Shane Baz Traded to Orioles & Brandon Lowe Traded to Pirates Reaction

Shane Baz Traded to Orioles & Brandon Lowe Traded to Pirates Reaction

Big day of trades thus far. We’ve got Shane Bos going to the Baltimore Orioles for a million prospects. We have got Brandon Laauo going to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Mason Montgomery along with Jake Mangum as well. We’ve got the Astros getting Mike Burroughs in the Rays getting more prospects. This is an interesting day. A lot of moves. Before we talk about all of them, make sure you guys do subscribe to the windup so you don’t miss out on any of the baseball content coming at you. All right, James, initial reaction. Shane Bos trade. What are you thinking? initial reactions. Um, I don’t know how good we how good Shane Bos is anymore, right? Like Shane Bos was like the pitching prospect three or four years ago. There’s been crazy arm injuries. Last year was very inconsistent. Stuff-wise, even more inconsistent than had been in the past. I think that’s the biggest fear for me with Shane Boss. Like, I don’t care so much about the high RA, but the fact that the fast ball didn’t miss as many bats, the breaking balls weren’t as didn’t have as much bite, there was it was less. And then the fact that a pitching star of team like the Orioles traded because this Orioles farm system is not what it used to be. All the big time Orioles farm system prospects have graduated. They basically traded their entire good lower tier of prospects to go get Shane Bos who again I don’t know exactly where he is right now. Do you not think that part of this also had to do with playing in Tampa last year in that weird ballpark? Like he still >> part of it >> he still throws 97. Still struck out like 25% of the batters you face. He walked a few more guys than you’d like. still above league average and getting ground balls. I don’t know. I What What’s like the actual reason for it? Is there something with the stuff that’s falling off that makes you not a believer? Because I without looking at the package that they not a believer, but yeah. >> Yeah. Without looking at the package that they gave back, like I do objectively like the Orioles going out and getting Shane Bos. We make fun of them in our free agent predictions video about like you’re going to pitch Kate Povich again. You’re going to give Dean Kramer big innings. Like >> especially because we talk about the Burrows trade a little bit later. We recorded that one uh before this and it’s just going to kind of be pieced into this. So, we have one big video. >> But >> Shane Bos feels like a more sexy version of of Mike Burroughs. >> I mean, no [ __ ] But like Shane Shane Bos was basically considered the top pitching also a Pirates a Pirates prospect. It’s easy to forget a Pirates draft pick. But >> when Shane Bos >> Chris Archer trade, right? >> Yeah. Chris Archer, Tyler Glass. No, was he Glass Now? >> Yeah, it was Chris Archer, Tyler Glass now. Yeah, >> I think those were different trades, weren’t they? >> No, those were the same. >> Those were the same traits. Jesus Christ. Those were the same trades. But when Bos popped on the scene, the big thing is that he had the fast ball that sat 97 butw with elite shape. You know, it was like it was he had the hop and the rise on that fast ball. It jumped off the it jumped out of his hand. Since he came back from his injury that was kind of a weird recovery process like it just hasn’t been the same hasn’t been the same life on that fast ball. Without the same life on that fast ball, it’s a lot more pressure on his breaking balls. He still has, you know, a good cutter, a good knuckle curve ball, and he still throws a change up. It’s just not it’s not the same kind of crazy pina that Shane Bos once had. I think he’s still a good pitcher, but I think that he’s not we shouldn’t be thinking about Shane Bos the mega prospect. We should be thinking about Shane Bos the flawed pitcher in his mid20s who could still figure out how to get back to like near top rotation kind of guy, but I think it still is. It’s a bit of a more of a work in progress than it once was considered to be. >> Yeah. I wonder where the misunderstanding is going to be in this one with the baseball world because do we value Shane Bos too much or do we value the prospects that they gave up too much? Because both sides of this it feels like >> kind of interesting because if you think Bos is still one of those top top pitching guys, he’s 26 years old now, so we’re not going to call him prospect. But if you think he’s one of these top possible pitching arms again in the future for the Orioles, you’d be like those aren’t any of our top prospects. Like we’re okay moving those guys. But then if you think maybe more so in the boat that Shane Bos is more of this backend starter now. What’s the true actual ceiling with him? He doesn’t have the hype anymore. You’d be like, “Whoa, the Orioles just gave up a ton, a ton for Shane Bos.” And maybe that’s just what it is. Maybe this is both sides. Maybe it’s just a big trade. >> I think it is just a big trade. And again, like let’s not discount what the Orioles gave up. They basically traded three first round picks. >> Yeah, because they traded last year’s 30th overall pick and Kaden Boddine, a catcher. They trade Slater de Brun who was a projected first round pick went a little bit later but still technically in the first round I think at pick 37 and then their competitive balance pick for next year’s draft which people always forget you can trade those picks. >> Yeah. And the competitive balance picks is because in the the MLB Deans in the last two CBAs ago that if you’re in the bottom I think 15 like you they basically split the league in like the rich teams and the poor teams and if you were considered one of the poor teams every year you either get a competitive balance A pick or competitive balance B pick. A is right after the first round. B is right after I think the second or the fourth. And if you get B, you get a good amount of international slot pool money. And if you get the A, you get still some slot pool money, but a little bit less. So, it’s funny that again like the the poor teams have those. But it’s again, it’s not it doesn’t feel like it doesn’t feel like a ton. It also doesn’t feel like nothing. And Shane Bos feels like a guy with a really wide range of outcomes still. >> Yes. But for the Orioles kind of kind of need a guy. It’s just interesting that they went the route of giving up a ton of assets to go get their guy, which means they’ve got to believe that there’s more there. They’ve got to believe that maybe they think this could be a future frontline guy again. >> No, definitely. But you we have it’s just been years since he recovered from the injury. And after when he recovered from the injury, it took longer than people expected. The velocity was down, then the velocity came back up. He just it it was really wonky for a while there with Shane Bos. And last year, he was like, “All right, nice. Full season coming in fully healthy. Everyone was kind of ready maybe wrongfully for the Shane Bos pop off and then just it never came like there were some bad games again. A lot of that was the ballpark in Tampa when basically the worst place to pitch in the league. There’s a lot of reporting too. Talked about this on Metsub a few months ago or maybe we talked about here I can’t remember that the wind there was so significant it really affected pitch movement. I think that’s like a new frontier of baseball understanding how the wind affects individual pitches. But it’s still I don’t know. It’s it’s weird. It’s very It’s very weird to see Shane Boss go for what I still think is a really big prospect package. >> Yeah. Like it just might not be top end prospects. I think that’s what it is. It’s just it’s a it’s a gluttony of like just guys that are probably going to all hopefully be major leaguers because when you look at the the prospects that the Orioles gave up. So the Michael Forett guy, again, these are not names. I’m not going to pretend like I’m familiar with him or the Austin Over guy that got traded. Not names that were on my radar, but just like quickly looking at his baseball reference, quickly looking at the stuff that he has. Throws in the mid 90s last year as a 21-year-old, got up to double A. He doesn’t turn 22 until April 6th of next season. He’s a young guy who had a lot of success and got to the next level and in a small sample looked really good. Like it was only 74 innings in total last year for him, but a sub one uh sub one whip is fantastic. An RA that starts with one is fantastic. Struck out 91 of the 282 batters he faced. feels like there’s at least something there. And then with the overin guy again, just a quick little looking at their stats, steals a ton of bags. Looks to be uber uber athletic. I think he stole like 60 spaces last year. >> Yeah, I I like for it too because for it you see at least mid90s velocity and then you also have two distinct slider shapes. You have a gyro, you have a sweeper, you have a change up. It just seems like a startling pitcher that’s likely to at least convert to being a mid-toend guy and then you probably see what you get otherwise. And to Brun, he looks like a like like a kind of a freak. >> He is like um a lot of like the like the smaller punchy guys. Like he’s he’s definitely a like toolsy person more than like what you think a ceiling could really be for him. Also, I think there’s a weird uh weird twist here. I believe he like makes music and like is like a country singer or something. There’s he makes some sort of music. I’m not even kidding. Slayer de Brunt has like a different name where he makes music. I’ll find it out while you talk about him a little bit more. No, I I mean what you’re saying is true. I mean, you’re definitely the draft guy, but you see someone who looks like they can stick in center field as a left-handed bat that low in the minor leagues. He hasn’t played professionally yet, too, so it’s a big ball to play there. I mean, the guy got $4 million signing bonus out of high school like that. Again, he wasn’t taken in in the first round, but like that that’s a first round bonus. And again, you see a left-handed bat with a center center defense. >> Ready for his musician/music producer name? >> Yeah. >> Lil Slay with three Y’s. Does that move him up or down your board? That’s a That’s a hard name. That’s a tough name. I would have preferred not three W’s on Lil Slay. Like if you’re because I’m sure Slater Slay, that’s where he’s getting. It’s It’s the extra two Y’s on top of it that you’re losing me right now. But >> this is Gen Z. This the youths. >> What do you What do you know about Boddine the catcher? >> Uh catcher like defensive first catcher. I think he had like some pretty decent success at the plate at Coastal Carolina, but I don’t think he is projected to be much more than like he’s going to be a major league catcher. it seems like. But I at least remember from looking at him, I wasn’t thrilled with what it looked like at the plate. >> Uhhuh. >> Just not like a power guy. He’s going to be like very very uh what’s the right word? He has like good plate discipline. He walks. He walks a ton. >> Patient. >> Yeah, he’s patient. He’s patient. Puts the ball in play. Good walks. I don’t know what the exos are going to look like. I don’t know what the power potential is, but he I guess for a catcher like you’re pretty happy with that. Austin also is a 70 speed grade on fang graphs. This is a he he seems like le he seems like definitely the the least notable player in this package, but it just seems very like maybe he could be the next Jake Mangum. >> Kaden Boddine also a Jersey guy. Mount Holly, New Jersey. >> Well, kind of like that. This is a this is a crazy day for the Rays. I think that >> they just got rid of a lot of guys. >> It feels like this might be a prelude to get rid of more like this may this may be opening the door to to get rid of Yandandy Diaz finally. Like who who knows what happens with a guy like Drew Rous Mucin. Like it feels like now everything’s on the table. The Shane Bos and Ryan Pepio package was rumored for Ketel Marte last week. Like they >> I think right now there’s a big sign on on the raised door and it says open for business. >> They’re looking to move. There might be more trades today. I I hope like they at least >> make this happen on like Sunday or something. We got enough videos on the lineup today. We don’t need to add to this one to make it a 40minute video. >> And we have more Rays talk coming at the end. Of course, that’s going to come in when we stitch these videos together like add the context here. Orioles perspective. This feels like a big This feels like a big push the chips in move for them. This has to feel like >> You know what it feels like? >> What? >> Feels like a team who won like 70s something games last year was like, “What the [ __ ] just happened? That can’t happen again.” >> No, but still, this is you’re getting a very you’re getting a big unknown for trading a lot of again the best parts of the bottom tier of your farm system. Three bit again, three first round picks right here. >> That’s that’s a lot of what that lower miners was. I’m sure they’re very confident what they could build with their lower miners. because know the Orioles are very confident in how they build up their international free agents especially and you still have a big trade chip for another starting pitcher which I still think they need another starting pitcher and Kobe Mayo who doesn’t really have a spot in this team anymore but like like Kyle Bradley Shane Boss Trevor Rogers top three in rotation that’s still >> risky that’s still the four that that’s still probably last in the AL East >> you think it’s worse than the Rays >> I think he still might be worse than the Rays rotation even without Shane Boss >> no I know without Shane Boss yeah I guess I mean the Rays just really does depend if Mlanahan can ever pitch pitch. Yeah, true. Even without him, I mean, I still like the I still like the Pepio over Mucen at the top. And I’m a big Joe Bole guy. Always have been, always will be. It’s just >> Are the Rays Joe Bole guys? They don’t even pitch him. Last year they too they had too many good pitchers last year. >> Interesting. >> They um they’re definitely at the best fourth in the division. >> Yes, at best fourth in their own their own division. So they there’s still more moves to be done here for the Orioles. And I I like the aggressiveness. I think more teams should be showing this aggressiveness. Like they were the only place willing to go five years for Pete Alonzo. They got rid of Grayson Rodriguez. It’s kind of funny now thinking back about this like trading Grayson Rodriguez and acquiring Shane Bos. I know they’re not the same, but like they are they were at one time kind of kindred spirits. >> Feels like that’s just a health play. Has to be a health thing. They’re like he threw 160 innings last year. >> He did like Shane I think Shane Bos might have gotten over the health hump. So I think there’s good confidence there. It’s just a >> The aggressiveness is cool. >> Yes, it’s very cool. >> I want to see more teams acting this way. And we are going to talk more about aggressiveness as we cut in what we recorded about 30 minutes ago from this. So let’s talk about the Pirates and Rays and Astros trade. Shout out aggressiveness. Kind of a big trade. Pirates actually go out and get some good players. Astros get a pitcher. Rays do what the Rays do. It never makes a ton of sense, but it always does at the same time. Brandon Laauo, Mason Montgomery, and Jake Mangum trade to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Astros get Mike Burroughs. And the Rays get Jacob Melton and Anderson Breurto. There technically might be more to this. It’s still coming out as we are recording, but those are the names being mentioned right now. In a three-team trade, this is when the MLB offseason is the best when me and James can talk to you about some really, really intricate small minutia trades that might end up being the difference for some of these teams. Before we do get going into it, make sure you guys are subscribed to the windup. Appreciate the amazing support you guys have been showing on all the videos. We got some big stuff coming for you guys later on this week. But James, in initial reaction, instant thoughts. What do you got? >> Instant thoughts. Fun for the Pirate. Get a real major league hitther. A guy that’s going to slot into the top third of your lineup. Probably lead your team in home runs. >> Probably hit third. >> Yeah. No, second or third. Like be like be suddenly be your best hitter. Like a good also just signal to Pirates fans like, “Hey, we are trying. We are attempting.” Well, also at the same time, it’s funny to figure out this one for the Rays. I understand that one year of Brandon Laauo likely isn’t really that valuable in the grand scheme of things. Like he’s the best player here, but one year of him like a rentals are always going to be rentals in Major League Baseball, but just to to come away with this just with Jacob Melton who he’s some people love his potential. To me, he just seems like a very flawed player, but I guess I guess they see something worthy of giving up. Again, Mason Montgomery, who’s an exciting reliever, Jake Mangum, who we kind of know as a defensive first outfielder. It’s it’s a very funny, like you said, like minutia real nittygritty type of trade. Yeah, cuz the the big name that everyone wants to talk about is Brandon Laauo. And we’ll we’ll start there. Like in terms of power hitting second baseman in terms of offensive production, there’s not going to be many second baseman that will give you the type of offensive output that Brandon Laauo will give you. 31 home runs last year, near 800 OPS. Just a good hitter. Now, at the in the field, he’s got awful. He’s terrible at second base. Not really there for his glove. You want him to hit 30 home runs a year. And I guess the one like worrisome thing is just he’s almost never healthy. He barely ever plays more than 100 games in a season, but when he does, he normally hits 30 home runs. So, I like this. Again, the Pirates the Pirates gave up like a lot in terms of Mike Burroughs, but it’s not a lot because this organization one is it’s crazy to say has so much pitching and for Burroughs who’s like a backend guy for them. It was kind of like when they trade away Johan Oedo like they got Justin Garcia a little different because of the control and what he could end up being but giving up Burroughs to the Astros to be able to get Brandon Laauo and Mason Montgomery who by the way crazy stuff on him and they have tons of control. He still has options. And like you said, Mangum, Mangum’s a perfect fourth outfielder in baseball right now. >> Oh, definitely is. Like Mangum can do a lot of those things. Montgomery is a fun piece because he he could close for the Pirates this year as things currently. >> He could be their best reliever. >> Like if if he irons out his command because the stuff is as good as any left-handed reliever literally in all of baseball. And Burroughs, it’s just it’s about how much you want a backend starter there. And for the Astros, they wanted a backend start there desperately. They’ve been linked to a lot of starting like really backend type starting pitchers this off seasonason. They were talking to the Mets about David Peterson. They seem to be involved in like that lower to mid-tier free agent pitchers, the Chris Bassetss, the Nick Martinez’s. And Burroughs has, I think, five or six years of control. Checking right now, he’s not a free agent until I mean he he has less than a fifth of a season of service time. So, I think he just is going to be he has 99 major league innings and he’s he was fine last year. Like he got a sinker slider that’s very useful against right-handed batters. He has a change of play. He’s comfortable mixing in against the lefties. Like he’s not bad at all. But let me let me read you something about Brandon Laauo right now. A stat that’s kind of shocked me. >> Hit me. >> OPS’s by second baseman since of qualified second baseman since 2023. Catel Marte. >> Yep. >> Jose Altuve. >> Yep. >> Brandon Laauo. Jazz Chisum Jr. Brandon Donovan. Yeah. I mean, he’s one of the premier premier offensive bats. And for the Pirates, Pirates fans, you should be pumped. I know everybody in baseball is going to talk about how the Pirates don’t spend money and that the ownership is terrible and we know that, but we’re but you can still be excited for this team going into 2026. You have one of the best starting rotations lowkey in baseball with all the exciting young arms that they have. You added a legitimate bat into a lineup that desperately needed Major League Baseball players in it. This is a really good move for them. I I love what the Pirates are doing this offseason. Again, whether or not the offers that they’ve given to Kyle Schwarber and guys like that were real or not, this is real. They went out and got Brandon Low and they are a much better team after this trade because of it. >> Totally. Like let’s say let’s envision a world right now where hopefully and maybe Conor Griffin’s on this team. You know, he should be and it feels it’s starting to feel like he’s going to be maybe their opening day shortstop. >> So then suddenly you have, you know, I’m expecting somewhat of a Brian Reynolds bounceback. Even though he’ll be 31, I’m still confident that maybe one more little bounce back from Brian Reynolds. I’m not ready to quit yet. >> It should be a 10% better than league average offensive player. Like I feel like you can pencil him in right there and that’s safe. >> So then suddenly if you have Reynolds, Brandon Laauo, Connor Griffin, Spencer Horowitz, and then you get anything from O’Neal Cruz. Like that’s not this is suddenly now the best Pirates lineup for the last four years. Like it’s >> in a while. Yeah. >> And and you still have four players in this lineup who are not major league players. Again, you still are going might have to deal with Jack Swinsky at bats. Pirates fans, I’m sorry about that. Nick York still. >> Yeah, he’s still there. I think they I think it was a resigning situation or they tended they tendered him a contract and this rotation I think that again everyone’s going to talk about Paul Ski. Ski is a you know he’s the best best pitcher baseball since Tim Scooble Mitch Keller for a lot of the strange valuations we get for Mitch Keller online just because I think Pirates fans want to trade him for the world and other fans of other teams are like I don’t want to trade the world for that guy. He’s a fine mid-rotation guy. Bubba Chandler is going to be great. Braxton Ashcraft last year was like one of the coolest like late season stories of starting pitcher like raising their stock. Like you got what? Pirates have Marco Luciano. >> They just signed him. They just picked him up. Yeah. >> God, he might be the opening day short stop if they if they want to steal the year of control. Like Jared Jones is going to come back at some point this year. Your boy Antie Rodriguez got another shot. Still only 25 years old. Like there’s >> you traded for nine catchers at the deadline. Like you got I mean and I I’ll say this too like even to talk about the offense like you mentioned Andy. I think Andy should be the catcher. He should be given every opportunity because you can’t Henry Davis stinks and Joey Bart was horrible last year after what maybe we thought was like a sign a glimpse of hope. But like also at the same time like did you see what Jared do in the second half? I’ve been I’ve been pumping this guy’s tires all off seasonason where second half he was a plus hitter and the glove is phenomenal. Like he’s just better than K Brian Hayes and Ke Brian Hayes have been playing third base for this organization which sounds crazy to say. I was pumping Jared Trillo’s tires for years and you were giving me [ __ ] for it. Guy’s a ball player >> because he was like a 400 450 OPS guy and then he did like when he started playing every single day all of a sudden he started hitting which was kind of cool. Like again I’m not going to try and convince you that this Pirates team is going to be very good. I’m not trying to convince you that they’re going to win the National League Central any of that. But this is this is a competitive more competitive baseball team than you could have ever imagined going into the offseason >> as of right now. and there’s still plenty of time left and again we’re seeing the hints of possible aggression like you can squint and tell yourself there’s a 500 team and if you’re a 500 team and things break right you can make the playoffs like last year the Mets and Reds were fighting over the last playoff spot and it was 84 wins I think the only time in the expanded playoffs that the last wild card team had more than 85 wins was that crazy Mets Braves Diamondbacks like three-headed race where the Diamondbacks I think lost out with 86 or 87 wins. So >> yeah, >> you have to be only a few games over 500 to make the playoffs how things stand right now. And then like you’ve seen the Tigers the last few years. Like if you get into a playoff series with Paul Ske like have fun. >> Yeah. Like the the Tigers lineup stinks. Like it’s awful. Like they have it’s gotten better over the last couple years but like still you look at it and you’re like okay Riley Green Torqulson bounce back. That was huge. Carrie Carpenter. But you did look around the field at times and you’re like these are the guys that are playing every single day or even when the Royals made the postseason. What the Pirates would be missing is that elite offensive player. And maybe that’s just Conor Griffin. And I I have a pretty good feeling it will be him. But that pitching staff is so good and they’ve low-key put together like a chaos bullpen that’s kind of fun as well. >> Oh yeah, definitely. And also just even to get like weirdly deeper into this trade like getting Jake Mangum takes a little bit of pressure off Justin Sing Garcia who still could probably use some more seasoning in Triple A like he still has the options. He’s still he just turned 23. He’s got p good power, great defensive player but big swing and miss in his game. So you maybe like to see if you can iron some of that out. And again the hope is that you’re not done. The hope is that you can figure out any kind of designated hither option. >> Maybe they maybe they swoop in for one of the Japanese guys that nobody’s connected to right now. >> Yeah, possibly. Yeah. I mean I mean Yeah. Because then you could just maybe imagine making Marakami the DH of this team. >> That’s what I’m saying. >> That would be very fun. >> All of a sudden you’d be like, “Wait a second. Can I can I squint my eyes and and believe in the Pirates for a second?” >> I think that’s kind of what we’re doing. But again, it is it’s a good day. It’s a good moment for relative excitement Pirates fans. Like you you went for it. You got one of the best offensive second baseman in the league. A wild is for one year. And you lost Mike Burrows and you probably you probably have a new Mike Burrows next year. Let’s see if we can look at the Pirates triple like pitching deck pick who’s going to be the next Mike Burrows. >> I mean I think honestly like Thomas Harrington or Hunter Barco could be the next one. >> Oh, easily could be those. Even just looking further down like Anthony Solomo could also be like the Mike Burroughs of next year. Antoine Kelly is another guy that people have like some of the stuff that you’ve seen off of him. And then not to mention, by the way, they still have one of the best pitching prospects in the minors that we’re going to see next season. Seth Hernandez is ridiculous. The stuff on him is crazy. It’s it’s one of those things where for the Pirates, the asset that they gave up is not nearly the same value to them as it matters to the team that got him, which is the Houston Astros. Because looking at that rotation, now to change the conversation to them, their rotation is so so bad. And looking at it like right now Jason Alexander, Ryan Weiss are the projected four five in the Astros organization according to fan graphs and roster resource. And then you have Lance McCullers and Christian Javier behind them who are or in front of them I should say not behind them in front of them who are injuryprone. You’re a little you’re still concerned about these guys. Lance McCullers if he gives you 50 innings next year is that even is that like the line? And this is also when we did our ranking every roster as they currently stand before the offseason began. I think I had the Astros like 20 or you hated them. Yeah. Yeah. >> Because you look at this rotation, you really don’t see a way a team with this starting five and then even past that you really want to look at like six, seven, eight starting pitchers to >> they do have I do like Eric Getty and Blue You love Blue Ball. I like Yua. >> I No, I definitely do too. But you still need they needed a lot more. They need the guys that you know could walk into this rotation and be passable starting pitchers. And now getting one of them like elevates their floor a lot. Like it’s funny to think that just getting Mike Burroughs really helps the Astros standing, but it kind of does. And it’s funny to dump Jacob Melton. I think they have some buyers remorse over the Jesus Sanchez trade deadline move. >> Definitely. >> I mean, I still he’s still one one more shot for Jesus Sanchez. >> He’s got one more. That’s it. >> One more shot. And I don’t know if you were hip to Z with Zack Cole with it at the end of the year, but the guy’s a freak and a half. >> Yeah, he’s he’s like just twitchy dude, right? >> Yeah. So, I think going into next year with those guys along with Jake Myers and who they could keep now because I think they were shopping him for a starting pitcher. We never got the Jake Myers or David Peterson swap that we wanted so badly. And then Cam Smith, who I think I still am very high on despite there being some definite questions about how we played last year, but he just barely played the minor leagues. Like this is now a much more exciting team. You have the space to hopefully add another pitcher. You still don’t know what’s going on with Josh Ather. But for them to have done this by trading Jacob Melton, who’s very extraneous, could never stick around with them, and a single A pitcher and Anderson Breo, who’s got exciting stuff. Like it’s it’s a big win for them, too. Yeah, it’s the the the one thing I keep going back to is I’m like this is what the Rays wanted. There’s got to be something more, right? I don’t know. I I can’t really >> I don’t think so. >> Like I understand Brandon Laauo doesn’t have the most value, but like somehow for everything that the Rays got back, >> it feels underwhelming, but maybe they’re just like, “Hey, Jacob Melton’s going to be a controllable outfielder for five years, and when he starts to hit arbitration, we’ll trade him again to another team that’s gonna want some outfield with control, and we’ll get another young player.” It just continues the race cycle. That has to be this, right? >> And it’s kind of the same thing we just talked about with Mike Burroughs where the Rays are like, we could we could do another Mason Montgomery. Yeah. Like we’ll trade for another Mason Montgomery. True. No one no one’s even going to see us coming on that one. And the Rays bullpen is outrageously good. >> Of course, >> they made that great trade for Brian Baker at the deadline last year who has tons of team control from the Orioles. Like they still have Garrick Clevenger. They traded for Griffin Jacks as well. Edwin Usetta. Like this even without Pete Fairbanks who they were very quickly declined as option. This bullpen is >> nasty. And I’m looking at guys in their minors too. remember uh I was all over Evan Rifford last year. I was talking about him. Like there’s there’s a bunch of guys in that minor league system too for the Rays in terms of bullpen arms that are like so funky. Even just talk about weird left-handed relievers. I don’t know how he’s performed, but remember Keshan ask you remember when Mets fans freaked out about trading him. He’s a funky left-handed reliever. I think he actually performed pretty well. You also have Kevin Kelly who has good stuff but hasn’t caught on. Hunter Hunter Biggie who got amazing stuff but got hit in the face last year on a horrible situation. Also, like their upper minor starting pitchers are still great. Like Ian Seymour is a funky lefty with a crazy change up sinker. Uh Joe Bole is, you know, we know Joe Bole at this point. Got everything. Yeah. Broy Hopkins, they got in the Randy Rose trade a few years ago who has crazy pitch specs in my league. This just this is the Rays maintaining the machine and the prospect they got Anderson Breo classic Rays prospect yet. Explosive fast ball, no command. Like I’m sure they’ll coax a couple secondaries and some better command out of him. They they kind of just got like a slightly worse version of Brody Hopkins back in this deal who they’re going to convert to one day being successful starting pitcher who then they’ll trade for many more assets than they got in this in this literally rental dump. >> Yeah. And like you said, they’re desperate desperate for for outfielders right now. Like their their current outfield is Cedric Mullen, Chandler Simpson, Josh Low. All three of those guys were not good last year. >> No. No. And like not even not good, bad. I think you there’s a good there’s a good chance like Josh Low is like a DFA candidate at some point because he he was god god awful like shockingly bad for how good he once was. >> But you got to keep giving Josh Low chances. >> He has an option. He has an option. Okay. And I mean he’s 28. Like I don’t know if you want to use that option anymore. I mean you want to give him a shot because who else is playing the outfield here? But like Josh Low is at the point where it’s like every year it’s a wrist, it’s a hamstring, it’s a quad. Like it’s like it’s oblique. Just like >> when he played he was horrible, >> dude. like yoga, hydration, like figure out figure out anything here to like make sure you can stay healthy. Like they also picked up Jake Freillley, which is very raised. Like you’re going to have a lot of Jake Freley, Jacob Melton, and Duca. >> Like that’s that’s just what the Rays do. It’s not it’s not fun. It’s probably exhausting to be a fan of them. >> Like they also I don’t know if you saw this report last week, but they apparently made the competitive offer to Jorge Palano with the idea of him playing first base for them, too. >> Interesting. I thought would have been them preluding a Yandi Diaz trade because they’re kind of stacked up in the corners >> because then they would move Aranda or Aronda to DH. I guess >> probably something like that. Or that could have just been a precursor to them trying to trade Brandon Laauo anyway. It’s just they true. Yeah, >> they’re they’re always going to do these kinds of things. Like that’s just how they operate. They’re going to win between 76 and 83 games next year. And like I >> they’re somehow like the least most interesting team in this entire trade >> because now like I feel like the Rays I don’t know the fever pitch of how smart the Rays were crescendoed like four or five years ago when they start when they’re beating the Yankees like kind of year-over-year and now >> kind of after the co world series it seems like it kind of fell off >> a few a few years after that they were still very fun to keep track of but now I think that most teams are very aware of how um how focused the Rays are in making sure their 40man roster is clean. So, I think a situation like this is how you can probably take a shot in a guy like Mason Montgomery who the Rays are welcome to just kind of trade for probably a little bit maybe less than he could be worth for another team just because one they know they can create another one like we said and two because they don’t the Rays do not like DFA guys. They do not DFA players. My my favorite Rays move ever was 2019 >> when the Rays traded Wilmer Font who had knew it was going to be that. >> Yeah. He had no stuff and no options to Broy Van Wagon with the Mets who had no idea what they were doing for cash considerations that afternoon. I was I remember that time I was really paying attention to the Major League Baseball job boards. They posted like a new analyst job on Fancrafts. I was like that’s what they’re using the money for. This is a good organization right here. Like that’s sick. But that’s just that’s just who they are for better or worse. Like maybe new ownership will eventually help them out there but it’s this is a it’s a raised trade. >> Yeah. That he was traded for Nuraldo Catalina who as you can imagine is not playing professional baseball anymore. They were just like a body, a warm body, anything. But they got cash and maybe the day the architect they hired helped them create something. May maybe maybe that guy is what helped them make the model to trade for Junior Camero. You know, it could be could be >> could have been part of that analysis like they that’s how the Rays value things as an organization. >> There’s no junior Camro without Wilmer Font. Don’t forget it. >> No, but it’s possible. But just that was when I was like, damn, this this this team is moving different. I think that it’s cool to have teams in baseball moving different. Like the Pirates right now trying. >> Yes, Pirates are trying more than they have in a very long time. And I like it. And don’t let anybody tell you if you’re a Pirates fan, oh, but if blah blah blah blah blah. Be happy, excited today. This is good stuff for you. >> Yeah. Again, like even just think about Mason Montgomery. Like let’s close on Mason Montgomery. He’s a brand. >> Let’s Let’s get gross. Like this guy this guy throws like 99 from the left side. Like he’s got one of the best left-handed fast balls in baseball. if you can figure out any kind of any kind of command. I forgot the name of the guy the Pirates hired to be their new pitching coach this year, but I know he came from the Astros and I know that him coming from the Astros, he previously worked with Ben Brenstrom in the Astros system and then Brent Strom just retired from the Pirates this year. So, it seemed like that was like a a onetoone thing there. That’s a nice nice you should be excited about your pitching infrastructure to get a lot out of guys like Mason Montgomery and create your next Mike Burroughs. There’s just there’s almost no way to ever find a lefty who throws 99 with a 90 mph slider who strikes out 30% of the people he faces while walking 15%. >> No, don’t look at that part. And also like Pirates fans are going to love Jake Mangum. Jake Mangum plays hard, gets dirty, steals bags, makes contact. Like he’s not like good, but like he’s >> No, but like he’s he’s a fun baseball player to be a fan of. He is. >> No, he he he’s someone you’re like rooting for. you every team that has a Jake Mangum like Jake Mangum’s gonna hang around Major League Baseball just because forever plays so goddamn hard >> like Jake Jake Mangum is the Ken Griffy Juniors of Travis Jankowskis. >> Yeah. Or like Ben Gamble like the same say Milk >> but at least Gamble was like a power guy you know he did have more fair is not running into one like he again he reminds me of like the Janowski mold it. Yeah. Good speed, good glove. >> Slap the ball around for like a 270 average. >> Good for the Pirates. Brandon Laauo higher OPS than Jazz Chisen Jr. over the last three years. Go home with that stat. >> Go home with that. Jazz is so good though. >> That’s great. These are some of the best second baseman in the league. >> A lot of trades moving, a lot of players going all over the place. Didn’t expect honestly to be talking about any of these guys today, but that’s why the windup’s great. That’s why you listen to us. We gave you 30 to 40 minutes about Shane Bos, Orioles prospects, Brandon La, Mike Burroughs, Jake Mangum. That’s what we love doing over here and we hope you guys enjoy it. Make sure you are subscribed to the windup if you like what you’re seeing over here and want to see more of it. You can follow James on social media at James >> and I’m Giraffe Neckmark. Thank you guys for watching. We’ll catch you next time.

We react to Shane Baz being traded to Baltimore Orioles and Brandon Lowe being traded to Pittsburgh Pirates. What are your thoughts on these Rays trades?

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