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Bonus three words: "Under any circumstances." Trade Hultzen if you must. Do not trade James Paxton. Much less this "Paxton and two more of your best and brightest for a --- > LF settle." Slap me SILLY and call me shirley. How about Pineda, Seager and Fister for Victorino while you're at the stock exchange.
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Q. Experts say that the market would be Franklin and Hultzen, or Franklin and Paxton and Erasmo, for Alex Gordon.
A. Once people have SEEN James Paxton throw, they won't want to trade him for anybody.
Where's this coming from, you ax? If guys have seen Paxton throw, and are saying that they'd trade Paxton for Gordon even up, they don't get pitching. I mean it in a good way.......
Would you have traded the rookie Pineda for a .450 SLG'ing Alex Gordon with 3-4 years left at $11M per?
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When guys say "I think it would take Paxton, Montero, Wilhelmsen and Wedge to get Chone Figgins" they are giving you their own value judgments. They're not getting it from shot-callers in Seattle.
Anybody interested in what Zduriencik has SAID? What he has SAID is that he's not trading Paxton, period. Having now seen Paxton, from the CF camera at the AFL rising stars, I can't imagine that Zduriencik's position is anything other than that, either.
Think Erik Bedard if Erikkk had CC Sabathia velocity and George Sherrill deception. ... "Paxton and ? and ? for a .455 SLG." ::spits tobacco juice:: Bah humbug.
Anyway. POTD series on Paxton forthcoming. Trade Hultzen if you want. Trade Taijuan if you're getting back Stanton. But do. not. trade. James Paxton.
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Alex Gordon has been productive. So had Chone Figgins when we signed him. Both were exceptionally soft-skills WAR heroes, guys who looked good in saber formulas but who, on the field, didn't do a whole lot of scoreboard changing. Alex Gordon has driven in more than 72 RBI, exactly one time. That one time, his career year, he drove in 87. I'll take Mike Carp. ::tongueincheek:: ::kinda::
It's possible that Gordon will go on to a career providing an OBP-based 120, 125 OPS+ in left field with pretty good defense. If he does, and that is a big IF, he'll do it at a club-friendly salary. Good on him.
It's not just my opinion. Ron Shandler rolled his eyes and said "Finally has value, but bid cautiously. Not a legit .300 hitter (140 K's, jjc); running game could be temporary." Alex Gordon is not a dead man but neither is he a legitimate 5-WAR difference-maker.
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Here's the challenge: Check back with me after you have SEEN IT LIVE, James Paxton throw one ("on") game in Safeco. Let's talk at that time.