90% of M's Central fans approve of the deadline trades.  That's a better demographic than Nancy Pelosi gets in San Francisco or Sarah Palin gets in Helena, Montana.

D-O-V isn't focused on counting up the runs gained and runs lost, though those are fine, too.  From where we sit, Zduriencik adds two players that will be part of his next pennant.  He's turning over the roster at F-22 velocity, and he is bringing in permanent pieces along with the bridge men.

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=== Ian Snell vs. Jarrod Washburn ===

... would be a huge roto win for me *even if there were no contract considerations.*   I would give you Washburn for Snell, right now, in a 1-year league.

But of course, Snell is under club contract and Washburn has 10 starts left before he's gone.

A colossal victory.

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=== Jack Wilson vs. Yuniesky Betancourt ===

is another thunderous win. 

I don't evaluate Wilson in terms of whether he provides a net performance profit against his salary. 

I'm looking at the Whitey Herzog paradigm.  Whitey thought that a ballclub's entire personality revolved around your shortstop. 

For example, he got to St. Louis, watched Garry Templeton pull the Yuniesky "who cares" shtick and told his owner ... "If it's hot, he doesn't want to play.  If it's cold, he doesn't want to play.  If it's Thursday, he doesn't want to play.  I've got to have a shortstop I can count on."

Whitey traded two St. Louis quasi-celebrities, Sixto Lezcano and Garry Templeton, for a young 62 OPS+ Padres shortstop who loved to play the game.   He loved to play the game so much, that he literally turned backflips running out to his position.  :- )

The Cardinals went on to three World Series in the next six years.

That SS out there is a huge part of the personality of your ballclub.  In Wilson's very first couple of games, his cockiness, fiery-ness and body language was visible in Hannahan's and Lopez' body language too.

If you spend a few minutes considering Whitey's judgment, rather than dismissing it, you'll see the latent impact of the Jack Wilson acquisition.

.................

As Bill James put it, you just can't overstate the need for intelligence (and attitude -- jjc) in the middle of the field.

.................

BTW, on the radio, Zduriencik resisted the idea of Wilson being a LONG-term "shortstop of the future" but did say that he's going to pick up Wilson's option in 2010 for sure.

He hopes Wilson will fall in love with .... going to ST close to his family, the coaches, etc etc ... and implied that he hoped Wilson would cut the M's a hometown discount after 2010.

..................

Dr. Detecto is a huge Jack Wilson fan.  Right off the bat.  I L-O-V-E his joyful, feisty attitude, I love his body control and physical gifts.

I think he'll probably hit for a higher OPS+ in Safeco than in Pittsburgh.  And he really does have a knack for slapping the ball through a hole on a hit-and-run, hurting you with a bunt at the right time, etc.

Stunned as I am to hear myself say it, I would give Jack Wilson $8 or $10M to play shortstop for me.  I think he's a big part of my next pennant.

......................

Omar was asked, "Boy, that Wilson guy is pretty flashy, isn't he?"

Omar:  "Yeah, for an American."

I flat enjoy watching Jack Wilson play baseball.

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=== Jeff Clement vs Mauricio Robles ===

, to me, is the price paid for the above.  The tab is more than acceptable.  Clement might hit 350 homers in his career.  I won't be counting.  You pay to play.

*I* hate losing Clement, but objectively speaking, this is fairly even on paper:  one top-10 org prospect for another one.*

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=== Luke French ===

 , for me, is as much of a nonissue as Garrett Olson is, but you probably feel differently.  I'm guessing you think that French makes 3) a non-pay.

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=== Minors arms ===

Then you have minors arms vs minors arms.  I'll take Cortes over the low-minors guys.   Much closer to the majors and considerably more talented.  I'll give you quantity A-ball pitchers for a #2 org prospect all day long.

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................

Can you win your next pennant with this player?  Jack Zduriencik just added TWO key pieces to the puzzle.  I can very easily visualize Wilson and Snell being at the center of the champagne shower.  

Capt Jack's year has felt a whale of a lot like a Whitey Herzog year.

Standing O,

Dr D