Trade Season Opens

[Edgy MD]

A few obvious points that nonetheless do nothing to quell the silly outrage.

• None of us know who or what was available last year.
  
• There is a real tangible value --- in the future as well as the present --- to not dealing a player who you believe is helping you.
  
• Professionals are capable of weighing that value against the value of one more particular player added to the system. It doesn't make them right. But neither does them not dealing make them ignorant that a deal has a value.
  
• Driving hard bargains in all your dealings means being willing to walk away from bargains that don't appeal to you.

None of that makes Alderson right about this stupid, stupid issue, but there are two sides to the issue, and this writing displays not even a feint at understanding that.

Megdal's opinion pieces are clearly agenda-driven, and blushingly embarrassing. It's embarrassing to me to see his nonsense hammered on the walls around here like rock band posters in a college dorm room. I'd like a little honest thought and rational discussion. But all the martyr-baiting is exhausting and depressing. There's baseball going on.

[bmfc1]

Vic Sage--the guy patting you on the back? That's me.

[Edgy MD]

Yes, I remember you stating that not trading Scott Hairston was somehow an indicator of how the Wilpons used the club as a vehicle for their passive investments.

It's like it can be made to fit every anti-Mets or anti-Wilpon argument. But it can't and it doesn't. It's just a thing.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

bmfc1 wrote: Vic Sage--the guy patting you on the back? That's me.

Just watch out for the TiTTS. They're a bit tender today.

[Vic Sage]

Tender TiTTS... must be my time of the month.

Just a thing?
whatever, dude.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Vic Sage wrote: Tender TiTTS... must be my time of the month. Just a thing? whatever, dude.

A bad pun based on your former leadership of a worthwhile organization. Nothing personal meant.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: [*]Driving hard bargains in all your dealings means being willing to walk away from bargains that don't appeal to you.

Exactly. And developing a reputation for it means opposing GMs are going to look at what Sandy is demanding and at least suspect that he's

A. serious that he wants the guy he's talking about
B. Isn't going to back down and accept something lesser.
C. Maybe I better pull the trigger before I end up giving up my top pitching prospect.

And that's a good thing. That attitude and reputation is how we got d'Arnaud, and Wheeler. It's how maybe Sandy fleeces someone out of a good outfielder without having to sacrifice as much.

[Vic Sage]

Swan Swan H wrote: Vic Sage wrote: Tender TiTTS... must be my time of the month. Just a thing? whatever, dude. A bad pun based on your former leadership of a worthwhile organization. Nothing personal meant.

nothing personal was taken. the "whatever dude" wasn't directed at you.

[Elster88]

Why did they trade Cone to Toronto? Was it a money dump?

[Frayed Knot]

More like impending FA status and afraid of what he would cost.

[Frayed Knot]

Matt Garza heads from the Cubs to Texas for a quartet of minor leaguers - the biggest prize being 3B Mike Olt who was rumored to be part of a possible Dickey deal last winter.
Also RHP Justin Grimm (Ben's brother?); RHP CJ Edwards (Low-A) and our old friend PtbNL.



BA on Olt -- Don�t read too much into Olt�s overall batting line at Triple-A [.213/.317/.422]. He entered the season ranked as the No. 22 prospect in the game, but after struggling out of the gate with vision problems, he redeemed himself by batting .247/.353/.506 with 10 homers in 158 at-bats since returning to Round Rock on June 3.
Strikeouts will be a permanent fixture of Olt�s game, but that will be an acceptable tradeoff for his plus power production. He led the Texas League in home runs (28) and slugging (.579) in 2012, but he�s more than just a one-trick pony. Scouts rave about his agility, sure-handedness and arm strength at third base, and he forces pitchers to throw him strikes with a disciplined hitting approach�his strikeout-to-walk ratio was about 2-to-1 since June. Olt represents a good buy-low option for the Cubs.

[nymr83]

rumors have Alfonso Soriano headed back to the Yankees for prospects. this would kill my NL-only team.

[Frayed Knot]

Do you suppose they'll have the guts to try him out at 3rd base?

[RealityChuck]

Interesting trivia on ESPN's series of the best deadline deals for each team: The choice for the Astros was made up of three players that played for the Mets at one time or another.

[Frayed Knot]

Cubs GM Jed Hoyer says "not so fast" on that Soriano to the Yanx story.
Claims the club is in talks with "several teams" but no trades have been agreed to much less passed by Soriano who has veto rights.

[Frayed Knot]

Francisco Rodriguez to the Orioles for minor league infielder Nick Delmonico

Surprising only in that it was thought there were other teams more in need of relievers like Boston and/or Detroit.
I assume he'll set-up mostly behind Johnson

[Frayed Knot]

Soriano to Yanx deal complete.
Probably some nothing prospect going to Chicago in exchange. Also Cubs picking up around $17 of the $25mil still owed through the end of next year.

So the Yanx, who knew coming into the season that their position players were too old and too expensive, have added and/or re-signed since the winter: Ichiro (39), Lyle Overbay (36), Travis Hafner (36), Vernon Wells (shockingly only 34 - he merely plays like he's older), and now Soriano (37) and, even though they got all those guys either at reduced rates or with their old club paying for a good chunk of the salary (Wells & Soriano) they've still got all except Hafner & Overbay under contract for next year.

[metirish]

Great work from Theo to get that much money paid by the MFY's.

[nymr83]

metirish wrote: Great work from Theo to get that much money paid by the MFY's.

Not so great imo. The Cubs paid 17 of 25 million and Soriano has been good this year. the "prospects" i'm hearing they got back werent so good either. this was a salary dump without even dumping 2/3 of it!

[Ceetar]

Nymr83 wrote: metirish wrote: Great work from Theo to get that much money paid by the MFY's. Not so great imo. The Cubs paid 17 of 25 million and Soriano has been good this year. the "prospects" i'm hearing they got back werent so good either. this was a salary dump without even dumping 2/3 of it!

He's been good, and I'm sure Yankee Stadium will help with the power, but he's OBP is less than .300 and this is still one of his worst years in the big leagues..and if he's on the downward slope and they're still paying him next year?

[Frayed Knot]

Houston closer Jose Veras dealt to Tigers in return for prospect Danry Vazquez

The 32 y/o, well traveled Veras (NYY, CLE, PITT, MILW, FLA, HOU) has been having a good year closing for Houston when those rare closing opportunities come up -- 19 saves in 38 appearances, 1.00 WHiP, 2.93 ERA -- and Detroit is known to have been looking for back of the bullpen help since the Jose Valverde 2.0 experiment didn't work.

Vazquez, a Venezuelan born 19 y/o OFer who originally cost the Tigers $1.2 mil in bonus money, is playing in the low-A Midwest Lg.

[Frayed Knot]

The Braves, who have been thin on LHPs in the bullpen since losing two guys to season-long injuries, shore up their relieving corps by trading for Scott Downs from the Angels.
Going to Anaheim is RHP Cory Rasmus who pitched with Atlanta for a short time earlier this year.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Finalized yesterday as well: effective-when-physically-right-but-currently-injured bullpen-righty/All-Star Jesse Crain to the Rays, for future considerations.

Weirdly-fair deal, in which the Sox's return depends on how much Crain gives his new squad down the stretch.

"We're going to continue to cross-check the players over the coming weeks and months, and actually we'll come to an agreement as to what's appropriate compensation for Jesse," Sox general manager Rick Hahn told reporters in a conference call. "It required a fair amount of creativity and trust between the two clubs, and given our relationship with them it was fairly easy to ultimately come to an agreement that we felt would make sense for both of us going forward."

[ashie62]

Lotsa flotsam and jetsam changing hands..How bout a biggie!

[Frayed Knot]

Well Jake Peavy has been pulled from tonight's start.
No announced trade yet but ...

[Frayed Knot]

And Peavy is headed to Boston in a three-way deal involving the Tigers & ChiSox.

[Frayed Knot]

Ian Kennedy - the pitching darling of 2011 - is headed from Arizona to Sandy Eggo

[G-Fafif]

Bud Norris: From the Astros to the Orioles.

[Vic Sage]

it's after 4pm -- no Mets trades i guess?

[Edgy MD]

Probably not, but I imagine there are trades that have gone down somewhere that haven't been announced yet.

On the other hand, Boid and Moiphy in the lineup tonight.