Oh. I see.
All jests aside---including an exciting new episode of Basil Pointing Out Someone Else's Name is Weird---this seems like a fine enough trade. Let us count the ways:
- Able to trade away Stanton? Check. Thanks a bunch, Mike.
- Good traded away-to-traded for age ratio? Yeah, buddy. Thirty-nine to nineteen.
- Acquire a guy with his own domain name? For sure!
A strapping young
man, that Shairon.
Let's see---what else?
- Scout.com had Martis as the Giants' No. 22 prospect coming into the season.
- Baseball America rated Martis No. 28 in the Giants' system, noting: fastball that reaches the mid-90s, curveball with the potential to be "a solid pitch," slider, changeup, smooth and fluid arm action, with "issues in terms of maintaining balance [in his delivery] and incorporating his entire body." Let the rhythm move, you Shairon.
- Oh, and I almost forgot: Martis threw a no-hitter in the World Baseball Classic. (Even if it wasn't the world's most impressive no-hitter.)
Unless Martis kills puppies in his spare time---and I see no evidence of that in the statistical record---then I'd say this is a good trade.
More from Nats Farm Authority in due course; I guarantee that.
Update [2006-7-28 23:49:57 by Basil]: Over at SBN sister site Beyond the Box Score (highly recommended), Marc Normandin provides a thorough review of Martis' 2006 statistics. Marc notes that Martis has exhibited no discernible splits between left-handed and right-handed foes. He's pretty impressed by Martis. Also, Marc focuses in one the most meaningful contribution Stanton provided this season---dutifully obeying Frank Robinson's commands for intentional walks, more intentional walks, and yet more intentional walks. The mood at McCovey Cove, on the other hand, is not quite so understanding of this deal.