Rauch ----> D-Backs

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 22, 2008 2:48 PM PDT Comment 44 comments

Arizona acquired right-hander Jon Rauch from the Nationals on Tuesday in exchange for second baseman Emilio Bonifacio.

Bonifacio was 6th (5th when Carlos Gonzalez get traded) on BA's D-Backs prospects list, but he's a glovely, speedy, iffy batting second baseman. Rauch had to be of interest to each of the ALE contenders, and yet this was the best the Nationals could do? I know they need bats, which is why I don't how this is the best they could do. It's not like Rauch was about to become a FA either, he has a nice deal through 2010.

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goddammit

Mike Cameron recorded 485 putouts in 2003.

by JI on Jul 22, 2008 2:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

How did the D-Backs pull this one off?

I guess the Rays will go with Casey Blake and find a reliever elsewhere.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 22, 2008 2:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't you have enough relievers already?

You should see how ridiculous the price for Texieria is.

Mike Cameron recorded 485 putouts in 2003.

by JI on Jul 22, 2008 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They think the price for Nady is ridiculous

I don’t see us making a big move.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 22, 2008 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nady sucks

you don’t want him for more than free.

Mike Cameron recorded 485 putouts in 2003.

by JI on Jul 22, 2008 3:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Relievers are easy to find

Trading any sort of valuable player for them is kind of silly.

by Gomez on Jul 22, 2008 3:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

unless they totally kick ass

Mike Cameron recorded 485 putouts in 2003.

by JI on Jul 22, 2008 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bonifacio is not a valuable player.

Unless you find defensive replacements/pinch runners valuable.

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That system must be tapped if anyone has Bonifacio rated #6 in the org

by Gomez on Jul 22, 2008 3:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There isn't much depth right now.

And like the Mariners, most of their best talents are in the lower levels.

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Things I know about Jon Rauch:

He’s fucking tall

by Last Fan Of Jose Lopez on Jul 22, 2008 3:05 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

One of my favorite things ever

Minaya turned Lee, Phillips, Sizemore into Rocky Biddle.

The Carl Everett trade went a little better. Rauch is really fucking good.

Mike Cameron recorded 485 putouts in 2003.

by JI on Jul 22, 2008 3:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lame

I wanted Bonifacio.

by katal on Jul 22, 2008 3:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No you don't.

He’s not a major league quality hitter.

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's also a 2nd baseman and has no place on this team

by Last Fan Of Jose Lopez on Jul 22, 2008 3:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is true

seems like we have an All-Star level second baseman for the next 15-3,000 years

The Jose Lopez Watch - 116H - 13 BB - 64 G Left

by seattlebruin on Jul 22, 2008 3:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You think so?

You know the Diamondbacks better than I do. I’ve been lead to believe that he has a future as a regular second baseman.

by katal on Jul 22, 2008 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Most of the common Dbacks fans think so too and had already anointed him as O-Dawg's replacement.

I bet they’re pretty pissed right now.

Bonifacio’s numbers.

Keep in mind that Lancaster is an extreme hitters park, and Tuscon is a pretty good place to hit as well.

The only thing he has going for him is above average defense at 2B and good speed.

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Trading for relievers is dumb

Goose, is the D-Backs system seriously this tapped on pitching?

by Gomez on Jul 22, 2008 3:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No, but Benifacio blows, and if Bowden wants to give us an excellent reliever for him, why not do it?

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There is that

and FWIW Rauch is a good reliever… so we’ll say huzzah and now you’ve got a bullpen arm.

by Gomez on Jul 22, 2008 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They have some decent relieve options in the minors, but none that are really dominant.

And since they’re losing Lyon and Cruz at the end of the year(its hilarious that Cruz is a Type A FA), they probably felt the need to find a replacement for at least one of them.

Plus, the leaves even more incentive for them to keep Mad Max in the rotation.

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In Byrnes we trust.

Since Rauch is under control through 2010, he’ll likely take over as closer next year, or slide into the setup role if Pena takes over. Lyon will walk, and the Dbacks will enjoy the draft picks.

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Now it makes more sense

by Gomez on Jul 22, 2008 3:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Has Rauch ever tried starting?

by Last Fan Of Jose Lopez on Jul 22, 2008 3:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I thought he was one for the White Sox

and he wasn’t good at it.

The poster formerly known as Matt.

by bluemax on Jul 22, 2008 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He had a serious injury as well

The Expos converted him to save his arm. Appears to have worked.

by marc w on Jul 22, 2008 5:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So now, we Hudson all but gone after the year's end, the DBacks best option to replace him internally

is…Augie Oejada. Which is basically their version of Reggie Willits.

God I hope they sign Mark Ellis.

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Why don't they just re-sign him?

Mike Cameron recorded 485 putouts in 2003.

by JI on Jul 22, 2008 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cause he's gonna cost $15M+ a year, and his defense is declining. And he's a 30 year old second basemen.

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And I just noticed that Ellis is 31....

So uh….I don’t know.

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think he'll go for that much on the open market.

Mike Cameron recorded 485 putouts in 2003.

by JI on Jul 22, 2008 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What about in the black market?

I fucking hate you Mariners

by kentroyals5 on Jul 22, 2008 3:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mike Cameron recorded 485 putouts in 2003.

by JI on Jul 22, 2008 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And lastly before I take off, sorry Esoteric.....

One Vision, One Purpose
Peace Through Power

by Goose on Jul 22, 2008 3:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Fuck you, buddy.

Seriously though, I’m perplexed too. My only thought – because Jim Bowden, contrary to common belief, is not an utter idiot – is that the market for relievers is just really soft. Bowden doesn’t get cheated in trades (rather, he asks for the moon too much), so I have a hard time believing he carelessly traded away his best chit for Bonifacio when there was nothing better on the market.

Also, note that Rizzo (former DBacks guy) is consulted on all trades, and runs the farm system (and does it extremely well). It’s quite possible that he was pushing for this trade because he sees something in Bonifacio. I hope so.

I root for the two worst teams in baseball, non-ironically.

by esoteric on Jul 22, 2008 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs