"1) Brown is predicted to have similar potential as Belt."

What?!

I didn't realize that Brown was a first baseman. I didn't realize that Brown is projected to hit 25-30+ home runs. Nor did I realize that teams strategized by trading one quality bat because another possible quality bat was on the horizon...at a completely different different position.

Belt and Brown are 2 completely different players so I'm not sure how having one coming up through the system makes trading the other make any sense.

"1) Brown is predicted to have similar potential as Belt."

That's like saying Willy McGee and Dave Kingman had similar potential. Sure, they both had great abilities, but they were completely different players.

"2) Who said anything about it being for a utility player?"

You brought up that they might need to make a trade for middle infield depth. Doesn't matter, either way not going to happen.

"3) The concept of a prospect vs. a non-prospect is for trainwatchers."

Let's be clear about this. Bret Pill is never going have a 50 home runs under any circumstances. Not now, not ever. Not in a million years. Pill is a 27 year old just trying to break into the majors. Belt is a 23 year old who might already be better than Pill right now. There is a very real difference between the two.

"4) I recall Belt was on pace to hit 27, not 30. I may be mistaken. The projections still haven't won him a spot."

You're splitting hairs. 27 hr's if he had a 550 ab season, 30 over a 600ab season. And that was while Belt was hitting .225. If he hit .260 over a full season he'd likely hit 40+hr's.

"5) You seem to think he's Bonds. I'm pretty sold on Belt, but 50 home runs?"

I do not think he's Bonds. Bonds had a better swing and eye. He might not be Bonds, but he might be a young David Ortiz or Prince Fielder. Yeah, I think he has 50 hr potential if he can hit for average at the ML level. And belt has the potential to be a high BA guy. He always was in the minors. Last year he had a hole in his swing and he got exposed and exploited big time. If he can make that adjustment he could be a .300/50hr guy by his late 20s. He has major power already, and power hitters generally don't come into their own until their late 20's. He's 23 right now. By the time he's 27-28 he could be a big time hitter.

"You're really going overboard with Belt's potential; he isn't as good as you're making him out to be."

He isn't that good now, but he sure can be in a few years.

". 50 home runs is an illusion from the steroid that only a handful of big strong guys can do today. "

I think Belt has the type of frame where he could put on a significant amount of muscle. I think he could potentially be a .300 hitter rather than a .225 hitter. Right now he's skinny as <hell and already has 30+ hr power. And IMO he's got a ton of room for improvement.

" If he could, he would have been a top 5 pick back in the 2009 MLB draft. No scouts or analysts agree with your assessment."

Are those the same scouts who missed Pablo Sandoval?

"Belt didn't even hit 30 homers in a season in the minors. His power potential is probably 30-35 jacks IMO."

Last season he hit a HR every 20 ab's. That translates into 30hr's RIGHT NOW. And that's hitting .225. In order for what you're saying to be true, that means Belt will never patch the hole in his swing and at 23 he will never develop more power than he has right now. Those things are not true IMO.

Like I said, I don't even think most giants fans even understand Belt's potential.

"Are those the same scouts who missed Pablo Sandoval?"

Pablo was signed at age 17. It's hard to say anyone "missed" him.

"I see a ton of potential for both, but I doubt the Giants are going to resist trading players based on the fantasy they have the next Fielder in their midst. If they do, it's Pablo. I'd love to be wrong, but Belt is currently fighting for a spot on the roster, not being coddled as a future hall of famer."

Well if you think Pill and Belt have even remotely the same sort of potential then you're just wrong. And you are flat out wrong about Belt. He's got a whole lot more power than people are giving him credit for.

I'm not sure why everyone's operating under the assumption that last year we saw Belt's full potential. That just isn't true.

I hate to see him leave, would have done anything to get rid of Whiteside. But who would even take him at this point?

I guess there was just no room for him, but I'd have kept him over Whiteside. At least there is a pitching prospect.

I think the fact that the FO got something decent for Stewy may have dictated the trade. Whiteside is Fresno roster-filler, while Stewart was worth SOMETHING!

So you guys really feel that last year we saw Belt's maximum power ceiling @ a pace of 30hr's a season? There is no room for improvement there? Really? He doesn't have the potential to put on any muscle? He doesn't have the potential to improve his BA? Both of those things would result in a significant gain in his HRs.

Sorry, but I disagree entirely.

"I'm lost as to why you're under the impression anyone thought Belt played up to his potential last season."

You seem to be suggesting that Belt can't be a big time elite power hitter. In fact most people in this thread seem to think all Belt can be is a 25-30 hr guy. I'm just saying you guys are mistaken. His ceiling is much higher than that.

Not every HR hitter looks like Barry Bonds. Luis Gonzalez isn't going to be mistaken for Prince Fielder any time soon. Nor would Andrew Jones, Ken Griffey Jr, Roger Maris, etc.

"He was on pace for around 30 home runs, but did he hit 30 home runs?"

He can't hit HR's if he's not in the lineup. I'm saying if put in the lineup every day, he will be a 30 hr hitter right now and his pace from last year proves it.

"Over a long season things change."

Ok, but I've yet to see a 22-23 yr old all of a sudden lose their power potential unless some injury is involved.

"He can and will be a .300 hitter but comparing him to Ortiz and Fielder at this stage in his career is crazy. He's not THAT good. "

No where ever did I say that right now Belt is just as good as Prince Fielder. I did not say anything remotely similar to that. I said playing at his ceiling, one day he could develop into a big time power hitter, like Ortiz or Fielder. And he could.

"The hole in his swing was not really affecting his power too much, it was mostly just affecting his ability to identify and make good contact with pitches inside."

Right. And you've got to make contact to hit a HR correct? So it was effecting his HR totals. If he was hitting 300 instead of 225 it is reasonable to believe that he would have hit more hr's as well because he was hitting the ball more often, having more chances to hit one out.

"Panda was a better hitter than he was at the same age. "

Better hitter, definitely. But I was speaking about Belt's power potential. Belt has more power potential than Sandoval IMO.

"The way you speak of him it's like he is a can't miss prospect like Bryce Harper, Alex Rodriguez or Justin Upton, which he is just not."

No, I'm not speaking of him like that. You seem to think when I say "Belt has a high ceiling" that is the same as me saying Brandon Belt is guaranteed to be the next Barry Bonds. Those are not the same things. For all I know Belt could never hit above 250 in his whole career. I have no idea. But what I do know is that he has big time power potential. B

Also, he was a top 25 prospect in all of baseball at this time last year. So yes, he was a prospect and still is IMO. I think if he is simply given enough AB's at a ML level he'll hit just fine. I also think in 3-4 years he'll be one of the best power hitters in the game.

"I see nothing to suggest that he's capable of hitting 50 hr's, that's all I'm saying."

Which is not what I said.

"Maybe he is potentially capable,"

This is what I said. I said by his late 20's he could have that potential. I did not say he will he 50 hr's next year and I do not understand why people seem to think I'm claiming Belt is going to hit 50hr's this season.

"but there is no evidence to that."

Most power hitters do not fully reach their power potential until their late 20's. I really don't think Belt is done developing.