June 13, 200521 yr The Marlins, with the 16th pick and a glaring bullpen need, called Scott Boras before the draft and told him if Craig Hansen takes $2.45 million he would be in the majors by the end of the week, according to two executives. Boras rejected the proposal. The Marlins were so hot for bullpen help that, according to an NL executive, they offered top pitching prospect Scott Olsen for Ugueth Urbina, who instead went from Detroit to Philadelphia. NY Post I guess we know who was that other team they were close to dealing him to, but I wonder why they'd take Polanco over Olsen? Perhaps we were asking for them to take too much of his salary...?
June 13, 200521 yr Doesn't Polanco help them now? And as some people said concerning the draft: there are no such things as pitching prospects. They might have opted for the help now because truth be told they are only 5 or so games out of the wild-card race perhaps they think they can compete with the offensive help now.
June 13, 200521 yr wow, i would much rather have olsen late this year or next than urbina...ever im glad they took polanco instead
June 13, 200521 yr Wow. At a number of things. Remind me why they're so crazy about adding an arm to the bullpen again. Bump is in AAA, Miadich too. Mota is back. Alfonseca coming back. If they're going to spend their top draft pick or top pitching prospect, a move of significant impact should be made. A starting pitcher or center/right-fielder.
June 13, 200521 yr dammit, I can't believe their willing to give up Olsen that easily. I really believe he's going to be a top of the rotation starter. Interesting note on Hansen...
June 13, 200521 yr Author My two questions now: If Olsen is this year's Bill Murphy, I hope we set our sights higher than a set-up reliever who is a clone of three pitchers already in our bullpen, so what team is he now dangled to? The Reds? The Mariners? With Olsen apparently our first chip to be used in a trade, does that mean we're starting to kick the AJ negotiations into high-gear and just offer him the 3/$21 and see if he takes it like he said he would?
June 13, 200521 yr Wow. At a number of things. Remind me why they're so crazy about adding an arm to the bullpen again. Bump is in AAA, Miadich too. Mota is back. Alfonseca coming back. If they're going to spend their top draft pick or top pitching prospect, a move of significant impact should be made. A starting pitcher or center/right-fielder. 807351[/snapback] Saying "Mota is back" is like leaning over to the owner of an Escalade wrapped around a telephone pole and saying "that's a fine pearlescent paint job on your ride buddy".
June 13, 200521 yr Author Why not trade Stokes before his value decreases any more? The Marlins could certainly package him for relief help. While I think the pen needs to be improved there were other options than Urbina. 807411[/snapback] Teams actively shopping bullpen help (Mariners, Pirates, DRays) have no need for first base prospects. The only team he might have value to is the Astros (being a dead-pull right hander), but even then he wouldn't be the ceterpiece of any trade.
June 13, 200521 yr Mota will get better. And there's always room for improvement in the bullpen or any part of the team. But this is our best pitching prospect we're talking about here. For a shaky closer at that.
June 13, 200521 yr Author Mota will get better. And there's always room for improvement in the bullpen or any part of the team. But this is our best pitching prospect we're talking about here. For a shaky closer at that. 807418[/snapback] I'm not in favor of the trade that was proposed, but you'd have to at least agree that getting Urbina not only boosts the team's morale (and the overall effectiveness of the bullpen), but also it's the fact that the move keeps him out of Philly. I mean, if Urbina ended up in Texas or Boston, it's "meh," but now he's in the division, making the Phillies bullpen very scary (at least to me). Still, Olsen is a pretty big price to pay for him.
June 13, 200521 yr Author Why not trade Stokes before his value decreases any more?? The Marlins could certainly package him for relief help.? While I think the pen needs to be improved there were other options than Urbina. 807411[/snapback] Teams actively shopping bullpen help (Mariners, Pirates, DRays) have no need for first base prospects. The only team he might have value to is the Astros (being a dead-pull right hander), but even then he wouldn't be the ceterpiece of any trade. 807417[/snapback] That may be true, but what else are we going to do with him? Someone has got to be willing to take him. 807428[/snapback] Oh, I know, in the event of a block-buster, he will be part of it. However, there is no way he is the centerpiece...as it is, I think he's slightly above "throw in" status.
June 13, 200521 yr how about put him into a trade package for zito? Stokes/Olsen and some other things
June 13, 200521 yr Its the New York Post and they are as credible with rumors as a politician is with honesty.
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