Clearly, the winter meetings are actually being held in bizarro world (and yes, if you think I'm repeating that word simply so I can use that link, you're right. Bizarrro!).
The Phillies made what I believe is the best move of the offseason so far.
Chicago sends Freddy Garcia to Philly for prospects Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez.
Now, a couple caveats here--
1) the Sox have a pretty major recent history of fleecing the Phillies (Jim Thome).
2) Garcia will be a free agent at the end of this year, and he's only 30, which means he'll be earning a Ted Lilly contract, minimum.
3) Gavin Floyd is a strong prospect, and a lefty.
All of those points are valid, but here's the thing...
1) The Thome for Rowand deal really wasn't that awful... Thome was blocking the Unstoppable Iron Golem Man-Child That Is Ryan Howard, and they needed a decent center fielder desperately. As long as they don't lose Rowand in free agency after this year, I have no problem with the move.
2) Garcia gives them a rotation that begins like this: Brett Myers, Freddy Garcia, Cole Hamels. I'd go to war with those three. Hell, I'd trade the Unit, Mussina, and PavaNO (and eat his entire contract) for them in a fantasy-land second.
3) Gavin Floyd was given an audition in the show last year, and bombed. The fans HATE this guy. The Philly fans.
Low-risk, high reward. In today's market, this is a great deal.
The Phillies made what I believe is the best move of the offseason so far.
Chicago sends Freddy Garcia to Philly for prospects Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez.
Now, a couple caveats here--
1) the Sox have a pretty major recent history of fleecing the Phillies (Jim Thome).
2) Garcia will be a free agent at the end of this year, and he's only 30, which means he'll be earning a Ted Lilly contract, minimum.
3) Gavin Floyd is a strong prospect, and a lefty.
All of those points are valid, but here's the thing...
1) The Thome for Rowand deal really wasn't that awful... Thome was blocking the Unstoppable Iron Golem Man-Child That Is Ryan Howard, and they needed a decent center fielder desperately. As long as they don't lose Rowand in free agency after this year, I have no problem with the move.
2) Garcia gives them a rotation that begins like this: Brett Myers, Freddy Garcia, Cole Hamels. I'd go to war with those three. Hell, I'd trade the Unit, Mussina, and PavaNO (and eat his entire contract) for them in a fantasy-land second.
3) Gavin Floyd was given an audition in the show last year, and bombed. The fans HATE this guy. The Philly fans.
Low-risk, high reward. In today's market, this is a great deal.
posted by Alex at
8:41 AM
6 Comments:
You know, your argument is framed like "I'd give them my top 3 for their top 3," except you added Pavano, whom I think we all agree is out of the rotation as soon as they find someone better (and who doesn't have a pilot's license). Why not put your money where your argument is and give 'em your Wang? Would that not be a trade you'd want to make? Even still, I'd love to see you wipe out the front of your rotation to make room for Brett Myers. You got any suction with the Yankee front office?
Also, in Floyd's defense, being run out of town by Phillies fans is a GOOD thing. Scott Rolen... Bobby Abreu... J.D. Drew...
By
Jeff, at 10:41 AM
I would say that Garcia was going to get killed in that park, but he's coming from the White Sox, so it's probably about a push. Let me say, though, that while he's a horse, you will learn very soon why it is that you don't actually want to go to war with him. Although I too would choose him over Pavano.
By
Jesse, at 11:03 AM
Full dislosure... I originally typed Wang where PavaNO is now written, then looked at it and thought, "I wonder if they'd go for this deal without Wang".
I actually might make this deal even including Wang. I'd first see if the Phillies would include Flash Gordon in the deal.
Of course, a trade this huge could, would never happen.
But I love Cole Hamels, and evaluate is thusly:
Wang is a little bigger (heehee) than Hamels, but not as much as most would think.
Myers = Mussina, but younger
Garcia > Unit
Gordon thrown in to offset the celebrity factor of Unit and Moose.
Ah well, a guy can dream. More importantly, what do you think of the Garcia signing?
By
Alex, at 11:07 AM
I think even the chicken that plays tic-tac-toe at casinos would take Garcia over Pavano. Bill Bavasi, on the other hand... (sorry)
That said, this is indeed a huge pickup for the Phillies, in the sense that a) whatever Garcia's foibles, he is a legit starter and b) they gave up next to nothing. Floyd has potential, but Garcia > Floyd. So there's no reason for Philly to not sign the deal.
I don't see what the benefit is for Chicago, though, beyond saving a sheckle or two. They had a glut of starting pitchers, so they traded for Floyd... a starting pitcher. Huh? Albeit a future starter, but this isn't really a deal that helps them much in the short-term. Maybe they figure Contreras will skip town, and Floyd is his 2008 replacement or something. Or that one of Garland and Buerhle will falter again, and Floyd is Plan B.
Alex, I do think you're overestimating Garcia a bit. I don't think he changes the nature of the team or anything... his impact will be in innings-consumption, as Jesse hints at. He pitches well enough to keep Utley and Howard within striking range. True, he ends up pretty high in that rotation (I have him #2 behind de facto ace Myers), and Garcia in the softer NL could boost his performance, but this isn't an All-Star exactly.
Great trade for Philly though. No question.
By
Jeff, at 11:49 AM
I've heard that Gio Gonzalez was the bizarro Sox's primary target and was only announced as a PTBN because of Rule 5 considerations.
Also, wouldn't surprise me if Floyd was being looked at as a reliever. The starter-for-two-starters thing doesn't make a whole lot of sense for them, they had a need for RPs last season (which will be exacerbated by putting McCarthy in the rotation), Floyd only has one plus pitch (and two other average ones), and the rising cost of relief pitching (in terms of dollars and years) means that it's financially viable to convert a reasonably paid SP. On the other hand, they might just be trying to clear some salary for a trade (Vernon Wells?) or free agent signing.
In any event, as Kenny Williams said afterwards: "the White Sox are open for business!"
By
chas, at 12:51 PM
Jeff, you're actually right, Bavasi probably WOULD take Pavano over Garcia--but only because Pavano comes cheaper. I actually think it's smart the Yankees aren't moving him. They wouldn't get anything for him anyway, and money doesn't mean anything to them, so why not just hope that maybe he comes back. He'll never be worth his salary, but so what?
Anyway, Garcia sucks. You'll see. And Cole Hamels is definitely the best pitcher on that staff. But I may be underselling Myers a little bit just because I don't like him.
By
Jesse, at 1:00 PM
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