On the exterior, this deal looks like a wash at best...a typical quantity for quality deal that Anson got fleeced on. On one hand, we have Sabathia, one of the most consistently strong SPers in all of eMLB. CC leads the AL with 11 wins, has 111K's and an ERA in the mid 3.00's...a true front line starter that has anchored the Squirrels staff all year. At this point in the season, let's face it, if it weren't for the pitching, this team would be dead in the water, and Sabathia has been the constant week after week. However, if you re-read the previous sentence, you will see where Anson's line of thought fell. This team is STARVING for offense and to obtain needs, you must deal from strength.
Enter a slew of young talent that will either take this team to the post-season or be blamed for the loss of the season and the loss of Sabathia. The biggest prize, and question mark, of course, is Joe Mauer. Mauer will immediately fill the utility role fo
r the Squirrels, which has been a source of frustration for the Squirrels all season. When Martin Prado went down to a staph infection in May, the lack of depth in the Squirrels offense became glaringly obvious. Fill ins such as JD Drew, Jason Bay, Ben Revere, Justin Smoak etc., have simply not been able to cut it, and the team's offensive numbers have fallen off the board. Mauer has been injured himself for most of the season, and if he does not return to his old form, this deal will be a huge bust.In Freddie Freeman, the Squirrels upgrade their first basemen significantly over Justin Smoak. Smoak has delivered some power while filling in for the injured Justin Morneau, but is also swinging a paltry .245, and is either all or nothing. Freeman comes to the Squirrels with a .272 average and almost identical power numbers as Smoak. The Squirrels also acquired Laynce Nix and David Freese. Nix has 12HR, and instantly falls into 3rd on the team in HR, while Freese gives the team another option for power and high average. These offensive additions have greatly extended the overall depth of the Squirrels' bench and leave the team some options if another injury occurs or, if the pitching falls off, give the Squirrels' some trade bait down the line.
The Squirrels
looked to replace Sabathia as best they could from Hackensack's roster with Mat Latos. Latos has had an up and down season in 2011, but all his peripheral stats are all still there. He has had high K numbers, a decent WHIP and an average ERA. The problem for Latos has been consistency and run support from a poor Padre offense. Latos is definitely a downgrade from Sabathia in all departments, but he has the potential to equal Sabathia in all departments except wins, and with Chacin, Liriano, and Hellickson, the Squirrels' pitching staff remains a strong suit. The addition of rising young ace Mike Leake, who is 5-2 with a 2.89ERA in his last eight appearances, was a bonus who, if he continues his rise, makes the Squirrels' pitching some of the best in the league.This team was assembled to win now, and with only Latos, Hellickson and (this reporter literally is about to throw up in his mouth a little...) Nate McLouth (spew) on the roster for next year, the move to ensure a playoff run makes sense. Next year is a big rebuild year for the Squirrels and it is likely that if the Squirrels found themselves in sell mode next year, Sabathia would have been traded anyway...all the better to trade him now and make a run for the title.
