I like Erlin a lot. Check out his K/BB numbers - 10-1!!! Awesome. Great haul for the Padres.

Maybe I'm just paying more attention this year, but it seems like there have been an unusually high number of quality prospects moved this trade deadline.

Maybe I'm just paying more attention this year, but it seems like there have been an unusually high number of quality prospects moved this trade deadline.

Thinking the same thing. Erlin and Wieland would have been a nearly-equivalent haul to that received for Adrian Gonzalez.

Agreed. Its a sellers market. I thought there was a movement in baseball to overvalue prospects, but that hasn't slowed movement this summer.

Maybe I'm just paying more attention this year, but it seems like there have been an unusually high number of quality prospects moved this trade deadline.

Thank goodness Jim Hendry is refusing to trade Carlos Pena, then.

Hoyer must like these two prospects; it has been very clear that he wanted to move Bell rather than Adams.

Adams is a Texan; he is probably pretty psyched about this. Adams has been very good on the road the last two years. His home ERA this year is 0.75. It is 1.50 on the road, with both HRs allowed on the road. He turned 33 two days ago, but has only about three years of service time. Arb eligible next year.

Given what Texas is trying to do--stay ahead of the Angels, and then win the pennant by going through, in all likelihood, New York and Boston--I can see why Daniels wanted lights-out guys for the 7th and 8th. Still, it seems like they gave up a fair amount for two relievers in their 30s.

Erlin and Wieland would have been a nearly-equivalent haul than that received for Adrian Gonzalez.

Neither Erlin nor Wieland have overpowering stuff; both get swings and misses more by mixing pitches and solid control than they do by overpowering hitters. Pitchers like this have less margin for error than the guys with the plus fastballs and breaking pitches. Both these guys also spent significant time in Myrtle Beach, which is a pitcher's ballpark, and Wieland's no-hitter aside, both have shown themselves to be more hittable on promotion to AA.

Don't get me wrong - we're talking about a couple of good pitching prospects here - but both look at this stage to be more likely to be in the back of someone's rotation rather than in the front.

-- MWE

FWIW, Baseball America had Erlin 34th in their midseason review.

Looks like a good trade for both teams. I agree this is likely an equivalent haul for what Gonzalez fetched. Which reminds us all that the Gonzalez trade was one of the worst in baseball ever.

Mike Adams is just straight up ownage though. And the Rangers have/had an incredible minor league system, and I really like the idea that they've gone from a shaky bullpen to one of the best, in 24 hours. And the Rangers didn't have to deal any of their untouchable guys to do it.

And props for going for Adams who is signed longer, than the PROVEN CLOSER with the saves.

I for one would never, ever be psyched about having to move away from San Diego.

I live in SD, so I pretty much agree there. But going to a first-place team in your home state seems like a pretty good deal.

"I for one would never, ever be psyched about having to move away from San Diego."

Unless I was a hitter.

Going to Petco is gonna be great for both those guys.

Damn. Now the Rangers are only 2 or 3 terrific relievers away from it being impossible for Ron Washington to make a totally wrong choice for who to bring into a playoff game.

One hopes that this also represents the acquisition of Neftali Feliz for next year's rotation.

One hopes that this also represents the acquisition of Neftali Feliz for next year's rotation.


That's the first thing I thought. Well, maybe the second thing I thought.