To those of you who want BJ Upton and/or Pat Burrell traded, stop dreaming. I read it in blog comments every day. I hear it on sports talk radio almost every day.
Of course the two players have been sub-par this year, and the 2009 Rays would have been better without them, but you have to look at contracts, control, and potential. The main reason that the Rays wouldn't be able to move Upton or Burrell is the fact that they also have to have a trade partner willing to take on the contracts and give fair value.
I will get Pat Burrell out of the way because this will be easier. Burrell will be owed $9 million next season. He has struggled mightily and has failed to come close to expectations. What team that you know of would take that contract off the Rays' hands? Anybody? Beuler? Exactly, nobody will take the contract. The Rays can't afford to release Burrell and pay him all that money to suit up for another team. All that can really happen is that Burrell bats 5th or 6th every night and hopefully next year he meets or beats expectations.
Now let's look at BJ Upton. He is arbitration eligible so he will garner some sort of a raise, but not a huge raise because he is coming off a down season. He is under team control for 3 more seasons, so there is no real need to move him for fear of not being able to lock him up long-term.
Upton may not have been valuable at the plate this season, but he sure has been solid in the field. His speed and cannon have saved multiple runs throughout the season.
Now, I don't know if injuries were a real of fabricated excuse for Upton's mediocre season at the plate, but we know what Upton can do when he is on his game. He has so much potential. After this down season, the Rays would not get anywhere close to fair value for Upton's potential. Trading Upton would basically be a player dump and would say the Rays have completely given up on Upton. It is way too early in his career to give up on BJ Upton, and the Rays front office is much smarter than that.
So, for those of you who want to see Upton and Burrell traded, stop wasting your time and wishes. Stop calling into talk shows and stop writing comments on blogs about it. It's not going to happen. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why.
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AS tired as you are hearing of fans wanting to get rid of BJ & Burrell...
ReplyDeleteWere 10x more tired of hearing of BJ's great "potential"...The fans will give him one more season because they really don't have much of a choice....BUT...If he is as bad at the plate in 2010 as 2009...he can hit the road!
Best way to handle Burrell is trade for 1/2 his
salary in 2010, eat the rest, and be rid of him
and his expectations!
Tell me who would take Burrell for even half his salary?
ReplyDeleteI'm hopeful, like you, that the Rays could field the best possible roster for their payroll. By anyone's standards and calculations, that roster would not include Pat Burrell. But that is a hopeful though. I'm just saying let's be realistic, it's not going to happen.
Ask Friedman..did he pay twice as much for Burrell as anyone would pay him????
ReplyDeleteIf your right and Burrell is still here and not hitting...do the Rays(mgt.) STILL keep playing him because they are paying 9mil.
NO matter.. what it cost them in the standings(playoffs)..Their stuck...unload for whatever!