Rauch traded to Diamondbacks

[PANatsFan]

There's also an age difference.

With a couple tweaks, he'll be a doubles machine. NFA had him at 70-80 out of 80 for speed! Holy crap! The difference is that he is a defense machine too, separating him from the Logans of the world.

[spidernat]

That's definitely true, and I agree about the Schneider thing, but I think there's legitimate concern that the Nats didn't get enough back in this deal.

Oh I get that. I would've loved to get more but we probably over value our players, especially someone like Rauch.

[CJames0569]

Oh I get that. I would've loved to get more but we probably over value our players, especially someone like Rauch.

I think that's the biggest problem people had with the trade, those who were so outraged over the trade or viewed it as a total fleecing value Rauch as much better than he is because our teams is that much worse than everyone else's. I sometimes think that Trader Jim has the same problem as well, I'm just glad something actually got done for once and we didn't watch another trade deadline come and go with nothing happening.

[UMDNats]

Closers in general are overrated anyways. Saves are an overrated stat. Rauch's K/BB ratio was fantastic and we're going to miss his great work out of the bullpen, but we can replace him. We have so many young arms waiting to play in the majors that I'm comfortable giving them a shot out of the bullpen first. We don't, however, have any good middle infield prospects.

So many DC fans get attached to players and when they are traded they always see it as a terrible trade. Happened with Schneider, happened with Livan. Will happen with Cordero when he's gone.

[Eddie the Expos fan]

Another garbage deal from Bowden. 

[shoeshineboy]

But the point is, it doesn't matter if he is a closer or a setup man. Even as a pure late inning RP, Rauch is a valued commodity. People aren't over-valuing Rauch. They are worried at the lower value of a MI prospect that is being touted for being a speedster. This guy is not a sure thing by any means. Hopefully, he will end up being a starting 2B and very productive leadoff guy. But if he ends up being nothing more than another track-star experiment gone bad, it's a disaster, because Rauch (as is the case for any proven, reliable relief pitcher on any team) is worth real value in return. It would be one thing if this was an unproven 19 year old prospect with huge upside and all the tools. That would be viewed is a legitimate risk. But at 23, and with the time served already, the guy needs to be seen as major-league ready, which means he needs to actually be able to play regularly. He must work out, or this is a huge failure. And to date, this guy's production doesn't have him projected as a guy expected to make it. Rizzo's assessment needs to be correct on this one.

[spidernat]

So many DC fans get attached to players and when they are traded they always see it as a terrible trade. Happened with Schneider, happened with Livan. Will happen with Cordero when he's gone.

QFT

[Air Zimmerman]

should've traded for Emmanuel Burriss instead.

[hammondsnats]

QFT  Some people are clueless. They become comfortable with certain players and don't want change. Remember some people thought trading Schneider was a bad move.  (Image removed from quote.)

I wasn't in that company, but in return for Bri Schnei and Gamer Churchie we got a legitmate top prospect who had shown flashes at the major league level.

I know the jury is till out on Emilio, but c'mon we just gave up one of the best pitchers on the trading block - our best chip - for a "prospect" who hasn't exactly light it up in the minors.  The stolen bases, hits and OBP are nice but nothing astronomical. 

The Nationals should have been able to get a better package for Rauch.  And a lot of people outside of this board are agreeing with that.

[daveb32]

Anyone think that the acquisition of Bonafacio is what coaxed Guzman into resigning?

[xposbrad]

Just an absolutely horrible trade I actually feel sick to my stomach.  Honestly, I feel ill.

We give up our best trading chip, one of the best available relief pitchers on the market - not to mention we had control over him for another year- for BONIFACIO?!?!

My god, what good does speed do for us if he can't get on?  His strikeout total is pitiful, downright pitiful.  He only has 24 extra base hits this season.  I understand not all leadoff hitters have to fit the Soriano mold, but this guy projects for no pop whatsoever.

And from what I've heard he has averaged 20+ errors per year the last three seasons.

The Diamondbacks are laughing at the Nats not only for giving up on Whitesell, but for gaining Rauch and happily departing with Bonifacio.

What is this the f'n Expos all over again?  Horrible!!!

I totally agree. You have to understand that everyone has a hard on because we got a 23 year old with speed. Rauch was extremely valuable because he was cheap, still relatively young, and still has a 2.92 era this year. We could have gotten a better prospect than what we got. It is a bad trade, and it's not my opinion, it's a fact. A 49.1 ip, 46k, 17sv, 2.92 era would have gotten us a better prospect than Bonifacio, who with no power will be a utility guy. He's a guy you could have gotten in a minor league swap or maybe someone slightly older via FA.

Very bad trade, we needed to acquire a good prospect for Rauch who was one of our best trading chips. It's quite laughable that we just got a guy who probably has no chance of lasting as an everyday starter and he's pretty much developped as a prospect already since he's now 23.

[xposbrad]

Closers in general are overrated anyways. Saves are an overrated stat. Rauch's K/BB ratio was fantastic and we're going to miss his great work out of the bullpen, but we can replace him. We have so many young arms waiting to play in the majors that I'm comfortable giving them a shot out of the bullpen first. We don't, however, have any good middle infield prospects.

So many DC fans get attached to players and when they are traded they always see it as a terrible trade. Happened with Schneider, happened with Livan. Will happen with Cordero when he's gone.

It doesn't matter if closers are overrated. If they are, then Rauch should have gotten us an even better player. By your logic, since Rauch is overrated we should have just released him lol. Rauch as a setup guy or closer is quite valuable to teams looking to strengthen their bullpen. Bottom line is, if we were trading him we SHOULD have, gotten a better prospect. It was more valuable to this organization to resign Rauch or not trade him, considering what we got in return.

This guy was signed as a non-drafted free agent on December 21, 2001 and has been in the minors since. He was looked at as being a good leadoff, but Arizona pretty much had no need for him, this is what I'm gathering from all the message boards and from everyone who's seen him play there.

[HalfSmokes]

We already have a Felipe Lopez (fast guy with no skills at the plate). Until you can steal first base this deal is terrible, we traded a young closer who is under contract for a utility infielder. I know people are saying lead off hitter, the only problem with that is he neither walks nor hits for average.

[xposbrad]

But the point is, it doesn't matter if he is a closer or a setup man. Even as a pure late inning RP, Rauch is a valued commodity. People aren't over-valuing Rauch. They are worried at the lower value of a MI prospect that is being touted for being a speedster. This guy is not a sure thing by any means. Hopefully, he will end up being a starting 2B and very productive leadoff guy. But if he ends up being nothing more than another track-star experiment gone bad, it's a disaster, because Rauch (as is the case for any proven, reliable relief pitcher on any team) is worth real value in return. It would be one thing if this was an unproven 19 year old prospect with huge upside and all the tools. That would be viewed is a legitimate risk. But at 23, and with the time served already, the guy needs to be seen as major-league ready, which means he needs to actually be able to play regularly. He must work out, or this is a huge failure. And to date, this guy's production doesn't have him projected as a guy expected to make it. Rizzo's assessment needs to be correct on this one.

Very well said...except Arizona basically had given up on him, and at 23, the fact is he's not really going to develop power which he has almost none now. Also, we basically got a guy we could have gotten off FA or in a minor league swap. A speedy guy, WOW!! lol It's those one dimensional players that will really make this a better ball club, lol.

[MrMadison]

So many DC fans get attached to players and when they are traded they always see it as a terrible trade. Happened with Schneider, happened with Livan. Will happen with Cordero when he's gone.

I disagree. I don't remember very many people being against the Livan trade.  I know I wasn't.

I think a lot of you like to wave off any and all concern about any deal with a generic "you are just too attached to the players" mantra, without paying attention to the reasons for concern, even if the reason for the concern is legitimate.

I, for one, don't miss Rauch. But I *am* wary of this deal, because I'm not convinced that what we got back was of appropriate value.  everything I've read on this guy in the past day says he's Nook Logan at 2nd Base. Is Rauch really only worth Nook Logan? I trust Rizzo, of course, but I'm still a little concerned.

but we'll see how it works out when the kid makes it to DC.

[UMDNats]

I disagree. I don't remember very many people being against the Livan trade.  I know I wasn't.

I think a lot of you like to wave off any and all concern about any deal with a generic "you are just too attached to the players" mantra, without paying attention to the reasons for concern, even if the reason for the concern is legitimate.

I, for one, don't miss Rauch. But I *am* wary of this deal, because I'm not convinced that what we got back was of appropriate value.  everything I've read on this guy in the past day says he's Nook Logan at 2nd Base. Is Rauch really only worth Nook Logan? I trust Rizzo, of course, but I'm still a little concerned.

but we'll see how it works out when the kid makes it to DC.

Your concerns are legitimate. I understand why people are wary of a guy who is real fast and plays good defense, and doesn't hit for power. We're still not sure what this kid is all about.

But the fact of the matter is we're a rebuilding team and we had a good reliever who was versatile in that he could be a set-up man or a closer. He was really our best commodity and none of us can really be sure if we got good value. We desperately need middle infield prospects and we got one who looks to be ready to play in the majors. I like the trade in that it gives us someone to play 2B who isn't a back-up (Belliard) or a bum (Lopez) and actually has potential.

I really hope Bonifacio works out because I did like Rauch. We'll have to hope Rizzo is right on this one, and he was when he previously dealt with Arizona (Chico, Mock).

[blue911]

I like the fact the Nationals are addressing their biggest problem - Secondbase. What is known about Emilio Bonifacio is very litlle, just that he's fast and plays great D (Range,Arm Strength & Ability to turn the DP). I have no idea what other teams offered fo Jon Rauch (or if the Nats had other offers) so I can't put a "trade value" on him. But Jon Rauch's value is as a setup man and I believe that if you can trade a setup guy for an everyday position player, you make the trade.

[Mathguy]

It's hard to believe we traded our best pitcher for an unknown commodity.  Maybe Bowden knows something about Rauch that we don't know, such as when he traded "Satan" (Gary Miewskewski) for Lopez and Kearns.

But the point is, it doesn't matter if he is a closer or a setup man. Even as a pure late inning RP, Rauch is a valued commodity. People aren't over-valuing Rauch. They are worried at the lower value of a MI prospect that is being touted for being a speedster. This guy is not a sure thing by any means. Hopefully, he will end up being a starting 2B and very productive leadoff guy. But if he ends up being nothing more than another track-star experiment gone bad, it's a disaster, because Rauch (as is the case for any proven, reliable relief pitcher on any team) is worth real value in return. It would be one thing if this was an unproven 19 year old prospect with huge upside and all the tools. That would be viewed is a legitimate risk. But at 23, and with the time served already, the guy needs to be seen as major-league ready, which means he needs to actually be able to play regularly. He must work out, or this is a huge failure. And to date, this guy's production doesn't have him projected as a guy expected to make it. Rizzo's assessment needs to be correct on this one.

[HalfSmokes]

I like the fact the Nationals are addressing their biggest problem - Secondbase. What is known about Emilio Bonifacio is very litlle, just that he's fast and plays great D (Range,Arm Strength & Ability to turn the DP). I have no idea what other teams offered fo Jon Rauch (or if the Nats had other offers) so I can't put a "trade value" on him. But Jon Rauch's value is as a setup man and I believe that if you can trade a setup guy for an everyday position player, you make the trade.

The reason we don't know much about him is because he was never a top prospect. This is all BP could muster about him: Bonifacio, 23, is a speed player who struggles to get on base as he hit .302/.348/.387 in 85 games with a lowly .224 EqA with Tucson and .167/.167/.250 in eight games with the Diamondbacks earlier this season. 

I realize that we weren't getting a Rasums or a Gamel for Rauch, but it looks like we got a 2b who is best suited to be an 8 hitter. I also don't think that we are near enough to contention to be addressing specific weaknesses instead of getting the best player that we can.

[PANatsFan]

It doesn't matter if closers are overrated. If they are, then Rauch should have gotten us an even better player. By your logic, since Rauch is overrated we should have just released him lol. Rauch as a setup guy or closer is quite valuable to teams looking to strengthen their bullpen. Bottom line is, if we were trading him we SHOULD have, gotten a better prospect. It was more valuable to this organization to resign Rauch or not trade him, considering what we got in return.

This guy was signed as a non-drafted free agent on December 21, 2001 and has been in the minors since. He was looked at as being a good leadoff, but Arizona pretty much had no need for him, this is what I'm gathering from all the message boards and from everyone who's seen him play there.

He's been in the minors since 2001 and was undrafted because he was signed at 16 from DR. No one from DR gets drafted, only US (including Puerto Rico) and Canada. He's been blocked by Orlando Hudson. I guess the D-backs want to re-sign Hudson, which is why Bonifacio was expendable. None of these facts lower his value to US.

[blue911]

The reason we don't know anything about him is because we aren't scouts.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

freak this crap about needing a second baseman.  We actually have middle infielders in our minor league system who could play second.  What we don't really have is a legitimate natural SS to supplant Guzman, and those don't grow on trees.

[HalfSmokes]

The reason we don't know anything about him is because we aren't scouts.

None of the scouting sites have much on him either. The above is all BP has on him. By comparison Balester, a good but not great prospect, has 11 lines. 

[daggerrrrrr]

I don't like this trade, and the fact that Mike Rizzo had something to do with this stupid trade I question if he would make a good GM one day.   

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I don't like this trade, and the fact that Mike Rizzo had something to do with this stupid trade I question if he would make a good GM one day.   

I'm all for getting rid of Rizzo and that clown Bill Singer and hiring Kim Ng at the end of this season.