How about another deal with the DBacks?

[jvrocksaz]

It likes like Livan Hernandez and Randy Johnson may not be a part of the DBacks rotation next year and with only Webb and Davis as sure things, I was thinking we could become trading partners again. How about:

 

Chris Capuano & Dave Bush

for

Carlos Quinten (OF) & Tony Pena (RP)

 

The DBacks outfield appears set with Byrnes, Young and Upton and they have a solid deep collection of relievers (Cruz, Slaten, Lyon, Valverde) and may need help with the depth of their rotation. This gives us a solid young reliever who has the potential to close games and an outfielder to add to the mix who is young and has great power potential.

 

Any thoughts?

[Hart Of Milwaukee]

I love the idea of getting Pena, but I don't think that is enough to get to him. Those players who are talented, cheap, and also pre-arby usually require a premium player/prospect in return. However, if Josh Byrnes will be that inclined for starting pitching, he may be willing to lower his asking value and we might be able to work something out. Hopefully, Byrnes doesn't think of this kid like Bowden thinks of Cordero, because Pena has the potential to be a top shelf closer down the line!

[dadofandrew]

I do not see them trading a pair of solid starters at all, never mind for a young, unproven OF and a RP.

 

His AAA stats are very impressive, but they are also in the desert of Tucson. A .298 OBP in 250+ AB's is kind of scary.

[JohnBriggs12]

Isn't there a rule that any deal involving the D-Backs has to include a catcher? Robby Hammock?

[Roscoe Chill]

How long has it been since Chris Capuano can be considered "solid"?

[endaround]

3 months

[sbrylski]

How long has it been since Chris Capuano can be considered "solid"?

He still is solid.

[dadofandrew]

I'd say so too. I said a while back if the Crew non-tendered him, he'd get at least 3y/$20M, and I was probably quite a bit low.

[Roscoe Chill]

And in another thread, Aaron Rowand isn't very good and he'll get $10 million plus, so the Brewers should stay away. But now Chris Capuano might get a Jason Marquis contract, so he's solid?

[dadofandrew]

I think Capuano would be a very popular FA on the open market. As for "solid", I'd likely project him at about a 4.50-4.75 ERA for 2008, which most teams would be happy to have with 200 innings. His true value is a team might well pay him and hope for 18 wins and a 4 ERA, which he has shown he can do. Add in he's LH, he'd be getting calls from 15 or more teams. So, I'd sure call him a "solid" SP.

[Roscoe Chill]

I'd agree that he was solid in 2005 and the first half of 2006. But he's been FAR from solid ever since. So, over the last three years (the only full three seasons in his career) he's been solid for a year and a half, and for lack of a better word, bad for a year and a half. The tiebreaker for me is that over the last year and half, he's been bad. He may have a little trade value, but I wouldn't go in to next year with him holding down a spot in the rotation, and certainly not for $7 million. There are six better options on the team as of right now: Sheets, Gallardo, Suppan, Villanueva, Bush, and Parra.

[twobrewers]

Chris Capuano & Dave Bush

for

Carlos Quinten (OF) & Tony Pena (RP)

Not bad - but I think we would be giving up to much salary and taking back cheap players instead. I can't imagine the DBacks wanted to expand their salary that much.

 

We would have to give at least one quality prospect who will be cheap for years to come. Maybe Parra and Bush. (And at that point you are giving up an awful lot)

[Gopher74]

I'd agree that he was solid in 2005 and the first half of 2006. But he's been FAR from solid ever since. So, over the last three years (the only full three seasons in his career) he's been solid for a year and a half, and for lack of a better word, bad for a year and a half. The tiebreaker for me is that over the last year and half, he's been bad. He may have a little trade value, but I wouldn't go in to next year with him holding down a spot in the rotation, and certainly not for $7 million. There are six better options on the team as of right now: Sheets, Gallardo, Suppan, Villanueva, Bush, and Parra.

Lets see, he started out the season 5-0 this year with an ERA of 2.31 the first month and a half this year, and finished the season with a 2.81 ERA in Sept.

 

AS for last year, he had TWO poor months, ERA's;

2.36 in April

4.38 in June

2.57 in June

5.94 in July(the product of an 8 ER 3.2 IP start

2.32 in August

6.39 in Sept

While not great, at times, you're also CERTAINLY overstating the facts. You think you're going to find a whole lot of good pitchers who aren't going to have a bad start here and there? And in doing so, you're going to have a higher ERA in a particular month.

 

The fact is, Cappy's been FAR more solid than people want to give him credit for. He led the league in QS's the last two years, was an AS last year, and an 18 game winner two years ago.

 

If you DON'T think he's a "solid starter", then perhaps you need to reacquaint yourself with the current MLB landscape.

[dadofandrew]

He led the league in QS's the last two years, was an AS last year, and an 18 game winner two years ago.

 

Are you saying he had more QS's the past 2 years than any other NL SP?

 

If so, that is one astounding stat.

[Gopher74]

He led the league in QS's the last two years, was an AS last year, and an 18 game winner two years ago.

 

Are you saying he had more QS's the past 2 years than any other NL SP?

 

If so, that is one astounding stat.

Yes I am. And of course by the last two years, I mean 05 and 06 obviously, not 07.

 

My point is that he's a solid pitcher. I never thought he was an ace, even when people argued he was at one time half-way through last year, however, he can be a VERY good number 3.

 

[dadofandrew]

Thanks, even if it is 2005-6, it's cool, though not as much as '06-7 would have been, especially considering he was out of the rotation for a month.

[Gopher74]

Thanks, even if it is 2005-6, it's cool, though not as much as '06-7 would have been, especially considering he was out of the rotation for a month.

To me, people are putting WAAAY too much stock in his losing streak.

 

I find it a contradiction. If you're going to hang those games on him, why then does Claudio Vargas not get more credit for always being on the mound when his team won?

Cappy had several good starts mixed in during that streak, and while he clearly did lose all confidence, I think he's a strong candidate to bounce back. THEN we could deal him. Next year when he's coming off hopefully a 15 win season with an ERA in the low 4's. Perhaps a 4.10 ERA 1.30 Whip, 15 wins.....

 

 

[sbrylski]

I'm with Gopher on this. Go read Ennder's post about Cappy, the "It's not as bad as it seems" one. Capuano has been very consistent over the last three seasons, its just luck and normal fluctuation of things he can't control. He's not quite as good as the 4.00 ERA he had been putting up, but he's definately not a 5.00 ERA pitcher either. He'll be one of the league's best #5 pitchers for us next season.

[jvrocksaz]

Pena has been lights out this series (probably the only bright spot for the DBacks)... Go get him if he can be had!!!

[Brewer Fever]

If the Brewers had a young shut down 7th-8th inning guy and were in the NLCS right now with said reliever playing a valuable role in getting them there, do you really think he'd be made available? Get realistic guys.

[jvrocksaz]

When your starting staff has only Webb and Davis, and not much immediate help in the minors, you may want to consider moving one of your young bullpen arms. If not Pena, then Brandon Lyon, Doug Slaten, or Juan Cruz! Anyone of them would be a low cost improvement for our bullpen!The DBacks bullpen is deep but they still need starting pitching!

[Zycho32]

I don't think Arizona would sell their bullpen cheap.

 

And I think you're using hyperbole to describe the rotation after Webb and Davis.

[yoshii8]

I would rather have Conor Jackson's bat in our lineup, he has proven much more on the ML level, and is the same age as Quentin. Does anybody remember how he looked in LF vs the Brewers this year? Is it possible that he could be a decent defensive OF?

[Crewin06]

I like the idea of going after young relievers.

I'll throw out another guy. He is a lefty that pitched for the Padres this year

In 22 games and 21 innings he had a 1.3 ERA with a .9 Whip

He is young at 25 and he's a lefty with 6 year's of arbitration left. I think he would be great for a 7th or 8th inning guy next year.

His name is Joe Thatcher.

OK I'm sorry for the build up. But that trade pissed me off from the moment it was made and I have a feeling that it is going to cause me to come down with a nasty case of terrets for the next 10-15 years. The great part of the trade is that Thatcher wasn't even the best player involved. I love arby picks. But Thatcher would have looked great in a Brewers Uniform next year.

[kgbaseball]

He may not have been the best player in the trade (too early to tell), but he was MLB-ready, and the Crew never gave him a chance to succeed in the ML bullpen. The Brewers obviously needed help there, so it was questionable to trade Joe.