Jim Callis on Homer Bailey, Zach Ward

[wheelonda]

From a chat with Jim Callis yeterday:

John Boy (Cincinnati): What are the chances the Reds bring up Homer Bailey this year and if not, will he be a starter in '07,'08?

Jim Callis: They've been hesitant to do so at this point, though he's arguably the minors' best pitching prospect and dominating older hitters most of the time. If he doesn't come up this year, I don't think they'll be able to hold Bailey off next year.

Aaron (Cincy): Homer Bailey or Phillip Hughes?

Jim Callis: Homer Bailey. But Hughes is right there.

Phil NJ: In order highest ceiling, Homer bailey, Philip Hughes or Matt Garza.

Jim Callis: That's the order, but all those ceilings are high.

Jared (Minneapolis): Jim, who is this Zach Ward kid the Twins got for Lohse at the trade deadline? His numbers in the minors look good. Does he have a shot a being a solid contributor to the big league club down the road? Also, do you see Matt Garza coming up to MN and effectively pitching down the homestretch?

Jim Callis: Nice grab for the Twins for a guy they probably would have non-tendered. Ward has some mechanical issues, but he has a hard fastball and a hard slider. With the way Garza is pitching, no reason he can't come up and make a contribution. Yesterday.

Dan (NY): When we look back on this trade deadline two years from now, which lower-profile deal is most likely to be considered highway robbery?

Jim Callis: I'll throw out a couple . . . Zach Ward for washed-up Kyle Lohse . . . Ryan Shealy for a couple of guys with big arms and no command . . . Hector Luna may turn out to be just as good as Ronnie Belliard . . . Tyler Lumsden for Mike MacDougal . . . Shairon Martis for Mike Stanton. I also think Craig Wilson will help the Yankees a lot more than Shawn Chacon will help the Pirates, but you knew that already. I think my golden retrievers knew that already.

[LincolnparkRed]

So if everyone knows that Lohse stinks and that the twins would ditch him the first chance that got why oh why would we give up any kind of prospect to get him? riddle me this Wayne?

[REDREAD]

So if everyone knows that Lohse stinks and that the twins would ditch him the first chance that got why oh why would we give up any kind of prospect to get him? riddle me this Wayne?

Desparation for a fifth starter. We overpaid out of desparation. I don't mind trading Ward but I wish Wayne could've gotten something better than Louse.

[Falls City Beer]

I imagine that when the smoke all clears on these trades, several years from now, the Zach Ward for Kyle Lohse deal will look like the biggest dud of all of Wayne's mid-summer panicking.

That trade quietly slipped by us in the uproar over MLB players Lopez and Kearns, but in terms of skill for skill, I think the Lohse/Ward deal represented the greatest talent disparity of all his trades. An absolute dog of a trade.

Lohse is completely irredeemable--Joe Mays irredeemable.

[redbuck]

It might have serious contention from trading a decent 23-year-old starting pitcher (Germano) for a 39-year-old reliever (Rheal Salt Lake)

[Superdude]

Desparation for a fifth starter. We overpaid out of desparation. I don't mind trading Ward but I wish Wayne could've gotten something better than Louse.

That seems to be the story quite a bit this season. I dont know if it's the pressure from Castellini, but that's the biggest flaw I can see in this new ownership and GM. They definitely need to take a deep breath, realize that this isn't the last season we'll be in contention, and quit trading valuable players for guys who "might" patch up the bullpen enough to hold onto the wildcard.

[Sea Ray]

I think it's too soon to call this deal a dud because no one knows how A ball pitchers turn out. Look at all the A ball pitching stars we've seen (Basham, Howington, Gardner) and they flame out before ever throwing a big league pitch.

However I do think WK panicked here. I don't see that Lohse is any better than what we already have, ditto for Cormier. I see Lohse as a younger Estiban Yan. I would have kept Ward and used Dumatrait if Claussen's not ready and waited for Matt Belisle's return.

[MaineRed]

I imagine that when the smoke all clears on these trades, several years from now, the Zach Ward for Kyle Lohse deal will look like the biggest dud of all of Wayne's mid-summer panicking.

That trade quietly slipped by us in the uproar over MLB players Lopez and Kearns, but in terms of skill for skill, I think the Lohse/Ward deal represented the greatest talent disparity of all his trades. An absolute dog of a trade.

You've obviously seen Ward pitch more than most. Could you elaborate further on why you think Ward will be so good?

I've been waiting to hear from someone who had seen Ward up close.

Thanks FCB.

[MaineRed]

quit trading valuable players for guys who "might" patch up the bullpen enough to hold onto the wildcard.

So the guy we got is a, "might", while the guy we traded, an A ball pitcher is valuable?

OK.

[Falls City Beer]

You've obviously seen Ward pitch more than most. Could you elaborate further on why you think Ward will be so good?

I've been waiting to hear from someone who had seen Ward up close.

Thanks FCB.

Nope. Never seen him pitch. But he's got some nice numbers and he's a ground ball pitcher deluxe. He's not someone I would have chucked for Lohse.

On another note, I agree about Germano, Superdude. I think Germano could be a nice Jim Brower-esque long man. But he's a pitcher I'm willing to sacrifice for a contending piece.

[Johnny Footstool]

I generally don't have a problem with trading A-ball pitchers. It's better than trading major league regulars.

[BRM]

So the guy we got is a, "might", while the guy we traded, an A ball pitcher is valuable?

OK.

I think valuable trading chip would have been a better way to phrase it.

[MaineRed]

Nope. Never seen him pitch.

Really? But you know for sure that you wouldn't trade him?

Quite telling.

[Falls City Beer]

Really? But you know for sure that you wouldn't trade him?

Quite telling.

Yep. Not for Lohse I wouldn't. For a pitcher that would help I would.

Would you trade Ward for Joe Mays? Because that's basically what you're getting in Lohse.

[EddieMilner]

You've obviously seen Ward pitch more than most. Could you elaborate further on why you think Ward will be so good?

I've been waiting to hear from someone who had seen Ward up close.

Thanks FCB.

funniest thing i've read all day. NICELY DONE, SIR.