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« Brewers To Sign Jay Gibbons | Main | Cristian Guzman Signs Extension With Nationals »
According to Baseball Digest Daily, the Diamondbacks acquired reliever Jon Rauch from the Nationals for second baseman Emilio Bonifacio.
Bonifacio was ranked sixth among D'Backs prospects heading into the season. He's hitting .302/.348/.387 in Triple A currently. He's incredibly fast and plays above-average defense.
The D'Backs get a fine late-inning reliever in Rauch; I thought Jim Bowden would ask for more. Rauch is signed cheaply through 2010 and has been an above average reliever for several years now.
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who closes for washington now??
Posted by: tarpey_nath | July 22, 2008 at 04:26 PM
damn.... I guess the dodgers don't have Lyon to push around anymore in the 9th...
Posted by: chris | July 22, 2008 at 04:28 PM
That deal makes the D'Backs tough late in games if Tony Pena can figure it out.
Posted by: soxcurse | July 22, 2008 at 04:29 PM
will colome, ayala, or rivera close for the NATS??? anybody know?
Posted by: micahl69 | July 22, 2008 at 04:30 PM
It will be Joel Hanrahan closing, me thinks.
Posted by: Phishisgr8 | July 22, 2008 at 04:37 PM
Wow. Shocked. More shocked that they parted with Bonifacio. I guess that increases the chances of Hudson resigning. That bullpen needed help & got some. Now for a corner outfielder...
Posted by: sunblazer | July 22, 2008 at 04:37 PM
I lean toward Saul Rivera or a committee.
Posted by: Tim Dierkes | July 22, 2008 at 04:42 PM
I agree this one came out of nowhere. I didn't even know the D-Backs wanted bullpen help. Maybe the D-Backs will resign Hudson, they traded away the 2 possible repalcements, Bonifacio and Callapso. I hope they don't give the job to Chris Burke. Who has more value, Street or Rauch? This may lower the bar for Street, Sherril, and Fuentes by a lot. I'm surprised the Rays didn't make a better offer of, say, Reid Brignac for Rauch. Well at least we know that if only Bonifacio can bring in Rauch that Hellickson or Davis is WAY too much for Fuentes. I thought the Red Sox would offer Michael Bowden. They could use the help and Bowden is blocked. I bet Fuentes, Street and Sherril could be moved quickly, now.
Posted by: Joe | July 22, 2008 at 04:48 PM
Any shot that Rauch will close for Arizona? Lyon, although solid in his own right, has struggled as of late.
Posted by: CanRickyWelchMcGwire | July 22, 2008 at 04:49 PM
I was wondering the same thing. Rauch is a lot better than Lyon. He should close.
Posted by: savvy_stu | July 22, 2008 at 04:51 PM
good trade for the dbacks since Rauch is cheap solid and is not just a rental.
Posted by: willie randolph sucks | July 22, 2008 at 04:51 PM
Fuentes to the Rays for Niemann and another low level prospect makes a lot of sense now.
Posted by: Joe | July 22, 2008 at 04:53 PM
Joe, this does nothing to the value of Sherril, Fuentes or Marte...
They for one are LH and they are a lot better than Rauch. He is a big guy, decent stuff but he is RH and RHP are a dime a dozen. Especially relief pitchers who are right handed.
Streets value is down a bit just because he sucks as of late. But that is nothing big or anything you wouldnt expect.
Values for the LH relief is still high.
Also, Bonifacio is not a huge player, he is a slap hitter with no power, decent power, strikes out a ton, and plays good D... so i am shocked they didnt get more, but who knows
Posted by: Schnoah | July 22, 2008 at 04:54 PM
sorry, that should say... no power, decent avg and ob%
Posted by: Schnoah | July 22, 2008 at 04:56 PM
Belliard is far from horrible, Tough. Bonifacio was optioned to AAA already, and I don;t think we'll see him till Sept 1st. After that, and for 09, though, pretty much a lock.
Posted by: Phishisgr8 | July 22, 2008 at 05:02 PM
Highway robbery.
Outstanding job by Josh Byrnes.
Posted by: TNS | July 22, 2008 at 05:11 PM
As a Dodger fan, my stomach just turned. Rauch for Bonifacio is a steal, even if Bonifacio pans out as he should. I would assume that Arizona slots Rauch in as the closer immediately, which should shore up their 'pen. Qualls seems to have sorted out his demons and Lyon will probably be more comfortable as a setup man anyway.
Posted by: AA | July 22, 2008 at 05:19 PM
His fielding percentage is very good considering he's had to play 3B and 1B the majority of his games, two positions that are out of his norm.
I'll gladly take 15+ HR from our 2B, thank you very much.
As for him being 33..I'll be sure to pass on to A-Rod that you're telling him he's past his prime.
Posted by: Phishisgr8 | July 22, 2008 at 05:26 PM
His fielding percentage is fine considering he's had to play 3B and 1B the majority of his games, two positions that are out of his norm.
I'll gladly take 15+ HR from our 2B, thank you very much.
As for him being 33..I'll be sure to pass on to A-Rod that you're telling him he's past his prime.
Posted by: Phishisgr8 | July 22, 2008 at 05:28 PM
::::Shakes fist at typepad::::
Posted by: Phishisgr8 | July 22, 2008 at 05:29 PM
Rauch has clearly pitched as well as any of the other closers on the market.
Rauch has more value than Fuentes because he is "not" a free agent rental.
Marte has an expensive option!
Sherril has been mediocre at best the past few weeks and Rauch has pitched better.
Street has also been putrid and scouts say he is hurt with his fastball topping out in the 80s
Rauch may have been the best relief pitcher on the market.
Posted by: MikeClarke | July 22, 2008 at 05:44 PM
ARE YOU SERIOUS MIKE?
Fuentes and Marte are arguably the best two LH relievers in baseball.
Also you get the big arm in the pen you need, and both of them will be Type A free Agents that will bring you back 2 very high draft picks.
Rauch doesnt have a great history, Marte and Fuentes had to have 3 good years in a row to get the Type A
Posted by: Schnoah | July 22, 2008 at 06:09 PM
I have to disagree with you too, Tough. Belliard is far from great, but he's been solid this year. .234 definitely isn't impressive, but his OBP and SLG are decent (.337 and .447, respectively), especially for his main position, 2B. 9 HR in 175 AB's roughly translates to 30 HR in 581 AB's (Belliard's 162 game average). And Belliard is hitting .259/.350/.528 in 33 games since returning from injury. And his fielding percentage is .978 at 2B, where he'll play from now on that Zimmerman's off the DL.
Posted by: thehoagster07 | July 22, 2008 at 06:10 PM
Schnoah, I don't think they're that far apart, mainly because of contract status. Rauch is signed for this year at $1.2 mil, next year at $2 mil and a club option for 2010 at $2.9 mil. That's dirt cheap for a reliever. And to say he doesn't have a great history is grossly inaccurate. His ERA's over the last 4 years: 3.60, 3.35, 3.61, 2.98. Fuentes' are a bit better (2.91, 3.44, 3.08, 3.23) but Marte's are worse (3.77, 3.70, 2.38, 3.55). Considering Rauch's contract status, it's a close call.
I guess it comes down to the simple question: do you want a rental and the draft picks or a good, cheap pitcher for the next 2 years, THEN the draft picks. I'd go with the latter.
Posted by: thehoagster07 | July 22, 2008 at 06:16 PM
"Rauch doesnt have a great history, Marte and Fuentes had to have 3 good years in a row to get the Type A"
Remember that a year ago, Fuentes lost his job to Manny Corpas, only to get it back when Corpas started getting hit around.
Posted by: AA | July 22, 2008 at 06:41 PM
Given Bowden's history, it's even money that Rauch is hurt.
Nevermind the current MLB investigation into Bowden, he's traded damaged goods on at least two separate occasions.
The guy's a punk.
Posted by: Devlsh | July 22, 2008 at 07:02 PM
I think Joel Hanrahan will close.
Posted by: Indiana Bob | July 22, 2008 at 07:07 PM
Who really honestly cares who will be the closer for the Nationals
Posted by: metzfan22 | July 22, 2008 at 07:14 PM
"Given Bowden's history, it's even money that Rauch is hurt."
I don't think Rauch is hurt. I don't get why they traded him though. Emilio is a very good prospect, but Rauch is tailor made to be a closer in this era.
Posted by: AA | July 22, 2008 at 07:15 PM
Great deal by AZ. I didn't realize the asking price was so low for the guy.
LH/RH - who cares? Seriously, there are plenty of solid bullpens that don't have that LOOGY specialist. Rauch is a solid reliever who can close. I care about results, not what hand they throw with.
Getting Rauch for a AAAA player is a steal.
Posted by: bjsguess | July 22, 2008 at 07:25 PM
"Getting Rauch for a AAAA player is a steal."
EB isn't a AAAA player, at least not yet. He has incredible speed and excellent bat control.
Posted by: AA | July 22, 2008 at 07:30 PM
I dunno, maybe the PEOPLE WHO ASKED?
****************************
Who really honestly cares who will be the closer for the Nationals
Posted by: metzfan22 | July 22, 2008 at 07:14 PM
Posted by: Phishisgr8 | July 22, 2008 at 08:17 PM
Bowden officially stated that Hanrahan is getting the first shot at the closer role.
Posted by: Phishisgr8 | July 22, 2008 at 08:18 PM
"Who really honestly cares who will be the closer for the Nationals"
Fantasy baseball players and diehard Nats fans, mostly.
Posted by: AF | July 22, 2008 at 08:55 PM
Just think, the D'backs can still get Scherzer back for a stretch run.
Posted by: oxfrat1665 | July 22, 2008 at 09:32 PM
I was gonna say...I agree on Hanrahan. For some reason I originally thought he was a lefty.
Posted by: Tim Dierkes | July 22, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Man I wish the Sox would have done a deal like this. DIamondbacks will go on a tear very soon, and make a run at the WS.
Posted by: ballerwhiteboy | July 22, 2008 at 11:13 PM
"Fuentes and Marte are arguably the best two LH relievers in baseball."
George Sherill, Mike Gonzalez, Billy Wagner, B.J. Ryan, Ron Mahay, Scott Downs, Hideki Okajima, Matt Thornton and J.P Howell would have to be in that argument as well.
"Getting Rauch for a AAAA player is a steal."
How can you place that tag on Bonifacio already? He's been the proper age at each level he's played at, and really has excelled in each. I mean a .302/.348./.387 line from a speedster in AAA is pretty solid. The guy should end up being a poor man's Luis Castillo (when he was in his prime obviously), which is pretty good. He should be ready soon and I'm sure Nats fans will be happy to say good bye to Belliard and Lopez.
Posted by: scribbletone | July 22, 2008 at 11:30 PM