via mlbtraderumors.com:

Mariners After Dontrelle Willis?According to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, Dontrelle Willis-to-Seattle buzz is starting to heat up. Willis could slide right in with Felix Hernandez to form a solid 1-2 punch atop the Mariners' rotation.

 

Baker pretty much covers all the analysis angles and scenarios in his blog posting. The Mariners have plenty of players who could interest the Marlins: Jeremy Reed, Jeff Clement, and/or Wladimir Balentien. Baker does not think Adam Jones would be necessary to get a deal done, and the Mariners wouldn't part with him anyway. (By the way, click here to see my fantasy analysis of Jones).

 

It's an odd time to trade Dontrelle, as his value is pretty low with his performance and forearm issues. Willis just feels like a better pitcher than he actually is, doesn't he? As Baker says, the Ms would be gambling on Willis returning to form. Better to gamble a few unproven prospects than seven years and $126MM.

 

It seems that former Willis contenders like the Mets and perhaps Braves might be out of the running. Kevin Kernan of the New York Times says the Marlins won't trade Willis within the NL East, and most likely he'll head west.

 

But before purchasing your custom-made Willis Mariners jersey, consider that the Dodgers, Rockies, and Diamondbacks have all expressed interest in him before. And those teams are kind of west of some stuff.

 

 

Link to the Seattle Times article: http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/mari...z_heats_up.html

Do it Do it Do It!!!

Doesn't actually sound like the talks are heating up.

 

More so just another blogger saying what's on his mind and what he wants to happen.

Well, I'm glad the Marlins aren't going to trade him in the division.

if no Jones, Balantien and Clement would be just fine

 

maybe try to steal Brandon Morrow too (yes, I'm being greedy)

Here's a Beinfest quote from a Ken Rosenthal article from about two days ago:

 

"Yet Admin Beinfest, their normally aggressive GM, told one colleague last week, "If I had to guess I'd say we wouldn't do anything.""

 

That was quoted in response to being asked if the re-signing of Buehrle, shortening the list of available starters, would put Willis back on the block. Especially since it was reported about two weeks ago that both Willis and Cabrera would "definitely not be traded this season."

quotes mean absolutely nothing

I think that quote could mean either he's being truthful or he's trying to get more for Dontrelle. Either way, we don't know.

I love getting a major league caliber catcher and outfield for Dontrelle, especially if we only have to possibly face him every 3 years.

I dunno how I'd feel about a strictly positional return for Dontrelle, especially if Jones isn't involved.

 

I'd love to get my hands on Clement, I like Balentien, but for me, Morrow has to be in the Seattle offer along with Clement to make me see it as do-able, because a lot of our pitching sure has fizzled rather than sizzled...and last I checked, we're still looking at '08 as "our" year.

Doesn't actually sound like the talks are heating up.

More so just another blogger saying what's on his mind and what he wants to happen.

I agree, it doesn't.

It sounds like this guy has been reading this board, period.

This thread should just be merged with one of the 953 other trade Dontrelle threads.

How old is clement and Balentin?

How old is clement and Balentin?

soon to be 24 and just turned 23

How old is clement and Balentin?

 

They are both 23. Clement will turn 24 in August.

Doesn't actually sound like the talks are heating up.

 

More so just another blogger saying what's on his mind and what he wants to happen.

 

 

 

Exactly. :thumbup

 

I gotta tell ya, the constant amateur speculating day in and day out really gets old.

Well, I'm glad the Marlins aren't going to trade him in the division.

 

 

 

How do you know this based on this purely speculative thread?

I agree with Tswift on this one. Balentien and Clement just wouldn't be enough, we would have to insist on Morrow. Jones+Clement or Balentien+Clement+Morrow works for me.

 

I like Jeremy Reed but I'm not so sure he is still a prospect.

I agree with Tswift on this one. Balentien and Clement just wouldn't be enough, we would have to insist on Morrow. Jones+Clement or Balentien+Clement+Morrow works for me.

 

Yup, anything less than either of those two packages makes it, for me, less than we should be getting based on the market and the perception in the league that Dontrelle still has ace ability and therefore value.

 

Plus he isn't walking until after '09 anyway...it better be a crazy ass package in return. I'm not the biggest Dontrelle fan in the world, but he sure would help a lot of teams that need innings, so we better not give him away.

As I say every year around this time, trade rumors are like a fart in the wind.

First, they stink. Then they go away.

.

.

This latest thread though has crossed from the ridiculous to the absurd.

You guys(and girls) are rehashing the same thing you talked about in the last thread.

MarlinsLou, go ahead and make another speculation like your Seattle one. With another team. Then you can all discuss it's merits or demerits.

And within 48 hours it will show up on mlbtraderumors.

Although Balentien doesn't have the power numbers Jones has, he's still a nice looking prospect.

Doesn't have to be Morrow.

 

Mark Lowe and Eric O'Flaherty would be nice bullpen arms. i.e.

 

Dan Haren - Jeff Clement

Daric Barton - Wlad Balentien

Kiko Calero - Lowe/O'Flaherty

 

How could they say no, especially if we throw in Armando. They need a starter, it's not a rental, and can beef up the pen with a vet. I bet they'd give us Reed in the deal too.

Yeah the M's have some other serious options to offer instead of Morrow, if that sounds too steep for them.

 

But, Morrow/Clement/Balentein would be an incredible deal for us...

 

Balentein is very underrated. Guys who come undrafted from other countries never hit the radar like Drafted American guys get, and outside of 06' the guy has always been pretty blistering. This year (first year in AAA) especially has been outstanding for him (.328 / .397 / .993), plus his last 3 seasons he has had 25, 22, and already 20 HRs on this season.

 

He has always kept with Jones, and I think he will probably turn out to be just as good if not better. He does lack defensively, but you can't say too much more for Jones who has only been roaming the OF for a year and half.

Jones + Clement would put us closer to a WS title in 2009 then Dontrelle ever could.

I'm really warming up to Balentien the more I read about him. He has always had great power, but couldn't hit for average, struck out in ridiculous numbers and couldn't take a walk. All that pointed to him not really being a prospect, more just a project with a small chance of developing.

 

All that has changed though in the past year and a half...for whatever reason all of a sudden he doesn't strike out as much and is showing some patience(67 K's 39 walks in 329 ABs with a .400 OBP) he is batting .328 and the power is still there and always will be there. My only concern is where does he fit? I wish he could play CF, and he probably could but wouldn't be that good.

 

He reminds me a lot of Jeff Francoeur right now, except I think he could put up an even higher OBP.

I'm really warming up to Balentien the more I read about him. He has always had great power, but couldn't hit for average, struck out in ridiculous numbers and couldn't take a walk. All that pointed to him not really being a prospect, more just a project with a small chance of developing.

 

All that has changed though in the past year and a half...for whatever reason all of a sudden he doesn't strike out as much and is showing some patience(67 K's 39 walks in 329 ABs with a .400 OBP) he is batting .328 and the power is still there and always will be there. My only concern is where does he fit? I wish he could play CF, and he probably could but wouldn't be that good.

 

He reminds me a lot of Jeff Francoeur right now, except I think he could put up an even higher OBP.

Just like Adam Jones.