Rays acquire former top-prospect John Meloan for recently DFA'd Winston Abreu

[nick]

Rays acquired RHP John Meloan from the Indians for RHP Winston Abreu.

Meloan is a former top relief prospect who the Indians acquired from the Dodgers last July in a trade for Casey Blake. The Dodgers tried starting Meloan last year and he went 5-10 with a 4.97 ERA and 99/60 K/BB in 105 IP for Triple-A Las Vegas. Meloan finished the year with a 4.89 ERA and was sporting a 5.52 ERA in 44 innings this year for Triple-A Columbus prior to Thursday's trade. Meloan, who will turn 25 on July 11, will report to Triple-A Durham.

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When did he stop going by Jon? Or Jonathan even?

Anyway, nice deal for the Rays... Abreu is a minor league journey man, and is already 32. He put up nice numbers at AAA-Durham for the Rays this year, but his upside is pretty limited at this point (obviously).

If another change of scenery can help Meloan, he's only just turning 25 and still has closer stuff. He was a top relief prospect with the Dodgers only a year or two ago it seems like. Command issues have stalled him out.

Still a nice deal... especially considering going the other way is a guy who was DFA'd...

[Kingdom]

The Casey Blake deal is looking better and better for the dodgers

[nick]

I'd still take Carlos Santana over Blake any day. It's looking good for the Dodgers now, but if Santana can keep at the pace he's been on, he could be a starter for the Indians next year.

Blake's been a nice surprise, but for 2 more years at 12 million (approx) versus a top-15 prospect in Santana... I'd probably still take Santana, knowing the risks that he might never develop. There's the same risk that Blake just stops hitting suddenly, like he did for most of his career.

It's a crapshoot.

[Hammer]

plus carlos santana plays a mean guitar.

[Kingdom]

Well if he ever develops then the indians can say they had a good deal.

[nick]

So you're honestly telling me, you don't make that deal right now based on the half a season Casey Blake has put in?

Santana's OPS is near .900 or hovering just above it this season in AA-EAS (a pitchers league) the last time I checked (which was when I initially replied to this post). For a converted OF who is learning how to catch as he goes along, that's pretty good. He's 23, I know this, but Soto (another position player converted to catcher, might I add) didn't debut fulltime until he was 24 or 25, and he just won a ROTY award.

His bat is legit. His defense, scouts have claimed, while raw, is coming along fine.

If he winds up a DH for the Indians from the start, then it won't look as bad for the Dodgers obviously. But this guy should continue to hit... he hasn't stopped to this point, and barring an injury or mental collapse, I don't see why he would any time soon. I don't see why he can't continue to make the conversion to catcher gracefully, either.