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Let the record show that if I hadn’t ALREADY switched to a more streamlined trade review format, this trade would have been the trade that brought me to that point. Just to avoid writing 10,000 words on it. Let’s see if I can keep it brief-ish.
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THE TRADE:
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The Q-Tip City Morning Wood trade SP Noah Syndergaard and [High Minors] SP Carson Fulmer to the Pine Lake Punchouts for 1B Brandon Belt and SP Felix Hernandez.
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THE MORNING WOOD RETURN:
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1B Brandon Belt – 28 year old (29 on 4/20 SHOUT TO ODOM) 1B for the Giants of San Francisco. Sort of like a REALLY POOR man’s version of Joey Votto. .394 OBP (career high), 41 doubles, 8 triples, 17 HRs, 77 Rs, 82 RBIs, in 2016. NICE LITTLE SEASON, especially with the OBP uptick. Plays his home games in a HR killing environment but last year attempted to make up for that fact with triples (7 triples 6 HRs @ Home, 1 triple 11HRs @ Away). More top 15 or top 20 1B than top 10 but gets a bit of a boost in OBP leagues, which this most certainly is.
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SP Felix Hernandez – 30.9 year old (feels like 300.9) former ace of the Seattle Mariners. If Ryan was willing to trade him you know he’s fallen off a bit. 11-8, 3.82 ERA (4.63 FIP), 122 Ks in 153.1 IP (7.16 K/9), 13 QS in 2016. Lost about 1.5 mph on the heater last year, so the velocity will be something to watch this spring and at the start of the season. Likely a bit of betting on an established name going on here, as this article (How Much Hope Is Appropriate For Felix Hernandez?) and this image paint a picture that says the old King Felix as we know him is DEAD:
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THE PUNCHOUTS RETURN:
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SP Noah Syndergaard – 24.5 year old SP for the NY Mets whom has leapfrogged DeGrom and Harvey to become their ace. The fastest fastball that ever did fast amongst qualified starters last season, averaging 97.9 mph according to PITCH/fx. 14-9, 2.60 ERA (2.29 FIP), 218 Ks in 183.2 IP (10.68 K/9), 20 QS in 2016. Had the best FIP in baseball amongst qualified starters (2nd to Kershaw if you drop the minimum). Probably a top 5 pitcher in both fantasy and “IRL.” Was pitching with “insignificant” bone spurs last season, so insignificant that they didn’t bother to remove them in the offseason. Also allegedly added 15 pounds of muscle this offseason. Both of those details are kinda terrifying in both directions depending upon how you look at them.
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[High Minors] SP Carson Fulmer – 23 year old RHP prospect for the Chicago White Sox, the 8th overall pick in the 2015 Amateur Draft. Got rocked over the course of 11.2 major league relief innings last season (8.49 ERA, 5.98 FIP) but did okay in 4 AAA starts (3.17 FIP) but did less okay in 17 AA starts (4.17 FIP). Control issues have some believing he will never throw enough strikes to start/will end up in a high-leverage bullpen role. Since this is my first prospect of the new streamlined trade analysis I am excited to compare him to a major leaguer, and that major leaguer isssssss: Tony Cingrani. I see a future reliever.
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RETURN SEAN LIKES MORE:
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THE PUNCHOUTS. And it ain’t particularly close and I am just going to leave it at that. Zipped mouth emoji.
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