Off-season trades part 2

Dakar's reply to yesterday:


"Actually my main reason for that deal and trying to move a couple more player in that pre arb boat was to move up similar players and create space on the 40 to protect a couple more prospects.  Getting anything useful with 3 years left before R5 was just a bonus."

Now for the trade analysis:


The San Francisco Fog trade Fergie Schmidt to the Helena Hot Heads for Collin Morel

I don’t follow this trade.  Maybe some one will explain it to me.  It’s kind of like the book Red Badge of Courage.  People tell me its good, but I tried to read it and couldn’t finish it.  I guess Helena saves 1.1 million while also getting younger and a little more defensively flexible and San Francisco gets the better bat, but both players are league average at best so I don’t get it.

The Salem Witch Hunters trade Arthur Taylor and Yean Carlos Posada to the Montgomery Scotts for David Seneca and Elrod Parker

As you may have read I love what the Scotts are doing.  They pick up Posada who has a terrific arm (though with limited stamina) on a terrific deal (7.25 mil for 3 seasons).  There are only a few pitchers that are difference makers (maybe 10) and he is one of them.  With his lifetime 2.83 era and 1.10 whip I am drooling.  PLUS they get Taylor who has the defense to play second base and lead off as evidenced by .352 lifetime OBP and 249 steals over the past 4 seasons on 259 attempts. 

Now they did have to pay a pretty penny.  Seneca is only 21, but could play in the ML right now elite speed and base running and decent contact and batting eye.  By the time he is 23 he could be stealing 70 a year on .365 OBP.  I wish his splits were a bit higher, but he is so young that I may still get my wish.  Elrod Parker is a high variance prospect.  I believe he’ll end up as a back-of-the-rotation starter.  My advance scouts believe he will have a massive improvement and top out as a #2 starter.  We will see. 

People who play HBD are often allergic to age and overvalue prospects.  I love the Scotts approach her taking advantage of that.  Taylor and Posada are terrific now.  Maybe Seneca and Parker will get there too, but who knows.  Why not win now.  For the witch hinters it allows them to get out of 15.5 mil of contract this season and next while at the same time picking up 2 sure fire ML’ers.