This ODawg does sound very likable. Since you put it that way…

Things haven’t looked so good for our team lately (the whole organization, really), so I haven’t given this much thought. I’ll be happy if in a months time we’re discussing trades from the standpoint of the purchaser.

I hear some good things about that Justin guy.

Hey, you seem like a pretty earnest dude, so I’ll be as even-handed as I can.

know that u guys have been struggling with your second basemen...True.

and could very possibly become buyers going into the trade deadline. ...Technically true, but less probable now than it once was. The Indians status over the next few weeks seems as though it will be determined by the division, not by the Indians. We’re…we’re not good.

What type of prospects would u be willing to give up to get the ODawg? Would you do Bo Mills, Jeremy Sowers, and David Huff for Hudson?...If my math is right, Hudson’s a free agent at year end, right? So you’re offering half a season of a league-average-hitting middle infielder. No disrespect to Hudson’s talents, but I’m not sure that the Indians would be willing to flip any one of the guys you mention for a rental.

Mills is one of our two legit power-hitting prospects. Sowers and Huff are both viable ML fifth starter-grade talents RIGHT NOW, and we’re suddenly hard-up for pitching. And even if we were dealing from a position of depth, this sort of package would be a huge deal, at least of the Haren caliber.

In summary, on the off chance that the Indians are buyers in July, start taking a look at our A-ball starters, and maybe our relievers.

Hudson is a free agent at year’s end. He arrived in AZ at age 28, the prime of his career. Combine his age with his ballpark, and he’s just had his best years. Away from Chase Field in the last three seasons he’s hit .274/.334/.403. But considering his whole game, he’s topped a 100+ OPS the last two years (102 and 106, respectively) and carries a 113OPS+ right now in 2008.

But for a half-season, Fleerdon’s got it right: a pretty decent hitting prospect and two major-league ready starting pitchers?

So what would be reasonable? For a half-season, the Dbacks would have to be happy getting two mid-level prospects, like Brad Snyder and maaaaybe somebody like Scott Lewis.

I’d actually like to see Hudson in a Tribe uniform…at the beginning of 2009…on a 2 -year deal.
Maybe 3 years.
Likely? Not very, even if he is at the top of the Tribe’s FA at 2B list this off-season (which he is).
But I wouldn’t give up much for him right now.

I think it’s unlikely we’ll be buyers.

If we were buyers, I think Hudson would be a great pickup for us — in fact, I thought so in the offseason.

A package of Mills, Sowers and Huff would be akin to the Colon deal, where we got Phillips, Lee and SIzemore (they weren’t all borderline stars back then, just prospects). Hudson is a solid everyday player and a fringe All-Star, not an elite player. He also would be a three-month rental player, where Colon had a full 1.5 years left under team control. Very different valuation.

Sowers, while not a potential ace, is a quality major-league pitcher, and Huff is well on his way to being a Top 100 prospect, which Mills already is (on some lists). I think a team would be lucky to get any one of those three guys back for three months of Hudson, possibly with a B-list prospect thrown in. Prospects are more valued than vets these days, and with good reason.

Would you guys consider Fausto Carmona and Travis Hafner for Orlando? Remember ya gotta take both of ‘em.

It never ceases to amaze me how little most people know about value in baseball terms.