams clearly showing interest in the 29-year-old, the Reds should have little trouble finding a deal that's to their liking once they decide to move their ace, who is set to depart as a free agent after the season.
2015 Stats
8 GS, 3-3, 2.93 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 58.1 IP, 42 H, 11 BB, 56 K
Stock Up: CF Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers
3 of 10
Weekly Stats
6 G, .318/.348/.636 (7-for-22), 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 K, 1-for-2 SB
Overview
Carlos Gomez showed no ill effects after getting drilled in the head by a 97 mph fastball during Sunday's game against the New York Mets, hitting a leadoff home run to start Monday's game against the Detroit Tigers.
It's been a challenging season thus far for the 29-year-old, who endured a stint on the 15-day disabled list in April due to a strained right hamstring.
While his overall numbers on the season leave much to be desired (his .284 on-base percentage is perhaps the most troubling), Gomez looks to be getting locked in at the plate, driving the ball with authority and looking once again as the most valuable trade chip Milwaukee has to play.
2015 Stats
88 PA, .267/.284/.500, 11 XBH (4 HR), 15 RBI, BB, 15 K, 3-for-5 SB
.png?w=256)
Stock Even: OF Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies
4 of 10
Weekly Stats
7 G, .241/.290/.448 (7-for-29), 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K, 1-for-1 SB
Overview
We've seen signs of life from Colorado's oft-injured but supremely talented outfielder, Carlos Gonzalez, for the first time all season. He's collected at least one base hit in five of his last seven games and doubled his home run total over the past week.
That said, it's still far too early to proclaim that CarGo is back to being the player he once was. His batting average is still hanging precariously close to the Mendoza Line, and even with his recent string of hits, he isn't getting on base with any consistency.
He's done enough over the past seven days to keep his stock from dropping any further, but he's going to have to do far more if he wants to see it begin trending upward.
2015 Stats
132 PA, .207/.265/.347, 9 XBH (4 HR), 11 RBI, 10 BB, 30 K, 1-for-1 SB
Stock Up: SP Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
5 of 10
Weekly Stats
2 GS, 2-0, 1.88 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 14.1 IP, 11 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 16 K
Overview
When last we checked in with Cole Hamels, he was in the midst of a string of mediocre outings, sitting with a 4.14 ERA and 1.35 WHIP on the season. But he's since found his groove and once again looks like the elite starter we know him to be, delivering a pair of stellar outings over the past week.
The secret to his success isn't much of a secret at all, as Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg explained to the Philadelphia Daily News' Ryan Lawrence before his ace's most recent start:
"Cole's been really aggressive on the inside part of the plate. Even to the point of having hitters move a little bit, [he's] really establishing inside. I think that's really opened up the full plate for him. … And I think with that his stuff has even gotten better. Even hitting 94, 95 with his fastball. It makes his changeup better. I think he has overall made the hitters uncomfortable his last two or three outings.
"
While working the inside of the plate has resulted in hitting three batters over his last two starts, the strategy is clearly paying off, with the opposition hitting a woeful .216 with a .508 OPS against him during this run.
Between Philadelphia's asking price and the money left on Hamels' contract, significant obstacles remain to a trade actually being consummated. But for the first time in nearly a month, Hamels' own play isn't one of them.
2015 Stats
8 GS, 3-3, 3.53 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 51 IP, 40 H, 22 BB, 55 K
Stock Down: SP Scott Kazmir, Oakland Athletics
6 of 10
Weekly Stats
GS, 0-0, 6.24 ERA, 2.31 WHIP, 4.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Overview
After allowing a total of three earned runs over four April starts, 14 earned runs—nearly five times as many—have crossed home plate against Scott Kazmir in four May starts, including three in his most recent outing against the White Sox, the veteran's shortest (and least effective) outing of the season.
"I wish I could have been a little more efficient early on and made a couple of plays," Kazmir, who failed to escape the fifth inning despite throwing 103 pitches, told the Daily Herald's Rick Eymer afterward. "It would have been a totally different ballgame."
While he remains one of the more intriguing front-of-the-rotation arms who's expected to be available as the trade deadline approaches, Kazmir needs to string together a run of quality outings if he hopes to see his stock begin trending upward once again.
2015 Stats
8 GS, 2-2, 3.08 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 49.2 IP, 39 H, 19 BB, 49 K
Stock Even: RP Jonathan Papelbon, Philadelphia Phillies
7 of 10
Weekly Stats
5 G, 0-0, 1.93 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 4.2 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 7 K, 4-for-4 SV
Overview
Move over, Jose Mesa—there's a new all-time saves leader in Philadelphia, and his name is Jonathan Papelbon. He notched the 113th of his four-year Phillies career against Pittsburgh last Wednesday, the first of his four saves on the week.
"It means a lot to me. Honestly, it does," Papelbon told the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jake Kaplan of the accomplishment. While his fiery demeanor and $13 million vesting option for 2016 are sure to turn off some potential suitors, Papelbon delivers results and remains one of the premier closers in the game.
With a lengthy track record of success, both in the regular season and playoffs, Papelbon is poised to be a legitimate difference-maker for a contender that finds itself in the thick of a battle for a playoff spot and silence his detractors.
2015 Stats
17 G, 0-0, 1.59 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 17 IP, 12 H, 4 BB, 21 K, 10-for-10 SV
Stock Even: SS Jean Segura, Milwaukee Brewers
8 of 10
Weekly Stats
1 G, .250/.250/.750 (1-for-4), 3B, 2 K
Overview
Jean Segura isn't happy about Milwaukee's decision to place him on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured right pinkie finger, and he let it be known to anyone within earshot, including manager Craig Counsell, who explained the decision to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy:
"I understand his position and I'm glad he voiced it strongly. I am. It makes you like, 'This is a guy we want here.' But it's just too dangerous for him to play.
He's been hit in the head twice this year and he's missed one game. You don't have to say any more. I guess maybe I should have expected [the tough discussion about the DL] a little bit. It's what you come to expect from him almost, that he's going to go out there. You have to battle to take him out of there.
"
Segura is clearly a gamer, and his attitude will not only endear himself to his current teammates but to other teams as well.
You simply can't have too many players with his kind of mental fortitude on a roster, and while the Brewers may hesitate to move him, a healthy Segura remains one of their most valuable trade chips, one that could bring back a substantial package of talent.
2015 Stats
135 PA, .262/.306/.373, 8 XBH (2 HR), 12 RBI, 5 BB, 18 K, 6-for-7 SB
Stock Down: SS Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies
9 of 10
Weekly Stats
5 G, .158/.150/.158 (3-for-19), RBI, 6 K
Overview
Just because Troy Tulowitzki won't ask for a trade, as he told MLB.com's Thomas Harding, doesn't mean that Colorado shouldn't look to deal its All-Star shortstop—assuming he can stay on the field, that is.
Tightness in his left quadriceps forced him from Colorado's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning last Friday, but he only missed two games and was back in the lineup Monday night, going 1-for-4 against Philadelphia and Cole Hamels.
While a major disaster was averted, the feeling of dread that went through every Rockies fan's head—and likely the team's decision-makers as well—as he limped off the field should be all the motivation the team needs to finally cut ties with Tulowitzki.
It makes no sense for a team in desperate need of a rebuild to carry a player whose contract is as burdensome—or who has become so-injury prone—as Tulowitzki's, despite his capability of putting up MVP-caliber numbers when he's healthy.
Moving him would be far easier, of course, if he was actually playing up to his usual level of excellence. But his .732 OPS is nearly 150 points below his career average, while he's carrying a career-low walk rate (1.6 percent) and career-high strikeout rate (23.4 percent).
2015 Stats
124 PA, .283/.290/.442, 15 XBH (2 HR), 11 RBI, 2 BB, 29 K
Stock Up: 2B Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
10 of 10
Weekly Stats
6 G, .238/.304/.381 (5-for-21), 3 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Overview
To say that it's been a trying season for Chase Utley would be a gross understatement.
Not only has Philadelphia's veteran second baseman gotten off to the worst start of his 13-year career, but he found himself dropped to sixth in the lineup, the first time that he's batted lower than fifth in the lineup in more than a decade, according to CSN Philly's Jim Salisbury.
“For Chase, just a little change of scenery, maybe change his mindset a little bit, change his luck, change the surroundings, who’s in front of him, who’s behind him. Just a change,” manager Ryne Sandberg told Salisbury. “I think he’s tried just about everything else and I've tried a few things with him.”
“We’ll take it a game at a time and see what happens,” Sandberg said. “It doesn’t have to be a negative. If he can get going there and get some hits, it’s an RBI spot.”
So far, so good, as Utley is hitting .444 (4-for-9) with three doubles and two RBI in three games from the 6-hole. While his overall numbers remain putrid, Utley has finally taken a step in the right direction and, should it continue, will finally put talk about his demise to rest—at least for the time being.
2015 Stats
135 PA, .143/.222/.252, 7 XBH (3 HR), 17 RBI, 10 BB, 20 K
Unless otherwise linked/noted, all statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs and are current through games through May 18. All contract information courtesy of Cot's Contracts.
Hit me up on Twitter to talk all things baseball: @RickWeinerBR
.png?w=480)
