Oakland A’s Send Matt Murton to the Rockies

Posted by Jeremy on February 5, 2009 under MLB Trade Analysis | Be the First to Comment

Yesterday, the Oakland Athleteics dealt 27 year old OF Matt Murton to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for speedy 2B prospect Corey Wimberly.    On the surface, this deal seems quite minor, yet it could show us just a little bit more about each club’s plans in 2009.  From a prospecting perspective, here is my take on the deal and how it affects each piece (directly or indirectly) involved.

Matt Murton: Murton’s move to Colorado and the National League is like fertilizer to his withering Oakland-choked statistics.  However, he will still be a reserve outfielder and, at age 27, he has officially made the transition from prospect to journeyman–a kiss of death to rookie card values. 

Corey Wimberly: A super utility guy in the mold of Angels spark plug Chone Figgins, Wimberley can play 2B, 3B, SS, and all three OF positions.  He has blazing speed and a power-free line drive bat.  From a collecting perspective, he is not ever going to be a hobby hot list favorite, but there are several opportunities for Wimberly to work his way into Oakland’s lineup as Bobby Crosby and Eric Chavez are sure bets to spend time on the DL at some point in ‘09.  He is a good candidate to be a top of the lineup speed demon that Oakland has lacked for several years.  His 1st year cards are in the various 2006 Bowman sets.  If you can find a refractor or serial numbered card for cheap (under 5 bucks), it could see a short term value bump at some point in 2009. 

Eric Young Jr.: Wimberly’s departure shows that the Rockies are quite confident that the terror of the Arizona Fall League is quite ready to be their future second baseman.  Young’s power spike and 20 SB this past fall demonstrates that he is a.) has the strength to drive the ball with more authority and b.) has fully recovered from his hamstring injury.  Young has the speed and base running wisdom (thanks to daddy) to be a league leader some day.  Stolen bases, while not as sexy as power numbers, do generate hobby buzz and demand.  Many base thieves tend to be “Punch and Judy” hitters, but Young’s stellar fall numbers gives me optimism that he can be a force to be reckoned with atop Colorado’s young lineup…perhaps as early as April.  Young’s 1st year cards can be found in various Bowman Products as well.  He’s close to being a member of the Rockies’ everyday lineup and, once he makes it, his cards should start to take off.

Move over Nomah, There’s a New #5 In Town

Posted by Jeremy on January 9, 2009 under MLB Trade Analysis | Be the First to Comment

Three Team Blockbuster sends Putz to the Big Apple

Posted by Jeremy on December 11, 2008 under MLB Trade Analysis | Be the First to Comment

The Seattle Mariners, New York Mets and Cleveland Indians completed a 12 player blockbuster deal last night which netted the Mets a top notch set-up man in former M’s closer J.J. Putz.  Below, I have listed how the trade shakes out for each team as well as a few thoughts about how it could potentially affect eBay market values for certain players.

J.J Putz:

• A move to a contender, especially one in the Big Apple, would normally enhance the value of one’s cards.  However, Putz enters New York now as a set up man to K-Rod.  8th inning guys, while valuable to their clubs, are not particularly valuable in the card collecting market (unless your first name is Joba).  Putz’s 2005 RC’s and autos may see a marginal market bump over the next 7-10 days, as Mets fans are excited about the move, but it will soon subside.

Jeremy Reed

• I remember being estatic when the M’s made Reed the primary piece to the trade that sent Freddy Garcia to the White Sox.  Sadly, Reed never came close to fulfilling his potential as a standout CF.  Nevertheless, I feel that Reed got lost in the M’s organizational shuffle and still has some value as a 4th OF.  Reed will dazzle you at times with incredible defensive plays one moment and then bewilder you with a major mental gaffe the next.  Perhaps this change in scenery will re-energize Reed.  He still has come upside as a solid bench player or platoon player.  As for his 2002 RC’s or autographs, I wouldn’t spend a dime on them, but if you have them, they may see a little more market love once Reed puts a few decent performances together…that would be the time to sell ‘em if you’ve got ‘em.

Sean Green

Franklin Gutierrez

• This guy disappointed me last season, as I thought he was a prime candidate to have a breakout season.  However, if you look at his August-September totals, Gutierrez was actually quite solid, hitting .312 with 4 HR 20 RBI and 5 SB.  Gutierrez is an outstanding defensive CF, who at just 25 years old, has yet to reach his prime.  The M’s are an organization in transition and their new GM Jack Zdurencik is an astute evaluator of talent.  Reports have it that Jackie-Z was adamant about getting Gutierrez, which became the sole reason that Cleveland was included as a 3rd team in this deal.  That speaks to me and tells me thats Zdurencik feels strongly that Gutierrez’s best is yet to come.  Seattle M’s fans have historically been a strong presence in the collecting community and, if Z’s assessments of Gutierrez are correct, his ‘03 RC’s or ‘06 Bowman Chrome autos could be sweet buy-low bargains.

Aaron Heilman

• Heilman is happy to be leaving New York, as his desire to be a starting pitcher trumped his dedication to his role as a late inning reliever.  Heilman has good stuff, a low-90’s fastball with good sink and a nasty splitter.  It is still quite unclear how the M’s will use him in ‘09.  Will he step in as the closer, leaving Brandon Morrow in the rotation?  Will he move into the rotation leaving Morrow to close?  Will he set up for Morrow?  Any of those questions, while unanswered, are conceivable.  If Heilman starts games or finishes them, his 2001 rookie cards and autos stand to gain at least a little more value than they have now.

Mike Carp

• The husky left-handed 1B prospect is coming off his best season as a pro, hitting .299 with 17 HR 72 RBI and a sterling 79 BB/88 K ratio at AA Binghamton.  Carp, just 22, has all the makings of a Lyle Overbay-type hitter whose lefty power should play very well at Safeco Field.  The M’s have a stop-gap platoon situation at 1B with Russell Branyan and Chris Shelton currently filling the spot.  It seems that Zdurencik has tabbed Carp as the 1B of the future and, given his young age, there is no reason not to believe that he can improve on his ‘08 performance.  Carps’ move from New York is beneficial to him as he now escapes the competition given by Nick Evans and Daniel Murphy to become Seattle’s top 1B farm hand.

Endy Chavez & Jason Vargas

• Likely will not see any market change

Ezekiel Carerra & Maikel Cleto

• Young organizational depth that don’t have any cards on the market and are too raw to project at this time.

Joe Smith

• The former Mets submarine-style RHP is purely a situational, middle relief pitcher who should provide solid bullpen depth to the Tribe, but his card values are not benefitted by this move.

Luis Valbuena

• This little 2B had a pretty good season in the M’s organization last year hitting .303 at AA and AAA before earning a late season nod to Safeco.  The M’s seem to be content with Jose Lopez at 2B which made Luis expendible.  He profiles to be a part time player with Cleveland, likely partnering with Jamey Carroll at 2B.  That doesn’t make his future RC’s to be worthwhile investments.

Overall, my take on this trade is that it proves to be immediately beneficial for the Mets as they, assuming Putz throws 97 instead of 92, now have two top-tier pitchers at the end of their bullpen.  That should prove to be HUGE in combatting the World Champion Phillies for the N.L. East crown.  As for the Mariners, they have made gigantic strides in addressing their club’s depth in the OF and organization while opening up options for the 2010 season, in which the M’s should become aggressive buyers.  I love the acquisitions of Gutierrez and Carp and am intrigued to see how they handle the Heilman/Morrow dynamic.  There is not too much that excites me about the Indians’ moves as their involvement in this trade was purely Zdurencik-induced.

Your thoughts?

Reds/Orioles Trade Analysis

Posted by Jeremy on December 9, 2008 under MLB Trade Analysis | Be the First to Comment

The Baltimore Orioles just consummated a traded with the Cincinnati Reds which will send catcher Ramon Hernandez to Cincinnati for part time OF Ryan Freel and prospects 3B Brandon Waring and 2B Justin Turner.  The most obvious impetous of this trade is the fact that the Orioles feel 100% confident that their top prospect Matt Wieters is ready to make the jump to the major leagues.  The market for Wieters’ cards has been nothing short of insane, with his 2007 Donruss Elite Extra autographs selling for $110-125 each and his autographed Collegiate Ties patch cards from that set selling at $50-60 each. 

Those premiums lead me to pontificate about what Wieters would need to do at the MLB level to increase these premiums.  I would venture to guess that he would need to compile some Evan Longoria-like Rookie of the Year statistics and the Orioles would need to be contenders in the very difficult A.L. East division.  Granted, Wieters has all the talent in the world to compile an offensive career similar to Mike Piazza, but I would not be surprised to see some of these cards take an initial dip in value if Wieters struggles early on.  Let’s remember, he has not had any AB’s above AA Bowie as of yet, and his Arizona Fall League performance (.301 1 HR 12 RBI) was decent but not outstanding.  I do expect Wieters will be a superstar some day, but the prices of these cards are pretty inflated at this time.

The other player that should receive some increased market attention is Brandon Waring.  Waring was expendible by the Reds as they already have an abundance of talent (Todd Frazier, Juan Francisco, Neftali Soto) at the hot corner.  The O’s don’t have many options at 3B in their farm system to replace the aging Melvin Mora.  They traded for Mike Costanzo last season, but he has not proven to be worthy of much consideration.  Former 2006 draftees Billy Rowell and Tyler Henson have considerable upside, but each of them have many questions in their plate disciplines as well.  Waring joins the bunch as being an intriguing power hitter who strikes out a bunch and doesn’t walk enough.  Watch to see how each of these guys performs next season as that should give a better bearing on who will head the organization’s list heading into 2010.

From an intial glance, this trade is a push.  Both organizations dealt from areas of surplus to address needs.  The O’s, with Wieters aboard, have no need for Hernandez and his salary.  The Reds shipped out from their surpluses to fill their gaping hole at catcher. 

What is your take on this deal?  Compared to other past deals and upcoming block busters (Jake Peavy?), this one is pretty minor, but after being sick the past few days, I thought it would be a good one to get me back into the writing groove.

Philadelphia Phillies/Texas Rangers Trade Analysis

Posted by Jeremy on November 21, 2008 under MLB Trade Analysis | Be the First to Comment

Last night’s transaction between the World Series-winning Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers marked an unusual occurrance in baseball trade market as each team exchanged one minor league player for another.  Former 2004 1st round pick OF Greg Golson heads to the Texas Rangers in exchange for 2005 1st rounder John Mayberry Jr.  Here’s a closer look at the parties involved in the deal.

Greg Golson:

• Golson had a solid season at AA Reading batting .282 with 13 HR 60 RBI and 23 SB.  Golson has top of the order speed and enough pop to be an solid top of the lineup offensive catalyst.  However, Golson racks up strikeouts at an alarming rate racking up 623 K’s in 511 career games.  The Rangers made the deal for Golson due to his Gold Glove caliber defense in CF.  This move will allow Josh Hamilton to move to his more natural position of RF, shifting David Murphy to LF.  Golson will not need to be a power hitter with the Rangers as their lineup possesses enough to light up all of the state of Texas.  Perhaps this will allow for him to focus more on working counts and improving his OB% which was just .333 last season.  Golson’s Rangers future is likely as a part-time defensive and baserunning specialist as the starting OF is chocked full of more intriguing hitters like Josh Hamilton, David Murphy, and Nelson Cruz.  This doesn’t bode well for his 2004 rookie cards.

John Mayberry Jr.:

• The son of former New York Yankees OF John Mayberry has not fully lived up to the potential that his athletic 6-6 230 lb. frame projects.  Mayberry split time between AA Frisco and AAA Oklahoma City batting .264 with 20 HR 74 RBI and 10 SB.  On the surface, these numbers are decent, though in hitter friendly environments like Frisco and OKC and given Mayberry’s age and talent, they are quite mediocre.  Perhaps the move to the world champs will jump start Mayberry’s career similar to how it did for Jayson Werth.  Werth is an ideal comp for Mayberry as a long, strong, and athletic OF who has taken a while to refine his considerable skill set into consistent production.  Given Pat Burrell’s inevitable departure via free-agency, Mayberry may get that chance as early as April.  Watch to see how Mayberry produces in the Grapefruit League this spring.  If he is successful, he may break camp with the Phillies as a 4th outfielder.  The Phillies are rumored to be making a push to sign Seattle Mariners free-agent OF Raul Ibanez.  If they sign him, this will cut into Mayberry’s opportunities with the big club.  At 25 years old, Mayberry needs to take a major step forward this season to show that he can be ready for more regular AB’s in a big league uniform.  With much more projectible players like Dominic Brown and Michael Taylor ascending quickly, Mayberry’s greatest value to the Phillies may be as a mid-season trading chip.

This trade was interesting as each side trimmed some of their surplusses in exchange for other needs.  Both Golson and Mayberry should play in some capacity with their new teams this season, though it it likely that neither will earn a starting spot this season.  If you have any of their rookie cards, wait for a string of good performances (especially in spring training when hope and speculation abounds) and SELL accordingly.

Your thoughts and opinions are always welcome!

New York Yankees/Chicago White Sox Trade Analysis

Posted by Jeremy on November 15, 2008 under MLB Trade Analysis, Market Watch | Be the First to Comment

The Yankees made the first of what should be several high profile moves by trading three players for Chicago White Sox OF Nick Swisher.  In return, the Sox will receive RHP Jeff Marquez, 3B Wilson Betemit, and RHP Jhonny Nunez.  Here’s a bigger breakdown of the deal.

Nick Swisher:

A move to the Yankees can only help Swisher’s card values which have taken a plunge over the last couple of seasons as he has struggled to be a consistent offensive player.  That said, Swisher will provide power and good defense to the Yankees at 1B and the corner OF spots.  Swisher is the type of player that the Yankees love.  He is a grinder, a good clubhouse guy, an max effort defender, and he works counts well.  His average last season was a dismal .219, though the pinstriped uniform has a way of bringing out the best or worst in a player.  With Swisher’s makeup, one can expect that he will elevate his game significantly, and at the ripe age of 27, he is entering his prime.  Swisher has 1st year cards in the 2002 Bowman Chrome Draft set.  Prior to the trade, there was little to no action on his cards, now the market is flooding with them.  He has plenty of autographs on the market right now that are gaining increased interest.  Long term, Swisher’s numbers should increase and he should fit nicely in the #6 or #7 hole in the Yankees lineup.

Kanekoa Texeira:

 This Hawaiian-born reliever may be the most overlooked piece to this trade, but his numbers are nothing to scoff at.  The 22 year old Texeira pitched very well at two levels this year as a closer combining to go 6-3 with a 1.33 ERA and 21 saves at HIgh-A Winston-Salem and AA Birmingham.  He has a nasty slider to compliment his lively mid-90’s fastball.  Hitters batted just .205 off of Texeira and he was able to induce more than two groundouts/flyout.  Texeira will likely be a late inning reliever as he progresses and he may be able to help the Yankees by the end of the ‘09 season.  Keep an eye on this young guy as someone has to eventually inherit the 9th inning throne from Mariano Rivera.

Wilson Betemit:

Betemit’s numbers with the Yankees were less than remarkable, and his market value after the trade will go from peanuts to peanut shells.  Betemit is a once bright prospect who gained weight and lost the athleticism that made him a one time top prospect in the Braves farm system.  Betemit will likely be a platoon guy at the corner infield spots and his market value will never be the same as it was when he was in the Yankees lineup.

 Jeff Marquez:

The ‘08 season was a struggle for Marquez, especially after such a promising 2007 which vaulted him to #7 on the Yankees prospect list.  Marquez has four pitches that grade out as average offerings and he effectively uses them with good control.  He had a good GO/FO ratio of 1.78 but he pitches to contact and often gets hit hard.  Marquez profiles to be an end of rotation starter or inning eating middle reliever at the MLB level.  He will likely pitch in Chicago this season in some capacity.  Marquez has several first year cards in 2004 sets, though they will not garner nearly the market attention that they would have had he been able to stay one of New York’s better prospects.  If you haven’t sold by now….you’re too late.

Jhonny Nunez:

Nunez is either very popular or very unpopular as this is the third time that he has been traded in less than one year.  Nunez has some good stuff that is still quite raw.  His fastball sits at 92-95 MPH and his slider has good movement to it.  Nunez began the ‘08 season at HIgh-A Potomac as a starting pitcher and he struggled going 2-8 with a 5.22 ERA.  Regardless, he was promoted to AA Harrisburg as a reliever and his numbers turned around significantly.  He continued the trend after his trade to the Yankees garnering a 1.65 ERA in 13 outings.  Nunez should provide value as a 7th or 8th inning guy, which does nothing for his card values, but the White Sox should be happy with his production.

Other Parties:

Jason Giambi: This move pretty much cements Giambi’s departure from the Yankees.  Will he shave the moustache?  Will the mullet come back?  Time will tell.  He is a valuable left-handed bat for anyone who wants to overpay for a DH.  The only thing that will keep his market value where it is now is if he goes to Boston, but the Red Sox have an overpaid DH of their own already.

Mark Tiexiera: Cross off the Yankees as a possible destination for this Boras client.  Tex’s cards would have skyrocketed if he signed with New York.  There are still many other organizations in the mix for the switch-hitting 1B, and it will be no surprise if L.A. offers him a huge deal to stay put.

Oakland A’s / Colorado Rockies Trade Analysis

Posted by Jeremy on November 12, 2008 under MLB Trade Analysis, Market Watch | Be the First to Comment

The much anticipated trade of Colorado Rockies slugger Matt Holliday has ben consumated and the Oakland Athletics are the beneficiaries.  In return the Rockies will receive A’s closer Huston Street, LHP Greg Smith, and top prospect Carlos Gonzalez.  Here’s a closer look at the effects this trade will have on all parties involved.

Matt Holliday—OF

• Holliday stands to lose the most from this deal as he moves from the comfy confines of Coors Field to the cavernous McAfee Stadium.  Holliday, unlike many Colorado hitters was fairly consistent both at home and on the road and his .321 BA with 25 HR 88 RBI and 28 SB should fit nicely in the middle of Oakland’s lineup.  That said, the transition to the American League has historically been very difficult for National League hitters and it is reasonable to expect a slight drop in Holliday’s numbers, especially in batting average.  Holliday, however, may not even finish the season in Oakland as his contract expires next season and you can be sure that the A’s will parlay him into prospects or compensatory draft picks at some point.

Huston Street—RHP

• Street is widely expected to be dealt again this off season as the Rockies seem determined to go with Manny Corpas as their closer in ‘09.  Street’s stock has slipped due to injury issues and inconsistency.  Also, the fact that many other closers (K-Rod, Trevor Hoffman, Brian Fuentes, etc..)seem to be on the market should dampen the demand on Street somewhat.  However when healthy, Street is a shut down closer with great stuff and greater control.  The problem is that Street’s “when” has increasingly become an “if”.

Greg Smith—LHP

• Smith was very effective early in the season for the A’s, but as teams got to see him multiple times, his stuff became quite mediocre and he was hit hard.  Smith is not overpowering and his off speed control has to be good in order for him to be effective.  Going to a hitter’s ballpark does not bode well for his future numbers and I think that Smith’s best numbers are behind him.

Carlos Gonzalez—OF

• Somewhere, Carlos has to be doing backflips after hearing of this deal.  Gonzalez struggled after his call up with Oakland hitting just .243 in a very mediocre linuep.  Now he gets to go to Colorado and nestle in with the likes of Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki, Garrett Atkins, Ian Stewart, and Brad Hawpe.  Gonzalez should flourish there and is likely to take a giant step forward in his development.  If you don’t have his cards now, get them before they shoot up in value.

Other parties affected:

Josh Outman—LHP

• Smith’s departure should open up more opportunities for another Oakland southpaw to get some innings as a back of the rotation starter.  Outman’s stuff is much more lively than Smith’s though his mastery of it needs refinement.  This trade is evidence that Oakland GM Billy Beane is confident that both Outman and Gio Gonzalez should take big steps forward this season.

In the long run, this trade will work out well for both parties.  The A’s have gotten themselves a rental player who will give them much needed punch to the middle of their lineup.  Then, they will be able to parlay Holliday into new prospects and/or players that will add to the richness of their already talented farm system.  The Rockies have received a future star, some pitching depth, and a decent trade chip for a player that they knew that they would not be able to re-sign.  Was this the best possible deal that they could make?  Likely not, but it shouldn’t hurt them in the end.

Florida Marlins/Washington Nationals Trade Analysis

Posted by Jeremy on under MLB Trade Analysis, Market Watch | Be the First to Comment

Today the Florida Marlins consumated a trade with sending arbitration-eligible players Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham to the Washington National for prospects 2B Emilio Bonaficio,OF Jake Smolinski, and RHP P.J. Dean.  On the surface, this looks to be a salary dump by the Marlins, though after some research, it definitely is a salary dump by the Fish.  Let’s take a closer look at the primary parties involved…

Scott Olsen—LHP

• Olsen has never really quite measured up to his promising potential, but he did toss over 200 innings this past season for the first time in his career and he remains a solid mid-rotation workhorse.  Olsen has the stuff to be a top of the rotation starter, but his control on the mound and off the field have struggled.  Look though, for Olsen to be a nice piece to Washington’s rotation next season, though his card values should not increase drastically, if at all.

Josh Willingham—LF

• Willingham battled some injuries last season, so his numbers took a little bit of a dip from the last few seasons.  When healthy, Willingham should be able to belt 25 HR and 80 RBI at a regular clip while earning 60-70 walks.  The outfield picture for the Nationals is somewhat clouded right now with Willingham, Austin Kearns, and Wily Mo Pena all vying for AB’s.  My feeling is that Willingham was acquired to be the starter and someone else will be the odd man out.

Emilio Bonifacio—2B

• Bonifacio is a top of the order speedster who hits for a high average and not much power reminiscent of former Marlins 2B Luis Castillo.  Bonifacio was acquired by the Nationals from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the middle of last season and performed decently in a major league stint hitting .243 with 29 runs scored and 7 SB in 49 games.  Bonifacio has a short quick stroke that is utilized to spray the ball all over the field.  He is a refined base stealer and solid defender.  Bonifacio will be 24 next season and could play with the Fish if Dan Uggla gets moved.  Otherwise, expect Bonifacio to start at AAA Albequerque.

P.J. Dean—RHP

• Dean was dominant in 10 starts last season going 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA and 34 K’s in 46 IP.  Hitters batted only .169 off of Dean he was very effective in mixing his 90-92 MPH fastball with a hard curve and solid changeup.  Dean has an athletic 6-3 175 lb. frame that could easily develop additional velocity to his fastball as his body matures.  The Marlins have a keen eye for young pitching talent and Dean has many things to like in his game.

Jake Smolinski—2B/3B

• Smolinski has a load of athleticism to offer and has a solid approach at the plate.  He played some 2B last year as well so it will be interesting to see where the Marlins decide to develop him.  Smolinski has a compact frame that is not very projectible, though he is expected to develop average to above average power.  Defensively, he has decent range and an average arm that will play well at 2B or 3B.

Other possible benefactors:

John Raynor—Florida Marlins OF

• Raynor has played very well this fall in the Arizona Fall League and this trade opens up the possibility of him skipping over AAA to earn a roster spot with the Marlins.  Raynor has game changing speed and pop at the top of the lineup similar to a Kenny Lofton or Johnny Damon type player.  Raynor could refine his approach at the plate a bit to cut back on his strikeouts, but there is so much more to be excited about in his game that the K’s are not an overly big concern. 

At this point in the game, Marlins fans have to be upset with the balance of this trade.  However, the trio of prospects that they received in return project to be solid MLB players at some point down the line.  Additionally, the exodus of Willingham and Olsen will free up some organizational space for other promising players to step forward and recognize their potential.  Washington should feel good about adding some MLB quality depth to their improving organization.

C.C. Sabathia Trade Finally Completed

Posted by Jeremy on October 7, 2008 under MLB Trade Analysis, Market Watch | Be the First to Comment

Batting lead-off for Cleveland in '09?

Three months after the trade that sent C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers, the Cleveland Indians received the final compensatory piece to the deal in AA outfielder Michael Brantley.  This details to this acquisition are nothing short of fascinating…at least to a geek like me.

As per the details of the contract, the Cleveland Indians were given the option of choosing between Brantley and High-A 3B Taylor Green.  The Indians were granted the deciding option because Milwaukee made it to the playoffs.  If Milwaukee would not have made the playoffs, the choice would have been theirs as to who would be sent to Cleveland.

I am wondering who Milwaukee would have opted to send.  Green is a very promising young 3B who hit .289 with 15 HR and 73 RBI in 419 AB.  His 61 BB/59 K ratio demonstrated highly advanced plate discipline from a 21 year old prospect.  Green’s season ended on August 12th when he was drilled on the hand by a pitch, but he is slated to play for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.

As for Brantley, he has great bloodlines as his dad Mickey was a former MLB OF (most notably with my Seattle Mariners) and has been an MLB hitting coach.  Brantley hasn’t produced the power potential that his dad has, though his 6-2 180 lb. frame could provide more strength and power as it matures.  Brantley, like Green, is extremely disciplined at the plate with a remarkable 50 BB/27 K ratio.  Brantley has great speed on the basepaths stealing 28 bags in 36 attempts.  His defensive prowess will probably limit him to LF, but with Grady Sizemore patrolling CF, this is acceptible. 

My thought is that the Indians want Brantley to be the leadoff hitter that will allow for Grady Sizemore to bounce down to the #3 spot in the order.  With Travis Hafner’s offensive demise and questions about Victor Martinez’s health, it will be imperative for Sizemore to shore up the middle part of Cleveland’s lineup.  This could mean that the Tribe will try to advance Brantley quickly, perhaps as soon as April.  The bat is ready, though it would be nice to see him provide more pop.

Breaking News: Adam Dunn traded to Diamondbacks

Posted by Jeremy on August 12, 2008 under MLB Trade Analysis, Uncategorized | 2 Comments to Read

"The Human Air Conditioner"

The first major post-deadline deal has Cincinnati Reds OF Adam Dunn clearing waivers and heading to the Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Dallas Buck and two prospects to be named later.  This deal bodes well for Arizona who are desperate for a power bat to help fend off the red hot Dodgers.  Let’s look at the market impact on the parties involved in the trade.

Adam Dunn

• Dunn’s all or nothing approach at the plate has worn thin in Cincy, but I think that he will feel a little rejuvenation moving to a 1st place club.  Arizona’s dry air should provide a hitter-friendly environment similar to the launch pad at Cinergy.  I think that Dunn’s cards will see an initial bump in value (especially his ‘99 chrome RC’s) if he has an early power surge.  As for the post season, I am skeptical of the D’Backs’ ability to fend off the red-hot Dodgers and the wild card will certainly not come from the NL West. 

Chris Dickerson

Looks like his cousin Eric Dickerson

• Wait a minute, Dickerson was not part of the deal…Chris Dickerson, just promoted from AAA today, is the replacement for Mr. Dunn.  Dickerson, 26, has had a solid season at Louisville hitting ..287 with 11 HR 53 RBI and 26 SB.  He walks a bunch and strikes out a bunch, but at 6-3 225 he has intriguing strength and athleticism.  The Reds seem to be in full-fledged rebuilding mode and Dickerson should get ample opportunities to determine whether or not he is ready to be a major league regular.  Dickerson has autographed RC’s in the 2006 Bowman Prospects and Bowman Sterling.  Currently, these cards can be had $4-6 each which could prove to be a bargain in the short term.

Dallas Buck

• Currently, Buck’s only cards are in the 2008 Tristar products.  The former ‘06 3rd round pick was pitching better than his 1-4 record at Low-A South Bend would indicate.  Buck is coming off of Tommy John surgery and seems adept at inducing groundballs.  The question mark with Buck is obvioulsy health.  When healthy he can hit 92-94 on his fastball and he has a solid slider and change to go with it.  His makeup and competitiveness is very good.  Watch to see how he finishes this season and if he can stay healthy and successful in AA next year.  At 23, he is not the brightest or youngest of prospects, but he is not someone to be completely ignored either.

Stay tuned for the other two prospects.  If they are of note, I will write about them.  My hunch is that they will be lower-ceiling add-ins…This just in, Micah Owings one of the players to be named later going to the Reds.

Micah Owings

• Has struggled on the mound this season, earning a demotion to Tuscon earlier this week. A move to Cinergy doesn’t bode much better for him, but maybe it is what is needed to turn his season around.  Owings had a successful rookie season in ‘07 and started hot this season going 4-0 in April but has lost his last 6 decisions over the months of June and July.  If you haven’t sold Owings’ cards by now….sorry.