Rays acquired infielders Willy Aybar and Chase Fontaine from the Braves for LHP Jeff Ridgway.

by Peter North on Jan 17, 2008 9:16 PM EST Comment 13 comments

He comes with question marks, but Aybar hit .292/.387/.416 in 329 major league at-bats during his age 22 and 23 seasons for the Dodgers and Braves. The Braves soured on him after last season's substance-abuse problems, but it's still surprising that this is the best they could do for him. Now the Rays have some actual competition for Evan Longoria at third base. Longoria still deserves a chance to win the job, but Aybar should be a nice fallback if he shows the proper level of commitment.
Related: Evan Longoria, Braves

Chase Fontaine-2B-Rays Jan. 17 - 8:12 pm et

Infielder Chase Fontaine was traded from the Braves to the Rays in a three-player deal.
Fontaine, a 2006 second-round pick, hit .288/.402/.399 in 313 AB for low Single-A Rome and .205/.284/.256 in 78 at-bats for Single-A Myrtle Beach last season. A left-handed hitter, he has a chance to turn into a platoon second baseman in a few years. We're not sure it would have been worth giving him up for Jeff Ridgway in a one-for-one deal, and he wasn't even the top property the Braves surrendered.
Related: Braves

Jeff Ridgway-R-Braves Jan. 17 - 8:09 pm et

Braves acquired LHP Jeff Ridgway from the Rays for infielders Willy Aybar and Chase Fontaine.
We may not like the move, but at least Ridgway has nowhere to go but up. He allowed seven runs over one-third of an inning in three appearances for the Rays in September. The 27-year-old has pretty good stuff for a left-hander, but he's battled arm problems and his command is below average. It's stunning that the Braves would give up two players to get him.
Related: Rays

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Comments

...source?

Yankees fans dream about Wang.

by ufoboy90 on Jan 17, 2008 9:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It's up on Rotoworld

http://rotoworld.com/content/home_MLB.aspx

by demondeaconbaseball on Jan 17, 2008 9:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ridgway seems like a pretty solid reliever

Not a bad get for a 3B with no power and a middle infielder who hasn't exactly shocked the world with his performance in A ball at 22

by OldProspects on Jan 17, 2008 9:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Get rid of Wren

This guy is starting to look like Bill Bavasi Jr. No wonder why the O's fired this guy.

by Bravesin07 on Jan 17, 2008 10:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ehh

I don't care about this trade.

Although it seems to me (and just about everyone else whose opinion I have read) that Aybar has clearly got the most upside in this deal.

And that Ridgeway is a definite step down from either Ohman or Ring as a LOOGY.

But whatever. Aybar probably wasn't going to do anything this year, what with Infante and Lillibridge (and likely Prado) ahead of him for a job as a backup IF. And Fontaine was 21 in A-ball slugging .399.

by mraver on Jan 17, 2008 10:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Aybar

I loved Willy Aybar when he was with the Dodgers, if that's possible. I really wanted the Giants to trade for him last offseason, and was very dissappointed when I heard of his off-field problems even if he was traded to the Braves rather than the Giants.

I'm not sure the above paragraph makes much sense, but I really like Aybar as a player if he is mentally healthy.

by DrBGiantsfan on Jan 18, 2008 12:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

+1

obviously, no one believes he's mentally healthy or can put it back together, or else he wouldn't keep getting traded, but.....

....if he were, he has a combination of a fantastic batting eye at the plate, a great line-drive stroke and a lot more projectable power than most people realize. it's a shame he's likely to never realize any of his potential, because he really could have been something -- and something most people didn't see coming, either.

by bleedjaxblue on Jan 18, 2008 2:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

His original trade...

When he was traded to the Braves, there was no talk of him having makeup or mental health issues. And for whatever it's worth, he's been playing in the DWL this year (albeit not particularly well). I too was rather high on him when the Braves made the trade, and I was hoping he'd get a shot to compete with the immortal Martin Prado to be the second backup IF on the squad.

What's really disappointing (at least from a Braves perspective) is that all Aybar and Fontaine could net was this random pitcher who walked everyone in AAA when he was 27 and no one outside of Tampa seems to have heard of.

by mraver on Jan 18, 2008 10:19 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

first trade

"When he was traded to the Braves, there was no talk of him having makeup or mental health issues."

Obviously, there was no talk about it. But I have trouble believing that, within the Dodgers organization, they weren't aware that he has having issues, which is likely why they were looking to move him. I think the trade was a case of both organizations dumping off players that they knew weren't fit to be big-league starters for various reasons (since Schuerholz never makes a trade without knowing he's screwing someone). All in all, the Braves probably won the trade just because they got the type A pick from Baez.

by bleedjaxblue on Jan 18, 2008 10:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Surprising

This seems like a bit of a head-scratcher from the Braves side. They must really like Ridgeway, but you'd have to think they could have acquired him while giving less value back.

by Yakker on Jan 18, 2008 1:03 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

wren...

What is it about Frank Wren and throw ins? Devine for Kotsay was probably too much, so throw in Richmond too. Aybar for Ridgeway, seems even, so throw in Fontaine too.

What exactly is the logic?

by B Agate on Jan 18, 2008 3:36 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I believe

this signals that the Rays are going to keep Longoria in AAA until late-May/early June. They've hinted all along that it would be his job to lose, but in the last couple weeks, reading some of Friedman's quotes, it made me think they really wanted to keep him under control for an extra year.

by Tyler on Jan 18, 2008 7:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs