Keeper League Trade Advice

Ellsbury has plenty of value in a H2H league, but I am not sure I would want to deal Harper who is so close to the big leagues.
Maybe Kevin can offer his opinion as he has the H2H experience.

I like both for different reasons, but I wouldn’t do them. Starting with trade B, I don’t know that Jimenez will return to ace status, but Greinke will. The problem is Heyward. He could bounce back, but there’s no guarantee. To lose Harper, the biggest hitting prospect in years, you need a better sure thing to go with a good starter.

For trade A, I like Zimmermann a lot, and Ellsbury is great. The downside is that you’re giving up a potential top-5 OF (and really top-5 hitter) in Harper, and a potential top-10 SP in Teheran. Yes, they’re a few years away from that kind of status, but the potential is there. I don’t expect Ellsbury to reach 20 HR, let alone 30, but if you really think he can hold 25 HR or so plus his 50 SB potential, maybe you make the trade.

Normally I’m one to trade prospects quickly for top talent. Heck, one year in a salary league I traded Brad Lincoln, Dempster, and some other SP prospect who never made it to the majors for Ryan Braun after two big seasons. The argument is that despite Teheran’s talent, he doesn’t have a spot in the rotation yet, and he doesn’t have a lot of MLB innings, so who knows how he’ll do. And Harper is probably 2-3 years away from being elite, at least, so getting Ellsbury who’s a top OF now (and isn’t old) could be justified. I wouldn’t think you’re stupid for taking these trades, but for once I’d rather be on the side of the prospects than the veterans.