Thursday, July 10, 2003
Benitez to Florida?
ESPN.com is reporting that a deal sending Met All-Star representative Armando Benitez to the Marlins may be immiment. The first question is, if he gets traded before the All Star Game, do the Mets get a new representative? The second, and probably more important, question is, who are the Mets getting? Well, "Right-handers Nate Bump, Justin Wayne and Blaine Neal and Double-A left-hander Ryan Snare are among the candidates to be traded to New York."
The twenty-six year old Bump has thrown 7 1/3 major league innings this year, allowing six hits, four walks and three runs while striking out three. Baseball Prospectus saif of him before the season, "Bump is no longer a prospect, but he finally mastered Double-A in 2002." He didn't exactly master AAA this year, going 6-5, 4.43, striking out 52 and walking 24 in 85 1/3 innings and allowing four home runs.
Wayne is twenty-four and has started two major league games this year, going a total of 5 1/3 innings with an 11.81 ERA. He went 3-7, 4.07 in AAA, striking out 50 and walking 30 in 86 1/3 innings, also allowing four home runs. BP said of him, "He could use some work against Triple-A hitters, but may not get it." Apparently he could use a little more.
Neal is twenty-five and was a closer in the minors. In 20 major league innings this year, he's given up 35 hits and nine walks while striking out ten with an ERA of 7.65. He was 2-1, 3.80 in AAA, striking out twelve and walking ten in 21 1/3 innings.
Snare seems to be the real prize of the group, as BP called him "somebody who could force his way into the Fish rotation by the end of the year." But at AA he's just 5-4, 3.67, has struck out 77 and walked 37 in 103 innings, giving up four home runs.
Even if none of these guys look like sparkling prospects, in a general sense I'm glad to see the Mets on the lookout for young arms and cheap bullpen help. I'd rather see them give a shot to a dozen Blaine Neals than go out and sign more Stantons and Weatherses in the off-season. We'll see if this trade goes through and who the Mets wind up getting, but at the point it looks like there's at least the potential for getting some decent talent in return for Benitez. And if trading him forces MLB to put Burnitz on the All Star team, all the better. ¶ joe | 2:24 AM |
ESPN.com is reporting that a deal sending Met All-Star representative Armando Benitez to the Marlins may be immiment. The first question is, if he gets traded before the All Star Game, do the Mets get a new representative? The second, and probably more important, question is, who are the Mets getting? Well, "Right-handers Nate Bump, Justin Wayne and Blaine Neal and Double-A left-hander Ryan Snare are among the candidates to be traded to New York."
The twenty-six year old Bump has thrown 7 1/3 major league innings this year, allowing six hits, four walks and three runs while striking out three. Baseball Prospectus saif of him before the season, "Bump is no longer a prospect, but he finally mastered Double-A in 2002." He didn't exactly master AAA this year, going 6-5, 4.43, striking out 52 and walking 24 in 85 1/3 innings and allowing four home runs.
Wayne is twenty-four and has started two major league games this year, going a total of 5 1/3 innings with an 11.81 ERA. He went 3-7, 4.07 in AAA, striking out 50 and walking 30 in 86 1/3 innings, also allowing four home runs. BP said of him, "He could use some work against Triple-A hitters, but may not get it." Apparently he could use a little more.
Neal is twenty-five and was a closer in the minors. In 20 major league innings this year, he's given up 35 hits and nine walks while striking out ten with an ERA of 7.65. He was 2-1, 3.80 in AAA, striking out twelve and walking ten in 21 1/3 innings.
Snare seems to be the real prize of the group, as BP called him "somebody who could force his way into the Fish rotation by the end of the year." But at AA he's just 5-4, 3.67, has struck out 77 and walked 37 in 103 innings, giving up four home runs.
Even if none of these guys look like sparkling prospects, in a general sense I'm glad to see the Mets on the lookout for young arms and cheap bullpen help. I'd rather see them give a shot to a dozen Blaine Neals than go out and sign more Stantons and Weatherses in the off-season. We'll see if this trade goes through and who the Mets wind up getting, but at the point it looks like there's at least the potential for getting some decent talent in return for Benitez. And if trading him forces MLB to put Burnitz on the All Star team, all the better. ¶ joe | 2:24 AM |
