I like Will Startup too much.  We better be dealing Ring to somebody for a starter (maybe w/ Wicky?).  But the deadline's already come and gone- just waiting for announcements to trickle out, I guess.

I really thought he could have been the answer to our LOOGY worries in the pen last season, but he kept hiccupping in AAA.  

JS wouldn't have traded him, especially with the UGA ties, if he thought he could do it in the bigs.  He would have jusy released Ledezma and called up Startup.  Royce throws in the 90's from the left side so that must be the difference that caused him to trigger the deal.

Ring (AAA) 4-0 record, 5 HLD and 1 SV, 1.99 ERA  and 1.04 WHIP (11 BB and 22 H) with 44 K through 31.2 IP in 27 G.
Startup (AAA) 3-2 record, 6 HLD and 1 SV, 2.23 ERA and 1.14 WHIP (17 and 38 H) with 47 K through 48.1 IP in 42 G.

Royce has struggled a bit at the ML level in his young career, but he's been to the show and should be ready to help in Atlanta right away.  He's only 3.5 years older than Startup and will be under team control for another 3 years, I believe.  Kind of a lateral move in my opinion (much like I thought the McBride-for-Ledezma deal was) but this one makes more sense because Ring will hit the ground running, where as Ledezma was a starter masquerading as a reliever being squeezed into the wrong role (LOOGY).  The 'pen is much stronger now than it was this morning, not because of Dotel, but rather because of the solid lefties added.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we keeping Ascanio instead of Paronto?

both got some good rips in that game, but they still lost.

despite the fact that brayan is younger and switch hits, i guess the plan is to make him an outfielder.  and we all know bobby has a soft spot for older guys, which is possibly why corky got the nod over peña.