Completely Fake Headline: Rockies Trade Dexter Fowler

Tommy Milone

A couple of weeks ago, I posted on Blake Street about a hypothetical trade with Nationals Baseball. Well, couple of days later we agreed to a deal, and, in true MLB GM fashion, I’m just now getting around to telling everyone. Turns out, these secretive little general manager games are fun.

Anyway, I traded Dexter Fowler to the Nationals. So, if you were wondering why he wasn’t called up when Charlie Blackmon broke his foot, it’s because Fowler actually belongs to Nationals Baseball, a Nationals blog on the SweetSpot Network. I can’t say for certain that the Rockies will honor this deal, but Blake Street always stays true to our word.

If only it were that simple — just a couple of e-mails between two ESPN bloggers and a deal is done. Unfortunately for Rockies’ fans, I don’t actually possess the power to trade Dexter. I feel like I made one hell of a deal.

The first thing that came into play with the Nationals is that they have a horde of young pitching and many were available. Despite my attempts to add a corner infielder to the mix, I could only get Harper Gordeck to agree on one player. That guy was Tommy Milone. If the Rockies were actually able to trade Dexter Fowler for Tommy Milone, I’d be ecstatic. Granted, this isn’t saying much, but Milone is probably good enough to be in the Rockies’ rotation right now.

The young Nationals’ left-hander isn’t Stephen Strasburg. He doesn’t have the multi-million dollar contract or the overpowering stuff, but he’s still extremely effective. So far this season, his 0.61 BB/9 is the lowest in the International League. He also has the highest K/BB ratio — 15.29. However, Milone’s most impressive number is his tiny 2.11 FIP. I would love to have a lefty starter with pinpoint control and the ability to keep the ball in the yard. It’s too bad that we can’t actually have him.

In the end, this hypothetical was just a tease. On more than one occasion, I have found myself daydreaming about Tommy Milone in purple pinstripes, only to quickly remember the harsh reality — Dexter Fowler is back in AAA and he’s not going anywhere. If I were to propose this trade to Nationals Baseball today, I bet they’d turn it down.

If anyone wants me to take over as GM for Dan O’Dowd, feel free to start a petition. I’m happy to take the job. For the next decade, I’ll work hard to build the farm system, making certain that everyone vastly overrates the prospects. By doing this, my tenure will endure years of consistent mediocrity. In other words, the status quo would continue.