Rosters Unleashed: 10 EHCC Players on the Move By the Trade Deadline

 

With Rio de Janeiro on the cusp of being eliminated from playoff contention, could Matt Kemp be on the move soon?

Rosters Unleashed: 10 EHCC Players on the Move By the Trade Deadline
By Skip Clifton, San Diego Chronicle


July is where magic happens in the EHCC. In 2017, 8 trades were made during the month, 4 of which involved the eventual champion Quebec City Piglets. In 2016, 15 deals were made in July and August, 6 by the Las Vegas Doggs (who, surprise, won the title that year).

However, not only champions are made at the trade deadline. Dynasties are also built, from mediocre teams looking toward the future or last-place ones hoping for an edge. From 1st place to 12th, every team is looking for a edge… toward a 2018 championship, or the 2019 season.

Here are 10 players that could, and honestly SHOULD, be on the move this July:


1 - SS Addison Russell/Trevor Story/Jean Segura, Dublin Snake Chasers
Dublin’s outfield is currently loaded with talent, which means the team has 2 spots available for 3 talented shortstops. With one of the best offenses in the league, not to mention a pitching staff that includes 3 of the top 10 starters, holding on to 3 of the best at the position is just reckless. There are three or four teams that could use a starting SS, and the Snake Chasers have at LEAST one to spare.

2 - OF Matt Kemp, Rio de Janeiro Cristos
Rio is not TECHNICALLY out of the running for a title this year yet, but it’s not looking good. A solid hitter like Kemp, albeit 33 years old and a lot of miles on his tires, would be a fantastic find for a contender and could net the Cristos something to help them in 2019. The alternative is fine for them as well, Kemp still has a couple more years of quality production left, but it may be time to start preparing for the next few years.

3 - SP Mike Leake, Las Vegas Doggs
I think someone needs to let the Doggs know that just because you make a trade for a player does not mean you have to keep them. Mike Leake is like a rich British kid sent to live with poor hippies in upstate New York that live out of their VW van… sure, there’s hope that it’ll be like a blockbuster movie and the British kid learns about the true nature of life and humanity, and the hippies better themselves and go back to college or something, but we all know how this story will really end. Starting Pitchers do NOT belong in Las Vegas… gross.

4 - SP Taijuan Walker, Weymouth Shaddupu
It’s no surprise that Weymouth is a perennial championship contender: A strong offense built around a philosophy of finding young talent that can develop until needed, a top-heavy pitching staff that allows over-achievers to produce when needed but not need to carry the load, and a bullpen that only needs 2-3 guys earning 30-40 saves. So, when a young promising talent like Taijuan Walker ends up on the DL long-term, he becomes an expendable piece that can be sent to a young team looking for a cheap arm. While the DL spot he currently occupies isn’t needed for anyone else, it may soon and that spot could be used for a fill-in hitter on an off day or a spot-start SP. The idea that Weymouth may be able to get something of value now for him may be too good to pass up, even if it’s a 2019 draft pick.

5 - 2019 1st Round Draft Pick, Quebec City Piglets
Speaking of draft picks, even though this is not technically a player, it’s definitely a valuable asset. For a team that has arguably the top pitching staff in the league, and an above-average offense that can win runs and steal every week, there really is little that the Piglets need. However, there are plenty of teams that are prepared to think about 2019 and any 1st round pick (even one near the end of the round) could land the Piglets a power hitter to push them over the edge.

6 - 2B Robinson Cano, Las Vegas Doggs
Like Weymouth and Taijuan Walker, Las Vegas is at a point where they either need to cut the dead weight and get something of value ASAP, or ride it out and go outright tank. Cano has averaged 151 games over the past 13 seasons, so he is either on his way toward retirement or strictly DH status. Since he’s currently in the midst of an 80-game suspension, he may be able to fetch the Doggs SOMETHING of value while he still can. There are a couple title contenders that have a roster spot available to waste on him for a bit, and may be a great power-hitting asset for the playoff run.

7 - SP Yu Darvish, Santo Domingo All-Star Factory
While it may seem like this article has a trend of teams sending away injured players, this one actually makes great sense. Darvish was a great addition to Santo Domingo’s roster, but he also has a long history of injuries that may finally be frustrating management. A healthy Darvish may have helped the team to more than just 1 league championship, but since he averaged just 166 innings between 2012-2017 (not counting 2015, which he missed completely) it may be time to move on.

8 - 2018 Minor League Draft Picks, Tijuana Hispanics
Oh, nevermind, they traded those away last summer for a 33 year old 3B who’s hitting .245.

8 - 2019 Minor League Draft Picks, Tijuana Hispanics
Wait, they traded those away too? For a closer? Good lord…

9 - SP Shohei Ohtani, San Fernando Valley Jets
This sounds a bit crazy, a young team trading away the best 2-way player in the league right now, but Ohtani’s stock will never be higher than it is right now. With an underwhelming offense, a pitching staff that is Luis Severino and a bunch of nobodies, and a non-existent bullpen, the payload that the Jets could get for the 24-year old would be high. Ohtani is a hot commodity right now, and that could go down as he gets more IP, so it may be the perfect time to replenish the rest of the roster.

10 - SP Michael Pineda, San Juan Guerites
How does a team in first place better themselves? Take a young 29-year old power pitcher, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, who won’t be ready to play until late August at the EARLIEST, on a team that already has all 4 DL spots occupied, and move him to a team out of contention for something for the now. San Juan’s offense has been fantastic, but they have no bench hitters at the moment… another hitter who could slide in on off days would be extremely valuable for them in a playoff series (an extra run or rbi here or there helps big time). Their pitching staff has been “good enough across the board” this year, but who’s to say that one more RP wouldn’t help them in a series, or even an average SP to get them a few more strikeouts each week. Sitting on Pineda probably won’t hurt them, but if they’re serious about making a run against Weymouth or Quebec City, they’ll need that extra boost no matter how small.


Trade deadlines are where champions are made, and dynasties are built. Which direction will your team be headed in August 2nd?


Skip Clifton is a columnist for the San Diego Chronicle. This is his first article since April 2016 due to his Nickleback cover band's European tour.