Tony Gwynn Jr for Otsuka was nearly a done deal

[brewers255]

The Rangers and Brewers were close to a trade: Akinori Otsuka to the Brewers for Tony Gwynn Jr. Rosenthal seemed to dislike it, but I think it made sense for the Crew. Regardless, Bill Hall's injury thwarted the deal as Gwynn will be needed to man center.

 

Reported by Ken Rosenthal.

 

mlbtraderumors.com

[strawbossisevil]

It's too bad the Crew couldn't make this work. Adding Otsuka would make our bullpen probably one of the best, if not the best in baseball.

 

And having him until '09, would make losing Cordero in the offseason a little bit more manageable (if that were to happen).

[trwi7]

I'm absolutely stunned that Melvin wouldn't pull the trigger on this deal.

 

Yeah I know Hall is hurt and everything but just use Hart in CF vs lefties with Jenkins in LF and Mench in RF and then Jenkins and a Gross/Nix platoon in CF with Hart in RF vs righties.

 

Here's the link to mlbtraderumors.com

 

Just click on FOXSports in the first sentence and then go to "Rosenthal's Full Count" and you can watch the video.

[BucEbadger]

id much rather move Gross or Mench but if Texas really demands Gwynn then fine so be it as Hall is gonna be in CF for a long time and IMO i think Nix should of be brought up instead of Gwynn as the guys be very solid so far this year and he has some pop in that bat of his.....

[Oldcity]

For Pete's sake, I hope Hall's injury isn't what held up the deal. I'd still do Gwynn for Otsuka in a second.

[brettac1]

Well, it'll be too late in a couple weeks. The more Gwynn plays the more his value will drop.

[dadofandrew]

Brett, if he has games like last night, it'll go up. He's a Dave Roberts clone, and better than Juan Pierre by far right now. If he keeps running down balls in the gap, has good PA's, and gets his hits, he'll be on many a team's wish list.

[brettac1]

Well, pretty much every player in the league is better than Juan Pierre. There aren't a lot of teams that love Juan Pierre right now, or did in the offseason. I don't see Gwynn ever being as good as Roberts or Pierre were. Maybe some team is blinded by the name, but I think he turns to a AAAA guy for good before this season ends.

 

I think once a couple weeks passes, teams will want to give up a much better prospect for Otsuka than what the Brewers will.

[bklynbrewcrew]

I cant believe that this rumor is true. This would absolutely be a phenomenal deal. Gwynn is no better than a 4th or 5th outfielder. Otsuka is a top flight reliever who we would have for the next two and a half seasons. Hall being injured shouldnt stop Melvin from making this deal. Gross is a better player than Gwynn and Nix is just as good. Please Doug Melvin make this deal if you can.

[dadofandrew]

I don't see Gwynn ever being as good as Roberts

 

He already is:

 

Roberts career--.341/.368, good defender, 80% SB success.

 

Gwynn, 2007--.368/.356, good defender, 6-7 SB

 

Prerequisite small sample disclaimer, but to many teams, they are drooling about having Tony playing CF for them, and being really cheap for a while as well. Roberts did not even get a chance until he was 27, and Tony should continue to get better for a stretch as well.

 

Gwynn does not do some things, but look at the career Luis Castillo had, or Brett Butler, in addition to Pierre and Roberts. Someone, probably many teams, want him slapping away at the top of their lineup and patrolling CF everyday, while in reality, he is better suited to bat 8th and platoon. The fact TEX was willing to deal possibly the best reliever available for him would seem to prove his value is high right now, at least to a few teams.

 

Let's not forget, Tony is a prototypical lead-off CF...many teams love that. Does that make him worth more than he should be? Yep, and so be it. My only concern is I'd rather deal him for a younger pitcher if he indeed is that loved by MLB.

[Never Outhustled]

Heel fast Billy, as we need this deal. Hopefully Hart gets more oppurtunities in CF, to show Melvin how unnecessary Gwynn is.

 

Rosenthal criticized the deal because he thought we shouldn't trade a young everyday starter in Gwynn. I guess he didn't realize we have a team full of young, more talented players already, including 2 very , very good OFs that can play CF.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Rosenthal is on drugs if he thinks that Gwynn is an everyday player. If this guy had the name Tony Wynn instead of Gwynn he would have no trade value at all. We should take advantage of his name recognition and trade him before he plays long enough to show what he really is, a 4th or 5th outfielder. We would have Otsuka for 2 and a half seasons and the bullpen would be amongsth the deepest in baseball. Come on Doug make this deal. As far as replacing Hall for a few weeks Gross could do a better job and Nix is also as good if not better than Gwynn.

[brettac1]

Tony Wynn instead of Gwynn he would have no trade value at all.

 

Why not "Wynne", then he could be Marvel Wynne's son. Then he'd be a chip off the old block.

[sbrylski]

SHUCKS! This trade would have been perfect. Its what I suggested in the Otsuka thread.

 

Why not expand it a little and grab Lofton, who they won't really be needing if they get Gwynn. Add something to our side. Or Hart to CF!

 

Man, what a horrible time for an injury.

[twobrewers]

Quote:

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Why not expand it a little and grab Lofton, who they won't really be needing if they get Gwynn.

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That is why this doesn't make sense to me. If this was true, I am sure they could have figured this out themselves and made the trade happen.

 

Adding Lofton would have been a no brainer. (Say add Lofton for Zach Jackson)

[ryanbraun75]

that really blows.... ive been saying for 2 weeks that the brewres really need to be active at the trade deadline. Gwynn for Otsuka would have been perfect!!! But if you read the article a paragraph down, it says the brewers have a new plan which is to call up Balfour and use him instead of Otsuka.

 

I think that Gwynn will probably be traded at the deadline for somebody, but Mike Heller from ESPN radio on a sports show this morning said that he is certain that Antanasio and Melvin are going to try and add a bat, whether its Griffey Jr., Dunn, Dye, Byrnes or someone to play outfield. So lets hope for an active trade deadline.

[shelmark]

Fox. Rosenthal. Rumor. That's all.

[sbrylski]

Fox. Rosenthal. Rumor. That's all.

 

Good point, makes me feel a little better. This has only about a what, 10% chance of actually being "nearly done". Maybe talked about, or propsed, but nothing is really for certain.

[brettac1]

Balfour has been just ridiculous in AAA. He's pretty much making it necessary to call him up.

[rpmeehan]

It drives me nuts every time I see this "Gwynn will never be more than a 4th outfielder talk"!!! Look, no one's claiming he's the second coming of his Dad. But the guy is an above average fielder and an above average hitter. I think the real reason everyone wants to call him a 4th outfielder is simply because he has no power. And if that's the case, why are we putting overemphasis on the HR ball? I'd much rather have a centerfielder who's going to carry an .OBP fifty points higher than his average, play good defense, and steal a ton of bases, than some schmuck who might hit 10 meaningless homers over a 162-game season. Hall is unique in that he has greater power potential, but does that mean that after a half-season, he's locked down centerfield for the next 5 years? Hey, I'd love for it to happen, but I think Gwynn is a perfect fit for that role should Billy need to move to a corner down the road. Don't get me wrong...I think Otsuka is the best pickup of any player the Brewers should look at this summer. But I don't like sending Gwynn in that deal. Mench in a heartbeat. Even ZackJack or Dillard. But not Gwynn.

[JoeHova]

Quote:

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But the guy is an... above average hitter.

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I don't get why people say this like it's true. He can't hit, or at least, he's never shown he can hit.

 

His OBP in AAA this year was .315. Small sample, but so is his ML success.

 

Last year his OBP in AAA was .360. That translates to an OBP around .290 in MLB, which I believe is around what we could expect if Gwynn were to play every day.

 

I think he'll be lucky if he even becomes Tom Goodwin. I see Gwynn topping out at about a .315 OBP and a .330 slugging %. I'll be happy if I'm wrong, but I just don't see it.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Great comparison between Gwynn and Tom Goodwin. Another good comparison for Gwynn is Jason Tyner. Bottom line is that we will never get a better guy than Otsuka for Gwynn. If we lose Cordero which is probable Otsuka can be the closer for the next two seasons. Please Dougie come to your senses and make this deal.

[TheCrew07]

I would love a deal for a top backend pitcher for a position player with no future here in Milwaukee. Please please please make this deal Dougie.

[berniebrewer4life]

I think this deal could still happen, but it all depends on how long Billy is out for. If he's out 4-6 weeks as rotoworld has said, no way it will. But if Billy shows enough progress that he could be back by the deadline, i could see DM making this deal.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Billy Hall's status should have nothing to do with this deal. Gross and Nix could do just as good a job as Gwynn and in Gross' case better.