Whitekean04

Jul 6 2008, 07:06 PM

Depending on who the "others" are HUGE deal for the tribe and a BIGTIME gamble for the Brew.

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Matt LaPorta hasn't blinked since signing right after the 2007 draft, hitting for big power at all levels and impressing during a stint in the Arizona Fall League last year. LaPorta, who signed as a college senior, is already 23 and has been mashing in Huntsville, one of the better hitters' parks in the Southern League, hitting .288/.402/.576 with 45 walks and 63 K's in 302 AB. LaPorta projects as a "three true outcomes" player, meaning that he'll draw walks and hit home runs, but will also strike out quite a bit. He swings hard, loading deep and gathering all of his weight back for maximum power when he makes contact. His bat speed isn't great, and he struggles with the ball up in the zone, but he's able to take the ball away out of the park to the opposite field.

The Brewers have tried him in the outfield, but his future is more likely at first base, where he projects to be above-average. Cleveland's system is light on impact bats, with only outfielder Nick Weglarz and maybe first baseman/DH Beau Mills fitting that description, so LaPorta immediately becomes one of their top two hitting prospects and should be on the big league club some time in 2009.

Rob Bryson has the potential to be this deal's Neftali Feliz -- a young, projectable pitcher who, a year later, looks like the key to the trade. Bryson's arm isn't quite as live as Feliz's (few are), but he has a potentially plus fastball/slider combo and misses a ton of bats already with both pitches. He's a great athlete and physically could start, but his command is still below-average, and his control is significantly better in relief.

Cleveland also gets Zach Jackson, a left-handed pitcher who has struggled in the NL and lacks a viable swing-and-miss pitch, and a player to be named later. One rumor is that Cleveland would like third baseman Taylor Green, but would like to see him play second base, where his Mike Lowell-esque bat potential could make him an All-Star.