Seattle Sports Insider

On the Cost of an Air Force One Jet

Posted by

12/7/16

So there have been some Mariners fans, offsite we're sure, who want to know about the possibility of dealing Seth Smith and Jesus Sucre for a 17-game winner. Bill James' analysis today --- > speaks to that indirectly.

VERY indirectly, as it pertains to Seth Smith. If you get what I mean.

Comments on the Sale trade? I don't know much about the minor leaguers Chicago got back. As a White Sox fan, I hated the idea of trading a Top 5 starting pitcher who is still young and on a good contract. Bill, without getting yourself in trouble, what can you say about this deal?

Asked by: Jeff (Chicago)

Answered: 12/7/2016

Probably nothing, but the guys you are getting are really good.

I think we paid $60-some-milion for Moncada at the time we signed him, and he has done nothing since then to discourage us from believing that he's worth it. He has tremendous speed, and is very strong, very co-ordinated, and he plays aggressively and with confidence. We wouldn't have traded him if we had a spot for him in the lineup. In the minors this year he played 106 games, stole 45 bases, hit 15 homers, 31 doubles, drew 72 walks, average somewhere in the .290s. He's 21.

The pitcher, Kopech, (Koe-peck) we believed was the best pitching prospect in baseball. He throws 100, 101, good mechanics, loose arm, good spin. Location isn't major league ready yet, but when that comes around you're going to have a hard choice between putting him in the bullpen where he can help you immediately or letting him go into the rotation and develop over a couple of years. Might compare him to Scherzer.

The other two guys aren't chopped liver, either.

If Michael Kopech were to time-travel to the Dark Ages, pick up a sodden rag, and throw it so people could observe the velocity, they'd have gasped and then tied him to a tree to light him on fire. James says Kopech throws 100, 101; James didn't mention that Kopech has thrown 105.

And to say that Yoan Moncada is one of the top 10 prospects in the minor leagues is like saying that James Paxton is potentially a #2 pitcher.

Granted, Chris Archer isn't quite Chris Sale. But then, neither are Luis Gohara and Tyler O'Neill quite the two best prospects in baseball.

Slap me silly, it's trades like the Sox-Sox deal that get the talking heads scoffing. "The Mariners just don't have the trade goods to get Jean Segura." Stars & Scrubs baby.

You gets what you pays for,

Dr D

Blog:

Dr's R/X

Comments

Personally, Quintana is good

Personally, Quintana is good enough, cheap enough, young enough, that I WOULD deal Diaz for him: 17:$6M, 18:$8.35M, 19:$10.5M club option ($1M buyout), 20:$10.5M club option ($1M buyout)

We need to be realistic, a deal for Quintana would cost Diaz + O'Neil + extras, and the White Sox may still reject that offer as being too light.

Do it. Pay the price. Then sign Chapman or Jansen, with a dash of Uehara, to replace Diaz. Our window is NOW.

Actually regardless of what

Actually regardless of what you trade I'm starting to think that the market is a little soft on Chapman and Jansen. 6/$100 may do it.

Thats actually a relative bargain just on a value-basis even if you don't give either guy a bonus for pitching leveraged innings.