Thursday, July 13, 2006
8 Player trade made
The "untradable" (as in no one would want him as he is too old, according to the Washington Post in an earlier article) SS Royce Clayton, young Brendan Harris, and young relievers Bill Bray, Gary Majewski, and Daryl Thompson have been traded by the Washington Nationals to the Cincinnati Reds for SS Felipe Lopez (26), currently hitting .268, tied for fourth in the NL for stolen bases with 23, and is second in the NL for home-runs by a short-stop with nine home-runs, outfielder Austin Kearns (26) who is currently hitting .274 with 16 home-runs and 50 RBI, plus RHP Ryan Wagner (23) who will be sent to AAA New Orleans. Reliever Roy Corcoran (26) with his 2.45 ERA, is likely to be called up (or "purchased" - last I checked he was on the 40-man roster) to fill the now vacant roster position. Corcoran has an opposing batting average of .169.
Interesting, I went to look for Ryan Wagner's record on the Minor League website, and it already lists him as being on the New Orleans team. He is coming over from the Louisville Bats with a record of 1-3 in 35 games and with an ERA of 6.34 in 38.1 IP. He has allowed 55 hits, 29 runs, 27 ER, 3 HR, 14 walks and strike-out 28 batters. Not exactly earth-shattering numers, no? The Bats, I now notice, are a AAA club. I'm sure there is a way to look closer at his record, but I can't seem to find it at this time. Now on to the other two players.
CF Austin Kearns (I guess Alex Escobar actually isn't going to get that chance to start, unless they move him to right-field in place of the struggling Jose Guillen, but then they are trying to hope that Guillen improves so that they can trade him - to bad, the often hurt Escobar is doing a great job so far) has a career batting average of .267 in 452 games played in the majors. He made his MLB debut in 2002 in April. He has 71 career home-runs, 263 RBI, 206 walks to 412 strike-outs, .468 SLG and .358 OBP. Kearns is currently hitting .316 vs. lefties and .257 vs. righties - platoon him with Escobar? probably not. He is currently hitting .270 this month. He hit .264 in 82 games in 2003 with the Reds, knocking in 15 HR, 58 RBI, and his OBP was .364. In 2004, Kearns hit .230 in 64 games with the Reds, knocking in 9 HR and 32 RBI. IN 2005, Kearns average inched slightly higher to .240 in 112 games, 387 AB, 18 HR 67 HR. I read something somewhere (one of those sporting newspapers) that batter reach their peak at 27 before sliding (I had previously read an older age for the peak, but times change), and it looks like Kearns might be getting better as he reaches that magically age of 27. He won't turn 27 until next year. Kearns would be a definate improvement for CF based on all the other strugglers that tried to play the position, but then Escobar did just start playing great in that position, so . . . Oh, and fielding - currently sporting a career fielding percentage of .986, .991 for 2006.
SS Felipe Lopez has appeared in four seasons with the Reds in the majors, and 2 seasons with the Blue Jays. He is a career .259 hitter in 505 games and 1843 AB. He has hit 93 doubles, 17 triples, 54 home-runs, 216 RBI, has 56 stolen bases to 26 CS, has an on-base percentage of .329 and a slugging percentage of .416. In terms of age and offense, he seems to be a great improvement over Royce Clayton. Fielding? Lopez is currently sporting a career fielding percentage of .959 vs. Clayton's .974. So, a downgrade in defense (and Clayton is hitting .001 point higher than Lopez, but that doesn't make up for the other great offensive number put out by Lopez).
Interesting to see this occur today. I just read an article in the Washington Post that talked about the GM's prior trades, and how most weren't particularly good. Also how the GM will need to be patient to follow the new owners plans. Then I hear about this trade. Youngsters in for youngters and old Clayton. Two major league relievers out the door, one minor league reliever in. So, I noticed that guy they will probably bring up, Corcoran, has great numbers, but will he make up two relief positions?
I'll let others get more detailed, and also to examine the Reds side of the deal.
First pic: Royce Clayton
2nd: Majewski
3rd: Harris
4th: Bray
5th: Harris
6th: Some of these pitchers have been traded, can you tell which ones?
Interesting, I went to look for Ryan Wagner's record on the Minor League website, and it already lists him as being on the New Orleans team. He is coming over from the Louisville Bats with a record of 1-3 in 35 games and with an ERA of 6.34 in 38.1 IP. He has allowed 55 hits, 29 runs, 27 ER, 3 HR, 14 walks and strike-out 28 batters. Not exactly earth-shattering numers, no? The Bats, I now notice, are a AAA club. I'm sure there is a way to look closer at his record, but I can't seem to find it at this time. Now on to the other two players.
CF Austin Kearns (I guess Alex Escobar actually isn't going to get that chance to start, unless they move him to right-field in place of the struggling Jose Guillen, but then they are trying to hope that Guillen improves so that they can trade him - to bad, the often hurt Escobar is doing a great job so far) has a career batting average of .267 in 452 games played in the majors. He made his MLB debut in 2002 in April. He has 71 career home-runs, 263 RBI, 206 walks to 412 strike-outs, .468 SLG and .358 OBP. Kearns is currently hitting .316 vs. lefties and .257 vs. righties - platoon him with Escobar? probably not. He is currently hitting .270 this month. He hit .264 in 82 games in 2003 with the Reds, knocking in 15 HR, 58 RBI, and his OBP was .364. In 2004, Kearns hit .230 in 64 games with the Reds, knocking in 9 HR and 32 RBI. IN 2005, Kearns average inched slightly higher to .240 in 112 games, 387 AB, 18 HR 67 HR. I read something somewhere (one of those sporting newspapers) that batter reach their peak at 27 before sliding (I had previously read an older age for the peak, but times change), and it looks like Kearns might be getting better as he reaches that magically age of 27. He won't turn 27 until next year. Kearns would be a definate improvement for CF based on all the other strugglers that tried to play the position, but then Escobar did just start playing great in that position, so . . . Oh, and fielding - currently sporting a career fielding percentage of .986, .991 for 2006.
SS Felipe Lopez has appeared in four seasons with the Reds in the majors, and 2 seasons with the Blue Jays. He is a career .259 hitter in 505 games and 1843 AB. He has hit 93 doubles, 17 triples, 54 home-runs, 216 RBI, has 56 stolen bases to 26 CS, has an on-base percentage of .329 and a slugging percentage of .416. In terms of age and offense, he seems to be a great improvement over Royce Clayton. Fielding? Lopez is currently sporting a career fielding percentage of .959 vs. Clayton's .974. So, a downgrade in defense (and Clayton is hitting .001 point higher than Lopez, but that doesn't make up for the other great offensive number put out by Lopez).
Interesting to see this occur today. I just read an article in the Washington Post that talked about the GM's prior trades, and how most weren't particularly good. Also how the GM will need to be patient to follow the new owners plans. Then I hear about this trade. Youngsters in for youngters and old Clayton. Two major league relievers out the door, one minor league reliever in. So, I noticed that guy they will probably bring up, Corcoran, has great numbers, but will he make up two relief positions?
I'll let others get more detailed, and also to examine the Reds side of the deal.
First pic: Royce Clayton
2nd: Majewski
3rd: Harris
4th: Bray
5th: Harris
6th: Some of these pitchers have been traded, can you tell which ones?
