Brewers Trade Rumors: Markets for Lind, Lucroy heating up

So far this winter, Slingin' Stearns has given up very little opportunity to wildly speculate on trade rumors, having dealt three players in three days before so much as a whiff of those moves had reached the blogosphere and/or Twitterverse. He's graciously slowed down a bit of late to allow me the opportunity to do my dang job, which brings us to this article from Ken Rosenthal which discusses, among other much less important things like the potential for Chris Sale and Sonny Gray to be traded, the market for two of Milwaukee's biggest trade chips.

Brewers Trade Assets: Adam Lind

The red-headed first baseman enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career last year but will be a free agent following 2016.

Adam Lind, 32, is one of the most attractive first base options available on the trade market. Because of his very reasonable salary -- he'll make $8 million in 2016 -- he is an option for smaller market teams that may not be in on the likes of Chris Davis. For now, the Brewers have not received the kind of offer for Lind that would compel them to move him, though that could change at next week's Winter Meetings. The market for Lind may also be waiting for Davis to sign, since a lot of the teams that are seeking first base help -- St. Louis, Houston, and incumbent Baltimore -- have enough money to spend should they find Davis to be the more attractive option.

Regarding the potential return for Lind, Rosenthal alludes to the July trade between St. Louis and Cleveland that sent Brandon Moss to the baby eaters Cardinals in exchange for LHP Rob Kaminsky. The 21-year-old left-hander is a top 100 prospect and, though Moss had an extra year of half-year of control and comes slightly cheaper at $6.5 million, Lind is the better hitter, sporting a three-year wRC+ of 129 to Moss' 117. A similar return for Lind is not outside the realm of reason.

Regarding Jonathan Lucroy, Rosenthal says both he and Lind -- if they aren't moved this winter -- are players that Milwaukee will be perfectly content to hold onto if the right deal doesn't come along, with the plan of looking to deal them once again this summer. This is certainly true of Lind, who's left-handed power will always be in demand. Lucroy, however, presents a more interesting case, as many teams prefer to have their starting catcher installed with the team prior to spring training in order to get in work with the pitching staff. This may be especially true of Lucroy, for whom so much of his value comes from his pitch framing ability. If Lucroy really is available, I would expect a big push from Stearns at next week's Winter Meetings to find a buyer. 

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