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Just a few minutes ago, the Minnesotra Twins and Washington Nationals agreed on a trade that would send Nationals' closer Matt Capps to the Twins for top catching prospect and #2 prospect Wilson Ramos and pitcher Joe Testa.Capps, 26, has spent six seasons in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Nationals. At age 23, Capps burst upon the scene in 2007 (he came up in 2005), posting a 2.28 ERA with 18 saves for the Pirates in 76 games. He was named closer after the season and rightfully so, as he sported a 3.02 ERA with 21 saves for the 2008 Pirates. He struggled in 2009, giving up 10 home runs and 73 hits in 54.1 innings, resulting in a 5.80 ERA, however he still saved 27 games.
After the 2009 season, the Pirates non-tendered Capps a contract, a questionable move around baseball. Many teams, including the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees, were interested in signing the young right-hander to bolster their bullpens. Instead, Capps ended up signing a one-year contract for $3.5 million with the Nationals, who guaranteed him a chance to close - a major factor in his decision. Capps's performance this season has made the Pirates look foolish for making such a decision, as he has a 2.80 ERA in 46 games this year for the Nationals while saving 25 games, ranking 4th in the National League and making the NL All-Star team. Capps will fill the closing position for the Twins that Jon Rauch held down while long-time closer Joe Nathan rehabs from Tommy John surgery.
In return, the Nationals acquire the game's 58th best prospect (according to BaseballAmerica) in Wilson Ramos, a young catcher who is blocked by some guy named Joe Mauer who won the AL MVP last year. Ramos, 22, saw big league action this season after Mauer spent time nursing an injury, going 3-4 in his first ever major league game. In 7 games, (28 PA) Ramos hit .296 with 8 hits, 3 doubles, and 1 RBI. He was later sent back down to Triple-AAA, where he has posted a .241/.280/.345 average with 5 home runs and 30 RBIs in 71 games. Ramos put himself on the prospect map after a 2008 outbreak season in which he hit .288 with 13 home runs an 78 RBIs. He responded in 2009 hitting .317 with 7 home runs and 35 RBIs. This season, Ramos has thrown out 19 of 38 base stealers, a 20% rate. Joe Mauer's fixture in Minnesota for the next eight years at catcher (he signed an 8-year, $184 million contract before the season) allowed Ramos to become expendable. It's good to see the Twins found a place for a young player with that much talent to play and thrive. Ramos will be a big part of the Nationals' rebuilding effort and will join Ryan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg, and eventually Bryce Harper as the future of the Nationals.Testa, 25, is a relief pitcher who has spent three-plus seasons in the Twins organization. His best season came in 2009, when he sported a 1.96 ERA in 46 games for A-A+. This season Testa has struggled, posting a 5.50 ERA in 36 games for A+ and AA.
While I'm not a fan of giving up a top prospect for a reliever who has never experienced the American League before, the Twins needed to make this trade. Rauch has been inconsistent as a closer and Capps is under team control and young. It's a great move for both teams, a trending topic with the trades today, but I think the Nationals really won this trade by acquiring a young catcher with tremendous talent for their rebuilding effort.
