Posted June 20, 200618 yr The Kansas City Royals have traded left-handed pitcher J.P. Howell to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for center fielder Joey Gathright, ESPN.com has learned. The Rays also sent minor league second baseman Fernando Cortez to the Royals in that deal. Cortez, 24, appeared in eight games for Tampa Bay last year, going 1-for-13. For Triple-A Durham in 2006, he was hitting .222 with a .265 on-base percentage and a .271 slugging percentage in 203 at bats. Howell has spent the 2006 season with the Royals' Triple-A affiliate in Omaha, where he was 3-2 with a 4.75 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and 14 walks allowed in 36 innings. He also missed several weeks with shoulder soreness. Howell made 15 starts for Kansas City last year, going 3-5 with a 6.19 ERA, and was originally selected by the Royals with the first pick in the supplemental round of the 2004 amateur draft. Gathright was sent down to Triple-A by Tampa Bay after hitting .201 with a .305 on-base percentage and .240 slugging percentage in 154 at bats while filling in for the injured Rocco Baldelli. He made his major league debut in 2004 and was originally drafted by the Devil Rays in the 32nd round of the 2001 amateur Draft. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2493010
June 20, 200618 yr BA had this to say back in 04: A lot of people can hate on Howell because he doesn't have great velo, but he can take his four, five-pitch repertoire and make it work like 10 pitches because he can add, subtract and locate. I hate to keep bringing Greinke back up, this has to be the fourth time in this chat, but it's a similar feel for pitching for Greinke and Howell, who's the consummate crafty lefty. He'll be a solid middle of the rotation guy because of his guys and guile, and at worst he's going to reach the majors as a shutdown LH setup guy because his breaking stuff can eat up lefties. Good trade for the D-Rays because Gathright is'nt to good...
June 20, 200618 yr I'm a big Gathright fan, but God he sucked in Tampa. Hopefully a change of team gets him on track.
June 20, 200618 yr Author I'm glad we didn't go through with a Olsen/Joey swap. They got the Mets on a deal but they aint getting us on one :lol
June 20, 200618 yr aww..i wanted him (no, not for olsen)..it doesn't look like it would of been that hard to get him by what the royals gave up.
June 20, 200618 yr aww..i wanted him (no, not for olsen)..it doesn't look like it would of been that hard to get him by what the royals gave up. Reed>Gathright
June 20, 200618 yr Why the HELL would the Royals trade for him when they have DeJesus in CF? Good question. Comparing stats, DeJesus is in another league than Gathright. Plus Gathright's in a slump. I'm guessing they move him to the DH spot with Sweeney on the 60 day.
June 21, 200618 yr I remember when I said Gathright was extremely overrated. I would even go as far as saying he's a poor man's Nook Logan, who is now sucking it up in AAA Toledo in the Tigs organization.
June 21, 200618 yr http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb Gathright and an infielder forfor JP Howell...My My...Far cry from being traded straight up for scott Olsen :mischief
June 21, 200618 yr NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! God dammit. I don't want to watch the f***ing Royals. aww..i wanted him (no, not for olsen)..it doesn't look like it would of been that hard to get him by what the royals gave up. Reed>Gathright Idiotic statement.
June 21, 200618 yr NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! God dammit. I don't want to watch the f***ing Royals. aww..i wanted him (no, not for olsen)..it doesn't look like it would of been that hard to get him by what the royals gave up. Reed>Gathright Idiotic statement. Meh, Reed is better defensively and also has a better arm. Their stats in the minors arent too different. Neither one is really a MLB quality player.
June 21, 200618 yr This is why the Royals are the Royals. Howell was KC's third best prospect coming into the season, and still has plenty of potential. You don't trade left handed 23 year olds with four solid pitches for a guy who should never be more than a 4th OF/pinch runner.
June 21, 200618 yr NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! God dammit. I don't want to watch the f***ing Royals. aww..i wanted him (no, not for olsen)..it doesn't look like it would of been that hard to get him by what the royals gave up. Reed>Gathright Idiotic statement. Meh, Reed is better defensively and also has a better arm. Their stats in the minors arent too different. Neither one is really a MLB quality player. Neither is Willie Mays. I'll give the defensive nod to the one with more speed...Gathright. I don't see a huge difference in arms, either.
June 21, 200618 yr Gathright has no use outside of being a pinch runner. He sucks at hitting for avergage, hitting for power, fielding, and throwing the ball. I remember when everyone was raving about him here, I blame it oon the traumatic expierience of the fire sale.
June 21, 200618 yr Well glad to see Tampa lowered their asking price to something realistic. :lol That was my thought as well. Usually when it comes to trading with Tampa they require Scott Kazmir type players and/or the second coming of Babe Ruth.
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