Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

by KevinV on Jan 4, 2008 2:43 PM EST

With the Oakland rebuilding firesale in full swing I think it makes sense for us to take a shot at getting Huston Street.

He's a legitmate shutdown closer and is under club control for the next 3 years. The only slight down side to him is the elbow injury he had last year that knocked him out for 6 weeks or so. He was extremely effective after coming back though so I'd personally disregard it.

I would of course be nervous about making any sort of deal with Beane, with him possibly being Marginally better at bargaining than Satan himself. But to get something this perfect for our 2008 team, I would definately pay a lot to help us win now. But after the Swisher deal I am not optimistic about prying a piece like Street away at a price that won't cause a major long term damage.

How much do you think Beane would demand? Do you think Shapiro would pay Beane's price?

Personally I don't know what it would cost but doubt Shapiro has the stomach for any sort of impact trade like this. We have been playing with notions like this all off season with Rios, Haren, Bay and others. Shapiro isn't going to make any sort of "win in 2008" move if it much impacts 2009+.

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Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

Pony up? Not a chance. Old, miserly Shapiro is too busy helping Scrooge McDolan count his money and laugh all the way to the bank.

Serious answer? I'd love to see Huston Street in a Tribe uni. But what else does Oakland need? Maybe BenFran and a few lower level/high ceiling prospects?

And I'm not scared of Beane... he's got a reputation because there's a book about him. I'm confident Shap is smarter.

Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Jan 4, 2008 3:16 PM EST reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

Street alone - no.

Package Marte, an excess starter, and one of our middle infield prospects (Hodges, Rodriguez) and see if we can get Street and Chavez.

That would give us a legitimate 3B and Blake can be uber-utility grizzly, for when Chavez has to miss a couple weeks.

"Hey, you! Get off our lawn!" -- New Detroit Tigers Team Motto

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by woodsmeister on Jan 4, 2008 4:54 PM EST reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

Wait, the Eric Chavez who just turned 30, makes $11MM a year, and put up a .306 OBP last year? That's the guy you want to trade for?

I'd keep Marte out of that deal just to save the $11MM per season for the next 3 years, and happily give up, say, Lofgren and Josh Rodriguez for Street.

by mrich on Jan 4, 2008 5:18 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

Yes. That's the guy. Last year, he clearly played hurt. I'm not ready to believe that he's done yet. He's one of the best fielding 3B in the business, and when he's healthy, he hits.

Hey - I've been on the "play Marte and see what happens bandwagon" as long as anybody else here. I had "Unofficial Andy Marte Apologist" as my sig for a long time. The only reason we should trade Marte is if we can get a guy like Chavez back. Yes, he's expensive. Yes, he's an injury risk. But if he's out there, and healthy, he's the stud 3B that this board has been crying for. Taking Chavez off their hands might actually lower the price for Street.

Boston didn't really want Mike Lowell, either, but they had to take him to get Beckett. It seems to have worked out for them.

"Hey, you! Get off our lawn!" -- New Detroit Tigers Team Motto

Pronk Needs You

by woodsmeister on Jan 5, 2008 10:20 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

Lowell of course is a poor model for any acquisition (I'm pretty sure), but I agree with the basic point.

The Indians ought to be looking either to give Marte an extended shot as the starter this April, or to trade him in the course of upgrading the position to someone better than Blake and more established than Marte. Any other course, i.e., sticking with Blake while making Marte a bench player, would be not only unbearable but also one of the dumber things the Indians have done in years.

by Jay on Jan 6, 2008 12:17 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

Screw this. Great peripherals, but a save% less then 80%, injury history and a position of strength (albeit unpredicatable) for the Indians.

Haren, worth it! Swisher, worth it! Not Street.

by crazymoloh on Jan 4, 2008 6:21 PM EST reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

Would we rather have Blanton than the young guys or Lee???

by Tribe Alive on Jan 4, 2008 6:30 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

no blanton, please. He's vastly overrated. He's better than Lee, but he's not that much better than Laffey. The difference isn't worth the cost because of Blanton's perceived value.

by hans on Jan 4, 2008 10:45 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

I wouldn't pay nearly the price for Street that I would have for Haren. But I would be willing to give up some real value to get him. An excellent closer under control for 3 years? What's not to like?

I wouldn't consider closer a strength. Perhaps they can extract another servicable year from JoBo, but may he falls apart physically or he loses his Wickman like ability to escape with the lead intact. Either way he is not likely a solution past this year.

I don't think they really want to force Raffy to close anyway.

by KevinV on Jan 4, 2008 11:04 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

any talk of marte sends me into a tailspin of schizophrenia---its hard to believe anyone still believes this guy can play---lets all say "bust" together and have a kumbaya moment and get over it. so, yeah, i would trade marte for street straight up---in fact i would trade marte for coco crisp or any other box of cereal as long as they throw in the milk.

by rustyparts on Jan 6, 2008 11:48 AM EST reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

You're about to get added to the Ground Rules.

by Jay on Jan 6, 2008 12:55 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

LOL

Predictable hatred=ground rules.

All Truth Goes Through Three Stages ... It is ridiculed It is violently opposed Finally, it is accepted as self-evident LGT resident kinesiologist

by E5 on Jan 6, 2008 5:01 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

Glad you appreciate it.

It's treatment reserved for making the same not-particularly-brilliant and antagonistic observation more than a dozen times.

by Jay on Jan 6, 2008 6:43 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

I don't think Shapiro would pony up for Huston Street for many reasons.

Some are as follows.

His injury risk
the prospects needed to acquire him

(Lewis, Lofgren,?)

3. We are ready have some internal options that
could be cheaper and equally as talented.

All Truth Goes Through Three Stages ... It is ridiculed It is violently opposed Finally, it is accepted as self-evident LGT resident kinesiologist

by E5 on Jan 6, 2008 11:09 PM EST reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

Good points all. I would hate to part with someone along the lines of Lofgren when "closers" can be found almost anywhere.

I swear, next year is it.

by Brad D on Jan 7, 2008 10:40 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Would Shapiro pony up for Huston Street?

no thanx!!! i think i'd rather have "sesame street". hee-hee!!! no but seriously though, it's one thing to sign guys who have an injury history to incentive-laden free agent contracts, because then you're simply out the money if he doesn't bounce back from the injury. but it's quite another to trade for such a guy as you have to give up some players in exchange and then if he doesn't pan out, that puts you even further behind the 8-ball. i would just as soon see the tribe just avoid this street and focus more on what is best for what will transpire in 2008 at the corner of ontario and carnegie streets and at an even more specific corner, namely the left-field corner in jacobs field and filling it with the likes of somebody like a jason bay. we can only hope.

by davemanddd on Jan 7, 2008 1:28 AM EST reply actions