Trading Kenta Maeda

[DusterDave]

League and team details in signature.

Been sitting on the fence with this guy. Can't decide if I should shop him and sell high or hold onto him and hope he can continue to dominate. Obviously he won't keep the pace all season and there will be some kind of drop off but I'm hoping he can be a top pitcher rest of season. I made 2 trade offers that I'm waiting to hear back from. I'm aiming pretty high to start and will see if I get any counter offers.
Offer 1: Maeda + 12th round draft pick for Dexter Fowler + 8th round draft pick.
Offer 2: Maeda straight up for Starling Marte

I feel like I have a pretty solid team but could use that one extra OF. At the same time I feel like I should hold onto Maeda because as good as my pitchers look right now, they are all so young and Sanchez will eventually be put in the bullpen, Maeda, Matz, McCullers and Stroman's major league careers are still very young and unproven for the most part, and of course there is Jose Berrios in the mix which I have no problem dropping if need be. I'm afraid as the season goes on my young pitchers will struggle.

So what kind of return do you guys think Maeda can fetch and if you had my team and considered my league settings, which names would you be targeting? I figured I could also aim for SP that have struggled out of the gate. Or should I just stand pat?

[Eskimo Brother]

The Marte deal looks pretty solid to me. You're dealing from a position of strength to address a need. It's a very fair return.

[2014olympicgold]

I’d do the Marte trade.

[DusterDave]

Marte offer was declined. Still haven't had a response for the Fowler + draft pick offer. Don't expect it to be accepted either, which is fine.

[MacLiii]

I don't believe I would want to be trading Maeda for Fowler. First off, I don't like Fowler more than any of your 3 OF's and while I do agree that Maeda can't keep up these early ungodly numbers, he will probably finish the year with a mid to high 2's ERA with close to 15 wins and 160-175 strikouts. Given his history in Japan, I do not think he will be hitting the wall like most other rookies do. So my suggestion is to take that Fowler trade off the table.

[Eskimo Brother]

I don't believe I would want to be trading Maeda for Fowler. First off, I don't like Fowler more than any of your 3 OF's and while I do agree that Maeda can't keep up these early ungodly numbers, he will probably finish the year with a mid to high 2's ERA with close to 15 wins and 160-175 strikouts. Given his history in Japan, I do not think he will be hitting the wall like most other rookies do. So my suggestion is to take that Fowler trade off the table.

I would tend to agree with this. His production now will likely balance out over the course of the season. Maeda's should keep at a higher level in the long run.

[DusterDave]

Thanks for the advice. I have actually already canceled the trade offer shortly after I posted my previous message in this thread. Maeda continues to be great and I've always been a defense first type of guy in every sport, so I love that I've been dominating the pitching categories in my H2H match-ups so far this year.

[Eskimo Brother]

Thanks for the advice. I have actually already canceled the trade offer shortly after I posted my previous message in this thread. Maeda continues to be great and I've always been a defense first type of guy in every sport, so I love that I've been dominating the pitching categories in my H2H match-ups so far this year.

If you can dominate one set, then you are in a very good place.
The guys on the radio yesterday were just raving about Maeda and his repertoire, his patience and just how composed he is on the mound. All the stuff you don't really get when looking at reports. Sounds like he should be a solid guy to have for a long time.