Here is the story:

http://seattletimes.com/html/marinersblog/2019714064_why_the_mariners_wont_allow_th.html?syndication=rss

Geoff Baker points to the Mariner's need to stop having a team full of hope and aiming towards one of proven MLB talent (sound familiar). I don't really know how to dive deeper but I will write what I was able to find after some quick searches.

First of all, he names two groups of guys 1-the arm the royals need so bad, and 2-a bat/second arm. He believes the royals will not be satisfied with walker/paxton on their own as they are unproven MLB talent (reason for need of group 2). He then suggests Vargas, which I would be against as he only has 1 year left, and limited upside. The next two guys he mentions I think make the trade very interesting:Jesus Montero or Nick Franklin. I do not want to give up Gordon as we won't be able to get his value back or (by my guess) gradual production decline with age. I am very interested in Montero as he is basically Butler from his rookie year...compare, one of these is Butler's first full year (2008, 124 games) and one is Montero's (135 games). I don't know how to translate minor league numbers to a guess of major league numbers so I will stop at montero.

Player 1 Player 2

BA: .260 .275

AB: 515 443

OPB: .298 .324

Hits: 134 122

BB: 29 33

Homeruns: 15 11

OPS: .685 .724

OPS+: 95 93

Also, here's montero's spray chart...at least 2 of those look like they would be out in kauffman, to the right field. I had no idea safeco was 15 ft deeper than kauffman for right field, that is crazy.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/jesus-montero/hitchart/744597?q=jesus-montero

So if you think of who billy is it's pretty obvious he is player two, already has good on base skills (although montero does seem to choose a few more homeruns over a few more walks). I think trading for both paxton/walker and montero for butler could make up the production very quickly and add that starting pitcher we need so badly. I don't know if dayton could say no to this trade, I don't think I would want him to. I understand billy is our best hitter, but montero was looked at as having elite power potential and a pure hitter while in the minors (albeit it yankee prospects are overrated) What do you think?