1. Might not make much sense to bargain into a guy with leverage when you've got a good thing going as is. 2/25 is extreme; but what if he's 6/35? Is that enough to realize you'd rather have Coghlan?
2. I expect you guys have discussed this before, but wouldn't next year be very much a part of Utley's consideration? Does he want to go to a place that's sure to buy him out? Or to a place that might keep him? If the latter, wouldn't the playing time issue be about next year as well as this?
That's an interesting question for the Cubs. They are on a youth program, and with Russell/Baez/Castro/Alcantara the assumption has been a middle-infield surplus. Maybe the Cubs will very much want to hold 2B for Baez, and give Castro another shot to come back next year, and view LaStella as some serviceable anti-awful insurance, and figure that even if nothing works out that well that Torres isn't that far off anyway.
But I wonder if Utley for next year might make some sense.
*Baez could be your winter trade chip, or else could compete for AB's and/or be a utility guy, and/or go back for more practice at Iowa. (If he's really going to be good, at some point he ought to be able to sustain some excellence at Iowa. And if he can't sustain excellence at Iowa, maybe we shouldn't be holding 2B for him in the majors either?) If Baez does emerge as a worthwhile heavy-usage guy next year, that's great, and paying Utley $8 or whatever, thank your lucky stars that you didn't really need him. And if Baez doesn't emerge as a useful player, than thank your lucky stars that you hadn't counted on him.
*Castro could get moved for the best deal that you can get, whatever that might be. Or could be kept as a competition/bench guy.
It would be nice to have the opportunity to shop Baez.
Yeah, Utley 2016 has come up. CBJ noted that Utley contract has club option at $11 max for 2016. If he played very well for remainder of 2015, could see club taking that option. Probably depends whether you project (as I do) that Cubs intend to bring in veteran guy (Zobrist, Kendrick, etc.) in 2016 to play 2B and that plan is to trade both baez and Castro.
As to Utley's intentions, he has said recently 2015 playing time is crucial for him because wants to play in 2016 (and to showcase now what he can do next year). Knows he has something to prove, so can't realistically expect any club to give assurances to him for 2016. Depends how he performs now but surely he is aware how things might shake out for each interested club on table now. Giants, no for 2016--for sure. Angels, maybe. Cubs, maybe.
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