Wheeling and Dealing

Well, I think trade season is here. A couple of days ago, the Devil Rays traded Aubrey Huff to the Astros for minor leaguers Mitch Talbot and Ben Zobrist. Let’s recap this trade, then we’ll move on to the shocking trade from yesterday.
Huff gives the Astros more offense, which they desperately needed. However, right now he’s just plugging a hole as Morgan Ensberg heads to the DL. When he returns, however, if they stick Huff in right field and send Willy Taveras to the bench, this is going to be that much more helpful to the Astros, and now may be able to continue the second-half surge they’ve perfected as of late.
Mitch Talbot is a pitcher, which the Devil Rays are trying to (smartly) stock up in the minor leagues. I can’t comment on what he’ll do in the majors, because there’s no such thing as a pitching prospect (except for the hotshot ones) but his numbers in Double-A suggest that he may turn into something.
Ben Zobrist is known for his dazzling plate disclipine, and while will report to AA, should see the majors this or next year. He could take over this year if Julio Lugo is traded. Zobrist could round ot into a dependable shortstop/second baseman, but isn’t amazing. Basically, the Rays got two mid-level prospects for the greatest player in Tampa Bay’s history to date. They would have gotten so much more if they had traded Huff at his highest peak (after 2004). But then again, the GM at the time was good old Chuck LaMar, who thought that he was entitled to constant Victor Zambrano/Scott Kazmir trades (in his favor).
Alas, better late than never, better something than nothing, so this is a win for the Rays, and potentially a playoff spot for the Astros.
The next trade absolutely floored me. And I’m still a little floored by it.
The Reds sent Austin Kearns, Felipe Lopez, and Ryan Wagner to Washington for LHR Bill Bray, RHR Gary Majewski, IF Brendan Harris, SS Royce Clayton, and minor league RHS Daryl Thompson.
I don’t get this trade at all from the Reds’ point of view. They traded someone hitting .274/.351/.492, a 2005 All-Star shortstop, and a former hotshot relief prospect for an above-average reliever (Majewski) … a good pitching prospect person, another pitching person, a really old and worthless shortstop, and a backup infielder.
Interesting.
What does this do for the Reds? It makes them much more like Krivsky’s old team, the Minnesota Twins. As a matter of fact, this may be what he’s trying to get at here. Making the Reds the NL version of the Twins. Not a great idea. While I’m a big fan of Kearns, I could understand trading him for a hotshot, actual pitching prospect, but not the package they got – especially with Felipe Lopez in there. The Reds are going to have to start all over again now.
The Nationals made out like bandits and now have a playoff-caliber lineup: LF Alfonso Soriano, SS Felipe Lopez, 2B Jose Vidro, 1B Nick Johnson, CF Austin Kearns, 3B Ryan Zimmerman, RF Jose Guillen and C Brian Schneider.
This is only if they keep it. There are hot rumors that they could make Kearns available again, along with Soriano and Guillen, and rake in the prospects. However, I doubt they’ll make Kearns available. My guess is that they go ahead and trade Soriano and Guillen for younger veterans/prospects about to arrive in the majors, and cobble together a youthful team (with a new manager) primed for a run in the next several years. At least, that’s how I’d do it. We’ll see what Washington does.
Those are the two big deals. There are certain to be more as the days progress, but I’ve been thinking about Boston lately.
We need a starter who is at least a #3 starter, eats innings, and throws quality pitches. There are not many of these starters on the block, but there’s one half on the block with a team we’ve recently had dealings with.
Jake Westbrook of the Cleveland Indians is 7-4 with a 4.19 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 30 BB/62 K in 116 IP, averaging 6.1 innings a start.
I think it’s worth looking into acquiring Westbrook, who’s making $4.25 million this year, with a $5.6 million club option for 2007. Thus, if he stinks, we can cut him. If he does well, we can exercise his club option and bring him back for another year.
If we do acquire Westbrook, we suddenly have a lot of issues surrounding Matt Clement, David Wells, and Jason Johnson. Johnson would likely just be simply released, and Wells could probably be coaxed into retirement or brought back in September. Matt Clement, however, is the quandary. Is the 6.61 ERA he’s sporting this year the real Matt Clement, or is it the 10-2, 3.85 guy the first half of 2005?
We will only know by starting him. However, Jake Westbrook certainly is better than a question mark in Matt Clement, and if we do acquire Westbrook, we would more than likely simply designate Matt Clement for assignment and eat his salary.
If we’re going to do that, then we might as well acquire the right starter. Jake Westbrook has a great chance at being that starter.