Detwiler was traded yesterday. We'll leave any official takes on the trade until the other players are named officially but the truth is it's a good deal for the Nats regardless of who they get back, and a good deal for Ross almost no matter where he was going.
Detwiler was a starter that was currently a rotation injury and a Blake Treinen flame out from getting another shot. Even those conditions were on a clock as as soon as A.J. Cole looked ready for the major leagues he would take his place in line ahead of Ross. Could be May, could be September but it was likely coming this season. Taylor Jordan also lurked as an option. All that was really left for Ross with the Nationals was to commit to a relief role as a lefty swingman and hope Matt Williams/Mike Rizzo got over whatever mental block they had about using him. As a 29 year old who in 2012 pitched nearly a full season of good baseball and would be up for free agency after 2015 that is a hell of a lot of money potentially left on the table. What Ross really needed was a chance to start from Day 1. With Texas he should get one.
A lot of people are vaguely excited about the deal because of the Nats past deal with Texas. They dealt Cristian Guzman and got back Tanner Roark. While it's a steal today, it wasn't one at the time. Hell, it wasn't one going into 2013 when Roark just put up a 4.39 ERA and 1.4 WHIP in AAA and was a year or two before officially becoming "organizational depth". Roark was a fringe prospect. The type that didn't make the Rangers Top 20 or the Nats Top 20. Roark was very much like a ton of other prospects Rizzo has gotten. Ryan Perry, Robert Gilliam, Adam Olbrychowski, Ian Dickson, Matthew Spann, Dakota Bacus... and that's just the pitchers. Truth is, guys like Roark are lottery tickets. This is not a knock on Rizzo, it's just how it works. When you are dealing marginal talent with no control, you get someone back who has one thing you like and two things you don't and you hope that somehow it works out for you. The guys they get for Detwiler will be the same type.
You shouldn't just temper your enthusiasm, if you have any, for the Detwiler deal you should probably douse it all together (we'll see who he brought back first). These are names you'll likely hear for the last time in relation to the major leagues when they are announced. But still you can be glad the deal was made. Glad for Detwiler as he gets the chance he desperately wanted in 2015. Glad for the Nats for getting something back for Detwiler, a guy they didn't want and didn't need, even if what they got back were lottery tickets. Someone does win the lottery now and again. Maybe in say... 2019 it'll be the Nats again.
The rip on Detwiler that I've been reading since this trade was announced is that he's a 1-pitch hurler, so how can he start?
ReplyDeleteIsn't Detwiler's repertoire fastball and slider, at least?
Anyway, with a name Abel de los Santos we can rest easy knowing the saints are watching over us.
Bote: I dunno. Historically the name "Abel" hasn't been associated with happy endings.
ReplyDeleteRoss Detwiler is a walking sunk cost. He was a high draft pick who never quite worked out. The Nats shed his salary and got SOMETHING back in exchange. The Rangers might get a usable starter for a year. Ross gets a chance to make a case for himself in free agency. Win-win-win.
Detwiler is a one pitch pitcher - sinker. His numbers are much worse third time through the batting order. In 2012, Davey Johnson pretty much refused to pitch him past 70-80 pitches. Granted he had a pretty good 2012. Pitched great in the play offs against St Louis. But, a pitcher that throws one pitch, can only face guys once or twice before they mash him, and can only reliably throw 70 pitches usually equate to bull pen guys.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is he was awful last year. Part of that was his usage, but part of his usage was his performance. So you hate the bullpen? Then pitch better and work your way to higher leverage situations.
I'm rooting for the guy. He seems like a good guy. I hope he does ok in Texas, but the odds are against him.
Well, it'll be sooner than 2019 for sure - de los Santos has been around a while since he was drafted young, and the 2B Bostick probably vies with Renda for the "grittiest" 2nd baseman award, but has an endorsement from Keith Law as a reasonable prospect a few years back. That's already a good haul, whether it pans out or not, you have some legitimate talent coming in for a guy not in your plans at all and costing you money better spent elsewhere. Detwiler's more like a scratcher for the Rangers. Most times it's a few seconds of anticipation, ending up with a dirty coin and something to recycle someplace.
ReplyDeleteNational Det is paid off...
ReplyDeleteworst nickname ever?
No, worst nickname ever is calling MW 'the Marine'.
DeleteI appreciate what Detwiler did for the Nats when times were lean, and 2012. I hope he gets a mentor who teaches him confidence in his hook which was pretty good the 10 times he threw it when he was here.
Thanks Ross Detwiler and good luck!
Orioles outrighted Steve Lombardozzi. Either he or Morse coming back this season?
ReplyDeleteHarper question
ReplyDeleteIs it possible/probable it win a world series with a large number of average and somewhat above average players on inexpensive contracts?
I seems like there shouldn't be enough volume of players of that type to build a WS team that doesn't have a few highly paid stars.
Ken Rosenthal pretty much summed up my view of the Nats in his recent article. Pretty much the Nats aren't the A's. Lerner is one of the wealthiest owners in baseball. Good teams have some players with high salaries due to the very players that make said team good. He says they should sign both Zimmermann and Desmond. I agree.
ReplyDeleteSo the teams agreed to pay Harper what he would have gotten if he'd won a grievance hearing. This is probably smart, if they're trying to sign him long term. But Boras won't let him sign an extension... so should we have caved? We're going to have to pay the most to bring him back anyway.
ReplyDeleteDid anybody see our minor league signing of this guy Clint Robinson? His numbers in the minors are really good, I'm wondering what's kept him down so long. He's almost 30 with almost no MLB experience. But is a career .300 hitter with close to 150 homers in all levels of minors. What gives?
ReplyDelete10 yılı aşkın bir süredir ümraniye dudulluda sex shop ve erotik shop sektöründe faliyet gösteren firmamızda dünyanın en ileri gelen markalarının seks shop ürünlerini güvenle alabilir ve kullanabilirsiniz
ReplyDeleteyurtiçi ve sürat kargo ile teslim alırken kapıda ödeme yapabilirsiniz, isterseniz kargolarınızı ikamet adresinizden yada seçtiğiniz kargo firmasının size en yakın şubesinden teslim alabilirsiniz, maximum kartlara kapıda 6 taksit yapabiliyoruz