Phillies get Blanton

by killa on Jul 17, 2008 6:56 PM EDT Comment 45 comments

ESPN just reported on Sportscenter that The Phillies just acquired Joe Blanton from the A's in exchange for 3 minor leaguers. ESPN is now reporting that it's Cardenas, Outman and Spencer

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3494315

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What!

any links please?

by asyouwish33 on Jul 17, 2008 7:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Cardinas, Outman, Spencer

Great deal by Beane who just got his future 2nd baseman.

by Bravesin07 on Jul 17, 2008 7:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

wow...pretty good haul

Is it Gio time?

by asyouwish33 on Jul 17, 2008 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great for A's

Outman looks like at absolutely the worst a good LOOGY. Cardenas is going to be a stud—Polanco at worst, Utley at best. Spencer is at best a 4th-5th OF. Nothing special.

by Domino427 on Jul 17, 2008 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Spencer isn't a 4th-5th OF

He is either an MLB starter or he doesn’t get out of AA.

Lots of talent in there, but he just can’t bring it to the park so often.

by nms on Jul 17, 2008 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But will that be a major league 2B or a AAA 2B? He still hasn’t made the jump to AA yet and has shown little power. Nice prospect to be sure, top 100 calibre, but far from being a lock to being even an average keystone kop.

I reject your reality and substitute my own.

by WayneCampbell08 on Jul 18, 2008 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cardenas for Blanton alone

would’ve been a great trade, IMO. I think Beane got a great deal here, perhaps better than what he got from my Cubs in that Harden deal. I love Cardenas, I think he’s going to be a special 2nd baseman.

by toonsterwu on Jul 17, 2008 7:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Is he going to continue to play 2nd, though?

www.loftylantern.com

by OldProspects on Jul 17, 2008 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yay!

(as an A’s fan)

witty remark

by dtownmbrown on Jul 17, 2008 7:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

at what point

does beane just have too many guys and no enough spots…. i mean he just got eric patterso and matt murton, now another outfielder and another 2b…. at some point hes going to run out of positions… but i still think its a good trade (assuming the prospects works out.(

"If you were a hot dog, would you eat yourself?"

by Trobone on Jul 17, 2008 7:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He has trade bait now to be a "buyer"

witty remark

by dtownmbrown on Jul 17, 2008 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Weeks?

Who moves off 2B now or gets traded? Weeks or Cardenas? I am guessing it’s Weeks since his upside has always been a little lower than most budding superstars.

"My mom always taught me it's better to laugh at yourself than to laugh at others. She was so wrong. ;)" -Pedrophile

by Boxkutter on Jul 17, 2008 7:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I've always wondered

if Cardenas’ bat was good enough that he might move off 2nd and perhaps play 3rd.

That said, if I was a betting man, I’d guess that they’ll keep Weeks at 2nd for now. Cardenas should be in AA in 09, with a slim shot at the bigs at some point in the year, and a clear shot in 2010. They can wait to make a decision on Weeks down the line. Perhaps CF? That said, they have a lot of OF options as well.

by toonsterwu on Jul 17, 2008 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

position move

I have a feeling they will try cardenas or weeks at other positions. Some believe Weeks will end up in CF, but Cardenas could end up at third.

by asyouwish33 on Jul 17, 2008 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Beane will either sell Weeks soon

or get rid of Cardenas a little later. I don’t think he has the confidence that Weeks will have any trade valuein a couple of years, or any value to the A’s.

by METSMETSMETS on Jul 18, 2008 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I dont think Week or Cardenas

is a lock to stay at 2nd. So one of them could end up somewhere else.

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Jul 18, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Weeks

Beane can’t sell Weeks soon as he only just signed him. Either way Weeks has a handful of pro at bats to his name and Cardenas is still in A ball. There is hardly a big rush.

by DeJay on Jul 18, 2008 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

WTF are you talking about?

The A’s just signed Weeks like 10 days ago. Now they “don’t have the confidence that he’ll have any value”?

Seriously, where are you getting this crap?

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jul 18, 2008 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well their weeknesses are middle infield and center field

and Weeks/Patterson mostly have CF potential, while Weeks/Cardenas have 2B potential (maybe one could be tried out at SS)

witty remark

by dtownmbrown on Jul 17, 2008 8:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Too many prospects for your big league positions is very rarely a problem.

Chances are that one of either Weeks or Cardenas will turn out not to be a MLB-caliber second baseman. Either offensively or defensively. Either way, you have a while to find out, especially in Weeks’ case. If Weeks, Cardenas, and Patterson (forgot him for a second) all end up being MLB-caliber second-basemen, then they’ll be great trade fodder for positions that the As will inevitably need, despite their quite amazing glut of prospects.

I’d also like to second the notion that the Blanton package is probably better than the Harden haul. I think Cardenas is the best player of the six received, which is usually a good indicator. I’m not saying Beane could’ve gotten more for Harden, who knows. But it’s at the least interesting that the consistently (or at least mostly) good pitcher got more than the injury-prone guy with amazing stuff and results (when he’s on the mound).

WIth this meaning a better chance of Street and Duchscher (sorry don’t feel like looking the spelling right now) being traded, Oakland could have an amazing farm system at the end of the year.

by abbreviatedman on Jul 17, 2008 8:10 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

sean gallagher

cardenas is very good, but i think sean gallagher ends up being the best player out of those 2 deals.

by fewgoodcards on Jul 17, 2008 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Certainly a valid opinion.

I hedged my bet a bit by saying “I think” in that sentence, because I realized it was an opinion people might disagree with. But on further thinking, what I really should’ve said is that Cardenas has the highest upside of any of the players the As got back. It’s still my opinion that he’s also the best player, since he’s got a high upside AND despite being farther away seems like has a pretty high floor also.

Anyway, thanks for the counteropinion!

by abbreviatedman on Jul 17, 2008 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Cardenas is a nice player. Probably eventually a 5 at second, below average defense good bat. That said, there is no way he is better than Gallagher. Gallagher is already pitching well in the majors. And in a world where Carlos Silva can get 48 million dollars, a quality starting pitcher is much more valuable than a second baseman.

by Birdfan01 on Jul 18, 2008 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's Amazing

How once a player leaves the Cubs organization, they jump up two-three grades higher. If I were a cynic, I’d say there’s some bias here.

I reject your reality and substitute my own.

by WayneCampbell08 on Jul 18, 2008 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Blevins got dealt to the A's in the Kendall trade

and he jumped up a few grades himself-from average A Ball pitcher to MLB Reliever.

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Jul 18, 2008 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

biased

I know I’m a biased Cubs fan, but my impression late last year, and into the offseason, was that that Eveland and Gallagher were two of the most underrated non-established players in the game. I think it’s cool that the A’s went out and got both of them. :)

by BobbyMac on Jul 19, 2008 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

happ

On the day the Phils trade for Blanton, Happ throws a true gem in AAA -

7 ip 0 h 0 er 1 bb 12 k, 71 of 102 for strikes

Kinda ironic?

Happ’s wasting away in the minors, where he doesn’t belong. He doesn’t really fit as a reliever. He belongs in someone’s major league rotation and could settle in as a league average starter. Maybe a hair better at his best.

by rdf8585 on Jul 17, 2008 11:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

The Dodgers won't win a playoff series until the Cool-a-Coo returns.

by mckeeno on Jul 18, 2008 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Outman

What does everyone think this means for Outman? I didn’t really understand why the Phils made him a reliever to start…

Will he start?

by benzalman on Jul 17, 2008 11:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Needed MLB LOOGY

Phils wanted another LHP out of the bullpen to save Romero’s arm. They hoped Outman could be the guy. Frankly, I’m not sure why he didn’t get the chance when Gordon went down.

by Domino427 on Jul 18, 2008 1:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jason Donald

Anyone have a good reason why the A’s didn’t receive Jason Donald in that package for Blanton? Bobby Crosby is horrible and they don’t really have anyone AA prospects in the pipeline. Donald is essentially almost MLB ready and could start next year.

by npurcell on Jul 18, 2008 2:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Only thing I can think of is that

Philly didnt wanna give him up or Beane has targeted another SS in another system hes gonna try to trade for. I really wanted Donlad as well.

by Syphon on Jul 18, 2008 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Donald

He’s in the same position as Cardenas though, blocked by an all star at his position signed to a long term deal.

by npurcell on Jul 18, 2008 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Beane's scouts just werent impressed.

by Syphon on Jul 18, 2008 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

With his play at Short thats is..

His Bat seems legit.

by Syphon on Jul 18, 2008 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Street and Murton for Brignac?

People keep wondering about the A’s adding a SS and/or making their next trade. This is just a thought.

by aap212 on Jul 18, 2008 5:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not enough

going back to the A’s.

by npurcell on Jul 18, 2008 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

More like Brignac, McGee and Jaso...

Street is not going to come cheaply, nor should he as the highest-upside reliever in the AL (and cost-controlled for 2 1/2 years).

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jul 18, 2008 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't mean just that...

I didn’t mean Brignac as the only piece, just as the primary piece. Do you think it would make sense, though? Street and Murton for Brignac and a couple of lesser prospects?

by aap212 on Jul 19, 2008 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let me put it this way

If a trade actually happens and Brignac is the best prospect going back to Oakland, the Rays won the deal (unless they gave up half of their low minors along with him).

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jul 19, 2008 10:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Street

I’m curious as to what you mean by upside as a reliever. Last I checked, Paps, Rivera and Nathan were all better. Now, if we’re just talking about “upside”, in terms of how much better they can get, I’d prefer Soria. If we’re looking at this purely from a cost controlled perspective, then I’d wager Street is probably the best closer on the market.

I agree about the possibility of a Rays deal, though. Street will not come cheap at all.

by GuyinNY on Jul 20, 2008 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

only for gamel or escobar, no deal then

Brewers Eyeing Huston Street?
By Tim Dierkes [July 18 at 11:37pm CST]

11:34pm: Haudricourt says the Brewers dispatched their top special assistant to watch the A’s play the Yankees. Haudricourt speculates that the Brewers might have an eye on Huston Street, who is under team control through 2010. Street’s had an off-year, mainly due to a rising home run rate.

by Asfan4ever723 on Jul 19, 2008 1:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs