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We've acquired shortstop Alberto Gonzalez from the Yankees in return for Jhonny Nunez. Gonzalez is variously described as "the Yankees' former shortstop of the future" and "just a glove".
Wow, I think this might be a record for the most threads created about the same topic. This is the 4th or 5th one on this trade that people have made.
Uh ... really?Oops.
The Nationals picked up middle infield insurance in Alberto Gonzalez, acquiring him from the Yankees for power righthander Jhonny Nunez.The ProspectsGonzalez, 25, shares a name with the former U.S. Attorney General but is not related. He began his career in the Diamondbacks organization and came to the Yankees, along with since-traded righty Ross Ohlendorf and righty Stephen Jackson, in the deal that sent Randy Johnson back out to Arizona. Gonzalez is an above-average defensive shortstop with solid range, soft hands and a plus arm, but he wasn't the top defender at the position in the Yankees system—that's Double-A Trenton's Ramon Pena. Gonzalez had not shown he could hit upper-level pitching yet, hitting just .250/.313/.356 at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and was just 10-for-66 in his two short big league stints, including 9-for-52 (.173) this season. He's shown some plate discipline throughout his career but lacks the power to be an everyday regular at just 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds.Nunez, 22, came to the Nationals organization from the Dodgers in the 2006 Marlon Anderson trade. He went 4-6, 4.05 last year at low Class A Hagerstown in his steady full-season debut, which he spent almost exclusively as a starter. But Nunez struggled to maintain his velocity late into games and lacked a quality third pitch, so a move to the bullpen seemed inevitable. He advanced to high Class A Potomac to start this year, going 2-8, 5.22 with 82 strikeouts and 21 walks in 81 innings over 21 appearances (17 starts). Nunez has worked out of the bullpen since earning a midseason promotion to Double-A Harrisburg, going 0-0, 1.13 in eight innings. He profiles as a middle reliever down the road, with a lively, sinking fastball that tops out at 94 mph and an improving slider from a low three-quarters arm slot.Quick TakeThis trade is puzzling for the Nationals, who recently extended shortstop Cristian Guzman's contract for two more years and acquired second baseman Emilio Bonifacio from Arizona for Jon Rauch. Gonzalez is a spare part who does not project as a big league regular. The Nationals are expected to place Guzman on the disabled list, but it seems short-sighted to part with a young, power arm for a low-upside, short-term insurance policy. Maybe Nunez will be just a middle reliever, and maybe he won't reach the big leagues at all, but he certainly has a higher ceiling than Gonzalez. The Nationals system is thin in the middle infield, but acquiring more utility players is a strange solution.
The Nationals system is thin in the middle infield, but acquiring more utility players is a strange solution.
Nunez was acquired by the Nationals from the Dodgers back in 2006 in exchange for Marlon Anderson. He had been splitting time between Harrisburg and Potomac and the pen and the starting rotation.
So trading Marlon was worth as in the end we got back a young player with decent potential who is already better than Anderson.
I disagree, Marlon Anderson is a great player for a team, he can come through in clutch situations, hes like Willie Harris really, a great utillity guy who can play all over, he did come through for us quite a bit when we had him. Saying Gonzalez is better than Anderson is pretty dumb.
Marlon Anderson is a douche bag. Or am I thinking of Marlon Byrd? I was stoned way too much in '06.
Marlon Anderson was a terrific utility player, played great for us. Byrd found his power down in Texas, is a decent outfielder, good fielder. Damian Jackson was a disaster, terrible attitude.
Sounds right to me
I know trading jhonny Nunuez was worth Alberto Gonzales. I suspect Gonzles will play a utility role upon Guzman's return.
