Rosenthal is just giddy that a major trade actually happens. Doesn't matter who the Brewers give up, its an automatic thumbs up in Robothal's book if theres action!

He is like an addict.

Man, is Hardy on a tear. He has raised his OPS by 175 points in the last 15 games, from .682 to .857.

Over the next month, the A’s could trade Harden or right-hander Joe Blanton for prospects

I shudder to think what a team would have to give up in terms of prospects in order to secure the services of Joe Blanton. "We really need to make the playoffs -- do you think we can trade for that guy with the 80 ERA+?" "The one with the 5-11 record?" "Yep -- that one!"

Between the ballpark and defense (somehow still effective even with Jack Cust in the field) pitchers do a lot better for Oakland than they would most any other place. Seems like they can trade away star pitchers anytime they want to, plug the latest prospect in or if they are short on prospects use soft-tossing journeymen like DiNardo and Saarloos, and lead the AL in ERA anyway.

So if Blanton isn't doing well there, then every team should be warned: Do not give them a good prospect for this bum.

Beane isn't going to trade Blanton when he is at his lowest value.

If the Cubs go after somebody like Blanton at the expense of Sean Gallagher, I'll be severely annoyed.

Wouldn't mind if they went after Burnett, or Harden, though Harden would be expensive.

Harden has a cheap option for next year too (7 or 9M can't remember)

As I've said many times, I think Burnett's gonna be a steal.

Gallagher would be a good start for Harden. Burnett would cost a few bits of string.

Blanton isn't crap. He's a decent innings eater whose probably somewhere between what he produced last year and what he's done this year. A solid innings-eater has a lot of value in a pennant race.

I may be misunderstanding the premise of Robo's article, but when in the (recent) history of baseball has it not been good to have lots of prospects so you can pull off trades?

And come on, $4MM (which is what the Brewers took on this year), is nothing.

What will be interesting will be seeing if someone will do an Abreu-to-the-Yankees trade (i.e., dump talent and lots of salary on another team for peanuts). Because so many teams are within striking range of the WC's (and because teams like the Mariners don't really have much to trade), that type of trade is the one that's becoming very rare....

Yeah, I don't get the premise here either. If having prospects is so good, why do you want to trade them (4 for 1 in this case) for vets? Doesn't that mean that having vets is better?

I could see Burnett being an Abreu to the Yankees type dump. Just gotta find the Cubs's CJ Henry.

Yeah, I don't get the premise here either. If having prospects is so good, why do you want to trade them (4 for 1 in this case) for vets? Doesn't that mean that having vets is better?

Lord knows I am far too busy a man to actually read the article, but based on the excerpts, part of Robo's thesis seems to be that having prospects gives you flexibility. That is, you can (1) trade a Fielder (for prospects) at the height of his value because you have a prospect coming up behind him (i.e. build for the future) or (2) trade the prospects behind Fielder (who's still young after all) for a vet to build for now. So really he seems to mean it's great to have a combination of young, established ML talent and prospects.

In the case of the Brewers, he's suggesting they have so much (offensive) talent that they essentially get to do both. Contrast to the Cubs who have mostly older players and few/no prospects of note behind them (anytime soon). The Cubs might have enough talent in the minors to bring in a Sabathia but just barely ... and they don't really have anyone they could trade in a Haren-like deal (Zambrano's got the talent but also the contract to go with it). The Cubs window is now (and the next couple years), the Brewers window possibly runs from now until 8 years from now.

Of course, the Indians seemed that way too a couple years back but, lo and behold, their window is basically closed. (Not "closed" as in "doomed" -- they're still in the AL Central and might well win a division or two over the next 3 years.)

Shhh . . . don't tell the Mets about this whole prospect thing.

Shhh . . . don't tell the Mets about this whole prospect thing.

You know, the deals the Mets made last offseason are looking a lot better now than they did at the time.

When will the Cubs flip Pie and Murton for aces?

The people running Sabathia's official website don't waste any time, do they? Backdrop of Miller Park, picture of Sabathia in a Brewers uni, the whole deal...

If the Brewers somehow fall apart between now and July 31st, what are the odds that they turn around and trade Sabathia to another contender?

#17 The Brewers would need to lose 15 in a row. But to answer your question, they would deal CC to the Cubs for Pie.

LOL! Cubs prospects.

Beane isn't going to trade Blanton when he is at his lowest value.

I agree. Considering that Beane had the opportunity to trade Blanton in the off-season, when his value was at its HIGHEST, and didn't do it, I doubt he'll do it now.

What this really means is that Milwaukee better hang onto Jack Zduriencik. He is the club's player personnel guru who makes all the draft day decisions.

Once again, Beano's the world's brashest fan of a team that hasn't finished more than 4 games over .500 since the first Bush was in office.

You know, the deals the Mets made last offseason are looking a lot better now than they did at the time.

I was thinking I'd rather have Matt LaPorta than anyone the Mets gave up to get Johan Santana.

I was thinking I'd rather have Matt LaPorta than anyone the Mets gave up to get Johan Santana.

The Twins probably wouldn't mind having Santana at the front of their rotation for the playoff push, for that matter.

Spahnie, stop feeding the trolls.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm still enjoying his "KERRY WOOD CLOSER LOLZZZ!11!" bit from opening week.

why can't the red sox get prospects like matt laporta?!?!

Alex:

YOU might but not the Twins. LaPorta doesn't fit their organizational model.

This is not meant as a slam at the Twins. Just pointing out the fact that guys with limited defensive ability just aren't their cup of tea.

this may have been covered in another thread, but do people think the Brewers are going to make a concerted effort to sign Sabathia in the offseason? Is this just a rental?

Is this just a rental?

Yes.

The Brewers were highly unlikely to re-sign Sheets. CC is completely out of the the organization's price range.

Rental. Unless CC accepts 4 year $80 million.

Blanton isn't crap. He's a decent innings eater whose probably somewhere between what he produced last year and what he's done this year. A solid innings-eater has a lot of value in a pennant race.

I have strong doubts about him. Sure, he can eat innings, but not necessarily in a way you want them eaten. Let's face it, Oakland makes pitchers look better than they are. Part of it is the park, part is Mark Ellis. Put Blanton in a hitters park or in front of a bad defense and he's Livan Hernandez.

I have strong doubts about him. Sure, he can eat innings, but not necessarily in a way you want them eaten. Let's face it, Oakland makes pitchers look better than they are. Part of it is the park, part is Mark Ellis. Put Blanton in a hitters park or in front of a bad defense and he's Livan Hernandez.

He had the 6th best FIP in the AL last year, while throwing the second most innings. His 4.03 career FIP is above average, and his .301 BABIP is nothing special.

I don't get the hate.

I do hope the A's continue to throw Blanton out there in hopes of bringing his trade value back up. Keep Chad Gaudin buried in long relief and I'm happy.

I have strong doubts about him. Sure, he can eat innings, but not necessarily in a way you want them eaten.

Eating innings is a skill, though. Even if you don't believe that, then a guy who can do that every 5th day still has value, even if he's not #1 or 2 material.

Put Blanton in a hitters park or in front of a bad defense and he's Livan Hernandez.

This is also true of 75% of the major leagues.

Eating innings is a skill, though. Even if you don't believe that, then a guy who can do that every 5th day still has value, even if he's not #1 or 2 material.

It IS a skill. I just wonder if it's a skill that's really in demand among playoff teams. I can understand giving up the farm for Sabathia or maybe even Burnett or Harden (although I'd be concerned about injuries with those two), with the idea that those guys can be difference-makers over a half-season. It's hard to know what kind of difference Blanton is going to make. Yes, he might turn it around and pitch like he did last year, but are you really going to want to give up prospect(s) and pay him arbitration rates for the next two years to find that out?

It IS a skill. I just wonder if it's a skill that's really in demand among playoff teams.

Only if they have trouble finding a starter who can post better than a 75 ERA+, and might miss the playoffs as a result. Once in the playoffs? Barring injury your 5th starter shouldn't be getting any starts anyway...

For instance, the Yankees (who still see themselves as a playoff team) have not been able to find a 5th starter who can post an ERA+ higher than 71 (Kennedy 55, Hughes 45, PondScum 71... Right now they have: Joba, Mussina, Petitte, Rasner and the clown of the week, someone who can eat innings and not suk too badly would probably appeal to them right now.

Blanton might work for the Yankees if they didn't have to give up much for him. He's not worth trading a good prospect for though. Take away Oakland's park and defense, add Derek Jeter's glove...not a pretty picture.

Teams are better off just filling from within or trying anything and everything from the waiver wire than giving up valuable propsects for pitchers like this. Oakland doesn't pay much for pitchers like Blanton, they pitch them until the arbitration raises kick in, then trade them. Then plug in prospects, or if they don't have them, journeymen. They never seem to regret the decision, they just stay at the top of the league in ERA no matter who they throw out there.

Team like the Nationals fill a rotation with journeymen and non-elite prospects and so far the team ERA+ is 94.

If the Yankees can't get anything close to respectable pitching from the back of the rotation, I don't think the problem is unwillingness to trade prospects for a Blanton. The problem is more likely defensive or lack of a good pitching coach - too many pitchers who should have been at least decent have just totally blown up pitching for the Yankees.

Does Daniel Cabrera have any value in this trade market?

He's an "innings-eater" (aka durable but not that good) like Blanton, but his value comes more from "upside" (if anyone still believes he has any) than results.

At the very least, his HBP tendencies can be useful if deployed properly. Just ask Derek Jeter.

Teams are better off just filling from within or trying anything and everything from the waiver wire than giving up valuable propsects for pitchers like this. Oakland doesn't pay much for pitchers like Blanton, they pitch them until the arbitration raises kick in, then trade them. Then plug in prospects, or if they don't have them, journeymen. They never seem to regret the decision, they just stay at the top of the league in ERA no matter who they throw out there.

I'm sure it's frustrating watching Eveland and Smith succeed, but I think this is way over the top. I mean, the A's had a 98 ERA+ just last year.

Can you explain why we should judge Blanton--or other A's pitchers--by something other than their park adjusted and/or defense independent stats? Adjusting for park, Blanton still has above average peripherals and an above average ERA for his career. And his BABIP is nothing special, especially given the park he pitches in. Where's the defense helping him so much?

It's possible that their coaching is above average or something. Seems like the pitchers Oakland plugs in the rotation tend to surprise you, and the ones who they trade or let go as free agents tend to be a little disappointing. I haven't quantified it, but if I were a GM I'd have a 'buyer beware' warning going off in my head. I'd rather get my pitchers from somewhere like Texas or Colorado, where I'd figure the pitcher would be better off on my team. Maybe the Yankees too. Some of those guys who can't handle it there might turn out OK with a change of scenary.

At the same price, I'd rather have Blanton than Kei Igawa, but I'd rather take a chance on Igawa if the Yankees give up than give up real value for Blanton.

If Blanton does get traded, and the top prospect in return is a pitcher, I bet by next season that pitcher, whoever it is, has a better ERA than Blanton. I sure wouldn't want to be the idiot who makes that swap.

I'm sure it's frustrating watching Eveland and Smith succeed, but I think this is way over the top.

I don't think AROM meant this to be insulting. I would take it as the opposite -- the A's have a great system in place that allows guys to succeed. For instance, Milwaukee and Arizona both gave up on Eveland, who now has an ERA+ of 111. You should be thrilled that your team is so good at finding/developing pitchers. But the downside is that other GMs are rightfully suspicious of whether good performances for Oakland will translate into good performances for their team.

I would add that most GMs, for better or worse, have a "what have you done lately?" attitude. Blanton probably isn't as good as he was in '05, and he probably isn't as bad as he's been this year. But this year is the one that's going to get the most attention, and that of course is going to decrease his value. It just raises doubts: Is he hurt? What's up with the 4.5Ks per 9 innings? etc. etc. etc.

Can you explain why we should judge Blanton--or other A's pitchers--by something other than their park adjusted and/or defense independent stats?

Duchsherer is legit, I'd be happy to have him on my team. Harden is dominating, but the health track record would keep me away.

Adjusting for park, Blanton still has above average peripherals and an above average ERA for his career.

His strikeout rate is way down. His control is still good, but he's almost walked as many guys as he did all of last year. Those are stats where the signal is strong compared to the noise.

The trade is official - Sabathia for LaPorta, P Rob Bryson, P Zach Jackson, and a PTBNL.

I don't think AROM meant this to be insulting. I would take it as the opposite -- the A's have a great system in place that allows guys to succeed.

If it was insulting, consider it a bonus, as I have no love for the A's. But yeah, they seem to have created a near ideal place for pitchers to succeed. Pitchers can succeed with less talent there than in other places. And the logical conclusion to that is for an Oakland pitcher with similar success to a Texas pitcher, the Texas pitcher is the one with more talent.

Prospects are power.

I think a better statement would be, "Prospects give the perception of power". Just how much power did the Angels have from all of their prospects? Not as much had they traded some. Prospects are probably overrated right now, and I think that is why the Brewers can start their package with LaPorta. Sure he has potential, but he is limited defensively. Is his offense going to make up for his defense? Maybe. However, if you were to ask the same questions about Chris Davis, I think the answer is almost a unanimous "yes".

I would rather have LaPorta than Chris Davis. Just throwing it out there. No good reason, either - just a hunch.

Just how much power did the Angels have from all of their prospects? Not as much had they traded some.

Sure, if they had tried trading Brandon Wood and Dallas McPherson to the Marlins for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell back in the 2005-06 offseason. But I don't think the Angels were ever mentioned in those rumors.

There are some rumors I do remember:

Erick Aybar + Ervin Santana + ? for Miguel Tejada

Kotchman + ? for Mike Sweeney

Kotchman, Saunders or Santana + ?(Wood?) for Teixiera

Kendrick, pitcher, Wood? for Miguel Cabrera.

Every one of those trades, count me as glad Bill Stoneman didn't pull the trigger.

I'm sure prospects are overrated right now. Every team that traded a big star last winter is being outperformed by the team they traded the prospects to, except for the White Sox having a better record than the A's. And the A's have a better record than the Diamondbacks.

I don't think it's an insult; I just think it's wrong.

I don't think there's anything magical about pitching in Oakland. It's a pitchers' park, but we can just use park factors to adjust for that. The defense has generally been good, and we can also adjust for that. For his career, Blanton has above average durability, above average peripherals, and an average BABIP. I don't see how this is an illusion.

Pitchers have come to Oakland and stunk it up (Loaiza, Rhodes), while others have left and flourished (Harang, Izzy, Lilly...).

His strikeout rate is way down. His control is still good, but he's almost walked as many guys as he did all of last year. Those are stats where the signal is strong compared to the noise.

But, as I said before, that's in comparison to last year, when he had the 6th best FIP in the AL. So he's declined from the ace-like peripherals he had last year. His FIP is all the way up to 4.13 this year, but that's still better than--for example--Joe Saunders. His career FIP (4.03) is basically the same as the guy he may wind up as: David Wells (3.99).

Do people just loke to ignore the studies by THT and others that show what makes a #1 starter? By those standards, Blanton's certainly one. He's a very good pitcher who's very durable. Case closed. He'd make just about any competitor considerably better.