2062 Trade Deadline Trade Analysis: The Bob Anderson Deal (Charlotte/Jacksonville

[lordtoffee]

Given that we took a closer look at another major trade involving an Atlantic frontrunner, it seems fitting to take a closer look at the deal that sent Bob Anderson from Jacksonville to Charlotte. As a quick disclaimer, I have no idea of what Aaron and Nathan talked about outside what has been publicly said. Any predictions I have could age very badly. You have been warned. Let's get into the deal.

The Deal:
Jacksonville sends:
P Bob Anderson (MLB)

Charlotte sends:
1B Paul Long (AAA)
P Julio Segura (S A)
2B Sandor van der Lee (INT)
2B Jim Pollard (S A)
OF Menderes Nedim (INT)

What Does This Trade Mean For Jacksonville:
Despite Aaron's best efforts, the Zombies have struggled after a good start. While Anderson wasn't one of the rentals that Aaron was shopping around, he was going to get a good haul. That is exactly what ended up happening, even though it is a little strange seeing Anderson in a uniform that isn't a Zombie one. The 5 players he got back are going to help bolster the farm system in both the short term and the long term.

The headline piece is going to be Paul Long. He made his BBA debut for Charlotte this year and put up a pretty good rookie campaign. Hitting over .300 and displaying some power while adjusting to BBA pitching suggest that he could be a very good piece for the Zombies going forward. It wouldn't surprise me if Aaron was very strong about getting Long as a part of his return. How Long is going fare in 2062 is going to be an intriguing storyline to follow.

Segura was drafted in the 6th round in 2060 by Charlotte, and has had a solid start to his minor league career. He was a 1.4-1.6 WAR pitcher through Rookie Ball and Short A, though a setback in his recovery from dead arm caused his numbers to go down a bit. He projects to have 3 elite pitches with his fastball and breaking pitches. The important thing to remember about Segura is that he is only 19 and still is going to need some time to improve. That being said, he could be a solid piece if not a star at the BBA level should that be what Aaron wants to deal with him. His mental stats are very middle of the road, so how he reaches his potential is worth a follow.


van der Lee was an IFA signing last winter by Charlotte, and has spent 2062 in the Flyer international complex. With no numbers in a BBA affiliated league to speak up, I can only go off what his projections are. If he reaches his full potential he should be a very good contact hitter with some power. That being said, his fielding might not be amazing. It wouldn't surprise me if van der Lee ends up being a DH, and doesn't project to be a star in the BBA unless he has a great dev lab session or gets some bumping. He is only 17 though, and will get his chance in 2063 to play against professional league hitting. I can see why Aaron ended up getting him, but until the numbers come in it is hard to say what could happen.


Pollard was acquired in the trade that Charlotte swung with San Fernando, and still has a little of his potential to reach. His numbers have been fine without being spectacular. Being in 3 organizations in one year means that he is going to benefit from spending some time with Jacksonville and their player development. His main ability is that he can field well at second, but won't be someone who is going to wow you offensively. If he can avoid more trouble with his oblique, he should be a piece that could be a supplement for Jacksonville or be packaged in a trade to get someone else.


Nedim also was an IFA signing by Charlotte last winter, and has played in a grand total of 0 games in the minors. Based on his potential, he could hit for both power and average. He also projects to have plus speed. Should Nedim hit his potential, this could be a great addition to Jacksonville in the next few years. The thing is that he is 17, and has a long way to go. His personality isn't super great, and is a good PPT reward and development lab candidate for Jacksonville. How well he does in the minors is going give us our first clue to what he can do. I like him, don't get me wrong. But there is only so much I can go off on.


What Does This Trade Mean For Charlotte:
It is easy to see why Nathan wanted to go and get Anderson. He is a veteran pitcher that has demonstrated consistently that he can lead a rotation, and his postseason experience and comfortable salary means that Charlotte has made their rotation a lot stronger. Combined with Charm City and Montreal really pushing to get whatever advantage they could at the deadline, it is no surprise that Nathan wanted to make sure that he did everything to maximize his chances both now and in the near future. I don't see Anderson falling off a cliff. The danger for Charlotte is that they had to give up a lot to get Anderson to a division rival, and Jacksonville won't be down for long. Should Charlotte win the Atlantic or have a deep run in the playoffs, then Nathan can be happy with this move.

Who Won the Trade:
This is another trade that we will know the answer to in a few years. Jacksonville got a good return and has more room in their budget to play with. Give Aaron those things and he can craft something special. Charlotte is in their window, and Anderson makes them better. All in all, a very interesting deal.

[aaronweiner]

A fair article. Anderson's 32 years old, and he's shown signs of wear over the last year or so; he's lost MPH off his fastball and I figured I could make a move like this to play it safe. Long is a good fit on the team, too - he'll probably eventually replace Benedict Daniel in the lineup, who has lumped a bit too.

My team's too good to bottom out but I figured it was better to deal Anderson a year early than a year late.

[RonCo]

Nice overview. We'll come back in two years to see what it looks like then.

[Trebro]

It all depends on how the prospects fare and how far Charlotte goes in the playoffs. Good analysis.

[RonCo]

The more I think about it the more I'm seeing this as a gutsy deal from Aaron, but really quite smart. Anderson is properly paid for his value, but has the future risk of every early-30s pitcher. Jacksonville isn't going anywhere right now. And at the end of the day, we'll not know the final tally of this trade until JAX spends that $11M next year.

Because that's the deal:

Anderson for five fairly interesting prospects and the ability to sign different $11 player.

When looked at that way, I'd have a hard time not doing that.