Trevor Bauer Traded For Didi Gregorius

[82CardsGrad]

I don't care if Towers thought he had twenty elite pitching prospects, you still don't give them away like their Halloween candy. "Overfilled" depth charts tend to sort themselves out. Nobody ever says "wow, we just have too many good starting pitchers."

Well... when you're the D-backs and you are sitting on a very deep stash of quality pitching, and, you have needs in other places, and, one of those quality pitchers is a spolied brat of a whack job that can't get along with players and coaches - yea... it appears KT just said, "WOW, we just have too many good starting pitchers..."

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

He's claiming that they simply "like" Gregorius better. He's going to be close to alone on that.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

KT made this move with a number of solid supportive reasonings. He said today they had Skaggs ranked above Bauer.

That's not solid reasoning by any stretch. It's not as though they have to choose one over the other.. And even IF that were the scenario, that doesn't mean Kevin Towers should have turned a Arizona Diamondbacks in to the MLB garage sale for pitching prospects, with their top prospect (or prospect 1A according to Towers) stuck on an even bigger discount. With as many teams that are absolutely HURTING for starting pitching, sorry but there was NO REASON Arizona needed to sell low. None.

They are expecting Hudson back at the all-star break. In short, they feel very confident and loaded with respect to starting pitching.

There's no such thing as loaded at SP when you have a young pitching staff. What if Miley regresses from rookie form? What if Kennedy can't return to 2011 form? What if Corbin takes a step back? Or the dreaded injury bug? What if McCarthy can't overcome the horrific injury he suffered at the end of the regular season? None of these are totally outlandish or unrealistic. Even IF they do wind up all panning out as planned, does it really hurt?

KT also said that they are building the team around great pitching

And yet they gave a potentially GREAT pitcher away..

and defense.

That you can get off the free agent wire for next to nothing. Unless your name is Kevin Towers, traditionally you don't give up high upside pitchers for defensive specialists..

And DiDi is universally viewed as THE top defensive SS prospect. If things pan out the way he believes, they won't need a heavy hitting SS as much as they'll need a great glove.

Universally where? Most I know of refer to Simmons of the Braves and Eugenio Sanchez of Detroit as that. Plus again... 40 errors in 2 years? That's not elite defense.. That's actually garbage defense.

He also pointed out that, since they absolutely needed to address the SS position either this season or next, he looked at what was going to be available and made this move in part, because he can control DiDi over the next 6 years. All of the other top FA prospects would only bring 2 years of control.

And I'm fine with all that.. But NOT at this price. They gambled over 6 years of control from a guy who offensively isn't ever going to hit for power, and at this point has proven to be a slap ball hitter? There's nothing wrong with those kind of hitters, but if that's your style, you better have a .388 OBP, not a .288 one. The ONLY time an OBP that low is acceptable is if you put up 20+ homers a year. That's NOT DiDi. Never will be.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

So basically, they got desperate for a SS who would be there for a few years on team control, didn't like Bauer and decided why not?

If that's the case, and Gregorious is the defensive superstar that Kevin Towers is trying to sell us on him as (again, don't see it), it's STILL not worth it. Frankly, he better become Ozzie freaking Smith II to even come close to making this deal worth even recognizing as being passable.

 

[82CardsGrad]

So basically, they got desperate for a SS who would be there for a few years on team control, didn't like Bauer and decided why not?

If that's the case, and Gregorious is the defensive superstar that Kevin Towers is trying to sell us on him as (again, don't see it), it's STILL not worth it. Frankly, he better become Ozzie freaking Smith II to even come close to making this deal worth even recognizing as being passable.

Dude, chill out man... Bauer has done nothing in the bigs but SUCK it up bigtime. Again, he may go on to be all that you believe so strongly he'll be. Or, maybe not... But, we won't know the score on this deal for at least another 2-3 years...

 

[Lefty]

Gregorious is now the #4 prospect in the Diamondbacks system. Also, Mitch Williams is not a big fan of Bauer. He was showing his flaws in his delivery and said he needs to change but doesn't know if he will listen.

 

[HooverDam]

Only in sports does someone with an interest in psychics, a curiosity about how things work, a passion for their work and the guts to try radical new ideas get labeled as a "weirdo headcase."

Yah Bauer wasn't liked in the locker room, who cares? Would you want to be liked by baseball players? On average they're by far the dimmest athletes I've ever come across. Bauer must've really come across as an arrogant jerk by doing something crazy like...."reading!"

 

[82CardsGrad]

Only in sports does someone with an interest in psychics, a curiosity about how things work, a passion for their work and the guts to try radical new ideas get labeled as a "weirdo headcase."

Yah Bauer wasn't liked in the locker room, who cares? Would you want to be liked by baseball players? On average they're by far the dimmest athletes I've ever come across. Bauer must've really come across as an arrogant jerk by doing something crazy like...."reading!"

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Only in sports does someone with an interest in psychics, a curiosity about how things work, a passion for their work and the guts to try radical new ideas get labeled as a "weirdo headcase."

Yah Bauer wasn't liked in the locker room, who cares? Would you want to be liked by baseball players? On average they're by far the dimmest athletes I've ever come across. Bauer must've really come across as an arrogant jerk by doing something crazy like...."reading!"

I know.. What a scumbag. But hey, he's gone now and they got Derek Jeter 2.0. Ignore the numbers in front of us. KT says this guy is Jeter V2... And he won't piss off Miguel Montero. Granted, Bauer will be an ace and a stud but hey... At least Montero will be happy. That's all that matters.

 

[HooverDam]

Terrific rebuttal.

I've yet to hear anything about what this kid has done thats so awful besides being a unique individual.

In a world where pro athletes beat their wives, cheat with PEDs, get DUIs, etc. and don't make their front offices want to trade them, is doing a goofy long toss routine really a big deal?

I just don't get why the D'backs front office got such a burr in their butt to ship the guy out because he didn't get along w/ Montero or whatever.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Terrific rebuttal.

I've yet to hear anything about what this kid has done thats so awful besides being a unique individual.

In a world where pro athletes beat their wives, cheat with PEDs, get DUIs, etc. and don't make their front offices want to trade them, is doing a goofy long toss routine really a big deal?

I just don't get why the D'backs front office got such a burr in their butt to ship the guy out because he didn't get along w/ Montero or whatever.

Nobody said he's the anti-Christ... Geeez... Quite the contrary, you guys make him out to be The Savior!
The kid is talented. So are hundreds/thousands of others... He is a spoiled brat who does not accept instruction. He clearly has relational issues as his teammates were not at all thrilled with him. Whether you want to accept it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way to enter the bigs as a rookie. And comparing him to Bryce Harper is not at all appropriate as Harper was smart enough to get along with his teammates, knowing he had to earn their respect adn trust. Bauer came in as if he was owed their respect and trust. And after getting lit up like a Christmas Tree, he still never changed. It was reported that JJ Putz was pretty ticked off by his pompous attitude.
Yea - not everyone on a team is always going to get along. Personalities can always be interesting... However, in sports like baseball and football, there is decades old truths about team dynamics. And rookies have to choose to get on board, or not. Bauer emphatically chose not. We'll see what happens in Cleveland...

 

[HooverDam]

Nobody said he's the anti-Christ... Geeez... Quite the contrary, you guys make him out to be The Savior!

I didn't say he's the savior, I just think trading a player because of his personality is awfully weird. Especially when most teams don't trade players that break the law, kill people in automobile accidents, etc.

Whether you want to accept it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way to enter the bigs as a rookie.

I don't really accept that, sorry. All the Rookie hazing garbage in sports is just that, garbage. These people are all paid, professional adults. A bunch of sophomoric "you're younger than me thus you deserve to be treated poorly" antics is stupid. I look forward to the day when its relegated to the dustbin of sports history.

And comparing him to Bryce Harper is not at all appropriate

I didn't compare him to Harper, or anyone for that matter.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

I compared him to Harper because both had the "immature" tag slapped on them.

Im also not calling the guy a Saint. I merely think trading him well below market value because he ruffled a few feathers in Phoenix is asinine. You don't sell a new car the first time it needs an oil change.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Getting along? This isn't Cub Scouts. I have worked with people on a daily basis that I couldn't stand and frankly, I know a few who felt the same towards me. Grown adults. Leave it at the door.

 

[Town Drunk]

As a Giants fan, I'm very happy that Arizona made this trade, because it was terrible.

Sorry guys. I just don't understand why your GM would sell low on Bauer.

 

[Brian]

Terrific rebuttal.

I've yet to hear anything about what this kid has done thats so awful besides being a unique individual.

In a world where pro athletes beat their wives, cheat with PEDs, get DUIs, etc. and don't make their front offices want to trade them, is doing a goofy long toss routine really a big deal?

I just don't get why the D'backs front office got such a burr in their butt to ship the guy out because he didn't get along w/ Montero or whatever.

You may want to read this: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ians-three-team-trade-miguel-montero/1765351/

By the way, your comment about baseball players being the dimmest is bullcrap.

 

[SunsTzu]

Either this is a terrible trade or drafting Bauer was a terrible selection, or both. Regardless of which it was it doesn't inspire any confidence in Towers.

 

[PoolBoy]

Only in sports does someone with an interest in psychics, a curiosity about how things work, a passion for their work and the guts to try radical new ideas get labeled as a "weirdo headcase."

Yah Bauer wasn't liked in the locker room, who cares? Would you want to be liked by baseball players? On average they're by far the dimmest athletes I've ever come across. Bauer must've really come across as an arrogant jerk by doing something crazy like...."reading!"

 

[BC867]

You don't sell a new car the first time it needs an oil change.

An oil change is routine maintenance. Discovering that the car you bought was in a flood and is damaged goods is something else.

 

[82CardsGrad]

You may want to read this: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ians-three-team-trade-miguel-montero/1765351/

By the way, your comment about baseball players being the dimmest is bullcrap.

Bingo!

 

[82CardsGrad]

I didn't say he's the savior, I just think trading a player because of his personality is awfully weird. Especially when most teams don't trade players that break the law, kill people in automobile accidents, etc.

See the article Brian posted... which supports all of my commentary.

I don't really accept that, sorry. All the Rookie hazing garbage in sports is just that, garbage. These people are all paid, professional adults. A bunch of sophomoric "you're younger than me thus you deserve to be treated poorly" antics is stupid. I look forward to the day when its relegated to the dustbin of sports history.

Who said anything about hazing?? It's called respect. Respect for the game. For the franchise. For the coaches. For your fellow players... Again - the article that Brian posted clearly points this out - as have I now on multiple occasions...

 

[82CardsGrad]

Getting along? This isn't Cub Scouts. I have worked with people on a daily basis that I couldn't stand and frankly, I know a few who felt the same towards me. Grown adults. Leave it at the door.

It appears to me that you have never played baseball at a high level...

Anyway, I didn't say everyone needs to "get along". You missed my point, again... And frankly, I'm tired trying to point out the obvious to you.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

It appears to me that you have never played baseball at a high level...

Wrong. Played baseball as a starter all through high school. Played three sports actually. Nice assumption. You might want to consider a career as a meteorologist. Maybe one time out of five you'll be able to make an assumption correctly.. This time, you're off.

I also enjoy how you immediately went in to the mud slinging mode. Really backs up your argument on behalf of the trade well.

Anyway, I didn't say everyone needs to "get along". You missed my point, again... And frankly, I'm tired trying to point out the obvious to you.

Yeah I missed the point. I missed the point that Bauer is labeled as someone who has attitude and maturity issues; someone who ruffled QUITE a few feathers within the organization in a short period of time. How much more do I need to elaborate that before it sinks through to you that I GET it? Perhaps as many times as it's going to take it to sink in to your head that regardless, they SOLD LOW. It's documented, Bauer saw the error of his ways and was willing to work on fixing it. Can it be fully said that he WOULDN'T have turned the corner?

And yes, I know.. They have a surplus of young SP. Still doesn't mean they should have sold low. Sorry..

Again, my past history will indicate it.. I'm an arduous glass half full poster when it comes to the moves this team has made in the past. However, sorry but I DON'T like this move, and it's going to take a fair amount for me to change my mind on it. If Didi becomes Derek Jeter Jr., or whatever billing KT gave him, I'll happily come on this very board and eat my words. However, with the bat, he's been around the minors awhile. Are the lightbulbs going to go on eventually? Maybe. However after five years in the minors, they haven't and I'm not so sure they ever will.

And before you bring up power, I don't care if he hits for power. That's what Goldschmidt is for.. That's what Upton is for.. Eventually, when he gets up to Phoenix, that's what Matt Davidson will be for. However, the OBP concerns the HELL out of me. If you aren't a power hitter, a low OBP is concerning. Getting on base is the most valuable facet a player can have. So far, Didi hasn't shown that capability.

Not going to "rah rah, GO DIAMONDBACKS, GREAT MOVE!!!" over something I don't think was.

 

[Mulli]

I read the article. Sounds about right for a kid. What we don't think Randy Johnson or Roger Clemens made mistakes like this or were jerks to veterans? Sounds like crap veterans and coaches if you can't handle a rookie being a dope.

Hey Montero, feel free to keep your gripes in house. You are the veteran after all.

 

[PoolBoy]

Brandon Phillips said on twitter he is the best SS he has ever played next to. I'll take his and a GM's opinion over the boards who knows nothing about Bauers progression and attitude.