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Billy, I know this to be true. The Brewers are not looking to package two guys to up the return on the first guy. The Brewers have established a value on every player they've got, and that value is what they're asking for in trades. Yes, they would trade two guys in one deal, but that deal would be for the full value of both players, not for the price they had established for the first guy, +1 for the trouble.

You can name the player ... Lucroy, Smith, Jeffress, Braun, Nelson, etc - Would rather do a one-for-one trade, and get, "the guy", who is high on any prospect ranking list, or would your prefer to get, "the package" of multiple prospects who are high upside, but further down the chain right now? (When you answer, tell me why).

A few things ... Do I think it makes perfect sense for Cleveland to target Lucroy? Yes, absolutely. Do I think it makes perfect sense for Cleveland to target Smith? Yes, absolutely. Do I think Cleveland would give up five players, including 2-3 of their current, "top ten" prospects to get them? No, absolutely not. I don't agree with the Indians on this, I think the match is beyond obvious, and I think they should attempt to cash in on that starting rotation by getting as much talent around it as possible - but they just don't do business that way. This is a notoriously conservative group, when it comes to dealing young players out. On Profar - it's a weird deal. When you consider the three years of service time burned, he is more like the player a contender would deal for. On the other hand, when you consider the short big league track record, he's more like the guy a rebuilding team targets. I think he stays right where he is, until winter, when there is time to work all of that out. In December, TX will have more teams to talk to, and if a rebuilding team wants him, but maybe wants to work out an extension first, that can be done.

I don't think Cleveland would trade Frazier - period, and I wouldn't expect them to let go of Aiken either. This is a really interesting time to watch the Indians do business - this is a notoriously conservative franchise, but they have needs and a real shot at a World Series, because they have the best pitching rotation in their league. If there's a time to go for it, it is now, but that would be a huge change of course, so I won't be shocked if they search for band-aids.

Thank you everyone. It's all kind of funny how this stuff happened to me. I started that LinkedIn Group right before the MLB season started, back in 2008 - I thought I'd find a bunch of people like all of us, and that was fine with me. Well, I did find a bunch of people like us, but to my surprise, I began hearing from coaches, players, writers, agents, equipment guys, authors, ex-players, adult children of ex-players - the whole lexicon. That hadn't been my intention, but that's what I got, and I was able to build friendships with a lot of great people from throughout the baseball industry. Today, out of nowhere, one of them called me to talk about something else, and the conversation wound up as a trade deadline/Brewers chat - (he does not work for the Brewers). i asked if I could share his observations and opinions, and he said I could, as long as I kept his name out of it, which of course I agreed to do. I'm glad so many of you enjoyed it, if I hear more, I'll put it here. -Todd

If Blake Swihart is still viewed as a catcher, and if Atlanta has a body to play catcher for the rest of this year, how about Lucroy to Boston for Swihart plus two, and then Swihart to Atlanta for two more. That turns Lucroy into four prospects, and you can bet, at least two would be pitchers.

One point on this ... The best offer is the best offer, but I expect the Brewers to try to deal their guys one at a time, as much as possible, to get as many total prospects back as they can. David Stearns immediately stated, he was going to acquire young, controllable talent, and his actions have absolutely backed that. If it turns out to be a 4-5 guys for 2 in one big move, no problem, but I expect Stearns to continue with the 2 for 1 type moves more often than not.

I don't think Stearns has a plan that goes, "We'll be good again ....this year", I think his approach is to build the organization, filling it with as much talent as possible, and competing again, for a long stretch, whenever enough of those guys make it happen at the big league level. One other thing on Stearns - look at how often he gets multiple players for one, and adds a pitcher to the system. Aaron Hill - 2 for 1, with a pitcher. Jason Rogers - 2 for 1, with a pitcher. Khris Davis - 2 for 1, with a pitcher. Adam Lind - 3 for 1, all pitchers. I absolutely love that .... stack 'em up, there is no such thing as too many pitchers.

You're welcome.

I don't get it. Castro is a good defensive catcher, serviceable offensively. Gattis has shown to be a solid backup. I don't see how Lucroy fits. Gurriel moves Valbuena to first and Reed's at first already, so Luc wouldn't play first. You've got a rotation of a whole bunch of guys at DH. If the Astros need anything, it's one more starting pitcher. Fiers is inconsistent, Keuchel is getting back into form, McCullers is young, Fister has been solid, and McHugh has had two excellent second halves the last two years. A top flight starter would go a long way. Gurriel is the mid season bat. Houston was linked to Lucroy over the winter, with Castro and Gattis already on the roster - they view him as a clear upgrade, which of course, he would be. Yes, Houston, and many other teams, would benefit by dealing for a top flight starter, but there are zero of them available right now, depending on your definition. The whole industry is scouting Rich Hill, but he left early again today, this time, a blister exploded on his pitching hand. They're all watching Odorizzi and Moore in Tampa too, and then you've got Ervin Santana and Jeremy Hellickson. That, "guy", just isn't being made available right now - no Greinke, no Price, no Cueto .... Hill, Odorizzi, Hellickson, etc. This is why, whatever you think of his merits, Jimmy Nelson may have real value right now, because he's not on a big contract, he offers team control, and the guys at the head of the class cannot be had.

Thank you. On Lucroy, I suppose I should have asked for details on the Rangers. I don't know if TX doesn't want to give a guy the Brewers want, or if, for instance, the Brewers are asking for more pitching than TX wants to give, so they're trying to add a young arm somewhere, to add to the mix. Also Lucroy - I have never believed Houston is out on him, and I don't believe it now.

Any insight on the Ray pick over a pitcher like Puk/Garrett/Groome? No

Plush, I can see why you took it that way, but he's not calling TX the leader, he was just pointing out that they've been active on Lucroy. The rest of that comment is saying TX is not the only team showing interest. I didn't ask anything further on Lucroy.

Some of each. Who's getting recalled when never came up. All he said on Carter was, "I'm sure they'd listen, he's not a longterm piece, but I haven't heard anything." That doesn't mean nothing's come up, but if it has, he hasn't heard it yet. I left one out, he doesn't think the team has interest in moving Thornburg either - again, not that they wouldn't, but that it isn't likely.

Nate, the Brewers asked for Espinoza when they realized he could be had .... Boston chose Pomeranz.

I'm sure I'd ask too, but that's not happening.

That's a LONG way from my first bit of insider stuff on this site. I founded this: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/76277

I'm not going to tell you who just called me - believe me or don't. On David Stearns ... "He's brilliant, the Brewers have hired Theo Epstein." On Jeremy Jeffress ... "The Brewers love him, and they should. Not only is he as good as they hoped he would be; he's also a solid person. He has three years of team control left, it will take a Ken Giles return for them to let him go, I don't think he'll be traded." On Ryan Braun ... "Not right now, it's just too much to sort out. He's worth it, and teams know it, but they don't want to pay the price. Ask again in the winter." On Jonathan Lucroy .... "He's a goner. Texas is trying to get creative, which is not what the Brewers are asking for, and there are other teams behind them in the mix." On Will Smith .... "Gone. The demand is there." On Jimmy Nelson .... "The Brewers made an attempt to send him to Boston for Anderson Espinoza. They aren't, "shopping him", but they'd do a deal." On Brandon Woodruff: "He's the best player in Brevard. I didn't know him, and then the first time I saw him, he was 96-99, and I said, WHO IS THAT?" He'll be a big leaguer." On Johnny Davis: "There are fast runners, and then there are guys beyond that. Davis is one of the fastest runners you're going to find. The Brewers may have found something there, even though he's already 26. He reminds me of Darren Ford, he might make it to the big leagues just on the wheels." On the Houston Astros: "You watch, the Brewers will make a trade there. I don't have names for you, but you watch, Stearns will make one of those deals where he gets a bunch of 19-year-olds he had brought into that system. His approach is brilliant, the lower you're willing to go in the minor leagues, the better the athletes you can get in a trade. He knows that." On the Aaron Hill Trade: "That was outstanding. Hill was an afterthought, even in April when he wasn't hitting a thing. The Brewers got exactly what they had hoped for from Hill." Closing Thoughts: "Todd, the Brewers are going to be really bad for a little while here, but if they have the patience to let Stearns see it through, he has a true vision for what he's doing, and he's years ahead of the curve. When they hired someone that young, I wasn't sure, but I am now."

This is truly remarkable.

In all seriousness, the Red Sox may be all in. If they are, I could see Lucroy and Jeffress to the Red Sox for a package centered around Moncada or Andrew Benintendi, with Rafael Devers as piece #2. It's pretty well known that Dave Dombrowski is willing to use the farm system to win now. He is the anti-Theo Epstein. Honestly, I would be floored if Boston did that. I think Devers might be had, but I don't think they'll let go of either Benintendi, or (especially), Moncada. I've said it before, (and I'll certainly root for your idea) - these two teams could certainly match up on a big one. The Brewers have major league pieces Boston could use, and the Red Sox have plenty of minor league depth left to deal from.

Absolutely! Great opportunity if teams are interested in Jimmy or Guerra. Don't stop there, check the return on literally everyone, including the bullpen. No matter who the player is, let's say its Zach Davies, suppose the Brewers are offered a prospect they regard as highly as they regarded Davies a year ago, and for instance, a guy they believe could become Tyler Thornburg, or Jonathan Villar. You can change the names around all you want, my point is, if you can get two guys you believe in, for one guy you believe in, there's no reason to simply say no, just because you've got the first guy in hand. There will come a time, when the big club is competitive again, when the approach will need to change, but right now, every player should be up for bidding, and you take the deals that truly make you better.

There's no doubt, right now, starting pitching is the toughest, "get", in town. After seeing Drew Pomeranz return a top-20 prospect, a supposed, *ahem*, "untouchable" - I'll be very disappointed if the Brewers don't make every one of their starting pitchers available right now. I didn't say I want them gone, and I didn't say there's a reason to simply trade them, I am saying, there is no supply to meet the demand right now. This is when someone may give you more than they typically would, hence, more talent in the return than the player himself represents. The idea is to build the best team, and you do that by building the best organization, and you do that by adding as much talent as you can. This looks like an opportunity.

Tyler's got a herniated disc, from this play ... https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PC133dkKplo/V3GZCsh4MjI/AAAAAAAAPEY/AbGOGOpzsmckPFe5ulS_tEFpJ2raFu9uACKgB/s1600/BadamoTweakb.gif

One of Boston's "untouchables", Anderson Espinoza, is included in the deal. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/07/padres-trade-drew-pomeranz-red-sox.html

The other surprise team that could be in on Lucroy are the Astros but like the Indians they may not be a factor in the playoff race. If Lucroy goes to Houston, I won't consider that a surprise. They've got a shot this year, but they should have a shot next year too, so Lucroy would be an investment in both seasons.