Waiting for Goudeau: Two trades made

The Wild Things have made their first two trades of 2012, one a five-player deal.

Gone are two players signed during the offseason and one of the top offensive players from last year's team.

Washington traded second baseman Scott Lawson, pictured, and outfielder Trevor Bloom to the San Angelo Colts of the North American League in exchange for three players. The Wild Things also dealt right-handed pitcher Mickey Jannis to the Abilene Prairie Dogs of the North American League.

Lawson had the third-best batting average (.280) among Washington's starting position players last year. Hitting out of the leadoff spot, Lawson had nine home runs and 37 RBI and also stole 16 bases. Lawson is a native of Texas. Bloom was a player Washington signed in the offseason out of San Diego Christian College, where new Wild Things manager Chris Bando is the head coach.

In exchange for Lawson and Bloom, Washington gets infielder Clint Stroud and pitchers Andy Wells and Corey Goudeau.

Stroud has one year of experience in independent leagues, bouncing between the Pecos and North American leagues last year. He did hit 14 home runs in 62 games for three teams. Stroud played college ball at Arkansas Tech in NCAA Division II and signed with Joliet of the Frontier League last February, but he never played for the Slammers.

Arkansas Tech, by the way, has one of the most unique nicknames in college sports: the Wonder Boys.

Wells is entering his third season as a pro and has already played for five teams. He was with four teams in three independent leagues last season and compiled a 2-4 record and 7.14 ERA in 14 games (12 starts). He did make two postseason starts for Roswell, which won the Pecos League championship. Wells was 2-0 (2.77 ERA) in those games.

In 2010, Wells pitched three games in the Frontier League with Evansville and was 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA and gave up 10 hits and seven walks in six innings. He played his college ball at two schools, Wagner and Siena.

Goudeau is entering his second season as a pro, splitting last year between two teams in the North American League. He went 2-6 with an 8.38 ERA in 25 games (8 starts). Goudeau was drafted by the Marlins in the 18th round in 2010 out of Frank Phillips College, a junior college in Texas. He reportedly signed with the Marlins, but I find no information about Goudeau playing with an affiliated team.

Jannis was the most experienced player the Wild Things signed during the offseason, having advanced to high-Class A for two games in the Tampa Bay system last year. Jannis pitched in 34 games over two seasons with the Rays.