BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Rangers acquire Uehara for [Chris] Davis, [Tommy] Hunter

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Saturday, July 30, 2011

Rangers acquire Uehara for [Chris] Davis, [Tommy] Hunter

And Jeffrey Hunter was traded for a package including Uhura.

Right-hander Koji Uehara of the Orioles have reportedly been traded to the Rangers in exchange for corner infielder Chris Davis and pitcher Tommy Hunter (Baltimore Sun via Twitter)...

Uehara, 36, is pretty underrated—likely due to playing for the non-contending Orioles. He has a 1.72 ERA, 0.70 WHIP and 62 strikeouts in 47 innings this season. He’ll fit quite nicely in Texas as an eighth-inning bridge to Neftali Feliz.

Davis, 25, has shown signs in the past of being a prolific power hitter, but strikeout woes have plagued him… the Orioles could immediately slip Davis in at first base and trade Derrek Lee. There have been reports that Lee is on the Pirates’ radar.

Hunter, 24, is 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in limited time this season for the Rangers.

The District Attorney Posted: July 30, 2011 at 09:50 PM | 18 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: orioles, rangers

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1. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: July 31, 2011 at 02:07 AM (#3889349)

Uehara has put up fantastic numbers this year. I have never really seen him pitch - does he throw hard or is deceptive or is it kinda flukey? I don't know if you can be flukey with those kinda K/BB numbers, they're unreal.

Good haul, but no real prospects for a really good reliever. Baltimore gets some interesting parts that they can give some playing time to see if they can reach the potential once seen in those players, but Texas didn't have to give up anyone they were really counting on for the future. Seems like a good deal for both teams.

2. BDC

Posted: July 31, 2011 at 02:15 AM (#3889355)

I didn't see Uehara pitch in Arlington earlier this month – he didn't pitch there, because the Rangers were beating the hell out of the Orioles and there was no reason to waste him in those games. I look forward to seeing him in a Ranger uniform. Maybe he can close next year and Feliz can start? A guy can hope.

Davis was one of my favorite young Rangers, more out of my fondness for galoot-like sluggers who can field a position than any rational assessment of his potential. He's a terrific first baseman who can play several other positions without embarrassment.

Hunter, unless the Rangers were going to name him their regular long reliever, had no real role on the club, and not a huge amount of upside IMHO; but he will long be remembered for contributions to the Rangers' first pennant.

3. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 31, 2011 at 02:20 AM (#3889360)

I like this deal for both teams.

Texas need help in the pen; even Feliz has been bad this year.

Davis has breakout potential, and Hunter immediately becomes the O's 3rd best SP.

4. robinred

Posted: July 31, 2011 at 02:25 AM (#3889364)

A guy on another thread said Derrek Lee is going to Pittsburgh.

5. AROM Posted: July 31, 2011 at 02:27 AM (#3889368)

"Uehara has put up fantastic numbers this year. I have never really seen him pitch - does he throw hard or is deceptive or is it kinda flukey? I don't know if you can be flukey with those kinda K/BB numbers, they're unreal."

He doesn't throw hard, usually 88-90 on the fastball. Great splitter. I watch him and can't figure out how he does it. But it's no fluke, he was great last year too and put up some silly, Eck-like numbers out of the bullpen in Japan. He must hide the ball exceptionally well or something.

6. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: July 31, 2011 at 02:53 AM (#3889379)

Am I misremebering that the knock on Uehara is that he can't throw on back-to-back days?

7. Dan Posted: July 31, 2011 at 02:57 AM (#3889382)

Hunter, unless the Rangers were going to name him their regular long reliever, had no real role on the club, and not a huge amount of upside IMHO; but he will long be remembered for contributions to the Rangers' first pennant.

If by "contributions to the pennant", you mean spraying Craig Sager with 2 entire cans of beer, then yes, he will be remembered for that.

8. escabeche Posted: July 31, 2011 at 02:59 AM (#3889383)

I like this as an O's fan -- the impression I got was that the haul for Uehara was going to be a B/B- prospect whose upside was being Tommy Hunter by the age of 24. Somehow we've done better with other team's cast-off mediocrities (Melvin Mora, Jeremy Guthrie) than our own prospects.

9. Spivey Posted: July 31, 2011 at 03:13 AM (#3889394)

Looks like a fair trade for both teams. Hopefully Beltre gets healthy soon as we don't want Young manning the hot corner any more.

10. Shock Posted: July 31, 2011 at 04:12 AM (#3889426)

Uehara, 36, is pretty underrated—likely due to playing for the non-contending Orioles.

Is that really why? Or is it because he's 36 and it's 47 flippin' innings?

11. Curse of the Andino Posted: July 31, 2011 at 04:53 AM (#3889448)

Is that really why? Or is it because he's 36 and it's 47 flippin' innings?

Conditioning's been an issue for him since he came to the states. I'll miss him, I guess, but Buck never used him as a closer. I suspect this trade means the club has flat-out given up on Josh Bell as 3B of the future (Bell being acquired for a reliever, Sherrill, couple years ago.)

12. KJOK Posted: July 31, 2011 at 06:10 AM (#3889467)

Looks like he's going to get to close now. Deal makes perfect sense for Baltimore, but their fans shouldn't get too excited as they basically just traded for the careers of Russell Branyan and Joe Blanton.

13. Dr. Vaux Posted: July 31, 2011 at 06:21 AM (#3889471)

they basically just traded for the careers of Russell Branyan and Joe Blanton.

That would be a pretty awesome return for Koji Uehara.

14. robinred

Posted: July 31, 2011 at 06:26 AM (#3889473)

Isn't Hunter the guy who pissed off McCarver by dousing him with champagne in the Texas locker room last year? If so, Hunter's absence from this year's postseason is a tragedy.

15. Spivey Posted: July 31, 2011 at 06:35 AM (#3889475)

Isn't Hunter the guy who pissed off McCarver by dousing him with champagne in the Texas locker room last year? If so, Hunter's absence from this year's postseason is a tragedy.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO YOU ARE

16. Don Lock Posted: July 31, 2011 at 01:18 PM (#3889522)

Isn't Hunter the guy who pissed off McCarver by dousing him with champagne in the Texas locker room last year?

I like him already in Baltimore.

May be a while before he gets another opportunity.Maybe he could push Rick Dempsey into the whirlpool.

17. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 31, 2011 at 02:34 PM (#3889541)

they basically just traded for the careers of Russell Branyan and Joe Blanton.

That would be a pretty awesome return for Koji Uehara.

Either one of the two would be an awesome return.

Funny enough, both are on my DMB team. So, go Orioles!

18. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: July 31, 2011 at 03:16 PM (#3889570)

Nice strategic trade for Texas. Helps them, hurts their rivals. The Angels were in talks to try and get Uehara to fill the middle relief innings that have been such a disaster for them.

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Saturday, July 30, 2011

Rangers acquire Uehara for [Chris] Davis, [Tommy] Hunter

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