Trade Scott Linebrink before it's too late?

[HollywoodLeo]

But they can accomplish the same goal (dumping salary) while actually getting a return that gives them something for next year. (Something more than a draft pick)

[padrefanforever]

Upon further review, Linebrink has only had 5 outings this year in which he's given up any ERs.

Two in a row..........yeah for Linebrink.......his value is skyrocketing

[HollywoodLeo]

It's easy to say "I told you so" after he gives up a run in 2 straight outings after my statement was made.

1 run in 17 appearances at the time of my statement, which was merely "he's been good as of late"

that was an accurate statement. One I wouldn't make at this point in time.

[padrefanforever]

I said it long before then thank you very much........He hadn't pitched lately which is why you were under the impression he'd been ok........he gets into a game and flames a ball over the fence.....his next outting he gives up the lead to a division rival after we'd fought to get back into the game.....

Dude is craptacular, and his value is plummetting......he's a FA and needs to be totally dominant to have any sort of value as a trading chip......he's far from that, and his worth to this team is questionable

[HollywoodLeo]

I wasn't under the impression that he'd been good as of late because he wasn't pitching.

I was under the impression because he gave up 1 run (earned or otherwise) in 17 outings.

That's a 0.52 ERA.

Last I checked a 0.52 ERA is good.

I mean, even with his 2 straight bad outings his ERA over the past 19 outings just skyrocketed to 1.52.

Not that I'd make the same "good as of late" proclamation right now, considering the two straight bad outings and all.

[padrefanforever]

Just goes back to the original thought........gotta move him before he's worth nothing......if you wait.......he will ruin your chances of getting anything of value for him......maybe it's been a good thing that Black buried him in the bullpen for a couple weeks......clearly he's not much more than BP right now

[HollywoodLeo]

You could be right, you could be wrong.

I certainly wouldn't be against trading him if it gets us what we need in return. Regardless of your opinion on Linebrink and how he may or may not fare in the future he's certainly expendable with our bullpen strength.

That being said, he's proven that he's more than capable of bouncing back.
But we'll see, I suppose.

Quite frankly I'm more concerned about Cla Meredith than I am Linebrink.

[padrefanforever]

Cla's arm slot is his issue......everything is coming across the middle above the knees, and thats too high for him.......Linebrink is a FA and it worries me that all we're going to get is comp. picks

[HollywoodLeo]

comp picks are nothing to sneeze at. The more we're able to draft the better our farm system gets, and that's what this team really needs.

If Fuson/Alderson can turn our farm system into one that competes with that of the Dodgers and Diamond Backs we'll actually have a more realistic hope of trading for whatever hole we have at the time mid season in the future.

Not to mention, if we're raising a lot more better prospects we have more replacements for those that leave....replacements from the inside.

[padrefanforever]

Yes I'm aware of what they can do for the future of a club.....our problem isn't our future .....it's the NOW.......and he might be our best trading chip.......and he's not being used because KT has a frigg'n love affair with him

[HollywoodLeo]

I realize we're more concerned about now than the future, but you're the one that brought up concern over only getting comp picks for him.

Looking at it from that point of view is looking at it from an aspect of the future. So I replied to it from that point of view.

[padrefanforever]

I'm concerned that's all we're going to get......IMO we can get far more than crapshoot players......I think we need to make a move for a proven commodity, and use Linebrink as one of the chips.......proven commodity doesn't = draft comp pick......nor does it = helping this team win a WS this year

[HollywoodLeo]

If Linebrink is as done as you, an average fan, claim him to be what makes you think major league GMs who are paid to make assessments of whether or not ball players are able to keep succeeding will not see the same thing?

And if they come to the same conclusion you have come to after 2 bad outings (Hell, even before the 2 bad outings.) what makes you think we'll get anything of value for him?

[padrefanforever]

1 He's not "done"
2 His value wont ever be this high again
3 Trade him while it's up, don't wait for it to come down
4 Get more than just comp picks for him
5 Make this team better by using him as a tool in trade

Does that makes sense to you now ? This is how I feel about him.......and the more he's used, the more we're going to have to worry about him crapping the bed .......

[HollywoodLeo]

1 He's not "done"

Oh, cuz that's the impression i'm getting reading your posts.

2 His value wont ever be this high again

You don't know that for sure.

3 Trade him while it's up, don't wait for it to come down

It's not a complete certainty that it will go down.

4 Get more than just comp picks for him

If we can, I'm all for it.

5 Make this team better by using him as a tool in trade

Agreed

Does that makes sense to you now ? This is how I feel about him.......

I understand your feelings on the subject, don't completely agree with every aspect of it.

and the more he's used, the more we're going to have to worry about him crapping the bed .......

This is the part I disagree with. Where you make statements like this like as though it's a complete certainty that if we don't trade him now his value will do nothing but plummet.

If it was that certain that he will never be as good as he once was....again, why would anyone in their right mind want to trade for him?