Have to admit this was the last guy I expected traded. Nice to get something, and it allows Pinto some AAA time and frees up a 40 man spot for (potentially) Albers. What do you guys think we got for him?

Punto

Sandy Koufax. That's my guess.

This voting so far is ridiculous. Rally Monkey is way more valuable than Butera.

The Twins are so cheap, we'll take cash considerations and not spend it. We'll get back some of the $500,000-$700,000 we wasted on Butera!

I'm pretty sure we probably will need to pay them for taking him off our hands...

If I were the Twins, I'd be happy with a Skip Schumacher Autographed photo and a $10 Gift Certficate to the In-N-Out Burger.

I think freeing up the roster space was a reward in and of itself.

N/M, a white castle gift card for $250 that will be spent on crave cases. There will be fireworks in the dugout to fire up the offense

This was tough, I wanted to pick poor relief prospect but I surely wasn't going to pick decent relief prospect.

 

Cash considerations made more sense.

Cash consideration. We needed a roster spot and we clear/add a little cash into the owners pockets.

OK, overlooking the cash option, I decided to make my prediction.

 

Michael Thomas Minor League Statistics & History - Baseball-Reference.com

 

Michael Thomas, a 24-year-old lefty relief pitcher in AA. His numbers look way too good for a Butera like return but he's not on the Dodgers top 20 prospect list and he is after all only a reliever (until the Twins transform him into an All-Star starter!)

OK, overlooking the cash option, I decided to make my prediction.

 

Michael Thomas Minor League Statistics & History - Baseball-Reference.com

 

Michael Thomas, a 24-year-old lefty relief pitcher in AA. His numbers look way too good for a Butera like return but he's not on the Dodgers top 20 prospect list and he is after all only a reliever (until the Twins transform him into an All-Star starter!)

 

I was thinking something along this line too. I cannot see a team giving up a potential starting pitcher or fielder, but Ryan needs to target guys that can have an impact. For guys like Butera, Carol, etc, I could see Ryan targeting relief pitching prospects. Those guys are higher risk, but if they succeed, the reward can be nice too.

I think the Twins saved more money when Mauer took two days off for his babies than the Twins will save from Butera's contract going to the Dodgers...a contract that never should've been signed in the first place.

Dodgers do not have the rally monkey--that is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim--so i prefer the used Puig jockstrap. And no White Castle burgers in southern Cal

You misunderstand, the Rally Monkey must be an option in the poll, all polls.

I thought this was going to be a poll about how soon Butera would be back in the Twins organization and terrorizing half this board.

I thought this was going to be a poll about how soon Butera would be back in the Twins organization and terrorizing half this board.

 

That was my guess PTBNL = Drew Butera

Ryan will get what he got for trading Winfield to Cleveland (slightly more than what he got for trading Thome) ; he is good at this.

Ryan will get what he got for trading Winfield to Cleveland (slightly more than what he got for trading Thome) ; he is good at this.

 

They will get dinner for Butera.... and the Dodgers staff will treat Terry Ryan to Waffle House.

To be fair, I think McPhail was still technically the GM when Winfield got traded. But to be more fair, it was Ryan, his understudy, who was the GM when they agreed to the new terms of the deal. I suppose Ryan's dinner might have been worth it, I heard they went to Shakey's.

And the winner is, this guy:

 

Miguel Sulbaran Minor League Statistics & History - Baseball-Reference.com

 

Ranked #14 among Dodgers prospects. Wow, nice return. I checked this guy out when I was looking through the Dodgers minor league stats but dismissed him as he seemed to be out of Butera's league.

Wow, they got a player. That is a great trade by Ryan. Really.

I'm shocked by this return. Sulbaran looks like a somewhat legitimate prospect. Same age as Berrios and put up better numbers in the same league. Only 5'10" though.

Color me shocked - much better than I expected.

I'm shocked by this return. Sulbaran looks like a somewhat legitimate prospect. Same age as Berrios and put up better numbers in the same league. Only 5'10" though.

 

His height is the only real "negative" he has. Even if he ends up just a lefty out of the pen the trade will still be a success in my eyes. Very good return for a few months of Butera.

The Luis Castillo trade tree has grown a new branch, nice move. Considering his age and production, I'd put him ahead of other pitching prospects Melotakis, Bard, Chargois and Baxendale.

Ned Colletti to JR: "Yeah, Sulbaran will work for us."

 

After deal is finalized, JR to Ned:

"You know, I was kind of joking when I brought his name up originally. I didn't think you'd actually go for it. Thanks though."

Zach Lee for Morneau, do it now Ryan!!!

I expected cash so I'm happy even if he doesn't turn out.