D-Bags Make Ripples; Trade for Paquette

The D-Bags announce today that they have sent former stand out Mason Bonniface along with 3 minor leaguers and brought in 36 year old and former Gold Glove winner and All Star 3B David Paquette.  Paquette was playing in his first season for Indianapolis after being traded from Baffin Island where he spent the previous 4 seasons.

Paquette

Though Paquette's numbers are slightly off his career numbers, as a 36 year old he hasn't lost much.  On the season for Indy he has hit .274/.370/.423 with 8 HR and 48 RBI.  He is an upcoming free agent and it isn't known right now if he was brought in as a rental and cash off set for Bonniface or if the team plays on giving him a contract extension.  He is currently making $12 million dollars this season.  Paquette should be penciled in as the starter at 3B and will probably hit 5-6th in the lineup.

Leaving the D-Bags if former All Star who has seemed to fall off the planet Mason Bonniface.  Bonniface who has been in steady decline since 2011 started the year on the Jersey roster but a 6 for 42 start got him jettisoned to AAA where he struggled to find playing time and his contract becoming an albatross.  The move on paper will save Jersey 24 million over the next 2 seasons.

Bonniface

As for the minor leaguers headed off to Indy the highest ranked was SP Daniel Felix who had been in A ball.  Felix came over to Jersey through a traded with Vista last October.  In 16 starts in Manhattan, Felix had a 4-7 record with a 2.65 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.  Another arm headed out of the Jersey system is 20 year old MR Jose Rivera.  Rivera signed as a ML free agent last season and was in his 2nd season in AA Gainesville.  He has potential, but has struggled with control in his short BSA career.  The 3rd minor leaguer going over was 27 year old OF Claudio Lee.  Lee was drafted in the 72nd round of the inaugural draft in 2010 and slowly worked his way through the Jersey system.  This year was his best statistically where he was hitting .347 in 176 AB's, but had trouble getting many AB's with Jersey's highly stocked OF at the big league and AAA level.

                                              Felix                       Rivera                        Lee

I would guess with the Bags crawling back in the race this will not be the last trade they make before the deadline, but only time will tell. Rumors have it they are looking for another arm.....as usual.

GO D-BAGS