Trade Bait: Alex Gonzalez for Felix Heredia and PTBN

December 10, 2001 · Filed Under Trade Bait · Comment 

A couple years ago the Cubs signed Ricky Gutierrez to be their shortstop and he performed beyond expectations. Although he didn’t have the power that Jose Hernandez had before him, he still carried a decent stick. The item that he was signed for was his defense, Ricky played great defense for the Cubs.

Now that Ricky is a free agent again he is probably looking for much more money than his last contract. So what do the Cubies do? They go out and make a very good trade for Alex Gonzalez. Alex has a poorer average, but he has more pop in his bat to drive in runs as Chicago needs. What makes this deal even better than resigning Gutierrez, is that Alex had the best fielding percentage in baseball last year. His defense is even better than Ricky’s. Then you top it off with his salary being lower than what Ricky is asking for over the next three years and you have an outstanding decision by the Cubs.

If this was a great deal for the Cubs, was it equally good for Toronto? I have been impressed with J.P. Ricciardi so far as Toronto’s GM, but not as much on this trade. Sure, this was a ‘salary dump’ type of trade, but he still should have gotten more for Gonzalez. Felix Heredia is a decent lefty reliever that had an off year in 2001 and could rebound to help an already decent bullpen. Toronto also recieved the infamous “Player-To-Be-Named” as well. Now, unless this player turns into someone decent, this trade will make me scratch my head from a Toronto standpoint. 

But leave it to the Cubs. They traded away a great prospect in Eric Hinske for Mr. Swing at Everything Matt Stairs. They also traded Jon Rauch, a great prospect for the White Sox, for an ineffective reliever. If anyone can, J.P. can get that one good prospect. Working under Billy Bean that past few years in Oakland he developed into a great evaluator of talent.

Right now, write this one up as one for Chicago. Another good trade for Andy MacPhail.

 

UPDATE:  The player to be named later was James Deschaine.

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