I remember the 2004 trading deadline like
it was yesterday. I was writing a morning report for NYFS and the word came
down that the Mets had traded for both Kris
Benson and Victor
Zambrano. It came just at the end of the
trading deadline signaling that the Mets were going to give it a run for the
pennant. They had had the kind of first half season we are having right now
and, if I remember, were around six or seven games out of the playoff race
going into the all-star break. No one knew if the team would be a buyer or a
seller and, once these two deals were announced, there were very few people
upset with the loss of what it took to get these guys on our team. Sure, Scott Kazmir was a top
prospect, but both Benson and Zambrano were MLB-tested (I particularly enjoyed
the arrival of Benson who was in the same graduation class at Clemson as my
daughter) and we were going to fit, right? Well, a gazillion losses later over
the next two weeks and so much for that. Benson wound up finish the season 4-4,
4.50, Zambrano went 2-0, 3.86 in three games, and the team finished in 4th
place at 71-91.
The Milwaukee Brewers signed lefty Aaron Laffey
I need your help on this one. I’m trying to
decide if St. Lucie LF Dustin Lawley is a baseball prospect. He hit his 19th home
run on Wednesday which is more than anyone else in that league. The 24-year old
is also up to 67-RBI which tied him for first in that category also. He also
seems to be getting better at this each season. In 2011 (K-Port and Sav), he
went 10/44… last year (Savannah), it was 14/66. And this season with round 45
days to go it’s 19/67. He’s never going to win a batting title, but he’s a .267
lifetime hitter. Isn’t these the kind of numbers we want to see from our
outfielders. Can you do more than lead your league in home runs and runs batted
in? He needs to get moving. Send him to Binghamton for the rest of the season.
Play him in winter ball in Arizona. He strikes out a little too much but the
numbers are far better than from guys like Matt
den Dekker. I want him in Las Vegas in 2014
as a 25-year old stud pounding balls out of the stadium. Maybe then somebody
will write about this guyBinghamton starter, Cory Mazzoni, had some discomfort in the 4th inning last night and had to come out early. No word yet on any long term injury.
The Mets have signed 16-yr. old
Venezuelan SS Luis Carpio ($300K)
Steve Wilson - Hey Mack, hope you’re
doing well. I just read Chris Sale could be put
up for trade! Would you trade for him?
Sale has been a favorite of mine since his days
at FGC. It’s also an excellent contract ($3.5mil/2014, $6mil/2015,
$9.15mil/2016, $12mil/2017.
This is a proven star lefty that, when added to
Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler, could make the most
potent threesome in baseball.
Obviously, Chicago would want team controlled
pitching and I’d do a package that included both Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero. I still have Gee,
Hefney, and Niese so I don’t need either of them.
Would you add Rios as well?
I assume you are
referring to 32-year old Alex Rios. I would not be interested in anyone 32-years old. If I’m
going old, I’d resign Marlon Byrd or try and talk Carlos Beltran to come back, but I want players younger than
my captain.
Top 5 best-selling MLB jerseys to date in 2013: Buster Posey,
Mariano Rivera, Yadier Molina, David Wright, Matt Harvey
