All-Star Game and Trade Deadline – Roy Smith
Last week I had the honor of representing the club at the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh. I will admit that I requested the assignment because of my ties to Pittsburgh and the Pirate organization. It was a chance for me to see my old friends both inside and outside the organization. While it was great to renew old aquatances, my primary function was to attend the Futures Game and to meet with as many opposing front office people to determine where their thought process was leading up to the trade deadline on July 31.
The city of Pittsburgh did a great job and the country was able to see how beautiful PNC Park is. However, as the All-Star Game has grown into the three-day celebration it is today, less front office members attend. Ten years ago, the game was the site of intense trade negotiations and almost all of the clubs sent represetatives. Now, with communication and technology making the world so much smaller, not as many baseball people attend.
The Futures Game is always fun to watch. Joel Guzman and Chin-lung Hu played for the World Team along with Jacksonville manager John Shoemaker, who was a coach. Being able to put faces to names of the best prospects in the minor leagues is important for someone in my position.
From Pittsburgh, I traveled to Las Vegas to watch our Triple-A club. I had planned on staying through Sunday morning. However, on Saturday I was called away by Ned to scout a big league player we are thinking of trading for. It is one of the many functions of my job that I really enjoy. That players name is…oh, I forgot. I can’t tell you that.
Inside the Dodgers 
Wanted to give my take on our trading strategy for the rest of this season:
1) would not want to get any more “over the hill”, overvalued players on this ballclub – I think we already have Drew and probably Kent in this category. Unfortunately, I think we’ll regret Kent’s contract extension, since his numbers seem headed down and he is more prone to injury, as is the case at the present time. While Nomar has made a great contribution, by the end of the season his average will likely be closer to .300 than .350. While that is still impressive, there is no need to negotiate his contract while he’s peaking at .350 and overpay him as well. I’d also want to make sure that he is able to play the rest of the season without recurring injury.
2) I don’t want to rent a mature pitcher just for the rest of this season, like Maddux, at the expense of some of our future long term talent. I would rather get a promising AAA pitcher or two, particularly since we don’t have any pitching prospect who is really impressing at that level. 3) Rather than trade our best prospects, I would be offering Drew, Kent, and even Furcal to some other team for a longer term player of value. We would probably need to throw in some cash with any of these. I would not want to part with Kemp, Aybar, Ethier, Martin, or Broxton.
4) If we could package Odalis, Cruz and Hall, it would be worth almost any return in AAA prospects to our side.
I’m not sure that this strategy would give us a playoff berth this season, but I think we have bigger problems with our no-hit, no power middle of the lineup than one starting pitcher and one hitter in trade will remedy for the rest of this season. I’d then rather hold onto the couple of prospects that will help us next year and will stay with us to ensure our success for hopefully a number of years to come.
Have a safe trip! Enjoy Florida!
Hopefully it’s not a starter because I don’t see anything wrong with our starters right now, and what we really need is a power bat.
Tease!!!!!!!
Tell Soriano I say hello. =)
I hope the Player That Will Not Be Named is a Kevin Mench or Casey Blake type hitter, or a reliever whose name may rhyme with Fike Bonzalez.
Go get Tim Hudson. I think he’ll do great back on the West Coast (because its the best coast). Then while you have the funds from Gange free in the off season you can whew Zito over here too and reunite them!
abuabraham2@gmail.com
you said >>Tease!!!!!!!
Tell Soriano I say hello. =)<<
to my little friend?? :o) (scarface quote)
It’s time to go get Soriano. Let’s give up Guzman and Izzy and in return get a solid power hitter like Soriano. In the offseason let’s go after Zito since he’ll be a free agent
Cmon, tell us who it is, we won’t tell anybody.
Lots of fun comments on these blogs. I like the team the way it is. Being familiar with the players and getting to know thier skills and baseball personalties is part of what makes me a fan. I remember discussing a young pitcher knicknamed Bulldog, it doesn’t feel like that long ago, and it feels the same, discussing our favorite team, with new faces and some old. I will Leave the business to the business folks and get me a Dodger Dog!
This team has big problems. Inconsistant starting pitching, inconsistand relief pitching, and a punchless and weak offense. Even the defense is sporadic. I can see the young guys having growing pains and that is to be expected. The veterans are actually the ones that are stinking up the place.
Good luck Ned. Unload the older players and keep the prospects.
I appreciate your insight Mr. Smith. It is very interesting to hear. As for trades, however, I agree entirely with messagebear that we should attempt to trade away some veterans and get more young talent. We should trade Lowe, Hall, Baez and Perez and Drew if possible. Then go after Zito and/or Hudson in the offseason. This team has no passion whatsoever and would be lucky just to win the West. Good teams don’t lose this much and don’t get shut out by Miguel Batista. We could rid ourselves of some contracts that we probably couldn’t in the offseason and get better for the future.
You are such a tease Roy P. Smith, leaving us hanging like that. Your posts do let the fans know that you don’t let no moss gather under your suitcase. I’m sure happy hour just ain’t the same in Pittsburgh without you there.
we should go after zito… lowe has not pitched well this year and last year wanst good either… this team is not consistent and is so far an upset for all of us fans…
fur cals is being paid too much for what the team is getting trade furcla get a third baseman keep izturis