Trade Talk (III) with tk21775

1. The next 3 for 1 deal belonged to the Oakland A’s and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona receives 20 year old P Candy Martin and sends the A’s 21 year old P Larry Wells, 19 year old P Willie Parrott, and 27 year old DH Rafael Chantres. Chantres is the only one of the three to get the call to the majors where he’ll bring a nice bat to the DH spot along with Molina like speed. Parrott gets sent to Low A where he’ll develop into a force against right handed batters and no slouch against lefties. Wells gets sent to High A where he’ll develop into a nice starting pitcher himself. He’s got excellent control and very nice splits. Arizona will start Martin out in Low A this season where he looks to work on his pitching so that he’ll be a lights out closer when he reaches the majors. Outstanding control and splits, absolutely dominant against righties, when the Diamondbacks have the lead and send this guy to the mound you might as well call it a game. Luckily it looks to be a few years before he’ll be competing at the highest level.

   Owner train on the deal: “I gave up a really good RP prospect but was able to add a DH, SP prospect and a RP prospect. The guy I moved projects to have tremendous splits, control and stuff, but the opportunity to add multiple pieces was too good to pass up.”
   Owner The__Kid on his move: “Taking the Bill Belichick route. We made the deal because we thought it was the best move for our ballclub. We expect Candy to develop into a shutdown closer."

2. Next up on the trading block were the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers will receive 23 year old 1B Jim Thomson in exchange for 20 year old P Ken Smith, 36 year old P Andres Gonzalez, and 25 year old 1B Sergei Lloyd. Gonzalez and Lloyd get called to the majors where Andres will help out in a long relief role. He has great control and stamina/durability combo but a little below avg. splits. Lloyd will take over at 1B where he’ll be an all around nice player for the Padres. He’s got a bat with no weakness although no overall strengths and some speed on the bases. Smith will get sent down to High A where the pitcher will work on his arm which projects to great control and nice vR split. Thomson will take over 1B for the Brewers where the slugger will give fits to opposing pitchers. He’s got a great eye and contact, will trot around the bases as fans fight in the seats for the ball and his splits are pretty good as well.

   Owner gerald007 on the deal: “Hutch needed a slight upgrade at 1B and a touch of salary cap relief. I received a very good young arm, and two hitters, who while not quite a good as the hitter I hit him, helps me strengthen my minors for other possible deals. He also got a good PC catcher from me, but I have a couple more of those laying around right now, so that was just a throw in for me.”
   Owner mlhutch on making it happen: “Well, we coveted Thomsen since we opened trade discussions with SD. It is easy to see why. He has got a nice contact/power combo, a great eye, and solid enough splits. Also, he is only 23 so he will be peaking when all of our blue-chip prospects come up. I had to give away a solid SP prospect and others but, in the end, Thomsen was a great fit for both our short-term and long-term needs.”

3. The Dodgers make another move, this time with the Minnesota Twins who have been relatively quite in trades so far. The Twins acquire the rights to 20 year old SS Glenn Sweeney and 21 year old LF Morgan Taylor for 22 year old P Cameron Lundquist. Sweeney will begin in Twins career at High A where the defensive SS will work on his glove and he’ll be able to hit a little at the majors as well. Taylor moves up a level to AA where the 1B/LF will spend a little time in the minors but should be seen in the majors soon. He’s got a very nice bat with power behind it. Lundquist looks like he’ll join the starting rotation possibly for the Dodgers with great control and very nice splits along with 3 great pitches.

   Owner Iceman67 on making the deal: "It was a tough decision in dealing a promising young star in Lundquist. I feel that I have a strong enough starting rotation, that I could afford to deal him. He should flourish pitching at Chavez Ravine. Sweeney & Taylor are welcomed additions to the franchise...Taylor will probably be on the big league roster sooner than later...Sweeney's defense will be a big plus”

4. Arizona doesn’t waste anymore time making a deal happen, hooking up with mexd781 and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays will receive 29 year old P Josias Gonzales and give up 18 year old P Walter Gray and 21 year old P Al Lange. Lange and Gray both start out in Low A for the D’backs where Gray has projections for outstanding control dominant against lefties and no slouch against righties with 3 very good pitches. Lange will hold his own on the mound as well although he’ll be working out of the pen where he also projects to outstanding control and very nice splits no matter what side of the plate batters are swinging from. The Rays will pencil in Gonzales into their starting rotation where he’s got great control and great splits. He’ll throw for the majority of games with his stamina/durability and give the bullpen a rest. The Rays have him signed for 2 years at $6.8M

   Owner The__Kid on the move: "We were looking to solidify our bullpen of the future. With the acquisition of Martin, we thought that he would be better utilized as an everyday closer. To achieve that, we needed a strong left/right combo with some stamina ahead of him. Trading away Gonzales was tough since he's been our #1 starter for the last few seasons. We felt that his best years were behind him."
   Owner mexd781 on the deal: “With the price of Fausto Lopez going up in FA, I had to turn my attention to acquiring another SP via trade. I called up Arizona to see if Gonzales was available. He is great against right handers and has pretty good control. He will step in as our #2 starter behind Walker Bryant. I did have to give up my top SP prospect, but with Josias only being 29 and Walker 27, it gives us a great 1-2 punch for the next couple of seasons.”

5. The Diamondbacks stay right in the middle of things, this time with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies will receive 30 year old SS Phil Perez in exchange for 19 year old P Carl Swift, 24 year old P Doug Rose, and 28 year old 2B Ivan Rivera. Rivera and Rose will be called to the majors where Rivera looks to handle 2B this season with some speed when he gets on the bases. Rose will be pitching in the later innings and projects to great control and splits. Swift moves to Low A where the SP prospect will develop into a very nice pitcher with great splits. Perez will handle SS for the Phillies and while he’s a little short on defense he’ll make up for it with a great bat for the SS position.

   Owner The__Kid: "With Phil Perez heading to FA at the end of the season, we wanted to make sure we received value in return for his services this season. With Carl Swift projected as a #2 starter, our future rotation is taking shape. Doug Rose was a key component of this trade. His abilities to be effective against left and right handed batter will solidify his place in the bullpen for seasons to come."
   Owner disposable77 on the deal: “We had alot of interest in Perez from the beginning of the season, and found out he was available. We were able to work out a deal with Arizona that wouldnt bleed our LL pitching dry. To be able to get a player of his caliber will be an asset for us in the long run, and we are excited to have him.”

Top RP

A very good group, there are some definite stars out there.

1. Fred Adams (SF)
   Fred has decent durability and good stamina for a RP. He dominates RHB while doing pretty well against LHB. He has 2 good pitches and an above average pitch. Great velocity will lead to a lot of strikeouts. He's not going to walk many people either. He can get a groundball double-play should he run into trouble.
   
2. Benny Waddell (LA)
   Waddell lacks the stamina/durability combination that one looks for in a truly elite closer, but his talent level is such that he's definitely worth using on a regular basis. He's got great control, that combines with the ability to avoid the hitting zones most of the time. He's a groundball pitcher, so he shouldn't serve up a lot of gophers balls. He's got good velocity that combine with a good pitch and 2 above average ones to generate some strikeouts.
   
3. Elvis Janssen (TEX)
   Jansen doesn't quite have the stamina to be a starter so he's relegated to the bullpen. He's got good control that combines with an innate ability to force groundballs that should limit any trouble he runs into. He's got a great pitch, 2 above average pitches, and a below average pitch to go with great velocity. He should strike out a lot of batters. He's very good at keeping the ball out of the hitting zone.
   

Top SP

This is a solid group, there are some very good pitchers at the top.

1. Edgar Martin (BAL)
   Gotta be the favorite for the AL Cy Young, Martin has great durability that combines with very good stamina. Very good control will prevent him from hurting himself with walks. He does a great job at keeping the ball out of the hitting zone. He lacks the velocity to record a lot of strikeouts, but he is a groundball machine. A great sinker combines with 2 above average pitches and 2 average pitches to make him a formidable pitcher.
2. Bernie Speier (LA)
   Good durability and good stamina means he should see lots of innings this season. He's dominant against RHB, while doing well at keeping the ball out of the hitting zone against LHB. He's got great velocity which should combine with a great pitch, 3 above average pitches and an average pitch to generate a lot of strikeouts. Not a groundball pitcher, he still can induce a grounder when necessary. He will not walk many.
   
3. Hugh Downs (PIT)
   Better against LHB than RHB, he can definitely hold his own against RHB. He's a pure groundball pitcher so his team should be ready. He's got an exceptional fastball, 3 above average pitches and an average pitch. He lacks dominant velocity. Good durability and solid stamina. He's got great control.
   

Top RF

Once you get past the top 2, you really struggle to find much nice to say about this group of scrubs.

1. Harold McKnight (LA)
   A quality player, McKnight could potentially win the GG at RF with his defense. He's makes contact more often than not and with his power, any one of those hits could go yard. He does a good job of driving the ball consistently. He's going to get on base quite a bit as well as steal some bases.
   
2. Ernest Cambridge (FLA)
   A mediocre defender, Cambridge survives thanks to his great power and ability to hit LHP. He struggles somewhat against RHP. He knows the strike zone well and should reach base, where he can put his speed to good use. He will get caught stealing some though. He's not going to strike out much.
3. Javier Mercado (NY1)
   A solid player, he's an average defender with good durability. He makes good contact and has some power to go along with it. He does well against LHP but isn't going to do a whole lot against RHP. He struggles with working the count. He's got good speed and should be able to get some IF hits and stolen bases.
   

Top CF

This group is highlighted by guys whose offense makes up for their defense to a degree. It's a solid group.

1. Rolando Cairo (TOR)
   While he lacks the range one would expect from a top-notch CF, his ability to change the complexion of a game with one swing of the bat makes up for it. He's got great power, dominates RHP while holding his own against LHP. He isn't the greatest at making contact, but he's not going to strike out a lot. He's got a good eye that combines with good speed that will allow him to steal some bases. Durable, but a health risk.
2. Ricky Rose (MIL)
   He's going to have trouble covering the gaps, but the balls that he does get to, he will make the play on. He's got good power and makes contact quite a bit. He drives the ball well against RHP but struggles a bit against LHP. He's got an above average that when combined his speed will allow a few stolen bases. Durability is great.
3. Ringo Johnson (TEX)
   He's got the range to get to the balls, but his glove is lacking a bit. He's got a great arm for a CF. He's got tremendous power but doesn't make contact at a tremendous rate, while still avoiding the home run or nothing label that typically plagues power hitters. He dominates RHP but really struggles against LHP. He's got an average command of the strike zone. He's very durable.
   

Top LF

The left-fielders of this world are the very definition of top-heavy. There are 5 guys who will make a big impact on their team, while the remaining top 32 are mediocre.

1. Reed Hoyt (SF)
   Reed has great power. He drives the ball very well. He's durable. He's pretty much an average defender when compared to the rest of the group. He's got a good eye which will allow him to reach base and put his tremendous speed to good use. His weakness is that he's merely above average at making contact.
2. Sherman Thompson (TEX)
   Thompson has great range but a below average glove. He's durable and will stay healthy. He makes good contact and has above average power. He does decently against LHP but he dominates against RHP. He's got a great eye to go with good speed.
3. Merv Dorsey (CLE)
   Merv is a solid player. Good range to go with average defensive ability. Decent speed. He's durable. He's definitely not going to strike out much and will hit some home runs. He's got a good eye and will see his share of walks. While he doesn't struggle at driving the ball consistently, he doesn't excel at it either.
   

Top SS

This is the second strongest group, and there are several very good players manning the SS position for their teams.

1. Pat Dunston (MIN)
   Dunston received a monster contract during Free Agency and he was well worth it. He's got All-Star SS written all over him. He's got good power, does a good job at putting the ball in play and is solid at driving the ball. He's got great speed. His main weakness is his eye as he is only average in that category. Has good range, great glove, and a good arm. Very durable.
   
2. Art Redding (FLA)
   One of the better defenders in the world, he has very good range, a good glove and the best arm in the world. He's very durable. He's got decent speed. He's not going to hit for a lot of power but should definitely hit for a high average. He does a solid job at driving the ball against RHP, but he is absolutely dominant against LHP. He has an above average eye so he's going to get on base some.
3. Steve Gil (TB)
   Gil is very durable, although his overall health is a bit of a concern. He does a great job of making contact and is dominant against LHP while doing pretty against RHP. He's got a good eye and good power. His speed is average. His range and glove are well below average when compare with the rest of the SS position, but he does have a good arm and his offense more than makes up for the defensive weakness.
   

Top 3B

A weak position group, you've got your basher and your quality defender, but not much else beyond that.

1. Edgar Castillo (PHI)
   As an owner, your hope for this guy is that he is able to outproduce his horrific defense. He'd be better suited to the OF. He's got average speed. He does a really good job of driving the ball with consistency against RHP and LHP. He's got an above average eye. He's got great power and is good at putting the bat on the ball. Slightly below league average durability.
2. Luther Becker (SEA)
   The best defensive player at 3B, he's got great range, great glove, and great arm. He's no slouch offensively either. He does a good job of putting the ball in play and is going to hit his fair share of homers as well. He does a good job of driving the ball. He's got a tremendous eye. He's durable and has decent speed.
3. Barry Yearwood (PIT)
   If you can get past the below average range, Barry's a solid player. He has a good glove to go along with an above average arm. He's very durable. He has average speed and does an alright job of avoiding strikeouts. He can dominate LHP while holding his own against RHP. He has a good eye, so he should be on base often.
   
   

Top 2B

This is one of the weakest groups in the world, but has the closest spread between the top 3 players out of any group.

1. David Davis (CH1)
   Great range and great glove help to pick up the slack caused by his weak arm. He's going to hit for a high average, with very good power. He dominates lefties, and will still hit well against righties too. He's got elite speed. Very durable. He doesn't have a top-notch eye, but will definitely reach base enough to use that speed. The worst thing you can say about him is that he's a slight injury risk.
2. Braden Kubel (LA)
   Kubel is just going to be a mediocre defender, but is really going to shine when it comes to offense. He pairs above average speed with a great ability to make contact. He's got very good power. He's got an above average eye. He's dominant against LHP while more than holding his own against RHP. He's very durable.
   
3. Jose Viriato (BAL)
   Jose is tremendously durable. He's not going to strike out a lot and will definitely hit for a high average. He lacks elite power, but still has enough to hit some home runs. He's great at really driving the ball and is going to reach base a lot. He has tremendous speed that gets neutralized by his utterly embarrassing baserunning knowledge. He's a below average to average defender who will never win a gold glove.
   

Top 1B

Ranked as the 3rd strongest group overall, the best player in the world resides here.

1. Yovani Fuentes (PIT)
   Fuentes keeps opposing managers up at night trying to figure out how to stop him. When the worst thing you can say about a guy is that he'll be good against lefties and should give a team 150-155 games at 100%, you know he's good. He won't strike out much, he crushes right-handed pitching, has tremendous power, and if that's not enough, he's going to put up a .400+ on-base percentage. He is scary good.
2. Hipolito Iglesias (COL)
   This youngster does not have great durability, and is a bad defender. He's got an innate ability to make good, solid contact on a very exceptional basisi. He's got good power to go along with his above average ability to avoid strikeouts. He's got a very good eye, so he's going to get on base a lot. Still has room to grow and develop.
   
3. Theo Mathews (LA)
   Another youngster with ability to grown and develop, Mathews has a lot of good things going for him. He makes good contact with good power. He's got good durability. He's a good defender. He's good at driving the ball. He's got good speed. What really stands out though is his ability to work the count and get on base via the walk.
   

Trade Talk (II) with tk21775

1. The Brewers and Expos meet up, exchanging 24 year old P Daniel Heiserman and 31 year old 2B Benjamin Hawkins. Hawkins brings his $3.8M one year contract to the Brewers major league team where he looks to help out at 2B or CF as a defensive player that will hit lefties. The Expos will call Heiserman to the majors where he looks to come out of the pen or close games for them. He’s got low stamina so he’s not going to pitch a lot for them but he’ll be a nice pitcher to send out to the mound against righties in close games.

   Owner mlhutch on the trade: “This happened quickly. Montreal posted Hawkins availability and I saw that he would be an improvement over our current 2B. So I sent over an offer with Heiserman because I don't particularly like low stamina RPs. Hawkins should offer us great defense at 2B.

2. The Brewers were far from done, this time hooking up with the Florida Marlins in a three player deal. The Brewers will receive 30 year old SS Clint Sierra and his one year, $4.1M contract where he looks to handle the SS position for the Brewers with his defensive glove and brings a decent bat for that position. The Marlins receive 21 year old P Tony Montanez who will go to AAA ball to develop his arm. He’s got very low stamina but with his control and splits, along with two great pitches he’ll be a nice lockdown closer someday. The Marlins also receive 22 year old 3B Charles Nixon who will join Montanez at AAA. He’ll help with the defense along with an average bat to the position.

   Owner mlhutch: “Improving our SS situation was another high priority for the off-season. Landing Sierra was actually beyond our expectations as his bat is solid for such a defensive gem. He will serve as a nice bridge until the SS prospects are ready. The prospects we gave away are solid but didn't fit in our long-term plans in Milwaukee.” Owner cnsmuck: “Picked up two future ML players a solid Relief Pitcher and a 3rd baseman for an expensive Defensive wiz at SS that wouldn’t have seen much playing time this season.”

3. The Tampa Bay Rays and Montreal Expos shook hands that sent 22 year old P Enrique Manto to Montreal and 30 year old LF Bo Mills to Tampa Bay. Mills is locked in for one year at $3.2M where the left-handed batter will bring some pop to the plate with a nice bat. Manto gets shipped to AAA where he’ll look to develop into a SP for the majors some day, looking to have great control with one outstanding pitch and 3 solid ones.

   Owner mexd781 on the deal: “After swinging and missing on several big time OF's, I used one of my mid tier SP prospects to get Bo Mills. Mills won't be an all-star, but he will be a formidable bat in the lineup and filled the need at LF that I traded away previously.”
   Owner ekoontz41 had no comment

4. A big trade gets approval with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Anaheim Angels. Anaheim receives 24 year old DH/C Eduardo Ayala, 20 year old P Doug Jackson, and 20 year old SS Paul Dillon (who will be traded) for 26 year old P Larry Leach and 23 year old P Denny Andrews. Andrews gets sent to AAA where the SP may get called up this season with his ratings. If not, he’ll be called up soon enough where the young pitcher will have great control and be a force against right-handed batters. Leach will jump right into the starting rotation at the majors where the young pitcher has outstanding control and great splits along with nice pitches all around. These two pitchers will help bolster the Dodgers pitching staff for many seasons to come. The Angels send Ayala to the major league club where we’ll see what they do with him. He’s got the arm strength to play the C position but he’s a little light on his accuracy. He’s got some time to develop on that and his pitch calling will not stop him from being behind the plate. His bat is a great one where he’ll be a tough out for opposing pitchers and will hit the ball deep as well. Jackson will begin in AAA where the young pitcher will work on his arm to join the major league in a few seasons. He projects to very nice control and decent splits along with 3 good pitches. Dillon will be included in another trade.

   Owner rawkd27 on the big deal: “Ayala, Dillon, and Jackson were dealt to Anaheim in a deal that I felt was a no brainer for me. Ayala is built to be a DH in my opinion. Having him in the NL was not beneficial. Tha ability to package him with two prospects for 2 young, quality SPs in Leach and Andrews was a deal I couldn't pass up. Pitching is what this team was lacking but with the trade I feel I more than addressed this need.
   Owner allright on the new deal: “Leach and Andrews are outstanding pitchers. The Dodgers got the better of this deal. I got Ayala (just needed his bat), Dillon ( a very good prospect), and Jackson (a pitcher whose pluses fit the ballpark. Part of the consideration for me was Dillon's trade potential ,(Sure enough, got two good pitchers in return in a later deal), next year's budget, and the "come hither" look I got from rawdk27's secretary.”

5. The Seattle Mariners agreed to a 5 player trade with the Colorado Rockies. The Mariners will receive 29 year old P Jeff Carter and his 1 yr. $3.7M contract along with 20 year old P Julian Porter. In exchange the Rockies will receive 21 year old 3B Bernie Paniagua, 21 year old DH/C Felipe Mesa, and 21 year old 2B Dario York. York was the centerpiece here for the Rockies and they’ll start him out in AAA. He’ll be an interesting player and he can play 2B, 3B, RF, or CF. He’ll have some speed on the bases, his contact and eye are nice with avg. splits. Paniagua will start in AA where he’ll work on his defense but should make it to the majors as a 3B with a nice bat someday. Mesa has a power bat and will hit left-handed pitchers very well; he’s got the arm to crouch behind the plate but his pitch calling is a little weak. Porter will begin his Mariners career in low A ball where the young pitcher will be dominant against right-handed batters. He’s got outstanding control and has 5 great pitches. Carter will help at the majors in the starting rotation this season where the pitcher has very nice control and decent splits along with 4 good pitches.
   

   Owner anml34 on making the deal: This could turn out to be the best deal that we have made this offseason. Here we pick up a great bat for either DH or 1st in Mesa and our SS/3B of the future in Terry. Carter was a little too old for our plans and Porter just didnt have a good enough groundball percentage for Colorado.”
   Owner jakaitis on how the deal was done: ""We were hesitant to sacrifice so much talent for one arm on the wrong end of his twenties and another so far from the bigs, but we felt they represented more well-rounded players than the the three prospects we were surrendering. It was a tough choice and we don't look forward to facing York or Mesa in Colorado in the future."

6. The Colorado Rockies started to heat up on the trade block, this time agreeing to terms with the Oakland A’s. The A’s will receive 24 year old CF Desi Ontiveros and 28 year old 3B Luther Becker in exchange for 27 year old SS Julio Gimenez, 25 year old P Edwin Henderson, and 23 year old SS Anthony Terry. Terry begins his career with the Rockies in AAA where the young SS will be someone to keep an eye on. He’s got the range and glove to play the position however his arm strength is lacking a little to play SS, or he’d be a great defensive 3B with a decent bat to him. Gimenez and Henderson both will join the major league club in Colorado with Henderson looking like he might help out in the long relief role or possibly help out at times in the starting rotation. He’s got great control and decent splits although his pitches are all a little low. Gimenez will help out at the SS position or he can lock down the 3B position where he’s got a nice bat but little power. Oakland lands Luther Becker but will trade him at a later date and they’ll start Ontiveros at AAA where he looks to be a 2B type player with an average bat on him and some great speed.
   

   Owner anml34 on getting the deal worked out: “Another case where we were looking to get younger and to pick up a couple of prospects. York was the key to this deal but once the deal was placed we were pleased to pick up Henderson as a future #3 or #4 starter in the bigs. We didn’t want to trade Becker but his health concerned us.
   Owner train on the deal: “I'm rebuilding so acquiring Becker seems counter intuitive, but I couldn't pass up the value he represented. I eventually flipped him for a couple pitching prospects anyways, so he helped in the rebuild effort.”

7. The Expos are once again making moves happen and they get it done this time with the Colorado Rockies. The Expos will send Hipolito Iglesias, Esteban Albadladejo, Emmanuel Pujols, and $1M cash in exchange for Bill Park. Park will start out in AA where the young pitcher will work his way up to the majors. He’s got pinpoint control and outstanding splits. He’ll be joining the Expos shortly in the majors to face opposing teams. Iglesias will join the Rockies at the majors where he’ll help out at the catcher position although his pitch calling is a little weak. He’s got an amazing bat though so it will be tough to keep him out of the lineup. It won’t matter whose pitching against him, this guy can flat out mash the ball all over the place and will be a force in Colorado. Albaladejo will join him at the majors where he looks to handle the SS position and brings a great bat himself, especially for the SS position. Pujols will be sent to AAA where the young RF will take a little time to develop. He’s got an average bat but has a lot of speed once he gets on base.

   Owner anml34 on how the deal got worked out: “This deal came out of nowhere but has put this franchise in position to dominate for years to come. We are sure that we have picked up a future MVP in Hipolito and with Esteban's bat and glove, we knew we had another piece that could be moved for value.”

Top C

This position group is the 7th best position group in the world. Lacking that all-around defensive and offensive superstar, this group is mainly identified by the mashers that make up the top talent.

1. Alex Gomez (MIL)
   For a C, Gomez is very mediocre on defense. He more than makes up for that with his offensive ability. He hits for power, gets on base, and doesn't have any problems driving the ball with consistency. His weakness is that he's purely average on defense. Not good at calling games with a decent arm. He's got above average durability, so he's going to need his rest. He's going to strike out some, but definitely not more than your typical star.
2. Ronald Sirotka (KC)
   Sirotka is a durable catcher, with mediocre defensive abilities. He can hit for power, doesn't have any problems driving the ball and he's not going to strike out much. He is above average with his strike zone recognition, so he's not going to walk a whole lot. He's got a decent arm, but he's not going to change any games with his pitch-calling.
3. Jake Rhodes (OAK)
   Definitely the worst defender in the top 3, Rhodes will change a game with his pitch-calling, unfortunately he's going to swing the game against Oakland. He's decently durable, but will need some rest. His arm definitely doesn't make up for his inability to call a game. He's not going to strike out much, and is definitely going to hit the ball well more times than not. He doesn't have elite power and is above average at getting on base.

More FA Tidbits

• The average age of a free agent signing was 30.7.
• The total dollar amount spent was $733.5 M.
• The total years agreed to (ignoring options) was 106 years.
• San Francisco, Florida, and Cincinnati all signed 4 free agents during this period.
• The average annual salary was $6.9 M.
• The average term of the contract was 2.4.
• The teams that signed more than one player and added the best talent on average were Boston and Toronto.
• The teams that signed multiple players but didn't help themselves out as much were San Diego and Cincinnati.
• Toronto signed the #5 and #8 free agent.
• Boston signed the #7 and #9 free agent.
• The top 10 free agents.
  

1. SS Pat Dunston - MIN
   
2. RHP Vic Zorilla - TB
   
3. LHP Benny Waddell - LA
   
4. LHP Fausto Lopez - TEX
   
5. SS Clark Glover - TOR
   
6. RHP Jason Drew - MIL
   
7. RHP Vinny Kwon - BOS
   
8. RF Ed Parkinson - TOR
   
9. 2B J.R. Miner - BOS
   
10. SS Carson Podsednik - CIN
    

Top 70 FA Wrap-Up

Highest Paid Free Agent
Texas LHP Fausto Lopez (5 yrs, $89.0M, P/O)

Next Highest Paid Free Agent
Minnesota SS Pat Dunston (4 yrs, $68.0M)

Best Values
SF LHP Darryl Sodowsky (1 yr, $1.2M)
OAK 1B Nate Cunningham (2 yr, $4.0M)
HOU SS Robinzon Julio (1 yr, $2.2M)
STL RHP Keith Davis (1 yr, $2.4M)
BOS RHP Josh Baumann (2 yr, $5.0M)

Best Remaining Free Agents
#22 RHP Ned Turnbow
#23 LHP Vern Wright
#24 LHP Howie Hodges
#25 RHP Larry Shaw
#29 SS Larry Douglass

My Favorite Signing
The signing of Vinny Kwon by Boston was one I loved. To get the #3 relief pitcher for only $3.6 million was a steal. He can close or set up and he's a good one. He'll give you a lot of innings and really helps the Red Sox.

My Least Favorite Signing
The signing of Cord Duffy by the Chicago White Sox. He's 24 and is a solid pitcher, but it just seems to me like he was overpaid. He was the #46 free agent out there and got the 9th largest contract of the offseason. He's got room to grow, but right now this was my least favorite.

Trade Talk (I) with tk21775

1. The Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles were both strong movers on the first day of trading in The MLB. Their first deal between the two teams sent 26 year old C Juan Vincente to the Reds in exchange for 25 year old P Marshall Sheets and 23 year old P Dick Anderson. Anderson will start out in AAA this season for the Orioles as a starter where he had great control, decent splits and 3 good pitches. Sheets will find himself in the starting rotation for them major league team where he’ll make $3.6M this season. He’s going to be solid against righties and has two great pitches with 2 solid pitches in his arsenal. Vincente will crouch behind the plate for the Reds in the majors this season, more than likely he’ll be the only catcher for the Reds with his durability. He’ll hit against lefties real well and has avg. power but catchers were a priority for a lot of teams this offseason and the Reds got one with a cheap salary as well.

   Owner hopkinsheel on the trade: “Vincente is a nice young catcher, but we didn't have room for him so we were able to move him for two pitchers. Luckily for us, this world is devoid of quality catchers so we were able to get two solid pitchers. Sheets will slot into the starting rotation and Anderson will start out at AAA. He could easily be used as trade bait to add another piece.”

   Owner hurricane384 on the trade: “A case could be made that we gave up way too much here. Anderson has a chance to be a very good pitcher and Sheets could anchor a rotation. You hate to give up that much, but given the world’s catching shortage, to find a solid defensive catcher who can hit and play most of the games is a rarity…I look for big things from Vincente.”

2. The two teams weren’t done trading by any means, and not with each other as they inked another deal that send 24 year old P Ronnie Brooks and 22 yaer old 1B/DH Shane Pillette to the Orioles in exchange for 29 year old CF Pablo Velazquez and 19 year old 2B Todd Parrish. Parrish starts his Reds’ career in High A ball where he looks to have the defense of a RF with an average bat. Velazquez and his $3.7M salary go straight to the Big League where the speedy defender will take over CF for the Reds. Ronnie Brooks looks to enter the bullpen for the Orioles at the major league level this season where the pitcher has great control and splits. He’ll be a nice addition to the staff in the later innings of games. Pillette joins him at the major league level where he looks to have taken over the DH position. He can hit for power and has an all around great bat although it doesn’t look like he’ll be playing any time in the field.

   Hop on his outlook: “Valasquez was another guy we didn't have room for after promoting our young CF. However, we really needed bullpen depth and by adding a 2B prospect, the Reds included DH Pillete who the Reds wouldn't have been able to use, but should be a nice bat for us.”

   Owner hurricane on making the deal: “I gave up 2 guys who are going to be very good MLers. Brooks is a quality reliever and Pillette will be an AS DH. I felt we needed to get stronger up the middle, and Velazquez is probably one of the top defensive CFers in the world…he can also run and do a little bit of hitting. Parrish was a guy I liked as an add-on and he can provide some help in either the IF or OF.”

3. The Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos hooked up in a deal that sent 21 year old P Garrett Glynn to the Expos and the Pirates receiving 30 year old P Matty Guerrero. Guerrero is signed for 1 yr. at $3M and will look to jump into the starting rotation perhaps in Pittsburgh. He’s got avg. splits but 3 outstanding pitches. Glynn gets sent to Double-A with the Expos and looks to have a little better control than Matty but lower pitches. This looks to be a same type quality trade that says the Pirates are looking to win now perhaps?

4. The Orioles were feeling left out not being included in that last deal and called up the Philadelphia Phillies to work out a deal. The Phillies will receive 21 year old P Scooter Woolf who gets to start in AAA this season and projects to be a #4/5 type starter for the majors some day. The Orioles will receive 28 year old SS Vladimir Dotel and his 3 yr. $5.4M contract. Dotel has excellent defense and looks to take over the SS position for the Orioles along with some pop in his bat although left handed pitchers will present him a problem. Philadelphia sent along $3M cash as well in the trade.

   Owner hop’s thoughts on the trade: “Picking up Dotel from the Phillies was huge. The Orioles team philosophy is to be as good defensively up the middle as possible which Dotel will do. Hopefully with his unique hitting ratings, he'll provide a bit of pop every once in awhile. Unfortunately we had to give up a good pitching prospect in Wolf, but it made sense.”
   
   Owner disposable77 on the trade: "You always hate to trade a guy with a glove and ability like Dotel's but he was expendable to us given his contract and the depth we have in the middle infield. We felt we needed to address our pitching depth and liked what we saw in Scooter. He will start in AAA and look to transition to the ML level at some point later this year or next."

5. Not only weren’t the Orioles finished trading, but they weren’t finished with the Cincinnati Reds. This time the two clubs swapped 2 year old P Lew Bridges for 25 year old RF Ben Hoyt and 22 year old P Cesar Azocar. Bridges will be called up to the majors where he looks to find a spot in the bullpen with his nice control and decent splits, especially against right handed batters. Azocar will begin to develop at AA ball where he projects to outstanding control and great splits. He’ll be a solid setup pitcher in the majors some day for the Reds. Hoyt is still waiting for his assignment where he’ll bring speed and avg. splits with his bat to his position.

   Owner hop on why the deal was made: “Bridges will add to our bullpen depth as the Reds continue to plunder our minor league system. But we had ZERO options in the bullpen save one. Huge need filled.”

   Owner hurricane on his deal: “Bridges is a good reliever, but I felt a need to solidify my OF and try to restock my minor leagues. Azocar is going to be a solid SuA…my only concern is getting him enough innings to be valuable. Hoyt has some intriguing stats, but he adds some speed and the ability to hit righties and lefties with a little bit of power.”

6. The Reds turn around and agree to a 5 player trade with the Oakland Athletics before the inks dry on the Orioles trade. The A’s will receive 23 year old P Jose Ramirez, 23 year old 1B Al Reynoso, and 22 year old RF J.C. Westbrook in exchange for 28 year old P Eugene Bush and 22 year old 3B York Skinner. Skinner will begin in AA where he looks to be an avg. defender at best but will hit the deep ball when he connects. Bush was the main player in this deal who will be making $3M the next two seasons with the Reds at the closer position. He has pinpoint accuracy along with great splits and 2 excellent pitches. If the Reds are winning when this guy comes to the mound I don’t see them losing often. Ramirez will begin in AAA where he’ll develop into a nice starting pitcher for the A’s. He’s got great control and be tough against left-handed batters. Reynoso will join him in AAA where the 1B has an outstanding bat. There’s not a whole lot of room for development so I’m expecting to see him swinging for the fences in the majors soon, which opposing pitchers will not enjoy. Westbrook gets sent to High A where the RF will develop his defense and bat, both of which will be good enough to get him called up to the majors when the A’s are ready for him. The A’s got some good young talent with this trade and the Reds will have their pitcher to close out games for them at the majors.

   Owner hurricane on what made him do the deal: “This trade scares me to death. Westbrook and Reynoso may become all-stars, while Ramirez should contribute at the big-league level. At least they went to the AL. Bush should be a lockdown, All-Star closer and makes my bullpen much stronger. Skinner provides some much needed minor league depth.”

   Owner train’s thoughts on the trade: “Bush was my main trade chip and Cincy came after him pretty hard. I had a ton of interest, but ultimately liked the package Cincy offered up. I was able to bring in three young guys who will all contribute at the ML level soon, which was what I was looking for.”

7. The Florida Marlins found a trading partner, none other than the Baltimore Orioles who sent 22 year old P Hal Nixon to Florida in exchange for 23 year old 1B Greg Monroe. Monroe will begin in AAA where the 1B will bring power to the plate. He’s got excellent contact and eye with nice splits. Nixon goes straight to the majors for the Marlins and will look to possibly get into the starting rotation or become a long relief. He’s got good control and splits that only look to get even better, along with one outstanding and 3 solid pitches. Nixon should do well in his career and we’ll keep an eye on him to see how Florida utilizes him.

   Owner hop on giving up his young SP: “Wow, it’s never easy giving up your top SP prospect and I think Rivers will be great for the Marlins. However, we are excited to pick up the young masher Monroe. We'll probably hold him out til game 23 or so to save a season of eligibility, but looking forward to seeing what he can do.”
   Owner cnsmuck on the deal: "While we gave up a great player in Monroe, 1B was one of our deepest positions, and we got a very good young arm that will be in the rotation from day 1."
   

8. The Marlins were happy enough with their first deal that they agreed to a second, this time with the Seattle Mariners which brought the Marlins 22 year old P Julio Sanchez, 25 year old Willie Cohen, and 22 year old P Darryl Lowe and sent 24 year old C Toby Womack and 22 year old P Max Osoria to Seattle. Osoria will start his Mariners career at AA where he’ll develop into a dominant starter. He’s got the stamina, control, splits, and pitches to be a force at the majors when he’s ready. Womack will start out in AAA where the C will be a little below avg defensively but has a solid bat. Sanchez will join the Marlins at the majors this season where he looks to jump into the starting rotation. He’s got solid control and splits and the 22 year old still has room to develop. Cohen is also joining him at the majors where he’ll look to come out of the bullpen; he’s got avg. splits and might have some control problems. Lowe is also joining his teammates at the majors and will look to compete for a starting position in the rotation. He’s going to throw a lot of innings for the Marlins with average splits and 5 solid pitches. The Mariners receive a great young pitcher but the Marlins fill 3 spots on their pitching staff at the majors with this trade.
   

   Owner cnsmuck’s thoughts on the trade: “The trade with Seattle brought 3 solid arms to the program, it cost us one of our young relief pitching prospects and a catcher who can hit but sometimes can’t figure out which pitches to call. Good trade for us as we try to stockpile good young arms.”

   Owner jakaitis on why the deal was made: "Our park demands pitchers with high control. Lowe and Cohen have a lot of great qualities, but their control gave us pause. It hurt to let go of Sanchez, but we are excited about the young pitcher we got in Osoria and were pleased to secure a ML ready catcher in a league where backstops are at a premium."

   
   

9. Another young ace pitcher gets traded and this time it’s between the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cards will receive 20 year old RF Ariel Mateo, 22 year old 3B Andy Montague, and 19 year old P Ron Garcia in exchange for 26 year old P Javier Sanches. Sanches has unbelievable control and will jump right into the Brewers starting rotation where he’ll be dominant against right-handed batters. Along with Apollo Gibson the Brewers have a nice 1-2 punch in their starting rotation that will become a big advantage should they make the playoffs. Sanches came with a price and one of those pieces was Mateo who gets sent to High A where the RF will develop into a speedy outfielder with a powerful bat when he makes the majors. Montague starts in AA where the 3B will also develop and looks to have a great power bat as well. Garcia will start at Low A where the pitcher looks to develop into nice splits, avg. control and 2 very good pitches. The Cardinals definitely received some young offense that will be able to put up some numbers when they get called up to the majors while the Brewers, who some believe to be the favorites to win it all this season, gain a young starting pitcher that will help form a tough duo come playoff time.

   Owner dwboyce on the trade: “Blessed with three quality ML-ready SPs on the Cardinals roster but void of surrounding talented position players, St. Louis felt comfortable dealing up-and-coming ace Javier Sanches to the Milwaukee Brewers for three potential future MLers, including long reliever Ron Garcia, third baseman Andy Montague and a possible future star corner outfielder in Ariel Mateo, who’s swatting power was a key part of the trade. The blockbuster three-for-one deal bolsters the Cardinals minor league depth while making room for AAA call-up Robbie Schwartz. Milwaukee parts with little it doesn’t already have, and nets an ace for a title run.”

   Owner mlhutch on making the deal: “Getting another ace pitcher for my staff was at the top of my 'to do' list for this off-season. I was really dealt a nice hand in terms of prospects so I could make a strong run at one. Sanchez was actually beyond my expectations given his skills and relative youth. He will help anchor this Milwaukee rotation for years to come. As for the prospects, St. Louis is getting several nice pieces that should be ready in a season or two. Win-win.”

10. Texas stepped up to the trading block, joining forces with the Atlanta Braves that saw the Rangers acquire 24 year old P Jimmie Aparicio in exchange for 24 year old P Carlos Navarre, 22 year old P Vic Simas, and 19 year old P Felix Hamels. Hamels and Simas will be sent to AA ball where Hamels will develop into a starting pitching role. He’s got outstanding control and nice splits along with two solid pitches. Simas will work out of the pen where he projects to even better control, nice splits, and two great pitches. Navarre will get the call to the majors, jumping into their starting rotation. He’s got nice splits as well with avg. control; one great pitch with 3 decent pitches and still has some room to develop. The Rangers pencil in Aparicio into their major league starting rotation where he looks to become a dominant pitcher in the majors. He’s got great control and splits with 2 good pitches and an avg. pitch. With his durability and stamina he’ll throw for a lot of innings, giving the bullpen a rest whenever he steps to the mound. The Braves acquire two starting pitchers and a setup/closer with this trade, making their future pitching staff in great shape. The Rangers obtain possibly one of the best major league pitchers in S1 and since he’s only 24, he’ll be in their rotation for many seasons to come.

    Owner Kilgore on the trade: “Navarre, Hamels and Simas give me three solid pitching prospects, which I needed. Had to give up Aparicio and his impressive splits, but was wary of his Health rating with my lack of pitching depth.”

11. In a 5 player trade that saw some talent swapping teams, the Tampa Bay Rays obtain 27 year old P Walker Bryant and 35 year old 1B Khiry Banks while the Colorado Rockies receive 26 year old CF Danys Romero, 21 year old P Bernard Hollins, and 19 year old P Benny Suarez. Hollins begins in AA where he’ll look to develop his arm into a starter someday. He projects to great control with 2 great pitches in his arsenal. Suarez starts a step up in AAA where he too looks to develop into a starter with great control and avg. splits. Romero gets the call from the majors where he’ll look to roam CF with his speed and will be tough against right handed pitching when he steps to the plate. Both Bryant and Banks will join the Rays at their major league level where Banks will bring a nice bat to the 1B position while Bryant will help out the pitching staff. He’s got great control and splits which look like the Rays will try and get him into their starting rotation. Colorado also sent $2M in cash to help with the contrats.

    Owner anml34 on the deal: “When we heard that Romero was on the market we decided to move quick. We didn't want to give up Bryant but to be able to pick up a young number 2 or 3 starting picther in Hollins along with Romero was too good to pass up.”

    Owner mexd781 on his side: “An Ace SP was a strong need for TB and with trade talks for Hugh Downs falling through and directed my attention at Walker Bryant. At only 27, he will have a long career at the top of our rotation. I managed to not give up what I felt were any of my top 4 prospects for him although I did lose Danys Romero who was slotted to be my starting LF.”

12. The San Diego Padres pull off their first trade of the season, sending 31 year old P Hugh Downs to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for 21 year old P Achilles Dickens, 19 year old RF Jesus Bennett, and 22 year old SS Matty Sanchez. Sanchez will get sent to AAA and will be interesting to see how the Padres treat him. His glove is a little weak for SS but his bat would be enough to make up for that, or he could be a great defensive 3B when he gets called up and has speed around the bases. Bennett and Dickens will join up with the AA team where Bennett will help out in RF and brings a solid all around bat to the position while Dickens will help out the pitching staff. He looks to come out in the long relief role and will have outstanding control and great splits when he makes it to the majors. Downs will break into the starting rotation for the Pirates where he has pinpoint accuracy and outstanding splits. He looks to be worth all 3 yr. $8.5M contract he’s signed for and possibly contending for the Cy at the end of the season.

    Owner ajwalton:

    Owner gerald007 on the deal: “I just couldn't bear to see the sad look in Hugh's eyes, after throwing yet another three hitter and losing 2-1, during the three prime years of his career. If I had any other ready big league talent at all, I would have never dealt him. In reality, though, the team just wasn't ready to compete with or without him. ajwalton got himself a Cy young award winner in the deal. I got a great SS prospect, an arm, and an ML outfielder that is only one year away from contributing that hopefully will cushion the blow of losing Downs, in the upcoming years.”

13. The Brewers and Expos meet up, exchanging 24 year old P Daniel Heiserman and 31 year old 2B Benjamin Hawkins. Hawkins brings his $3.8M one year contract to the Brewers major league team where he looks to help out at 2B or CF as a defensive player that will hit lefties. The Expos will call Heiserman to the majors where he looks to come out of the pen or close games for them. He’s got low stamina so he’s not going to pitch a lot for them but he’ll be a nice pitcher to send out to the mound against righties in close games.

    Owner mlhutch on the trade: “This happened quickly. Montreal posted Hawkins availability and I saw that he would be an improvement over our current 2B. So I sent over an offer with Heiserman because I don't particularly like low stamina RPs. Hawkins should offer us great defense at 2B.”

14. The Brewers were far from done, this time hooking up with the Florida Marlins in a three player deal. The Brewers will receive 30 year old SS Clint Sierra and his one year, $4.1M contract where he looks to handle the SS position for the Brewers with his defensive glove and brings a decent bat for that position. The Marlins receive 21 year old P Tony Montanez who will go to AAA ball to develop his arm. He’s got very low stamina but with his control and splits, along with two great pitches he’ll be a nice lockdown closer someday. The Marlins also receive 22 year old 3B Charles Nixon who will join Montanez at AAA. He’ll help with the defense along with an average bat to the position.

    Owner mlhutch: “Improving our SS situation was another high priority for the off-season. Landing Sierra was actually beyond our expectations as his bat is solid for such a defensive gem. He will serve as a nice bridge until the SS prospects are ready. The prospects we gave away are solid but didn't fit in our long-term plans in Milwaukee.”

    Owner cnsmuck: “Picked up two future ML players a solid Relief Pitcher and a 3rd baseman for an expensive Defensive wiz at SS that wouldn’t have seen much playing time this season.”

15. The Dodgers and Indians finished paperwork that will send 25 year old CF Dario Roth to the Indians and 25 year old C Jamie Nixon to the Dodgers. The Dodgers receive a great defensive catcher for their big league club while Roth will be sent to AAA where the speedy defender will develop his defense just a little more before joining the majors possibly by next season.

    Owner rawdk27 on why the deal was made: “Knowing I wanted to move Roth, I wanted a defensive C. Playing in the NL I wanted a solid backstop and offense wasn't too much of a concern for me. I feel the rest of my lineup can handle that. I had depth at CF which made the trade easy for me to make.”

    Owner abesmem on the deal: “On the Dodger trade that was in my opinion, just a straight upgrade at a position where I needed depth. I wasn't happy with the catcher I traded and was going to try and upgrade my ML position there, in other ways.”

16. The Pirates jump back into the trading circle, sending 21 year old LF Donald Fujiwara to the San Francisco Giants and receive 26 year old P James Gorzelanny. Gorzelanny will look to have a shot to jump into the starting rotation at the majors this season where he’s got great control and average splits but is a nice #5 pitcher. Fujiwara will start out in AAA where the 1B player will work on his bat and power. However the outcome of this trade, I’d have to say it’s the tongue twister of the season.

17. The A’s and Mets finalize a deal that sends 30 year old 3B Fausto Garces to the A’s and 30 year old LF Donaldo Chantres to the Mets. Chantres will bring his $4.8M, 3 yr contract to the majors where the LF will bring a little above average bat to the position and some speed to the bases. Garces carries his $4.2M 2 yr contract to the majors in Oakland where he’ll help out at 3B or RF.

    Owner train on his deal: “I had an extra COF and was looking to move Chantres' 3-yr deal. The guy I got back was a little cheaper and had one year less on his contract, so that was the primary motivation for doing that deal.”

18. The Tampa Bay Rays and Montreal Expos shook hands that sent 22 year old P Enrique Manto to Montreal and 30 year old LF Bo Mills to Tampa Bay. Mills is locked in for one year at $3.2M where the left-handed batter will bring some pop to the plate with a nice bat. Manto gets shipped to AAA where he’ll look to develop into a SP for the majors some day, looking to have great control with one outstanding pitch and 3 solid ones.

    Owner mexd781 on the deal: “After swinging and missing on several big time OF's, I used one of my mid tier SP prospects to get Bo Mills. Mills won't be an all-star, but he will be a formidable bat in the lineup and filled the need at LF that I traded away previously.”

19. A blockbuster trades gets approval with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Anaheim Angels. Anaheim receives 24 year old DH/C Eduardo Ayala, 20 year old P Doug Jackson, and 20 year old SS Paul Dillon (who will be traded) for 26 year old P Larry Leach and 23 year old P Denny Andrews. Andrews gets sent to AAA where the SP may get called up this season with his ratings. If not, he’ll be called up soon enough where the young pitcher will have great control and be a force against right-handed batters. Leach will jump right into the starting rotation at the majors where the young pitcher has outstanding control and great splits along with nice pitches all around. These two pitchers will help bolster the Dodgers pitching staff for many seasons to come. The Angels send Ayala to the major league club where we’ll see what they do with him. He’s got the arm strength to play the C position but he’s a little light on his accuracy. He’s got some time to develop on that and his pitch calling will not stop him from being behind the plate. His bat is a great one where he’ll be a tough out for opposing pitchers and will hit the ball deep as well. Jackson will begin in AAA where the young pitcher will work on his arm to join the major league in a few seasons. He projects to very nice control and decent splits along with 3 good pitches. Dillon will be included in another trade.

    Owner rawkd27 on the big deal: “Ayala, Dillon, and Jackson were dealt to Anaheim in a deal that I felt was a no brainer for me. Ayala is built to be a DH in my opinion. Having him in the NL was not beneficial. Tha ability to package him with two prospects for 2 young, quality SPs in Leach and Andrews was a deal I couldn't pass up. Pitching is what this team was lacking but with the trade I feel I more than addressed this need.”

    Owner allright on the blockbuster: “Leach and Andrews are outstanding pitchers. The Dodgers got the better of this deal. I got Ayala (just needed his bat), Dillon ( a very good prospect), and Jackson (a pitcher whose pluses fit the ballpark. Part of the consideration for me was Dillon's trade potential ,(Sure enough, got two good pitchers in return in a later deal), next year's budget, and the "come hither" look I got from rawdk27's secretary.”

20. The Seattle Mariners agreed to a 5 player trade with the Colorado Rockies. The Mariners will receive 29 year old P Jeff Carter and his 1 yr. $3.7M contract along with 20 year old P Julian Porter. In exchange the Rockies will receive 21 year old 3B Bernie Paniagua, 21 year old DH/C Felipe Mesa, and 21 year old 2B Dario York. York was the centerpiece here for the Rockies and they’ll start him out in AAA. He’ll be an interesting player and he can play 2B, 3B, RF, or CF. He’ll have some speed on the bases, his contact and eye are nice with avg. splits. Paniagua will start in AA where he’ll work on his defense but should make it to the majors as a 3B with a nice bat someday. Mesa has a power bat and will hit left-handed pitchers very well; he’s got the arm to crouch behind the plate but his pitch calling is a little weak. Porter will begin his Mariners career in low A ball where the young pitcher will be dominant against right-handed batters. He’s got outstanding control and has 5 great pitches. Carter will help at the majors in the starting rotation this season where the pitcher has very nice control and decent splits along with 4 good pitches.

    Owner anml34 on making the deal: This could turn out to be the best deal that we have made this offseason. Here we pick up a great bat for either DH or 1st in Mesa and our SS/3B of the future in Terry. Carter was a little too old for our plans and Porter just didnt have a good enough groundball percentage for Colorado.”

    Owner jakaitis on how the deal was done: ""We were hesitant to sacrifice so much talent for one arm on the wrong end of his twenties and another so far from the bigs, but we felt they represented more well-rounded players than the the three prospects we were surrendering. It was a tough choice and we don't look forward to facing York or Mesa in Colorado in the future."

21. The Colorado Rockies started to heat up on the trade block, this time agreeing to terms with the Oakland A’s. The A’s will receive 24 year old CF Desi Ontiveros and 28 year old 3B Luther Becker in exchange for 27 year old SS Julio Gimenez, 25 year old P Edwin Henderson, and 23 year old SS Anthony Terry. Terry begins his career with the Rockies in AAA where the young SS will be someone to keep an eye on. He’s got the range and glove to play the position however his arm strength is lacking a little to play SS, or he’d be a great defensive 3B with a decent bat to him. Gimenez and Henderson both will join the major league club in Colorado with Henderson looking like he might help out in the long relief role or possibly help out at times in the starting rotation. He’s got great control and decent splits although his pitches are all a little low. Gimenez will help out at the SS position or he can lock down the 3B position where he’s got a nice bat but little power. Oakland lands Luther Becker but will trade him at a later date and they’ll start Ontiveros at AAA where he looks to be a 2B type player with an average bat on him and some great speed.

    Owner anml34 on getting the deal worked out: “Another case where we were looking to get younger and to pick up a couple of prospects. York was the key to this deal but once the deal was placed we were pleased to pick up Henderson as a future #3 or #4 starter in the bigs. We didn’t want to trade Becker but his health concerned us.

    Owner train on the deal: “I'm rebuilding so acquiring Becker seems counter intuitive, but I couldn't pass up the value he represented. I eventually flipped him for a couple pitching prospects anyways, so he helped in the rebuild effort.”

22. The Reds step back to the plate on the trading front along with the Dodgers where the two clubs trade away 21 year old P Gregory Abbott for 26 year old P Aaron Loewer and 19 year old 3B Clete Sosa. Sosa starts out in High A for the Reds where he looks to be more of a RF and has a little pop to his bat. Loewer goes straight to the majors where he’ll help out in the bullpen and should be very solid against right handed batters. Abbott doesn’t spend much time in Los Angeles as he will be traded to the Giants soon.

    Owner hurricane384 on making the deal happen: I needed someone for the ‘pen and I needed someone to start building depth in my minors.

23. The Expos are once again making moves happen and they get it done this time with the Colorado Rockies. The Expos will send Hipolito Iglesias, Esteban Albadladejo, Emmanuel Pujols, and $1M cash in exchange for Bill Park. Park will start out in AA where the young pitcher will work his way up to the majors. He’s got pinpoint control and outstanding splits. He’ll be joining the Expos shortly in the majors to face opposing teams. Iglesias will join the Rockies at the majors where he’ll help out at the catcher position although his pitch calling is a little weak. He’s got an amazing bat though so it will be tough to keep him out of the lineup. It won’t matter whose pitching against him, this guy can flat out mash the ball all over the place and will be a force in Colorado. Albaladejo will join him at the majors where he looks to handle the SS position and brings a great bat himself, especially for the SS position. Pujols will be sent to AAA where the young RF will take a little time to develop. He’s got an average bat but has a lot of speed once he gets on base.

    Owner anml34 on how the deal got worked out: “This deal came out of nowhere but has put this franchise in position to dominate for years to come. We are sure that we have picked up a future MVP in Hipolito and with Esteban's bat and glove, we knew we had another piece that could be moved for value.”

24. The Rockies were far from done making deals, immediately contacting the Texas Rangers where they sent 32 year old P Masao Kuo and $3.7M cash to in exchange for 35 year old P Kiki Mujica and 20 year old P Geoffery Rivera. Rivera will pitch at AA this season where he’ll work on his control and splits, all which looks to be solid. Mujica will help out the rotation at the majors this season where he’ll be a #4 type pitcher for the Rockies. Kuo will jump right into the Rangers starting rotatin where he’ll be a force this season. He can throw for a lot of innings, outstanding control and great splits along with nice pitches. He’ll help the Rangers in the W column quite a few times it looks like.

    Owner anml34 on his side of the deal: “We were shopping Kuo for the right deal and we found it with Texas. Picking up Geoffery Rivera we now have our #1 starter of the future.”

25. The Baltimore Orioles jump back into the trading, this time pairing up with the Tampa Bay Rays and sending them 29 year old SS Steve Gil for 20 year old P Elmer Kozlowski. Elmer joins the Orioles at the AA level where he’ll be a tough closer in the majors someday. He’s got great control and splits along with 2 solid pitches. Gil will handle the SS position at the majors for the Rays and has an outstanding bat to bring with him. He’ll be a tough out and doesn’t give up much defensively. The Rays will have him locked for 3 years at $8.8M.

    Owner hop on agreeing to the trade: "Really tough decision to make as I went back and forth on trading Gil since budgets were set. However, with my other acquisitions, I felt I could move him for the right piece and Elmer certainly fits that bill as hopefully in a couple seasons he'll be our lock down closer"

    Owner mexd781 on getting the agreement made: “The Trade for Gil filled a big hole for me at 3B. Gil has a great bat but I was very nervous about his injury history. I had a hard time in giving up one of my best prospects in Elmer Kozlowski but after several days of negotiations with Baltimore we finally agreed on a straight up deal. Elmer will be missed though.”

26. The Pirates agree to terms with the Cincinnati Reds, sending over 31 year old P Pepe Vazquez for 20 year old P Craig Bunning, 23 year old DH Corky Stevenson, and 21 year old 3B Wes Martin. Vazquez will pitch at the majors this season for the Pirates in their starting rotation where he’s got excellent control and nice splits along with some great pitches. Martin starts out at the High A level where he’ll have to decide between 3B and RF but brings a nice bat to either position with some pop in it. Bunning joins him at the same level where he’ll work on becoming a setup pitcher with amazing control but average splits. Stevenson makes his way to AAA where he’ll be able to handle the 1B position and has great power with so-so splits to his bat.

    Owner hurricane384 on the deal: I hated the depth I had at 1B, so I wanted to get Stevenson while getting rid of Vazquez. Martin and Bunning are icing on the cake.

27. The A’s and Expos work out a deal that sends 21 year old 1B Karl Hamill to Montreal for 23 year old P Santos Valentin. Valentin starts out at AAA where he’ll grow to a nice pitcher with great control, nice splits and some good pitches. Hamill will work his way up starting at AA where the 1B will bring a bat to the position with great splits and eye, with the contact and power not lacking much at all either.