Third base in 2011, if Bell can't cut it.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Prospects are not what we need. We need difference making MLB players that can help this team win.

Well, ideally we want prospects that will become difference making MLB players that can help this team win.

[LookinUp]

Prospects are not what we need. We need difference making MLB players that can help this team win.

So you wouldn't have wanted to trade for Jason Heyward before the 2010 season?

[JTrea81]

So you wouldn't have wanted to trade for Jason Heyward before the 2010 season?

Moustakas isn't that much of a lock. You said it himself, he's scuffling in AAA.

If we can trade for a Heyward then by all means, go for it. But it has to be somebody that will be ready to jump in like a Heyward or a Longoria.

But not all hyped prospects will be able to do that. Just look at Matt Wieters, Jay Bruce, Adam Jones, etc.

There is a learning curve, and if we want to win games in the AL East, we don't want to have an all sub 25 year old team full of 1-3 year players.

We can't afford to have any more "learning on the job" positions if we want to get to the playoffs sooner than later. We've already got Jones and Wieters. That's enough.

[LookinUp]

Moustakas isn't that much of a lock. You said it himself, he's scuffling in AAA.

If we can trade for a Heyward then by all means, go for it. But it has to be somebody that will be ready to jump in like a Heyward or a Longoria.

But not all hyped prospects will be able to do that. Just look at Matt Wieters, Jay Bruce, Adam Jones, etc.

There is a learning curve, and if we want to win games in the AL East, we don't want to have an all sub 25 year old team full of 1-3 year players.

We can't afford to have any more "learning on the job" positions if we want to get to the playoffs sooner than later. We've already got Jones and Wieters. That's enough.

We're operating in the hypothetical since there's no way we're trading for Moustakas but, if you wouldn't trade for him because he's just not already a performing at way above average ML than I think you're ability to judge the long term plans of this franchise is severly limited.

[DanS]

I think Bell deserves more than a month and a half. After our great run under Buck, we still have the worst record in baseball. If I thought we could win the World Series next year, I might be more hasty, but with this team we need to give prospects a chance to develop.

Cal hit .128 when he was called up. Markakis couldn't hit a lick when he came up. Brady couldn't hit for a few years. Be patient with the young players. We need to build for the future.

For many years, it seemed that we would acquire just enough older talent to finish in 4th place. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay would finish last and collect high draft picks. I would rather lose a few more games with young players and eventually return to the promised land.

[murrayfan420]

Moustakas isn't that much of a lock. You said it himself, he's scuffling in AAA.

If we can trade for a Heyward then by all means, go for it. But it has to be somebody that will be ready to jump in like a Heyward or a Longoria.

But not all hyped prospects will be able to do that. Just look at Matt Wieters, Jay Bruce, Adam Jones, etc.

There is a learning curve, and if we want to win games in the AL East, we don't want to have an all sub 25 year old team full of 1-3 year players.

We can't afford to have any more "learning on the job" positions if we want to get to the playoffs sooner than later. We've already got Jones and Wieters. That's enough.

No one is a lock. Alex Gordon was once a "lock" just like Wieters. Same with Matt LaPorta. It's impossible to tell who is going to be good before they are. If people knew, they would never trade them away.

[H0smash]

Moustakas isn't that much of a lock. You said it himself, he's scuffling in AAA.

If we can trade for a Heyward then by all means, go for it. But it has to be somebody that will be ready to jump in like a Heyward or a Longoria.

But not all hyped prospects will be able to do that. Just look at Matt Wieters, Jay Bruce, Adam Jones, etc.

There is a learning curve, and if we want to win games in the AL East, we don't want to have an all sub 25 year old team full of 1-3 year players.

We can't afford to have any more "learning on the job" positions if we want to get to the playoffs sooner than later. We've already got Jones and Wieters. That's enough.

Since when was Adam Jones a can't miss prospect? He was thought to be good with a ceiling of T. Hunter. But not in the same class as Wieters and Bruce.

It's hard to find guys who are established guys like Prince Fielder or Mark Teixeira, especially at the hot corner. Plus in a deal like this you might not have to give up quite as much as you would for one of those players.

We're operating in the hypothetical since there's no way we're trading for Moustakas but, if you wouldn't trade for him because he's just not already a performing at way above average ML than I think you're ability to judge the long term plans of this franchise is severly limited.

I wouldn't be against trading: Tillman/Arrieta, Berry, Bell and Pie/Jones (I'd want Butler or Ka'aihue if we're giving up that much though).

They need pitching, not necessarily another ace, and get two solid guys in Tillman/Arrieta and Berry, they get Bell who should eventually be a solid 3Bman, and they need CF help which Pie/Jones gives them. I could see a deal like that working out. We get better quality back, but they get more quantity back.

[Frobby]

I think Bell deserves more than a month and a half. After our great run under Buck, we still have the worst record in baseball. If I thought we could win the World Series next year, I might be more hasty, but with this team we need to give prospects a chance to develop.

Cal hit .128 when he was called up. Markakis couldn't hit a lick when he came up. Brady couldn't hit for a few years. Be patient with the young players. We need to build for the future.

I don't think we are looking only at numbers. A manager can tell things about a player's hitting talents even if his numbers are poor. Same with defense.

I was living on the West Coast in the early months of Cal's rookie year, so I can't comment on how he looked as he was struggling initially. In Nick's case, the guy looked like a major leaguer from his very first game. The plate discipline was there, the defense was more or less there, and his general approach to the game was there.

I will tell you, I have some reservations about Bell, numbers aside. At 3B, to me he isn't quick to react. His body is very heavy-legged and I really doubt he's going to have a lot of range. Offensively, his stance is very open and he seems very susceptible to pitches away. It's just my gut feeling -- and I will defer to Showalter and people who know a lot more than I do -- that he's going to be below average defensively and not a good enough hitter to make him average or better overall. Just my guess.

[H0smash]

I don't think we are looking only at numbers. A manager can tell things about a player's hitting talents even if his numbers are poor. Same with defense.

I was living on the West Coast in the early months of Cal's rookie year, so I can't comment on how he looked as he was struggling initially. In Nick's case, the guy looked like a major leaguer from his very first game. The plate discipline was there, the defense was more or less there, and his general approach to the game was there.

I will tell you, I have some reservations about Bell, numbers aside. At 3B, to me he isn't quick to react. His body is very heavy-legged and I really doubt he's going to have a lot of range. Offensively, his stance is very open and he seems very susceptible to pitches away. It's just my gut feeling -- and I will defer to Showalter and people who know a lot more than I do -- that he's going to be below average defensively and not a good enough hitter to make him average or better overall. Just my guess.

A lot of scouts thought he would be average defensively, but would be able to stick at third, especially after losing some weight this past offseason. Maybe playing poorly will drive him to work his A$$ off this next offseason to trim down a little and get stronger, work on his defense, as well as his plate discipline, and his swing. He has it inside him, he just needs to figure out how to let it loose, he seems to be pressing a lot.

[Frobby]

A lot of scouts thought he would be average defensively, but would be able to stick at third, especially after losing some weight this past offseason. Maybe playing poorly will drive him to work his A$$ off this next offseason to trim down a little and get stronger, work on his defense, as well as his plate discipline, and his swing. He has it inside him, he just needs to figure out how to let it loose, he seems to be pressing a lot.

Mind you, I want him playing pretty much every day the rest of the season, so there's more evidence to go on. But I can easily imagine scenarios where we aren't willing to go into 2011 with Bell as our primary option at 3B.

[Arthur_Bryant]

I know this would be tough, but I think we should try to get ARam and trade for someone like Mike Moustakas, especially if we think Bell's not gonna cut it.

Moustakas has kind of scuffled this year in Triple-A, so maybe we could send them Tillman, Zagone, Berry, and Berken for Moustakas and Ka'aihue.

I am not giving up on Tillman by any means, but that trade still comes awfully close to piling on leftovers and spare parts in the hopes of snagging a quality player. In the real world, trades like that almost never happen.

Even with his scuffling start at AAA, Moustakas is still one of the top prospects in baseball. It will take a real quality return to make KC let go of him.

[Glenn Gulliver Fan]

Beltre is going to be seeking an over-inflated contract based on his production this season. We'll pay .900 OPS money and get .750 OPS stats.

I'd like to see Bell play nearly every day until the season ends. 48 at bats for a 23 year old rookie is meaningless. If he hit .370 with five HRs in 48 at bats we'd all be cheering and the stats would be equally meaningless.

[statman]

After all that speculation, my hindsight wishes that we traded for Uggla.

[H0smash]

Mind you, I want him playing pretty much every day the rest of the season, so there's more evidence to go on. But I can easily imagine scenarios where we aren't willing to go into 2011 with Bell as our primary option at 3B.

In no way do I want Bell handed the starting 3B spot next year unless he shows he's real special during this last month and a half or so. He should be given a fair shot at third base next year, but we should have someone like ARam ready to play there if he cannot hold it down.

I am not giving up on Tillman by any means, but that trade still comes awfully close to piling on leftovers and spare parts in the hopes of snagging a quality player. In the real world, trades like that almost never happen.

Even with his scuffling start at AAA, Moustakas is still one of the top prospects in baseball. It will take a real quality return to make KC let go of him.

Oh I know, I kind of realized it after I posted that, a little hometown bias on my part.

Anyways I revised my original idea, let's say that Jones and Pie stay healthy the rest of the year and both show MacPhail and Showalter that they can play. I think we could put one of them in this deal (as the centerpiece), along with Berry, Tillman/Arrieta, and probably someone else like Avery or Joseph.

It all would depend on how highly our FO holds Moustakas, and how highly they hold Pie/Jones and Tillman/Arrieta. We could give them Bell as well since they would need a 3Bman.

From the KC standpoint it's not a bad trade, I think Berry should turn out to be a solid 3/4 guy (and they NEED pitching), Tillman/Arrieta could also be a middle of the rotation guy, with a ceiling as a #2. Pie/Jones will probably be an above average starting CF for a long time, and that is something KC lacks in their system or on their current roster. No matter what happens with Bell this year, I still think he has a good shot to be an average-above average 3Bman, and when you take in everything else that KC gets in the trade they would come out pretty well.

[Frobby]

I will tell you, I have some reservations about Bell, numbers aside. At 3B, to me he isn't quick to react. His body is very heavy-legged and I really doubt he's going to have a lot of range. Offensively, his stance is very open and he seems very susceptible to pitches away. It's just my gut feeling -- and I will defer to Showalter and people who know a lot more than I do -- that he's going to be below average defensively and not a good enough hitter to make him average or better overall. Just my guess.

I was at the game tonight, and Bell allowed a ball to go down the line that wasn't hit very hard at all, and he barely got his feet moving before it was past him. 80% chance that Mora or Tejada make that play, IMO. I feel he has a very slow first step.