Dontrelle Mania

[albbla2000mu]

Per Ken Rosenthal, Sporting News

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria keeps denying that the team might trade left-hander Dontrelle Willis, growing increasingly outraged by each new round of speculation.

What Loria can't deny is the sheer logic of moving Willis at the July 31 non-waiver deadline if the rebuilding Marlins get the right offer.
Willis, 24, will appeal not just to the losers of the Roger Clemens sweepstakes, but also to any surprise team that wants to maintain its early momentum with a midseason blockbuster.

For example, what if the Reds offered a package including third baseman Edwin Encarnacion and top pitching prospect Homer Bailey?


Dontrelle Willis is just 24 and could be a hot commodity at the end of July. (Brian Kersey / Associated Press)

The notion isn't as far-fetched as it might appear.

The Reds' new owners want to win. And while Encarnacion and Bailey would be a high price, the Reds would get Willis for the rest of this season and all of 2007 and '08 before he becomes a free agent.

Yes, Willis' salaries in arbitration likely will exceed $7 million '07 and $10 million in '08. But his arrival would change the entire dynamic of the franchise. Willis is one of the few players in the majors who is an actual draw. If he stayed healthy — a big "if" with any pitcher — he would pay for himself.

And, as the Marlins' Loria surely recognizes, other clubs might want Willis for the same reasons as the Reds, creating the possibility of a frenzied auction before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5549214

Would you do this deal?

[DirtyKash]

Dontrelle + Arroyo + Harang = pretty sick ... and you guys would still have plenty of bats left for the offense without Edwin.

[Wally Mo Pena]

it would totally depend on where we were at the time and where homer bailey is. If Homer keeps developing at a normal/slightly rushed pace, i think it's safe to say that we'll be seeing him next year, although maybe late next year.

Dontrelle will cost the reds more than 20 mil over 2.5 years, and in the end that may only be getting us 1 extra year of a top of the rotation pitcher, if you assume bailey can produce at that level when he comes up next year (a big if).

While i love EdE so far this year, i wouldn't have any problem dealing him for the right pitching, but i'd have to think long and hard about whether it was worth giving up a potential cheap young ace for an expensive young ace.

If wagner and balfour can come back and pitch well out of the pen, and we're still around first place, i'd probaly pull the trigger.

[homerun21]

No, this would be stupid. As well as they've played this year, I can't see them making the playoffs. Don't trade away a stud at 3B and a pitcher who can be just as good as Willis in 2 years.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I would trade an outfielder other than Dunn as part of a Willis deal before I'd trade EdE.

Outfielders are easier to replace than 3B who can hit as well as Edwin has the potential to for years to come along with the potential of being a great defensive 3B.

I would have to think long and hard about dumping EdE.

[redsfan28]

I'd do it. A Cy Young caliber pitcher is very hard to come by, especially for an organization that hasn't had one since Jose Rijo in 1990.

While I think EdE is a good 3B, I would not classify him as an elite 3B or even a stud 3B. Those terms should be reserved for players like David Wright or Miguel Cabrera.

[DirtyKash]

Didn't the Marlins offer Willis to the Mets and looking for David Wright in return? And now they would settle for EdE and Homer Bailey, both who are unproven? Just wondering.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Edwin has slightly better stats. than Wright so far this year (by a few OPS points). They are both the same age. Both have a lot of potential.

[redsrbetter]

I would trade an outfielder other than Dunn as part of a Willis deal before I'd trade EdE.

Outfielders are easier to replace than 3B who can hit as well as Edwin has the potential to for years to come along with the potential of being a great defensive 3B.

I would have to think long and hard about dumping EdE.

Griffey is not activated yet...

This may be something that Krivsky is looking into. I wish and am dreaming, but one of our outfielders may be on the block and could be a Marlin soon.

[Providence A's]

as a non-Reds fan I think that is maybe a little steep...perhaps if the Reds got something else in the deal or didn't have to give up a pitching spec.

[Geki Ace]

Edwin has slightly better stats. than Wright so far this year (by a few OPS points). They are both the same age. Both have a lot of potential.

Don't even go there. Any baseball fan with any sense at all can tell that Wright is considerably better at the plate than Edwin.

[homerun21]

Wright's also choked both at the plate and in the field in big spots that hurt his team. Edwin has performed in the clutch on the other hand.

[Geki Ace]

Yeah, but you're the biggest Edwin fanboy ever, so anything you say can be pretty much disregarded.

[homerun21]

Yes, because what I said was so biased and unfounded.