The 2012 Trade Deadline Returns Thread

[TellItToTheDA]

Because I cannot possibly imagine that after trading Ichiro, that Jack Z is done making moves before next Monday's deadline, I thought it would be valuable to have a thread just to break down who we get back in the coming deals. So let's get started, shall we?

7/23/12: Seattle Mariners traded RF Ichiro Suzuki to New York Yankees; New York Yankees traded RHP D.J. Mitchell and RHP Danny Farquhar to Seattle Mariners

Let me preface this deal with this, getting anything for an aging Ichiro who didn't factor in to our future plans is a good thing. That being said.

D.J. Mitchell | RHP | AGE: 25 | HT: 6'0'' | WT: 160

Mitchell is the deal's "centerpiece" if you will. While a starter throughout his time in the minors, Mitchell made his Major League debut back on May 1st, and made four relief appearances for the Yankees before being sent down. Ranked #16 in the Yankees system by Baseball America going into this season, he was named the Yankees 2011 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Frankly, it's hard to find scouting reports on the guy, and some of these are a couple of years old but:

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/more-scouting-from-florida/


What I saw: Williams has an athletic body, with some moderate projection left. From 30 yards away, he could be mistaken for Mariano Rivera.

His fastball sat 87-89, hitting as high as 91 several times. It has good sink, and gets a lot of groundballs. Thus, the 'stealth weapon' (home run prevention) figures to be an asset. His slider was 78 and nothing special, though he controlled it well. The few changeups he threw also came in at 78, and that's a pitch with some potential for him. That's a nice velocity disparity, and he didn't telegraph it much. It has decent 3B run. He even mixed in a couple cutters to left-handed batters, which came in around 85 and were effective. Smooth, controlled delivery. Command and control were on this day, although control has apparently been an issue at times.

Outlook: Mitchell is solid across the board. He'll never dominate, but for a guy who converted to pitching just a couple years ago (in the middle of his college career), he's got an impressive feel for his craft. The sinking fastball and potentially plus changeup will play in the majors. His ceiling is only that of a third starter, but it's not so hard to envision him fitting in to the back of a major league rotation in mid-2011.

http://bronxbaseballdaily.com/2011/01/yankees-prospect-profile-rhp-d-j-mitchell/


Mitchell’s go to pitch is his sinker. He throws it in the 90-93 mph range with a ton of sink to it. He throws it early in counts and because it sinks so much he can also use it as a strikeout pitch. He’s like Chien-Ming Wang with less speed on his sinker, but more sink. So while it isn’t as powerful, he gets more swings and misses.

He also throws a four seam fastball that he can get up to 94 mph with, but is more of just a show me type pitch. His next best pitch is his curveball which has become an impressive strikeout pitch as well. He also has a changeup, but that is still a work in progress.

http://itsaboutthemoney.net/archives/2012/03/15/celebrating-a-non-prized-prospect/


Much like Mitchell’s rankings, his minor league pitching stats do not blow you away. He’s done a great job preventing home runs and has a minor league career rate of only 0.5 per nine innings. But his strikeout and walk rates do not look overly impressive at 6.9 and 3.4 respectively. He is not overly stingy at allowing base hits and has averaged 8.5 hits per nine innings over his minor league career. But again, he is 38-20 in the minors with a 3.28 ERA. And he hasn’t suffered moving up to Triple A where he has been 15-9 with a 3.22 ERA.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/7/23/3180099/seattle-mariners-trade-ichiro-suzuki-new-york-yankees-prospects


D.J. Mitchell, RHP: Like Farquhar, Mitchell was a 10th round draft pick in 2008, in his case drafted by the Yankees out of Clemson. Listed at 6-0, 160, he's not big as right-handers go but is considered a good athlete. He's moved through the system one level at a time, spending a year each at High-A and Double-A and a year and a half in Triple-A. Over four minor league seasons, he has a career ERA of 3.56 with a 421/200 K/BB ratio in 538 innings, with 511 hits allowed. This includes a 3.81 ERA with a 200/99 K/BB in 265 innings in Triple-A, all for Scranton, with 259 hits allowed.

Mitchell has started in the minors but scouts see him more as a big league reliever. A sinker/slider type, he'll top his fastball out at 92 MPH and averages 88-89. He might throw slightly harder once acclimated to relief use. He has three secondary pitches with a curveball, slider, and changeup. None of them are bad, but none of them are excellent, either, preventing him from being consistently overpowering. Like Farquhar, Mitchell won't be a star but could be a useful part of a major league bullpen, and his background as a starter means you could stretch him out a bit with multiple inning outings if necessary.


And his first MLB strikeout.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=21074193&c_id=mlb

Danny Farquhar | RHP | AGE: 25 | HT: 5'9'' | WT: 180

Poor Danny Farquhar. His fourth club this year, after being DFA'd by both Toronto and Oakland, and now traded by New York. The #22 prospect in the A's system by Baseball America going into last season, Farquhar throws himself into the Mariners bullpen discussion by virtue of not having pissed us off yet a la Steve Delabar.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/7/23/3180099/seattle-mariners-trade-ichiro-suzuki-new-york-yankees-prospects


Danny Farquhar, RHP: Farquhar is a 5-9, 180 pound right-handed reliever, born February 17, 1987. He was originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 10th round in 2008, from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. A starter in college, he was converted to relief by the Blue Jays and rose quickly through their farm system, reaching Double-A in his first full professional season and the majors for the first time in 2011.

He has played transaction ping-pong over the last year and a half, being traded to Oakland in November 2010 for Rajai Davis, then being traded back to Toronto in April 2011 for David Purcey. Oakland claimed him on waivers in early June 2012, then he went to the Yankees on waivers later in the month. He has a career minor league ERA of 2.94 with a 337/138 K/BB ratio in 324 innings, collecting 64 saves while allowing 251 hits. In Triple-A he has a career 4.65 ERA with a 59/27 K/BB in 70 innings and 80 hits allowed, but most of his Triple-A has been in the PCL with Las Vegas, not an easy place to pitch.

Farquhar has been clocked as high as 94 MPH, although his velocity varies and he's often right around 90. He likes to alter his arm slots and will throw anywhere from three-quarters to almost sidearm. His curveball and changeup have their moments, and he has a chance to be a useful middle reliever.

Aaaand the number of scouting reports alone you should tell you how much team's have valued Danny Farquhar.

[Igoe4Mariners]

Farquhar is 5-9, 180? That's like a slot receiver, not a pitcher.

[LeFrançais]

Well I don't expect something as big as Ichiro trade within the week ! haha. But we have ,I think some options, and 1 or 2 trades could me made.

I just hope we won't get pitchers again...

[TellItToTheDA]

WE HAVE MOVES PEOPLE! MOVES!

7/30/12: Seattle Mariners traded P Steve Delabar to Toronto Blue Jays; Toronto Blue Jays traded OF Eric Thames to Seattle Mariners

Do the words "instant upgrade" mean anything to you?

Eric Thames | OF | AGE: 25 | HT: 6'3'' | WT: 205

I'm really excited. Like, really, really excited. Why? Because Eric Thames is such an improvement over Carlos Peguero, or anything else we could trot out in right field, and he's much more valuable to our squad than Steve Delabar ever would be. Thames sported a .243/.288/.365 slash line in 46 games in Toronto this year, and since being sent down in late May, he's had a .335/.412/.536 line in AAA Las Vegas. The deal strikes me as one in the same vain as the deals for Brendan Ryan and John Jaso, picking up undervalued players that can take on everyday roles here, and do quite well. He was also the Jays #12 prospect going into last season, as rated by Baseball America. It's a fucking steal people. To the scouting reports!

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/5/19/2176573/prospect-of-the-day-eric-thames-of-toronto-blue-jays


Thames (no relation to Marcus) was drafted in the eighth round in 2008 out of Pepperdine. His draft position was deceptive: he was considered a borderline first round talent in the weeks before the draft, due to above-average power and a clean swing. Unfortunately, Thames tore a quadriceps muscle and went into draft day with an uncertain health status, hurting his stock dramatically. He signed with the Jays but didn't make his pro debut until 2009, when he hit .313/.386/.487 in 52 games for Dunedin in the Florida State League, his playing time limited by more quad problems.

In an attempt to prevent further injury, Thames took up yoga prior to the 2010 season, to improve his bodily flexibility. This bit of creative thinking worked: he was fully healthy last year, playing 130 games for Double-A New Hampshire and hitting .288/.370/.526 with 27 homers. He was off to a fast start for Triple-A Las Vegas this year, hitting .342/.419/.610 in 36 games.

Power from the left side of the plate is Thames' best asset, but he isn't a one-dimensional slugger. He has decent strike zone judgment and has shown the ability to hit for average. His overall level of athleticism is just average, but the yoga has improved his mobility to go with his strength. He has average speed and an average arm, fitting best in left field. He won't win gold gloves, but he won't hurt you much either, and if he hits as expected no one will complain much about his defense. He murdered right-handers in the PCL (.374/.452/.607) and still showed power against lefties, though with a much weaker batting average and OBP. (.256/.326/.615)

At worst, Thames projects as a strong platoon bat, but there's a chance he can do well enough against lefties to earn a regular job.

http://jaysjournal.com/2011/02/07/top-50-jays-prospects-jays-journal-edition-15-eric-thames/


After being a two-time West Catholic Athletic League selection and MVP winner as a high school senior, Thames decided to start his post secondary career at Cabrillo College. Thames did not see any baseball action in his freshman year there, so he took off to West Valley College the following year. That year he hit .376 across 41 games with 8 home runs, 33 RBI, and a .667 slugging percentage, which helped his team finish No. 1 in the Northern California rankings.

Thames transferred yet again the following year in 2007, this time to Pepperdine University, and the results were impressive. In 53 games, Thames hit .320/.381/.415 , led his team with 44 RBI and 11 multi-RBI games, and led the entire conference with 5 triples. This showing persuaded the Yankees to select Thames in the 39th round of the 2007 draft and offer him 5th round money, but Thames elected to return to school.

Thames definitely made a name for himself the following year in 2008, posting unbelievable numbers and considerably boosting his draft stock. He hit .407 in 49 games, adding 13 home runs, 59 RBI, and 8 triples, while posting a team-best 1.282 OPS. After that kind of college season, the Jays snagged Thames in 7th round of the 2008 draft, and considered him to be their top power hitter in the draft.

Despite signing with the Jays very quickly (about one week after the draft), Thames was unable to play for a Blue Jays minor league affiliate at all in 2008. Thames tore a quadriceps late in his college season, which forced him to miss any New York-Penn League action as well as any time in the Jays’ instructional league.

After bulking up physically to 205 pounds prior to his professional debut with the Jays in 2009, Thames was lauded for his power potential, feel for the bat head, and his very strong lower half. He appeared in just 7 games for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays in 2009 before skipping Lansing entirely and finishing the year with Hi-A Dunedin, hitting .313/.386/.487 while adding 15 doubles and 5 triples.

Thames’ 2009 season wasn’t entirely successful though as his quad muscle tightened up and bothered him all season, limiting him to just 216 at-bats. There were also some questions about Thames’ defense, specifically his fringe-average range and unspectacular arm to go with it.

Prior to the 2010 season, Thames decided to try yoga as a way to improve his flexibility and cut down on his time on the disabled list. The results were impressive, as Thames excelled at the plate and made minor defensive improvements but, more importantly, he was healthy for the entire season. His 58 extra-base hits and 104 RBI led the Eastern League, he tied for second in the League with 27 home runs, and Baseball America named him a Double-A All-Star. The Blue Jays also recognized Thames’ season by naming him the R. Howard Webster Award winner as their most valuable Double-A player.

To get Thames even more action, the Jays opted to have him participate in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted fairly good numbers (below). In addition to playing against the top talent in the minor leagues, Thames’ showing earned him a spot on the AFL’s Rising Stars All-Star team.

Expected 2011 Team: Triple-A Las Vegas

Ultimate ceiling if he puts it all together: MLB everyday LF

Thames’ 2010 season was definitely a step in the right direction, but there is still room for improvement. He improved slightly from a defensive standpoint this past season, but there is still a lot of work that has to be done in that regard. The Jays likely want to see Thames’ aggressive approach at the plate result in less strikeouts too, as he averaged almost one strikeout per game played in 2010.

Thames, who just turned 24 years old, will get the chance to make those adjustments next year in Las Vegas, where he will have to have another healthy, full season to continue his development and get his at-bats. It will be entertaining to see what kind of season Thames has in 2011, and a late season call-up to Toronto could be possible for him as well.

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/21827/eric-thames-the-jeremy-lin-of-mlb


Player No. 467 in our ESPN 500 ranking of baseball's best players: Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Eric Thames.

Player No. 467 when our NBA section did their 500 last fall: A certain point guard named Jeremy Lin. You may have heard of him.

Are the two comparable? In one sense, no. In the NBA, No. 467 means you're barely hanging around for a paycheck. NBA teams can carry up to 15 players; with 30 teams that means 450 jobs. Indeed, after playing sparingly as a rookie with the Golden State Warriors, Lin was cut in training camp, signed by Houston, cut again, and signed with the Knicks.

In baseball, No. 467 means you can earn a nice chunk of change. If you consider each team has 16 "starters" -- eight position players, five starting pitchers, a closer and two middle relievers -- that's 480 starting players before we start filling out the bench and the rest of the pitching staff.

But in another aspect, there are similarities. Lin was undrafted out of Harvard. Thames hit .407 his junior season at Pepperdine but a torn quadriceps muscle late that spring made him fall to the seventh round. In baseball terms, not a lot of major leaguers came from that draft.

Thames began his pro career in 2009 and hit .310 but was limited to 52 games due to more issues with his quadriceps. He adjusted his offseason workout routine before 2010, doing more yoga and less weightlifting to improve his flexibility. It paid off with a big season at Double-A, hitting .288 with 27 home runs. Despite those numbers, Baseball America ranked him just 12th among Blue Jays prospects. He was a prospect, but not a top prospect. Much like Lin getting overlooked perhaps because of his Ivy League pedigree, Thames was underrated due to his original draft status, injury history and concerns about his defense in left field.

But like Lin getting a chance to play due to injuries, circumstances opened up for Thames in 2011. Travis Snider was supposed to be the Blue Jays' left fielder. He didn't hit. Veteran Juan Rivera was given a chance. He didn't hit. Corey Patterson got some games out there. He's Corey Patterson.

Finally, Thames was given the regular job. From June 24 though July 29, he hit .313/.342/.571, providing a surprising boost to the Blue Jays offense. Sound familiar?

Thames slowed down after that but finished with a decent rookie season line of .262/.313/.456. Like Lin, he has plenty of room for improvement; he needs to draw a few more walks, hit left-handers better and improve his defense.

He is going to explode on the scene this season like Lin did? No, but the hitting skill is for real and he'll provide an underrated bat behind Jose Bautista and Brett Lawrie. And if the Blue Jays' pitching comes together ... well, don't be surprised if we get a small dosage of Thamesanity. Well, at least in Toronto.

[clarknova]

Absolutely awesome return for one of our weaker bullpen arms. We dealt from a position of strength and when you have guys like Capps and Pryor waiting in the wings... Delabar and League are expendable. Thames is under team control until 2018. This was a very nice trade.

[TellItToTheDA]

7/30/12: Seattle Mariners traded P Brandon League to Los Angeles Dodgers; Los Angeles Dodgers traded OF Leon Landry and CL Logan Bawcom to Seattle Mariners

It's two living, breathing humans without stupid haircuts and bad fastballs. Be happy.

Leon Landry | OF | AGE: 22 | HT: 5'11'' | WT: 185

The Dodgers 3rd round pick in 2010 out of LSU, and#11 prospect going into last season (of course, per Baseball America), Landry has been tearing the cover off the ball in everyone's favorite minor league league, the California League. Hitting .328 with 26 doubles, 15 triples (FAST FAST FAST, leads all of minor league baseball), and 8 homers, to go along with 51 RBIs. Basically, he's fast and athletic, but he's also 22 (almost 23) and putting up these numbers in single-A.

http://www.bbprospectreport.com/2010/03/05/leon-landry-report


Leon Landry was one of the players I liked best in the 2009 Cape Cod League, and I’ll tell you why: the guy showed me three weapons that can beat you. Landry has left-handed power, left-handed gap-to-gap ability, and he can run just enough to be dangerous. He’ll catch what he gets to and would have maximum value in center field. Most of all, he brought his tools into the games with him, which excited me. You can watch the video here and read the report after the jump.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Average height, broad shoulders, barrel chest, strong and round forearms, large hands. Strong hips and thighs, broad features through legs.

STRENGTHS: Strong hands from LH side, loose and easy swing, great wrists, generates power and contact with smooth stroke. Crisp and fluid athletic actions despite strength, compact swing without many moving parts, direct to ball, firm front and weight back. Above average runner from LH side, slightly above-average SB times, good first step, stops and starts. Knows strike zone, stays with his strengths.

WEAKNESSES: Doesn’t lift ball consistently yet, should learn to with at-bats and maturity. Below-average arm when I saw him (sore right shoulder at time.)

SUMMARY: Should be multi-platform offensive player in coming years. Might wind up as corner OF instead of CF. Bat should play.

GRADES (Present/Future):
Hit 40/70
Power 30/60
Run 60/60
Field 50/50
Arm 40/40

Overall Future Potential: 56

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=8192863&topic_id=8080130


Hitting ability: Landry has made some adjustments to his approach and swing. It's resulted in a drop in strikeouts and a rise in walks while consistently putting the ball in play.

Power: His numbers don't show it because he's been so focused on putting the ball in play, but he does have some juice in his bat. He should generate some power in the future.

Running speed: Toe surgery last fall slowed him for a bit, but he'll be at least a solid-average runner.

Base running: He can use his speed well on the basepaths.

Arm strength: He has a below-average arm.

Fielding: An infielder in high school, he seamlessly made the switch to outfield as a freshman. He should be able stick in center field.

Range: With easy strides once underway, he has excellent range.

Physical Description: Landry has a lean, athletic build. He's well-proportioned and stronger than he appears.

Medical Update: He had toe surgery last fall but is healthy now.

Strengths: Improved hitting approach, good speed that plays well on offense and defense.

Weaknesses: Not much power, below-average arm. While he has an improved approach, he doesn't have a long track record of success at the plate.

Summary: Landry made a smooth transition from high school infielder to LSU outfielder and now looks like he has the makings of a quality center fielder. He's made changes to his offensive approach and has been more productive this year, with fewer strikeouts and more walks. He has some pop, but power isn't a huge part of his game. He is probably a step below the top college bats in this class, but succeeding at LSU in the SEC will certainly help his Draft stock.

https://twitter.com/ProspectInsider/status/230184123078164480


FTR, I doubt Leon Landry cracks the M's top 10 for me this offseason, but close. Testament to system depth, '12 draft class.

Logan Bawcom | CL | AGE: 23 | HT: 6'2'' | WT: 200

Bawcom has basically come out of nowhere to put up some great numbers in Double-A for the Dodgers. 3-3 with a 2.60 ERA, 36 K's to 16 BB's in 34.2 innings, with 13 saves (7 more in Single-A before being called up). Sounds like he has closer potential, and with our current relief prospects moving up the chain, it's nice to bring in another guy that could be something.

http://www.feelinkindablue.com/2011/11/2012-los-angeles-dodgers-top-50.html


26. Logan Bawcom, RHP (6'2, 200, 23 years old)

Bawcom is a lot like Tolleson and Ames and could move up the ladder just as quickly. He struggled just a tad when he was promoted to Rancho, but his strikeout rate didn't suffer. He had an 11.1 K/9 with the Loons and 11.6 with the Quakes in his first full professional season. The 2010 17th-rounder has a low-90s fastball, a slider and a changeup. He should get a full season at Double-A.

2011 ranking: Not ranked
2012 location: Double-A Chattanooga
ETA: mid-2013

http://mlbdirt.com/2012/01/06/logan-bawcom-los-angeles-dodgers-closer-of-the-future/


With the issue of ownership up in the air, the Los Angeles Dodgers seem poised to begin a rebuilding of their franchise, which is always a positive development for young players in an organization. One of the Dodger prospects who figures to be a major part of the Dodgers’ future is right-handed reliever Logan Bawcom.

Bawcom was a two-way player in high school, but had his most statistical success as a hitter, batting .500 with 12 home runs as a high school senior. He continued playing both ways at Midland Junior College, but upon arriving at the University of Texas-Arlington, he finally converted to pitching full time. In 2010, his junior year, he struck out 87 batters in 90.2 innings and had an impressive 3.87 ERA. That success was enough to garner him significant interest from the pro ranks, and he was drafted by the Dodgers in the 17th round of that year’s draft.

The Dodgers have groomed Bawcom to be a closer from the moment he signed. He possesses a low 90’s fastball, a sharp slider, and an improving changeup; a potent arsenal for a 9th inning pitcher. In his two minor league seasons, Bawcom has posted an 8-4 record in 68 relief appearances, with 29 saves and a 3.43 ERA. Perhaps more impressive have been his 113 strikeouts in 94.1 innings. More information on Bawcom’s statistics is available here.

Bawcom made it as far as high-A this past season. With the Dodgers having let former closer Jonathan Broxton leave via free agency this off-season, there should be plenty of opportunity for Bawcom to keep advancing rapidly, and closing games at Dodger Stadium in the near future.
http://www.mlive.com/loons/index.ssf/2011/07/los_angeles_dodgers_prospect_l_1.html


MIDLAND — Logan Bawcom watched patiently as Shawn Tolleson racked up save after save, giving the Great Lakes Loons the confidence of an automatic win every time he closed a game.

His patience paid off when Tolleson was promoted and the Loons went looking for another closer. In stepped Bawcom, who earned his 11th save of the season Saturday, closing out the Loons’ 7-6 win over Lansing.

Bawcome has converted 11 of 12 save opportunities.

“What Shawn did here was tremendous, and I was happy for him,” Bawcom said. “Nothing has really changed for me as far as pitching. When I went in for the seventh or eighth inning, I had the same attitude. ... I couldn’t let them score. It’s not any different to me pitching in the ninth.”

Bawcom, 22, played collegiately at Midland (Texas) Junior College then one year at Texas-Arlington, but pitching was an afterthought. He played third base and first base, with an occasional stint on the mound.

“He’s still learning how to pitch,” Great Lakes manager John Shoemaker said. “He doesn’t have much experience pitching. We’re happy with what he’s doing. For some pitchers, it’s not a big deal to pitch in the ninth inning, but for others it makes a difference knowing that this is the end of the game.

“Logan has done a nice job for us in that respect.”

Bawcom throws three pitches — a fastball, slider and changeup. The fastball can hit 95 mph, but his out pitch is his slider.

“I’m throwing it harder this year, and it’s got more bite,” Bawcom said. “It’s helped me out a lot”

The right-handed reliever was a 29th-round pick by the Dodgers in 2010 and spent his first year at Ogden, working as a set-up man out of the bullpen. He was 3-1 with a 4.28 ERA and two saves.

It was his first experience as a full-time pitcher.

“It’s made such a difference,” Bawcom said. “It seems like I’m learning something all the time. When I got to pitch in college, I was basically just throwing. It’s a matter of focus as far as pitching. I don’t have to worry about hitting or playing other positions. I put all my focus on pitching and learning how to pitch.”

This season, Bawcom is 4-1 with a 3.05 ERA. In 411/3 innings, Bawcom has allowed 32 hits and 16 walks, striking out 51.

“Logan is doing what we expect all of our pitchers to do,” Shoemaker said. “If they locate their pitches and get good defense behind them, they’re going to be successful.

“As an organization, the Dodgers are getting away from a big focus on how hard the pitcher throws. We’re stressing location and missing bats ... getting outs. Obviously, there’s a big difference between 85 and 95, and that makes a difference because you can get away with a little more. But when you’re talking a couple mph, it’s not a big focus of ours.”

Bawcom isn’t worried about following Tolleson out of town. He’s amazed at where he is.

“I’m kind of living a dream of mine,” Bawcom said.

[bucky_joe]

How does T. Robinson fit in?

[evergreenmachine]

How does T. Robinson fit in?

Good question, I like what I've seen of him this year.

Thames is v nice pick up

In jack we trust!

[clarknova]

http://prospectinsider.com/view/m%27s-look-to-offseason-for-bats/?PHPSESSID=dc19a319252c6d2c259d2dd7fca3936a

This is a good write up on why the M's didn't trade for a bat, and why it's smarter to wait if that's what you're looking to do.

[Igoe4Mariners]

http://prospectinsider.com/view/m%27s-look-to-offseason-for-bats/?PHPSESSID=dc19a319252c6d2c259d2dd7fca3936a

This is a good write up on why the M's didn't trade for a bat, and why it's smarter to wait if that's what you're looking to do.

Good read. We would have likely had to give up Franklin/one of the big three/and another decent prospect for a somewhat impact bat. I don't think it would have been worth it in the long run.