Gio Gonzalez Goes To Washington

Sometimes when you really want something, you pay for it. Tonight the Nationals showed everyone in baseball just how much they thought of lefty hurler Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who the Tigers were to be rumored to be in on when he became available about a month ago, was dealt to the Washington Nationals for a pretty pricy package. The Nationals parted with 4 quality prospects to get Gonzalez; including, A.J. Cole, Tom Milone, Brad Peacock, and Derek Norris.

And now, there is one less quality left-handed starter on the market.

I’ve been one of the guys on this site that has been in favor of acquiring Gonzalez. Despite his walk rate, which has been steadily declining, I truly believe that Gonzalez is at the very least a quality #2 type in a big league rotation. Add to that him being a southpaw, and these types of guys just don’t grow on trees. Gonzalez would of rounded out a rotation that 1-5 could have rivaled anybody in the American League.

I wish the Tigers in this case would have been more aggressive, as it seems they were reluctant to part with their top prospects. Seeing the haul the A’s got, I feel like the Tigers could’ve matched this package.

The baseball world is abuzz with most people believing that the A’s got a more than fair haul for Gonzalez. I agree to some extent, but I don’t think there is any harm in what the Nationals paid for Gonzalez. You have to give up talent to get some, and the bottom line is, the prospects the Nationals gave up all have some holes. Peacock is a potential reliever, Norris may not hit at the big league level enough to be an every day player, Milone is a back of the rotation starter that every system has. The jewel of the deal is A.J. Cole, who has front of the rotation potential, but he is at least 3 years away. If I am the Nationals, and I am competing with Atlanta, Miami, and Philadelphia, I do this Gonzalez deal every time. Especially if they can add Roy Oswalt to their rotation.

That is where my disappointment stems from for the Tigers. The Tigers may not have stiff competition in the Central for 2012, but as I’ve discussed before, there is plenty of competition in the A.L East and the West. If the Tigers are going to be in the World Series in 2012, getting Gonzalez was a move that I thought could help them get there.

The off-season still has 3 months left, but with each passing day, the quality players that are available are being gobbled up by franchises being more aggressive than the Tigers. I hope when all is said and done, we aren’t staring at essentially the same team we finished 2011 with.