Quick Keeper Trade Advice

by pooptallica on Feb 26, 2026 3:16 PM EST

OK, quick background: 12-team, long-term keeper league. Players can be kept indefinitely, but each team gets a certain number of freeze points based on previous year's finish, and each player counts for a certain number of points towards that total based on previous year's performance.

I'm looking to move MIguel Montero, since I'm keeping Napoli at C/1B and have been offered the following package:

I give: Miguel Montero, Chase Utley, Mike Young

I get: Joe Mauer, Gerrit Cole (possibly a throw-in like James Darnell or something, nobody special)

Now, I can't really keep Utley or Young, as I have Pedroia already at 2B, and Mike Young is just too expensive and old to squeeze into my freeze team. So this trade effectively works out, for me, to giving up Montero for Mauer and Cole. I guess it just feels like I'm giving the other team quite a lot.

Another possibility, that I have yet to offer but could go over well, with a different team, is:

I give: Miguel Montero, Carl Crawford

I get: Eric Hosmer, Drew Pomeranz

Thoughts on either, or both, very much appreciated. I need to make one of these deals happen pretty soon. People are getting antsy.

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Read More: Miguel Montero (C - ARI), Chase Utley (2B - PHI), Joe Mauer (C - MIN), Gerrit Cole (P - PIT)

Comments

Oh, come on

Don’t tell me everyone is pre-gaming for the Oscars!

Crap, that reminds me, I need to start pre-gaming for the Oscars…

by pooptallica on Feb 26, 2026 7:23 PM EST reply actions

Interesting system.

If you have Napoli, I don’t see much of a reason to gamble on Mauer as well, who’s got huge injury issues and could eventually be moved off catcher anyway. You can’t bank on him playing more than 120 games or so. Utley is an injury risk and is aging. Young is aging but still strong. It does seem like you’re giving up too much, unless you (or the other team) really, really values Cole.

The other trade might be closer in value, but I’d go for something more established than Pomeranz. Crawford should bounce back, but it’s a risk. Hosmer is great for long-term at 1B. Pomeranz has potential, but giving up a former top-5 OF plus a potential top-5 catcher, it seems like you could get a better piece than a prospect who isn’t really tried at the MLB level.

www.rotomanagers.com

by varrys on Feb 26, 2026 8:14 PM EST reply actions

Well

we can play up to 3 players at any given position at any time, so it’s not like I would have to choose between Mauer and Napoli. If Mauer is playing up to potential, he and Napoli would both be in my lineup.

I guess that might have been an important thing to point out from the beginning. We start 25 players, at least one at every position, no more than three, and 5 SPs, and 5 or 6 RPs, so either 14 or 15 position players.

by pooptallica on Feb 26, 2026 9:30 PM EST up reply actions

MORE interesting system.

Wow, up to 3 at any position? I bet everyone hoards 1B and top 3B. Being able to play both of the catchers is helpful, but I’m still very wary of Mauer’s ability to stay healthy. Also, he only had one year of great HR output, so aside from a strong BA and good RBI, he’s not really that amazing. There are so many decent and young options that are up and coming at catcher (Wieters, Jesus Montero, Posey, even Miguel Montero as a further breakout) that Mauer’s consideration for top-5 is mostly dead, especially with that injury history.

www.rotomanagers.com

by varrys on Feb 27, 2026 10:25 AM EST up reply actions