The only way this rebuild was going to happen was if I could trade Dillon Nelson or Julian Madrid. This month of trading took a lot of persistence, because as you may have noticed - it's difficult to get trade results by merely putting a guy on the block. So I went out and reached out to team's I thought needed guys I had available.
One thing I heard often was "you could have gotten more." Which is funny because it usually came from teams who didn't offer anything. I made moves based on what the market would spend. The only team that had a trade talk fully stall was with Seattle, but overall everybody who inquired was offering the best package for the players I was trying to move.
Trade #1:
Los Cabos Sends:
Greenville Sends:
P Armando Rocha
P Pierre Deschênes
P Ángel Lara
P Jing-xiang Fa
Review: Worth noting, it wasn't for a few trades that I understood Complex players couldn't go into my complex. Lesson learned.
The 4 guys unlinked didn't matter in the deal. They were contract swaps. We released Rocha and the other 3 are expiring this year.
So first of all, Greenville got two legit aces at the top of a rotation that had no true leader. Duran getting hurt, was bad luck but there is no reason to assume they won't be very good again next year.
I like all five prospects I got back here. I think Murphy can be a very good starter in the future with three solid pitches and borderline great control. Sanchez and Oliveira are both very young, but both appear to me like with patience they can be quality big leaguers.
Chavez could end up being a solid reliever in the bigs. He had a very good rookie league campaign at just 17 years old.
Pablo Diaz had a decent year in AA, he still needs work but worth keeping an eye on.
Trade #2:
To LCC:
RP Fransico Moreno
SS Keitaro Suzuki
$45,000
To KCK:
Review: Gonzalez is one of the best value SS in the league. His contract is great, and he is just a good ballplayer. He didn't play exactly to form for KC but I doubt KC is looking to upgrade him this year. Bonilla was converted to the closer which was a great move by KC.
Reyes was meant to be a filler in the outfield temporarily. He did basically everything I expected. He was fine, nothing special but was worth having after the dismantling.
Lopez was called up to AA once the traded happened and he did very well there. Proving he was likely due for that promotion. I see him as a good reliever in the future.
Encarnacion has very good potential, he just needs to put it together on the field. He didn't have a very good AA campaign but at his age he's gonna have to prove he can move up the ranks.
Sotelo was another complex player. At 16 he actually did really well in 8 starts in rookie league. But then he tore a ligament in his elbow.
Estrada pissed my Rookie league manager off somehow. He got no playing time. A clear oversight by me. I think Estrada actually has a pretty solid future, just gotta get him on the field.
Trade #3:
Los Cabos Sends:
So Cal Sends:
Review: This trade was more about trading Okada's contract than anything. That was the initial goal. He did fine for So Cal, but I don't think he is worth $8mil a year and he had a piss poor attitude on my roster from day one. Otterburn was mentioned in previous review, he was a good player but no role once the rebuild began.
Burgess hurts, but again - so does spending $21.5 million on Okada. Burgess to me is a good arm that looks great at times. He did pretty well for So Cal in the regular season and then got smoked in the playoffs. Still, he has a very team friendly contract long term.
Galvan to me is a solid LHP in the rotation in the future. I put him in AAA after the trade, and he proved that is where he belongs.
Galvez is a young infielder that was just worth having. He did pretty well for LCC after the trade.
Caleb Hall could be a top prospect, but he has to get things going sooner rather than later. I like everything about his potential, and nothing about where he is at right now.
Elijah Justice has potential to be a stud in the rotation. He won the Rookie league best pitcher award this year.
Trade #4:
Boston Sends:
Los Cabos Sends:
P Armando Rocha
Review: One of a few minor league swaps I did. Banks put up good numbers for me in A ball and will likely start the year in AA.
Review: One of a few minor league swaps I did. Banks put up good numbers for me in A ball and will likely start the year in AA.
Rocha was in the previous review, he just goes back to Boston.
Trade #5:
Los Cabos Sends:
P Paco Boda
P Angel Casillas
Nassau Sends:
CF Luis Rincon
P Juan Rios
Review: Another minor league roulette type trade. Rincon is young and only appeared in 3 rookie league games and Rios needs elbow surgery.
Trade #6:
Irvine Sends:
P Armando Perez
Los Cabos Sends:
Review: Gonzalez was pretty elite at the time of the trade. I would say he did pretty good for Irvine but not elite. Still probably helped them this year - though he struggled in the playoffs.
Turberville is another guy where I see a lot of potential, but he hasn't put it together yet on the field. I might try and move him up and see if he's just bored with low A.
Mendoza is a pretty ridiculous situation. On April 1st his velocity went from 90-92 up to 95-97.
I got him in July, and then in August his velocity went up to 96-98, and then in October it went up to 97-99...and he's only 18 years old. He had a great rookie year in Rookie ball and I believe he has the potential to be a solid late inning arm.
Trade #7:
Austin Sends:
Los Cabos Sends:
P Pedro Gonzalez
Review: Another prospect roulette. We'll see how Gunshy does long term.
Trade #8:
San Fran Sends:
Los Cabos Sends:
2B Robert Rose
SS Jose Velasquez
OF Carlos Gonzalez
Review: Another minor league swap. Maybe the first time two players were swapped who shared the same name.
Trade #9:
Review: Miller was a pretty underrated arm if you ask me. I think Baffin was smart to get him, he's a cheap arm who can be successful in the rotation or bullpen.
Ramsey has his head up his ass. I think he can be very good, but he has a shit ass attitude right now.
Trade #10:
Los Cabos gets:
Plymouth gets:
Review: This trade really worked for both sides I think. Rodgers was sold as a top bat against LHP and he produced as advertised.
All three prospects not only have potential but did very well in their minor league assignments. Clark was stuck in A ball with Plymouth and put on the AA roster right away and he did real well.
Sanchez was in Rookie ball with Plymouth, got sent directly to A ball with us. I really like this kid's future.
Salinas was in the Plymouth International complex, and started for us in Rookie ball. A .768 OPS in his first ever season, I'll take that.
Trade #11:
LCC Sends:
Birmingham Sends:
Review: Minor league roulette again. Mercado got a bump in his control in the development report, he looks a little better than when I traded for him.
The Draft:
Jeremiah Moran - He did alright in his first pro year. I think I could have gotten him with my next pick. The mistake I made here was not calculating PP when thinking about the potential of these players. Still, I think he can be a big leaguer.
Julio Nunez - Very good year for an 18 year old.
Danny Clayton - This kid dominated rookie ball this year. I view him as a solid starter in the future.
Kade Brown - 20 years old, had a pretty good rookie league campaign.
Dave Weeks - Wasn't ready for A ball, still has solid reliever potential in my view.
Leonard Fitzpatrick - Fitz had an excellent rookie ball year. Surprisingly didn't give up a HR which is the one flaw I was concerned about.
Roy Burke - I think Burke can actually be a big league starter or a very good middle reliever depending on how that endurance ends up. A great rookie league campaign.
Kelly Shaw - Only threw 5 innings of rookie ball due to his age. Still, I like the looks of this kid's potential.
Joel Hebert - Solid year in rookie ball for the 20 year old.
Ramon Espinoza - Struggled in rookie ball. Still just 18 years old, so let's wait and see.
Roger Coulombe - He suffered a knee injury in the early fall, but let's consider this kid was drafted in Round 11. 43 K, 8 BB with a 1.12 WHIP in 8 starts is pretty damn good. I think his potential is more likely in the bullpen, but we'll let his age and development sort that out.
Jon Anderson - Round 12 pick, posted a .80 WHIP and a 1.80 ERA in 18 appearances in rookie ball.
Joe Bell - Round 13 pick - the 403rd overall pick. He posted a very good rookie ball season. Another kid I view as a potential quality middle reliever. At round 13, I'll gladly take that.
Summary:
A lot of moving pieces... the way I view it I lost two or three top prospects in my attempt to go for it, but I now have 20+ young players that I am tracking and hoping to develop into a long term success plan. It's going to take a few more successful drafts but we'll get there.
Los Cabos. Out.
No comments:
Post a Comment