Expert Analysis from Reynolds and Kruk - Now on the Radio
In case you were unaware of it, you can get more expert analysis from ESPN’s John Kruk and Harold Reynolds on ESPN Radio. I was fortunate enough to catch these two geniuses last night on my satellite radio. They were on the Erik Kuselias’s “The Sportsbash” talking about random things. Eventually they got to answering the host’s questions about potential deadline deals in baseball. Both Kruk and Reynolds were of the mindset that a trade of Randy Johnson or Larry Walker wouldn’t happen by the July 31st non-waiver deadline because the deals are just “too complicated” to be completed by that time.
Apparently Kruk and Reynolds were under the impression that the first thought of making such a trade occurred when the question was asked of them live on the air, and that the people who would be involved in making the trade would have the collective brain power of Kruk and Reynolds. Luckily, well run teams have the foresight to plan for such trades to occur and know ahead of time what’s likely and not likely to occur. They also employ folks with more baseball savvy than Reynolds and Kruk.
While it is likely that Johnson and Walker won’t be traded by midnight on Saturday night, it won’t be because the deals are too complicated to complete. That’s an easy way out and far from the truth of it. There are many other considerations, including that both players have no trade clauses, that the teams involved in any trade must all be happy with what they’re trading away and receiving in return, etc, etc. Kruk and Reynolds seemed to miss that point. They were also misguided, in my opinion, in stating that Johnson and Walker are likely to move teams after July 31st by using the waiver wire. Kruk confidently stated that many big name players have changed teams this way in past years, but other than Jose Canseco, I can’t recall any. Sure, there will be some big names and big salaries dangled on the waiver wire, but marquee names like Johnson’s seldom end up changing teams because of it.
If nothing else, at least it was entertaining.
Apparently Kruk and Reynolds were under the impression that the first thought of making such a trade occurred when the question was asked of them live on the air, and that the people who would be involved in making the trade would have the collective brain power of Kruk and Reynolds. Luckily, well run teams have the foresight to plan for such trades to occur and know ahead of time what’s likely and not likely to occur. They also employ folks with more baseball savvy than Reynolds and Kruk.
While it is likely that Johnson and Walker won’t be traded by midnight on Saturday night, it won’t be because the deals are too complicated to complete. That’s an easy way out and far from the truth of it. There are many other considerations, including that both players have no trade clauses, that the teams involved in any trade must all be happy with what they’re trading away and receiving in return, etc, etc. Kruk and Reynolds seemed to miss that point. They were also misguided, in my opinion, in stating that Johnson and Walker are likely to move teams after July 31st by using the waiver wire. Kruk confidently stated that many big name players have changed teams this way in past years, but other than Jose Canseco, I can’t recall any. Sure, there will be some big names and big salaries dangled on the waiver wire, but marquee names like Johnson’s seldom end up changing teams because of it.
If nothing else, at least it was entertaining.
posted by Mike @ Thursday, July 29, 2004
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