CarterHud

           The Miami Marlins have traded closer A.J. Ramos to the New York Mets in exchange for RHP Merandy Gonzalez and OF Ricardo Cespedes.

            Even though they are out of the playoff hunt, the Mets acquire a good reliever in Ramos who is under contract through 2018. They also plan to trade closer Addison Reed in the near future. Ramos can rack up saves in the big apple. He can be huge for them if they are successful in 2018.

            Ramos, 30, has a 3.63 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 20 saves and 47 strikeouts in 39.2 innings this year. In his six year MLB career, all for the Marlins, Ramos has a 2.78 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 92 saves and 379 in 327.1 innings.

            As sellers, the Marlins are trading their veterans, they get some value out of Ramos. Gonzalez was the Mets 9th best prospect, and Cespedes was their 22nd. They both have a very high ceiling, but are low leveled.

           Gonzalez, 22, has a 1.78 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 89 strikeouts in 106 innings this year in Single-A and High-A. In his minor league career, Gonzalez has a 2.58 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 300 strikeouts in 342.1 innings.

         Cespedes, 19, has a .255 batting average, one homer, one steal and 15 RBIs in 108 Plate Appearances in rookie ball, Low-A and Single-A. In his minor league career, Cespedes has a .272 bating average, two homers, 63 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in 769 Plate Appearances.

         I think it\’s an even trade. The Marlins get two big prospects, and the Mets get an MLB closer. So, everybody wins.

         For more on this trade, check out my YouTube video.

       The Washington Nationals and division rival Philadelphia Phillies have completed a trade. LF/2B Howie Kendrick and cash are going to the District of Columbia for LHP prospect McKenzie Mills.

      The Nationals, penalized by Adam Eaton\’s Torn ACL, have been looking to acquire an outfielder. Kendrick has moved to outfielder in the last year or so, and can now play the position fully. With LF Jayson Werth currently hurt, Kendrick can start at LF. He can try out center when Werth returns, and share time there with Michael Taylor. Kendrick is actually hurt himself with a bruised hand, but is just day-to-day. He\’s also a rental, so the Nats will let him sign elsewhere at the end of the season. When not not starting, Kendrick is a great bench bat, especially against lefties.

      Kendrick, 34, has a .340 batting average, two homers, 16 RBIs and eight steals in 156 Plate Appearances this year for the Phillies. In his 12 year career for the Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels, Kendrick has a .290 batting average, 97 homers, 611 RBIs and 119 stolen bases in 5613 Plate Appearances.

      The Phillies, at the bottom of the MLB are selling all their veterans. As a rental, Kendrick is a guy who needs to be traded. After his injury, I think management might not of thought he\’d be able to go, but they are able to trade him. They get a prospect in Mills, who is just in Single-A.

        Mills, 21, has a 3.01 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 118 strikeouts in 104.2 innings this year. In his minor league career, Mills has a 4.17 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 201 strikeouts in 215.2 innings.

        I think the Nationals win this trade. It\’s simple. It\’s a MLB player for a Single-A player. That\’s why they win.

       For more on this trade check out my YouTube video. 

        The Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays have pulled off a deal between two relievers, sending Steve Cishek and cash to the Rays and Erasmo Ramirez to Seattle.

        As contenders, the Rays have been looking for impact players to improve their roster. Yesterday, they acquired Dan Jennings and Lucas Duda. In Cishek, they get a solid reliever with some closing experience. They give up on of their arms in Ramirez, but Cishek is the better pitcher.

        Cishek, 31 has a 3.15 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, one save and 15 strikeouts in 20 innings this year. In his eight year career for the Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals and Florida/Miami Marlins, Cishek has a 2.83 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 121 saves and 423 strikeouts in 397 innings.

        The Mariners are also contenders, but are a couple games back of the Rays, who aren\’t even in the wild card currently. They trade Cishek, who\’s a rental, and even though he\’s better than Ramirez, Ramirez isn\’t a free agent until after the 2019 season. Ramirez also is versatile, and has started at least one game in every season of his career. Also, this is a case of an old friend alert. Ramirez signed with the Mariners out of a school in El Salvador in 2007, and played his first three years in the MLB there.

        Ramirez, 27, has a 4.80 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 69.1 innings for the Rays this year. In his six year MLB career for the Rays and Mariners, Ramirez has a 4.23 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 409 strikeouts in 530 innings.

        I think this is an even trade. Both teams get an MLB reliever. But, the Rays get the more skilled one, but the Mariners get the one under contract and versatile. So, everybody wins.

       For more on this trade, check out my YouTube video.

          The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired 1B Lucas Duda from the New York Mets in exchange for RHP Drew Smith.

          The Rays are actually contenders this year, and are looking to buy. Earlier today, they acquired  LHP Dan Jennings. And now, they get Duda. After Colby Rasmus took a break from baseball for an unknown reason, and won\’t return this year, the Rays wanted another bat. With Tampa, Duda can DH, and Corey Dickerson can play the OF more. Duda is a nice, middle of the order guy with some left handed pop that can put some runs up on the board.

           Duda, 31, has a .246 batting average, 17 homers and 37 RBIs in 291 Plate Appearances. In his eight year MLB career, all for the Mets, Duda has a .246 batting average, 125 homers and 378 RBIs in 2895 Plate Appearances.

        Due to injuries, the Mets are having a surprisingly bad year in 2017. So, they\’ve been shopping guys like Duda and closer Addison Reed. They get a prospect in Smith, who was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the 30th best prospect in the Rays system for Duda, who is a free agent after this year.

        Smith, a reliever touches 97 MPH on his fastball. He has a 1.60 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, seven saves and 40 strikeouts in 45 innings this year over three levels. In his minor league career, Smith has a 1.80 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 13 saves and 140 strikeouts in 124.2 innings.

         I think this is an even trade. The Mets get a prospect for a guy they might not have signed at the end of the year. Plus, the Rays get a power bat in the lineup, so everybody wins.

       For more about the trade, check out my YouTube video.

         The Arizona Diamondbacks and Minnesota Twins have pulled off a minor league trade, sending catcher John Ryan Murphy to the desert, and LHP Gabriel Moya to Minnesota.

        The D-backs biggest need is a catcher. Murphy can be a backup catcher if Chris Iannetta or Jeff Mathis go to the DL. He has some MLB experience, and was the Twins backup last year. His career went downhill after being traded to the Twins for Aaron Hicks. Murphy will report to Reno (AAA).

        Murphy, 26, hasn\’t played in the MLB this year. He has a .222 batting average, four homers and 27 RBIs in 218 Plate Appearances for Rochester (AAA) this year. In his four year  MLB career for the Twins and New York Yankees, Murphy has a .238 batting average, five homers and 27 RBIs in 374 Plate Appearances.

       For the Twins, they get rid of Murphy who was practically useless, and get a prospects in Moya, who was the D-Backs 25th best prospect. Moya is an amazing year at AA, where he will report to, so that\’s a positive for them.

       Moya, 22, has a 0.82 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 17 saves and 68 strikeouts in 43.2 innings. In his minor league career, Moya has a 2.68 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 28 saves and 317 strikeouts in 248.1 innings.

       I think the Twins win this trade. They get a prospect who has been lights out at a level not too far from the MLB. For a guy struggling at AAA. Murphy is a 3rd catcher at best, and the Twins got too much for him.