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[RedRoser]

No matter how much I want it, we won't get Tejeda (thereby moving Larkin or Boone to 2nd) or Castillo. I would be overjoyed if it were to be Alfonzo, Vidro or Kent, but would settle on Giles.
More than likely, however, it will be Boone or Stynes. PLEASE GOD don't let it be Castro!

What would it take to get Giles from Atlanta---Sean Casey maybe?
Or a blockbuster deal involving Griffey, Gabe White and other players on both ends?

---'Roser

[alexad]

I agree with Krusty. The move was only made because something else is going to happen and Bowden has a replacement lined up for Walker.

Bowden has been pretty tight lipped and Bam, he makes the first of many trades to improve this team.

[better red]

Sounds like Thigpen is still working on that second pitch. Another failed starter bullpen candidate. On Blanco, the writer said he had a hard time coming up with a 9 and 10 for Boston's list. Another toolsy bust. 3.4 mill is not much to pay for a solid 2B. The fans will be lining up for GAB tickets after this bold move.
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7. Josh Thigpen, RHP
HT: 6-2 WT: 195 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 21 on 6/27/03

The Skinny: Moved to a long relief/swingman role following a pair of rough starts in April, Thigpen responded with continued improvement throughout the season, including a 1.08 ERA after August 1st and 10 scoreless innings in his final two outings, allowing just one hit. Thigpen has an ideal physical build and a smooth delivery. His fastball has been recorded as high as 96 mph, but usually sits in the 92-94 range. He has rarely needed anything but a fastball, and while his curveball has the potential of being a plus pitch, his change up still needs plenty of work.

2003 Outlook: Like Delcarmen and Dumatrait, Thigpen just needs consistent work to improve. He'll most likely get another shot at the starting rotation with Sarasota.

Team/League/Level G GS W L ERA IP H HR R ER BB SO H/9 BB/9 K/9
Augusta (Southern - AA) 25 9 6 6 3.92 82.2 76 5 45 36 45 87 8.27 4.90 9.47

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9. Tony Blanco, 3B
HT: 6-1 WT: 175 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 22 on 11/10/03

The Skinny: Blanco's season for the most part was a complete nightmare. Unable to play until June because of a broken wrist suffered in spring training, Blanco had a double and a triple in his 1st game of the season, but slumped through the majority of June and July with his average sitting well under .200 for the majority of the season. He finished strong, batting .327 (18-for-55) in his final 16 games, leaving open the possibility that the wrist was bothering him for the majority of the season. Scouts still love his quick power bat, and while he needs to work on his defensive fundamentals, he has one of the better infield arms in the system. His patience at the plate has always been poor, and it complete abandoned him in 2002, as he walked just twice in June and July, a span of 43 games.

2003 Outlook: Blanco won't turn 21 until early next week, so there is still plenty of time for him to turn it around and start putting up the numbers to match his glowing scouting reports. A return visit to Sarasota is his most likely destination for 2003.

Team/League/Level G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG
Sarasota (Florida State - A) 65 244 22 54 13 2 6 32 6 70 2 0 .221 .250 .365

[chiliman]

I echo the fact that Brandon is not a 2B, he can't even hold the line at 3rd.

[Old Red Guard]

I would welcome the addition of a prospect like Thigpen in this deal if the Reds were noted for developing raw young pitchers into quality big leaguers. The fact is the opposite. I'd rather see us get raw young hitters who we DO seem to be able to develop.
Until we know for sure I am not knocking the trade - Sanchez and Blanco would be a terrific deal in a future sense but I doubt Sanchez is part of the deal.

[guernsey]

Baseball America completed their trade analysis now that the two minor leaguers have names.

Thigpen, 20, signed as a 16th-round pick out of an Alabama high school in 2000 and was considered one of the Boston system's better athletes. He went 6-6, 3.92 in 25 games at low Class A August in 2002, when he was bothered by a knot in the back of his shoulder. He was sidelined for stretches and relegated to the bullpen and strict pitch counts for most of the year. His 96-mph fastball was the best among Red Sox farmhands and he also has a solid average curveball. But he's also very raw in terms of his changeup, command and feel.

Considered the top position player in the system the previous two years, Blanco has seen his stock fallen considerably and was light years behind Shea Hillenbrand and Kevin Youkilis on Boston's depth chart. The 21-year-old Blanco, who signed out of the Dominican Republic in 1998, still has impressive power tools. His pop and infield arm remained the class of the Boston organization until the trade. But he has hit just .248 in two years of full-season ball, and his 148-23 strikeout-walk ratio during that time is even more damning. The Red Sox have worked extensively with him, and he'll show signs of making adjustments in batting practice, but Blanco doesn't carry his lessons into game action. His swing gets too long, and he flies open in his stance trying to pull pitches way out of the park. After shoulder problems cost him time in 2001, he was missed the first two months of 2002 when an errant pitch broke his left hand in spring training. He wound up hitting .221-6-32 in 65 games at Augusta. Blanco doesn't move especially well at third base, but he does have a cannon for an arm.

This was new Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein's first trade, and it reveals the new regime's emphasis on on-base percentage and pitchability, as opposed to raw tools. Thigpen and Blanco have high ceilings but also an extreme lack of polish, and thus Boston deemed them expendable.

[guernsey]

Comments from TeamOneBaseball.com

11/24/2002 12:01:39 PM - 2003 Scouting Report

Blanco burst on the scene two years ago and I considered him one of the best lower-level prospects in the game. He showed tremendous bat-speed and a very strong arm at third base.

But he’s gone backwards since, and has made few adjustments at the plate. The raw ability is there, but Blanco hasn’t been able to take it up a notch and I no longer see him as the blue-chip prospect he was two years ago.

At 6-1, Blanco has put on considerable weight and checks in now at 220 lbs. Most of it’s upper body muscle as his lower body is not quite as thick.

Blanco still generates very good bat-speed and has a hard charge out of his trigger. His plate balance is outstanding and the ball jumps off of his bat. You watch him in batting practice and still think he’s a future #3 hitter.

But his discipline leaves much to be desired and the Red Sox are frustrated at his lack of development in this area. Blanco swings at balls in the dirt and doesn’t wait well on curveballs. He has such good athletic balance and such quick hands, you’d think he’d have no problems at all, but Blanco doesn’t have the right approach.

For high Single-A Sarasota, Blanco hit .221-6-32 in another injury-shortened season where he came to bat only 244 times. He earned only six walks and struck out 70 times.

Injuries are partly to blame, but the Red Sox are going to want to see something more from Blanco’s bat in 2003 when he’ll likely return to Sarasota.

He’s failed to make strides defensively as well. Blanco’s arm is still very strong, but he throws erratically and he’ll never play a big league third base the way he is right now. Blanco’s agility is a little less with the added weight, but could be adequate if he learns a good first step. His hands are borderline, but workable. The outfield might be his best option; perhaps his arm would be a howitzer out there and he’d be more relaxed.

Blanco will play the year out as a 22 year-old.

[OldXOhio]

the only way this team acquires a frontline pitcher is if Junior goes. Otherwise, this move was a salary dump, pure and simple.

[Krusty]

Bowden moves Gabe White's salary for prospects will free up nearly seven million dollars to possibly sign a free agent. Could we see Edgar Alfonzo be the Reds second baseman next season?

Could we see a blockbuster involving the likes of Tony Armas and Jose Vidro coming to the Reds?

Stay tuned.

Call me jaded or whatever, but I think this is just what it appears to be. A salary dump. The savings for the trades this winter (and they will All result in savings, will go to Mr Lindners pocket. I too liked Todd Walker and am frustrated that we had to trade him so Lindner could profit MORE.

[OldXOhio]

this FO has shown nothing to make any of us think they're going to pull off a trade that will push their budget to the limit.

again, I think the only way we add a frontline player, pitcher or everyday, is thru an addition by subtraction (griffey) principle.

[Gary Redus]

Todd Walker is a solid ball player. All success, contending teams have guys like him on the club. Run him out there, he does his job. He is not a star but is an asset. The big problem is allocation of funds. I wish we could afford him. Contending teams have few question marks going into Spring Training. This is a salary dump, but may (fingers crossed) be a precursor to other moves filling in the holes. We'll see.

[MikeS21]

Call me jaded or whatever, but I think this is just what it appears to be. A salary dump. The savings for the trades this winter (and they will All result in savings, will go to Mr Lindners pocket. I too liked Todd Walker and am frustrated that we had to trade him so Lindner could profit MORE.

this FO has shown nothing to make any of us think they're going to pull off a trade that will push their budget to the limit.

In order to add quality talent, the Reds have to clear roster space and payroll room. Everyone has been screaming for a leadoff hitter for the last two years. Where do you expect him to play? Since trading Junior or Casey is a salary dump, that means your three OF positions and 1B are set. Larkin and ABoone aren't going anywhere. And very few catchers make good lead-off hitters. That leaves 2B. But if you don't trade Todd Walker, where does you lead-off hitter play, and how is this team different from last year? You all complain cause they don't do anything and then you complain when they do.

Tood Walker was a good player. He played hard and hustled. But if the Reds are EVER going to get a lead-off hitter, Walker would have been the one to replace.

There are NO free agents on the market worth WASTING money over. Quit accusing Lindner of lining his pockets because he hasn't overpaid for some high-priced, over-the-hill free agent.

Folks, WAIT until Opening Day before you assemble the lynch mob. You'll feel pretty stupid if your Opening Day 2B is Castillo or Vidro or someone like that. But you got to trade Walker before you can plug in a Vidro or Castillo, or whoever. JimBo is smart enough to know that there is a gaping hole at 2B that Larson or Larkin isn't going to fill. If he can get a decent 2B, then even if Gookie Dawkins or Ranier Olmedo eventually takes over at SS, the line-up won't be horrible.

Krusty and other are right. This was the FIRST of several moves. Don't get antsy. You may see a couple more moves like this (White/Sullivan) before the deck is cleared for the "good" trades.

[haassolo]

This thread is out of control. This is longer then most of the game threads

[guernsey]

Originally posted by haassolo
This thread is out of control. This is longer then most of the game threads

Would you prefer 10 separate threads with 13 replies each?