Brendan Donovan to the Mariners deal is close (3 team trade with Rays)

[TGantz]

Had to get another Williamson in on the trade.

[phins]

My guess is that it ends up being Jurrangelo for Donovan in the end. But having four darts at which to throw at talent, and the extra bonus space in the draft (which a real consideration not given in this analysis, one of the reasons you picked Maniscalco is you had the budget to fit him at that spot etc.).

Felt good about the trade at the time and ultimately still do today. Knowing Donovan has been hurt and had a rough season doesn't factor in for me.

[CardsofSTL]

My guess is that it ends up being Jurrangelo for Donovan in the end. But having four darts at which to throw at talent, and the extra bonus space in the draft (which a real consideration not given in this analysis, one of the reasons you picked Maniscalco is you had the budget to fit him at that spot etc.).

Felt good about the trade at the time and ultimately still do today. Knowing Donovan has been hurt and had a rough season doesn't factor in for me.

I am interested in how Montesa fares...I work with someone who is a big WVU fan and so when we draft someone from that college the players are a little more familiar to me. Think he might turn out to be a decent bullpen piece down the road.

[phins]

My guess is that it ends up being Jurrangelo for Donovan in the end. But having four darts at which to throw at talent, and the extra bonus space in the draft (which a real consideration not given in this analysis, one of the reasons you picked Maniscalco is you had the budget to fit him at that spot etc.).

Felt good about the trade at the time and ultimately still do today. Knowing Donovan has been hurt and had a rough season doesn't factor in for me.

I am interested in how Montesa fares...I work with someone who is a big WVU fan and so when we draft someone from that college the players are a little more familiar to me. Think he might turn out to be a decent bullpen piece down the road.

He's got a nice arm (as you'd expect for a top pitching draft pick). He's more of an underslot pick in order to pay for Maniscalco, which was what I was alluding to with the bonus comment. It's not just "who" you picked with the extra picks that matter, it's the increase in bonus pool that allows you to take a big swing in the draft (even if it isn't one of the actual picks you traded for that you do it in).

Montesa was my least favorite pick, but only because he was a lesser talent used as a way to go over slot elsewhere and not because he isn't solid. He gave up lots of bombs, which dragged his overall profile down, but as a reliever I think he will have a chance to mitigate damage more with a legitimately good heater and a reduced need for secondaries and pure command to navigate multiple times through a lineup.