Downs traded to Braves for RHP Cory Rasmus

[SmallSampleSize]

True, I've soured on Dipoto after this season and am now thinking next year is make or break for him. He really made the pitching(starters and pen) worse than it was before

 

 

We went from having the potential (and critics support) of the best staff or at least starters in all of baseball to one I can't even recognize.

 

I couldn't have scripted it as a possibility.

 

Dipoto is extremely creative.  I'll admit I didn't think it was doable but he found a way I'll give him that.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Not a lateral move so much as it was a 'trade a guy who's going to be a FA when this season appears to be going nowhere' move.  We've been spoiled for years as the Angels were usually the one's acquiring a guy for the stretch run.  Adding young arms is what they need to do and not all of them will be wins but only time will tell.

[wopphil]

If this guy turns out to be anything like Dane de la Rosa - a serviceable arm under club control for 6 years - i'd say it is a good trade.

 

Remember, we are talking about just 2 months of Scott Downs.  Nobody is going to give you an elite prospect for that.

[Second Base]

Well, think of it like this.  Three years ago the Angels dealt Brian Fuentes to the Twins for Loek Van Mil.  Now granted it was through the waiver wire but still, Fuentes was considered a quality LHRP and of all prospects, the Angels landed one that's still in AA three years later.  That should tell you the value of a lefty specialist on the trade market.  As for Rasmus, it's really the same situation, they're gambling on someone they think could pay dividends, but is far from proven.  That's just the value of 2 months of Downs. 

 

With Rasmus, the Angels are banking on him sustaining that solid K-rate with really just two pitches, neither of which are awe-inspiring.  A 92-94 mph fastball and a curve.  He definitely has decent movement on the fastball, but has trouble controlling it.  He should be a middle reliever eventually. 

[Ohtaniland]

Jerry continues to Sham Wow our fanbase.

[bloodbrother]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/braves-acquire-scott-downs-for-basically-nothing/

[Turd Ferguson]

Tough crowd, not sure what many were expecting for a 38 year old reliever 2 month from free agency. 

[HaloCory22]

I don't get why people are mad or are calling out DiPoto. Did you really think 2 months of Scott Downs was going to snag us Cliff Lee? Get a grip, folks.

[jsnpritchett]

Well, think of it like this.  Three years ago the Angels dealt Brian Fuentes to the Twins for Loek Van Mil.  Now granted it was through the waiver wire but still, Fuentes was considered a quality LHRP and of all prospects, the Angels landed one that's still in AA three years later.  That should tell you the value of a lefty specialist on the trade market.  As for Rasmus, it's really the same situation, they're gambling on someone they think could pay dividends, but is far from proven.  That's just the value of 2 months of Downs. 

 

With Rasmus, the Angels are banking on him sustaining that solid K-rate with really just two pitches, neither of which are awe-inspiring.  A 92-94 mph fastball and a curve.  He definitely has decent movement on the fastball, but has trouble controlling it.  He should be a middle reliever eventually. 

 

Ugh.  Van Mil.  I had tried to forget about him.  Still don't understand how a 7'1" dude only Ks 6.5/9

[NrM]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/braves-acquire-scott-downs-for-basically-nothing/

 

Fangraphs is probably the most respected site I visit often and all they do is shit on the angels...

 

Really is amazing how far this org. has fallen.

[Mudville]

you write like you have a railroad up your ass

 

Thanks Shelly, I really look forward to your insights on a daily basis.

 

What is wrong about not pissing on every move the front office makes, especially when you guys know absolutely nothing about the player involved? And the fact is you guys know absolutely nothing about the Atlanta Braves minor league system, hell most of you couldn't name a player from our own organization that wasn't part of the AW scouting reports.

 

But go ahead and be angry monkeys all day, every day about everything. It really increases the baseball knowledge around here, Shelly.

[SmallSampleSize]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/braves-acquire-scott-downs-for-basically-nothing/

 

 

 

Poor Arte.   I hope he has a good mental health professional in his inner circle.

[austin724]

You can't have it both ways people.  Fans get mad when the team overspends for players and then get upset when they start trading some of their veterans. 

[m0nkey]

Good trade. People who wanted more are delusional

[austin724]

Plus we need to start getting rid of these old players.  We didn't win in 2002 with old players.

[shellback]

Thanks Shelly, I really look forward to your insights on a daily basis.

 

What is wrong about not pissing on every move the front office makes, especially when you guys know absolutely nothing about the player involved? And the fact is you guys know absolutely nothing about the Atlanta Braves minor league system, hell most of you couldn't name a player from our own organization that wasn't part of the AW scouting reports.

 

But go ahead and be angry monkeys all day, every day about everything. It really increases the baseball knowledge around here, Shelly.

 

that statement by me was uncalled for and i apologize.

i am a realist by nature. and i hope for the best for my team.

it's a good deal that DP got something back for Downs.

[Lhalo]

Good trade. People who wanted more are delusional

Yep. Not sure what people were expecting to get for 2 months of a soon-to-be FA. Best of luck to Downs in ATL.

[Docwaukee]

Wow!  I am surprised we couldn't pry away Teheran for a 38yo impending FA that can face 1-2 batters per game

[shellback]

Wow!  I am surprised we couldn't pry away Teheran for a 38yo impending FA that can face 1-2 batters per game

LOL

[bloodbrother]

Fangraphs is probably the most respected site I visit often and all they do is shit on the angels...

 

Really is amazing how far this org. has fallen.

 

To be fair, the person who usually writes about the Angels is DAve Cameron, a Mariners fan

[bloodbrother]

Wow!  I am surprised we couldn't pry away Teheran for a 38yo impending FA that can face 1-2 batters per game

 

Could have bought low on Jason Heyward!!!

[Inside Pitch]

No, you are missing the point, a AAA pitcher that is just coming into his own is not bumping an extremely successful pitcher off the roster. So denigrating the guy the Angels traded for simply because he couldn't crack the Braves relief squad makes your argument all the more worthless.

 

But go ahead and complain away about every move our team makes, it is what the cool kids do.

 

 

 

I don't complain about every move our team makes, you're talking out your ass, but feel free to run with it..    Using Walden as a reference simply because people on this board thought he sucked.   Guess what, this guy can't touch Walden.

 

You can sugarcoat this all you want, he traded a top reliever, a left handed specialist the Angels felt was worth extending a three year deal to for a 25 year old failed starter with an ugly walk rate.    When you couple this move with the the pile of crap he was able to obtain for Santana, and what he was willfully trying to obtain for Haren it's pretty damning.

 

Sure, Downs was a pending FA..  Rasmus is for all intents and purposes a 6th year minor league FA after this season..   He traded a guy who would be gone for a guy that would have likely been available for free.  

 

Celebrate that if you want but it's about as underwhelming as it gets.

 

[austin724]

Dave Cameron should look at his own team the Mariners. They have fallen off the charts since their glory days in the 1990's.

[Inside Pitch]

True, I've soured on Dipoto after this season and am now thinking next year is make or break for him. He really made the pitching(starters and pen) worse than it was before

 

JD talks a fair game, says all the right things and then follows it all up with moves that bear precious little in common with what he states his beliefs are.   He is coming across like a guy throwing shit on a wall hoping to see what sticks. 

 

I don't care that he's making moves because this team is going nowhere but, I'm growing increasingly frustrated with how his moves bear little likeness to what he says he wants to build.  

 

It's getting to where I just don't believe he has a plan at all.  

[Lifetime]

Thinking we could have hauled in something better for Downs is just silly. Funny that people bag on the player all the time but then think he is going to return something much more valuable in trade. As for Santana, his trade value was very low. He's had a career flashing great stuff terribly inconsistent. He's a head case and baseball knows it. Did anyone honestly think a team would give up good players in return for Santana?