1B'man Rhyne Hughes is the PTBNL in the Zaun deal.

[olehippi]

Unless he falls off a cliff in ST, I fully expect Snyder to come north with the team next year. Hughes and/or Aubrey will be his replacement at Norfolk next year.

[LookinUp]

Big power, big k rate, good OBP, solid fielder (by %, no idea of range). Seems like a decent guy to grab to me.

I get the feeling that we wanted to get rid of Zaun because of his contract and desire for playing time.

[ChaosLex]

"Hello ladies!"

[ChaosLex]

[Tony-OH]

Nice pickup. Better than I thought we would get. http://www.examiner.com/x-923-Tampa-Bay-Rays-Examiner~y2008m11d30-Tampa-Bay-Rays-2009-prospect-report-Rhyne-Hughes

Me too. Looks like a guy who needs an opportunity and the Orioles just may have one for him here. At worse he's competition for Snyder and may allow Snyder to get more AAA time next year until he's really tearing it up.

[sector7g]

No because, and again my knowledge of Orioles economics is as good as yours, but it seems very unlikely that the Orioles with their deflating payroll is a team that is really concerned with raising money to 'afford' the draft. You make it seem like if we don't get cash for Zaun, then someone won't be signed, which in preposterous.

I don't remember saying all that but hey. I do remember AM saying after the Bradford trade that he needed that money but I am sorry for raising your blood pressure so.

I guess this guy could put up Huff type numbers at a fraction of the cost so it does make some sense. But the chances of him ever being a long term option that we'd be happy with at 1b are more than slim in my opinion so I'm not excited by the trade but for sure it's not a big deal either way since I'm sure none of us expected much back.

[crowmst3k!]

Looks like a AAAA guy. He's 25,

Nolan Reimold would like to have a word with you...

[sector7g]

Nolan Reimold would like to have a word with you...

This trade is no biggy either way but please, we haven't picked up a Nolan Reimold type here.

[BaltimoreTerp]

This trade is no biggy either way but please, we haven't picked up a Nolan Reimold type here.

As I mentioned earlier, he's followed a similar career path: basically one level a year. They started the same year at the same age.

So if his age says Hughes is a AAAA player, Reimold's age says the same.

No one said anything about talent level.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Also, he followed a career path that looks similar to what this guy is on. He was a throw-in in a salary/low-morale dump trade who many are starting to see as a real prospect.

If Waring is in the same place in two years, wouldn't we be happy with that?

[crowmst3k!]

This is a very low risk deal, with the potential for some great rewards. Worst come to worst, he's got pop off the bench.

[clapdiddy]

Any chance we could see this guy up here in September? I'd like to see him getting some time in to see what he has.

[MurphDogg]

In the other thread people are actually saying they'd like to see the Orioles sign Branyan. Well, now they have what is essentiallya Branyan clone (not an exact clone due to fewer walks and a shade less power).

Also the Player's Union would probably object to cloning.

[adamwolff11]

I'm not sure how anyone can really be unhappy about this. You could maybe be neutral, but not unhappy. Is the guy a prospect? No not really, but it was for GREG ZAUN. I love Greg Zaun, but if he can net us anything that has any possible chance of helping us in the future, then it's a good deal for us. I don't expect this guy to make the majors and be a big time contributor, but who knows what will happen.

He's probably not our long term option at first..but then again, Greg Zaun wasn't either, was he?

[wildcard]

Looks like a hedge against Snyder not being ready to start in the majors next year.

Not a great fielding 1B.

Does not hit lefties well.

Could be two to three months ahead on Snyder in his development.

Could see him in September.

Will join the 40 man roster for the Rule 5 draft.

Ceiling looks lower then Snyder's but the proof is in the doing.