Ty Wigginton Anyone?
by KevinV on Dec 15, 2008 9:35 AM EST
94 comments
It seems that the Astros have Non-Tendered him. He was due to make $7-8M in 2009 from arbitration.
His numbers in Houston in 2008 were very strong, much stronger than I would expect in 2009. James predicts a drop to an OPS of .800, from .876 in 2008. His previous AL numbers were very Casey Blake-y. Defensively he seems average at 3B. He can even play a passable 2B.
I think signing him would be a decent move, giving us more depth at both of our weak positions and locking in slightly above league average offense at either position.
The downside would be that it would pretty much be the end of the line for Marte. While I personally don't want to give up on him forever yet, I think the FO already has.
Blake got $17.5M/3 years. I wouldn't want to give Wigginton 3 years, but I think I could stomach $13M/2 years. One year with a team option would be ideal.
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I’d be willing to “get Wiggi with it” for a year.
I’d like at least one offensive signing this offseason.
by JulioBernazard on Dec 15, 2008 10:46 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I would prefere to give Barfield a shot, if he fails in we are still in the race bring up Luis Valbuena or make a trade for a 2nd baseman.
Fan in Texas
by fanintexas on Dec 15, 2008 11:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
i think barfield may be joining my circle of blah with ben fran and garko.
Anti-Ben Fran before it was cool.
by Gradyforpresident on Dec 15, 2008 11:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
May be joining? He was the first member of mine.
Burn on, big river, burn on...
by Turkmenbashi on Dec 15, 2008 12:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You may be dead to me now.
Still the local "Barfield Bounces Back Believer" and confident that Gutz will succeed in Seattle.
by mjmarble on Dec 15, 2008 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Haha, I keed, I keed. I loved Barfield when we got him, but I’ve never really been as down on Francisco as most folks here are. Garko sux though.
Burn on, big river, burn on...
by Turkmenbashi on Dec 15, 2008 3:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t understand the dislike of Ben Fran. Coming through the system he looked like a good 4th OFer, and lo and behold, he’s a good 4th OFer.
by APV on Dec 15, 2008 3:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Being down on Ben Fran is actually being down on fans who overrate Ben Fran.
by afh4 on Dec 15, 2008 3:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That’s basically the same thing as hating a band simply because it’s popular. Doesn’t make sense to me. I dig BenFran for what he is, a solid 4th outfielder as APV said.
Burn on, big river, burn on...
by Turkmenbashi on Dec 15, 2008 3:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t agree. We can pretty accurately assess Francisco’s objective value, whereas with a certain band that can’t be done. If the perception of Francisco is incorrect in most eyes, it deserves to be called out.
But then again I’m the local Ben Fran hater, so …
Anti-Ben Fran before it was cool.
by Gradyforpresident on Dec 15, 2008 5:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I am king of try to hard to make analogies fit
Burn on, big river, burn on...
by Turkmenbashi on Dec 15, 2008 5:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
*too hard
Burn on, big river, burn on...
by Turkmenbashi on Dec 15, 2008 5:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I would think that if someone could cover all three OFs AND perform at league average, he would get a chance to start. Having a league average batter as your fourth best OFer would, in my opinion, be quite a luxury for us. Francisco is just used more than a 4th OFer, and that’s my problem with him.
by ManchildinBeantown on Dec 15, 2008 5:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Blast. I dunno how this happened, but this was supposed to be a response to Gradyforpresident’s post below (re: defenitions of a 4th outfielder).
by ManchildinBeantown on Dec 15, 2008 5:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I see what you’re saying, but a plus defender with a weak bat is more important to me in a 4th OF.
Anti-Ben Fran before it was cool.
by Gradyforpresident on Dec 15, 2008 5:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, well I’m very much in agreement with you there.
by ManchildinBeantown on Dec 15, 2008 5:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hello GFP,
With all due respect, Gutierrez had more value than BenFran did in a trade, which is why Gutz is no longer here.
Additionally, I think we can agree that there are bigger problems/issues on this team than whether BenFran is starting in LF or has a roster spot on this team. For instance:
Who will be the #3 starter behind Lee and Carmona?
Can Lee and Carmona perform as expected?
Who will become our #4 and #5 starters?
How will our INF line up amongst 3B, SS, and 2B?
Do Barfield and/or Marte fit on this team? If not, what happens to them (trade DFA, AAA, etc.)
Will Hafner and Martinez return to their “norms” (I’m especially skeptical of Hafner)?
Those are bigger problems/issues in my mind in regards to the Indians when it comes to the 2009 season rather than whether BenFran is starting in LF or is even on our roster.
Realize that if BenFran was not on this team right now, Dellucci would most assuredly be starting for us in LF? Now, tell me, which one would you rather have out there – a 27-YO who has played all 3 OF positions and who can provide some pop in the bottom part of our order or a 35-YO OFer who is barely passable in LF and who has not had a strong offensive season since 2005? My choice is for the former (Francisco) over the latter (Dellucci).
Additionally, the trading of Gutz helped to address two problems that were bigger issues than BenFran being on this team or even starting in LF – the bullpen, which was a major reason for the 2008 collapse, and the INF, which has become a problem because Marte and Barfield both have failed to perform, and are arguably, bigger problems than BenFran because neither of them have done more for the Indians than BenFran has, and both were much more highly-touted than BenFran ever was.
Additionally, how do we know what BenFran can do with a bat when he’s had all of 509 ML ABs, essentially 1 season’s worth? That sample size doesn’t really take into account any adjustments he might make to the league, who adjusted to him over the course of last season. In addition, he was batting part of last year in the #3 hole; I don’t think anyone expects BenFran to be a #3 hitter, but given a regular chance down in the bottom of the lineup, I think he could probably outperform Gutierrez offensively and probably could hit around 20 HRs or so.
Why is that so distasteful to you? Really, I don’t get it, especially when you consider the other options we have available or we’ve had out there recently (Michaels, Dellucci), and no, I don’t believe the Indians are in that strongly on Dunn, who probably will go for closer to what Ibanez got, as I can’t see him accepting too little; it will just take time for the market to set, especially in regards to Tex, Manny, and Abreu. After guys like that are off the market, there will be more interest in Dunn, and chances are, Dunn will wait until that point to sign; why would he rush to get it done now? It’s not like every team’s OF is set.
Just my 2 cents.
The "cream of the crop" doesn't always rise to the top.
by indiansfan on Dec 15, 2008 7:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
To be fair, if we were to take the “bigger issues” argument to its logical end, we’d have no business talking about baseball at all, because there are bigger problems in the world.
I’m admittedly a horrible lurker, but while lurking I’ve noticed that some of the most ardent anti-Franciscos also make contributions to LGT that heavily outweigh their occasional negative points.
Everybody’s got something they dislike irrationally. So long as that’s not all they ever post, I don’t see the harm in letting them hate a little.
(indiansfan, I know that you’re defending Francisco more than attacking GFP; that last line wasn’t really directed at you.)
by ManchildinBeantown on Dec 16, 2008 12:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i’m pretty sure i’ve never made an actual substantial contribution to LGT
Anti-Ben Fran before it was cool.
by Gradyforpresident on Dec 16, 2008 1:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And after 13,000 posts, that is impressive.
by Jay on Dec 16, 2008 1:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Join the club
Burn on, big river, burn on...
by Turkmenbashi on Dec 16, 2008 10:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
There’s a difference between calling out the overratedness (but still liking the thing a smallish, justified amount) and going so far as disliking the thing just because it’s overrated…
by Logodaedalus on Dec 15, 2008 6:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t know. I really don’t see the reason for any affection for him. Seems like if Laporta is ready by mid-May and Ben Fran is in his way, he’ll just be another Dellicheals – albeit younger.
Anti-Ben Fran before it was cool.
by Gradyforpresident on Dec 15, 2008 7:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Could be, but I don’t see any reason for active hatred of him either, separated from his overratedness…
by Logodaedalus on Dec 15, 2008 7:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I see little reason to think LaPorta will be ready by mid-May. He did well in Double-A but wasn’t exactly blowing the doors off the place.
by Jay on Dec 15, 2008 10:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Coming through the system he looked like a good 4th OFer, and lo and behold, he’s a good 4th OFer.
Does the front office know this?
Right now, he’s our starting left fielder, right?
by NickFantana on Dec 15, 2008 3:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah but isn’t part of the role of 4th outfielder to be a stop-gap until a better option is found?
Burn on, big river, burn on...
by Turkmenbashi on Dec 15, 2008 3:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
exactly – he’s serving that 4th OFer role of being a cheap place holder
by APV on Dec 15, 2008 4:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I’m not convinced that the phrase “stop-gap” or “cheap place holder” is adequate to describe being the starting left fielder. Implicit in that phrase is either some sort of negative (injury, usually) or an impending positive (LaPorta.)
But, to me, if the argument against a better left fielder is LaPorta, then the answer is Ryan Garko. In my opinion, between Hafner, Garko and Francisco, there’s room for immediate, right now improvement. I further believe that immediate improvement would not impact the utopian fantasy of Mills, Weglarz, LaPorta, and Brantley all clamoring for playing time by April 1, 2010 or thereabouts, oft cited as the argument against such improvement.
In summary, I think the front office is making a mistake if they don’t add another currently viable bat to the LF/1B/DH mix.
by NickFantana on Dec 15, 2008 4:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
There’s only so many issues the front office can address given their financial restraints. I’m sure they’d ideally like another LF/1B/DH but a starting pitcher and a 3rd/2nd/SS is more important.
There’s a difference between a hole on the team and a position that could be upgraded.
by world dictator on Dec 17, 2008 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
True, but there might be much easier, more affordable, and more more effective options to improve a spot (I can’t really speak the realistic options right now, don’t have the expertise) than to fill a hole.
It’s possible, if not generally probable, to garner a larger net gain to the team by improving one spot instead of filling a “hole”.
by danvail on Dec 19, 2008 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
+1!
The "cream of the crop" doesn't always rise to the top.
by indiansfan on Dec 15, 2008 7:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
whoa how did you reply to three comments at the exact same time. My computer almost blew up? Well done sir.
by hans on Dec 15, 2008 7:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
He’s league average at the position with the bat. After factoring in all of baseball, he’s slightly below average. His defense is better than league average. I know his defense doesn’t always look good out there, but I think people are forgetting what other people’s left field defense looks like.
The guy is not a difference maker, but he’s not a liability. He’s a fifth round draft pick so he’s already surpassed any reasonable expectation that could have been expected. He’s never been preferred over a better alternative. In fact, Dellichaels was favored over him to start the year. He’s never done anything off the field to suggest he’s a dolt. Never said anything stupid in the paper. Basically not much to dislike.
But no, we don’t like him because some people in the Cleveland media think he’s better than he really is. Great reason.
by ClarkM on Dec 15, 2008 4:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
He is better than Dellichaels, there’s no question about that.
Helium Watch: Chuck Lofgren, OF
by jhon on Dec 15, 2008 4:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
+1!
The "cream of the crop" doesn't always rise to the top.
by indiansfan on Dec 15, 2008 7:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I like Ben Fran as well. 15 homers, 32 doubles. He can do an adequate job out there until LaPorta is ready
by Roger Dorn on Dec 15, 2008 3:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
We might have different definitions of 4th outfielder. When I think 4th outfielder, I think someone who can cover all OF positions in case of an injury and perform at league average. I don’t think Ben Fran is even league average in LF when you factor in his offense and defense – and if he is, its just barely, and at the least difficult of the OF positions.
Anti-Ben Fran before it was cool.
by Gradyforpresident on Dec 15, 2008 5:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hello again GFP,
No offense, but I think you’re putting too much value on the 4th OFer in regards to what other teams have for a 4th OFer – how many 4th OFers do you see out there that play excellent defense AND perform at league average?
If these guys were that great offensively and defensively, do you really think they’d be 4th OFers? Of course not – they’d be starting for some team. Essentially, all “4th OFers” have a flaw or two about them, offensively and/or defensively, that relegates them to 4th OFers. BenFran is no different in that regard, so certainly, he should at least have a place on the roster.
And thinking about it more, how many starting OFers have great offense AND great defense? Very few, so again, that should not preclude BenFran from starting in LF if he’s the best option we have, and right now, he IS.
The stats and others seem to think that BenFran is better in the OF than you and a few others are thinking; personally, I think you’re letting one or two bad plays skew your judgment of BenFran’s defense – he did NOT always look bad or slow in the OF. I recall one bad play in LF and one bad play in RF where I think the ball got past him each time, mostly due to his taking a poor route to the ball (a weakness that the Indians had said they wanted BenFran to work on down in the Minors). I remember at least two diving catches in LF, and one of them I’m pretty sure was actually a good play, not because he made a mistake or was slow going after the ball. Realize he did play all 3 OF positions in the Minors – while that doesn’t necessitate him being a great or even good OFer, he did play all those positions over the course of his Minor League career, so he obviously has the ability to move out there and cover in a pinch. And being that LF is the weakest defensive position, usually with the least ground to cover, BenFran will most likely be fine out there as the starter in LF until a better option comes along (LaPorta, Brantley, etc.) And as I’ve said before, he’s definitely better than Dellucci (and Dunn also – I’ve seen Dunn and he is SLOW out there; his range is really limited), so BenFran still gets the nod defensively in my book.
Just my 2 cents.
The "cream of the crop" doesn't always rise to the top.
by indiansfan on Dec 15, 2008 7:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I’d like to take the defense of the more-esteemed Andrew and say, people, its a feeling. i’m not saying we should trade him or cut him, but dear god let me relish in my dislike.
Anti-Ben Fran before it was cool.
by Gradyforpresident on Dec 15, 2008 9:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Fair enough, as long as we allow others to exercise this “feelings” rule freely.
Burn on, big river, burn on...
by Turkmenbashi on Dec 15, 2008 9:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It will take me a while to get over the horror that was Josh’s 2007 season.
And those are just his batting splits. It’s hard to find any light shining through it. It looks solidly awful to me.
How many Indians have, in recent memory, performed so badly? Phillips could at least field.
Is Josh’s ’07 worst season by an Indian in the Jacobs Field era? I believe that it is.
Helium Watch: Chuck Lofgren, OF
by jhon on Dec 15, 2008 3:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I decided to find out if the Barfield 2007 (.243/.270/.324, OPS+ of 54) was the the worst season of the Jacobs Field Era. Other contestants include:
- In 1998 Sandy Alomar was comparably awful with a .235/.270/.352 line (OPS+ of 59). -Chris Magruder managed a .217/.261/.353 line in 2002 that got him an OPS+ of 64.
- Brandon Phillips, in 2003, posted a .208/.242/.311, complete with a 48 OPS+.
- That same year, Jhonny Peralta managed a .227/.295/.326 that earned him a 67 OPS+.
I kept it to batters and tried to also limit it to players who got significant time. Barfield may have been awful, but he has company.
by fwembt on Dec 15, 2008 4:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Magruder and Peralta had fewer than 300 PAs I believe.
It’s between Phillips, Alomar, and Barfield at that point. Sandy gets a pass from me for his defensive ability at Catcher (am I overrating this?).
Factoring in glove work, I guess it’s a toss up between Phillips and J-Barf, but Barf had an even longer audition.
It was pretty damned awful, and there are no mitigating factors that prop it up.
Helium Watch: Chuck Lofgren, OF
by jhon on Dec 15, 2008 4:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
considering Barf isn’t great at 2B and Phillips is a pretty good IF, the defense has to give the nod to BP. I don’t know if its enough to makeup for 6 points of OPS+. Alomar gets a pass, not only for being a catcher, but also doing significantly better at the plate than Phillips and slightly better than Barfield. Plus, Alomar had 1997.
by Ryan Kelsey on Dec 15, 2008 4:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I’m pretty sure Sandy was playing most of 1998 hurt. He also gets a pass for an incredible 1997
by Roger Dorn on Dec 15, 2008 5:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
In any given year, about 8 hitters will get at least as many PAs as Josh, Brandon, and Sandy all had.
15 years of Jacobs field x 8 ~~ 120 seasons. Phillips and Barfield have the two worst of those.
Helium Watch: Chuck Lofgren, OF
by jhon on Dec 15, 2008 6:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Wow, I don’t ever remember Sandy Alomar being that awful.
Burn on, big river, burn on...
by Turkmenbashi on Dec 15, 2008 5:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
fanboy goggles. see also “we should sign omar vizquel” at any point since he left
by Brick. on Dec 15, 2008 5:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn’t mind signing him to a 1-year deal, but nothing more than that. He’s cashing in on the best season of his career, but those numbers were largely inflated by his home ballpark (sub .700 OPS on the road, 1.080 at home).
What are the thoughts on signing Mark Grudzielanek to a 1-year deal. His nothing special with the bat, though he does hit for good average and doesn’t strikeout much, but his defense is definately above-average. He would provide a nice stopgap for Valbuena.
by JP_Frost on Dec 15, 2008 11:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I think if Grudz could be gotten on a 1-year deal it would be a good signing. Possibly even a 2-year deal if the cost isn’t prohibitive for the 2nd year.
by APV on Dec 15, 2008 11:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I read a couple sources that said that Wigginton’s defense was actually less than average so in addition to his numbers being inflated by his homepark, I would be cautious as well. I would be fine with a one year deal, I guess, but NOTHING more because anything more would be blocking youngsters next year at either second base (Valbuena and Barfield(?)) or third base (Hodges) who would be much cheaper. Also, a better one year target may be a more defensive minded IFer. Grudzielanek maybe if he comes very cheap or Crede if he passes his physical and it is a one year incentive-laden deal. Or a trade for Brian Roberts which was reasonable would be really cool, but I doubt that the Orioles will do that.
by Kenyafan on Dec 15, 2008 12:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I can see going with a defensive guy for the IF as a perfectly valid option. But is Grud that much better than Carrol? Is that difference worth the extra money?
by KevinV on Dec 15, 2008 12:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I was going to say, don’t we have a cheaper Grudge named “Jamey Carroll”?
by JulioBernazard on Dec 15, 2008 3:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The idea would be to keep Carroll as a true utility guy, and use Grudz as a semi-regular 2B depending on how Barf/Valbuena perform. While those two are in Columbus, the combination of Grudz and Carroll can man 2B. If he were signed to a 2-year deal, he can take Carroll’s role as utility guy for 2010.
by APV on Dec 15, 2008 3:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
This is a situation where I agree with the “we can’t afford him because other teams will pay more” argument. Cleveland will value Wigginton as an .800 OPS player, but somebody else out there will probably pay him as an .876 player.
by cleveland teamer on Dec 15, 2008 11:46 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I don’t think he will be very overvalued. The Astro’s didn’t value him as a .876 player. They turned down having him for 1 year at $7-8M, while having no viable alternatives in the system. They wouldn’t do that if you thought he were likely to have another season like 2008.
by KevinV on Dec 15, 2008 11:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It’s troubling that Houston wouldn’t tender him. Given those reasons you mention, it seems like any reasonable GM would go ahead with the arbitration.
He really does seem like a slightly more consistent and younger Casey Blake. I wonder how long it would take him to grow a beard.
by danvail on Dec 15, 2008 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Still, its seems like there’s some value in signing him and moving him. Wouldn’t the one year reasonable price deal be pretty market friendly?
by danvail on Dec 15, 2008 12:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
or they could not tender him a contract and not have to worry about getting stuck with him. i presume they looked into dealing him before this decision.
by Brick. on Dec 15, 2008 1:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
There was speculation about his being traded a few months back. A Houston fan even came here to discuss it in relation to a potential Peavy trade.
by KevinV on Dec 15, 2008 1:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That’s a good thought, but they might have felt that the projected return was minimal enough that they didn’t want to get tangled up in that.
by Jay on Dec 15, 2008 1:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn’t be troubled by any decision the Houston FO makes (unless I were an Astros fan), as I’m not confident Drayton really knows what the *#%$@ he’s doing with that team.
by ManchildinBeantown on Dec 15, 2008 4:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Not really — with less than a full season in the books at that level, he won’t get a long-term deal. I won’t be surprised if nobody offers him two years.
by Jay on Dec 15, 2008 12:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I would rather spend 6-7m on Jason Johnson than Wigginton and I can’t stand Jason.
Fan in Texas
by fanintexas on Dec 15, 2008 2:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
if I gave you some money out of my walet would that help?
Fan in Texas
by fanintexas on Dec 15, 2008 3:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I could see signing Wigginton for the Casey Blake Memorial Fantasy Role (spotting at a few positions, giving Choo a break against lefties, getting maybe 400 or so ABs) as opposed to the Casey Blake Memorial Reality Role (setting him down at third and forgetting about him). Oddly enough, I’d really be interested if we ended up signing Dunn or (my preference) Abreu for LF, as I think spotting Wigginton around the diamond is useful only if the rest of the lineup is pretty well set, and heavily tilted to the left.
Of course, if I were Ty Wigginton coming off of my best season, I’m not so sure I’d be amenable to that, provided I had offers to start full time elsewhere.
by ManchildinBeantown on Dec 15, 2008 5:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
if people don’t like BenFran in LF, they’ll hate Abreu.
by JulioBernazard on Dec 15, 2008 5:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Defensively? Because I’ll take Abreu’s offense.
by ManchildinBeantown on Dec 15, 2008 5:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That might be the best use of his talents, but we will not sign a guy to be a $6M+ super utility guy. As we saw with Blake, if TW signs, he will be a starter.
Wiggington isn’t my first choice of position players to sign. I’d much rather send our remaining $ on better offnse from a Dunn, Burrel or Abreu. But I think we will get priced out of that market. Since Wigginton is eerily similar to Blake, and we know the Indians like Blake better than Marte, it wouldn’t surprise me to see us signing Wiggington.
by KevinV on Dec 15, 2008 5:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well, exactly, although I’m more optimistic about our chances of signing a better LFer in this buyer’s market.
Truth be told, I wouldn’t be heartbroken if we didn’t end up signing anyone else, for either the outfield or the infield. I know the guys we have on the farm aren’t necessarily world-beater (yet), but oh man have we got a whole lotta stuff to throw against the wall. Heck, we’ll be starting three leftfielders in Columbus alone.
by ManchildinBeantown on Dec 15, 2008 5:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
We have money to spend and less than stellar outlooks at 1B, SS/2B/3B, LF and maybe DH.
If we don’t bring in some kind of bat to upgrade at least one of those spots, I will be disappointed.
by KevinV on Dec 15, 2008 6:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Peralta’s offense at 3B would be average. If Cabrera hits like he did in 2007 or post-Buffalo 2008 his defense at SS. The Indians have some position-related offensive stars (Sizemore, Martinez, Shoppach, Peralta). The good thing about the lineup is that there should only be one black hole if the Jhonny shift happens, and that will be at 2B. If Garko bombs, Vic will just play more 1B and Shoppach can catch.
I’m really not concerned about the offense. I think the Indians really need to find a way to get a starting pitcher. I’m comfortable with Lewis and Laffey, but not Sowers or Reyes.
by xrickx on Dec 15, 2008 9:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I didn’t finish my Cabrera sentence: If he hits like he did in 2007 or post-Buffalo 2008, his defense makes him an above average player. He’s not Juan Uribe.
by xrickx on Dec 15, 2008 9:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I was trying to say 1B and LF could stand some improvement as could one of SS, 2B or 3B (depending on where they use Jhonny & Droobs), not all 3 of them. Vic at 1B is fine with me.
You are right that a #3 starter is the biggest need on the team, but other than Randy Johnson, I don’t see them filling that need in FA. That would leave money on the table, which I think should be used on a position player if they can’t get a #3+ starter.
Which leads me to my meme adopting conclusion:
C’mon she’s seaworthy. Seriously!
by KevinV on Dec 15, 2008 10:31 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
what you can’t see in this picture is that there’s no caulking in between the boards on that ship. it’s all wood on wood contact…
by APV on Dec 15, 2008 10:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That’s fine. The SS RJ is a raft. Think Contiki. Buoyancy.
by KevinV on Dec 15, 2008 10:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Synvisc is holding that ship together
by passed ball on Dec 15, 2008 10:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Daedalus oughtta love the new banner syllogism. I took the news of the trade as hard as anyone, but I can’t dispute this logic.
Helium Watch: Chuck Lofgren, OF
by jhon on Dec 16, 2008 1:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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