It wasn't that there were any takers, just not good enough offers to justify the cost of both losing him and replacing him. Supposedly they were seeking pitching [which they eventually got in Luzardo instead], not hitting or prospects. We also don't know what they planned to do at 3B without him. Play the bench guys? Sign a new 3B?
Whereas now, if we're doing this fantasy, at least we know what they would do at 3B, they would just take prospects, and Kemp would be an option next year.
It's easy to predict that Dombrowski will just get a reliever and a modest RHB. But this does feel like a year to try and do something bigger that we're not expecting. They need more for both the stretch run and October. And last year was disappointing both on the field and at the box office, with fewer playofff home games. Attendance isn't down but the secondary market definitely is, which foreshadows lower demand if there's another October bummer. With this payroll and the possible loss of Suarez, JT and Schwarber, you've got to take the shot, even if those things also mean you don't want to deplete the farm [but there's also still no one to replace those guys in the next two seasons other than Painter who won't be traded].
