Callaspo has his problems, but Stoneman kept the wrong middle infielder when the Callaspo for Bulger trade happened. Aybar is a mess offensively and at least Callaspo draws some walks. Aybar has a high ceiling that I don't think he will ever get close to.

And, when I first read the headline I thought it was Callaspo to KC for BUTLER. I almost threw up in my mouth a little when I thought that Callaspo nabbed Billy Butler.

[EDIT] After looking at Callaspo's BB-Ref page, maybe Stoneman didn't have a choice. Both Callaspo and Aybar seem to be pretty useless - which explains how bad Bulger appears to be.

What is Callaspo's best defensive position? I see he's played a smattering of places in the majors.

[Edit: I see in this article's sister piece that he played mostly second base in the minors.]

Callaspo should be a good 2B but I think he's stretched at SS. With Pena at short that's probably the plan. I wonder if personality problems led to the Angels trading him.

I wonder if personality problems led to the Angels trading him.

I'm pretty sure it was just a logjam, AROM. Kendrick needed to play at AAA and Callaspo was in his way. They certainly had a glut of middle infielders, and Callaspo and Casilla were the two that were dealt - for Bulger and JC Romero. Yuk.

However, with is off the field issues, it's possible the Halos FO knew something we didn't at the time...

Interesting that today's top story features a player who did something more reprehensible and less defensible than anything any of the players mentioned in yesterday's top story ever did (that we know of).* Yet the media/public outrage ... a bit different.

* LoDuca excepted.

Does Arizona still have the owner who trades every player with Domestic abuse issues? Colangelo I think.

However, with is off the field issues, it's possible the Halos FO knew something we didn't at the time...

That's what I'm thinking. They probably didn't predict what happened, but it wouldn't surprise me if a player who beats his wife is just an A-hole in general and had problems with coaches and teammates.

It was a pretty severe case of domestic violence. And I don't think Callaspo was going to make it in Az after that. The crowds had turned on him. So I am surprised Byrnes managed to get Buckner for him.
Buckner is not spectacular, but has decent peripherals, and can be a decent middle of the rotation guy. With this crazy pitching market, that is a good return.
Callaspo, on the other hand, has suffered from injuries and off field issues. Change of scenery might do him good, but he is a fairly big question mark, being sold at the nadir of his value.

Buckner fields the grounder between his legs cleanly, throws to first for the final out, game over!

Wait, wha?

I'm hoping the Dbacks announce a three year deal with Orlando Hudson in the next couple of days.

Callaspo, on the other hand, has suffered from injuries and off field issues. Change of scenery might do him good

What he said.

Does Arizona still have the owner who trades every player with Domestic abuse issues? Colangelo I think.

Arizona traded away an owner with team payroll abuse issues. Colandelo I think.

I really didn't know anything about Buckner before today, so I've had to spend some time reading up on him. I guess he's a decent return at this point. It's always tough to let go of a guy you thought was going to be good. Callaspo's last two years in AAA were great, but for many reasons, obviously, he just wasn't working out.

Now the sponsorship on his Bb-ref page is priceless. ;)

After looking at Callaspo's BB-Ref page,

A beaut, ain't it?

Now the sponsorship on his [url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/callaal01.shtml[Bb-ref page[/url] is priceless. ;)

Actually, I think it was $10.

Callaspo, on the other hand, has suffered from injuries and off field issues. Change of scenery might do him good, but he is a fairly big question mark, being sold at the nadir of his value.

Why would the change of scenery help? Because he'd have to get on a plane to go hit his wife?

Why would the change of scenery help? Because he'd have to get on a plane to go hit his wife?

Optimistically, you would hope a fresh setting would motivate him to start with a better focus and turn into a better man. Realistically, the crowds are less likely to get on you, and might provide a better environment for him to succeed professionally atleast.

John Sickels ranked Buckner the 3rd best prospect in the Royals system, giving him a grade of B

Royals top 20 prospects

I have no idea what that means.

Goldstein had him 4th, and BA had him 5th.

So guess he is consensus top 5 for their organization, with perhaps a bit more upside than that.

BTW, Callaspo was not even in BA's top 10 this year.

BTW, Callaspo was not even in BA's top 10 this year.

He had too many at bats at the major league level to qualify as a prospect. Aside from that, your knife in my back is just an inch away from my spine.

So I guess that Pedroia/Callaspo debate was funny.

So I guess that Pedroia/Callaspo debate was funny.

Well, in retrospect, not as funny as the "Dustin Pedroia/David Wright" debate. Still, pretty funny. At least I had Kevin Goldstein was laughing with me, not at me

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5297
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5892

And most recently
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6448

91. Alberto Callaspo, 2B, Diamondbacks, 24
Eligible Next Year? No
Stock Movement Since Ranking: Unchanged

After a breakout 2006 season, Callaspo broke camp as a utilityman and was hitting just .206/.257/.254 when he exacerbated his problems exponentially by get arrested on a domestic violence charge. Back at Triple-A, he’s hitting .390/.458/.585 in 20 games, so there are still skills worth noticing here.

Well, in retrospect, not as funny as the "Dustin Pedroia/David Wright" debate.

You're right. That was just mind-blowing retarded.

Both Callaspo and Aybar seem to be pretty useless - which explains how bad Bulger appears to be.

Bulger has actually done quite well in AAA. I think he can contribute in the majors.

Buckner is coming off of his best season in AAA, but Callaspo has great numbers in the minor leagues and went .337/.404/.478 in his last full season at AAA (2006)...and went .341/.406/.491 in a half season there last year.

If a gun was pointed at my head and I had to choose the one player of the two that would have a better career...I'd go with Callaspo.

But, Buckner's season in AAA last year is nothing to laugh at...although not completely dominant (only 83 K's in 104.2 IP).

The Royals continue to stockpile talent.

Haren just got dealt - 6 prospects, including Carlos Gonzales, Brett Anderson, and Greg Smith.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/14/SPQTTUU9P.DTL

Busy day in Phoenix.

I was already worried about the middle infield in Arizona before this trade. :/

what was Moore smoking when he made this deal?

You know, going into the offseason, my dream trade for the Royals was to snooker some team into giving up a young Carlos Febles clone. Statistically, Callaspo fits the bill almost exactly.

Statistically, this trade looks like a great deal. The big knock on Buckner is a lifetime 1.45 WHIP in the minor leagues. If you weigh in the domestic issues, that brings it back a long ways. The domestic violence changes it from an outright steal to buying at a deep discount, I guess.

Now Grudz looks like an obvious trade candidate. If I could change the name on the back of the jersey without changing the statistics, I'd really like this deal.

I don't know anything about Buckner, but Callaspo has been screaming out UTILITY INFIELDER to me for years. Not a bad guy to take a flyer on, though, field-wise.

Sure, Callaspo hit .337/.404/.478 in the PCL, but Angel Berroa hit .304/.368/.436 in Omaha.

Dayton sure is doing a good job putting character guys like Guillen and Callaspo on the team.

Sure, Callaspo hit .337/.404/.478 in the PCL, but Angel Berroa hit .304/.368/.436 in Omaha.

you are a moron

Not sure what to make of this trade. I've never been high on Buckner, but he could be a solid back of the rotation guy, and I don't really think the Royals are in a position to trade away solid back of the rotation guys.

Callaspo seems to have great bat control, very few strikeouts, a fair amount of walks, and great minor league averages. He doesn't seem to do anything else well though, not much power, terrible stolen base rates. How's his defense?

I guess this gives us a replacement for Grudz, but really, it isn't all that hard to find a decent second baseman, and although this team is woefully thin at middle infield in the minors, there are much bigger fish to fry, like LF, RF, and 1B. If you are going to trade Buckner, trade him as part of a deal for one of those positions.

I've seen comments from posters and "experts" range from, great deal for Arizona, to great deal for KC, so I guess its probably a fair trade. I'm just not all that excited about it. The domestic violence has something to do with that I'm sure.

Master Shake would have said more, but he had to shine his debate trophies.

Callaspo probably would be an improvement on Tony Pena Jr, but I don't count on the team to dare dumping Penita now. After all, Penita hits triples! that totally excuses Penita's non-existant OBP.

Brandon, what do you see Buckner's trade value as, if Callaspo isn't enough? Is it Callaspo's record you don't like, or the domestic violence?

As a practical matter, you just won't see young middle infielders with AAA OPS much higher than 900 available at this price very often. And how often does it happen that there's a big bargain available at a position of need?

I'm setting my blackberry alarm for March 2008. Gotta get that Callaspo sponsorship!

I would object more to the personal problems in regards to Callaspo, as they probably reflect deeper problems as to how he will handle problems as a player.

It's bad enough that Guillen was signed. Dayton is really stuffing the stockings with some likely clubhouse cancers this offseason.

I'm setting my blackberry alarm for March 2008. Gotta get that Callaspo sponsorship!

I laughed.

Joe Posnanski thinks Guillen is a good guy, something he usually doesn't specify about players. He speculates that the PED issues around Guillen stem from his being brought up by scouts and coaches to use something in the Dominican which he perhaps unwisely continued to use here.

He speculates that the PED issues around Guillen stem from his being brought up by scouts and coaches to use something in the Dominican which he perhaps unwisely continued to use here.

did the coaches tell him to have the PEDs sent to the Coliseum too?