No need for Flowers. We have Buck.

I hope you're kidding...

Well, you'd get a damned nice outfielder in either Schaefer or Hernandez, a 4th starter in Reyes, and a catcher who is a few years away, but has some pop (perhaps better suited to first).

Any guy who walks as much as he Ks is a pretty solid addition, IMO.

That is absolutely false.

You make this trade. Position players are always more valuable than pitchers. That's why the A's never won anything with Hudson, Mulder, and Zito in their prime of primes.

Pitchers aren't as valuable as everyday players for the same reason closers aren't as valuable as starters--they cannot affect the game as much. Everyday players have more chances to change the outcome of a game.

When Buck, Gload, and Teahen are involved in the conversation, I never kid.

No tradey nice outfielder for one of the nicest young pitchers in baseball. Me no likey. As I mentioned earlier, trading a chip like Greinke must yield a top-notch player at a key position (anything in the middle of the diamond).

I disagree. Pitching is where it's at. See the '06-'07 Yanks.

To add, balance, of course, is the goal. But if I have to choose one aspect of the game to be my strength, it's pitching--keeps otherwise terrible teams in games.

Texas is the only team that could match the Braves' offer, but they apparently don't want to give up as much.

Escobar is a damned nice shortstop (middle of diamond).

Schaefer or Hernandez are one of the best prospects in baseball.

Plus you get a solid lefty arm with a lot of upside and a catcher who has shown he has a good eye and pop in his bat.

Don't like the sound of this. We have plenty of 4th starters and 1st basemen.

We don't have an Ace or power or a SS or a C or...

If this deal goes down, it will likely be the defining moment in Dayton's KC tenure. For lack of better examples: if this is the Santana deal, he'll be golden. If this is the Saberhagen deal, he'll be looking for work.

When did Zack Grienke somehow become something he isn't?

Pitching is only paramount in the playoffs. In the regular season, solid everyday players are far more important to a team's success.

Think about it this way:

Albert Pujols has about 650 ABs a year, that's 650 chances to impact the game with his bat. Combine that with the fact that he had 1300 put outs on defense and over 130 assists.

Sabathia, in one of the most yeoman-like performances by a pitcher in years, faced about 1000 batters.

Greinke faced 850, but not only that, he did it once every five days.

If you want further evidence,

Pujols was worth 35 wins by himself last year.
Tim Lincecum, who was ****ing DOMINANT, was worth 27 wins

(measured by win-shares).

There was an article on DrivelineMechanics.com about him that really charted the path of him and CC Sabathia... showing Greinke to be ahead, especially when you consider how young he is.

They brought their site into SBNation.com and don't have the archived posts up.

He's also pitching in Kansas City..maybe it's just me but Grienke doesn't look like a guy who'd take pressure very well.