WHIV 2056.22- Bold Move Made To Improve Top Of Rotation
Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2023 5:08 pm
Just hours after dealing for veteran closer Todd Stone, the Las Vegas Hustlers struck another major trade with a divisional rival:
To Las Vegas:
SP Mahad Einan (BBA)
To Edmonton:
SP Jose Martinez (BBA)
SP John Rasmussen III (BBA)
SP Nasuh Kurtbek (AA)
RP Edward Joseph Pfeffer (AAA)
2B Boyd Blain (S A)
CF Lai-hsiang Guang (INT)
Essentially, the Hustlers ship out disappointing Martinez to get Einan, a more talented starting pitcher without the personality baggage that Martinez brought to the Hustlers.
"Einan was our top free agent priority last season, but we were quickly out of the running on him," explained Las Vegas GM Matt Rectenwald. "Ultimately, it came down to Martinez or nothing and so we signed Martinez, he was ok but obviously not worth anywhere near the money we were giving him. Meanwhile we kept an eye on Einan after he signed with Edmonton, and seeing that they were not going to contend this year, we started working on this deal."
The Hustlers also had to give up their two top pitching prospects in Kurtbek and Pfeffer, which Rectenwald downplayed. "They are both nice prospects but there are some concerns with their durability, and with Kurtbek there's significant doubt of whether he can get lefties out enough to actually start in the BBA," Rectenwald explained. Blain and Guang are both in the category of interesting depth guys who won't move the needle either way, and Rasmussen III's salary finally comes off the books after he's seemingly been on the trade block for years.
To Las Vegas:
SP Mahad Einan (BBA)
To Edmonton:
SP Jose Martinez (BBA)
SP John Rasmussen III (BBA)
SP Nasuh Kurtbek (AA)
RP Edward Joseph Pfeffer (AAA)
2B Boyd Blain (S A)
CF Lai-hsiang Guang (INT)
Essentially, the Hustlers ship out disappointing Martinez to get Einan, a more talented starting pitcher without the personality baggage that Martinez brought to the Hustlers.
"Einan was our top free agent priority last season, but we were quickly out of the running on him," explained Las Vegas GM Matt Rectenwald. "Ultimately, it came down to Martinez or nothing and so we signed Martinez, he was ok but obviously not worth anywhere near the money we were giving him. Meanwhile we kept an eye on Einan after he signed with Edmonton, and seeing that they were not going to contend this year, we started working on this deal."
The Hustlers also had to give up their two top pitching prospects in Kurtbek and Pfeffer, which Rectenwald downplayed. "They are both nice prospects but there are some concerns with their durability, and with Kurtbek there's significant doubt of whether he can get lefties out enough to actually start in the BBA," Rectenwald explained. Blain and Guang are both in the category of interesting depth guys who won't move the needle either way, and Rasmussen III's salary finally comes off the books after he's seemingly been on the trade block for years.