I’ve been away from the computer and the radio the past couple days, so I just heard that the Giants completed the Mark Sweeney and Matt Morris trades.
The player not-named-Rajai in the Morris deal turns out to be Steve MacFarland, a 21–year-old righty who pitched college ball at Lamar, which happens to be Barry Bonds’s middle name. And that’s about the only reason to get excited, judging from MacFarland’s stats. Wait, one more reason: He was also born in Newburgh, NY, gateway to the Storm King Art Center, which you definitely should visit if you ever have a chance, especially in the fall as the foliage turns spectacular colors.
More tantalizing is the guy the Giants get from the Dodgers: Travis Denker, a just-turned-22–year-old second baseman in high A ball. As this guy points out, Denker is a more powerful version of Kevin Frandsen, home-run wise, while posting similar on-base numbers in his minor league career.
Denker: .279 / .377 / .460
Frandsen: .328 / .393 / .459
No word yet about Denker’s defense. In ‘05 and ‘06 he failed to make a successful jump from low A to high A but finally did so in ‘07, perhaps because it was his first time in the hitter-friendly California League. If he develops enough to sniff the majors, consider it a successful trade.
According to my prospect books, Denker is not that good defensively. BP notes "lack of range and fringe-average arm suggest he'll resume his journey down the defensive spectrum", alluding to his move from 2B to 3B in 2006 to accomodate better 2B prospect Blake DeWitt. However, back in his comfort zone this year at 2B, he's hitting like he used to hit, though with a little less power. BP sees a corner OF (if no arm, probably LF) future, but no corner OF power, making him a future reserve OF.
My other book gave him one "+" for defense, where "+++" is average. They see him as a reserve 2B/3B ultimately.
So, not so good defensively.