Ricky -

That trade would be perfect - Osuna has little to no future w/ us and is a pretty low-ceiling guy.

Dc--- Sorry man. There ain't no way in hell the Braves would trade McCann. He is a stud, though. His offensive numbers are rare for a catcher and with them in a Race for a playoff spot, no chance they would even take calls. But keep dreamin man!

I think so too. They get there automatic OF replacement, whether they make him #3 or #4 is up to them. And they platoon 4 2nd baseman now. Osuna has no future here, but does have talent. I think he could be a serviceable, everyday, productive future 2nd baseman for them. He has a bit of pop, which is more than you can say for Shumaker or the other three spares. I'd do that trade yesterday.

if the rangers acquired jose reyes, do you think he could make the transition to RF?

Why put Reyes in RF when we have Mikey Baseball?

Ricky -

I agree w/ your Napoli assessment as well, except that he really shouldn't be used against RH pitching:

Napoli career vs. LH: .289/.394/.559 and his line is .302/.413/.698 for 2011 - good for a 1.112 OPS!!!

Napoli career vs. RH: .208/.313/.458 - his 2011 line is .208/.313/.458

Though, I guess Torrealba's line against RH is only .261/.291/.401 this year - which really speaks volumes about his offensive inability doesn’t it? He is hitting more than 50 points higher than Napoli against RH, but his OBP is more than 20 points worse!

Anyway, I think that Torrealba's defensive ability was apparently overrated when we signed him and I'd say Napoli's was a tad underrated, as they appear to be a wash defensively to me - that is neither is great, but neither is terrible, Torre's handful of bonehead plays aside.

Throw in Napoli's apparent game-calling edge over Torre, and I'd say it's pretty obvious who the better backstop is for the stretch run. All that being said, catchers do need quite a bit more rest than other positions and we definitely want Napoli fresh for the postseason, should we get there.

Maybe something like a 66% Napoli, 33% Torre split would be equitable? With Napoli getting the nod against all LH starters, whenever possible.

Adam -

Hilarious.

Wingsofjoy -

If we make the enormous assumption that Reyes ends up in a Ranger uni, why on earth would they want to diminish his value by moving him from a premium position to RF, where he would likely project as merely average to maybe even below average offensively for the position, regardless of what he could do defensively out there?

Caleb - I fully concur. Let's use your 66% and say that Nap played 66% of this season at Catcher, as well as the additional percentile he would play at DH and 1B occasionally. He'd have over 25 HR (Maybe even 30), over 70 RBI, and probably hit better than his career average, due to being used in better situations. That my friend is an elite offensive catcher. And an average to potentially above average defensive catcher, given regular time behine the plate.

Ricky -

It just burns me that he isn't being used to his full potential - very inefficient - hopefully Wash figures it out in the second half of the.....nevermind....

jose reyes' offense is superb for any position.

Thanks Caleb. I thought I was alone in that view. Everyone has a catcher wish list... when he is right here under their noses. And a great club-house guy to boot!

@ Wings O' Joy - It is way too early in the day to be that drunk.

Reyes has 3 HR so far this year and a career .441 SLG, neither of which is anyhere near superb for a corner outfield position.

DCAggie,

You cant be serious man? Please tell me you are joiking about McCann. Why on earth would the Braves shop Jurrjens and McCann (the BEST C ATCHER IN BASEBALL!!!!) when they are going to make the playoffs and have as good of a chance as anyone to win the World Series!! Cmon Reveille boy.

Damnit! Just got the news. Borbon will need surgery. Out 6 to 8 weeks. There goes that trade piece.

@ kristen when it comes to baseball NOBODY is untouchable for the right price. If we offered up Ramirez, Perez, Profar, Cruz, Holland, and Napoli Atl would EASILY make that deal. Is that giving up too much hell yes, and we wouldnt do it. But my point is still valid.... nobody is off limits before baseballs trade deadline, thats what makes it so much better than basketballs.

@ Ricky, i totally agree with you, and i want to see napoli behind the plate at least 75% of the rest of the year. pitchers just respond better to him bottom line.

To everyone else my point, which you obviously all missed was, i do not deem any of ATL pitchers worth trading for except Hanson. We'd have to give up too much for him for it to even happen. Thus if I were to take Jurjjens, or Lowe, etc.... i would want another player packaged with him and the one player from atlanta i would want the most is mccann. Did i say it would happen, no. All i said was the ATL pitchers listed at that time alone, were not worth our prospects and other players we'd have to give up. Jurjjens looks good, and typically has good numbers, but he pitches in a pitchers park, and is playiing WAY above his statistical norm. plus he's injury prone. so no thank you.

Regardless if anyone think the phillies arent going to win the NLCS youre obviously not watching enough baseball. I know anything can happen come playoff time, but Philly is so beyond better than any team in the NL its not even funny. and its not even pitching. Somehow, this group has offensively started to put it together (major resurgence by Jimmy Rollins, contract year nuff said) but Philly will make a move for a big bat at the deadline. so ATL contending for a playoff spot means nothing, nor St. Louis, or the Reds, or anyone else..... every GM in the NL knows the Phillies have this wrapped up.

The AL on the other hand?.... its the exact opposite. Which is why we have to seize the moment and make a big, bold, brass balls move. Plus for all you naysayers... not just on me, but everyone hating on each other, Caleb, Ricky, etc.... quit ragging on each other... the bottom line when it comes to tradeline baseball is "It NEVER hurts to ASK" you think we were gonna give the Mets profar for K-rod? hell no... but they tried, cant knockem for that.

Yep too bad about Borbon, but it does open the window for B.J. Upton talk here, since
the Beltran bit is cooling off. Giants can afford Beltran and keep him in SF 2012- off. sux.

DC - Tap the brakes bro. Caleb and I agree on 99.9% and have all day. Statistics is where we disagree, but we agree to disagree and leave it be. Now where I did argue with several? Was losing prospects for rent-a-players. Sure Cliff Lee was neat last year. I contend we could've done it without him. Smoak is figuring it out, and Beaven threw a 3 hitter in his first MLB start and win. IF you trade youth, do it for controllable talent. It CAN be done. It is done all the time. All RAP will be FA next year.

Rick, I always see your point with trading prospects... I agree, there IS a line.
Losing Bleaven & Smoak, was a blip on Radar. We got to the World Series.
First Base is STILL over crowded and Bleaven's ceiling is short. No big loss.
We thought we could sign Lee... we didn't, but not for trying. Sorry, old news.
Lowe is still here and healing great. He's getting better w/time & contributing.
We squeezed a lot out of that trade... no looking back, except smiling WS pix.
I don't think we'll see a rent-a-player this year, but we do need to skim prospect
surface from the fat. We ought to get 2-3 real players to add to the 25man soon.

@Ricky wasnt a personal attack. i was just proving a point that ppl are at each others throats (yall arent the only ones) over trade proposals. Never forget we all have the same goal in mind to improve the team and win a WS. you and I may go to Houston, I can go one way, you can go the other neither one of us is right or wrong as long as we end up at the same place.

I'll be the first one to say not to give up youth. its what got us where we're at in the first place. but the greedy part of me, the part of me that gets that tingling in my stomach just thinking of last years run to the WS says we can spare a few for a stud, but only a stud. Who that is, nobody knows. but i can tell you this... JD and Nolan both have that tingling we're all feeling too. a big move will be made. it will be criticized it will be knocked, but if we end up in the WS again... all will be forgotten.

On to my point.... is there any prospect besides profar, martin, and perez that are pretty much untouchable?

i know i wouldnt want to get rid of any of these guys. i'd make exceptions, but there in no instance that i'd lose more than one of them.

I've noticed Cruz's defense slipping this year. His DRS & UZR numbers are way off from the last two years, so I'm not the only one noticing. I'm hoping it's just due to injury/healing, but something is off.

@ HubZ - You're right. There was a strong belief, albeit thru rose colored glasses, that we'd keep Lee. Smoak will be good. Blake? Who knows. I agree there are instances where "win now" is the only choice. That said, last year, to me, was not a closing window year, nor is now. Nor was it in the 90's when we went and got Stottlemyre, etc. Experience tells me that if you got there (or are in position to), you go with what you've got, rather than disruppt chemistry. Now the right situation for need? Clippard, Adams, another Ace, a versatile stud #4 OF? Of course, I pull that trigger... but within reason.

And HubZ, you are right about the roster. Anxious to see what happens with who. DC - Yes, I can think of several more untouchables. You, HubZ?

dc~
You build a Champion Team around "up the middle defense" & pitching.
I was subliminal with my take on ONE player. These three pups go very
well with ELVIS. The plan is in action, for years ahead. Leonys will be
next up. Elvis and A. Beltre are here. I'm not sure Davis is leaving at all.
You have Harrison, Holland, Feliz and Perez... all young, but maturing arms.
Besides Profar/Perez, you're viewing the future "Core" of the Rangers.
Untouchable? It better be for a TORP, with any/all of these Stud Ducks.

HubZ is dead-on. It is funny to attempt to (and I am guilty of this as well) to evaluate prospects based on stats, only because I don't have the luxury of seeing them everyday. Yet then I speak to guys in the "know" and find out the truth about the Chad Tracy's and Bianucci's of this world. I think there were high hopes for Engle Beltre. I now see him as tradeable. Several others too. Then as you see the maturation process of pitchers? You see a latter round guy far surpass an early rounder. Ross and Erlin I'd like to wait, develop, and see. Weiland, I was told will be a back end guy at best. I have my untouchables, but JD may not respect those (nor me) for the right deal. The line I read earlier, and I paraphrase "If baseball was a boy, I wouldn't let him date my daughter", cracks me up. because it is too unpredictable, can't be trusted, etc. Funny cuz it's true.

Murphy absolutely carried this team last year when Hamilton was out. He hasn't been the same player this year but no need to rewrite history.

Not sure what the difference is this year but Murph has been a solid contributor since he came her for Gagme.