Dempster Traded to Texas for 3B Villanueva & RHP Hendricks

[RammyFanny]

I'm starting to like Villanueva more and more than more I learn. I'm guessing Hendricks will look good until I find out he throws 87 or something.

 

CCP just posted he's been sitting 87-89.

 

Yeah, I'm not really in love with the ceiling of a guy who got demoted down a level from the previous year's.

 

He pitched in AA for1 game and 3 innings, which I assume was at the end of the year for playoffs.

 

And he actually skipped a level, going from A- to A+. Though you could argue A- was a cautious place to start him.

Edited July 31, 2012 by RammyFanny

[dew1679666265]

I'm starting to like Villanueva more and more than more I learn. I'm guessing Hendricks will look good until I find out he throws 87 or something.

 

CCP just posted he's been sitting 87-89.

Holding that velocity through the entire game or starting or end?

 

I don't know. He posted a BA link, but I've not read it yet.

[Guest]

press release:

 

CUBS ACQUIRE RIGHTHANDER KYLE HENDRICKS

AND INFIELDER CHRISTIAN VILLANUEVA FROM TEXAS

SEND RIGHTHANDER RYAN DEMPSTER TO THE RANGERS

TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2012

 

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today acquired right-handed pitcher Kyle Hendricks and infielder Christian Villanueva from the Texas Rangers for right-handed pitcher Ryan Dempster.

 

Hendricks, 22, was selected by the Rangers in the eighth round of the 2011 Draft. The six-foot-three, 190-pound righthander is 5-8 with a 2.82 ERA (41 ER/130.2 IP) in 20 starts for Single-A Myrtle Beach this season, earning Carolina League mid-season All-Star honors. He has struck out 112 and walked only 15 batters in 130.2 innings pitched, an average of just 1.0 walk per nine innings.

 

A native of Newport Beach, Calif., Hendricks was drafted by the Rangers out of Dartmouth College. He combined to go 2-2 with a 2.02 ERA (8 ER/35.2 IP) in 21 appearances, all but one in relief, between Single-A Spokane and Double-A Frisco in his first pro season last year. In two professional seasons, Hendricks has combined to go 7-10 with a 2.65 ERA (49 ER/166.1 IP) in 41 appearances, 21 starts.

 

Villanueva, 21, is batting .285 (107-for-375) with 19 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs and 59 RBI in 100 games with Single-A Myrtle Beach this season. He has a .356 on-base percentage and a .421 slugging percentage to contribute to a .777 OPS. A native of Guadalajara, Mexico, the five-foot-11, 160-pound Villanueva originally signed with the Rangers as a non-drafted free agent on August 17, 2008.

 

The right-handed batter and thrower was a 2011 mid-season and post-season All-Star in the South Atlantic League after finishing the campaign with a .278 batting average (130-for-467), 30 doubles, three triples, 17 home runs, 32 stolen bases and 84 RBI in 126 games with Single-A Hickory, his second season of professional baseball in the United States.

 

Dempster, 35, went 5-5 with a 2.25 ERA (26 ER/104.0 IP) in 16 starts for the Cubs this season. The righthander wraps up nine seasons in the Cubs organization after originally signing with the club as a free agent prior to the 2004 campaign.

[Theo]

If we pretend the Delgado deal never was on the table how do we feel about the moves Theo actually made?

My favorite part is how he played the role of "Anti-Hendry" and just didn't decide to help stack the Dodgers for a postseason run.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If we pretend the Delgado deal never was on the table how do we feel about the moves Theo actually made?

 

That's the thing.

 

Preliminarily, I want to say we got a new No. 4 and No. 6-8 prospect without trading Garza, and that would have seemed insanely awesome a few weeks ago.

 

But after the Delgado rumor, it all just tastes like dirt in my mouth.

[Guest]

I'm starting to like Villanueva more and more than more I learn. I'm guessing Hendricks will look good until I find out he throws 87 or something.

 

CCP just posted he's been sitting 87-89.

 

Yeah, I'm not really in love with the ceiling of a guy who got demoted down a level from the previous year's.

 

He pitched in AA for1 game and 3 innings, which I assume was at the end of the year for playoffs.

this

[mookie]

Considering Villaneuva is the reason this deal went down, who really cares about Hendricks?

 

I'm pretty intrigued by Villanueva, but not to the point that I think we got good value if Hendricks was just a throw-in. If Villanueva was the only quality player we picked up, then this seems like a fairly poor trade.

 

This a really good deal for the Cubs. I get that we lost out on Delgado, but his value isn't exactly crapping all over Villanueva's either. Let Delgado go. This is a win for the Cubs. The whole damn deadline has been a win for the organization. The only thing that went wrong was out of the FO's hands.

[Clem Fandango]

I was really anticipating being able to use this picture once a deal was made, but it's not appropriate :(

 

Not terribly upset with the return, but got spoiled form the Delgado trade and was anticipating more. Oh well.

[Guest]

Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS

scout says christian villanueva, young 3b who went to #cubs in rangers deal is quite good. top 100 prospect in baseball.

 

 

Also, keep in mind that Myrtle Beach is among the most extreme pitchers parks in the minors. .285 .356 .421 are pretty good numbers considering that. As others have mentioned, he's barely 21 and a string bean who hasn't filled out yet. i think he looks pretty promising.

 

Coming back to this for both guys:

 

Villanueva

Home: .262/.330/.398/.728

Away: .310/.383/.446/.828

 

Hendricks looks like he gets a boost in HR rate from his home park(1 HR at home, 7 on the road), but his HR rate is still average to above average away from home.

[Guest]

If we pretend the Delgado deal never was on the table how do we feel about the moves Theo actually made?

 

great

[CubColtPacer]

I'm starting to like Villanueva more and more than more I learn. I'm guessing Hendricks will look good until I find out he throws 87 or something.

 

CCP just posted he's been sitting 87-89.

 

Yeah, I'm not really in love with the ceiling of a guy who got demoted down a level from the previous year's.

 

Hendricks wasn't demoted. He got one random start at the end of the year at AA (probably because their season was still going). He actually jumped a level this year from short season ball to high A.

[Guest]

Interesting that Villanueva has a lower walk rate than Vitters. Yet everyone keeps stressing his great approach at the plate.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Interesting that Villanueva has a lower walk rate than Vitters. Yet everyone keeps stressing his great approach at the plate.

 

A lot of that is because haters just don't want to admit Vitters' approach has improved.

[scarey]

I'm starting to like Villanueva more and more than more I learn. I'm guessing Hendricks will look good until I find out he throws 87 or something.

 

CCP just posted he's been sitting 87-89.

 

Yeah, I'm not really in love with the ceiling of a guy who got demoted down a level from the previous year's.

 

He didn't get demoted. He pitched 3 innings in AA last year which, to me, says he was brought up for the playoffs because Myrtle Beach and Spokane didn't make the playoffs and Frisco did.

[Guest]

so, who slots higher? vitters or villanueva?

[El Duderino]

so, who slots higher? vitters or villanueva?

 

vitters bat is probably big league ready at this point. I can't put villaneuva higher

[Vinestal]

Interesting that Villanueva has a lower walk rate than Vitters. Yet everyone keeps stressing his great approach at the plate.

That's what I was thinking. he's just Vitters with a different name and maybe a better glove. probably means they are looking for someone stronger defensively?

[ctcf]

so, who slots higher? vitters or villanueva?

 

Vitters according to KG on The Score

[mookie]

so, who slots higher? vitters or villanueva?

 

I would give it to Villanueva, but it is close because of proximity to the majors.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

so, who slots higher? vitters or villanueva?

 

Still forming impressions about Villanueva, but would have to say him. Vitters just doesn't have the upside.

[Guest]

Interesting that Villanueva has a lower walk rate than Vitters. Yet everyone keeps stressing his great approach at the plate.

 

Looks like he gets hit at quite the pace.

 

Villanueva: 37 HBP in 1197 PA

Vitters: 35 HBP in 2097 PA

[Guest]

so, who slots higher? vitters or villanueva?

I think it depends on how you view Vitters' ability to improve his defense over time. If you don't think he'll stick (or provide value) at 3B, then Villanueva. Otherwise go for the guy in the high minors.

[dew1679666265]

This a really good deal for the Cubs. I get that we lost out on Delgado, but his value isn't exactly crapping all over Villanueva's either. Let Delgado go. This is a win for the Cubs. The whole damn deadline has been a win for the organization. The only thing that went wrong was out of the FO's hands.

 

First off don't get me wrong, I don't blame the FO for missing Delgado - that was all on Demp.

 

That said, there's ton more certainty with Delgado and probably quite a lot more upside too considering one of the scouting reports on the previous page called Villanueva's "perfect world" upside as above average 3B. I kinda like the trade, but it seems like a pretty large step down from what we could have gotten.

 

As for the deadline as a whole - it was decent, but I'm not thrilled with the Geo trade and the Demp trade was pretty good. The Maholm/Reed deal really makes the deadline a whole lot better though, so I'll try to focus on it.

[Guest]

Interesting that Villanueva has a lower walk rate than Vitters. Yet everyone keeps stressing his great approach at the plate.

 

Looks like he gets hit at quite the pace.

 

Villanueva: 37 HBP in 1197 PA

Vitters: 35 HBP in 2097 PA

Yeah, he gets hit at nearly a Baez pace.

[Cubswin11]

I'm just going to say it now and flame away but I like Vitters more as a prospect than Villanueva. Vitters is only a little over 1 year 10 months older. Vitters has a higher OPS and it looks like they walk at around the same rate.