Jose Valverde to HOU, Chris Burke, Chad Qualls and RHP Juan Gutierrez to ARI

[Brian the Automator]

per rotoworld:

 

The Diamondbacks will send closer Jose Valverde to the Astros in exchange for infielder Chris Burke and reliever Chad Qualls, according to MLB.com.

That explains the decision to dump Alberto Callaspo. It's shocking that the Diamondbacks would give up Valverde for this little return. 2007 was probably the closer's career year and he was about to get a lot more expensive, but the they're taking quite a downgrade in going to Qualls and Burke is no sure thing as the second baseman of the future. Tony Pena becomes the favorite for saves in Arizona, with Brandon Lyon and Qualls acting as setup men.

[bucksman4]

I'm not happy seeing Valverde in an Astros uni next year. He sure had a great year and it seems as though Houston thinks they can contend in this division and are going for it now with the additions of Tejada and Valverde this week. They gave up a lot of pitching in these two deals, but overall, their short-term outlook seems more promising than it was a week ago.

[trwi7]

I'm not happy seeing Valverde in an Astros uni next year.

I am. I think it's cute that the Astros think they'll be competing with Woody Williams as their #2 starter and nobody in the bullpen other than Valverde. He's not going to get many save oppurtunities with the rest of that pitching staff.

[danzig6767]

Wow

 

That's not exactly a stellar return for Arizona

[DrWood]

and last season could have been a fluke for valverde, not a harbinger of things to come. we'll see.

[RyDogg66]

It's kind of funny that the Astros think they can contend next year. Are they thinking about signing Bonds too?

[RightFieldCoder]

With not that stellar of a return, why weren't we involved in the bidding?

[And That]

Who exactly is he going to save games for, and which set up men will allow him to save a game?

[zzzmanwitz]

Unless the astros have a ton more moves in line, they still are going to be last. Outside of Oswalt, that rotation would struggle to compete in AAA.

[Riebes24]

With not that stellar of a return, why weren't we involved in the bidding?

 

I'm guessing Valverde isn't much of a third baseman. Seriously, How was Melvin supposed to know Arizona would take so little? After signing Gagne, he had no reason to inquire.

[Brian the Automator]

RHP prospect Juan Gutierrez was added to the deal... that makes a little more sense.

[brosto1]

Wow, I was hoping the Brewers would have made a trade for Pena but it looks like Valverde could have been a better target. I like Qualls, but if both pitchers are healthy I like Valverde much more. I have a feeling that health is going to be an issue with Valverde though.

[Phenomenal Smith]

I'm not happy seeing Valverde in an Astros uni next year.

I am. I think it's cute that the Astros think they'll be competing with Woody Williams as their #2 starter and nobody in the bullpen other than Valverde. He's not going to get many save oppurtunities with the rest of that pitching staff.

I'm an Astros fan and "cute" isn't the word I would use to describe it. Just another lateral move by Dead Wade.

 

[mothershipconnection]

?

I thought closers were hard to come by and expensive.

[fleehaw]

I'm not happy seeing Valverde in an Astros uni next year.

I am. I think it's cute that the Astros think they'll be competing with Woody Williams as their #2 starter and nobody in the bullpen other than Valverde. He's not going to get many save oppurtunities with the rest of that pitching staff.

I had a very crazy thought. The Brewers now have a quantity of SP & RP and the Astros have the quality (Oswalt). I know it won't happen , but at this point and time, it'd actually make sense with some of the Astros' moves. Brewers send a multitude of arms to the 'Stros for Oswalt.

 

[Phenomenal Smith]

The Astros owner would probably shoot Ed Wade before that happened. Drayton McLane and Roy O are muy sympatico.

[Oldcity]

Plus McLane is probably fully behind, if not responsible for, the dealing of all their prospects for these veteran players. Houston will probably never rebuild correctly as long as he owns the team.

[dadofandrew]

I'd just as soon have Qualls as Valverde, as saves are just like RBI's, you'll get 'em if given a chance.

 

ARI traded high, as just a while ago, Jose had a near 6 ERA. I've always liked Burke as well, so add in a plus arm, I think ARI did nicely.

[Brian the Automator]

Valverde was dominant in 2007 and 2005, but mediocre to bad in 2006 and 2004, whereas Qualls has been solid in probably more of a hitters ballpark since he came to the majors. Given that the DBacks got Burke and a decent pitching prospect in the deal as well as some salary relief, I'll give the advantage to Arizona.

 

Being an anti-fan of other NL Central teams, this deal pleases me... A good closer on a bad team is just a bad idea. They had the opportunity to do what the Brewers did a few years ago... give a bunch of guys with live arms a chance to see what sticks, so that when they're actually in a position to contend, they have cheap arms to build around.

[danzig6767]

Brian the Automator wrote:

Being an anti-fan of other NL Central teams, this deal pleases me... A good closer on a bad team is just a bad idea. They had the opportunity to do what the Brewers did a few years ago... give a bunch of guys with live arms a chance to see what sticks, so that when they're actually in a position to contend, they have cheap arms to build around.

Yea it's hard to figure out what Houston is doing. Their rotation looks to be terrible and they go around making moves that address everything except their terrible rotation. Unless i'm missing some young hot shot starting pitcher prospect, a guy like Vargas could be their No.2 or 3 starter and they have no rotation depth when/if a starter or two spends time on the DL.

 

[Brian the Automator]

Yea it's hard to figure out what Houston is doing. Their rotation looks to be terrible and they go around making moves that address everything except their terrible rotation. Unless i'm missing some young hot shot starting pitcher prospect, a guy like Vargas could be their No.2 or 3 starter and they have no rotation depth when/if a starter or two spends time on the DL.

 

It just seems to me like they should spend more time loading up on groundball/strikeout pitchers with and decent defenders who have warning-track power from the right side. Instead, they trade for Tejada which was certainly an offensive upgrade over Everett, but clearly a defensive downgrade. Valverde's a flyball guy (although he is a strikeout guy)... and they have given up a fair chunk of young talent to do this. Factor in an already-peaked Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman, starting a Michael Bourn, who hasn't had an OPS above .800 since A-ball, and Kaz Matsui who had a .637 OPS away from Coors last year.

Couple this with no starting pitching and what looks to be a pretty bad bench, and I would be surprised if they beat the Bucs out for 6th place next year... and all this for a pretty decent price tag.

 

I love Ed Wade.

[Phenomenal Smith]

danzig6767 wrote:

Yea it's hard to figure out what Houston is doing.

Tell me about it. But the fans down here are eating it up. It's crazy.

 

[SoCalBrewfan]

To me, the Astros might shape up to a .500 team if they get some starters and a lot of things break right. Now they'll presumably shell out 4/$60M for Lohse or Silva, or maybe one of each, right? They might be using the 'weak division so shoot for .500 and hope that's enough' plan. Or they might really think these are the moves to put them into 90 win territory. I think they've sized things up wrong in either event, but whatever happens now, there's a low, low point coming for that team...they have nothing on the farm, and Pence is pretty much their only young guy.

[TheBrewer]

I can't think that they're done this winter with their pitching. I really dont' envision that. I'm assuming their going to pay some medicore pitcher (example - Eric Milton - Reds) and think that's an end all cure all lets go all the way.

 

Berkman is aging, and will start to decline I'd assume, Lee may have another good year, and I'd imagine he'll start declining. I thought the price on Valverde would be higher, but guess I'm wrong. Though I really have to assume that ARZ knows something or thinks somethign that we and the Astros apparently don't know. Valverde was good in 03', medicore in 04', good in 05', bad in 06, stellar in 07', bad in 08'??. Like I said, I'm guessing that ARZ knows something or thinks something that we don't know.

 

Either way, they traded Qualls I think it was, so it's not like their BP is any better. Valverde got a stat everytime he pitched his inning called a save, and Qualls didn't get a stat when he pitched his inning. Their BP is lame already and this doesnt' help their BP really. They could've stuck Qualls in the closer role .. they gave up a good BP arm, they got a good BP arm back.. they gave up Burke who won't do much probably but nonetheless and a prospect.. to get valverde

[TooLiveBrew]

What the hell is wrong with the Astros? Can I say hell? If I get a strike, it'd suck, but honestly that organization is so lost at this point that if there's anything worth getting a strike for, it's probably this.

 

They traded Qualls + 2 other guys for Chad Qualls1.5? Doesn't Valverde have a rather long run this year in to the mound? I can't even begin to understand this trade. Sorry, Cecil, I hope the fact that you have very poor chances now doesn't prevent you from getting a shot to manage elsewhere in the future.