Rosenthal: O's made run at Upton? (Upton rejects trade to M's)

[El Gordo]

Franklin was a top-50ish prospect last year. Throw one of the other top-50's into the mix (20's in the cases of Walker and Hultzen), plus two, young relievers who've actually been successful at the ML level, and...no...I don't think Strop, Schoop, et al comes close.

Sickels has Walker rated A-, Hulzten and Paxten at B+. Neither the latter two are in Bundy's and Gausmann's league IMO. Pryer is a C+and Franklin a B+ SS. Schoop is a B SS/2B/3B, and Wright, Klein and Roderigez are B-. Strop is not a sucessful ML RP? I think a package of Britton, Strop, Schoop, and Klein, would be close, if not better.

[El Gordo]

Gausman, Schoop, Strop, and Patton seems like the best comp for the Orioles. I know Gausman can't be traded, but in terms of value that seems pretty close.

Pryer is a C+ Mil RP. Both Patton and Strop are much more because they are proven ML.

[pdiddy]

Walker and Hultzen are both the top 10 in all of Baseball. Nick Franklin is top 50.

Bundy plus Schoop seems like the starting point for a comparable deal. No way I'd do it.

Would you trade Adam Jones back to the Mariners for that (original) package?

[hendu]

It is VERY strange to me that Arizona wanted another SS prospect, as they just traded one of the top pitching prospects in baseball for one.

[dorfmac]

Sickels has Walker rated A-, Hulzten and Paxten at B+. Neither the latter two are in Bundy's and Gausmann's league IMO. Pryer is a C+and Franklin a B+ SS. Schoop is a B SS/2B/3B, and Wright, Klein and Roderigez are B-. Strop is not a sucessful ML RP? I think a package of Britton, Strop, Schoop, and Klein, would be close, if not better.

Schoop = Franklin (Franklin is slightly better)

Strop = Furbush (Strop is actually a little better, making up for the difference above)

Patton = Pryor (with Patton being the better player)

Gausman = Walker OR Tillman = Hulzten/Paxten

Looking at it from this perspective, while I've been big on trying to acquire Upton, I don't like the price. Giving up EITHER Schoop or Gausman would be tolerable, but it's hard to do both for me.

[Stotle]

Walker and Hultzen are both the top 10 in all of Baseball. Nick Franklin is top 50.

Bundy plus Schoop seems like the starting point for a comparable deal. No way I'd do it.

Walker top 10

Hultzen top 50

Franklin top 75

Paxton top 100

[Stotle]

It is VERY strange to me that Arizona wanted another SS prospect, as they just traded one of the top pitching prospects in baseball for one.

Franklin is likely a 2b, long term.

[hendu]

Schoop = Franklin (Franklin is slightly better)

Strop = Furbush (Strop is actually a little better, making up for the difference above)

Patton = Pryor (with Patton being the better player)

Gausman = Walker OR Tillman = Hulzten/Paxten

Looking at it from this perspective, while I've been big on trying to acquire Upton, I don't like the price. Giving up EITHER Schoop or Gausman would be tolerable, but it's hard to do both for me.

IMO, Schoop and Gausman shouldn't be mentioned as an either/or. I'd trade Shoop any day of the week instead of Gausman (with the understanding that you can't trade him yet anyway), though I'm not pining to deal Schoop either.

[MrOrange82]

Walker top 10

Hultzen top 50

Franklin top 75

Paxton top 100

Don't mean to ask you to put words in the Mariners' mouths, but...why do you think a team in their position would consider giving up that kind of a package to get Upton (i.e., one player)?

[hendu]

Franklin is likely a 2b, long term.

Ahh, makes more sense. From what I just read, he seems to be a similar comp to Schoop.

[dorfmac]

It is VERY strange to me that Arizona wanted another SS prospect, as they just traded one of the top pitching prospects in baseball for one.

I must be missing something, but I don't see what all the hoopla is about with Gregorius. He's never performed exceedingly well at his level to be a top prospect, although he does have being young for the levels at the time as an advantage. But looking at his stats, he gets on base at a decent clip, but maybe average, and doesn't seem to have that much power. He's not enough of a defensive rock to make up for his lackluster offense either, according to my quick Google research. The rest of my Google research shows he's not a top-100 prospect. Why is he viewed as such a piece for the future? I'd take Schoop over him anyday.

[dorfmac]

IMO, Schoop and Gausman shouldn't be mentioned as an either/or. I'd trade Shoop any day of the week instead of Gausman (with the understanding that you can't trade him yet anyway), though I'm not pining to deal Schoop either.

If I had to choose, I'd pick Schoop to deal also over Gausman 10 times out of 10. I'm just saying that I could stomach moving Gausman if we were able to keep onto Schoop or vice-versa. I wouldn't be able to stomach losing both.

[hendu]

I must be missing something, but I don't see what all the hoopla is about with Gregorius. He's never performed exceedingly well at his level to be a top prospect, although he does have being young for the levels at the time as an advantage. But looking at his stats, he gets on base at a decent clip, but maybe average, and doesn't seem to have that much power. He's not enough of a defensive rock to make up for his lackluster offense either, according to my quick Google research. The rest of my Google research shows he's not a top-100 prospect. Why is he viewed as such a piece for the future? I'd take Schoop over him anyday.

It probably had something to do with the availability of SS prospects. I would think that Texas would have considered a deal of Andrus or Profar in an Upton deal. Arizona also received Sipp in the deal, and with Putz and Hernandez already in the pen, it seems like their latest failed deal was to construct a completely dominant pen.

[Stotle]

Don't mean to ask you to put words in the Mariners' mouths, but...why do you think a team in their position would consider giving up that kind of a package to get Upton (i.e., one player)?

Excess starting pitching at MilB level. More on the way. Would be very surprised if Walker was included. Hultzen has lost some luster after failing to show an ability to make certain adjustments as to mechanics. Franklin doesn't have a home with Ackley at 2b and an inability to play SS full time.

[Stotle]

I must be missing something, but I don't see what all the hoopla is about with Gregorius. He's never performed exceedingly well at his level to be a top prospect, although he does have being young for the levels at the time as an advantage. But looking at his stats, he gets on base at a decent clip, but maybe average, and doesn't seem to have that much power. He's not enough of a defensive rock to make up for his lackluster offense either, according to my quick Google research. The rest of my Google research shows he's not a top-100 prospect. Why is he viewed as such a piece for the future? I'd take Schoop over him anyday.

Looked very good in AFL. Surefire shortstop at MLB level and should be above-average defender there. Positive value on bases and projects reasonably well to a .675-.700 OPS-type offensive profile. That package would be good for top 10 SS in the game if it all comes together.