Troy Glaus?!?

by Vlad on Jul 23, 2007 10:28 AM EDT Comment 13 comments

I know DL likes to aim high (and then cave at the last minute), but this is ridiculous.

The Pirates, in preliminary talks with Toronto regarding shortstop Jack Wilson, inquired about the Blue Jays' power-hitting third baseman, Troy Glaus, according to two sources intimately familiar with the matter.

Yes, the same Troy Glaus who is due $12.75 million next year -- plus an $11.25 million player option for 2009 -- and has a universal no-trade clause that was included in his contract largely because of his long-standing wish to play on the West Coast.

The Pirates' inquiry was rejected, one of those sources said. P-G.

The article didn't mention whether the source in question was able to overcome his convulsive attack of the giggles.

This just defies description. How can DL possibly think that they'd agree to that deal? Was he trying to insult them badly enough that they wouldn't talk to him again? He can't actually believe that Wilson and Glaus are of equivalent value, can he? The mind reels.

The article also includes a few other trade nuggets. Boston is shopping Wily Mo Pena pretty aggressively, and might be looking to deal him for one of our relievers. Torres is a nice guy, but I'd probably take that deal. Pena has tremendous upside, even if he's struggling right now, and veteran relievers are one of the few things that a bad team like us can consistently attract in free agency.

Dejan also says that the Mets have no real interest in Castillo even though Jose Valentin broke his leg, which can't really come as a surprise to anybody (except maybe DL). Castillo's making $1.9M this year, and he'd probably be a significant downgrade on Ruben Gotay. Why would the Mets trade something of value for the opportunity to hurt their lineup while adding payroll? Does not compute.

Meanwhile, multiple sources are hinting that the team would be willing to move Ian Snell for the right package. It's getting play in the Trib and BPro, among other places. Matt Kemp and Jarrod Saltalamacchia are mentioned as guys who might come back the other way. Personally, I think trading Snell would be a terrible mistake, but nobody asked me.

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Snell

Can anyone give me a good reason as to why Snell is on the market and Duke is not (according to that same BP article)?

by lgavind on Jul 23, 2007 11:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Attitude?

Snell had the gall (egads!!) to say he's sick of all the losing.

Don't underestimate that -- this management group wants sheep who go quietly to the slaughter.

Of course Duke's trade value is at an all-time low, and Snell's may never be higher.

Personally I don't want to see either traded -- Snell's a legit starter, and we need more of those, not less.

And no one is going to offer much for Duke with his past 18 months of "performance" and now his injury. Better to keep him and pray than give him away.

by OmarMoreno18 on Jul 23, 2007 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

They also seem to dislike flyball/strikeout pitchers (like Snell and Ollie) in favor of GB/contact guys. It's a stupid preference, but it seems like they come by it honestly.

Personally, with Snell making steady progress every year, I think they could end up really regretting it if they move him.

Also, just because I can: a cache of Wily Mo Pena's MySpace page.

by Vlad on Jul 23, 2007 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is known

as the "if you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullsh*t" style of general management. It follows that Tracy would adopt it, too, making Matt Kata our starting third baseman because he "looks pretty good over there" and "carries himself like a big-league player" or some such idiocy.

(Mr. Tracy, I'd like to make $385,000 a year. If I carry myself like a big-league player, can I start in CF tomorrow? Cool. Now can you explain to me what that means?)

Hey, makes more sense to me than putting Freddy back at a position he can actually handle and letting a guy making $1.9 million and rotting on the bench but who may yet have some actual upside play second.

Of course, if I were Tracy I'd probably be pulling names out of a hat too, in the hopes of one day pulling out a rabbit. Thank you! Thank you! You've been a great audience! Please stick around for Criss Angel!

by bucdaddy on Jul 23, 2007 1:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Tracy

Yeah, I saw that quote. If that's his real reason for starting Kata, that's ridiculous.

by Charlie on Jul 23, 2007 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe..

DL thinks this is fantasy baseball. If he sends enough horrible trades, maybe someone will hit "accept trade" by accident.

Maybe thats all he can hope for at this point...

As for Snell, I know for a FACT that they want to deal him before he calls them out for being frauds in the media.

by fugimaster24 on Jul 23, 2007 1:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

In other correspondence I have referred to this as "throw-enough-sh*t-against-the-wall" general management. Same thing.

BTW, Glaus is going to be 31 in a few days and he's having pretty much his best season since he was 23. I don't know what to make of that. All I can say is that if DL really pitched Wilson-for-Glaus he was offering to deal someone probably having his worst year (though in Wilson's case that would be hard to pick out) for someone having his best, someone whose OPS+ is about twice Wilson's. The Pirates would probably have to kick in most or all of Wilson's salary the next two years too, at the very least.

by bucdaddy on Jul 23, 2007 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

From FakeTeams.com...

"The Pittsburgh Post-gazette reports the team requested Blue Jays' 3B Troy Glaus in return for SS Jack Wilson. It is laughable, but, if it is just an opening salvo, then maybe it is not as ridiculous as it appears. If the Pirates added Salomon Torres and/or a starting pitcher, the Jays would be forced to defend any decision not to advance the trade talks. The paper also alit upon a Torres-for-Wily Mo Pena possibility."

---

If that starting pitcher is John Van Benschoten, great! Otherwise, please god no...

by The Boy on Jul 23, 2007 3:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

forgot the link...

http://www.faketeams.com/story/2007/7/23/115445/171

by The Boy on Jul 23, 2007 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would assume...

...that they mean Snell or Gorz, there.

Personally, I don't want any part of that action.

by Vlad on Jul 23, 2007 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would

Take Pena for Torres in a flash.
Pena is exactly the type of guy that DL needs to take chances on and never does.

by Count Vertigo on Jul 23, 2007 6:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Actually

In thinking about this a little more, it makes me happy that for once DL is the one doing the asking. In all reports on possible trade scenaios, the story begins "The Mets/Yanks/Sox/any other team have inquired about...."

I like DL actually being proactive for once, even if he has to be a moron while doing it.

by fugimaster24 on Jul 23, 2007 7:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs