Trade drama fogs a long and active offseason
Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:27 am
The Rockies have hit their second snag since joining the IBC.
About a year ago, the Rockies entered into an agreement with the Pirates which was never approved because there was a change in ownership of the Pirates, and the deal was voided.
This offseason has begun with a similar challenge. Rockies GM John Anderson & new Indians GM Kelly Burke have been working around the clock to develop a deal that the league will approve. Their first attempt was rebuffed by both the TRC & by league vote, and their 2nd submission was also rejected.
"Kelly & I have done business before and have a good working relationship from our time together in the IYFBL", says Rockies GM John Anderson. "We've been able to work well together because we both understand each other's philosophies. Sometimes, when teams try to build in a way that may be deviant from the norm, it gets shunned. Not every GM would agree with every deal made, and we both understand that".
The most recent edition of the deal, which has been denounced by the TRC is:
Fernand Rodney
Otsuka
Miguel Batista
Adam Cowart
for
John Maine
Jose Ceda
Oswaldo Sosa
The TRC's reasoning for rejecting a deal that they had approved before the revision is:
"The TRC discussed this resubmission of a trade earlier rejected by the league (by a vote of 21 - 6) and the prevailing opinion was the league overturned that deal because of the high value placed on the young, upper rotation starter. Adding a very back end, older starter and two B- level prospects is window dressing and does not fix the problem."
"I find it interesting how the deal was approved in it's first edition, but by adding a 16 game winner, it's suddenly a less balanced deal" says Rockies GM John Anderson. "I've been the president of the Trade Committee in other leagues, and I know first hand that it's a thankless job. I know that sometimes good baseball men can get caught up by the pressures of trying to vote on what they think the league wants, and not by how they would usually handle an unbiased evaluation".
"If you leave Otsuka out of the revised deal, it is still a good deal for my Indians" says Indians GM Kelly Burke. "Otsuka is a throw-in, get over the possible injury concerns you may have. In giving up Maine, sure he's a young starter, but I believe he is overrated. I drafted him when I joined the league for the sole purpose of spinning him into bullpen help".
"In return, I improve my bullpen with Rodney, get a solid and durable innings-eater in Batista and a prospect in Cowart I like more than Ceda and Sosa".
"16 wins, 192 innings, 4.29 ERA. vs. 15 wins, 191 innings, 3.91 ERA. How many of you know which line is Maine's and which one is Batista's"? questions Anderson. "...factor in the league adjustment on top of the stats, and your talking about very similar numbers".
"I think that most people would agree that Sosa & Otsuka could cancel each other out at this point" says Anderson. "The deal now becomes Maine for Batista, Rodney & Cowart, with Ceda being a throw-in from the Indians. Cowart is a B-Level prospect? 24-8 1.96 era in his pro-career to date...those are the types of B-Level prospects that most teams should go out of their way to stock up on. 150:36 k:BB ratio, 202 hits in 253 innings.
"I'll respect whichever decision the league makes" says Anderson. "But I hope that rejection is because this deal truely shifts the balance of league parity, and not because of the unique strategic managerial preferences of the GM's involved".
"You may think this deal is not great, but ask yourself, is it still unbalanced enough to Veto?"
About a year ago, the Rockies entered into an agreement with the Pirates which was never approved because there was a change in ownership of the Pirates, and the deal was voided.
This offseason has begun with a similar challenge. Rockies GM John Anderson & new Indians GM Kelly Burke have been working around the clock to develop a deal that the league will approve. Their first attempt was rebuffed by both the TRC & by league vote, and their 2nd submission was also rejected.
"Kelly & I have done business before and have a good working relationship from our time together in the IYFBL", says Rockies GM John Anderson. "We've been able to work well together because we both understand each other's philosophies. Sometimes, when teams try to build in a way that may be deviant from the norm, it gets shunned. Not every GM would agree with every deal made, and we both understand that".
The most recent edition of the deal, which has been denounced by the TRC is:
Fernand Rodney
Otsuka
Miguel Batista
Adam Cowart
for
John Maine
Jose Ceda
Oswaldo Sosa
The TRC's reasoning for rejecting a deal that they had approved before the revision is:
"The TRC discussed this resubmission of a trade earlier rejected by the league (by a vote of 21 - 6) and the prevailing opinion was the league overturned that deal because of the high value placed on the young, upper rotation starter. Adding a very back end, older starter and two B- level prospects is window dressing and does not fix the problem."
"I find it interesting how the deal was approved in it's first edition, but by adding a 16 game winner, it's suddenly a less balanced deal" says Rockies GM John Anderson. "I've been the president of the Trade Committee in other leagues, and I know first hand that it's a thankless job. I know that sometimes good baseball men can get caught up by the pressures of trying to vote on what they think the league wants, and not by how they would usually handle an unbiased evaluation".
"If you leave Otsuka out of the revised deal, it is still a good deal for my Indians" says Indians GM Kelly Burke. "Otsuka is a throw-in, get over the possible injury concerns you may have. In giving up Maine, sure he's a young starter, but I believe he is overrated. I drafted him when I joined the league for the sole purpose of spinning him into bullpen help".
"In return, I improve my bullpen with Rodney, get a solid and durable innings-eater in Batista and a prospect in Cowart I like more than Ceda and Sosa".
"16 wins, 192 innings, 4.29 ERA. vs. 15 wins, 191 innings, 3.91 ERA. How many of you know which line is Maine's and which one is Batista's"? questions Anderson. "...factor in the league adjustment on top of the stats, and your talking about very similar numbers".
"I think that most people would agree that Sosa & Otsuka could cancel each other out at this point" says Anderson. "The deal now becomes Maine for Batista, Rodney & Cowart, with Ceda being a throw-in from the Indians. Cowart is a B-Level prospect? 24-8 1.96 era in his pro-career to date...those are the types of B-Level prospects that most teams should go out of their way to stock up on. 150:36 k:BB ratio, 202 hits in 253 innings.
"I'll respect whichever decision the league makes" says Anderson. "But I hope that rejection is because this deal truely shifts the balance of league parity, and not because of the unique strategic managerial preferences of the GM's involved".
"You may think this deal is not great, but ask yourself, is it still unbalanced enough to Veto?"