kwamebargnani wrote:Al_Oliver wrote:kwamebargnani wrote:Did it help the organization though? If helping the major league team is the only goal of running an organization, why waste millions of dollars on amateur draft? This is a stupid logic.
When we start trading our high-ceiling prospects (or at least ones with some good potential) I'll be upset, until then, I stick to what I've already said.
I would love to do business with you. I don't know about you, but I'd rather hold onto my assets instead of throwing them away for toilet paper. Happ will be getting about 4.5m, and I'm not even sure I would want Happ as a free agent at that money. This trade is equivalent to AA trading Cecil for 5 low level prospects. Not many people would consider it as anything other than an "amazing move".
You are greatly exaggerating the value of the assets in this trade, and the asset value of prospects in general. The success rate for draft picks chosen in the
first round even making the Majors is probably around 50%. That's just making the Majors, not necessarily contributing positively. So the perceived value of prospects begins and ends with progression and upside. If the prospects lack upside, then they will ultimately lack value both on the trade market and to the team in general. If AA felt the players traded lacked the type of upside that he or other teams like, then chances are waiting a year or two in hopes of them developing into something better is far more risky than flipping them for someone who you know can give you league average MLB production for two years in a critical position. I mean, if the Jays had the opportunity to trade Jenkins or Deck two years ago, but decided against it because "they are assets and need to be held on to regardless of upside", then look how pointless it would look today.
When you factor, as I mentioned before, that prospects generally do not have much value (unless they are really, really hyped) the further they are from the Majors, it makes deals like this almost inconsequential. We are dealing with pitchers with velocity issues, lack of K's, questionable upside, etc. There is always a chance one or two of them pan out and become as good as Happ or better. In the long run, unless AA traded Noah/Sanchez/Nicolino/Norris/etc, what is the big deal? Trades like this happen all the time. Happ is far more likely to end up as the best player in the deal when all is said and done.
If your idea of asset management is holding on to prospects, regardless of upside, until they either flame out or make the Majors, then it's a pointless exercise. AA has yet to trade a prospect that panned out into anything better than a really good reliever (Collins) and people all of a sudden question his talent evaluation. Prospect porn is essentially AA's entire reason for living. Let's give the man the benefit of the doubt here. He's not perfect, but his track record doesn't show a reckless history of trading future stars for fringe MLB players.
I much rather have Villa at 4 or 4.5 Million than J.A!