The most you can get for Matt Riley is Ramon Nivar?!
Just saw the line on ESPN.com... The O's traded Matt Riley to Texas for Ramon Nivar. My immediate reaction is that no, they weren't going to get an elite prospect in return for Riley at this point, but to get nothing but a guy whose offensive value is tied 100% to his batting average, which he wasn't able to sustain for an extended period in the PCL... ACK!!
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Terrible, Terrible Deal
I was hoping the Os could trade Riley for a project type prospect, someone whose organization had soured on him a little but who still had promise. Someone who had a track record of success but who had a down year in 2004 would have been perfect. Nivar, however, is not that guy. It's not just that he had an off year in 2004 -- he was never any good before 2003 either. So he's had one good year in the minors which was, as you say, completely driven by batting average.
The Orioles screwed up here. They weren't going to get a great player for Riley, but if Nivar was all they could get, they should have held onto him. Nivar is AAA depth at best.
by Joltin Joe Orsulak on Mar 30, 2005 8:05 PM EST reply actions
A good question is:
The most you can get for Matt Riley is Ramon Nivar
Matt Riley is left-handed; he has no real apparent additional positive attributes. His maturity level within a game has been lacking for years and, based upon published reports about his off-field behavior last year, he remains a very unfinished product and a lousy employee. You would think someone would gain something from the rehabilitation experience after Tommy John surgery. It doesn't seem to have happened here.
The Rangers are getting someone who in two or three years may be starting games in an independent league, mainly because he cannot find employment elsewhere. Riley joins Rick Ankiel (another Tommy John guy) as a huge disappointment; an arm attached to a head that didn't have the capacity or will or maturity to apply its talent on the field. Don't shed a tear that he's gone; shed a tear for the waste he represents.
Except I don't think Riley's "nothing"
I understand if he's caused one too many headaches and the organization simply doesn't want to deal with him any more, but I find it hard to believe that they couldn't have flipped him for someone else's high-upside, low odds project(Ankiel maybe......), as a previous post suggested. Sure, it might not work out, but at least there's a risk worth taking. You're right, the biggest issue is the fact that Riley's in a position where he's being dumped at all, rather than being handed a fat contract befitting one of the better pitchers in the game. But as I said, I think there's enough evidence to suggest that even with the baggage, he's worth more than a 24 year old who put up a .664 OPS in the PCL last year.
You're right; he's not "nothing."
I've seen Riley pitch a half dozen times at Bowie. Yes, there was (and may still be) raw ability. But he's still raw, and he'll be turning 26 in August! He's not a kid anymore, but he won't stop behaving like one. So let's agree to disagree about what he could be, because unless and until he takes control of whatever talent remains, he won't come within spitting distance of 36 career "Wins," which is where Ishii-san currently sits.
AAAA
by IBCCommish on Mar 31, 2005 5:38 PM EST up reply actions
Whoa! - You all are way out of line on this
Second, none of you really know what's going on with either of these players or the organizations to make such harsh comments.
Both players have talent and both players need some work.
Nivar is extremely fast and can hit the ball hard. He needs to work on his plate discipline and his base running skills. These are areas that can be worked on and if corrected will result in a very good Major League center fielder. You also have to remenber that Nivar switched from 2B to CF which makes him a possible utilitiy guy as well. So there may also be a future for him as a utility bench player that can play any position, pinch run for you and hit with some pop.
Texas was going to lose Nivar through waivers because he was on the 40 man roster and they needed room for other players on the 40 man roster (odd man out).
Baltimore, on the other hand, might be a great fit for Nivar giving him the environment to progress into the Major Leagues.
Riley is a talented left handed pitcher that may benefit from Orel's coaching in Texas. Not to belabor Riley's attributes (previously discussed), but he could end up being very effective out of the bullpen and/or a number 4 or 5 starter.
In my opinion this is a win/win deal for both the organizations and the players.
I do not know what the future will be for either player, but this deal makes sense - and to be honest is not a killer for either club if it does not pan out as all parties hope.
by kmcsql on Mar 31, 2005 11:21 AM EST reply actions
Hey...here's a better one that happened today...
by The Rocc on Mar 31, 2005 2:04 PM EST reply actions

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