RP Brian Fuentes http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6735
SP/RP Carlos Zambrano http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6559

For

RP Billy Wagner http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5536

Aaron, being a Met fan I know a little bit about the career of Billy Wagner. He does have the ability to continue his surprising season with the Bravos, as long as his body doesn't fall apart before September. Neither of my players are much of an injury risk, whereas Wagner very much is, which I think is an important element in this trade. I think Wagner's possibility of injury makes up for the under-performance of my two players, which in Fuentes' case has only been recently.

I disagree. His career ERA is under 3 and he's one of the best closers of the last two decades. You're overblowing his injury concerns. He signed with the Mets in 2006 and had a career year with 40 saves. He gets 30 a year later in 2007 and then has his first major surgery in 2008 after already converting 27 saves on the year. It took him a long time to recover, but he was more than servicable in 2009 with the Red Sox and now he's back in a closers role doing what he's been doing his entire career. Keeping his ERA down and collecting saves. One surgery doesn't discredit a players history of being an All-Star caliber closer and automatically guarentee he's going to get hurt again.

I don't think it's overblowing the injury risk when a left handed pitcher has major surgery on his left elbow (forcing him to miss an entire year) and the same team he had those All-Star-esque years with drops you like a bad habit. The fact the Mets staff as a whole thought Billy Wagner was going to be damaged goods for the rest of his career raises concern. He did well in his stint with Boston and has been a pleasant surprise for the Mets division rival Braves, but he is still a very big question mark as far as his health goes.

Zambrano is average at best this year, Fuentes is garbage. His ERA is over 5, and he's a closer. His K to Walk ratio is pretty bad, and compared to Wagner you'd probably have to throw in another pitcher.

Just because Fuentes has had a rough stretch doesn't make him "garbage". He plays on a very good team and will have a good amount of saves on the year (he had 48 just last season). And considering G&C only has two starting pitchers worthy of a roster spot on his team right now, adding Big Z wouldn't hurt his cause whatsoever. Fuentes has the stuff to turn things around, Wagner has better stuff but also has a better chance of ending up on the 60 Day DL or worse. I'm willing to throw in a Brian Matusz if necessary. I would be willing to do:

SP Brian Matusz http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8418
SP/RP Carlos Zambrano http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6559
RP Brian Fuentes http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6735

For

RP Billy Wagner http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5536

OR

RP Carlos Marmol http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6049
2B/3B Placido Polanco http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6049

For

RP Billy Wagner http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5536
3B Ryan Zimmerman http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7627

As a Halo fan, I have no problem saying Fuentes is bad.

If Matusz were thrown in, that would be more than fair and nobody could have a problem with it IMO.

I'd type out an explain why I'm saying no, but I don't think it would do any good.

Nay.

Especially considering Zambrano has been throwing absolute junk this season. And he was on the waiver wire just a few weeks ago being tossed around. Offer up some real players when you try to trade. . .

You didn't comment on the Marmol offer. What's your thoughts on that one?

I'm still kind of failing to see what, if anything, Guitars and Cadillacs is getting back in return for a very solid closer. You have 3 guys with over 4.50 ERA.

Marmol has a 2.00 ERA...

And you think he's good enough to get Zimmerman and Wagner? Because Polanco carries barely any trade weight.

Wagner for Marmol is about even, but Polanco for Zimmerman is a joke.

I fail to see how Polanco has no weight in this trade, he's on a great team, he hits .290-.305 every season, and has the chance to have far more RBI's than last season due to the fact he's no longer a Detriot Tiger. I don't even see why the trades have to be 100% fair, G&C has never even checked his team, he wasn't even at the draft. It's unfair to us that all these great hitters are stuck on a team whose manager doesn't even want to be active, which is why Aaron locked him out in the first place.

Ive given you access to them, as much access as you have to players on my roster. That means you can get them if you can learn how to bargain.

Alright, well if you were me Aaron and you wanted Wagner, looking at my roster what offer would you make this guy? Give me a basis to work with.

If I were you, I'd give up Fuentes, and Marmol for Wagner.

Wagner is better than Fuentes, but he's not better than Marmol. Plus losing 2 of my three closers in exchange for one would make no sense.

Then don't make the trade?

On the other note, it IS fair that the team has players. Aaron has taken over the team somewhat and has made players available for trade, how is it not fair? If you wanted those particular players, you should have drafted them to begin with.

I never said the team shouldn't have players...

What if I did this?

SP Colby Lewis

2B/SS Ryan Theriot

For

LF/CF/RF Carlos Gonzalez

I think it would take an improved pitcher, but this is the closest you've been.

Aaron how about this one ?

Howie Kendrick
Nick Blackburn
Nick Markakis


for

Ricky Weeks
Bobby Abreu

What if I threw in someone like LF/RF David Dejesus or SP Carlos Zambrano ?

So pending the Miguel Cabrera trade does in fact go through Aaron, what do you think of this trade possibility I came up with for G&C?

2B/3B Placido Polanco

2B/SS Ryan Theriot

FOR

3B Ryan Zimmerman

Polanco has to go in a deal for Zimmerman due to the 3B eligibility. So here's how I see it- they carry similar AVG potential but Polanco lacks in RBIs and HRs by a pretty good margin. So the goal I would have to make up for that would be to give another player up that could be better than a starter he has. If you look at his roster now he could use a quality starter and a closer along with a better OF.

If he didn't have a great SS or 2B Theriot could help, but I don't think he could start for that team. That help?

So if you offered Polanco (fills in 3B gap), a better OF than he has (maybe Dejesus?) and then a Colby Lewis-esque pitcher I think you could get Zimmerman. You replace him in the lineup and then try and better what he has at other spots. That's how I would do it.

I think that could work too Myles. It's akwardly even. The RBIs come out to pretty even with all the bats involved and the positions work out. I'm gonna sit on this one for a day though or if you'd like you can throw up a poll rather than waiting. I'd like to hear others take on it anyway.

Alright I can completely work with that. Here's what I got for ya....

2B/3B Placido Polanco

SP/RP C.J. Wilson

LF/RF David Dejesus

FOR

3B Ryan Zimmerman

Let me know your thoughts.