Bradford traded to Tampa Bay for player to be named later

[NoVaO]

We just cleared $3.5 million off our payroll for next year. With the additions of ground ball guys like Jim Johnson and Randor Bierd, who can both actually get left-handers out as well (although Bierd has struggled this year in the bigs with lefties), Bradford had become a little redundant. Besides, Bradford had become almost strictly a right-handed specialist and I'm not sure anyone wants him in a tight situation anymore since even right-handers have become to hit him a little more this year.

I don't disagree per se, but his numbers against right handers this year are his best since 2004 (.260/.290/.310/.600). He's also been passable against lefties (.749 OPS against). His K-rate is way down this year, but his GB% is the highest of his career (68.7%).

I'm not expecting a great deal of value for Bradford, but I do want some value because he's still a productive reliever and he would likely have netted us some compensation at the end of next year.

[Tony-OH]

Exactly.

Another possibility is something that used to be relatively common, though you don't hear about it as much anymore: Perhaps the Orioles can choose from the "A-list" if the Rays make the playoffs, and the "B-list" if they don't.

Good point, especially based off what MacPhail did with the Trachsel deal last year in getting Renshaw.

[Ned from York]

Guys, we're talking AM here, so we'll get good value in return. I am not even worried about that part.

I would also say there is a decent chance we'll know in the near future who that person is as what team is really going to claim the PTBNL trying to clear waivers when it is the guy completing the trade to the lowly Orioles. Tampa's got there guy for sure, why be an a** of a GM and block the return player to the O's? I know Tampa did it to the Sox, but it really only hurt the O's and people realize that was a BS move. I think we've got a good chance of finding out who the guy is soon unless we really are scouting a list of players the rest of the year. I'm betting the former, AM knows who he wants.

[fearthenoodle]

Quote from Andy Macphail in Schmuck's blog:

Andy MacPhail made no bones about that when I talked to him a few minutes ago.

"We just thought going forward, it gives us an opportunity for other people in our system who have some upside, to get a look for the rest of '08 and '09. I think we have that guy (a right-handed setup guy) in our system and I'm going to need to fill some other needs, so I can use the dough."

[Tony-OH]

I don't disagree per se, but his numbers against right handers this year are his best since 2004 (.260/.290/.310/.600). He's also been passable against lefties (.749 OPS against). His K-rate is way down this year, but his GB% is the highest of his career (68.7%).

I'm not expecting a great deal of value for Bradford, but I do want some value because he's still a productive reliever and he would likely have netted us some compensation at the end of next year.

I hear you, and you may be right. The one thing MacPhail has proven is that he can get some value back for people we didn't think had value (Trachsel).

[Mark Carver]

I was under the impression, during August, that if multiple teams made a claim, the team could try and work out a trade with any of the teams whom put a claim in to work out the best trade.

Interesting in that Cot's says the ballclub with lower with the lower winning percentage has priority. So, does that mean say, if Minnesota had the lowest claim, the Orioles and Minnesota couldn't have worked out a deal, the Orioles just moved up the claiming ladder?

From Cot's

Trade Assignment waivers. Trade assignment waivers are utilized in August as a means to gauge trade interest. Between August 1 and the end of the season, a player may not be traded without first clearing trade assignment Major League waivers. If the player is not claimed within 47 business-day hours, he may be traded to any club. If the player is claimed by another club, the request may be revoked, allowing his current club to pull him back. However, the player’s current club also may 1) work out a trade with the claiming club within 48 ½ business-day hours, or 2) elect to allow the claiming club to take the player for a $20,000 fee and assume responsibility for his current contract. If more than one club claims a player, the club with the lower winning percentage has priority, but American League clubs have priority for AL players, and National League clubs have priority for NL players. Once a player on major league waivers has been claimed and the waiver request revoked, any subsequent request for major league waivers during the same waiver period is irrevocable. A player with a no-trade clause who is claimed on Major League waivers must be pulled back if the player’s no-trade clause allows him to block a deal to the claiming club. However, the player may waive the no-trade clause and join the claiming club.

[Tony-OH]

Quote from Andy Macphail in Schmuck's blog:

Andy MacPhail made no bones about that when I talked to him a few minutes ago.

"We just thought going forward, it gives us an opportunity for other people in our system who have some upside, to get a look for the rest of '08 and '09. I think we have that guy (a right-handed setup guy) in our system and I'm going to need to fill some other needs, so I can use the dough."

Good job by Peter to get MacPhail's comments so quickly. That to me sounds like a salary dump.

[ChaosLex]

Quote from Andy Macphail in Schmuck's blog:

Andy MacPhail made no bones about that when I talked to him a few minutes ago.

"We just thought going forward, it gives us an opportunity for other people in our system who have some upside, to get a look for the rest of '08 and '09. I think we have that guy (a right-handed setup guy) in our system and I'm going to need to fill some other needs, so I can use the dough."

Hopefully, that'll quiet the people dreaming about Brignac.

Thanks for posting.

[ChaosLex]

By the way, I still like my Gomes and Baldelli idea.

[tywright]

Roch provides some options to who would replace Bradford:

- Kam Mickolio (remember him?)

- Hayden Penn (sends Sarfate to the 'pen)

- Rocky Cherry

- Bob McCrory

- Andy Mitchell (a submariner, replaces Bradford)

http://masnsports.com/2008/08/the-orioles-are-going-to.html

This reaffirms the fact that Bradford and Walker are/were expendable and that we need to cut bait in order to have open spaces for these guys. Gotta love depth!

[JTrea81]

Quote from Andy Macphail in Schmuck's blog:

Andy MacPhail made no bones about that when I talked to him a few minutes ago.

"We just thought going forward, it gives us an opportunity for other people in our system who have some upside, to get a look for the rest of '08 and '09. I think we have that guy (a right-handed setup guy) in our system and I'm going to need to fill some other needs, so I can use the dough."

AKA Mark Teixeira...

[GeorgiaBird]

By the way, I still like my Gomes and Baldelli idea.

Baldelli is a free agent at the end of the season, so no dice. Gomes is possible, though. I don't think he is in their long-term plans and was just optioned down. Unfortunately right now he has more wrestling skills than he does baseball skills, but perhaps some playing time will help that.

[Fan4Life]

Tampa Bay Devil Rays Top 20 Prospects for 2008

by John Sickels on Jan 10, 2008 12:02 PM EST in News

Tampa Bay Devil Rays Top 20 Prospects for 2008

All grades are extremely preliminary and subject to change.

Evan Longoria, 3B, Grade A

David Price, LHP, Grade A

Jacob McGee, LHP, Grade A

Wade Davis, RHP, Grade B+

Reid Brignac, SS, Grade B+

Jeremy Hellickson, RHP, Grade B+

Desmond Jennings, OF, Grade B+

Jeff Niemann, RHP, Grade B

Eduardo Morlan, RHP, Grade B

John Jaso, C, Grade B

Ryan Royster, OF, Grade B-

Chris Mason, RHP, Grade B-

Nick Barnese, RHP, Grade B-

Mitch Talbot, RHP, Grade C+

Heath Rollins, RHP, Grade C+

Glenn Gibson, LHP, Grade C+

Fernando Perez, OF, Grade C+

James Houser, LHP, Grade C+

Justin Ruggiano, OF, Grade C+

Sergio Pedroza, OF, Grade C+

Other prospects include Nevin Ashley, Josh Butler, Alex Cobb, Joseph Cruz, Reid Fronk, Joel Guzman, Rhyne Hughes, K.D. Kang, OF, Will Kline, Mike McCormick, Calvin Medlock, Matt Moore, David Newmann, Emeel Salem, Matthew Walker, and Mike Wlodarczyk.

No mention of Zobrist....

[Dipper9]

I'd almost be disappointed if it isn't Zobrist. No chance that it's Bartlett.

On 1 hand, my gut says it's a salary dump, but my head says - Ruz, decent lefty relievers have serious value at this time of year, and he could be a Type A free agent after next season, so it should be for someone at Zobrist's value level. Does anyone know how good Zobrist is regarded defensively.

Well, don't listen to your head cause Bradford is a righty!

[Boy Howdy]

One reason I'm OK with losing Bradford is that he hasn't been the same rubber-armed iron-man this season that he used to me.

Just last year, he exceeded 70 appearances for the fourth time in his career and appeared 25 times on zero days rest.

This season, he's been deployed on consecutive days much less frequently (only once in the last 5 weeks plus, for example), and Trembley made the comment about him being held together by a thread (rough paraphrase). Hopefully, he can net the Orioles something useful.