Putting to bed Upton end of season rumors

by raysfaninminnesota on Aug 18, 2009 8:13 PM EDT

ESPN's Buster Olney sparked a controversy saying the Rays were going to market Upton in the offseason. Upton haters have been saying good riddance because of perceived attitude issues/regression/lack of hustle, ec. Upton supporters have been screaming this is foolish to even consider because of immense potential/still under team control for a few seasons/selling low, etc.

Both sides are wrong.

The Rays should consider Upton offers the same way they would for any player. Having a surplus of outfielders means there's some flexibility there. Regardless of Upton's year, he still could fetch a very good haul.

And that is the only way he puts on a different uniform.

Adrian Gonzalez. Felix Hernandez. Matt Cain. Buster Posey. If names like these are not part of the consideration, then no trade is happening. If Upton isn't part of a Delmon Young-type package, this isn't happening.

Felix Hernandez is extremely interesting. It would take a huge package, but there are a few reasons why the Rays are a good fit. Seattle has an affection for Reid Brignac. Thanks to trading Adam Jones, they are in need for an impact CF. Some sort of a Upton/Brignac and a Niemann/Davis/Hellickson could get a deal done.

A deal like that makes sense.

Hernandez is under contract through 2011. Is two years of Hernandez worth Upton, Brignac and a Niemann/Davis? Yes and then some. Hernandez would be an even bigger name if he was in a larger market. Players of his age and caliber are rarely ever available.

Which brings us back to Upton. You don't give up on a player of his potential nor do you sell for pennies on the dollar. I still believe there is a strong likelihood Upton is traded. But if he does, I'm sure the haul will be worth the trade.

This post was written by a member of the DRaysBay community and does not necessarily express the views or opinions of DRaysBay staff.

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Comments

Thanks to trading Adam Jones, they are in need for an impact CF.

I think you might be be wrong on this one…

SIGN JOHN SMOLTZ

by vivaelpujols on Aug 18, 2009 8:37 PM EDT reply actions

Franklin Gutierrez might be the most underrated player in baseball this season.

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 18, 2009 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions

True

I tried to tell me friends he’s an MVP candidate, and they said he only 60 RBIs. Then they said it should be Texeira… I should get some new friends.

SIGN JOHN SMOLTZ

by vivaelpujols on Aug 18, 2009 9:46 PM EDT up reply actions

kill your friends

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 18, 2009 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Going to jail over baseball seems stupid.

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 18, 2009 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Who said anything about jail?

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 18, 2009 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Too shea.

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 18, 2009 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

isn't it

touche?

"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey

by Gone Phishing on Aug 18, 2009 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions

no it's "douche"

SIGN JOHN SMOLTZ

by vivaelpujols on Aug 19, 2009 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Inside joke.

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 19, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions

thought so.

I knew you could spell just about anything

"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey

by Gone Phishing on Aug 19, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions

or allow people to enjoy baseball in whatever manner they so choose

i know, a novel concept.

by RaysTheRoof on Aug 19, 2009 12:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Wow man you really don't know a joke when you see one

I bet you’re the life of the party when you’re not trying to control everything around you or slapping your GF around.

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 19, 2009 9:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, that's me.

You clearly don’t actually read or try to understand my comments.

by RaysTheRoof on Aug 19, 2009 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

which gutierrez is the real gutierrez?

He’s having a good season, is only in his third year, but is he just starting to tap his potential? How does this season rank compared to his talent level? a .290-.300 season w/ 20HR is definitely pretty good.

In hindsight, I should have said they could use another impact player, and a OF of Upton-Gutierrez-Ichiro would be very good offensively and defensively.

by raysfaninminnesota on Aug 18, 2009 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Seattle has a ton of outfielders.

Saunders and Langerhans are quite serviceable and Ackley is on the way.

by R.J. Anderson on Aug 18, 2009 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Not to mention that Ichiro guy

SIGN JOHN SMOLTZ

by vivaelpujols on Aug 18, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions

umm no way in hell I trade Upton, Brignac, and a young SP for anyone who plays 1 out of every 5 games

by Dbullsfan on Aug 18, 2009 10:43 PM EDT reply actions

I think you're right

Hernandez is good. He’s not that good.

by behn on Aug 18, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions

not that good?

if he were on a winning team, he’d be a shoo in for the Cy Young. He still might win the Cy Young. He’s worth a couple seasons of Upton, Brignac and a young pitcher. He’s the type of guy that can make a difference.

by raysfaninminnesota on Aug 18, 2009 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Hernandez is not that much better than Upton going forward

And he is about to hit arbitration, and has a higher injury risk.

SIGN JOHN SMOLTZ

by vivaelpujols on Aug 18, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions

hernandez is about to cash in huge

talk about buying hernandez at the wrong time contract wise. At least with Upton’s down seasons he wont be talking 100+ million that Felix will be. Granted, Felix is a HUGE talent, but we can more than compensate instead of him with Davis/Price/Garza/Shields/Neimenn. Kazmir is the guy we should try selling on this offseason and seeing if we cant get rid of his contract and pick up some nice pieces(not sure what) and try and resign Crawford. Id like to see us just get through the burrell contract through next year, let Jennings tear up AAA for 2/3 of the season then bring him up and then have him full time ready in 2011 and still having Crawford with him resigning because of the free’d up money from kazmir. That to me would be a best case cenario. Anyone agree? thoughts?

by Jombari on Aug 19, 2009 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I believe Kaz does get moved in the offseason

and if he can continue to at least pitch decently, they may even get a solid offer in return. Cincinnatti is desperate for pitching and makes a lot of sense for Kaz. I keep hoping Kaz in a package for Jay Bruce could happen. I would love for that to happen.

by raysfaninminnesota on Aug 19, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Jay Bruce and Joey Votto for Kaz, Garza, Bartlett would make me nut all over the place.

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 19, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

We should trade Navi for Jesus Montero while we're at it

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Aug 19, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions

I thought I was implying the same thing since they know what they have with Jay Bruce.

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 19, 2009 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions

you realize we are only 3 games better than Seattle right

I’m not sure where this misconception that Seattle sucks comes from. Not just you but others have mentioned in passing about either us losing 2 of 3 to an awful team or Felix is a one man team etc… not just on here either but in general.

by Dbullsfan on Aug 19, 2009 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions

You're right, Seattle doesn't suck.

But the Rays should be much better then 3 games over them. They’re not, but they should be.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Aug 19, 2009 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions

I think the divisional competition pretty much explains it

Problem is, that’s not going away.

SIGN JOHN SMOLTZ

by vivaelpujols on Aug 19, 2009 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions

how does that explain it

NYY = Angels
Bos = Texas
TB = Sea
Bal = Oak

Toronto is left over and I think we’ve done pretty well against them if I can remember correctly.

by Dbullsfan on Aug 19, 2009 1:26 AM EDT up reply actions

actually looking at it

NY is 1 1/2 games better than LAA and Oak is 5 games better than Bal.

by Dbullsfan on Aug 19, 2009 1:28 AM EDT up reply actions

I think it's pretty clear

That Boston and New York, and even Baltimore with that ridiculous core of young players, are going to be better than the AL West in the future. Also, the 4 team division makes making the playoffs easier.

Thanks

by vivaelpujols on Aug 19, 2009 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, there's hardly a comparison.

The ALE next year is going to be a meat grinder.

So long, Sweet Lime!

by PlayOnWords on Aug 19, 2009 9:00 AM EDT up reply actions

We were talking about this year

and the AL West is just as good as the ALE this year you just don’t here about it because all ESPN and such talk about are Boston and NY like they are the only 2 teams in baseball. I agree that next year the ALE should be better because we should be better and so should Baltimore but than again on the same token I doubt the Yankees will be as good and Boston will be about the same.

by Dbullsfan on Aug 19, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Division might explain it, if the Rays weren't getting wiped out by the likes of Oakland, Cleveland, Chicago, Seattle, et. al.

The AL East may be tough as nails, but the Rays have been playing down to their competition outside of it. That, or the AL East simply isn’t as good as we all thought it was. I haven’t looked at other teams records vs. non-ALE teams.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Aug 19, 2009 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions

I think a lot of the Rays "bad" play is due to luck

Most component based expected record systems, like the one we have at BtB, have the Rays at a >.600 team. The reason they are seemingly playing poorly, is probably due a lot of bad luck in close games.

Thanks

by vivaelpujols on Aug 19, 2009 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions