Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

[P2K]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

BA would beg to differ that these prospects aren't good (Cardenas being the better one of course). I've never seen either play so I'm going off their reports.

Wins is not a good stat to determine a pitchers overall effectiveness as it has more relevance to the team (ie: a pitcher could get a win by going 6ip and giving up 8 runs while another pitcher could get a loss by going 9ip and giving up 1 run....the second pitcher obviously pitched better). Look a little deeper and you'll see that Blanton hasn't exactly been a very consistent or good starter during his career. Maybe a switch to the weaker NL will help him, but Blanton has also benefited from the A's pitcher-friendly park.

I need to take a look at the current FA list later (heading out now), but I recall 1-2 names that were intriguing. I know both were in their low 30's though.

This just wasn't a good move by the Philly front office. Even most of the other baseball Philly fans agree with that sentiment (Skerik and Z).

Cardenas is supposedly a very good prospect. I don't know. Nobody really knows. All I do know is that he is 21 and still in single A ball. Outman and Spencer are nobody prospects with chances being they will live in the minors. I mean...would you really trust Phillies minor league prospects? Our minor leagues pretty much suck.

I don't give a crap what Skerik and Z said. Why were they even brought up? This is my opinion and my opinion is I don't care about all the stats and so on. All we needed was someone that could take Adam Eaton's spot. Everybody is overanalyzing this. Plus, we didn't give up anything. The only real chip we have is Carlos Carrasco. That's it.

[gta95]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

Cardenas is supposedly a very good prospect. I don't know. Nobody really knows. All I do know is that he is 21 and still in single A ball. Outman and Spencer are nobody prospects with chances being they will live in the minors. I mean...would you really trust Phillies minor league prospects? Our minor leagues pretty much suck.

The only real chip we have is Carlos Carrasco. That's it.

1. Carrasco is 1 year younger and ahead of his time in AA, I don't see how Cardenas was all of a sudden an old man in A ball.

2. We still have trade chips in Jason "trade bait" Donald, Lou Marson (unlikely), Armando Bastardo, Jason Jaramillio (or how ever the hell you spell it), and a few others. Not exactly a loaded farm system but we are not bone dry in prospects.

[TheLetterZ]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

All we needed was someone that could take Adam Eaton's spot. Everybody is overanalyzing this.

No, you're overanalyzing this. Literally anyone could have taken Adam Eaton's spot, for a hell of a lot lower price than Adrian Cardenas.

[mjb2124]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

Cardenas is supposedly a very good prospect. I don't know. Nobody really knows. All I do know is that he is 21 and still in single A ball. Outman and Spencer are nobody prospects with chances being they will live in the minors. I mean...would you really trust Phillies minor league prospects? Our minor leagues pretty much suck.

I don't give a crap what Skerik and Z said. Why were they even brought up? This is my opinion and my opinion is I don't care about all the stats and so on. All we needed was someone that could take Adam Eaton's spot. Everybody is overanalyzing this. Plus, we didn't give up anything. The only real chip we have is Carlos Carrasco. That's it.

I think Cardenas is at a suitable level for his age. He's also tearing up that level so I'm sure a promotion was/is in the making.

I guess I struck a nerve by mentioning Skerik and Z? I never expected you to get your panties in a bunch over such an innocent comment, but I guess it takes all kinds or something like that.

Skerik and Z were mentioned because they are both Philly fans and have their hand on the pulse of the team more than I do. I can read the analysis by all the experts and hear them say it's a bad trade, but when guys who I know have a lot of knowledge of baseball in general AND the Philly system state they don't like the trade, I put a lot of stock into that. You might consider looking at the stats because they throw bias out the window and are capable of displaying a clearer picture - like wins being the most overrated stat to judge a pitcher on.

With that said, I do know a lot about baseball and do know a bad trade when I see one. Like I said, Blanton is an average pitcher and giving up a guy like Cardenas for him is just plain silly. Less could have been given up for a guy just as good as Blanton or even slightly better.

[mjb2124]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

No, you're overanalyzing this. Literally anyone could have taken Adam Eaton's spot, for a hell of a lot lower price than Adrian Cardenas.

I'm glad someone got what I was saying... I didn't think I was being that obtuse.

[Knight165]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

I might be one of the few who don't think this was a "bad" deal.
Cardenas was their #2 prospect...yes...and maybe slightly behind other teams #2 prospects....but the kid is projected to be a middle of the order hitter with some pretty good pop.
The thing is.....there is no way he's going to get to 2B with Utley there.
He's a pretty bad fielder with very little range so a move to 3B is pretty much out of the question.
Howard is at 1B...so that's out.
Maybe a move to one of the corner OF spots....but I'm sure that they would have tried that rather than let him develop at 2B with Utley in front of him.
Outman is a fringe prospect and Spencer is a BIG if...
So Cardenas is a "better" 2B prospect on Oakland than he is on Philly, if that makes sense.

Is this the best deal the Philies could have made?...probably not...but I don't think it's as bad as everyone is projecting.

M.K.
Knight165

[P2K]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

1. Carrasco is 1 year younger and ahead of his time in AA, I don't see how Cardenas was all of a sudden an old man in A ball.

2. We still have trade chips in Jason "trade bait" Donald, Lou Marson (unlikely), Armando Bastardo, Jason Jaramillio (or how ever the hell you spell it), and a few others. Not exactly a loaded farm system but we are not bone dry in prospects.

1. But that is why Carrasco is something special. On top of him being in Double A at his age, there is talk of him joining the big club already. That's a LEGIT prospect that you took on at age 17-18. Only J-Roll and Hamels are like that.

2. The Phils are just showing signs of getting some solid talent down in the minors, but it still sucks. It is nowhere near where you would want it to be.

No, you're overanalyzing this. Literally anyone could have taken Adam Eaton's spot, for a hell of a lot lower price than Adrian Cardenas.

LOL @ me overanalyzing. Yeah, alright. Sure. So, you wanted just any ol' body out there. And now, Cardenas is Ryne Sandberg and Chase Utley rolled into one.

[P2K]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

I might be one of the few who don't think this was a "bad" deal.
Cardenas was their #2 prospect...yes...and maybe slightly behind other teams #2 prospects....but the kid is projected to be a middle of the order hitter with some pretty good pop.
The thing is.....there is no way he's going to get to 2B with Utley there.
He's a pretty bad fielder with very little range so a move to 3B is pretty much out of the question.
Howard is at 1B...so that's out.
Maybe a move to one of the corner OF spots....but I'm sure that they would have tried that rather than let him develop at 2B with Utley in front of him.
Outman is a fringe prospect and Spencer is a BIG if...
So Cardenas is a "better" 2B prospect on Oakland than he is on Philly, if that makes sense.

Is this the best deal the Philies could have made?...probably not...but I don't think it's as bad as everyone is projecting.

M.K.
Knight165

At least someone has some sense around here. Even if it's Met fan

Basically, we got something in return without giving up anything important or all that great.

[mjb2124]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

Is this the best deal the Philies could have made?...probably no

I think this is the point many of us were trying to make. Even if Cardenas is a better fit on another team than in Philly, he's too valuable to give up for Joe Blanton. I think Philly would have been better off finding another trade partner willing to part with a better pitcher.

Hell, if Philly just wanted an arm to fill in for Eaton, I'll go out there and give them some innings. I was a pretty damn good pitcher in high school and college.

[duke776]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

I guess David Price is nothing special, he was at A ball at age 22, it looks like he'll be a bust.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, Adrian Cardenas is only 20.

[P2K]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

I guess David Price is nothing special, he was at A ball at age 22, it looks like he'll be a bust.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, Adrian Cardenas is only 20.

David Price went to college and was just picked last year. Cardenas came straight from high school.

Nice try, smart guy.

[P2K]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

I think this is the point many of us were trying to make. Even if Cardenas is a better fit on another team than in Philly, he's too valuable to give up for Joe Blanton. I think Philly would have been better off finding another trade partner willing to part with a better pitcher.

Hell, if Philly just wanted an arm to fill in for Eaton, I'll go out there and give them some innings. I was a pretty damn good pitcher in high school and college.

No, because you sucked.

Anyways, I never said it was the greatest deal, either. That's why I am not understanding you guys jumping on me about my opinion. All I said is I don't see the absolute rape that you guys see.

Agree to disagree, I guess.

[mjb2124]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

No, because you sucked.

Anyways, I never said it was the greatest deal, either. That's why I am not understanding you guys jumping on me about my opinion. All I said is I don't see the absolute rape that you guys see.

Agree to disagree, I guess.

Ahhh, some things never change with P2K. Gotta withhold that internet tough guy image I suppose.

In any case, that's not true (nor would you know). I was extremely good and is why I had a nice baseball scholarship to college. It's also why I was in the starting rotation as a Freshman in college and posted some impressive stats. Nevermind HS where I pitched in a WPIAL and state championship and was the #2 on my team (#1 had a full ride to Tennessee, but he blew out his shoulder).

You're right, it's not a great deal...it's not even good. We can go back and forth for as long as you want, but it's not really worth it. Agreeing to disagree is probably best.

[duke776]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

David Price went to college and was just picked last year. Cardenas came straight from high school.

Nice try, smart guy.

Yeah, I was looking for a better example but I don't feel like wasting my time on that. But hey I got one thing right, you still got his age wrong.

[P2K]

Re: Phillies reach agreement with A's for Joe Blanton

Yeah, I was looking for a better example but I don't feel like wasting my time on that. But hey I got one thing right, you still got his age wrong.

At the moment. He'll be 21 in October.