Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigsmooth
Sounds like the M's are sending (according to Jason Churchill) Phillipe Aumont, Tyson Gilles, Juan Ramirez and ....?
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Churchill is hit and miss with his info. None of those guys would surprise me, but I'd be slightly surprised to see all three of them go. Not because Lee isn't awesome - he is - but because as a guy with only 1 year left on his current deal and word that his demands for a contract extension are very high, he doesn't hold nearly as much trade value as you might expect.
Aumont is the big name among those three. He's a tall guy that throws hard with a lot of sinking movement. The downside is he (supposedly) has a hip problem that limits his durability, and is a reason why the current M's staff shifted him to the bullpen; the other issue is his command is shaky. Plus, there are some concerns about his mechanics and how long his arm will stay healthy.
Ramirez is a nice sized pitcher with some decent results, but has neither outstanding results nor outstanding stuff. He's a guy that scouts think could turn into a pretty good pitcher, but he's not a top prospect.
Gillies, whatever. His ceiling is as a 4th OF who relies on speed and getting on base.
As an M's fan, I'm excited about this deal. I have enough trust in Zduriencik that I doubt they're giving up too much for Lee, and it of course is a nice boost for the rotation and shows this group is serious about getting the M's into contender status. And if they can't re-sign him, no big deal - they'll get a couple draft picks when he signs elsewhere, or trade him mid-season if they get a good enough offer.