Thursday, December 09, 2004
Of JJ Davis, Val Pascucci, and 4 million dollar salaries
While we all sit here and worry about the big picture (or big "pitcher", if you prefer), Bowden has made a couple moves around the edges. Are they as...*cough*...Interesting as his more prominent moves?
Nats acquire JJ Davis for Antonio Sucre -
Losing Sucre is nothing to worry about. Unproven and very young(20), he could be something someday, but I tend to lean toward the "bird in the hand" thinking. Davis (26) has already proved himself up to the Triple A level. Sucre may never do that. So for that part of the trade I can agree with Bowden. Of course Davis adds another outfield "prospect" to a team already crowded with potential good players but not much to show for it. Too make room for him the next move was...
Nats sell off Val Pascucci -
It's interesting how ok everyone was this deal considering it was essentially a Davis for Pascucci trade. Val is very similar to Davis, in that he was a minor league power standout who struck out too much. But whereas Davis is a swinging fool, Pascucci shows a surprising ability to take a walk. In their last full AAA years Davis had .342 OBP and .554 SLG, while Pascucci had .423 OBP and .577 SLG. The slugging difference could be explained by the leagues (PCL seemed a bit easier on the bats than the International last year), but that's a BIG difference in OBP. The idea is that Davis just hasn't been under the right tutelage, but seeing how outfielders have progressed under this team I'm not filled with hope. In the end it doesn't matter because both of them are 5th outfielders, but I think we're slightly worse off so I'd rate this a "Bowden's Game Boy broke and he got bored" trade.
The scale being
"I don't see real well, is that Jim Bowden that made that trade?",
"Jim was all excited talking about this thing he found called the In-ter-net" (example - dropping Biddle),
"Bowden's Game Boy broke and he got bored",
"Bowden got the gardener to buy him Boone's Farm again" (example - signing Castilla, Guzman),
"Jim must have found that old note from Bud telling the GM to ruin the franchise"
Some potential moves are being discussed but it seems the Nats are hamstrung by only signing players at 4 million a year or less. I got to say that if this is a plan and not just a guideline, it's ridiculous. The goal should be getting good values for a contract not setting an arbitrary contract limit. Wouldn't you rather have a great player at 8 million than 2 average ones at 4? We overpaid for Guzman and Castilla, but do they think because it's under 4 million that it's ok? Frustrating.
Signing Odalis Perez
Not at 4 million a year we won't. Probably not at 6 million even. I guess we should be looking at my newest fav Ron Villone, or a short David Wells contract. Only Milton, Byrd, and El Duque could fall that cheap and they all are bigger risks than I'd like to see the team make.
Trading Nick Johnson for Alexis Rios
Presumably this would be to free up room in the outfield, by moving Wilkerson to first. Of course in the deal we get back another outfielder. Brilliant. The difference being Alexis is not in his late 20's. He's an actual prospect though getting older (24). He showed some pop in Double A, but that's pretty much it. He could develop power, but most likely he won't. He'll be a better hitting Endy Chavez (so we could in fact trade Endy to the Phillies for some pitching which had been rumored before). Is that enough to trade Nick for? Well...I love Nick, and he'll be a better offensive player than Alexis, but a first baseman with no power is a real drag on a team. I wouldn't do it, but if this trade is accompanied by the movement of Endy for something of minor league value, I wouldn't cry in my bouillabaisse.
Nats acquire JJ Davis for Antonio Sucre -
Losing Sucre is nothing to worry about. Unproven and very young(20), he could be something someday, but I tend to lean toward the "bird in the hand" thinking. Davis (26) has already proved himself up to the Triple A level. Sucre may never do that. So for that part of the trade I can agree with Bowden. Of course Davis adds another outfield "prospect" to a team already crowded with potential good players but not much to show for it. Too make room for him the next move was...
Nats sell off Val Pascucci -
It's interesting how ok everyone was this deal considering it was essentially a Davis for Pascucci trade. Val is very similar to Davis, in that he was a minor league power standout who struck out too much. But whereas Davis is a swinging fool, Pascucci shows a surprising ability to take a walk. In their last full AAA years Davis had .342 OBP and .554 SLG, while Pascucci had .423 OBP and .577 SLG. The slugging difference could be explained by the leagues (PCL seemed a bit easier on the bats than the International last year), but that's a BIG difference in OBP. The idea is that Davis just hasn't been under the right tutelage, but seeing how outfielders have progressed under this team I'm not filled with hope. In the end it doesn't matter because both of them are 5th outfielders, but I think we're slightly worse off so I'd rate this a "Bowden's Game Boy broke and he got bored" trade.
The scale being
"I don't see real well, is that Jim Bowden that made that trade?",
"Jim was all excited talking about this thing he found called the In-ter-net" (example - dropping Biddle),
"Bowden's Game Boy broke and he got bored",
"Bowden got the gardener to buy him Boone's Farm again" (example - signing Castilla, Guzman),
"Jim must have found that old note from Bud telling the GM to ruin the franchise"
Some potential moves are being discussed but it seems the Nats are hamstrung by only signing players at 4 million a year or less. I got to say that if this is a plan and not just a guideline, it's ridiculous. The goal should be getting good values for a contract not setting an arbitrary contract limit. Wouldn't you rather have a great player at 8 million than 2 average ones at 4? We overpaid for Guzman and Castilla, but do they think because it's under 4 million that it's ok? Frustrating.
Signing Odalis Perez
Not at 4 million a year we won't. Probably not at 6 million even. I guess we should be looking at my newest fav Ron Villone, or a short David Wells contract. Only Milton, Byrd, and El Duque could fall that cheap and they all are bigger risks than I'd like to see the team make.
Trading Nick Johnson for Alexis Rios
Presumably this would be to free up room in the outfield, by moving Wilkerson to first. Of course in the deal we get back another outfielder. Brilliant. The difference being Alexis is not in his late 20's. He's an actual prospect though getting older (24). He showed some pop in Double A, but that's pretty much it. He could develop power, but most likely he won't. He'll be a better hitting Endy Chavez (so we could in fact trade Endy to the Phillies for some pitching which had been rumored before). Is that enough to trade Nick for? Well...I love Nick, and he'll be a better offensive player than Alexis, but a first baseman with no power is a real drag on a team. I wouldn't do it, but if this trade is accompanied by the movement of Endy for something of minor league value, I wouldn't cry in my bouillabaisse.
