Brooklyn State of Mind: Brooklyn Let The Doggar Out To Montreal (2062.7)

[lordtoffee]

Given the state of how the Robins are doing this year both on the field and on the balance sheet, there was going to be some movement at the trade deadline. Umar Dogar ended up being that guy, and ended up being traded to the Blazers for a package of 4 prospects. Umar pitched well for the Robins since joining from the GBC a year and change ago, but the problem was that the money and time for him in Brooklyn to be on a contender wasn't going to work out. And with the Robins over 30 million dollars in the red, something had to change.

Robins Chief Baseball Officer Ben Heuring addressed the media from Brooklyn to announce the trade. "I want to thank Bob and Erik for both the deal. This one ended up coming together nicely, and I hope that this is a win for the both of us. Speaking on the Brooklyn side, this trade accomplished two major goals that we had going into the trade deadline. First, this improves our financial outlook by 15 million dollars next year, and that is going to go a long way with our planning for this offseason. Secondly, we ended up fortifying our roster by adding pieces that will get a chance to develop. This deal from our perspective makes a lot of sense, and is going to help us in the long term."

Let's take a closer look at what the Robins got, starting with the two position players. Hilal bin Umayr was signed into the BBA system through IFA in 2060, and ended up hitting over .300 in his first year in Rookie ball. He has shown the ability to hit for contact with the potential to hit for a little bit of power. His glove is going to need work in the development lab, but there is some good potential to be a contributor at the BBA level if he fully develops into what his potential says he is going to be.

Jose Gros was a 9th round pick 2 years ago, and has demonstrated the ability to hit for average. For a first baseman, he projects to have a good amount of speed and still is going to need to work on turning his slugging percentage into more home runs. The Robins like that he can play second as well, and he has the chance to be someone who could contribute at the BBA level, though he isn't going to be a star by any means.

Valentine Espinoza is a little further along in his development, and has some potential on a couple of his pitches that the Robins are going to be hoping he can reach. His numbers at the AA level have been good, and while he isn't going to be the star pitching prospect of the Robins system, the hope is that he can go AAA next year and build on his previous AAA experience.

Gustavo Brown has one glaring flaw. While he does have decent ratings and has won games at AA, his control has been a struggle. The walk numbers say it all. It's also interesting note that he has been involved in some big trades throughout his career passing through Long Beach, San Fernando, Montreal, and now Brooklyn. The hope is that his control is going to improve and that if he sticks around that he can take advantage of his chances in AAA ball next year.

Also, if you want to read about this deal from Montreal's perspective, you can do so here.