The Press Release:
The TORONTO BLUE JAYS have acquired OF ANTHONY GOSE from the Houston Astros in exchange for 1B BRETT WALLACE. GOSE was acquired by the Astros earlier today from the Philadelphia Phillies.
GOSE, 19, has appeared in 103 games this season batting .263 for Clearwater, the Philadelphia Phillies affiliate in the Florida State League (A). The 6-1, 190 lb., left-handed hitter has collected 17 doubles, 11 triples, four home runs with 20 RBI while adding 36 stolen bases. The Paramount, California native was the Phillies second round selection in the 2008 First Year Player Draft. In 2009, he led all minor league players with 76 stolen bases while hitting .259 for Lakewood of the South Atlantic League (A).
WALLACE, 23, has hit .301 this season with Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League (AAA) with 24 doubles, 18 home runs and 61 runs batted in. The 6-2, 205 lb. left-handed hitting first baseman was in his first year with the Blue Jays organization after being acquired from the Oakland Athletics on December 16, 2009 in exchange for OF Michael Taylor. Wallace was originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2008 First Year Player Draft.
Tom Back. This one is a huge surprise. We all figured Wallace was our first baseman of the future. Gose is supposed to be fast but this year he has 36 steals with 27 caught stealing. That's a sign that you should stop trying to steal. Off the first look I really don't understand.
Update: Here is a scouting report on Gose off Minor League Ball, he was the Phillies number 5 prospect according to John Sickels:
5) Anthony Gose, OF, Grade C+: Love the speed, youth, and the athleticism. Don't like the high strikeout rate for a guy without much power. Most advanced of the uber-tools players collected in this system in recent drafts.
Brett Wallace on the other hand was, by his list, our number one prospect:
1) Brett Wallace, 1B-3B, Grade B+: Didn't hit quite as well as expected last year but I still believe in the bat.
IF you want to think of it this way we had Michael Taylor, traded him for Wallace who we have now traded for Gose. Would anyone have traded Taylor for Gose? Minor league numbers for each. Anthony Gose, Michael Taylor, Brett Wallace. Maybe you would, Gose is just 19, where as Taylor is 24.