Yeah, the Giants really got "Mcgehee'd"

[rog]

Randy thought the Casey McGehee trades was a very bad one -- and he was right.  In fact, it's even worse than we thought.

One of the two players the Giants trade for him is now one of more promising starters in the game.  The Reds' Luis Castillo posted a 3.12 ERA last season after being called up in June.  He struck out 98 in 89 innings and posted a 1.08 WHIP.

When the Giants traded him, he was striking out more than a batter per inning, but he had just posted a 1.38 WHIP in Low A Ball at the age of 21.  Now 24, he averaged 97.5 mph last season, which had to be in the very, very top among starters.  Since his fastball wasn't close to being his most effective pitch, I'm guessing it's straight.  Perhaps that's why they say the fastest distance between two points is a straight line.

Castillo's best pitches were his slider and change up, which when you've got a 97 mph fastball is saying something.  Not, by the way, that the Giants could use a good starting pitcher.

One thing I should point out in fairness.  Castillo's success wasn't clear immediately.  After the Giants traded him to the Marlins, they proceeded to trade Luis not once, but twice.  The second time was to the Reds, and I suspect that even more than the Giants, the Marlins are seeing red.

Not that the Marlins could use an effective, low-priced starting pitcher and certainly not one who is 24 and might still be good by the time they have gutted the franchise and become good again themselves.

One last thing:  Castillo won't be eligible for free agency for six more seasons.  Even then, he'll just have turned 30.  The Giants haven't traded away a lot of good players who went on to build highly successful major league careers, but Castillo may turn out to be one of them.  For instance, his potential is FAR greater than Adam Duvall's.

[sfgdood]

you mean the Adam Duvall that batted in over 200 runs the last two seasons for the Reds? THAT Adam Duvall? It seems like the Reds are getting more out of our farm system than we are. Boy aren't we glad we traded these two guys for McGehee and Leake?

[rog]

The McGehee trade was probably a little unlucky in both directions. If Mike Leake hadn't gotten hurt, we might feel very differently about that trade. When the Giants acquired him, he was one of the very hottest pitchers in baseball.

As for Duvall, he certainly has hit homers (park-aided in part) and driven in runs, but he wouldn't be faring nearly as well with the Giants. The park wouldn't be anywhere near as good for him as Cincinnati is, and he wouldn't have Joey Votto batting ahead of him.

Of the 202 runs Adam has driven in the past two seasons, 64 have been himself, and 28 have been Joey. Nearly half in other words. Many others were runners put in scoring position by Votto hits or walks.

Adam wouldn't hit nearly as many homers in SF, so his value would be reduced as a Giant. And then his sub-.300 OBP would become a huge issue.

Adam has surprisingly become a good fielder. That and his homers are his fortes. But he can't get many hits, and he can't draw a walk with a cement-colored crayon.