To HLR:
George Springer ($70 31 y.o. 7.8 ppg)
Carlos Rodon ($15 28 y.o. 40.1 ppg)
To Senior Squids:
Oswald Peraza – prospect
Triston Casas – prospect
Marco Luciano – prospect
2022 WYH #1
2023 HLR #1
2023 PMP #2
TL;DR – Squids gets some really good prospects plus some picks while Hustle two of the current best players in the league.
What a way to start off the day! I was instantly curious when I saw the notification come up… I was at a barbecue and had told Squids I was coming with an offer for Springer and Bassitt. After seeing the offer, I didn’t feel too bad. I was not coming close to the bid for what Hustle gave Squids. Even more, I don’t think Hustle overpaid in the least.
Let’s look at Hustle’s acquisitions, which are substantial. George Springer missed three months early this year, but he has more than made up for it with a career year since he got back. I would have kept him if I got him, and I know Squids was planning on keeping him, too. Unless he got blown away with an offer, which he did. I was concerned about Springer after his off-2020, but he has gotten comfortable in Toronto quickly. He’s a top 4 hitter by game rate for those healthy, and he’ll likely be top 5 the rest of the way assuming health. I wouldn’t be surprised if he puts up 300 points for Hustle the rest of the way (including playoffs). Carlos Rodon hasn’t been bad himself. I was way out on Rodon coming into the season, and I felt great at the draft when Rodon went for $15 two picks after I spend $15 on Kwang Hyun Kim. I saw no upside in Rodon after six previous years of mediocrity. Boy was I wrong. What I didn’t know at the time was that Rodon was going to add over 2.5 mph to his fastball this year. He added the velo and decide he was going to throw it 5% more than ever before. He bumped his whiffs nearly 5% this year, also. He is just a different guy, and the results have followed. He is nearly a top 5 pitcher by ppg (6th after considering the guys out or likely out for the balance of the fantasy season). He has a good shot at putting up 300 points through the end of the playoffs himself. He is all around incredible value at $15 – good on Squids for the acquisition at the draft and good on Hustle for having the capital to pay for his high value. Here’s to hoping the velo gains hold. All told, Hustle likely obtained more than 100 pts over replacement for the rest of the season between the two players, and he can look forward to the same in the playoffs. Those are the type of numbers that make a difference in the playoffs.
Squids received a lot in this trade. All three prospects are easy top-100 fantasy prospects with Luciano headlining the return with Casas not far behind. There’s not a lot I can say about Marco Luciano that you all don’t already know. His approach, bat-to-ball, and power skills have all been on display despite only being 19 y.o. He was just promoted to High-A last week, and Squids can look forward to him likely holding down 3B for a decade starting in 2023. Triston Casas is another very highly ranked hitting prospect. He’s at AA this year, and he had some time off for the Olympics. His approach and bat-to-ball skills have been on display at AA, but the power numbers have been lacking a little. I’m not worried about the power eventually showing up, as he is a little young for AA as it is. Owald Peraza was a guy I coveted in the minors draft last year, and I told Hustle that when he beat me to the punch on drafting Peraza. I thought he was unfairly pinned with a no-power tag and some of that power has been on display this year. He was quickly promoted from High-A to AA in June, and he has mostly held his own as a guy who is young for the level. The sample of 232 PAs from AA shows a bigger K-BB% than I’d like to see in a guy without above average power, but he has hit for a high average that isn’t completely lacking in pop. The draft picks will all likely be between 10-26 in their respective years which means Squids will have some good opportunities to grab impact guys. I think all three players acquired by Squids will have average or above big league production, making his acquisition substantial.
I think both teams did a lot of good for themselves with this deal.
Haddy