Predicting Boom or Bust for Each Big 2015-16 MLB Offseason Move to Date
Every blockbuster trade and free-agent signing during the offseason is made with a high level of confidence that everything will play out according to plan.
As we know, though, that's not always the case.
Last offseason some brilliant moves were made, headlined by the Toronto Blue Jays' acquisition of Josh Donaldson and a string of under-the-radar moves by the Kansas City Royals that worked to perfection.
On the flip side, the Boston Red Sox signings of Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval proved to be a huge flop, and busy offseasons from the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox yielded little success in the win-loss column.
There is still a ways to go until the MLB offseason comes to a close and spring training begins, but we've already seen a number of significant moves made this offseason.
Ahead is a look at each big offseason move to date, and my take on whether it will be a boom or bust for the team involved.
Some of the predictions are stat-based, some are situation-based and some are simply gut feelings. Nothing here is meant to be a calculated attack on a specific player or team, just one person's opinion on each major move.
Quick Reactions (Hitters)
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SS Asdrubal Cabrera, New York Mets
Contract: 2 years, $18.5 million
Cabrera had a solid offensive season in 2015 (105 OPS+, 15 HR, 58 RBI), but those numbers weren't all that different than those of incumbent Wilmer Flores (95 OPS+, 16 HR, 59 RBI). He should produce up to his contract, but did he really address a need?
Verdict: Boom
2B Starlin Castro, New York Yankees
Trade: Yankees get 2B Starlin Castro, Cubs get SP/RP Adam Warren, IF Brendan Ryan
After a trying 2015 season, Starlin Castro finished on fire with a .369/.400/.655 line in September and October. A change of scenery may not be the worst thing for the 25-year-old, and while he'll never be an on-base guy, there is still some upside to his offensive game.
Verdict: Boom
3B Yunel Escobar, Los Angeles Angels
Trade: Angels get 3B Yunel Escobar, Nationals get RP Trevor Gott, RP Mike Brady
Yunel Escobar finished sixth in the NL last season with a .314 average, but he did it on the strength of a relatively high .347 BABIP that ranked 12th in the league. He was also a well-below-average defender (-11 DRS, -9.8 UZR/150) at the hot corner.
Verdict: Bust
1B Adam Lind, Seattle Mariners
Trade: Mariners get 1B Adam Lind, Brewers get SPs Daniel Missaki, Freddy Peralta, Carlos Herrera
The Mariners got a .235/.301/.401 line with 24 home runs and 77 RBI from the first base position last season. Adam Lind hit .277/.360/.460 with 20 home runs and 87 RBI and hit .336 with runners in scoring position. He should form a terrific platoon alongside Jesus Montero.
Verdict: Boom
2B Ben Zobrist, Chicago Cubs
Contract: 4 years, $56 million
The decision to give a 34-year-old Ben Zobrist a four-year deal is a clear indication that the Cubs are all-in on winning now. He no doubt makes them a better team in 2016, but the final two years and $28 million of the contract could be rough.
Verdict: Boom in 2016, bust overall
Quick Reactions (Starting Pitchers)
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RHP Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Contract: 2 years, $26 million
Marco Estrada was a pleasant surprise for the Blue Jays last season, going 13-8 with a 3.13 ERA and 1.044 WHIP in 181 innings after starting the season in a long relief role. However, he did that with an MLB-low .216 BABIP, and his 4.40 FIP may be a better indication of what to expect in 2016.
Verdict: Bust
LHP J.A. Happ, Toronto Blue Jays
Contract: 3 years, $36 million
A strong finish to the season after being traded to the Pirates earned J.A. Happ big money this offseason. The 33-year-old went 7-2 with a 1.85 ERA, 1.026 WHIP and 9.8 K/9 in 11 starts with Pittsburgh.
However, Happ went 19-20 with a 4.39 ERA in 58 games (50 starts) in his last go-around with the Blue Jays, and with a 4.13 career ERA, that may be more indicative of what he'll do going forward.
Verdict: Bust
RHP John Lackey, Chicago Cubs
Contract: 2 years, $32 million
A multiyear deal for a 37-year-old is always a risky proposition, but John Lackey is coming off arguably the best season of his career at 13-10 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.211 WHIP. It's his postseason track record that makes him such a good addition for the Cubs, though, as he has a 3.11 ERA in 127.1 career innings.
Verdict: Boom
SP Chris Young, Kansas City Royals
Contract: 2 years, $11.5 million
Chris Young signed a one-year, $675,000 deal last season to serve as a swingman for the Kansas City Royals, and he wound up being a key piece of their postseason rotation. He relies more on command and deception than pure stuff, so despite the fact that he's 36 years old, this was a relatively low-risk move.
Verdict: Boom
Quick Reactions (Relief Pitchers)
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RHP Joaquin Benoit, Seattle Mariners
Trade: Mariners get RP Joaquin Benoit, Padres get SP Enyel De Los Santos, IF Nelson Ward
Dating back to the 2010 season, Joaquin Benoit has been one of the game's elite setup relievers, posting a 2.35 ERA, 0.939 WHIP and 10.0 K/9 while averaging 65 appearances per season. He'll make $7.5 million in the final year of his contract and should be a major piece of a retooled Mariners bullpen.
Verdict: Boom
RHP Steve Cishek, Seattle Mariners
Contract: 2 years, $10 million
Steve Cishek posted a 2.73 ERA and 10.5 K/9 while converting 73 of 79 save chances in 2013 and 2014, but he struggled early last season and wound up losing the closer's job to A.J. Ramos before being demoted to the minors.
On the surface he turned things around with a 2.31 ERA in 27 appearances after being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, but that came with a 4.33 FIP and 5.0 BB/9. Relying on him to close games for a contender seems foolish.
Verdict: Bust
RHP Ryan Madson, Oakland Athletics
Contract: 3 years, $22 million
Not sure how the A's can justify consistently making deals to trim payroll, then sign a 35-year-old reliever with an injury history to a three-year, $22 million deal. He'll help turn around what was the AL's worst bullpen, but the three-year deal is risky.
Verdict: Bust
RHP Darren O'Day, Baltimore Orioles
Contract: 4 years, $31 million
The Orioles had a ton of talent reach free agency this offseason, but they did manage to bring back All-Star setup man Darren O'Day. Since the start of 2012, he has 78 holds with a 1.92 ERA, 0.939 WHIP and 9.7 K/9.
Verdict: Boom
RHP Francisco Rodriguez, Detroit Tigers
Trade: Tigers get RP Francisco Rodriguez, Brewers get IF Javier Betancourt
The Tigers bullpen has been a mess for years, but they finally made improving it a priority this offseason. That started with the acquisition of All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez. Still just 33 years old, he's converted 82 of 89 save chances with a 2.66 ERA and 0.928 WHIP over the past two seasons.
Verdict: Boom
RHP Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals
Contract: 3 years, $25 million
Joakim Soria is returning to where it all started, as he racked up 160 saves and made a pair of All-Star teams while spending the first five seasons of his career with the Royals. He'll be tasked with helping replace Greg Holland and Ryan Madson, and after posting a 2.53 ERA in 72 appearances last season he looks up to the task.
Verdict: Boom
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Quick Reactions (International Signings)
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RP Tony Barnette, Texas Rangers
Contract: 2 years, $3.5 million
Barnette is an interesting story, as he's spent the past six seasons in Japan after beginning his career in the Arizona Diamondbacks' system. He nailed down 41 saves with a 1.44 ERA, 0.894 WHIP and 8.0 K/9 last season. He could prove to be an absolute steal for the Rangers.
Verdict: Boom
OF Hyun-soo Kim, Baltimore Orioles
Contract: 2 years, $7 million
Hyun-soo Kim has spent the past 10 seasons playing for the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization. He set career highs this past season with 28 home runs and 121 RBI, but it's his plate discipline that should allow for a smooth transition to the big leagues. He has a career .406 on-base percentage and had a 101/63 BB/K ratio last year.
Verdict: Boom
1B/DH Byung-ho Park, Minnesota Twins
Contract: 4 years, $12 million
Also playing in the KBO, Byung-ho Park put up monster numbers with a .343/.436/.714 line that included 53 home runs and 146 RBI. That marked the second consecutive season he topped 50 home runs, but his 25.9 percent strikeout rate last year is worth keeping an eye on. It will likely climb against improved pitching.
Verdict: Bust
Los Angeles Angels Acquire SS Andrelton Simmons
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To LAA: SS Andrelton Simmons, C Jose Briceno
The Los Angeles Angels' biggest need heading into the offseason was to improve an offense that had deteriorated dramatically after leading the majors in runs scored in 2014.
Acquiring a shortstop with a career .256/.304/.362 line won't be the answer to that problem, but the slick-fielding Andrelton Simmons should make the entire pitching staff better with his phenomenal defense.
The 26-year-old is owed $53 million over the next five years, and he should have no problem delivering positive value on that contract.
Verdict: Boom
To ATL: SS Erick Aybar, SP Sean Newcomb, SP Chris Ellis
Erick Aybar is essentially just a placeholder at shortstop for the Atlanta Braves as he enters the final year of his contract. Best-case scenario, he'll get off to a strong start and the team will be able to flip him for prospects in July.
The real determining factor in this deal will be pitching prospects Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis.
Newcomb, 22, currently ranks as the No. 19 prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com. The left-hander went 9-3 with a 2.38 ERA, 1.272 WHIP and 168 strikeouts in 136 innings while reaching Double-A last season.
Ellis, 23, was 11-9 with a 3.90 ERA, 1.372 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 140.2 innings. If his breaking ball improves, he has a chance to be a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter.
The Braves will miss the defense Simmons brings up the middle, but Newcomb has a chance to be a legitimate front-line starter. It looks like a good move for both sides.
Verdict: Boom
Boston Red Sox Acquire RP Craig Kimbrel
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To BOS: RP Craig Kimbrel
Koji Uehara has been terrific since joining the Boston Red Sox, pitching to a 1.86 ERA and 0.771 WHIP while converting 72 of 82 save chances.
The 40-year-old missed time to injury last season, though, and the Red Sox moved quickly to find his replacement this offseason when they acquired Craig Kimbrel from the Padres.
Kimbrel should have no problem transitioning to the AL, as he has some of the best stuff in baseball, and he'll give the Red Sox a shutdown option to close out games.
Verdict: Boom
To SD: CF Manuel Margot, SS Javier Guerra, SP Logan Allen, IF/OF Carlos Asuaje
One NL scout may have summed it up best shortly after the Kimbrel trade (via Sean McAdam of CSNNE):
"I like Margot and Guerra. [They're] middle-of-the-diamond kids with upside, [but] I doubt either becomes Betts or Bogaerts. [Infielder Carlos] Asuaje is an up-and-down utility player for me - at best. Didn't see the young lefty [Logan Allen]. The Red Sox are getting an elite closer for three years. If they add a front-end starter, look out.
"
Prospects are nice, but in that market, give me Brady as QB over [Marcus] Mariota.
A year after going all-in, the Padres are now trading off valuable assets for low-level minor leaguers who have plenty of upside but are far from a sure thing. Margot was compared to Doug Glanville, who was a solid player but far from a marquee talent, by one evaluator in that same article.
After seeing the haul the Philadelphia Phillies landed for Ken Giles, it seems like the Padres would have been able to get more had they waited a bit longer.
Verdict: Bust
Detroit Tigers Sign SP Jordan Zimmermann
7 of 17
Contract: 5 years, $110 million
In need of a front-line starter to join veterans Justin Verlander and Anibal Sanchez, the Detroit Tigers moved quickly to sign right-hander Jordan Zimmermann on Nov. 30.
After dealing with some arm problems early in his career, he's been a workhorse the past four seasons. He's averaged 203 innings per season while going 58-32 with a 3.13 ERA, 1.133 WHIP and 7.3 K/9 during that span.
Zimmermann has power stuff, but he relies on his control more than anything. He walked batters at a 1.7 BB/9 rate during that aforementioned four-year span.
With a clean bill of heath and a repertoire that should age well, a five-year investment in the 29-year-old seems like a good move for a Tigers team that is looking to climb back into contention after a disappointing season.
Verdict: Boom
Boston Red Sox Sign SP David Price
8 of 17
Contract: 7 years, $217 million
The Boston Red Sox signed the ace they failed to add last offseason when they inked David Price to a record-setting seven-year deal just before the start of the winter meetings.
Price can opt out of the deal after three years and $90 million, and given the ever-growing price of quality starting pitching he almost certainly will.
The Red Sox have the talent to contend for that entire three-year window and beyond with a young core ready to take over for aging stars like Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, and Price could be that final missing piece.
The big 6'6" left-hander has been a workhorse throughout his career, averaging 217 innings per season since becoming a full-time starter in 2010, and he's never had a serious arm injury of any sort.
Investing $30 million-plus per year in a pitcher will always come with a certain amount of risk. If he doesn't opt out he'll be making $32 million at the age of 36, but assuming everything goes according to plan this looks like exactly the move the Red Sox needed to make.
Verdict: Boom
Arizona Diamondbacks Sign SP Zack Greinke
9 of 17
Contract: 6 years, $206.5 million
From the start of the offseason, it looked as though it would be a two-horse race for the services of Zack Greinke between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.
Instead, it was a third NL West team that swooped in and signed the 32-year-old ace as the Arizona Diamondbacks opened up their wallets for a shot at contention.
While his contract will be paying him $35 million during his age-37 season to close things out, Greinke should age well.
A power pitcher when he entered the league, Greinke averaged just 91.8 mph on his fastball this past season (per FanGraphs). He's turned into more of a control pitcher who relies more on his pinpoint command and his terrific changeup.
The length of the deal was a necessary evil if the Diamondbacks wanted to land an ace starter, and there are far worse pitchers to invest six years in than Greinke, who has a chance to be effective into his 40s.
Verdict: Boom
San Francisco Giants Sign SP Jeff Samardzija
10 of 17
Contract: 5 years, $90 million
Shortly after missing out on Zack Greinke, the San Francisco Giants turned to their Plan B and inked Jeff Samardzija to a five-year deal.
The 2015 season was a rough one for the big right-hander, as he went 11-13 with a 4.96 ERA and 1.294 WHIP in his lone season with the Chicago White Sox.
However, there are plenty of reasons for optimism going forward.
His 4.23 FIP points to some bad luck this past season, and moving from hitter friendly U.S. Cellular Field to pitcher friendly AT&T Park should help his numbers come down even further.
The 30-year-old has also proved to be a workhorse with three straight seasons of at least 210 innings, but at the same time he has just 991.2 big league innings under his belt after spending the early parts of his career in the bullpen.
With less mileage on his arm than most pitchers his age and the potential to be a front-line starter or at the very least a workhorse No. 2 or No. 3 type, the $90 million investment over five years is a relatively safe one.
Verdict: Boom
Red Sox Acquire RP Carson Smith, Mariners Acquire SP Wade Miley
11 of 17
To SEA: SP Wade Miley, RP Jonathan Aro
Looking to add a proven arm to the starting rotation behind Felix Hernandez, the Seattle Mariners acquired left-hander Wade Miley from the Boston Red Sox.
The 29-year-old is owed a very reasonable $15 million over the next two seasons with a $12 million option for 2018, so his team control and salary made him a nice mid-range target.
However, considering he's gone 29-33 with a 4.11 ERA (96 ERA+) and 1.362 WHIP over the past three seasons, it seems the Mariners overpaid for a league-average starter.
Verdict: Bust
To BOS: RP Carson Smith, SP Roenis Elias
Few young relievers have a higher ceiling than 26-year-old Carson Smith, and he'll join fellow offseason acquisition Craig Kimbrel to give the Boston Red Sox a dynamic one-two punch.
As a rookie last season, Smith had a 2.31 ERA, 1.014 WHIP and 92 strikeouts in 70 innings while saving 13 games. With a prototypical fastball/slider combination, he has legitimate closer stuff and a chance to get even better.
Also heading to Boston was left-hander Roenis Elias, who has spent most of the past two seasons in the Mariners rotation.
He's gone 15-20 with a 3.97 ERA (93 ERA+) and 1.308 WHIP in his two big league seasons, and he comes with five more years of team control.
A straight-up trade of Miley for Elias would not have looked like a bad deal for either side. The inclusion of Smith made this a huge win for the Red Sox.
Verdict: Boom
Arizona Diamondbacks Acquire SP Shelby Miller
12 of 17
To ARI: SP Shelby Miller, LP Gabe Speier
The Arizona Diamondbacks surprised many when they came out on top in the Zack Greinke derby, but they weren't finished there.
With no shortage of teams pursuing right-hander Shelby Miller, the D-backs came in with an ultra-aggressive offer and landed the 25-year-old to serve as their No. 2 starter this coming season.
It was a trying season for Miller from a win-loss standpoint as he went 6-17, but that record came with a 3.02 ERA, 1.247 WHIP and 171 strikeouts in 205.1 innings.
He slowed a bit down the stretch, but over his first 15 starts he was as good as any pitcher in baseball at 5-3 with a 1.94 ERA, 1.017 WHIP and a pair of shutouts.
It's his three remaining years of team control that made him such an attractive trade chip, and while he cost a king's ransom, there's little question he makes the Diamondbacks significantly better right now.
Verdict: Boom
To ATL: OF Ender Inciarte, SS Dansby Swanson, SP Aaron Blair
For now this looks like a trade that fulfills what both sides were looking for, and it has a chance to be a win-win down the road.
However, it also has a chance to be a trade we look back on as one of the best in Atlanta Braves history.
Ender Inciarte broke out this past season to hit .303 with 38 extra-base hits and 21 stolen bases, which coupled with his plus defense resulted in a 5.3 WAR season.
He'll step into a starting spot in the Braves outfield immediately, but he also has a chance to be a long-term piece of the puzzle with five years of team control remaining.
Right-hander Aaron Blair was arguably the top pitching prospect in the D'Backs system after going 13-5 with a 2.92 ERA and 1.166 WHIP between Double-A and Triple-A last year.
He's close to reaching the majors and has a very high floor.
The X-factor here is shortstop Dansby Swanson, who was the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft.
As polished as any shortstop prospect in recent memory, he should move quickly after hitting .289/.394/.482 over 99 plate appearances at Low-A in his pro debut.
He has legitimate superstar potential and could be a cornerstone of the Braves' rebuilding efforts.
Verdict: Boom
Mets Acquire 2B Neil Walker, Pirates Acquire SP Jon Niese
13 of 17
To NYM: 2B Neil Walker
In search of a replacement for the departed Daniel Murphy, the New York Mets brought aboard a very similar player in Neil Walker.
Here's what the two players have averaged over the past five seasons:
The Mets needed to find offense in the worst way this offseason with their top two bats hitting free agency, and Walker—who is in a contract year—should do a fine job replacing Murphy.
Verdict: Boom
To PIT: SP Jon Niese
The 2015 season wasn't the best of Jon Niese's career by any means, as he went 9-10 with a 4.13 ERA, 1.398 WHIP and a .280 opponents' batting average.
However, he managed to maintain his fantastic ground-ball rate, as his 54.5 percent mark ranked seventh among qualified starters, per FanGraphs.
The 29-year-old has been a solid, if not a slightly above-average, starter for the past six seasons, going 59-59 with a 3.86 ERA (95 ERA+) and 1.351 WHIP while averaging 171 innings per season.
With a $9 million salary this season and options of $10 million in 2017 and $11 million in 2018, he's a relatively low-cost arm for a Pirates team that is still cost-conscious.
Expect slightly better numbers than we saw last season. Considering the Pirates gave up a player in the final year of his contract who was unlikely to be re-signed, it looks like a good deal for them.
Verdict: Boom
Chicago Cubs Sign RF Jason Heyward
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Contract: 8 years, $184 million
Many predicted Jason Heyward to eclipse the $200 million mark on the free-agent market, and he had such an offer in place from the Washington Nationals, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
In the end, he took a little less money for a chance to be part of something special with the Chicago Cubs, and he was exactly the kind of player they needed.
Whether he winds up playing primarily right field or center field, Heyward is an elite defender, and that was lacking from the Cubs outfield this past season with the likes of Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler seeing the bulk of the playing time.
He's also a high on-base, low-strikeout guy who can help set the table for the team's sluggers in the middle of the lineup.
Heyward has never quite developed as expected offensively, but he still hit .293/.359/.439 last season with 33 doubles, 13 home runs, 60 RBI, 79 runs and 23 stolen bases.
What made him such an attractive target for a big-money deal is the fact that he'll be entering his age-26 season.
That means even if he doesn't exercise his option after three or four years of the contract and plays it out, he'd still be just 34 years old and conceivably in his prime at the end of the eight-year deal.
Expecting Heyward to suddenly emerge as a 30-homer, 100-RBI threat is foolish at this point, but he still provides tremendous value with his defense, on-base skills and base-stealing ability.
Verdict: Boom
Houston Astros Acquire RP Ken Giles
15 of 17
To HOU: RP Ken Giles, IF Jonathan Arauz
The Houston Astros had their minds set on acquiring a closer this offseason, and after seemingly kicking the tires on everyone available they finally landed Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Ken Giles.
The 25-year-old has a 1.56 ERA, 1.037 WHIP and 11.7 K/9 in his first two big league seasons, and he made a seamless transition to the closer's role last year after Jonathan Papelbon was traded.
Outside of his early success and nasty stuff, it's his five remaining years of team control that made him the perfect target for an Astros team that needed immediate help but is also built for long-term success with a young core in place.
Verdict: Boom
To PHI: SP Mark Appel, SP Vincent Velasquez, SP Thomas Eshelman, SP Harold Arauz, SP Brett Oberholtzer
On paper, this looks like a phenomenal return for the rebuilding Phillies, and it certainly has a chance to be just that down the road.
However, there's really not a sure thing in this package.
Mark Appel has been largely disappointing since being taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft, posting a 5.12 career ERA in 253 minor league innings.
There's still time for the 24-year-old to realize his potential, but there's also a good chance he winds up taking a Luke Hochevar-type route where he struggles for a few years as a starter and winds up in the bullpen.
The same goes for Vincent Velasquez, who has terrific stuff but may wind up being a reliever long term due to previous arm problems and the lack of a third plus pitch.
Thomas Eshelman is a control pitcher with a No. 5-starter ceiling, Harold Arauz does not check in among the Phillies' top-30 prospects, per MLB.com, and Brett Oberholtzer will be asked to eat some innings as a swingman.
Again, there is potential for this to be a big win for the Phillies, but at the same time this package of players could wind up being wholly underwhelming.
Verdict: Bust
San Francisco Giants Sign SP Johnny Cueto
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Contract: 6 years, $130 million
The San Francisco Giants moved quickly to sign Jeff Samardzija after missing out on Zack Greinke, but they weren't finished overhauling the rotation just yet.
In need of one more starting pitcher to round out the staff, the team opted against going the mid-level route and instead went big with a $130 million deal for right-hander Johnny Cueto.
There's no denying that Cueto has been one of the best pitchers in baseball in recent years, and he was nothing short of dominant in 2014 when he went 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA, 0.960 WHIP and 242 strikeouts to finish second in NL Cy Young voting.
However, the 29-year-old also has some significant injuries on the resume, as he's spent time on the disabled list with lat and shoulder injuries in the past.
Granted he's topped 200 innings in three of the past four seasons, but he doesn't have the smoothest mechanics. And if any pitcher from this year's "Big Four" is going to run into injury problems before his megadeal is over, there's a good chance it will be Cueto.
Verdict: Bust
Chicago White Sox Acquire 3B Todd Frazier in 3-Team Deal
17 of 17
To CWS: 3B Todd Frazier
The Chicago White Sox got a .226/.277/.345 line with 13 home runs and 50 RBI from the third base position last season.
Todd Frazier hit .255/.309/.498 with 35 home runs and 89 RBI last season, adding 43 doubles and 13 stolen bases.
It's hard not to call this one a big win for the White Sox, who desperately needed that second impact bat to pair with Jose Abreu.
Verdict: Boom
To LAD: SP Frankie Montas, OF Trayce Thompson, 2B Micah Johnson
This deal doesn't quite make sense for the Los Angeles Dodgers, unless they think Frankie Montas is capable of making a significant impact in their starting rotation right away.
In terms of overall talent, they probably brought aboard more than they surrendered to the Reds.
However, Trayce Thompson has no clear path to playing time, and Micah Johnson is a plus offensive second baseman who is horrendous defensively. That puts him in a similar position to Alex Guerrero and to a lesser extent Kike Hernandez.
The hard-throwing Montas will be the X-factor, and even if he doesn't stick as a starter, his stuff will play at the back of the bullpen.
Big picture, this could be a precursor to another trade, as a number of teams would undoubtedly be interested in a package built around Thompson.
Verdict: Bust
To CIN: 2B Jose Peraza, OF Scott Schebler, IF Brandon Dixon
It was no doubt a tough call for the Cincinnati Reds to move a fan favorite in Frazier, but they received some quality talent in return.
Jose Peraza becomes the heir to Brandon Phillips at second base, and he could team with Billy Hamilton to form the modern-day version of Luis Castillo and Juan Pierre on the bases.
Scott Schebler has put up big offensive numbers the past three seasons in the minors, and while he may not have a superstar ceiling, he looks like the front-runner for the vacant left field job.
The move also allows the Reds to slide Eugenio Suarez over to the hot corner to keep his bat in the lineup now that Zack Cozart is set to return.
Verdict: Boom
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted.
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