Oakland Athletics – Prospect Report

Billy Beane runs a tight ship.  That is not to be debated.  And his success in the draft in the past has produced such stars like Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, Jason Giambi, Nick Swisher and others that have gone on to become productive major leaguers. 

However, in the past few years, it’s become more apparent that much of that has changed

Many have credited Beane with being a draft genius and for being the main reason why Oakland continues to win with a limited budget, all on the mantle of the “Moneyball” philosophy.

People seem to forget how lucky Beane has been as well.

Much of the Athletics’ success has to do with the fact that Oakland was able to develop three front of the rotation pitchers at the exact same time.  Had Oakland taken Ben Sheets instead of Barry Zito (who was taken only because Oakland was unable to reach an agreement with Sheets prior to the draft), Oakland’s future would have turned out quite differently. 

With that said, there has been a lot that Beane has done right.  Taking advantage of college products when others avoided them like the plague has changed scouting, but hurt the Athletics in terms of the talent available for them to choose from (a side effect from having a opportunistic, narcissistic writer chronicle the way you handle your day to day job).  Oakland has managed sustain it’s winning, but the talent pool on the farm is not as deep as it once was during Oakland’s stretch of playoff appearances.  With the most recent round of graduations, the talent pool is shallower still.

Athletics Top 15

1 – Daric Barton (1B)

• DOB: 8/16/85
• Drafted: 1st round, 2003, California High School (Cardinals)
• 2008 Club:  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 20+ 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 John Olerud type of first baseman.
• 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 a decent stopgap while he’s inexpensive. 

2 – 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.  Ellis is pretty attractive right now as a cheap date and could fetch a decent prize while allowing Melillo to play everyday.

3 – 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.

4 – 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.

5 – 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 in the lower minors.
• 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 talent, 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.  He's going to open the season in the California League for Stockton.

6 – 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 a potential rebuilding effort.

7 – 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.

8 – Javier Herrera (OF)

• DOB: 4/9/85
• Signed: 2001, Venezuela
• 2008 Club:  Sacramento River Cats (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 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.

9 – Andrew Carignan (RHP)

• Born: 7/23/86
• Drafted:  5th Round, 2007, UNC Chapel Hill
• 2008 Club:  Stockton Ports (High A)
• Height/Weight: 5-11/200
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  Oakland took the Tar Heels’ highly acclaimed closer after he fell down to the 5th round and quickly signed him.  Assigning him to Low A Kane County, where he was lights out with the Cougars in limited duty.  Carignan should be heading up to the California League next season, his first real test of his pro career.
• The Good:  Despite being small of stature, Carignan gets results.  He’s got  good arm strength excellent poise on the mound and a bulldog’s mentality on the mound.  His fastball is his best pitch and he throws it well in the 88-92 mph range.
• The Bad:  Unfortunately, that’s all he really has in terms of weapons.  Carignan got by in college by using his fastball to overpower hitters.  His slider is below average and his command is the same way.  One pitch pitchers don’t go far, so he is going to need a lot of work.
• Projection:  Average.  Carignan has gotten excellent results in the past in spite of his lacking gifts, but with work, he could be a part of a big league bullpen if he’s diligent and works hard. 
• What He Can Be:  A Big League Setup Man
• 2008 Course Of Action:  As I said, Carignan will likely be headed to the California League, his first real test, as I don’t think he’s ever really been pushed.  He’ll have to put in some serious work on the slider, or things could get ugly real quickly.

10 – Corey Brown (RF)

• DOB: 11/2/84
• Drafted: 1st round (S), 2007. Oklahoma State University
• 2008 Club:  Kane County Cougars (Low A)
• Height/Weight:  6-2/210
• Bats/Throws:  11/26/85
• The Skinny:  Going into this year’s draft, Brown was often overshadowed by his more highly regarded teammate, Matt Mangini.  However, Brown was a legitimate prospect in his own right, drawing Mike Cameron comparisons.  When teams began scooping up some of the falling talent, Brown got lost in the woods a bit until Oakland took him.  Since then, Brown has had a decent pro debut, but has shown that he still has work to do.
• The Good:  Brown’s best tool is power, and he has a lot of it.  Because of that, though he did have the arm and range to play center, Oakland slid Brown over to right, where his bat fits better.  He’s got good speed and shows a quick bat along with the willingness to draw a walk now and them. 
• The Bad: Brown’s biggest problem is strikeouts, as he amassed a lot of them in college and a lot in the Northwestern League,.  The bigger flag is that he faced fairly serious criminal charges in high school.
• Projection:  High.  He’s got the tools to be a regular, but with work, he could be a star, one of the few that fits that description in an otherwise blah system.  He should be capable of some 25-homer, 15-steal seasons down the road.
• What He Can Be: A power hitting corner that should strikeout a lot to make Nick Swisher feel less guilty.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Brown will likely be promoted to Low A Kane County, where Oakland hopes he’ll be able to finish in Stockton once the year ends.

11 – Josh Horton (SS)

• DOB: 2/19/86
• Drafted:  2nd Round, 2007, UNC Chapel Hill
• 2008 Club:  Stockton Ports (High A)
• Height/Weight: 6-1/195
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny:  Horton was one of the key reasons why North Carolina was able to make back-to-back trips to Omaha.  Though he was one of the best players on his team, Horton was rather ignored by many teams, but he fit the classic Oakland player profile, that of a player with good stats that looked relatively safe to pick. 
• The Good:  I do like Horton a lot, even though he is one of those gritty type players that hustles his way to success that I hate so much hearing about.  Horton handles the bat well and hits to all fields.  He has decent speed, good hands and a decent arm as well.  He also displayed some very solid plate discipline as well.
• The Bad:  Horton has no power to speak of and his range isn’t enough where he could stay at short. 
• Projection:  Average.  Horton has got the chops to make a major league roster.
• What He Can Be:  A decent second baseman or a very good utilityguy.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Horton will likely head to High A ball, where Oakland hopes that he continues grinding it out to eventually be a factor for the athletics before it is time to cut bait with Bobby Crosby.

12 – Matt Sulentic (LF)

• DOB: 10/6/87
• Drafted: 3rd round, 2006, Texas High School
• 2008 Club:  Kane County Cougars (Low A)
• Height/Weight: 5-10/170
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny: .A high school hitter that destroyed competition in Dallas, but fell because many were concerned about whether or not his power potential was legitimate or if he was just beating up on weaker competition.
• The Good: Sulentic has a quick bat that, when combined with his pitch recognition result in the potential for a high average and walk totals.  He also has some power that should eventually make him a 20 home run threat.
• The Bad: The only way Sulentic will ever really pan out is if his power comes through as expected, or he’s a bust.
• Projection: High.  Sulentic will likely give the Midwestern League another shot after his initial shellacking.
• What He Can Be: A starting corner outfielder.
• 2008 Course Of Action: Sulentic will likely return to the Midwestern League, where another year of seasoning should yield better results.  Suffice to say, however, Oakland is now going to be a little more careful with him in terms of hype.

13 – Jason Windsor (RHP)

• DOB: 7/16/82
• Drafted: 3rd round, 2004, Cal State Fullerton
• 2008 Club:  Oakland Athletics (MLB)
• Height/Weight: 6-2/220
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny: Windsor’s 2007 season didn’t go as expected.  He wasn’t selected to be the A’s 5th starter and went down in May for much of the year due to injury.  Now healthy and with Oakland lacking in viable alternatives to the end of the rotation, Windsor may have another shot at the rotation, but he’d have to be awfully good to do so.
• The Good: Windsor bounced back in 2006, reeling off 16 straight wins at one point wrapped around a brief MLB stint. Outstanding command allows his below-average fastball (87-89 mph) to play up a bit, but he's used it effectively to set up a plus changeup, his primary out pitch. His curveball has improved to become an average offering.
• The Bad: In 2005, Windsor experienced arm soreness and was shut down and last season he lost most of the season due to shoulder strain of his right shoulder.  Windsor also doesn’t have great stuff and is far from overpowering and will likely be nothing more than a 5th starter.
• Projection: Low.  He’s pretty much completed his development and aside from the injuries, he should be with Oakland by now. 
• What He Can Be: A 5th Starter or Swingman
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Windsor is going to try it all over again, where hopefully he’ll be able to latch on the big league club.

14 – Daniel Meyer (LHP)

• DOB: 7/03/81
• Drafted: 2002, 1st Round (S), James Madison (Atlanta)
• 2008 Club:  Oakland Athletics (MLB)
• Height/Weight: 6-3/210
• Bats/Throws: R/L
• The Skinny:  The big piece of the Tim Hudson trade, Meyer has struggled since being traded, being both injury-prone and ineffective until this year, where he managed to put up a solid enough Triple A season to merit time with Oakland late in the season.
• The Good:  Meyer throws a low 90’s fastball, but his best offering is his slider, which has regained it’s former edge to become a plus pitch again.  He also throws a decent changeup as well.
• The Bad:  Meyer used to throw a lot harder, but he’ll never get that velocity back.  He also still has command issues and throws too many pitches. 
• Projection:  None.  There really isn’t much more you can expect out of the dude.  He is what he is.
• What He Can Be:  Middle Reliever
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Meyer will likely be competing for a job at Spring Training.  With Oakland in a bit of transition, the 5th starters role should be an open race.  Otherwise, I think Meyer could do a good impersonation of Kirk Saarloos in the bullpen.

15 – Andrew Bailey (RHP)

• DOB:  5//31/84
• Drafted: 6th round, 2006, Wagner College
• 2008 Club:  Stockton Ports (High A)
• Height/Weight:  6-3/220
• Bats/Throws:  R/R
• The Skinny:  Another pick looking like a late round steal, Bailey performed well with Kane County and with Stockton, and put up a very good ERA while exhibiting excellent command over his stuff.
• The Good: Bailey’s got a nice three-pitch mix, sporting an 89-93 mph fastball along with a pair of solid breaking pitches in his curve and changeup.  His command and control are also very good as well.
• The Bad: There’s some skepticism about Bailey’s results considering his age, as Oakland has a history of several of these type of players that dominate the low minors before getting destroyed as they move up. 
• Projection: Low.  Bailey should be tested at the next level for you to really buy into his performance. 
• What He Can Be: A back of the rotation starter.
• 2008 Course Of Action: Bailey will likely head back to Stockton, where Oakland will see how he handles the California League on a more extended basis before deciding what to do with him next.

Final Thoughts

Oakland is in a bit of transition.  There really isn’t much in terms of high impact talent waiting in the wings and many of the players that are in the minors are either solid everyday players or talented role players, with almost zero in terms of future stars.  I will gives props to Billy Beane, who has tried at various points to keep the system stocked with various prospects in an effort to keep the lifeline of cheap talent flowing, but at the moment, the well is a little dry.  While he’s found talent on the waiver wire, Beane has recently acknowledged that it may be time for him to blow up the current squad in order to acquire more young talent in order to fuel the next Oakland run.  The process began in earnest last season with the Athletics allowing various players to get claimed via waivers in an attempt to clear salary, and with the trade of Marco Scutaro to Toronto for a pair of arms.  Beane will also hear offers for Huston Street, Joe Blanton, and perhaps Dan Haren and Nick Swisher in order to restock on talent, though there is one problem if he does that.  Because of how Beane evaluates talent, many will wonder if there is something that Beane knows that they don’t know, and could be scared off. 

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)

On The Block:  Tim Hudson

Why He’s On The Block:  With all the news surrounding the Braves and their fall from contention in the NL East, the Bravos won't trade John Smoltz.  Instead, the most valuable commodity that they have on them is Tim Hudson.  The Braves are in salary cap hell, so to speak, because of the long term deals that are given to Hudson, Andrew Jones, Chipper Jones, and John Smoltz.  Hudson just signed a contract extension this past off season and is due $33 million from 2007 to 2009 and $2 million more for the second half of this season.   Hudson could bring in some talented youngsters that the Braves could place in other needs, namely the bullpen and infield.

Negotiable:  Depends on how desperate the Braves want to rid themselves of Hudson.  He’s should net three good young players.

What He Offers:  One of the few nearly perfect pitchers in the majors, Hudson has a lot to offer:

·          Plus:  Able to step in and serve as an Ace.

·          Plus:  Has some of the nastiest stuff in the Majors.

·          Plus:  Great control.

·          Plus:  Strong defender

·          Plus:  Baserunners don’t often steal off of him.

·          Plus:  Can log in a good amount of innings.

·          Plus:  Doesn’t walk often.

·          Plus:  Contract is pretty reasonable (as far as contracts go.)

·          Minus:  Has some struggles against left-handed batters.

·          Minus:  Doesn’t have great strikeout numbers.

·          Minus:  Temperamental on the mound.

He Stay Or Will He Go:  Depends.  The Braves have never been out of contention before.  And while there is a chance they could have a rally, it's going to be awful hard.  Last year the Braves captured magic in a bottle.  They can't do that this year.  Still, with the market on pitching always being high, Hudson would be a hot commodity and trading him will grant a lot of salary relief.  So, with that in mind, here’s where he could go:

·          Houston Astros– 40%.   The Astros have Clemens for the moment, but adding Hudson could create a formidable rotation for the Astros.  Imagine a rotation with Oswalt, Clemens, Hudson, Pettitte, and Backe, with Rodriguez and Buchholz in the bullpen for insurance.  Would you honestly want to face that?  While adding Hudson’s salary would be a hinderance this season, keep in mind that Pettitte’s and Jeff Bagwell’s contracts will be off the Astros’ books next season.  And Clemens won’t likely return again next season, freeing up more cash.  Such a deal would likely include Fernando Nieve, Chris Burke, and possibly Jason Lane, but man, the payoff would be worth it.

·          Texas Rangers – 30%.  The Rangers would also have an interest in Hudson, as he’s one of the better pitchers ever to have pitched in Ameriquest.  Adding Hudson would do wonders for the rotation, but would create some trouble as the Rangers would likely have to send either John Koronka or John Rheinecker to the Braves in return.  Both pitchers are left handers, which thrive in Ameriquest Field.  It’s possible that the Rangers could put together a package centered around fireballer Edinson Volquez or Josh Rupe, but both are expected to join the rotation within two years.  With that in mind, giving up one of them would be more than worth the risk.

·          Boston Red Sox– 20%.   The Red Sox badly need another starter, as the kids are still a bit aways from being in the rotation.  At the moment, the only person that could start is Jonathan Papelbon, but at the moment, he’s the closer and is more valuable in that spot.  The Red Sox have the prospects necessary to deal for Hudson, but the problem is that the Red Sox also see the future of their rotation in youngsters John Lester, Manny Delcarmen and Lenny DiNardo, one of which would need to be a part of the deal, along with position player Dustin Pedroia in order to acquire Hudson.  That would be the deal breaker.

·          Milwaukee Brewers– 10%.   The Brewers have got the prospects to make a deal for Hudson, who would anchor a rotation that so badly needs a true ace.  The problem is that the Brewers have other contracts that they need to settle, such as Ben Sheets and Carlos Lee.  Adding Hudson’s mounting salary to the equation does not help matters at all.

End Result – Hudson will likely remain with the Braves until the end of the season.  After that, he’s going to be the most talked about name on the trade market.