MLB Trades

[DrHibbert]

Not really a blockbuster, but I was happy to see the M's picked up Ben Broussard from Cleveland today for Shin Soo Choo and a player to be named. I love seeing another big left-handed bat in the M's lineup, but hopefully this doesn't mean that Richie Sexson is on his way out of town. We're looking at 3 1Bs at the moment, with Broussard, Perez, and Richie. My hope is that Broussard takes over the DH and we keep Richie at 1B. Maybe Perez spells Broussard (especially against lefties, which broussard is awful against).

Any other big trades going on? I've been out of the game. Looks like Sorianofest is still in full swing.

[mr. dynamite]

so tight that i think that it wont be time to talk about trades for a while yet... lots of trades after the 'deadline' this year me thinks.

unless this is no longer permissable

[The Chuck]

so tight that i think that it wont be time to talk about trades for a while yet... lots of trades after the 'deadline' this year me thinks.

unless this is no longer permissable


Really good point. A lot of those teams GMs might need some extra time to figure out whether they're in contention or not. But there are still contenders that are sinking back in the standings and are in need of help right away,
(white sox) so I think we'll see at least a few. MLB is exciting as hell right now, good thread.

p.s. Yes it is permissable, only now teams are forced to put players on waivers before trading them.

[Kinbote]

Though the relative lack of trade action this year is a little dull for the fans, I think it bodes well for the health of baseball - a lot of teams are still in it, and'll be able to be in it in upcoming years. More parity = less salary dumps = better game.

[Drunkenmaster]

Carlos Lee to the Rangers. C'mon Angels! You need Soriano now. Give us your prospects.

[Kinbote]

The Angels strike me as rip-offable, Soriano-wise. Bill Stoneman liked Erstad at first, and believes in "Productive Outs": not brilliant. Your Jimmy B. could strike again.

The Lee trade is sorta neat in that I really don't like it for the Rangers OR the Brewers.

[Kinbote]

Additionally:

Is that all the Braves could get for Betemit? And also, why would anyone trade anything for Mike Stanton? (Well, all right, it is Brian Sabean - if you're 347 years old, you're okay in his book)

[Drunkenmaster]

I don't get the Betemit thing. I think he was a rising star. In return you get a pitcher with a 5.26 K/9?

[Kinbote]

Well, gee, don't forget superstar slugger Willy Aybar.

Actually, I was impressed with Aybar's Major League BB/K numbers when I saw them presented in an article related to this trade, but they bear little relation to his minor league numbers, and he's got no power or power potential, and I gather that his defense is nothing to write home about.

Panic for Schuerholz?

[Drunkenmaster]

After Mazzone left the pitching went to hell and it hasn't been rebuilt since. He also relies on Andruw and Chipper too much. The lineup needs a good revamping. I thought the Braves would be a team to make some "big" moves before the deadline seeing as they're faced with not making the playoffs for the first time in 14 years or something like that. Aybar could potentially have a pretty good OPS in the future.

Looks like Coco could be out in Boston and I understand there's also rumors about Trot being shopped around. Trot is statistically one of the better RF's in the game. Not sure why Boston would be interested in letting him go.

[Kinbote]

Well, Trot's old, injury-prone, his contract's up and we have Wily Mo Pena - a potential star - waiting in the wings. Also, Nixon's power has dropped sharply, and his walks have increased sharply - this is most often a big red flashing warning sign of an impending crash: indicates that a player can't get his bat to all the pitches he used to.

Crisp - his defense isn't doing it; boy can't handle center. As it stands, his production, offensively and defensively, is an easily replaceable part. But he's young, under contract for three years, and probably remains well-rated by a number of other gullible teams. So why not toss him for an arm?

I think that Atlanta's pitching is fucked, and that Mazzone's left, is coincidental: I'm not seeing too much Mazzone Magic in Baltimore. Every year's a gamble, for every team: for every gamble to pay off is impossible.

[june angels]

The Angels strike me as rip-offable, Soriano-wise. Bill Stoneman liked Erstad at first, and believes in "Productive Outs": not brilliant. Your Jimmy B. could strike again.



What the Angels need is a couple of good mid relievers. Scott Shields fucked it up for us against Boston today. Jared Weaver could have had his 8th straight win.

I would rather have Soriano than Tejada because Miggy has had some "roid" rumors about him.

[Drunkenmaster]

Yeah, well when the major signing for a team's pitching staff is Kris Benson....

[Drunkenmaster]

What the Angels need is a couple of good mid relievers. Scott Shields fucked it up for us against Boston today. Jared Weaver could have had his 8th straight win.

I would rather have Soriano than Tejada because Miggy has had some "roid" rumors about him.
We'll give you Soriano and Ramon Ortiz who is probably more suited for middle relief, anyway. He's young, though.

[Kinbote]

Soriano over Tejada? A bleh outfielder overperforming his career norms in a weak league instead of a shortstop who hits better than all but two or three others at his position, with plus defense? That's just nutty.

[Kinbote]

Yeah, well when the major signing for a team's pitching staff is Kris Benson....

Well, Anna Benson, though.

[Drunkenmaster]

"I have huge breastesses" D'know if you heard her interview on the Dan Patrick show but it was rather humorous.

[Kinbote]

When Kris Benson was on the Mets, she announced, to the media, that, were he to sleep with another woman, she would sleep with all his fellow Mets. I'm pretty sure it wasn't hyperbole. I'm pretty sure it might've happened without Kris Benson doing anything wrong.

[Drunkenmaster]

Can you imagine the road trips with Benson's teammates contemplating whether or not to drug him and take precarious photos of him with a prostitute?

[OakenCipher]

Shields is usually lights out--today was disappointing, though.
I think Napoli should've been held at third. But, then, it did take a perfect throw to get him.

I just hope the Angels don't trade Santana OR Kendrick.

[Drunkenmaster]

Hey, Manny was just being Manny.

[The Chuck]

Yankees get Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle, for 4 prospects. I think this is going to be productive for them. They didn't give up any of their big prospects, or any young players like Melky Cabrera. Also, I doubt they're gonna pick up the option in Gary Sheffields contract in the offseason, so this pick up solves that potential problem. He's a career .300 hitter and has a career Obp of .412. He's averaged 25hrs and 100+ RBIs over the last 5 seasons, and he's a good fielder. I like what Brian Cashman is doing.

[Drunkenmaster]

Well, they only have one big prospect in Philip Hughes and they were able to keep him. I'm not sure how much Abreu helps the Yanks, since he's been putting up his .277/.434/.427 against NL pitching. I believe Abreu also has something like a 16 million dollar option, too. Of course, money is not a problem for the Yanks but I just don't see it being worthwhile.

[Drunkenmaster]

I can't believe damn Bowden failed to make a deal for Soriano. Are you really setting him up to be the centerpiece of the team? They won't be able to resign him next year and now all they'll get for him is draft picks. Real smart, dickhead.

[chrisothoulos]

The Tigers... YES the Tigers are finally in it...
They need a lefty and they get one in Sean Casey from the Pirates....
Although They are sending Chris Shelton down to minors... its a shame cuz he had 9 homers in like the first 12 games this year... somthing like that..
But this will definetely help the,.....A baseball playoff game or 2 in Detroit this season?? Its been ages for tigers fans

[Kinbote]

I can't believe damn Bowden failed to make a deal for Soriano. Are you really setting him up to be the centerpiece of the team? They won't be able to resign him next year and now all they'll get for him is draft picks. Real smart, dickhead.

I don't know, sometimes draft picks are more valuable than the players being offered. A smart drafter could pick up kids ready to contribute quickly, especially on a rebuilding club, and on the cheap.

Of course, with your boy in charge, you'll probably get a seventeen year old with lots of "tools" who by age twenty-six has made it to AA, where he strikes out every third at bat.

Of course, with your boy in charge, the seventeen year old, while still considered to have potential, maybe - you wish, so desperately wish - maybe the future savior of the franchise, will be traded for, say, Joe Randa. To fill out the roster for a pennant drive. While the team is twelve games below .500.

[Drunkenmaster]

I'd like to just take this opportunity to speak to the awesomeness of David Ortiz. The man is as clutch as they come and you can't help but like him. Surely he will not get cheated out of the MVP again this year.

[Drunkenmaster]

I don't know, sometimes draft picks are more valuable than the players being offered. A smart drafter could pick up kids ready to contribute quickly, especially on a rebuilding club, and on the cheap.

Of course, with your boy in charge, you'll probably get a seventeen year old with lots of "tools" who by age twenty-six has made it to AA, where he strikes out every third at bat.

Of course, with your boy in charge, the seventeen year old, while still considered to have potential, maybe - you wish, so desperately wish - maybe the future savior of the franchise, will be traded for, say, Joe Randa. To fill out the roster for a pennant drive. While the team is twelve games below .500. Yeah, but the idea of getting prospects in a trade seems to take a little bit of the guess-work out of it. We could've gotten Humberto Sanchez from Detroit and he looks to be a pretty damn good young pitching prospect. As you say, with Bowden at the helm it leaves a lot to chance just getting draft picks for a guy like Soriano. It was reported that they were offered "dozens" of trades for him. None of these were sufficient? The Nats already have some good players and if they get some good young pitchers they could be in the mix in a few years. At least he didn't let Vidro or Zimmerman go.

[Kinbote]

Papi is about as lovable as they come: that's a mark in his favor. And so, of course, are his timely fireworks. And the fact that he's better and better every year (his numbers are especially impressive this year, given his poor luck - check the BABIP).

"Cheated" isn't quite warranted, though - good as Papi was last year, A-Rod WAS a more valuable player.

[Drunkenmaster]

This is from a Nat's blog that i read regularly and this guy is right on the money:

Worse Than Prom Night
After all the hype ... After all the build-up ...

Nothing.

July 31, 2006, 4:01 pm - Mark it down as the date and time when Bowden decided that trading away three players (2 of them regulars) to Texas, paying $10 million for one (losing) season of Soriano, and missing out on a crop of good, but not great prospects, was worth two first round draft picks.

Jim Bowden's failure to trade Alfonso Soriano will go down as the worst blunder of Bowden's two-plus years as the Nationals GM. Why? Because Bowden decided to mortgage the future of this franchise for the opportunity to try and sign Alfonso Soriano to a long-term deal.

That's lunacy.

Jim Bowden let his emotions and the emotions of the fans and clubhouse guide his actions yesterday. In a game that demands the cool application of logic to succeed, letting that happen is inexcusable. Apologists like Tom Boswell will try to spin this as a net-plus for the Nats' credibility in future free agent negotiations, but don't believe it for a second. Sori may mouth platitudes about how much he loves playing in Washington from now 'til doomsday, but at the end of the day he is what he is -- a professional athlete. That means that when the rubber hits the road and he enters the free-agent market, he will do what any of us would likely do in the same situation; follow the money.

Svrluga estimates that Soriano will seek a 4-5 year deal in the neighborhood of $12-$15 million per year. I think that that estimate is on the low end of what it will eventually take to sign Soriano. After the 2004 season, a 27 year-old Carlos Beltran got a back-loaded 7 year/$119 million deal from the Mets after putting up a stat line (.267-38-104 w/42 SBs) that Soriano will likely eclipse in 2006. Soriano will be three years older than Beltran this offseason, which diminishes his value a bit, but I am confident that he will probably get a 4-5 year deal for $15-$17 million per year.

For a team like the Nationals with no chance of contending for at least the next 2-3 years to commit that kind of money to any player, even one as gifted as Soriano, makes little to no sense. To even consider this as a course of action when the farm system, the very foundation of the future of this team, is desperately in need of an infusion of talent is short-sighted in the extreme.

I like Soriano. He is a special player and fun to watch. He's averaged better than 30-30 for his career, which is certainly a draw. That said, paying him $15-$17 million per would be a salary arrived at based on this season's stats. Professional sports history is littered with athletes that raised their games in their contract years only to fall back into their career norms once they've been paid. Paying him what it will likely take to get him to sign would be akin to buying high on a stock. As any businessman will tell you, that is a recipe for losing.

In effect, what Bowden has done is put the Nationals in a lose-lose situation. If they do manage to sign him, Bowden will likely overpay for what Soriano will likely deliver in value. If we don't sign him, the Nationals will have spent $10 million, traded Wilkerson, Sledge, and a young arm (Gallaraga), and missed out on 2-3 (and perhaps more) A- to B-level prospects in exchange for two draft picks.

That's called not doing your job and that is not acceptable.

[Kinbote]

Yeah, but the idea of getting prospects in a trade seems to take a little bit of the guess-work out of it. We could've gotten Humberto Sanchez from Detroit and he looks to be a pretty damn good young pitching prospect. As you say, with Bowden at the helm it leaves a lot to chance just getting draft picks for a guy like Soriano. It was reported that they were offered "dozens" of trades for him. None of these were sufficient? The Nats already have some good players and if they get some good young pitchers they could be in the mix in a few years. At least he didn't let Vidro or Zimmerman go.

Don't know - the sabermetric saw (and I think scouty toolsy types would sympathize with this, too) - is "there's no such thing as a pitching prospect." Good pitchers come out of nowhere and disappear into thin air.

What you want to draft are college hitters who don't strike out and have an OBP 100 points higher than their BA. Or at least, that's what I'd look at.

And maybe those offers really weren't sufficient. I gather that there was a trend this year against giving up a lot of young talent. And a Soriano rental strikes me as an extra-risky gamble.

[Drunkenmaster]

"Cheated" isn't quite warranted, though - good as Papi was last year, A-Rod WAS a more valuable player. Good thing they don't count playoff stats.

[Kinbote]

He DID have a .435 OBP, if nothing else.

And his career playoff numbers are .305/.393./.534.

[Drunkenmaster]

But what's his percentages while trailing in the latter innings with runners in scoring position?

[Kinbote]

The sample sizes of such statistics makes them not really relevant, except as they inform anecdotes.

Plus, I seem to remember Rodriguez's on a near-par with his career averages.

[Drunkenmaster]

Well, I don't hate him, just the Yankees.

[Drunkenmaster]

got a little O&A going right now.

[The Chuck]

Well, I don't hate him, just the Yankees.

Ask any major leaguer off the record what team he'd love to play for and he'll probably give you 1 of 2 answers, one of which is the Yankees. Granted, as of late their free spending ways have come to bite them in the ass. But they're the greatest franchise in sports history.

[Drunkenmaster]

Sorry, that doesn't make me like them anymore. Maybe less, actually.

[drumloops]

I had no clue that there was so much baseball talk going on at Blamo. Nice, very nice.