Duda Traded to Tampa

[A Boy Named Seo]

All the outlets that buzz on my iPhone are now reporting. Mets get 23-year old RHP Drew Smith in return. Stats indicate he has a "live arm"

Is that enough? Better 1 good one than 3 schmoes, sez me.

[MFS62]

Hey Abaatttt! "Who's on first"?

Later

[dgwphotography]

MFS62 wrote: Hey Abaatttt! "Who's on first"? Later

Jay Bruce, come on down!

[A Boy Named Seo]

Dom

dgwphotography wrote: MFS62 wrote: Hey Abaatttt! "Who's on first"? Later Jay Bruce, come on down!

Dom Smith, come on up.

More on Drew Smith. Described as 'high octane' relief pitcher. Mid-to-high 90's. Control issues. Welcome Bobby Parnall 2.0!

[MFS62]

From MLB.com's minor league scouting report:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45 Smith had an inconsistent career at Dallas Baptist, but the Tigers, who originally drafted him, don't shy away from plus arm strength when they see it. It's come slowly, with injuries slowing him down some, but the right-hander has proven to be an effective relief prospect in his first year-plus as a pro. In late April, Smith was dealt to the Rays as the PTBNL, completing the January trade that had sent Mikie Mahtook to Detroit. Smith is largely a fastball/breaking ball short reliever. His heater will sit comfortably in the 92-95 mph range, and he can reach back for more, all from a clean and easy delivery. He'll show an above-average curveball at times with really good snap to it, but not consistently. Smith doesn't throw his changeup enough, and he'll need to improve his feel for the pitch and use it more in the future, though he did make strides as a strike-thrower in his second full season. That he dealt with some minor arm issues early in his career ended talk about perhaps seeing how Smith would fare in a rotation. He has all the ingredients to be an effective short reliever, with a ceiling of a future setup man.

Later

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Oh that's heartbreaking. Bye bye Doodoo

[nymr83]

maybe this is one of those deals where the Mets get the prospect and bring back Duda in November?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Famous young flame throwing relievers acquired in Met trades:
Kane Davis!
Scott Strickland!
Edwin Almonte!
Ambiorix Burgos!

[Guest d'Kong76]

Sorry to see this, but it was inevitable... at least he's not a Skank, that woulda sucked.

[Frayed Knot]

Tampa is currently playing the Yanx ... get him to the Bronx right NOW!!!!

[Guest 41Forever]

Pitched here in Grand Rapids last season.

Edited July 27, 2017 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

Drew Smith: will turn 24 at season's end.
Drafted in the 3rd round 2015 by the Tigers out of Dallas Baptist University
Dealt to Tampa in Jan 2017 as the PtbNL in exchange for 2011 1st round pick Mikie Mahtook, joined the Tampa org in late April.

John Sickels (writing today): Due to the [April] trade he’s pitched for four minor league teams this year: High-A Lakeland in the Tigers system, High-A Charlotte in the Rays system, then Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham for the Rays. He’s been effective everywhere, posting a combined 1.60 ERA in 45 innings with a 40/9 K/BB and just 32 hits allowed.
Smith is listed at 6-2, 190, born September 24th, 1993. He throws hard, 93-96 MPH, with enough movement for the fastball to play higher than the radar gun reading. He also has an above-average curveball and will occasionally mix in a mediocre change-up. His control has improved this year and he could be ready for a bullpen trial soon.



We'll miss ya' big Luc! Sometimes you could be a real cool hand.

[Frayed Knot]

Nymr83 wrote: maybe this is one of those deals where the Mets get the prospect and bring back Duda in November?

Don't see how there's any way he re-signs here. 1B is one of the two positions where the logical successor is known and (hopefully) ready to go.


oe: it just occurred to me that Duda has been traded for a guy named Smith and likely will be replaced by a guy named Smith.

Edited July 27, 2017 by Guest

[A Boy Named Seo]

Me RN:

[youtube:3v0mbv5p]2LRw679gUIw[/youtube:3v0mbv5p]

[Chad ochoseis]

Yeah, I guess this makes more sense than keeping him for two most likely fruitless months and then risking that he'd accept a QO. But it leaves me feeling kind of blah.

I hope in 15 years the Mets bring back Old Timers Day, and that the big lug shows up and gets a standing O. And that Granderson follows him around with a video camera.

[Lefty Specialist]

It sucks being sellers at the deadline. Go beat up on the Yankees, Lucas.

Does Dom Smith get the call now? I hope they don't play Bruce at first.

[MFS62]

Dom Smith was not in the starting lineup for Las Vegas tonight.
Later

[Frayed Knot]

So now I'm thinking of this trade from the other side.
Logan Morrison has been playing 1st for the Rays and is hitting for about as much power as Lucas. He (Morrison) played some OF earlier in his career but hasn't now in several years.
Corey Dickerson is the DH/OF and he's having a good year too. Brad Miller has taking some of the DH ABs vs RHPs but he's a not-so-great hitting SS so maybe that's going to be Duda's new role.

[Edgy MD]

[Frayed Knot]

Maybe Lucas can play SS for the Rays.
Bottom 9, 5-4 Rays, Brett Gardner on 3rd, 2 outs: Slow-footed Gary Sanchez hits a slow bouncer towards SS with 3 infielders on that side, the SS and 2B proceed to look at each other as neither went for the ball as it slowly rolled into the OF ... tie game.

[bmfc1]

Baseball Prospectus on Drew Smith:

Smith, previously acquired this April from the Tigers as the player to be named later in the Mikie Mahtook trade, is a reliever who can make an impact in a setup role. The 23-year-old repeats his high-lead-arm delivery well with projectable major league-average offerings. Smith offers a two-seam fastball (95-97 mph), cutter (95-96), changeup (85-87), and curve (78-80). He gets swings and misses with the two-seamer, which displays moderate tailing action. The cutter, used only occasionally, is flatter more often than you would like, but he is still able to place it in on lefties. The changeup projects to be fringy, and the bottom that it is able to show is only effective due to Smith’s arm speed replication. The curveball, the better of his off-speeds, has big 11-5 depth and bite. The control projects to be average. All in all, the Mets received a high-probability reliever for two months of Duda. ­—Javier Barragan

[emphasis added.]

Fangraphs said:

Smith is a minor-league reliever, and for all I know those might be literally a dime a dozen, but he has plus velocity and an interesting curve, so you never know when it might click.

Edited July 28, 2017 by Guest

[Ceetar]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Welcome Bobby Parnall 2.0!

Hope so. That'd be a solid return.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

NOOOO! YOU'RE MAH BOY, BOO

Seriousamente, though, he was gone at season's end, anyway. To me, Smith feels a bit more like Vic Black 2.0, with mild control upgrade. (To be clear, that's actually a hopeful comparison.)

[Vic Sage]

or he could be Addison Reed, as soon as they trade Reed.

[Frayed Knot]

Duda HRs off Tananka in the 7th in da Bronx
Unfortunately that was just the 2nd hit for the Rays who are down 5-1

[MFS62]

Dominic Smith is in the lineup for Las Vegas tonight. Last time I checked, he was 2-2.
Later

[Edgy MD]

Two in the first.

Don't tell me Bruce and Cabrera can't play winning béisbol.

[Fman99]

Will miss him, he did a tremendous job here. Sad!

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

It was inevitable that some of the multitude of veterans in their walk year on the Mets roster would have to be traded. I hat that Duda had to be one of them. I'm just glad that he wasn't traded to the Yankees. That would have been cruel and unusual punishment. Getting swapped to the Yankees would be more like punishment than being traded.

[A Boy Named Seo]

IT LIVES!

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4,966 likes, 179 comments - sergioromo54 on July 29, 2017: "@cgrand3 #wefollowlucasdudatoo #newteammate #blessed @raysbaseball @wefollowlucasduda".