That’s all I an say after Billy Beane, deciding that he had gone the distance with the club he had, decided to blow the whole thing up and start afresh. Trading two of his most valuable commodities (Dan Haren and Nick Swisher), Beane went and traded them both for a load of prospects, many of which will be arriving at Oakland’s front door within the year.
What this has done is re-energize a Athletics farm system that was shallow in terms of talent and was arguably in the bottom third of baseball and elevated it to the middle of the pack.
So, let’s take a look at how the system would rate now. Those that made the original Oakland list are in green. The new arrivials are standard black. Some of these prospects you have seen before (Arizona’s Prospect Report), but overall, there is some new content to check out here.
Athletics Top 15
1 – Daric Barton (1B)
DOB: 8/16/85
Drafted: 1st round, 2003, California High School (Cardinals)
2008 Club: Oakland Athletics (MLB)
Height/Weight: 6-0/205
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: Barton was regarded, at the time of the Mark Mulder deal, to be the real centerpiece of the deal. Since then, Barton hasn’t disappointed, but with the emergence of Dan Haren as the ace of the staff, Barton is strictly a side piece that could make the entire deal a slam dunk winner for Oakland (considering that Kiki Calero also came in the deal.) He was called up late in the year and left a good enough impression for people to be hopeful for the future.
The Good: The gifted natural hitter was holding his own as a 20-year-old at Triple-A before breaking a bone in his elbow in a freak collision on a pickoff throw. Both his approach and his pitch recognition are above-average on a major-league level, and he can make contact on pitches of any type in any location.
The Bad: The biggest power potential that was once seen in Barton has never arrived, meaning that Barton is going to be a rather unconventional first baseman. Many believe that while he’s got the power to hit 30+ homers annually, he may never do so. As far as his defense, Barton was originally drafted as a catcher, but no one thought he’d be able to stay there. Oakland hoped to develop his bat faster, so they moved him to first base. Because of the power outage, Barton was moved to third, where he profiled better, but his terrible fielding resulted in a move back to first. Hence, he’s awful defensively.
Projection: Low. Barton has nothing left to prove and is ready to start contributing to the big league club this season, so this is likely the last year we’ll see him.
What He Can Be: A First Baseman that will get on base and hit twenty Homers.
2008 Course Of Action: The job is Barton’s starting next year, and with Jack Cust now installed as the everyday DH, this will likely force Oakland to trade Dan Johnson. That said, Barton probably isn’t a player I would be thrilled to have as my everyday first baseman, but he’s serviceable and in time would allow Oakland to take it’s time with a better power option in Chris Carter.
2 – Faustino De Los Santos (RHP)
DOB: 2/15/86
Signed: 2005, Dominican Republic (White Sox)
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-0/205
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Seeming to come out of nowhere, De Los Santos has dominated the American minor leagues and gave Low A Kannapolis an ace at the top of it’s rotation last season. He appeared in the Futures Game and game up a homer to uberprospect Justin Upton before a promotion to High A, where he remained until the trade for Nick Swisher.
The Good: De Los Santos has a neat fastball, sitting in the low 90’s and touches 96 with some sinking action. He’s got a very good curve with late movement that is a plus pitch. He’s also begun work on improving his changeup.
The Bad: The usual. De Los Santos needs to continue building his durability in order for him to continue logging some more innings, along with work to improve his arsenal of tools. He’s also a bit overaggressive, which costs him velocity and command over his stuff.
Projection: High. De Los Santos needs more experience, which could only come with time, as well as refinement. He also needs to improve that changeup, lest he be limited to a bullpen role. Whatever he is, he should do it well. This is a potential All-Star talent the Athletics have gotten, a arm that rivals many of those that are in the Rangers’ system, and they’ll do their best to make sure De Los Santos comes to fruition.
What He Can Be: A Rotation Strikeout Artist
2008 Course Of Action: De Los Santos was going to start in High A for the White Sox until the trade went down. I don’t see anything that would change, except that he’ll be heading to the California League instead of the Carolina League, and hence going to a hitter’s league instead of a pitcher’s league. I don’t think it’ll affect him too much, as with his stuff, he should handle the change with no problem.
3– Carlos Gonzalez (RF)
DOB: 10/17/85
Signed: Venezuela, 2002 (Diamondbacks)
2008 Club: Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-1/200
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: Gonzalez’s stock is took a bit of a tumble early one, but he was able to adjust to the more advanced level of pitching in Double A and earned himself a promotion to Tucson. All in all, it was a good season, but the emergence of Chris B. Young and Justin Upton in Arizona, plus the extension given to Eric Byrnes resulted in Gonzalez lacking a place to play. Hence, he became an extremely attractive player to acquire and was the centerpiece of the Dan Haren trade.
The Good: Gonzalez has some of the best tools in the system. Gonzalez has a smooth, fluid stroke, above-average power, good range in right field. He hits to a decent average and has a cannon for an arm. He’s got some wheels on him as well.
The Bad: Gonzalez is a bit aggressive at the plate, leading to high strikeout totals. There have been some concerns over his work ethic at times, but Gonzalez kicked it up a notch when competition arrived in the form of Aaron Cunningham.
Projection: Average. Gonzalez has the tools, the youth and some success in the upper minors, but he still needs some seasoning. In my opinion, Gonzalez should remain in Triple A for the meantime, where he could put up some monster numbers in the Pacific Coast League next year, before allowing him to take Swisher’s old place in right.
What He Come: An All-Star Right Fielder
2008 Course Of Action: I feel Gonzalez should be sent to Triple A, where he can finish his development process, but the amount of trades and lack of warm bodies to fill up the major league bench in Oakland (which consists of, right now, Travis Buck, Mark Kotsay and Jack Cust, respectively), Oakland could be tempted to promote him early and have him skip the level.
4 – Gio Gonzalez (LHP)
DOB: 9/19/85
Drafted: 1st round, 2004, Florida High School (White Sox)
2008 Club: Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 5-11/185
Bats/Throws: R/L
The Skinny: After a year with the Phillies, Gonzalez was sent back to the White Sox in the Freddy Garcia deal. His 2007 season was pretty good and has merited the trade back. However, in Kenny William’s delusion of contention, he was sent to Oakland as a part of the Nick Swisher trade..
The Good: Gonzalez is a K machine, pure and simple. However, what’s really special is that he has increased his groundout totals, always a plus at the Cell. His fastball has good velocity for a southpaw, but his curve is a filthy pitch that is his out pitch. His changeup, once a work in progress, is becoming a solid pitch as well, giving him a complete starters arsenal.
The Bad: Command is still and issue and will result in him getting some tough nights in the bigs. Despite a reduction in his flyball tendancies, they nonetheless will be a concern moving forward. His build also doesn't lend much to durability and ESPN’s Keith Law has reported that Gonzalez gets rattled on the mound and doesn’t respond to adversity right now.
Projection: Low. Gonzalez should be a factor for the A’s in a year’s time after some time spent in Triple A. He should be much better as an Athletic due to their stadium than he would have ever been with the White Sox. Still, there seems to be a sense that Chicago sold high on Gonzalez and he might not be as good as I feel he is.
What He Can Be: A Number Two Starter.
2008 Course Of Action: Gonzalez isn’t ready to be a part of the Oakland rotation just yet, meaning he’ll be a Rivercat to begin the year. However, he should be up with the big league club come August, and should be a rotation fixture come 2009.
5 – Aaron Cunningham (OF)
DOB: 4/24/86
Drafted: 6th round, 2005, Everett Junior College (White Sox)
2008 Club: Midland Rockhounds (Double A)
Height/Weight: 5-11/195
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Cunningham has been involved in a pair of trades now as well, as he was originally traded by the White Sox to the Diamondbacks for second base prospect Danny Richar, in order fill the hole in second base for 2008. However, the Diamondbacks were able to develop Cunningham further from the raw product he was when he arrived, as Cunningham jumped three levels and ended the year in Double A. He was then a part of the trade for Dan Haren, giving more outfield depth to the A’s.
The Good: Cunningham doesn’t have something that he does best, but he does most things well. He’s got a great swing and makes solid contact with the ball, plus some solid power potential, possible 20 bomb potential. He hits to all fields and he’s got solid speed on him as well. Many were wondering if Cunningham could play anywhere other than left field, but it turns out that he’s not half bad in center or right field. All in all, he’s a good prospect.
The Bad: Cunningham's pitch recognition still needs work, as he doesn’t draw enough walks.
Projection: Average. Cunningham is still developing as a player, but he's got a good tool set. Many are divided as to how they seem Cunningham long term. I may have overrated him originally, but I believe he’s better than the fourth outfielder projection many are tabbing him with already. Give him two years and you’ll have a solid player, depending on what you want to do with Travis Buck, you could shop one of the two at a later date for something nice.
What He Can Be: A average left fielder.
2008 Course Of Action: Cunningham will be headed to Midland for the year, with a possible promotion to Sacramento in the future if he continues to hit. Don’t expect to see him anytime soon in Oakland however, as he’s got a bit to go.
6 – Chris Carter (1B)
DOB: 12/18/86
Drafted: 15th round, 2005, Nevada High School (White Sox)
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/220
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Carter is already looking like a late round steal, and has been mashing ever since the White Sox drafted him. However, the White Sox, under the delusion that they are close to contention, traded him for Carlos Quentin (which in itself isn’t bad, as Quentin is a solid young player who filled a need), but Carter didn’t stay long in the desert and was a part of the Dan Haren trade. He was very nearly a Texas Ranger, however, as a deal for Akinori Otsuka that would have sent Carter to Texas was all but done until the White Sox pulled out due to Otsuka’s medicals.
The Good: Carter is quite simply the best power prospect in the Athletics’ system. He’s got great strength and power to all fields and has improved on his plate recognition, which was good to begin with. Now, Carter is able to draw a lot more walks while reducing his strikeouts and is able to choose his pitch to drive it out of the park.
The Bad: Carter is limited to first base due to limited athleticism and is a bad defender even there. While he may eventually be a passable defender, he’s a long term DH in the making. He’s also a below average runner.
Projection: Average. Carter is still a very unpolished prospect, but he has the potential to be the first pure power bat Oakland has had since Jason Giambi was wearing green and gold. He’ll take some time, but he’s a long term middle of the order run producer in the making and that is nothing to sneeze at.
What He Can Be: A Slugging First Baseman
2008 Course Of Action: Carter will likely take it one level at a time and will spend the year in Stockton, where he should have plenty of opportunities to put up some impressive power numbers this season with all the small parks in the California League.
7 – Trevor Cahill (RHP)
DOB: 3/01/88
Drafted: 2nd Round, 2006, California High School
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/195
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: A surprise pick for the Athletics last year, Cahill had a solid senior season in high school as a first year pitcher, but fell after illness caused him to tail off. Oakland took him and thus far, Cahill has continued the tradition of Kane County pitching dominance. But his big coming out party was when he made a spot start for Sacramento at the end of the season and carried a perfect game and a no-hitter once the perfecto was gone until the 8th. Now that’s awesomeness.
The Good: Cahill’s biggest strength is his command and control, which are surprisingly good for a young pitcher. He’s able to locate the ball low and induce groundballs. He throws in the low 90’s and can touch 90’s, but his best pitch is a spike curveball that has wicked break. He's a solid athlete and is regarded to be an excellent character guy.
The Bad: Cahill doesn't over-power anyone. He also needs to refine a third pitch.
Projection: High. Cahill is still developing as a pitcher, as he was only pitching for a year after he was drafted, but the promise is there for him to be a capable major league starter.
What He Can Be: A Number 3 starter, maybe a two.
2008 Course Of Action: Cahill will be heading to the California League, where his groundball tendencies should help him survive the year in the extreme hitters league.
8 – James Simmons (RHP)
DOB: 9/29/86
Drafted: 1st Round, 2007, UC Riverside
2008 Club: Midland Rockhounds (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/205
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Simmons was regarded to be one of the most polished pitchers in the draft and was rated as one of the closest pitchers to the majors. After going 11-3 with a 2.40 ERA in his junior season at UC Riverside, the Athletics took him in the 1st round, where he has already reached Double A.
The Good: Simmons’ game is all about command and control and he has it in ####s. His stuff is okay, but not overwhelming, with a fastball that sits around 90-92, complimented by a plus changeup and an average breaking ball.
The Bad: Simmons isn’t overpowering and while he may be close to the majors, he’s not a sure fire star or anything. He’s pretty much what I would call a right handed Joe Saunders, a guy that takes the ball every fifth day and gives you a shot to win. He also loses speed on his fastball late in a game.
Projection: Low. Simmons will rise quickly once he’s assigned to repeat Double A again. Again, he’s got limited upside, which is the only thing you can really hold against him as far as his tools go.
What He Can Be: A back of the rotation starter.
2008 Course Of Action: Look for Simmons to repeat Double A this year before he gets an assignment to Triple A, where Oakland hopes he might be able to be a factor for a September call up.
9 – Kevin Melillo (2B)
DOB: 5/14/82
Drafted: 5th round, 2004, University of South Carolina
2008 Club: Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-0/190
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: Melillo’s 2007 campaign is pretty much the same for what you would expect for him. He really is just what he is, an average second baseman that could be a steady regular in the majors.
The Good: An offensive minded second baseman, Milillo has a short, quick swing that has suprising pop. He works the count well, gets on base, and all the usual things that Oakland likes it’s players to do. His defensive fundamentals are good. All in all, he’s near ready for the show and could be a producer in the 6 or 7 hole.
The Bad: Melillo has had some minor knee issues in the past and when he falls in love with the long ball, he gets pull happy. He also has below average range and hands, and is nowhere near the Gold Glover type defense Oakland has come to expect from it’s second basemen.
Projection: Low. Melillo is ready for the show and with this year looking like a rebuilding one, Oakland would be wise to see what they have.
What He Can Be: An average second baseman.
2008 Course Of Action: Ellis has recently had his $5 million club option for 2008 exercised, but that doesn’t mean he’ll remain on the team, especially now that Oakland is in full scale rebuilding mode. Ellis is pretty attractive right now as a cheap date and could fetch a decent prize while allowing Melillo to play everyday.
10 – Sean Doolittle (1B)
DOB: 9/26/86
Drafted: 1st Round (S), 2007, Virginia
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/190
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: Doolittle was on the rise after a year in Virginia and was projected to be picked somewhere in the lower end of the first round. However, Porcello’s fall along with some other shenanigans with the Pirates resulted in Doolittle falling into the supplemental round, where Oakland took him. He had a pretty good debut for Oakland.
The Good: An athletic first baseman, Doolittle makes good, consistent solid contact from the left side and should hit for average in the future. He has an above average arm, which was seen from his days as a two way player at Virginia, plus he shows decent range and can even run a bit too.
The Bad: Doolittle lacks any sort of power potential at first base, which isn’t what you want out of a power position.
Projection: Average. Doolittle may rise quickly and while he may not have home run power, doubles power may exist within him.
What He Can Be: A average first baseman that hits for average, but not for power.
2008 Course Of Action: Doolittle has the talent to be a productive major leaguer, but it won’t be for Oakland. Barton is now the Athletics’ first baseman and the A’s now have a stronger but unfortunately for him, he’s also blocked by both Dan Johnson and Daric Barton, meaning that in the future, Doolittle’s likely value to Oakland is trade bait.
11 – Henry Rodriguez (RHP)
DOB: 2/25/87
Signed: 2003, Venezuela
2008 Club: Midland Rockhounds (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-1/175
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: A big signing out of Venezuela a few years ago has taken a big step forward with the Cougars this year, though his record doesn’t show for it. Still, it’s pretty impressive considering how raw he was last year when he was torched in the Arizona Rookie League.
The Good: Rodriguez has the best raw stuff in the organization, as his fastball sits in the low to mid 90’s and has been clocked as high as 100. His curveball and changeup look like they could eventually be plus pitches, which could give him a potentially lethal arsenal if he’s able to put it all together. All in all, he’s a project, but one that could pay off big.
The Bad: Rodriguez is, as I’ve said, a raw product, and he’s had some issues with control that have resulted in some ugly outings for him. There are also maturity issues with Rodriguez, but that really isn’t unexpected.
Projection: Very High. Rodriguez could become a beast if he continues to work on his stuff. He’s more than just an arm strength type of prospect and he’s got the skill set to be a solid middle of the rotation K machine if he continues to develop on schedule. Still, he’s got a long way to go.
What He Can Be: A middle of the rotation strikeout machine.
2008 Course Of Action: With another season under his belt in Double A, Rodriguez could very well help his cause to eventually become a option for Oakland come 2009 or 2010, joining some of the other young athletics in the rebuilding effort.
12 – Ryan Sweeney (CF)
DOB: 2/20/85
Drafted: 1st round, 2003, Iowa High School
2008 Club: Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/215
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: The former first rounder did nothing to shake his bust tag and didn’t earn a late season call up, even with Chicago’s less than stellar outfield situation. Chicago was shopping him furiously and finally got to get rid of him in Swisher deal.
The Good: Sweeney is big, athletic, and has some offensive skills. He has a quick swing, some power and makes good contact. He doesn’t’ strikeout often and has enough wheels to play center, along with a strong arm.
The Bad: Sweeney was always to projected to hit for power. That obviously haven’t happened and most don’t see him as a centerfielder long term. He’s also got issues against lefties as well.
Projection: Low. Sweeney may be able to stick with Oakland as a centerfielder in the short term, if they feel he might be able to be adequate in center, and he may be able to tap into that long dormant power potential with the right coaching. I kinda doubt it, though.
What He Can Be: A starting centerfielder
Timetable: While Sweeney has clearly stagnated, it’s hard to see him avoiding a third year at Triple-A without a monster spring training. This next year is absolutely pivotal for him.
13 – Jermaine Mitchell (CF)
DOB: 11/2/84
Drafted: 5th round, 2006, UNC-Greensboro
2008 Club: Stockton Ports (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-0/200
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: . Taken from a small school, many felt that Mitchell would only be organizational filler, a fourth outfielder at best. He's since proven to be potentially better than that after another solid season, this time for Kane County.
The Good: Mitchell could be one of the latest Oakland scouting department steals if he continues to produce. Mitchell is a solid centerfielder with a good arm, good range and solid speed. He’s also got a quick bat and some excellent plate discipline. All in all, he’s a good package of tools that could really blossom into something good.
The Bad: Mitchell’s swing is complex and needs to be simplified. The power that was thought to have been in Mitchell hasn’t manifested himself. He’s also murdered by right handers and had some extreme home-away splits as well, meaning that he’s got some work to do unless he wants to be a platoon centerfielder.
Projection: High. Mitchell took a step forward in his development, not as big as Oakland may have expected, but it’s a start.
What He Can Be: An everyday big-league outfielder.
2008 Course Of Action: I expect Mitchell to be the Ports' starting centerfielder this season. Oakland eventually sees him to be a centerfielder for the future option, though at the moment, he's still got a long way to go.
14 – Brett Anderson (LHP)
DOB: 2/1/88
Drafted: 2nd round, 2006, Oklahoma High School (Diamondbacks)
2008 Club: Visalia Oaks (High A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/215
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: Last year, Anderson was one of the more difficult high school pitchers to evaluate, and his bonus demands resulted in him falling out of the first and supplemental rounds. The Diamondbacks were intrigued enough to pull the trigger on him, even though he wasn't a power pitcher and never will be. His final line was 11-7 with a 3.07 ERA between Low and High A, but Arizona won’t realize the returns on their investment, as he’s now an A.
The Good: The son of Oklahoma State coach Frank Anderson, Anderson's mechanics are solid and he has remarkable control of his breaking stuff and off-speed pitches. He's got a very deep repertoire, with three solid pitches, the best being a changeup that he can throw for strikes. He’s got a good pitcher’s build and could even add a little more mass.
The Bad: Anderson is also not very athletic and his fastball clocks in the high 80's, touching 91 on occasion.
Projection: Average. Anderson still has a lot of work to do in terms of improving himself, but his ability to induce groundballs and log in innings should result in some success in the majors. I feel he’s been overrated some due to his results, which are misleading, but his stuff isn’t fantastic and in the American League, he should fit in as a Number Three or Four starter. But hey, Barry Zito was able to last for a while with less than impressive repertoire and one major money pitch.
What He Can Be: An innings eater.
2008 Course Of Action: Anderson got hit hard in the California League and likely will repeat there to begin next year.
15 – Javier Herrera (OF)
DOB: 4/9/85
Signed: 2001, Venezuela
2008 Club: Sacramento River Casts (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 5-10/160
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: After missing a year thanks to Tommy John Surgery, Herrera had a mostly average comeback season. While it’s not pretty, it’s still a promising development and should be expected form a guy coming off TJ.
The Good: Herrera He has above-average hitting skills to go with plus power and speed, as well as good range to both sides in centerfield and an above-average arm.
The Bad: Herrera's conditioning is a bit of an issue, as he did put on some weight during his inactivity, but he was able to drop most of it. He’s also a bit reckless on the field, plus his power potential hasn’t manifested itself quite yet.
Projection: High. Herrera is still working to come all the way back from TJ, but so far so good.
What He Can Be: A above average centerfielder
2008 Course Of Action: Expect the Athletics to push Herrera a bit by promoting him to Triple A, where he could work well if he’s finally able to get his tools together.
Final Thoughts
With the rebuilding effort now in full swing, Oakland has a good deal of prospect depth to develop to form the core of their next championship core. With little in terms of long term contracts other than those that are immobile (Chavez, Crosby) and one major one leaving the books after this year (Kotsay), Oakland has the financial flexibility to work with to get this set of prospects going and locked up to some near term deals when the time comes. All in all, Oakland has enough to field a contender with what they have in their system, though the pitching won’t be as explosive as it once was, back in the day when the Big Three roamed MacAfee Coliseum.
One thing to note, however, is that Oakland hasn’t done a particularly good job of drafting high ceiling, star level talent. Much of their new top 15 is from outside of the organization, with 8 of the total top 15 and 6 of the top 10 being drafted by other squads. While much kudos needs to be given to Oakland for getting them, they do need to do a better job of drafting their own star players and not always playing it safe. Spending some more money on later round talents would be a start and revamping the international scouting system would be another way to help keep the pipeline to talent flowing to Oakland.
Sources, Scouting Reports, and Thanks to: Kevin Goldstein (Baseball Prospectus), Keith Law (ESPN), Soxprospects.com, B.J. Medrano, Jim Callis And The Rest Of Baseball America, Jonathan Mayo (MLB.com), MiLB.com, Sam Corral and Erica Belmontes, Ernie Carlson, Lonestarball.com, Jamey Newberg (Newbergreport.com), Brewerfan.net and Mike Hindman (Rangers Farm Report)
Oakland just traded Nick Swisher to the White Sox for Gio Gonzalez, Fautino De Los Santos, and Ryan Sweeney. This is a solid trade for both parties, but it taps the rest of the farm system for Oakland, leaving Aaron Poveda the lone prospect in Chicago's farm system.
So what does Oakland get?
Faustino De Los Santos (RHP) - A very good, high ceiling player for the Athletics, De Los Santos is a stud pitching prospect that could be a Number Two for Oakland, given three years or so. He's the gem of his deal.
Gio Gonzalez (LHP) - A little lefty with solid stuff that should be a middle of the rotation presence for Oakland. He'll slot right in on Opening Day and should fit comfortably behind Joe Blanton, provided he doesn't get traded first.
Ryan Sweeney (CF) - Another centerfield option, I felt that the Rangers should give Sweeney a shot. He's got massive power potential, but hasn't translated it into performance. Kevin Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus feels he's a fourth outfielder, but ESPN's Keith Law believes a change in organizations could be beneficial. He'll also likely open with Oakland's Opening Day squad.
Oakland now is in full fledged rebuilding mode and with all of their outfield talent and first base locked up, Swisher was likely the next one to go after Joe Blanton, due to his service time and reasonable contract ($3.5 Million in 2008, $5.3 Million in 2009, $6.75 Million in 2010, $9 Million in 2011, and a $10.25 Million club option for 2012 with a $1 Million buyout.)
With Swisher, who will be the White Sox's starting centerfielder, the Pale Hose get a very good player who can handle center, steal some bases, draw some walks, hit some homers and strikeout a whole lot. Still, getting him for cheap for five years makes the losses of Gonzalez and De Los Santos managable.
However, is it wise for the White Sox to try and contend this season? Their ballclub is much improved, but the lack of pitching and bullpen depth for the White Sox, plus the fact that the Tigers and Indians are going to be kick #### means that Chicago, at best, is a third place team and at worse will be battling the Royals again for fourth place in the division and for the Number Two overall pick.
Good move for both sides, however. Oakland gets more prospects (and an updated Top 15 Prospects List Next Week) and Chicago gets a good player signed at a long term price.
Oakland Grade - A
Chicago Grade - A-
On a side note, does it seem that Oakland and Florida will be competing next season to see who can field the cheapest team? Both squads seem to be moving anyone making more than the Major League Minimum, though Oakland has several bad contracts (Chavez, Kotsay, Crosby) weighing them down.
And now, back to your regularly scheduled program...
On The Block – Miguel Cabrera
Just to address the other sexy name on the block.
The Why: A farm system with some depth, but with a lot of graduations, an ownership unwilling to invest more than what they get in the luxury tax, and a assortment of problems at the ownership level results in the Marlins being unable to afford their superstar third baseman and potential MVP candidate. The Marlins recognize they have holes in their team that they weren’t able to fill in the fire sale two years ago and are going to try and jettison their most attractive piece in order to fill them.
The Rumored Asking Price: The Marlins are demanding FOUR players with 0-3 years in service time and all have to be studs. Ouch. That’s hard enough for any team to handle and the Marlins have already made it clear who they want from each team, no if’s, ands, or buts about it.
Can A Trade Be Done: Iffy. The Marlins have acquired a lot of talent as well as a reputation for being difficult to negotiate with. They are going to demand the very best players for Cabrera and mean to get him, but what they’re asking for is going to scare off a lot of people.
The Good: Cabrera has drawn many comparisons to Manny Ramirez in terms of hitting ability and power. He could be a potential Hall Of Famer if he continues to improve and is already better than several superstar players were at his age, including Saint Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.
Potential Hang-ups:
Prospects – The amount and quality of prospects that Florida is going to want makes a trade very prohibitive for many teams, even those with the prospect depth to do so.
Health – People are wondering if Cabrera’s weight issues will continue to be a problem, limiting his long-term value.
Money – Any team that is looking to acquire Cabrera would want a negotiating window to extend him beyond his two remaining years. The problem is, the Marlins have no intention of granting one, meaning it’s a buyer beware proposition.
Potential Suitors – In Alphabetical Order
Chicago White Sox – The White Sox were aggressively going after Cabrera, offering a package of 3B Josh Fields, CF Jerry Owens, LHP Gio Gonzalez and reportedly LHP Jon Danks. That probably won’t cut it, as the Marlins seem to be going after superstar prospects and nothing less.
Los Angeles Angels – The Angels already look like they’re gearing up for a Cabrera trade, filling a rotation hole by the recent addition of Jon Garland. They can now offer Florida a package that includes Ervin Santana, who fits the service time requirements. However, the Angels would also need to add in 2B Howie Kendrick, top pitching prospect Nick Adenhart, OF Reggie Willits or one of Mike Napoli or Jeff Mathis catching tandem. Reportedly, Adenhart and Kendrick are the sticking points, as the Angels are willing to give up one, but not both. Also, the Marlins aren't too high on Santana.
Los Angeles Dodgers – The Dodgers also can offer a good package, maybe even better than the Angels. Top pitching prospect Clayton Kershaw would have to be included in the deal, as well as 3B prospect Andy LaRoche, RHP Jonathan Broxton and one of either 1B James Loney or RF Matt Kemp. That’s a hell of a price to pay with Kershaw alone, let alone the rest of the young talent on the Roster. The Dodgers look like they’re all about it, but to be quite honest, I think I would rather pass.
New York Yankees – Yup, the Yankees apparently are still in it, looking to move Cabrera to first base. A package would have to be centered around CF Melky Cabrera, RHP Phil Hughes, and 2B Robinson Cano, which the Yankees would balk at, then state publicly that they’re waiting for the market to go down, all the while wondering why the Marlins are simply giving Cabrera to them.
San Francisco Giants – The Giants looked into getting Cabrera early in the off-season, but they lacked positional players to send back to Florida. Even then, would it really be worth sacrificing \either Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum?
Texas Rangers – The Rangers have the talent to make a trade, but the Marlins would insist on RHP Eric Hurley, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, 2B German Duran and SS Joaquin Arias (allowing them to move Hanley Ramirez to centerfield.) That is a VERY high price to pay and the Rangers have made it known that they’re rebuilding, not looking to gut the farm. This really is only out there to shut up those emails about whether or not the Rangers have a shot at Cabrera.
If I Had To Pick A Deal Right Now…Traded To The Los Angeles Angels For RHP Ervin Santana, RHP Nick Adenhart, OF Reggie Willits, 2B Howie Kendrick.
Will A Deal Ultimately Happen– Yes. The Angels are up to something and that something is likely Cabrera, as all of their moves this off-season look more and more like their gearing up to trade parts to gain him. However, the Marlins also need to realize that they can’t keep doing this, trading talent away for more prospects because they’re getting expensive. Ultimately, this is a symptom of a cancer at the top and Jeffrey Loria needs to address it with one of two solutions: move the team or sell it to someone willing to put money into it. Because, quite honestly, this can’t work for much longer.
The Yankee Farm System Preview will be up shortly. But first, time to deal with a surprise move, as the White Sox have apparently traded Jon Garland to the Angels for OrlandoCabrera. And honestly, I think that the White Sox have done themselves a disservice, while the Angels are positioning themselves for another move.
Garland was worth a lot on this market and could have netted the White Sox a good collection of parts to help rebuild themselves for the long term. For example, a trade with the Rangers could have netted them a shortstop prospect (Joaquin Arias), a pitching prospect (can't think of one right now), and another prospect. A trade to another team, such as the Dodgers could have netted them Andre Ethier, Chin-hui Tsao, and another player. But instead, they trade for a good defensive shortstop and nothing else. If anything, this impacts the rotation severely, as they will now field a rotation of the following:
The White Sox will surely miss Garland's durability and consistency, and for the most part will be going with a cheaper, but less proven rotation. True, this move could lead to the discovery of one of their arms being able to take the next step foward, like Gonzalez or Broadway, but it is still a very short term move.
All in all, it should be an excellant defensive infield, but it doesn't do much to push the White Sox ahead of Detroit, Minnesota or Cleveland, and at the most, pushes them ahead of Kansas City.
White Sox Grade - C
As for the Angels, they now have an embarressment of riches, with a potential rotation of the following:
John Lackey (RHP)
Kelvim Escobar (RHP)
Jered Weaver (RHP)
Jon Garland (RHP)
Joe Saunders (LHP)/Ervin Santana (RHP)
This gives them an opportunity to now trade for a big bat, with Santana likely being the victim. Truth be told, he has better stuff than Saunders, but he just doesn't have the command over it. And, with the acquisition of Garland and the rise of Nick Adenhart, their best pitching prospect, time has simply run out for the Angels to try and fix him.
Theoretically, the Angels could put a big bat in the lineup by using Santana as bait. They can easily place Figgins or Erick Aybar at shortstop and not suffer much of a loss in offense there, but third base is a hole and could use an upgrade, although they could simply just promote Brandon Wood to play third and see if the kid can hit.
There aren't a lot of options out there at third base that are available. They could try and deal for Hank Blalock, but it seems unlikely they'd do a deal within the division.
What this could symbolize, however, is the beginnings of a push to acquire Miguel Cabrera. The Angels now have a spot cleared for him and they could offer a package of Santana, Reggie WIllits (who can handle center), Wood and a fourth prospect, perhaps Terry Evans, though no doubt the Marlins will demand Howie Kendrick thrown in as well.
Overall, I like the trade from the Angels' standpoint, as they give up nothing and now can get to work on adding that big bat to add to the lineup, giving them a two year window to own the division until Seattle and Texas are ready to begin their respective campains to knock them out.
I've been an advocate for Kenny Rogers coming back to Texas and feel he never should have left.
However, it looks like it may happen soon, as the Rangers are looking into Kenny coming back, so long as he offers an apology as far as his camera incidient with a photographer two years ago.
No pitcher has ever mastered Rangers Ballpark like Rogers have and if he's able to teach that knowledge to some of the youngsters on the staff, like Kason Gabbard, who's similar to Rogers, and Edinson Volquez and Brandon McCarthy, the Rangers would be better for it.
One thing of note, however. Rogers I beleive is classified as a Type A free agent and would cost the Rangers' their second rounder.
Update: Just got word that Rogers is actually a Type B, and won't cost the Rangers a pick. My mistake.
Also, any move for Rogers would also have to be dependant on a salary dump, likely Vicente Padilla, in order to make room for him, as there is no way in hell the Rangers will demote McCarthy, Gabbard and Volquez just to make room for a vetern and Millwood is the sole reliable commodity on the staff.
So, we'll see...I'd be all for it, IMO.
Hunter Likely Not Coming Here
The Rangers are looking more and more out of the Hunter market, as the White Sox are aggressively going after him, seeing him as a way to improve their market and give them a "character guy" in the organization.
That's great news, as it means the Rangers won't be overpaying for a overrated centerfielder that maybe has two to three years left in the position and doesn't hit enough to be a corner outfielder and is likely going to be a part timer in about four years or so. And especially when said centerfielder is reportedly looking for seven years on his deal.
I'll pass, thank you very much.
Gerald Laird's Price Going Up
The catching market is now down it's two biggest names with Jorge Posada and Yorvit Torreabla off the board.
Which means the price just went up for Rangers catcher Gerald Larid.
Laird is still young, is a solid defender and is better with the bat than he was this past year. He has three years left of club control and is eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter.
He'd be a good stopgap for a club in need of a catcher.
The Rangers could decide to put out feelers, see if anyone is willing to get up an outfielder or infield prospect in exchange. It doesn't have to be a stud, just a solid regular.
Hopefully, the Rangers can get what they're looking for, while giving Laird the opportunity to start elsewhere.
The Rangers can easily find a backup catcher in house. Chris Stewart is cheap and wouldn't be a bad option.
The Rangers may not be making a big splash with a centerfield this off-season.
The price for a centerfielder may be too cost prohibative.
So, the Rangers are looking for the next best thing.
Trade.
That's looking a little off-kilter as well, but we'll see what happens.
Here's a few of the trade candidates that are out there that could be reasonable expectations to start for Texas next season, via trade:
Coco Crisp (Boston) - This is the sexy pick, as Crisp is not only a proven defender, but he's also under contract for three years. He's also now been surpassed by Jacoby Ellsbury and will likely needs to be traded before Spring Training starts. However, Boston won't let him go for a pittance and they would probably like a pair of prospects in exchange. There have been talks about Gerald Laird, which I would totally do, especially if I were to decide to include a player to be named later option on the deal, though for the moment, we'll just have to wait and see.
Ryan Sweeney (White Sox) - A former Number One pick, Sweeney has had a hard go of it with the White Sox, with many wondering if he's still has a future with the franchise, especially since Kenny Williams has been shopping him aggressively for a reliever. Sweeney seems like a decent reclaimation project and would be a reasonable centerfield option for a few years as a stopgap, and if he's ever able to tap into the batting practice power he shows, this could be a steal. One problem: White Sox GM Kenny Williams is notorious for overvaluing his own players and will demand someone like Joaquin Benoit or C.J. Wilson in return, which he won't get.
Joey Gathright/David DeJesus (Royals) - It seems to flip flop each week on which one is getting placed on the table. Of the pair, I would gladly take DeJesus, who's still young and plays a good centerfield, over Gathright, who is quick, but very mistake prone. RIght now there were rumors of a trade for Gathright centered around Joaquin Arias, a shortstop prospect made expendable by current Rangers' prospects Elvis Andrus and Marcus Lemon. I'd see what the interest is for Arias, and would also throw in a player to be named later option to see if that wouldn't hurry things along for a deal.
Rocco Baldelli (Rays) - Baldelli is definately being shopped, but right now the Rays are hoping to get pitching back, something Texas doesn't have an abundance of near the big league level. Another potential deal breaker is the fact that Baldelli is very injury prone, which could result in the Rangers taking a pass on this.
Long Term Deal For Kinsler Likely To Be Explored Again
With the emeregence off Ian Kinsler as a leadoff man, the Rangers are likely to try and see if they could possibly sign Kinsler to a five year deal, buying out one year of free agency, while also providing Kinsler with some financial stability in the process. My guess is that something gets done. With the $21 million from A-Rod now available, why would you not spend it on something as logical as locking up your OWN players!!!!
Why has there not been any public talk about signing Kinsler this year? He has shown that he has what it takes to be a solid player in the league and was one of only a few success stories this year. Why not lock him up right now? The Rangers will meet with Kinsler's agents at some point this offseason and discuss a long-term contract that will lock him up for several years. Count on it.
Upgrading The Bench
One thing that caught my eye was that the Padres declined Rob Mackowiak's $3.25 million option for 2008. Mackowiak has some history of being a decent bat, but didn’t do much with the Padres and was hurt. I would be all about bringing him in as the utilityman. He’d be a solid upgrade over Raul Vasquez and could platoon with Cat at first against lefties. Another thought would be to offer Rod Barajas another shot in Texas, where he’d be the backup to Salty and possibly mentor him.
I had posted this earlier, but for some reason it didn't take, so here it is again.
On The Block – Jason Bay
Recent talk out of Pittsburgh has the Pirates potentially trading the face of their franchise, Jason Bay, in order to help replensish a impoverished farm system. Bay is regarded to be the best moveable part not starting in the rotaiton right now, as he's due $13.25 million the next two seasons.
Bay for the most part has accepted the fact, though he'd like to stay with the Pirates and help turn things around.
The Why: I've just said the why just now, but pretty much because the Pirates feel they have options, he's cheap and it wouldn't hurt to see what potential package you could get in return.
The Rumored Asking Price: The papers have people predicting a Bartolo Colon/Mark Teixeira deal. That won’t happen. More likely, an average pitching prospect and a positional player prospect will get it done, though a third guy could be included. Who knows?
Can A Trade Be Done: Yes. Bay doesn’t have a no-trade clause and with the market for outfield corners looking rather shallow at the moment, Bay would fetch a couple of decent prospects, should a GM have expendable prospects he’d be willing to deal.
The Good: Bay is coming off of an off year, but he's hit for power and has good speed on the basepaths. His plate discipline is reasonably good and he's regarded to be a solid defender in left field. He's also regarded to be a good clubhouse guy and would be a solid complimentry piece (not a star) to add to your lineup.
Potential Hang-ups:
Performance In 2007: Are you buying on the pre-2007 Bay or the 2007 version of Bay? He's a gamble, but it's got to be asked what you're getting here.
Health - Bay has also undergone some health issues this past year and you have to wonder if they'll creep back up again.
Stupid Asking Prices - The Pirates have asked for absolutely stupid packages in the past for their players and have either been burned or shot down completely, the most recent of which was their offer for Jack Wilson (3B Troy Glaus) from the Jays, although, looking back, maybe the Jays should have taken it.
Potential Suitors – In Alphabetical Order
San Francisco Giants – San Fran is going to need an outfielder and Bay could fit the bill. The Giants could concievably decide to package Noah Lowry along with someone else, perhaps Nate Scherholtz, in order to get a deal done.
Philadelphia Phillies – This could be done if the Phillies feel that they could have a deal for Pat Burrell, which could be done if they were to involve the next team bellow. They could flip Burrell to the White Sox, provided he waives his no trade, and gain Bay, who is cheaper, and potentially Joe Crede, who would be a solid fit at third base, strengthening the lineup and making it a bit more fiscally flexible if they want to add anything else during the off-season.
Chicago White Sox – Or, the White Sox could flip Bay for Crede and change and bypass the Phillies altogether, though the Pirates and White Sox would need to come up with a fit. Perhaps Bay and Zach Duke for Crede and Lance Broadway?
Texas Rangers – This is an interesting fit, from a non-homer perspective. .Texas needs a left fielder and could use someone young to build around like Bay. It would allow the Rangers to use Frank Cattalonotto at first base, limiting his defensive limitations and allow Texas to field a potential outfield of Bay, Centerfielder to Be Named Later, and David Murphy with Marlon Byrd as the utility outfielder. The Rangers could trade for Bay, including Joaquin Arias, who could still be useful to the Pirates in the future, along with a couple of interesting arms in Robinson Tejeda, who could still be an effective starter and would be able to work in the pen for a bit to get his confidence up, and Gerald Laird, who needs to get the hell out of Texas and has experience to handle a staff. If the Pirates want to sub, I'd give them the option of adding Luis Mendoza, who has become an effective groundball pitcher with some promise. This could be overpaying a bit, but I'd be willing to give it a shot.
New York Mets – The Mets are another organization that could potentially go after Bay, as they are in need of a left fielder. However, it would almost certainly involve one of their talented young outfielders, likely Carlos Gomez, who needs another year, and a pitching prospect, likely Mike Pelfrey, who the Mets are quickly souring on.
Minnesota Twins – Bucco Blog reported that the Twins may have some interest, with Matt Garza being mentioned in return. I don't think it would be Garza, but another prospect, Kevin Slowley perhps, would be close enough to a deal. The Twins in the past haven't been willing to make a trade, especially when it comes to their small horde of pitching prospects, but I would pull the trigger here, especially since the Twins need a big bat and much of their lineup is filled with defensive replacements. I think it would benefit both sides.
If I Had To Make A Trade Now: It would look like this...
The Texas Rangers trade RHP Robinson Tejeda, RHP Luis Mendoza, SS Joaquin Arias to the Pittsburgh Pirates for LF Jason Bay
That's really the only deal that I can think of right now on short notice that would go through. Thoughts?
Bah, work blocked Foxsports.com. Fortunately, my laptop came in and it is sweet. Windows Vista does take some getting used to, however.
Anyhow, here's what I was going to post on Friday. The Rangers Report will be up later.
So, to borrow from Will Carrol, powered by Dell, onto the show...
On The Block – Jon Garland
I decided to bring back On The Block, partially because I missed doing it, partially because the trade market has become a bigger factory nowadays, especially since free agency is starting to suck in terms of sexy names. It just won't appear as often. So, let's check it out.
The Why: Garland has actually been heavily shopped as far as last off-season, and was mentioned in a trade to Texas (for John Danks and Nick Masset, which ultimately was done for Brandon McCarthy) and was nearly traded to the Astros for Jason Hirsh, Wily Taveras, and Taylor Buchholz (until Kenny Williams blew the deal by asking for Hunter Pence at the last minute, when the deal was done.) Now, however, there is more of a movement to move Garland, who is entering his walk year and has been displaced in the rotation by Javier Vazquez and Mark Buehrle, the Sox’s two co-aces. Garland himself has already announced that he doesn't expect to be in Pale Hose next season.
The Rumored Asking Price: Apparently, all that Williams is asking for is two relievers, though one of them has to be a proven commodity and needs to have closer potential. Evidently, Williams feels that he was burned when he acquired Masset, Andy Sisco, and David Aardsma.
Can A Trade Be Done: Yes. With the coming winter being bare in starting pitching, Garland, despite a bit of a collapse after the All Star break, will be very attractive, especially with that asking price, which is likely going to be improved upon as the market develops.
The Good: Garland has proven to be a major league innings eater, something that is becoming quite valueable with pitchers spending more and more time on the DL due to various ailments. However, one other thing that makes Garland attractive is that he is a groundball pitcher and keeps the ball in the park, a benefit for many teams, especially those that have homer friendly parks. Overall, he’d be a quality middle of the rotation guy for most of the teams around the league.
Potential Hang-ups:
Money –Garland is due $12 million dollars in his final year.
Health – The only other one I can think of is that the two White Sox pitchers moved last off-season, McCarthy and Freddy Garcia, have both spent time on the DL, making one wonder if Garland may be headed to the DL at some point in the season.
Kenny Williams – Williams is ambitious to a fault. No, that's not quite right. I feel he tries to screw you as royally as possible (which is why the Astro deal imploded). He's not a stupid man by any means, I just think that he tries to go for the big splash far too often.
Potential Suitors – In Alphabetical Order
Arizona Diamondbacks –The Dbacks have a surplus of talent in the farm system and lack any sort of reliable starting pitching coming into next year, with both Doug Davis and Livan Hernandez heading into free agency. Plus, as a sinkerballer, Garland will thrive with a Gold Glove caliber middle infield behind him.
Colorado Rockies – Rumor has it that the Rockies could offer Brian Fuentes in exchange for Garland, in an attempt to make the salaries balance out. It’s going to take a lot more than that in my opinion, as Williams won't take a one year rental of Fuentes. He'll probably insist on 3B Ian Stewart in the deal as well (who would fill a hole, allowing Williams to trade current 3B Joe Crede for the actual relief help) or 23 year-old reliever Juan Morillo, who has closer potential and, according to Baseball America, was reportedly clocked at 104 mph a few years back, to complete the deal. There could be something here.
Houston Astros – Ah yes, the Astros. While I don't think the Stros need another starter (They could have a decent rotation of Oswalt, Backe, Williams, Wandy, and Sampson next year, which isn't bad), ownership may decide that they don't trust the young kids enough to compete, which would be a shame. However, a deal involving Chad Qualls and RHP Paul Estrada, who many feel is a closer in the making, would work, though the Astros would likely insist on a window to negotiate a contract extension.
Los Angeles Dodgers – The Dodgers may need some pitching depth, depending on how Derek Lowe and Jason Schmidt are doing, along with the troubles that have come with Esteban Loaiza. Garland not only could be a horse in that lineup, he would also allow them to acquire a pair of picks by letting Garland leave. While Kenny Williams would likely demand Jonathan Broxton in any deal, the Dodgers could instead offer him Rafael Furcal and Takashi Saito, filling two needs at once, along with allowing the Dodgers to allow their top shortstop prospect, Chin-lung Hu, to move into Furcal’s place at short.
New York Mets – El Duque is likely done, leaving a potential rotation of Glavine, Martinez, Maine, and Perez, with some semblance of Mike Pelfrey or Philip Humber attempting to be the fifth starter. Minaya likes to go for the big splash and, to be fair, Garland isn't a bad fit here. However, New York doesn't have anything that fits with what Williams was asking for, unless a deal can be done for Aaron Heilman and Humber/Pelfrey.
Seattle Mariners – Oddly enough, I do like the fit here with the Mariners. Garland would move to a nice, spacious ballpark, would have an excellent infield defense behind him with Gold Glove candidates everywhere but first and he'd be an improvement over Horacio Ramirez, likely to be a non-tender candidate this winter. One problem - The Mariners won't trade Brandon Morrow, who would likely have to be a part of any deal to work, though the Mariners could intrigue Williams by offering him Wladimir Valentin, a young outfield prospect that could handle centerfield, but would be a supurb outfield corner thanks to his huge power potential.
If I Had To Make A Deal - I would do the following:
Seattle Gets - RHP Jon Garland
Chicago Gets - OF Wladimir Valentin (he's blocked anyway PF), LHP Eric O'Flaherty, RHP Sean Green
It's not a sexy trade, but it gives Chicago some decent relief help in the bullpen while giving them a potential centerfielder of the future, since it's looking like Ryan Sweeney's power won't ever come and that he might now be able to handle center.
The Future Of The Catching Joe Mauer, The White Sox Selling Low After Buying High, and Melvin Mora Potentially On The Move
Moving Mauer
Recently, I read in a article by Jim Souhan advocating a move of Joe Mauer to third base.
I’m not going to post the article, it’s available there if you want to find it, but the gist of it stated that Mauer needs to be moved to third in order to keep his bat in the lineup, plus that he is too injury prone to remain behind the bag.
While Mauer clearly could be the best young catcher in the American League, he hasn't been able to stay on the field. A four year vet, Mauer has only one complete season under his belt. His other three, including this one, Mauer has missed time with one ailment or another and has suffered a hit in the clubhouse, where numerous veterens such as Justin Morneau, Mike Redmond, and Torii Hunter have played through one ailment or another.
Compounding all of this is Mauer's size. Now 6-5, tall for a catcher, Mauer likely won't be able to stand up to the everyday wear and tear of being a catcher.
This year has made it painfully evident that Mauer's bat is an integral part of the offense, as the entire Twins lineup was much more lackluster without it. The departure of Mauer (as well as the decision to keep Matt Garza and company down in the minors while keeping Sidney Ponson and other retreads simply to keep the cost down in the future for the rookies) can be held directly responsible for the collapse of the Twins.
Twins lineups have become rather punchless in recent years, both a product of management's reluctance to splurge on a average bat in terms of trade or free agency as it is a testament to the failure of the Twins' farm system to develop any sort of power hitting prospect. Morneau and Mauer aside, the Twins have been lacking in any sort of power presence and, while they have some pitching prospects to spare, they aren't interested in using some of their blocked prospects to trade for blocked positional players on other teams in hopes of possibly upgrading spots on their roster that scream for help (such as third base, where the Nick Punto experience has become a nightmare.)
Mauer would provide an excellent upgrade at third base, assuming he can play the position (which I think he can) and can split time at first base with Justin Morneau, who could use some time off at DH. In fact, both players could use time at DH, where the Twins are even more enemic in terms of production.
Rumor has it that Mauer could be seeing time at all four positions coming into the year, where he would be able to catch, play first, third, and DH in order to allow the Twins to not only keep his bat in the lineup, but to preserve his health.
This may turn out the best for Mauer, who is a fan favorite and more importantly, one of the parts that make the Twins go.
And if you need a example to see how moving from behind the plate can extend a career, consider the case of Craig Biggio, a former catcher who was also deemed to be unable to last through the rigors of catching.
Since the move, Biggio is now looking at a future at Cooperstown.
All in all, I'd say that this type of decision can pay off.
Selling Low On A Trio Of Sox
One year after making a series of deals that Kenny Williams said would keep the White Sox competitive and protect them from the inflating price of starting pitching, Williams is now looking on dumping three of the players he once held up as a sign of the future.
Right handers Nick Masset, David Aardsma and lefty Andy Sisco have all disappointed in some capacity or another and are a big reason for the bullpen's decline. Only Aardsma has had any sort of success, mostly in April and none of them merited September callups. The reason for the trades is because of the fact that both Aardsma and Masset are out of options, so the Sox will lose them if they fail to earn spots with the big club next spring and Sisco has become such a disappointment that he likely won't even be kept as a situational lefty. Masset and Sisco have since returned to starting, but neither has been stellar.
Of the three, Aardsma is likely the most attractive candidate, as he has closer's stuff and if placed in the right environment, he could flourish. Masset was largely regarded in his time in Texas as a underachiever who has good stuff but can't put it together. As for Sisco, a big part of his problem is that his command is so off, possibly because he was rushed by the Royals.
Kenny Williams is hoping to get two relievers, one of them proven, in exchange for a pair of the trio. I'd imagine that a system with an excess of relievers and a solid pitching coach could do well. San Diego could be a decent fit to Masset, as would St. Louis. Were I Washington or Florida, teams that could need a closer this off-season, I would also give a call for Aardsma. Sisco is harder to nail down, as it's hard to nail down a fit. Maybe a trade to the Pirates to convert him to starting could help, possibly in exchange for Jack Wilson's contract?
Mora May Be Pushed Out Of Baltimore
The acquistion of Steve Traschel may not only have given the Orioles someone to keep the rotation somewhat respectable, but also to maybe begin the process of Melvin Mora leaving the Orioles.
Moore is a slugging third baseman/left fielder that could provide roughly Mora's production at a fraction of the price. Mora, despite still being productive, is an expensive player that will be entering his decline phase soon. He is a luxery the Orioles really don't need.
The question is, would they deal him?
Mora, I think, could bring in a couple of prospects to potentially build around, hopefully outfielders or other positional players. As long as Baltimore swallowed some money, people could inquire. Philadelphia may be interested, as Mora would be a upgrade over their current situation and the Yankees, should they lose Alex Rodriguez, may be interested in a short term fix should they feel Wilson Betemit isn't the long term answer. The Dodgers and Angels, two teams that also may want to upgrade their third base over the winter and have prospects to do so.
Actually, I should probably rephrase that. The real question is, would Peter Angelos let it happen.
Angelos famously killed a deal for Miguel Tejada that would have netted him Erick Aybar and Ervin Santana and may have been responsible for killing a deal that may have sent Astros Ace Roy Oswalt to the Texas Rangers (and if he was, I hate Peter Angelos even more than I already do.)
Really, I think that the Traschel Deal should serve as a potentially rebuilding stage of the Orioles that could net cheap talent that could, long term, help the Orioles not only get more cost efficient and flexible, but potentially become a winning team and could return them to being a crown jewel of baseball once more.
That's all for now. Let's hope the week goes well...
The problems with rushing draft picks, Southside Eckstein, Pods Back On The Market, and the Price On Dontrelle Willis.
The Problems With Rushing Draft Picks
One of the things that I’m noticing in recent years is the rushing of draft picks.
Usually, this is done with relievers, who are viewed to be almost ready made, a practice that has gone back since the Nationals brought up Chad Cordero months after being drafted. However, this practice is taking it's toll on the prospects, mostly because teams feel that these college kids should be ready to start immediately.
This has recently been found out the hard way by the Detroit Tigers, who are now paying the price of rushing Andrew Miller, who has been awful his last few starts. The warning signs were there with Miller, who has walked more batters than he struck out and was regarded to be still raw coming out of college.
A better example would be Craig Hansen and Joey Devine, two players selected in the 2005 draft that were called up to the Majors quickly. Too quickly.
Devine was destroyed in limited time with the Braves and only recently has begun to show signs of coming out of his shellacking. Hansen isn't as fortunate and is in danger of possibly being dealt or cut by the Red Sox, who made the mistake of calling him up too soon.
Often times Clubs will be a bit overdependant on their system to provide them with help in their hours of need, oftentimes too soon for the kids to do much good.
And often times, those kids may never recover.
So, let it be a lesson, even a cautionary tale, of why sometimes you might need to look elsewhere rather than within, less you render your own internal asset useless for the rest of the future.
Eckstein Southside? Sounds Like A Disaster.
According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, shortstop David Eckstein has become the top off-season target of the White Sox, who are now tired of Juan Uribe’s lack of production (is it possible to be o
