Josh Hamilton For Edison Volquez: What a Great Trade

Two of the most impressive players in the MLB thus far, Reds' pitcher Edison Volquez and Rangers' Josh Hamilton, were involved in a trade this past offseason. 

There was speculation from both sides that their pickup would be better, but both have turned out to be studs on the field this year.  I will break down each player first by their stat lines, and then a more detailed analysis.

SP Edison Volquez, Reds

Record: 6-1, 1.12 ERA, 57 K, 1.26 WHIP

Volquez has been mowing down his opponents at quite an impressive rate, including recording double-digit strikeouts twice already.  Volquez, who is not overpowering in the sense that he will consistently hit 98 on the gun, but his 93 mph heat has substantial movement, and has been giving opposing batters fits.

Edison compliments his fastball with an array of off-speed gems, including a fairly effective curveball, and an above-average slider, with his best pitch being a ridiculous changeup.  This arsenal of pitches has allowed Volquez to  give up no more than one run on any given outing this year. 

What I have noticed in watching numerous episodes of Baseball Tonight on ESPN, is that in viewing Volquez's videos, he has been able to locate his pitches perfectly.  Catcher Paul Bako has thrown his glove in a spot, and Volquez has hit the leather the large majority of the time.

The more I listen to Orel Hershiser talk about Volquez, the more he points out the ability of Volquez to vary speeds on his pitches.  For example, Volquez has ranged his fastball from 87 to 95 mph this year.  That eight mile-per-hour difference will disrupt the hitter's timing enough to cause him to swing over the top of the ball for a strikeout.

This youngster from the Dominican Republic has put together a nice first quarter of the season, and I will keep my eye out for his outings each and every week.

OF Josh Hamilton, Rangers

The Texas Rangers couldn't have asked for much else when they received Josh Hamilton in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds.  After hitting 19 HRs and driving in 47 runs in 90 games for the Reds last season, Hamilton has nearly equaled that RBI total in 40 games this season, with a MLB-leading 44. 

Hamilton has showcased his ability to hit the ball to the opposite field, rather than pulling the ball towards first base.   With just 8 HR, it means that Hamilton has been taking advantage of  his at-bats with RISP.  Most notably, he has gone 3-3 with 10 RBIs with the bases loaded, which is incredible production.

At 6'4, 235 pounds, there is a reason that this kid was the first overall pick in 1999.  After a long history of drug and alcohol issues, Hamilton is finally showing us what he is capable of.

This may be one of the best trades for both teams in MLB history. 

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