Jon Rauch to Diamondbacks

[M Skjellyfetti]

Just reported on ESPN. They didn't mention who Arizona gave up, though.

[And That]

I would like to have gotten Rauch, but what the Nats get for him should provide a decent barometer of what it would take to get Street or some of the other relievers who are signed beyond this year.

[hauser42]

Makes a lot of sense since the D-Backs have struggles with closing games out, Lyon has sucked. Rauch will alllow Pena and Lyon to be used in the 7th and 8th.

[BuckyTuba]

maybe we will see a NL west champion with a above .500 record after all...

[eanelson4]

The D-Backs got him for infielder Emilio Benifacio.

 

Call me crazy, but that seems like the D-Backs got an absolute steal there. One of the better relievers available for a AAA player that doesn't have stellar numbers.

 

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080722&content_id=3173993&vkey=trade2008&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[TooLiveBrew]

Now that's adding an impact arm. The race for the bullpen arms is now well underway. I'd guess we'll be hearing about another Brewers acquisition relatively soon.

[Brian the Automator]

6th best prospect in the D-Backs organization ... Yeah, seems like a very good deal for Arizona. There must be something about Benifacio that the Nats really like.

[And That]

This would be somewhat similar to the Brewers trading Taylor Green for Jon Rauch.

[Brian the Automator]

This would be somewhat similar to the Brewers trading Taylor Green for Jon Rauch.

I guess I'd do that deal in a heartbeat. You're getting a great bullpen arm for the next year and a third, and you could very well be getting Type A draft compensation when it's all said and done.

 

[M Skjellyfetti]

That gives the Diamondbacks a pretty solid back end of the bullpen. I'm not sure who will close, as Lyon has done a great job up to his last two appearances, and a solid job nonetheless. I'm also kind of shocked that Bonifacio is all it took to get Rauch. Looking at his numbers, he looks a lot like Alcides Escobar, but at a less premium defensive position and older. Great acquisition for the snakes.

[brewmann04]

have to believe melvin is still looking but getting the feeling he not going to pull any more trades.

[dadofandrew]

The kid the Nats got is 23 and doing well in AAA. Comparing him to Taylor Green, or any A ball kid, is pointless. Even the Huntsville 4 is not in AAA, though Gamel projects higher, and Escobar obviously does and is untouchable.

 

I'm sure the Crew can get a plus relief guy for Gamel, but choose not to. After all, 30 innings is just 30 innings.

 

EDIT: 30 referring to this year, of course. Rauch is not a FA, however, but many deals can be made in the offseason.

[TooLiveBrew]

I dunno... sub-.400 SLG at age 23 in Triple-A, and sub-.400 SLG at age 22 in Double-A... doesn't look all that good, but that's just me. Low BB totals along with a lack of power don't tend to project well to MLB. Listed at 5'11" & 180 lbs., it appears that the Nats just got themselves a speedy slap hitter.

 

He does appear to be a good base-stealer, so maybe Bowden is just another GM that overvalues speed. Gotta imagine the return for a RP as effective as Rauch could have/should have been better, especially since he's under salary control for another season.

 

Also, for those wanting to search on the youngster, his name is spelled Emilio Bonifacio

[M Skjellyfetti]

The kid the Nats got is 23 and doing well in AAA

 

That's a pretty big stretch. He's batting .302/.348/.387. I wouldn't call a .735 OPS in AAA doing well, even for a middle infielder/center fielder. Throw in that he's only had one decent season, in A ball, and I don't see him as much of a haul.

 

EDIT: Thanks for beating me to the punch, TLB. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/devil.gif

[Brian the Automator]

Comparing him to Taylor Green, or any A ball kid, is pointless.

That remark comes off as very condescending.

[shelmark]

Ditto Brian's post. I cringed when I read that line. I'm just happy dad doesn't use my old Weeks comment as his signature. Hmm, what was that about anyhow, dad?

[jackalope02ca]

What a steal for arizona. Bonifacio projects as nothing more than an average player if he ever makes it. He's as likely to become the next Hernan Irribaren as an every day player. You have to wonder if Arizona has pictures of Jim Bowden or something.

This is like us offering up Brad Nelson to Oakland for Street.

 

[Bambis Bombers]

At the end of the 2007 season, Elias had Rauch ranked as the 10th best NL reliever, firmly in Class A territory.

[PeaveyFury]

I'm just happy dad doesn't use my old Weeks comment as his signature.

 

I was actually thinking about that around the time of the Durham trade- I'd imagine you feel fairly vindicated at this point.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

What an embarrassingly feeble return for 2 1/3 years of Rauch at under 3 mil per yr. Bonifacio didn't even make Rotoworld's midseason top 150 prospects lists that was just released. He won't hit well enough in the bigs to be a regular at any position other than SS, and he doesn't play defense well enough for that. He doesn't walk and he has struck out an awful lot in the minors for a guy with no power -- in other words, he's exactly the sort of guy that projects as a much lousier hitter in the bigs than in the minors.

 

He's a base stealer. Yippitty Doo.

 

Bowden just boldly leapt to the top of the dumbest GM standings.

[rluzinski]

Bowden just boldly leapt to the top of the dumbest GM standings.

 

He's always been so darn clueless.

[danzig6767]

What an embarrassingly feeble return for 2 1/3 years of Rauch at under 3 mil per yr. Bonifacio didn't even make Rotoworld's midseason top 150 prospects lists that was just released. He won't hit well enough in the bigs to be a regular at any position other than SS, and he doesn't play defense well enough for that. He doesn't walk and he has struck out an awful lot in the minors for a guy with no power -- in other words, he's exactly the sort of guy that projects as a much lousier hitter in the bigs than in the minors.

 

He's a base stealer. Yippitty Doo.

 

Bowden just boldly leapt to the top of the dumbest GM standings.

Bowden already had a spot in the dumb GM standings, this just further cements his place. Even for him this is a terrible trade and i'm kinda bummed Melvin didn't make a call, Rauch has an incredibly team friendly contract. Even if Rauch was just a rental the trade looks terrible. Trades like this make me so glad i'm not a Nats fan.

 

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

Bowden already had a spot in the dumb GM standings, this just further cements his place.

 

I had him in third place before this, behind Sabean and Sabean Jr. (Colletti).

[danzig6767]

Sabean i'm a bit torn on

 

Yea he's made quite a few really head scratching signings, his trade with the Twins where he gave away Nathan/Liriano/Bonser was one of the worst in history, and Bonds played a huge huge role in the Giants success. With that said, Sabean did in most years put together good pitching staffs and some decent hitters around Bonds for those Giants teams that won a lot of games for multiple years.

 

I would never hire the guy to be GM if i was an owner, but even with as insanely productive Bonds was for the Giants/Sabean, one great player won't make teams a winner as Arod showed with Texas. With the Giants badly needing to rebuild, they likely would be better off getting a new GM, but Sabean did some good things for that franchise in his tenure.

[igor67]

I think the Nats return is more like Hernan Irribarren or Callix Crabbe then Taylor Green. That does understate things a bit, still I've gotta think that there was some strange fascination because I'm pretty sure Doug could have and would have done better otherwise.