Yuni Trade Rumors

by ~ May 20th, 2009 at 11:45 pm

Geoff Baker on what he’s hearing with regards to Yuniesky Betancourt being traded:

Two names I’ve heard mentioned as trade returns for the Mariners would be a package of switch-hitting left fielder Chase Headley and Class AAA second baseman Matt Antonelli.

Uhh.. yes please!

Unfortunately this makes little sense for a couple reasons.  First off, Betancourt doesn’t seem to fit the description of what the Moneyballers in the Padres’ front office would be looking for.  Secondly, Yuni’s salary is quite a bit more than your average replacement level shortstop.  Three.. what the crap?

I’ve been able to watch Headley and Antonelli quite a bit down in Portland and if this rumor has any legs at all I’d be absolutely ecstatic.  Headley is a switch hitter with some sock who walks at an average rate.  He has played left field and third base recently, but I’m not sure how well he does defensively at those positions.  Still, a switch hitter with power and plate discipline would do wonders to the Mariner lineup.

Antonelli was a highly rated prospect who has sputtered since being promoted to AAA last season, but he’s an athletic guy who knows how to work the counts and draw walks and would give Seattle some much needed depth at second base.

That’s all I’ll write for now until we hear more.  Don’t hold your breath on this one, but it would be an amazing trade for GM Jack Zduriencik and the Seattle Mariners if it somehow went through.  Either way, it looks like Yuni is definitely on his way out.  Yay!

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  • Ianyo

    Friggin sign me up! This could lessen the loss of Beltre this season/offseason. It’s basically saying “Hey Padres, take this player we dont like for two of your cheaper underachievers who don’t get consistent PT.”

    Z, if you get it done, you’re my hero.

  • ernier

    If it’s Headley it would seem like we would have to send more in return as well as some salary relief.

  • GarForever

    I think I want whatever Geoff Baker is smoking. This makes no sense at all, except as maybe a smoke screen while the Padres were trying to work out a Peavy deal with the White Sox. Part of the appeal for the Padres in moving Peavy is getting his salary off the books (they’re currently about $5MM over what the owner would like for player payroll), so why immediately turn around and add a SS who is a defensive liability and who pretty much represents the Antichrist at the plate from the point of view of the “moneyballers” in San Diego’s front office. The only real surplus we would have available to give back along with Yuni would be in the left-handed 1B/LF type, which is one of the few organizational holes the Padres don’t have at the big league level (sidebar, though: does anyone know Adrian Gonzales’ contract status? If the Padres are planning on dealing him/letting him walk if this is his final year, then I could understand why the Padres might be interested in one of our AAA 1B guys who have some power as part of a deal).

    But, yeah, if Z can pull off something like Betancourt for Antonelli, he is my hero. If he can pull off Yuni for Antonelli AND Headley, then he is God.

  • GarForever

    Okay, I just answered my own question. Adrian Gonzales is NOT a free agent after this season, so, uh, yeah…I don’t really see what we could offer the Padres to entice them to take Yuni without at the same time depleting our own system in an area where we can’t afford it, especially given how much money is still owed him.

  • Keith

    I’ve heard Headley is now “off the table”…oh well

  • ajolson85

    yeah there is no chance at headley and other then him nobody excites me in the padres organization. antonelli hasnt shown anything. why dont we use mike morse at ss? he started his career there and has started at short this year a few times in tacoma, i know he is 6’5 230 pounds is he too big for the position? i would rather see his bat in the lineup then yuni’s. i would give up some on defense as long as were getting a better bat in there.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Dustin Shires

    ajolson: That’s the thing… Yuniesky Betanflail is the worst defensive infielder in baseball… Getting him off the field saves the team some runs.

  • GarForever
  • ajolson85

    is there any chance we can trade bad contracts with the redsox? johjima and betancourt for julio lugo and an ok prospect? if we dont do anything im going to go nuts if betancourt is going to remain in our starting lineup, at least make cedeno the starter.

  • GarForever

    It’s an intriguing idea, ajolson, but I’m not certain the Red Sox would take it, and I’m not sure I’d want to. Johjima’s contract is bad news, but who catches for us full-time, then? I had high hopes for Johnson, but I’m pretty much convinced now that he’s a career back-up at best, and as USS Mariner showed a few weeks back, Johnson’s perceived advantages over Kenji in cERA (which is a pretty dubious stat to begin with) is completely illusory; also, opposing base stealers run all over Johnson, while few even dare to try against Johjima. Clement’s hitting better at AAA (and everyone seems to forget he did much better in his second call-up last season before the team shut him down because of his bum knee), but there appears to be real doubt within the organization that he’s got the skills to be an everyday MLB catcher even if his knees would hold up. Johjima’s hitting better this year, which isn’t saying much and which is not to say great, but I’m afraid until/if Adam Moore is ready, Johjima’s the best option we have behind the plate for full-time C.

  • ajolson85

    garforever- i see what your saying, but i would take lugo at short and johnson at catcher over yuni and johjima. that johjima contract is brutal(thanks again bill bavasi) rob johnson probably isnt a full time starter but he can be for this group for the rest of the year and have adam moore take over in 2010. yeah clement likely is a future dh. im just getting so annoyed with our offense this month, 3.4 runs a game in may is not going to cut it. maybe we should have tried to sign adam dunn in the offseason, or trade for jermey hermida, or trade washburn for melky cabrera.

    if we dont do anything i would love to see ichiro batting 3rd, and branyan 4th.

  • Luisam911

    maybe somebody should just misplace his green card and call the authorities. :)

    Im a horrible person.