Last updated: 4 PM

This is what I posted at about 10 AM this morning:

Of course, there is a chance a trade comes through and it isn’t with the Pirates.  Watch Yuni get traded to the Royals later today.

I love it when my gut doesn’t steer me wrong.

Yuniesky Betancourt is no longer Seattle Mariner property.  It’s official:

Royals Get: SS Yuniesky Betancourt, about $3M (source)

Mariners Get: RHP Danny Cortes and LHP Derrick Saito

Prospect Insider:

Cortes is a 6-6, 225 pound starter with a low-90s fastball and a plus curve, of the 12-6, overhand variety. The majority of scouts that have seen Cortes extensively think he’s a great candidate to close someday or at least setup, as his fastball has touched the mid-90s in shorter stints and he lacks a change or another third offering at present time.

The current lack of a third pitch and control issues (5.6 BB/9 this year!) probably set him up for a career in relief, but there is still time for him and right now he becomes one of Seattle’s best starting pitching prospects, and the only one in the high minors.

Here is some video of Cortez, borrowed from Pacifc Prospect Report’s Arizona Fall League footage.

Saito is a tiny (5′9/155) low minors reliever who profiles as a LOOGY for now.  No need to worry about him now, but he has a chance to become something useful. <– that was a bit of an understatement.  Saito misses bats like crazy and generates great velocity with a motion that reminiscent of Tim Lincecum from the first base viewpoint.  He also has a plus curve and a plus change.  He has the stuff to start, but the only reason he’s been a reliever thus far is his size.  The Mariners need to take a chance on him in the starting rotation in the off chance they’ve acquired a lefty Lincecum-light. Goofed that up again.  Velocity is down from college, but still a great curve.  Loogtastic.

The M’s sent just $3M to the Royals, so this qualifies as a salary dump of sorts.  Don’t push Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez out of your mind just yet.

This is a clear win for the Mariners.  They bolstered their severely lacking starting pitching depth and got another exciting reliever in exchange for a guy that lost his starting job to Ronny Cedeno.

Additional notes:

Cortes was arrested last week for peeing on a fence outside a bar. I’m not sure that has anything to do with the Royals willingness to give him up for esentially nothing, but I suppose it’s worth noting.  It’s not the first time he’s irked the team.  Per Geoff Baker:

A few seasons ago, he also became embroiled in controversy when some quasi-nude photos he’d posted on a MySpace page on picked up and run with throughout the internet. The Royals were furious with him at the time.

Also:

Back in 2005, Cortes was stabbed eight times in a bowling alley parking lot coming to the aid of co-workers from a sporting goods store who had been attacked by gang members.

Here’s a quote on the deal from GM Jack Zduriencik from the same link:

“The opportunity presented itself for us to acquire a pair of talented arms and as we move forward, we felt this was the right thing to do at this time,” Zduriencik said in a release, put out by the team just about noon. “We want to thank Yuni for all he has done for the Mariners and wish him the best of luck in Kansas City.”

And of Cortes:

“He’s a big kid with a real good arm,” Zduriencik told me. “We’ve been watching him the past few weeks and were real impressed with what we saw.”