MY FIRST DEAL
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With less than a few weeks before the regular season starts, I wanted to see if I couldn't pull the trigger on something to at least get the ball rolling.
I've instituted a house rule that won't allow me to make more than one trade a month after the pre-season begins. Meaning between the end of the regular season and then I can go crazy...if I want. I won't, tho.
Anyway, before I got started I'd seen a kid who was a stud in the Continental League and had yet to make his major league debut.
He's Canadian, so he opted not to enter the draft and instead signed with Portland (CL) out of high school and MLB teams actually like this loophole because it allows them to assess talent on a stage that they'll know the kids will eventually play at and if they can't hack it after a few years in the CL, then they can save themselves money invested in a kid that doesn't make it worth their while.
Anyway, M.A. Charbonneau, (Marc-Alexandre, but this isn't hockey. That name is too damn long) played four years in Portland and has hit 152 HRs, 402 RBI and hit .293 over that span. At just 24, I figure he's just the kind of player we'd like to anchor in our outfield for a while.
Do I worry if he'll have adjustment problems in MLB? I sure do. But it's worth it to me to take the risk, rather than try to find someone like him in the draft or to sign him to a big free agent deal and THEN learn he can't play.
27-year old first baseman
Alfredo Longoria is a career .301 hitter in four years of Continental League play. He's also hit 98 HRs and 394 RBI.
Along with those guys, I acquired prospect
SP Mauro Gonzalez (POTENTIAL: 48/68/69) and two relievers.
I sent Portland 23-year old starting pitcher
Bill Tate, who went 16-12 last year with 159 K in 35 starts. His ERA was 3.52. He might be a steep price to pay if he ends up being good someday, but...I just didn't think it was worth sitting on him with his numbers being how they are. To me, last year was him playing out of his head.
Juan Lopez, I mentioned earlier. He's 37. I don't need to asy anymore than that. He needed to go sooner or later and now is as good as ever.
C Kyle King was a backup catcher who became the starter last year. He hit .232 with 16 HR and 57 RBI for us in his first full season as the starter.
Earl Hamilton is 18 years old and he might be a decent player someday, but it wasn't going to happen for a while and I preferred not to wait. (POTENTIALS: 63/45/32/48/87)
We sent two other minor leaguers and $7 million in cash to Portland in this deal.
In total, we ended up costing ourselves about $530k with the salary swaps and stuff.
Even deal, I think. And the last one before the season starts for us, as well as the first.
Quote:
Friday, March 3rd, 2000: Yankees Trade Tate to Beavers for Charbonneau
The Boston Yankees have finalized a deal with the Portland Beavers for the services of 19-year old starting pitcher Mauro González, 24-year old left fielder M.A. Charbonneau, 27-year old first baseman Alfredo Longoria, 29-year old reliever Joey Fullerton and 22-year old reliever Lau-po Hsu. In exchange, the Beavers will receive 30-year old first baseman Tony Aquino, 25-year old first baseman Jim Clark, 37-year old first baseman Juan López, 18-year old left fielder Earl Hamilton, 30-year old catcher Kyle King, 23-year old starting pitcher Bill Tate and $7,000,000 in cash.
In his career Tate has amassed 35 wins and 39 losses over 105 appearances. He has an ERA of 4.55 and 432 strikeouts in pitching 649.1 innings.
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