So I’m dead last in my league. I can carry guys over for next year. I’ve been offered Rafael Furcal (SS ATL) and Kurt Ainsworth (P SF minors) for AJ Burnett (P FLA)
All have salaries of $5 and all are long term contracts. I’d get Ainsworth and Furcal for $5 for the next two years.
I’m undecided and could use the helpful suggestions available here.
Is it worth AJ Burnett to acquire Furcal and Ainsworth?
Personally, I think Furcal’s going to be a bust. He’s not having a great year, really, even though he’s faster than light. And, minor league pitchers are always a risk, while Burnett and the Fish are going places.
Don’t make the trade.
Don’t listen to him, Jonathan. Furcal is going to be star. I would consider his worth equal to Burnett.
I agree with spooje. Furcal has a very high ceiling and will score lots of runs and steal lots of bases in the years ahead. He’ll be in front of Andruw and Chipper Jones for the foreseeable future, meaning he’s got guys to drive him in.
Make the deal.
If you’re last with your current crop of players, why not make the trade? Furcal has a fabulous upside. There are just not that many 19 year olds capable of playing MLB, and those that can turn out to be real keepers. Furcal is fast as hell, sure, but he is smart, mature, coachable, possessed of real strike zone judgement and willing to work to improve. He could score 100 runs for the next 10 years. If he’s a bust, 29 other teams would like to have a bust just like him. And what’s with Burnett anyway? No saves, ratio not eye-popping. Where’s his value? Throw out the minor league guy, which would you rather have–a 285-315 hitting SS who will score runs and steal bases in bunches or a guy pitching 50 innings per year? If you were battling for 1st it might be different. I say go for the future. Besides, wouldn’t it be cool to own a player who broke a 96 year old record set by Ty Cobb?
I was going to ask if this was a 4x4 league, or a 5x5 league with strikeouts.
But it doesn’t matter. Make the deal. ESPECIALLY if pitcher strikeouts don’t count, but do it regardless.
Young hitters are more valuable, more predictable and less volatile than young pitchers. Most young pitchers struggle when they first come up: Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine, Randy Johnson, etc.
Furcal has already proven he can contribute in the majors. I believe Burnett will eventually do so, but he may take some time, and you said you’d only have rights to these guys for 2 years. Furcal is contributing now–Burnett might very well struggle for a good part of that time. Burnett might fight his control, might hurt his arm, which is a risk with a lot of good young pitching prospects (Brien Taylor, Kerry Wood, Mark Fidyrich, etc.)
Furcal is especially valuable because stolen bases are hard to come by–especially with all the homers being hit.
I see this trade as a total no brainer–Furcal is more valuable than Burnett. I’d rather have him than Burnett AND Ainsworth.
Make this trade now. Do not pass “Go”, do not collect $200. Have it signed, sealed and delivered post haste.
Do it.
OK then.
I’m doing it. But on your heads be it! You’ll hear from me if Furcal holds up a bank or something!
Thanks!
And you’ll hear me say “I told you so.”
Hold on a minute!
Now he wants me to throw in Armando Rios (OF SF) that he’d get for 1 year at $5 before he’ll make the trade.
So now it would be:
I get
Rafael Furcal 2 years at $5
Kurt Ainsworth 2 years at $5
I send
AJ Burnett 2 years at $5
Armando Rios 1 year at $5
Should this change my thinking? Opinions?
Absolutely not! Rios is by far the least valuable of the four!
Though I have to tell you–I’m a veteran of the fantasy baseball wars for something like 15 years now–in principle, I won’t accede to last minute demands when the other person made a fairly firm offer.
Give him Rios, but if the other owner is the type to do this “OK, throw in XXX” business on a regular basis, let him know you won’t stand for it.
But make the deal. It’s still a winner.
Oh, and I have Furcal in one league, and would deal him for the right price. But my league doesn’t count steals, and Furcal sits on the bench behind Nomar.
That said–I still want more for Furcal than Burnett. I MIGHT accept Ankiel. I’d want a top 30 NL starter AT LEAST.