Rauch to the D-Backs for peanuts

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 22, 2008 5:46 PM EDT Comment 24 comments

Which makes me raise the question: who are the Rays looking at that allowed Rauch to go for a speedy, glovely, iffy batting second baseman?

Of the names thrown out there we have Casey Blake and Matt Murton looking like the cheapest of options -- neither of whom I'd mind, although Murton for age/contractual purposes would be my choice. Nady, Holliday, and Bay are all seemingly on the other end of ransoms.

Reliever wise you have Fuentes, Marte, and Mahay who the Rays have reported interest in. Apparently Mahay isn't going anywhere along with the rest of the Royals if you believe what Dayton Moore said last week, but we'll see how much that talk sticks as the deadline approachs.

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peanuts?

the guy was rated 6th in their system. who was 6th in our system this year? accoring to BA it was 6 – Desmond Jennings. would you be ok trading straight up, Jenningsfor Rauch?

by davidsmarch on Jul 22, 2008 5:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Umm...

I’m really not even sure what to say to this. You realize we had the best farm system in the majors by a long shot and that the Nationals had one in the middle of the pack, at best with most of their talent in the lower minors right? You can’t compare our #6 prospect, who was in the Top-100, to the Nationals 6th best prospect. The Nationals had 3 guys in the top 100.

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Jul 22, 2008 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

not sure waht to say?

i think RJ did a better job with7 words then you did in your rambling paragraph…

by davidsmarch on Jul 22, 2008 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He useuallly does

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Jul 22, 2008 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Additionally, it's not the Nats' farm system we're measuring here, but rather the DBacks.

I root for the two worst teams in baseball, non-ironically.

by esoteric on Jul 22, 2008 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I know

I had a reply, but I decided to go with 3 words.

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Jul 22, 2008 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Both systems are not equal in talent.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 22, 2008 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

obviously,

so move him down a few spots. would you trade Niemann straight up? or whoever else you had in 8 or 9?

by davidsmarch on Jul 22, 2008 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Again, still not there. More like trading Jaso

And yeah, I’d do it.

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Jul 22, 2008 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i wouldn't trade Jaso for Rauch

not a chance.

by davidsmarch on Jul 22, 2008 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know we're talking hypothetically, but Jaso doesn't make much sense for the Nationals.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 22, 2008 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They need hitting anyway they can get it

"I'm like a retarded Adam Dunn mixed with Jason Bartlett" - R.J. Anderson

by P Brady on Jul 22, 2008 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where would Jaso fit?

Flores at catcher, Johnson/Young at first, I don’t think Jaso could play third, and their OF is stacked.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 22, 2008 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The ranking number means nothing to me.

The fact is Bonifacio doesn’t appear to be much of a return for a reliever on a team friendly contract. Rauch is around until 2010 and the best deal was for a second baseman who is hitting .302/.348/.387 in the PCL?

If this were a package centered around Bonifacio that’s one thing, but for the Nationals to give up a key trading piece for him alone doesn’t make sense. It just seems like they settled for a second baseman instead of the best package, and I’m not sure why.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 22, 2008 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a little disappointed and surprised by this package too.

But it’s making me wonder whether the market for relievers isn’t softer than previously assumed. Jim Bowden is not known as a man to get ripped off for his high-value trading chips (he’s legendary for ridiculously high asking prices, some of which actually get accepted). So it makes me wonder whether the Rays (or the Dodgers) really were offering him that much. Perhaps there just wasn’t a good fit between trading partners.

I suppose that in that case it might have been better to simply hold on to Rauch and trade him later. I dunno, I’m disappointed as a Nats fan, but I’m not ready to scream outrage.

I root for the two worst teams in baseball, non-ironically.

by esoteric on Jul 22, 2008 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thats because jim bowden is an idiot! im also a reds fan and some of the deals he made are so stupid

by RaysOfHope on Jul 22, 2008 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

though, this should lower the bar for guys like street and marte...

by davidsmarch on Jul 22, 2008 5:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 22, 2008 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

maybe he's sick with the glove?

and maybe Bowden has a thing for toolsy players. anyway, good for the DBs.

my blog

by Sky Kalkman on Jul 22, 2008 6:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bonifacio is wheels with good defense but a completely punchless bat

He’s only a 2B because of a weak arm and would be a #8 hitter in the NL because he k’s too much.

Peanuts is a kind word

by Jason Collette on Jul 22, 2008 7:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Bowden will sell low to us?

Austin Kearns has been really hitting good lately and usually has better 2nd halves much like Aubrey Huff. We probaly could get him for a B type prospect and let him platoon in RF or DH against lefties. He’s good in the field and could do better in the AL.
He would certainly be someone I would look into especially if he could be had for even a lesser cost than a B propect. He might be more of a power bat that even a C. Blake.

SC raysfan

by SC raysfan on Jul 23, 2008 9:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Some rival scouts and executives, however, only project Bonfacio as a utility man. Others were baffled that the Nats were locked in on acquiring a second baseman for Rauch.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8371098/

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 23, 2008 10:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs