Braves trade Tex

[sup-rbeast]

Who exactly fears Texiera? I can name a ton of hitters in the majors I'd rather not pitch to than him....he's good..but that's it.

[neutral88]

A ton in the National League???

Only 17 or 18 guys in the NL have more homers than him...

You can fear whoever you want, but the numbers say you better fear him, thats not an opinion, thats the numbers on it...

[CoeburnCane]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: neutral88</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A ton in the National League???

Only 17 or 18 guys in the NL have more homers than him...

You can fear whoever you want, but the numbers say you better fear him, thats not an opinion, thats the numbers on it...

</div></div>

That's two full lineups' worth of guys in one league.

Can I get a judges ruling?

They're nodding, they're nodding....yes, we'll accept that. That's a ton.

[R0cketer]

I don't know if Tex is one of those feared guys but he's also still in his prime, he's a gold glover, and he's gonna break the bank. I don't care who has more homers than him or not, he's a dynamite player, and I think the Braves gave him up for too little (even though I know they weren't going to approach getting back what they gave up for him).

He'll probably go sign with the Yankees in the offseason for 60 zillion dollars.

[neutral88]

ok so there are 17 players more feared than him in the NL, and approx. 250-300 who aren't????

wow, he is scraping the bottom of the barrel ain't he???

[CoeburnCane]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: neutral88</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ok so there are 17 players more feared than him in the NL, and approx. 250-300 who aren't????

wow, he is scraping the bottom of the barrel ain't he???</div></div>

No one's saying Tex is overrated or garbage, we're just saying he's not in nearly as high of an esteem as you obviously hold him. Chill out.

[neutral88]

I'm chilled, and personally I don't even like the braves...

I just called some hands on you all saying..."they braves didn't loose much pop", and "Kotch could be just as good in time"...I show you all that when Tex was 1 year younger than Kotch he hit 43 homers, so when is Kotch gonna get so strong, what kinda time would that take???

I don't even hold Tex that high, but if you all keep trying to convince me he is anywhere near the level of Kotchman, or what Kotchman could be, I have to continually ask on what grounds????

[CoeburnCane]

I don't like the Braves either.

As for Tex vs. Kotch...yes, right now, Kotchman is not an offensive powerhouse like Tex. Is he garbage? No.

Kotchman was one of the jewels of the Angels minor league system on his way up 3 years ago. I first read his name in an article on fantasy keeper leagues back in 2005. The guy projects to be a solid defensive 1B, with potential for .320/30 HR/110 RBI when he gets full seasons and good experience under his belt. Not bad for a position in the lineup where you need production on offense. It's not superstar #'s really, but if he can do that for 10 years in his career, he's made someone a pretty good consistent offensive force. He was the #13 overall choice by the Angels in the 2001 draft, straight out of HS. He's not terrible, he just has less experience and seasoning than Teixeira.

This year's the first season he's had a chance to start full-time at 1B (see where I said he played in 137 games last year but platooned/pinch hit a lot of those games). In Tex's situation coming up thru the ranks--in 2001, he was drafted out of Georgia Tech 5th overall by the Rangers (after his Jr. year--he was voted Nat'l College Player of the Year). He rocketed thru their system as a power bat, and only spent 1 year in the minors. He was a blue-chipper that played at a position of need for Texas...so they moved him up through the system quicker than what the Angels did Kotchman. The only season that he's had less than 500 AB's in a season was last year when he went from Texas to Atlanta.

By comparison, due to health complications (mononucleosis mainly), Kotchman had 443 AB's in platoon time in 2007, most in his career. He's on pace this year to get approx. 600 AB's. If you look at those extra AB's and the fact that he'll hit lower in the lineup, it's no stretch to say he could make it to 20-25 HR's this season, and only improve upon those power numbers hitting 3rd/4th/5th in that Atlanta lineup when everyone's healthy.

Also note that in 2006, the Angels moved Darin Erstad back to CF from 1B to make room for Kotchman before he got a bad case of mononucleosis and had to step away to get healthy again--only got 29 AB's before getting sick. Darin Erstad's been an all-star--he's not chopped liver. The fact that they moved a guy like Erstad to make room to get Kotchman in the lineup tells you what the Angels thought about him.

Kotchman may not ever hit 43 HR's in a season. But if he hits more than 43 the whole time he's in Atlanta, that's more than what they most certainly would have gotten out of Teixeira this season, since he would have walked out via free agency after this 2nd half anyways...and that makes the trade worthwhile, and a good one, for Atlanta. Both of them are what they are...Kotchman's a consistency guy across the board (when healthy), and Tex is a power guy. Both play solid defense. They're comparable because they play the same position...but they are different.

I've said enough...I've enjoyed the conversation man.

[neutral88]

I want to say I never said it was a bad trade...I never even wanted to discuss the trade part, Only that Kotch wasn't on the same level as Tex, as many were pointing to...

I've said enough too, I've enjoyed it as well...

[R0cketer]

I don't think anybody can say he's on the level as Tex, but Tex is doing to be a free agent, while Kotchman is cheaper and not going to be. Since Ted doesn't own the Braves, their payroll is limited, they have to take chances, and sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.