*** Around the Minors - August 5th ***
From The My Sportsbook
by Jonathan O'Konis Minor League Baseball Editor
Hatboro, PA (My Sportsbook) - Major League Baseball's trading deadline has come and gone. Affected by it were many minor league players who traded their uniforms to help their former big league clubs win now. Some of the moves may take years to pan for their new major league teams and some should have an impact this season.
Scott Kazmir & Adam Peterson: Congratulations to the New York Mets who with these two moves have clinched.....fourth place? Kazmir for Victor Zambrano? Peterson for Kris Benson? Making these moves when you're four games out of the wild card makes little to no sense. Because of his high ceiling and injury history, Kazmir was a logical player to trade. But just for Victor Zambrano? Unless I'm wrong, Zambrano was 9-7 with an ERA of 4.43 at the time of the trade. Factor in a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 109-96 and I just don't know what the Mets were thinking. What makes it worse was that Kazmir was getting healthy. Since returning from injury Kazmir was 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA. His strikeout-to-walk ratio almost 4:1 (37-12). The Mets other deal makes a little more sense, but only a little. Kris Benson is a good pitcher, but that's it. His record this season is 8-9 with an ERA of 4.52 with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of roughly 2:1 (86-47). Moving to Shea will help Benson but not as much as you may think because PNC Park is a pitcher's park as well. Peterson, while not Kazmir, is a good young pitcher who could develop into a solid number two starter. His numbers so far this year are 6-4 with an ERA of 3.27 and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2:1 (90-45). Winning this year doesn't seem to be in the cards for the Mets and if they're trying to build for the future they would have been better off with Kazmir and Peterson. At least they held on to David Wright.
Jeremy Reed: I guess trading Reed for Freddy Garcia makes sense if the White Sox knew they could sign Garcia to a long term deal, which they did. My only problem is the Mariners were actively looking to dump Garcia so did they have to give away one of the best prospects in minor league baseball for him. The Mariners did a great job in getting Reed, who is solid in every aspect of the game. His speed will allow him to play in Safeco's vast outfield and his ability to spray the ball to all fields should allow him to be successful. Reed's stats have been down from last season in which he hit .409 after being promoted to the Texas League. This year he's batting .282 with 12 home runs and 58 RBI. He's still nursing a wrist injury from last season which has lowered some of his stats. If he's heathy and can get his ability to get on base back, the Mariners should have the last laugh in this deal.
Mark Teahen, John Buck and Denny Bautista: The Royals did an excellent job in the trade market this season. They received two position players who are almost ready to enter the starting lineup in Teahen and Buck. In Bautista they have a hard throwing pitcher who could develop into a number two starter. Buck, who is already in the big leagues, has struggled with the bat recently hitting .176/.239/.259 with two HRs and four RBI. But he really showed his promise playing for New Orleans in the PCL. There he batted .300/.368/.507 with 12 HR's and 35 RBI. Buck's calling card is his defense and strong throwing arm. Teahen, a product of the A's system, already has great plate discipline and emerging power. He should be a good player for some time for the Royals. Denny Bautista can bring it. He just can't always control it. Bautista, Pedro Martinez' cousin, was rated the Orioles' number three prospect entering this season. Since the trade, Bautista has been pitching very well going 3-2 with an ERA of 2.63 and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of roughly 3:1 (59-22). The walks are the main thing to look out for with Bautista. He could be in the Royals rotation next season.
Matt Murton: So wait, let me get this right. The Red Sox trade Nomar Garciaparra for Doug Mientkiewicz and Orlando Cabrera and they have to include one of their best prospects? And cash? What am I missing? I was watching TV with my brother Chris when this move was announced and he kept asking me why they weren't mentioning that Matt Clement was part of the deal. I had no answer. Still don't. If the Red Sox had gotten Clement this deal would have been worth it. I usually agree with Theo Epstein's moves, but this time I think he gave up too much for too little. I had ranked Murton as the Red Sox' fourth best prospect coming into this season. All he has done in the minors this year is hit. So far he's hitting .301/.372/.452 with 11 HR's and 55 RBI this season. Murton isn't really a good fielder but he does work hard on his defense. He could stand to develop a bit more power but his on base skills make a solid young prospect.
Koyie Hill, Bill Murphy and Reggie Abercrombie: Paul DePodesta, another favorite of mine, also made a really bad trade. But this one isn't it. Trading three prospects for a 39-year-old centerfielder who can become a free agent after this season. Finley is the good solid player that the Dodgers needed. Each of the prospects involved in this deal have potential. That being said Finley will make an impact this year, none of the three prospects involved will. They'll have to work hard to make a difference next year. Bill Murphy, a left-hander, was 6-4 with an ERA of 4.08 with 113 strikeouts. He has to work on his control and he's going to need a season or two more in the minors to develop fully. With the Dodgers backlog of pitching prospects, moving him does make some sense. Without mentioning the whole Lo Duca/Johnson debacle this move makes sense as well. A good young defensive catcher, Hill is hurt because his ability to get on base hasn't improved despite playing in a offensive park such as Las Vegas. Watching him hit in Dodgers Stadium could have been ugly. This year he was hitting .286/.339/.471 with 11 home runs and 54 RBI. Abercrombie has all the tools necessary to succeed, except he just can't seem to put it together. He can run, he can throw, but he can't take a pitch. That being said, it will be tough for him to develop into a major leaguer unless he improves his plate discipline. The Dodgers jumped the gun earlier this year and sent him to the Southern League where he proceeded to hit .173/.193/.327. He's 24 years old and he doesn't have a lot of time left to prove that he could be productive in the big leagues. Good trade for the Dodgers.
