john phillips

Well, so much for us ****ering Florida into taking Cirillo....Damn the luck

hsberman

Here's why the Mariners didn't do it:

"The Orioles traded Jeff Conine to the Marlins for minor league Ps Denny
Bautista and Con Levinski.

After 23 RCAA/.779 OPS and 0 RCAA/.755 OPS seasons, Conine is hitting .460
SLG, .338 OBA, .799 OPS, 9 RCAA in his first 124 games. He has a .802
career OPS, compared to his league average of .766, and 84 RCAA in 1485 games.

Levinski, who doesn't turn 21 until next month, was ranked as the Marlins
#6 prospect by Baseball America. He hasn't pitched above Hi-A ball yet.

Bautista, who also doesn't turn 21 until next month, was ranked as the
Marlins #13 prospect by BA. His 3.71 ERA in 11 starts in AA in 2003 is his
only time above Hi-A ball."

Trading the 6th and 13th best prospects in your system for one month of a
DH/first base sub/pinch hitter doesn't make a lot of sense.

Henry

hsberman

Plus doesn't he have another year on his contract, at $5M?

Henry

john phillips

Yes I think we have Cirillo for another year.

hsberman

We WISH Cirillo only cost $5M. But just because they made one dumb decision
doesn't mean they can cancel it out with another. And I don't think anyone
could have predicted he would be this bad. Last year was mediocre, but in line
with the way he was heading. This year is beyond belief.

Henry

m.s. burton

I think it was rotoworld who opined the Marlins could have gotten
Vander Wal for the same amount of time for a lot less....

bill wilmot

Here's an excerpt from a Baltimore Sun article, with the link below:

The Orioles couldn't announce the trade until financial details were worked
out involving Conine's contract. The Marlins reworked Conine's contract,
through 2005, adding a year to his old deal.

If Conine had finished the season with the Orioles, he would have gained
10-5 status -- 10 years in the majors, five with the same club -- with power
to veto any trade.

....

"We wouldn't have done this," Flanagan said, "if there wasn't a great need
on the part of the Marlins. We're extremely happy with the prospects."

They remain in the playoff hunt, and Conine's popularity in south Florida
made him an obvious target. He was dubbed "Mr. Marlin" after being chosen in
the first round of the 1993 expansion draft.


http://www.sunspot.net/sports/baseball/bal-sp.ostrade01sep01,0,1255757.story
?coll=bal-sports-baseball

"Mr. Marlin," eh? Wonder if they'll retire his number ...

Bill

m.s. burton

you know, I'd completely forgotten that-- and there were even comments
to that effect back at the 1st trade deadline, before Lowell got hurt...

hsberman

It may well be worth it for them--they had a starter go down. The Mariners
would have used him as a pinch hitter primarily, so trading two good prospects
for a pinch hitter who they would then be stuck with for another year doesn't
make sense to me.

Guillen at third and Sanchez at short seems like a good solution for the rest
of this year.

Henry