Aubrey Huff Traded To Astros

[tyberesk]

Aubrey Huff was traded To Houston today for Two Minor League Prospects, Double-A right-handed pitcher Mitch Talbot and Double-A shortstop Ben Zobrist

Heres the Link
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5778412

[Tylersarticles]

The Devil Rays will have an effect on a playoff race in 2006!

The only problem is that it will certainly not be on the American League East race. I think Huff could be a difference maker for the Astros in their quest for the NL Central Division title. Also, Mark Hendrickson could be the missing puzzle for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their bid for the NL West.

However, Huff needed to be dealt and I hope these prospects pan out to be solid big-league players in the future.

What do you know about these two minor leaguers?

[tyberesk]

I just looked it up and this is what i found.

Talbot, 22, is in his fourth professional season after being selected by Houston in the second round of the June 2002 draft. He is 6-4 with a 3.39 ERA (34 ER in 90 1/3 innings) in 18 appearances (17 starts) for Double-A Corpus Christi this season. He ranks seventh in the Texas League in ERA and third with 96 strikeouts. Talbot is a decent long-term keeper pitching prospect who could be a late-season call-up for the Devil Rays. They really need developing young arms to saddle up with their depth of young hitting talent.

n 79 games for Corpus Christi in the Double-A Texas League, Zobrist is hitting .336/.445/.478. He has drawn 55 walks against 44 strikeouts in 301 at-bats. Zobrist doesn’t have much power, but he rarely strikes out and walks more often than almost any other middle infielder in the minor leagues.


This Season

Year Age Team Level -G--AB----R-- H -2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS
2006 25 Cor-----AA-- 83- 315- 57 103 25- 6 -3 -30 -54 46 4 4 .327 .427 .473 900

[Outta Here]

Hmmmm...
Not sure about this trade :noidea

D-Ray fans, Astro fans, what r ur opinions on this???

[tyberesk]

Well Huff wasn't going to resign, so i think its good that we brought in two prospects. I think they should have at least tried to get one major league ready(NOW) prospect instead of two double a players. Huff wasnt really making any noise this season, but if he gets back into his groove of a year or two ago, then it is a great pickup for the stros.

[KCGHOST]

The Astros are desperate for a bat. Both Jason Lane and Morgan Ensberg aren't hitting their weight. If they get the 2002-2004 verson of Huff they will be thrilled. If they get the 2005 version they will not get much help. The 2006 version will be useful. We'll see.

The D'Rays needed to move Huff. Had they done it two years ago they might have gotten some real value for him. However, the guys they got have some value. If nothing else they upgrade the overall quality of the talent down on the farm.

[Tylersarticles]

Thanks for the great information.

I just looked it up and this is what i found.

Talbot, 22, is in his fourth professional season after being selected by Houston in the second round of the June 2002 draft. He is 6-4 with a 3.39 ERA (34 ER in 90 1/3 innings) in 18 appearances (17 starts) for Double-A Corpus Christi this season. He ranks seventh in the Texas League in ERA and third with 96 strikeouts. Talbot is a decent long-term keeper pitching prospect who could be a late-season call-up for the Devil Rays. They really need developing young arms to saddle up with their depth of young hitting talent.

n 79 games for Corpus Christi in the Double-A Texas League, Zobrist is hitting .336/.445/.478. He has drawn 55 walks against 44 strikeouts in 301 at-bats. Zobrist doesn’t have much power, but he rarely strikes out and walks more often than almost any other middle infielder in the minor leagues.


This Season

Year Age Team Level -G--AB----R-- H -2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS
2006 25 Cor-----AA-- 83- 315- 57 103 25- 6 -3 -30 -54 46 4 4 .327 .427 .473 900

[Kastofsna]

here's the facts:

- huff didn't want to be here. he's said so several times.
- we HAD to move him now when he was at his hottest.
- we got two good players in return, both who are closer to seeing the majors than most other AA players, especially zobrist.
- zobrist has good plate discipline and has a very good K/BB ratio. he is versatile and can play several positions on the infield.

big news, zobrist is going to be at AAA Durham, not AA Montgomery, like most originally thought! so what's gonna happen with BJ Upton???

[Tylersarticles]

I was wondering that myself. Will the Rays call B.J. Upton up to the show? He could possibly fill in at third for a while now that Huff is gone.

[Eddiey]

here's the facts:

- huff didn't want to be here. he's said so several times.
- we HAD to move him now when he was at his hottest.
- we got two good players in return, both who are closer to seeing the majors than most other AA players, especially zobrist.
- zobrist has good plate discipline and has a very good K/BB ratio. he is versatile and can play several positions on the infield.

big news, zobrist is going to be at AAA Durham, not AA Montgomery, like most originally thought! so what's gonna happen with BJ Upton???

I don't think Zobrist is the shortstop of the future. He has 16 errors in 83 games. Better then Upton yes, but not by much. Friedman sees him as a super utility guy. So, even he isn't sure of the kids long term ability as a major league shortstop.

[tonypug]

I was wondering that myself. Will the Rays call B.J. Upton up to the show? He could possibly fill in at third for a while now that Huff is gone.
The Rays said today that Upton was being moved to third base this week at Durham. They called it a short term move.That probably means they told BJ, if you want to play in the majors this year, make the move to third and we will give you a chance to play short next season.

[TheKingofKings]

The Devil Rays will have an effect on a playoff race in 2006!

The only problem is that it will certainly not be on the American League East race. I think Huff could be a difference maker for the Astros in their quest for the NL Central Division title. Also, Mark Hendrickson could be the missing puzzle for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their bid for the NL West.

However, Huff needed to be dealt and I hope these prospects pan out to be solid big-league players in the future.

What do you know about these two minor leaguers?

Are you nuts !!! I saw Hendrickson pitch in L.A. and he was horrible , he is a tremendous bad fit for the Dodgers and should be reserved to the same treatment as Jason Johnson of the Boston Red Sox , being domoted to A ( maybe not that bad but being sent to the Minors )

[TheKingofKings]

I was wondering that myself. Will the Rays call B.J. Upton up to the show? He could possibly fill in at third for a while now that Huff is gone.

There is already Ty Wiggington to play the remaining time at 3rd .

[raysnbran]

Huff is 2-4, just smashed a 3 run HR off of Matt Herges in the 8th. Nice debut, Aubrey, welcome to Houston :clapping

[tonypug]

I'm happy to see Huff do well, he gave the Rays the best he had.Hopefully this will be one of those trades that helps both teams.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I just looked it up and this is what i found.

Talbot, 22, is in his fourth professional season after being selected by Houston in the second round of the June 2002 draft. He is 6-4 with a 3.39 ERA (34 ER in 90 1/3 innings) in 18 appearances (17 starts) for Double-A Corpus Christi this season. He ranks seventh in the Texas League in ERA and third with 96 strikeouts. Talbot is a decent long-term keeper pitching prospect who could be a late-season call-up for the Devil Rays. They really need developing young arms to saddle up with their depth of young hitting talent.

n 79 games for Corpus Christi in the Double-A Texas League, Zobrist is hitting .336/.445/.478. He has drawn 55 walks against 44 strikeouts in 301 at-bats. Zobrist doesn’t have much power, but he rarely strikes out and walks more often than almost any other middle infielder in the minor leagues.


This Season

Year Age Team Level -G--AB----R-- H -2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS
2006 25 Cor-----AA-- 83- 315- 57 103 25- 6 -3 -30 -54 46 4 4 .327 .427 .473 900

Talbot appears to be a Grade A/high grade B prospect. He appears to be on schedule, and he appears to be performing well at the appropriate level for his age.

Zobrinst is a Grade C prospect at best; he's got good numbers, but if he were really that good, he'd be in the big leagues by now. He's only in AA at age 25, not even AAA. That's not good, no matter how you slice it.

[Undefined]

Huff has always been a good second half player so he will definitely help the 'stros but I thought TB could have gotten more for him. Talbot looks like he could turn into an effective bottom of the rotation MLB starter at the very least, but Zobrist looks like he will never be an effective everyday player in the majors, probably more of a bench player.

[Rick/Bama]

I watched the Biscuits win last night behind Mitch Talbot. He has 2 starts in the playoffs, both were 9 inning complete game 5 hit shutouts. His totals for the 2 games are 18 inn,10 h,2bb,24k. He is not a flame thrower but he seems to have a good idea about how to pitch, and he seems to handle pressure situations well.
The D-rays need pitching, looks like the double A Biscuits might have a few who can help soon.

[raysnbran]

We have plenty of young, talented position players, but our pitching is atrocious. Another bullpen meltdown last night, not once but twice. The Marlins have shown pitching will win you a lot of games with a low payroll. That is the only way this team will ever get any better. :gt

[tonypug]

We have plenty of young, talented position players, but our pitching is atrocious. Another bullpen meltdown last night, not once but twice. The Marlins have shown pitching will win you a lot of games with a low payroll. That is the only way this team will ever get any better. :gt
Agreed, the team is pretty solid in the field and in the minors with position players. The focus now must be on pitching. Almost every deal the Rays have made this year has included a young pitcher coming to the team. A veteran starter and a competent late inning reliever are musts for next season.

[W_Marone]

Jonny Gomes baby! DL right now, but next year, next year. MVP! Except on my Phillies baby! I wish.

[SDL]

I follow the International scene and last year Zobrist had good numbers for the USA in the IBAF World Cup in Holland, going 1 5 .333 in the nine games the USA played in.

The Rays have come out ahead on this deal...

[tonypug]

I follow the International scene and last year Zobrist had good numbers for the USA in the IBAF World Cup in Holland, going 1 5 .333 in the nine games the USA played in.

The Rays have come out ahead on this deal...
Great picture. Zobrist is going to fit in very well. The concentration has to be on pitching this off season.