Rumorville: TG Jr. for Greg Maddux

by roguejim on Jul 6, 2008 8:43 AM CDT

Rambling Al and and mlbtraderumors have had some discussion on this possibility, but Cute Sports ("from a chick's perspective") gets the winning link because...well, for obvious reasons:

The rumor mill is churning this morning with renewed vigor on the possibility of a Tony Gwynn for Greg Maddux trade with the Padres.

It's no secret that Gwynn would like to be playing full time and the Gwynn's are royalty in San Diego.

It's also no secret that the Brewers are in desperate need of starting pitching.

The trade rumors surrounding Greg Maddux reach far and wide and include pretty much every NL team there is. Maddux has a full no-trade clause, so he'll be a part of whatever decision is made. Conventional wisdom would say an aging pitcher would prefer sunny California to Milwaukee, but you never know.

Maddux clearly has a big contract and is on the down side of his career arc, but I can't imagine we'd be able to get him for just Tony Gwynn and I'm not sure how many guys we should be willing to give up in order to have Maddux for the rest of the season.

Lots of feel good stories here: Gwynn back in San Diego, the Maddux brothers reunited, etc. My favorite is the idea that Greg Maddux could be on the mound in Wrigley, against his old team, personally bouncing them from the 2008 playoffs as the regular season comes to a close.

Also, although he clearly isn't the pitcher he was 15 years ago, his numbers this season --- 4.04 ERA, 1.26 WHIP --- aren't bad at all, though, err, park-inspired. He signed a 1-year deal for $10 million.

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You know with how the starters have thrown recently I am not convinced this is an upgrade

I mean we aren’t giving up a blue chip prospect but how much better is Maddux than Bush or McClung right now? And to have to take on that salary? I guess I am kind of in the C.C. or bust camp right now.

Visit my baseball blog ...or else!

by dixieflatline on Jul 6, 2008 9:14 AM CDT 0 recs

I wouldn't fret too much over $4 million or so

Anyway, sure, Maddux probably wouldn’t be anything other than a league-average starter (but he’d be that with a high likelihood which is also valuable), but with the risk that “CC or bust” ends up being “bust”, stockpiling a few more arms like Maddux’ can only be a good idea, especially if it only costs us TG Jr. Just think of Maddux not as a rotation replacement for Bush or McClung – although he’d likely be that – but rather insurance against the near-inevitable pitcher injury.

by Zeyes on Jul 6, 2008 10:24 AM CDT up 0 recs

Maddux has been awful his last two starts

In the last two starts he has given up 14 runs in 10.1 innings. Before those starts his era was 3.17, which is unbelievable, regardless of the park in which he pitches.

He’s pitching today, so it’ll be interesting to see what type of game he has. If the trade is just for TG jr. then I’d say pull the trigger and still try for Sabathia.

Could you imagine a rotation of Sheets, Sabathia, Parra, Suppan, and Maddux for the rest of the year? That would make for a fun second half.

by brewfan2 on Jul 6, 2008 10:40 AM CDT 0 recs

it would be kind of cool to have his veteran grit on the team...

it would make a certain manager pretty happy…

go get em' seth!

by Jamie in LA on Jul 6, 2008 11:25 AM CDT up 0 recs

Maddux has been mediocre this whole season.

He’s almost entirely a product of Petco this season. If Maddux would rather go to Milwaukee than Chicago (which I doubt, but it’s his no trade clause, not mine) I wouldn’t be upset in the lease.

I has a blog.

by cwyers on Jul 6, 2008 2:48 PM CDT up 0 recs

I wonder

what effect would a TG Jr./Maddux trade have on the Sabathia negotiations.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jul 6, 2008 11:14 AM CDT 0 recs

uhh

I wouldn’t throw Maddux against the Cubs in Wrigley Field, can you say, “5 runs in the first 4 innings?” He would help their playoff chances, not ours. Maybe if we could play all our games at Petco!

by CarolDunc on Jul 6, 2008 11:22 AM CDT 0 recs

Doesn't add much

This one doesn’t excite me at all. By September, we could really use a CF on our 40 man roster who can run, bat left handed and get on base. I am totally behind the Sabathia push because of what he adds to our team.

However, starting pitching isn’t our only problem. We don’t have a lead-off hitter/second baseman. Despite hot hitting recently from Hall and Cameron, we have had serious problems from those two spots.

Now, I guess adding Maddux would allow us to buttress the bullpen by putting Bush/McClung back there, but I’ve really been impressed by the way McClung has been pitching. It seems like it would need to take a bonafide stud like CC for me to want to take him out of the rotation right now. (Even then, I would go for McClung staying in the rotation over Bush.)

by gantner's mustache on Jul 6, 2008 11:23 AM CDT 0 recs

TGjr is probably a September call up

There is disdain for him here because he doesn’t hit HRs, but he fits this team really well. Besides, even if he were traded it should be for the best deal possible not a fleecing. Maddux is sort of an emergency purchase.

by ol Pete on Jul 6, 2008 12:10 PM CDT 0 recs

Much of the disdain for him here

is because he doesn’t hit much of anything. .300 in AAA, with few walks? Lame.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 6, 2008 2:06 PM CDT up 0 recs

are there any

old-school GMs left who will only care about the BA and not the OBP?

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jul 6, 2008 2:48 PM CDT up 0 recs

Good question

there was a report recently that Jim Bowden told a Nats pitching prospect that he wanted to see Ws.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 6, 2008 9:40 PM CDT up 0 recs

What does Bowden know

about producing Ws?

by molitorfan on Jul 6, 2008 10:18 PM CDT up 0 recs

maybe it wasn't a suggestion

maybe he was genuinely curious to find out more about them.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Jul 6, 2008 10:36 PM CDT up 0 recs

Well, sure

like why they’re pronounced “double-U” instead of “double-V.”

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jul 7, 2008 2:50 PM CDT up 0 recs

He hit a HR last night

I’m sold.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 6, 2008 2:11 PM CDT up 0 recs

Maddux is my favorite pitcher of my generation. I would love to see him pitch for the Crew, even not at the top of his game. However, I am not sold it would be an upgrade either.

by Braunstalker on Jul 6, 2008 1:01 PM CDT 0 recs

Melvin must have been lying when he said he has gotten a lot of calls for Tony

Defense, speed and hitting for average are clearly not that valuable.

by ol Pete on Jul 6, 2008 3:58 PM CDT 0 recs

You're right

Fifth outfielders are clearly not that valuable.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jul 6, 2008 4:03 PM CDT up 0 recs

lol - he's losing ground

And Melvin the liar – next it’ll turn out he is friendly with Haudricourt.

by ol Pete on Jul 6, 2008 4:27 PM CDT up 0 recs

you know, for someone as cynical as you

it’s amazing how willingly you will believe any random company-line BS. Or maybe you’re only doing that when it helps to further your personal narrative as the resident blog contrarian; it’s sometimes hard to tell where your actual opinions end and the baiting begins.

by Zeyes on Jul 6, 2008 4:46 PM CDT up 0 recs

baiting? The joke about Melvin?

What would be the “random company line BS”?

by ol Pete on Jul 6, 2008 4:55 PM CDT up 0 recs

Only way I see this happening

If Suppan’s injury is revealed to be serious (my guess no), or someone gets hurt in the rotation before July 31 and is expected to miss significant time (more than 3 starts).

The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.

by Kyguy922 on Jul 8, 2008 9:12 AM CDT 0 recs

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