43.3 Tosser is sent to Portland for two throwers

[crobillard]

Portland gets:
SS Robert Menzies
OF Myeung-hwan Kim
RP Luis Marquez (AAA)
2B Mahine Karetu (FPL)
SP Roberto Valdez (FPL)

Edmonton gets:
SP Itze Woertgen (A)
SP Gabriel Soto (R)

Menzies is on the move along with last season's acquisition, Karetu, Kim, Marquez and Valdez. I went into shopping Menzies wanting to improve my pitching situation. Clamoring to find arms to slot in and crossing my fingers that they do well enough for us to win isn't the best plan. Dermott Halford was signed strictly as a low cost potential solution to the gap in my rotation last year. Since Mauro Flores couldn't throw the ball anymore I had to turn to Halford early. He was great with a 4.06 ERA in 128.2 IPs, but I know that's just luck. We need to get more consistent pitching. Pitchers that I don't need to cross my fingers and hope they'll be okay enough when I put them on the mound. After all, I can't rely on my bullpen as much as I thought I could. The Landis series proved that. Vicente Ventura who threw in 85 innings with an ERA under 3 totally blew up in the series. That can't happen again. We need pitchers who can dominate while keeping an offense that can be among the best in the league. More important than anything else is that we keep a defense that can help the pitching out.

That's the strategy of the 2043 Edmonton Jackrabbits and the reason I traded Menzies at 21 years old. By the way, Karetu, Kim, Valdez, and Marquez were all really important parts to this deal too. Valdez and Marquez gave me some depth. Valdez could probably start this year if I needed him, which maybe I do. Kim was an essential piece to my outfield because he can play center a little bit and if Rocky Allen goes down all I have is Wilson Villanuela who is quite injury prone. Also, Kim is a really high contact guy that I love. Karetu is the largest piece after Menzies though. I just acquired him in the deal with Montreal last season that got me Rainer Scheffer. I may end up regretting dealing him. He's going to be a power bat in the middle infield which is always really useful. Not that common either.

However, I needed to trade those guys because Woertgen is the number 2 prospect in the league according to the game FWIW. I like Woertgen because he's a 10 stamina durable innings eater that will help offset the innings that wont be eaten by Chandler Hall in the future. He's also nearly fully developed. I imagine he's a year or two away from being ready. He looks solid in all other respects. This is not a top of the rotation started, but mid rotation is not out of the question. After acquiring the #1 overall pick in Amos Swallows last season, I trade for the #2 overall pick in Woertgen this season. I like it.

Soto is a really interesting piece in this deal and he is the reason why I couldn't make anything work with other teams that weren't willing to give up a second pitcher in a deal for Menzies. Soto is not ranked by the game among prospects in the league and he was a Portland scouting find prior to last season. He's a nearly 19 year old southpaw that's seen some slow development. He's rated 7/6/7 with 6/8/9/8 pitches for potentials and actuals are 2/3/2 with 5/4/4/4 pitches. After a 10.34 ERA in 62.2 innings in rookie league last season, he really needs to improve upon his results in 2043. I'm hoping that Recte's changes to development will favor Soto, but that will play out over the next four or five seasons.

In the end, Menzies departure opens a path for Hakim Ngowa and Yi-ke Hsaio to start again. Ngowa in particular has been awesome in the Edmonton uniform getting on base nearly 40% of the time in 338 at bats. Hsaio had a rough season last year coming in as a pinch hitter mostly, so Ngowa is expected to be the starter. Hsaio has seen plenty of success himself in the Edmonton uniform so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him get some starts too especially if someone gets injured.

[recte44]

So...I think Portland just set the bar really high in this haul with both Menzies and additional propects.

[crobillard]

So...I think Portland just set the bar really high in this haul with both Menzies and additional propects.

Yeah, Menzies is huge and the additional players on top of that? Great haul for them.

[7teen]

I think the deal hinges greatly on Karetu. If he develops into his potential, I think I come out ahead in the trade.

Same can be said for how Soto turns out. If he turns out to be a solid 3-4 type pitcher then perhaps Edmonton wins in the end. Either way, I think that makes it a good trade for both sides in hoping they improved and got what they wanted in the end.

[crobillard]

I think the deal hinges greatly on Karetu. If he develops into his potential, I think I come out ahead in the trade.

Same can be said for how Soto turns out. If he turns out to be a solid 3-4 type pitcher then perhaps Edmonton wins in the end. Either way, I think that makes it a good trade for both sides in hoping they improved and got what they wanted in the end.

I'm pretty inclined to believe this deal favors Portland. I felt that way when I made the trade too. I think Menzies, Karetu and the rest will out WAR Woertgen and Soto. This deal just comes down to needing pitching more than another middle infield combo. I think the best player in the deal is Menzies. He's really young and cheap. Definitely the type of player you build a franchise around. That's why I wanted to deal him to a team in the Frick that was building. Just so happened you had a couple pitchers that I liked too.

[7teen]

I think the deal hinges greatly on Karetu. If he develops into his potential, I think I come out ahead in the trade.

Same can be said for how Soto turns out. If he turns out to be a solid 3-4 type pitcher then perhaps Edmonton wins in the end. Either way, I think that makes it a good trade for both sides in hoping they improved and got what they wanted in the end.

I'm pretty inclined to believe this deal favors Portland. I felt that way when I made the trade too. I think Menzies, Karetu and the rest will out WAR Woertgen and Soto. This deal just comes down to needing pitching more than another middle infield combo. I think the best player in the deal is Menzies. He's really young and cheap. Definitely the type of player you build a franchise around. That's why I wanted to deal him to a team in the Frick that was building. Just so happened you had a couple pitchers that I liked too.

I agree. Menzies is the better player but Woertgen is the better prospect. And behind a pitcher does bump his value in the trade. A big selling point for me on the trade overall was the fact that Menzies is a year younger than Woertgen. Yeah, he'll go to arbitration and get his pay days sooner than Woertgen but there is a chance he lasts longer. Getting Karetu and even Valdez as a possible "wait and see" guy are added bonuses for me.

[DugoutDesperado]

Definitely like Menzies. Tried my best to make a run at getting him, just did not have the horses on the mound that EDM was looking for.