Sherrill to Dodgers; Grabow to Cubs – Fantasy Impact

July 30, 2009

3 deals today to discuss:

The bigger of the two deals is George Sherrill going to the Dodgers for a couple of prospects (3b Josh Bell and P Steve Johnson).  MLB.com is reporting this is done, but apparently unconfirmed.  Either way, its nice to get a headstart on your leaguemates (as I did earlier today).  If it goes down, AL-only owners lose Sherrill altogether, and mixed league owners lose a closer.  Jim Johnson will probably take over as closer – GO GRAB JIM JOHNSON if he’s still available in your league!  As for Sherrill, he will join the setup committee in LA (joining Troncoso and Kuo), so will definitely have value in NL-only leagues, but his value elsewhere is virtually nil.

The Orioles acquire Bell, a 22 year-old slugging 3B prospect, who is hitting .296 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs for Double-A Chattanooga.  Johnson is also 22 and is 8-4 with a 3.82 ERA at Single-A Inland Empire. Both will report to the minors, and only Bell is someone worth watching for future season, especially since Melvin Mora is 62 years old with 12 children to help raise.

As for the other deal, I feel like I write this every day, but the Pirates continue their sale of everything not nailed down (though I hear GM Neal Huntington’s desk is next) by dealing lefties John Grabow and Tom Gorzellany to the Cubs for 3 players – SP Kevin Hill, RP Jose Ascanio, and 2B Josh Hamilton.  Always nice to deal within your division for a discount, right?  Anyway, Grabow was only owned as Pirates closer Matt Capps’ handcuff, but now he has even less value – he’ll be the other lefty in the Cubs bullpen, but with Samardjzia and Marmol and Gregg, he wont be much more than a situational lefty.  NL-only owners can probably find someone better out there.

As for the guys the Buccos receive, Kevin Hart is in the Cubs rotation now, and actually pitched a pretty good game against the Astros today.  His value certainly doesn’t go up with a deal to the Pirates, and his wins will probably take a hit by leaving the Cubs.  Ascanio is a hard-throwing, high-strikeout reliever who has been with the Cubs for parts of the past couple years.  He gives alot of hits and alot of walks, but can make guys miss.  He’ll be a middle reliever on the Pirates, and may be able to work his way back to value if he can miss more bats.  Harrison is a A-level second baseman, so not very relevant for fantasy at this time.

Oh, and Go Grab Jim Johnson!

Written by Jesse Mendelson · Filed Under Blog | Leave a Comment 

Trade Scorecard: Grading the Deals and Picking Winners & Losers

July 30, 2009

This segment will examine noteworthy trades of 2009 and their fantasy impact:

1. Matt Holliday

St. Louis gets: Matt Holliday

Oakland gets: Brett Wallace, Clay Mortensen, Shane Peterson

Winner: Oakland A’s.  Wallace is a bona fide stud at the hot corner, a position the A’s have had difficulty with lo these past few season (see Eric Chavez and his varied injuries).  Clay Mortensen is considered by many to be one of the Cards’ top pitching prospects.  So, the acquisition of bat-for-hire Matt Holliday came at the cost of a few top prospects.

2. Cliff Lee

Phillies get: Cliff Lee & Ben Francisco

Oakland get: Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Jason Knapp, Lou Marson

Winner: Philadelphia Phillies.  Cliff Lee seems to be everyone’s consolation prize since the asking price for Roy Halladay seemed out-of-this-world.  That would be selling the former Cy Young winner short.  After coming into his own in 2008, Lee has followed up with a stellar 2009, albeit without the wins. Sure, the Phillies gave up Carrasco, one of their top starters in the minors, but Carlos Carrasco had been having an abysmal year in 2009 and the remaining ingredients in the deal were not highly touted prospects, making the winner obvious – Philadelphia.

3. Julio Lugo

St. Louis gets: Julio Lugo

Boston gets: Chris Duncan

Winner: St. Louis.  In spite of a penchant for domestic abuse that sent him packing from Houston, Lugo is a solid offensive contributor.  He can play several positions on the diamond, and has proven time and again an ability to get on base, steal, and even hit for some pop.  Chris Duncan is nothing more than a fourth OF or a platoon player capable of hitting the occasional home run.  Duncan lacks the defensive prowess or ability to handle southpaws required of an everyday player.  Sure, it is possible that Duncan will flourish in Boston or recapture some of his lost power, but in the meantime – advantage Cardinals.

4. Freddy Sanchez

San Francisco gets: Freddy Sanchez

Pittsburgh get: Tim Alderson

 Winner: Pirates.  Easy declaration.  Freddy Sanchez, for all of his hype as a former batting title winner and All-Star, is a somewhat power-starved (career high 11 homers in 2007) infielder with a penchant for the DL.  The Pirates net a top draft pick and one of the best prospects in the minors in Tim Alderson, a stud already in double A at age 21. Look for Alderson to round out the new-look Pirates starting rotation in 2010, and NL-only fantasy GM’s should jump on Delwyn Young who will inherit the starting job at 2B from the departing Sanchez.

5. Jack Wilson & Ian Snell

Seattle gets: Jack Wilson & Ian Snell

Pittsburgh gets: Jeff Clement, Ronny Cedeno,  Nathan Adcock, Brett Lorin and Aaron Pribanic

Winner:  Seattle.  The Mariners get a top defensive SS with a decent bat and a serviceable starting pitching with a lot of upside who is sorely in need of a fresh start.  The Pirates don’t get magic beans back, though.  The Bucs get Clement and Cedeno, two major league ready talents with some upside of their own.  Still, early indications are that Seattle won this deal. 

6. Mark DeRosa

St. Louis gets: Mark DeRosa

Cleveland gets: Chris Perez

Winner:  St. Louis.  The Cardinals discovered what the rest of us already knew – that closers are not as difficult to manufacture as they appear (see perennial underachiever turned All-Star closer Ryan Franklin).  So, the fact that Chris Perez seemed like a talented but unremarkable reliever no longer seemed reason enough to hold fast to the former closer-of-the-future.  DeRosa, on the other hand, a versatile defensive infielder also capable of holding his own in the outfield, can flat out hit. When healthy and given the opportunity to start, DeRosa is more than capable of eclipsing 20 homers and batting .280+.  With the mental collapse of Khalil Greene and anemic bat of Brendan Ryan, this one is a no-brainer – advantage Cardinals.

7. Ryan Garko

San Francisco gets: Ryan Garko

Cleveland gets: Scott Barnes

Winner:   San Francisco.  San Fran gets a power hitting first baseman who is under their control beyond 2009, and fills the void at first, either as a starter or as a platoon righty to balance the deficiencies of Travis Ishikawa and Jesus Guzman.   More likely than not Garko will start and hit, making this trade an easy one to judge.

Written by Russell Sandman · Filed Under Player News | 5 Comments