For all we know, this blogger’s source is the neighbor’s dog named Harvey (don’t worry, we are too young to get that reference either). But supposedly the Rays and Giants are having serious discussions that would send Carl Crawford to the Giants for a minor league pitcher.
But not just any prospect. This would be Madison Bumgarner, a 6’4″ lefty, that is only 19 years old and is a combined 9-2 with a 1.66 ERA between high-A and double-A this season. The same pitcher that was ranked by Baseball America as the 9th best prospect in all of baseball before the season.
The Pros: The Rays are $15-20 million over the 2010 payroll and moving CC and his $10.125 million ’10 option would go a long ways towards keeping the rest of the team intact. Also consider that the Rays have Matt Joyce toiling in triple-A and the Gabe-O’-the-Day platoon in right field has proven to be more than adequate. On top of that, Aki Iwamura is due back in a couple of weeks and Ben Zobrist may need a new home. Could that new home be left field?
The Cons: More than likely, the deal has to be made now. The Giants are not making this deal after the season. On the other hand, the Rays are still a contender this season and no matter how you slice it, the Rays are a better team with Crawford than without.
The Verdict: We see these “rumors” a lot and we ignore most of them, and this one probably falls in the BS pile also. But this rumor brings up an interesting question: Would the Rays being willing to sacrifice a couple of wins this season (see comments) for the possibility of improving the ballclub over the next few years?
And if the Rays are willing to move CC now, this particular trade scenario has Andrew Friedman written all over it. Trading an expensive contract a year too soon, as opposed to a year too late, for a top pitching prospect? If the Rays have a philosophy, it is that you can never have too much cheap, young talent and you can never have too much pitching.
If this deal is indeed on the table (probably not), the Rays need to seriously consider it, even if it risks weakening the Rays for the next two months.
Giants In Trade Talks With the…D-Rays? [The Bay Area Sports Machine]
