If I want to improve my roster significantly, and by significantly I mean go toe to toe with Chicago the next three years, it is gonna come at significant prospect cost.
I won't shy away from trading any prospect who is part of an overwhelming abundance and who I dont figure will make a significant contribution in the next two years. That description fits Espino.
In addition to the all around offense Mullins would provide, he would be a plus plus defender in left field.
I am also not a historical revisionist. Weve had other pitching prospects rated as highly...or higher... than Espino, and most of them did little or nothing at the MLB level.
Sheffield
Pomeranz
White
Adam Miller
Jason Knapp
Jeremy Guthrie
I can also look at the top pitching prospects of 2018...three years ago...and see what they have done in MLB since then...three years being my time frame.
Forest Whitney #9.... nada.
Kopech #10...1.6 WAR
Honeywell #12... nada
Buehler #13....awesome
Mitch Keller #15....2.1 WAR over three years.
Alex Reyes #18....0.4 WAR over four years
Makenzie Gore....nada
Hunter Greene #21...nada
TMac #23...1.7 WAR
Out of nine elite can't miss pitching prospects, only Buehler has done enough to make a difference over the three years since 2018, and Buehler was already in MLB by then.
Those are just the ones in the top 25. Espino is barely in the top 100.
Over the past three years, Plesac has put up 3.4 WAR, making him more valuable than any elite prospect on that list, other than Buehler.
I won't shy away from trading any prospect who is part of an overwhelming abundance and who I dont figure will make a significant contribution in the next two years. That description fits Espino.
In addition to the all around offense Mullins would provide, he would be a plus plus defender in left field.
I am also not a historical revisionist. Weve had other pitching prospects rated as highly...or higher... than Espino, and most of them did little or nothing at the MLB level.
Sheffield
Pomeranz
White
Adam Miller
Jason Knapp
Jeremy Guthrie
I can also look at the top pitching prospects of 2018...three years ago...and see what they have done in MLB since then...three years being my time frame.
Forest Whitney #9.... nada.
Kopech #10...1.6 WAR
Honeywell #12... nada
Buehler #13....awesome
Mitch Keller #15....2.1 WAR over three years.
Alex Reyes #18....0.4 WAR over four years
Makenzie Gore....nada
Hunter Greene #21...nada
TMac #23...1.7 WAR
Out of nine elite can't miss pitching prospects, only Buehler has done enough to make a difference over the three years since 2018, and Buehler was already in MLB by then.
Those are just the ones in the top 25. Espino is barely in the top 100.
Over the past three years, Plesac has put up 3.4 WAR, making him more valuable than any elite prospect on that list, other than Buehler.