Topic: Bonds Traded!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-01 10:20 AM BDBLcommish Yet another blockbuster deal, and we're less than 48 hours into the official Trading Season! By most accounts, Barry Bonds had the greatest offensive season EVER last year. So what on earth would it take to get a guy like that on your roster? You're about to find out: The Allentown Ridgebacks have acquired the game's premier offensive force, Barry Bonds, from the Litchfield Lightning in exchange for Bartolo Colon, Sean Casey and Jerome Williams. Some history: -- This is the second trade between these two clubs. In their last trade, Allentown sent Derek Jeter (among others) to Litchfield in exchange for Wade Miller (and several others.) -- Colon was traded three times last winter - first straight-up for Shannon Stewart, then straight-up for Bobby Abreu, then straight-up for Delino DeShields. Yes, so in the past two years, Colon has been traded for Stewart, Abreu, DeShields and Barry Bonds. -- Casey was the 13th player selected in last year's draft. -- Williams was a part of the Mike Sirotka-to-Madison trade last season, a trade that also included Abraham Nunez and the legendary Andy Morales. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-01 11:05 AM STMZoots Its not exactly the personnel I had heard about, but this is an interesting trade. I personally would not want Colon because of the ratio of performance to salary AND the long K. However, Jerome Williams is a VERY good prospect and Casey is a good first baseman -- though not your prototypical power 1B and a bit expensive for the production you get. As for Allentown, it comes down to this: he had to give up a bit BUT he did not touch the Miller/Oswalt core, didn't give up one of his valuable top of the round picks AND adds the best offensive player in baseball. He also dumps the albatross that is Colon's contract. An interesting trade. Haven't looked at Allentown's roster well enough to determine if he is close enough to make a real run next year but if he is, the addition of Bonds could very well put him over the top. I give the advantage to Allentown until the jury is back on Williams. IF he becomes the front of the rotation starter some feel he can become, the balance shifts back toward Litchfield...but Allentown's ability to get Litchfield to take that Colon K still puts Allentown slightly ahead ...IMO of course. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-01 11:22 AM FireAnt Very interesting. To be honest I was contacted about Colon (which I must apologize for not responding to) but I too was turned off by the contract he carrys. The contracts system we use is what I have the hardest time working with, not that it is a bad system, just adds to the complexity. I think a lot of us can somewhat evaluate talent but working things to fall under the salary cap/contract system is really hard for me. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-01 12:00 PM BC_Jamboree Excellent trade.... It gets Bonds out of the Ozzie League!!! Woo hoo!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-01 12:03 PM BDBLcommish I was intimidated by Colon's contract as well. On the plus side, he is a power pitcher with a build similar to Clemens, which means that he has a decent chance of being a quality pitcher over the length of that contract. But on the minus side, he was worked very, very hard very early in his career, and he has had some arm troubles in the past. On a risk scale of 1-10, he's probably a 7. Personally, I would asked for Oswalt straight-up instead. And if that couldn't be done, I'd just go to the next team. Someone out there would be willing to part with a good, young pitcher for a player who can basically carry a team into the playoffs all by himself. Litchfield's 2003 draft will be pretty interesting. They probably won't have a very good team this year, so they'll probably finish in the bottom-third of the league (of course, my record in predicting Griffin Division finishes is hardly stellar), yet they'll have no money to spend in the draft with $19.5 million tied up among Jeter and Colon. That's definitely an ususual strategy, but I'd expect nothing less from the league's most unusual owner. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-01 12:29 PM STMZoots Go figure. Mike and I agree on something. I would not have traded Bonds to Allentown without Oswalt being the key guy in the deal. To not get Oswalt AND to be forced to take Colon's mega-contract (what are the chances this guy is going to be pitching with any effectiveness whatsoever in 2006???) makes this an Allentown victory. No offense Phil. Then again, as Mike pointed out, Phil has been known to be "successfully unorthodox." Hey, I like that. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-01 12:43 PM novamustangs Great move by Tom on this one....and by the way.. adding to that Miller/Oswalt core is his first round selection of one Randy Johnson. Unless we all intentionally walk Bonds alot, he might be able to carry the lineup a long, long way. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-01 02:52 PM R˙che Oh wonderful! I was soooooo glad that I wouldn't have to worry about facing Mr. Bonds next year, and now I'll get to see him 12 times! At least!