#8: Paying for Trout: Clearing Dead Weight
In baseball, nobody gets anything for free. Something has to give. So, in order to get Mike Trout, the Tigers would have to give up something big. Like a bunch of pitchers. So, to get Trout, the Angels would get Mark Lowe, Anibal Sanchez, Mike Pelfrey, and Steven Moya. They could even take Buck Farmer or Drew VerHagen.
The number 8 spot on this list is clearing out the players who do not inspire any confidence when they walk on the mound or approach the plate. The Tigers know all too well that some players excel in certain cities and they fall apart in others – take the J.D. Martinez story. Al Avila could use his magic powers to convince the Angels that these players just don’t like Michigan. They are better suited to California.
By getting rid of Pelfrey and Sanchez, this cements spots for Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd. To replace the other players, Avila can get some more unknown players.