Check Orlando Hudson Off the List
by Ryan on Dec 2, 2008 9:47 AM EST
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PrintThe Indians have ruled out committing to a multiple-year contract for Orlando Hudson because of injury concerns. Which in effect says that they aren't going to sign him, for someone else is going to give him a multiple-year contract. For a team that saw their two biggest investments (Jake Westbrook and Travis Hafner) come down with major injuries last year, perhaps this is understandable. Hudson broke his wrist in August, and players with wrist injuries tend to take a while to get back to their former hitting prowess.
The problem with removing Hudson from consideration is that there isn't really a second all-around free agent second option at second base. Mark Grudzielanek and Ray Durham would probably be OK on one-year deals, but both are old by the position standards. And is signing either of those two worth taking the trouble to move Jhonny Peralta to third for?
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Short answer: no.
Longer answer: Casey Blake and Eric Wedge just felt their beards stiffen in anticipation of the inevitable.
by mcrose on Dec 2, 2008 10:07 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
Is Tony Fernandez still available? What about Robbie Thompson, maybe he wants to try a come back?
Somebody reassure me that the Indians aren’t going to largely stand pat going into 2009!!!
This moves me more onto the Adrian Beltre bandwagon (I’m continuing to assume the “Andy Marte one last shot” bandwagon was loaded with bricks and driven into Lake Erie).
Seattle’s on the hook for him for $12M and Seattle is not going to be good. Getting him would obviously cost us something pretty decent, but I wouldn’t think anything too excessive (maybe one good prospect, one or two lower prospects). He’s played at least 143 games 7 years running. I’d take him strictly for his defense, but his offense would seem to big a big plus as well.
oh yeah…Beltre has limited trade veto rights in his contract, don’t know if the Indians are one of the teams he’s allowed to say no to.
I’d like to see us go after Beltre and if he costs too much, try for Kelly Johnson from the Braves. The Braves have a lot of middle infield depth relative to other teams
If you were on the SS Ellis I assume you have no problem with the SS Beltre.
Except for money.
Steel Nick
Maybe (hopefully?) the money he’s due will make him less valuable on the trade market. I’d be happy to pay him $12 mil for one year, especially if by doing so we are able to give up less talent in return.
by Peter Bendix on Dec 5, 2008 10:38 AM EST up reply actions
whereas some around here have a long post for beltre
by Brick. on Dec 2, 2008 10:56 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I’m continuing to assume the "Andy Marte one last shot" bandwagon was loaded with bricks and driven into Lake Erie).
More like filled with cement and dropped over the Mariana Trench.
true…Lake Erie’s shallow waters make just about everything recoverable
by APV on Dec 2, 2008 1:49 PM EST up reply actions
If Atlanta can’t get Peavy or can get Peavy without giving up Yunel Escobar, they are rumored to be shopping 2B Kelly Johnson. Then, they’d give 2B to Martin Prado. But if they move Escobar, they may need Prado elsewhere, leaving Johnson at 2B.
If Atlanta keeps Escobar, I think Johnson is a perfect target.
You know, the source for this story about Hudson is Paul Hoynes, who doesn’t really say where he got his information from. The report may be completely accurate, and it has the ring of truth to it (I’d hesitate to make a long-term commitment to a guy with injury risk too). Still, it’s not an official announcement either. Just thought I’d point this out.
Yeah, I wrote my first comment before actually clicking on the link and realizing it was Hoynsie’s sunday blurb. I don’t take it as anything official, and somehow I doubt they gave both Hudson and Furcal a conclusive physical evaluation before Thanksgiving.
Hoynes has never been a definitive outlet for Tribe info, especially if he’s the sole source.
He did turn out to be right on the mechanics of the CC PTBNL. Hoynes is an idiot, but whoever is the beat reporter for the PD will have (and by used by) good team sources.
Maybe the quest for the perfect infielder should just be called off. Lots of teams have weak hitting middle infielders. The Indians put together an impressive 2007 with Blake and Barfield/Cabrera (fresh out of AA) playing every day. There are three warm bodies on board now to man the third infiield spot. Should the emphasis be placed elsewhere? Revive the search for the mythical corner bat? Beef up the pitching staff?
The Indians have pounded a lot of sand into this rathole. A big deal to get Marte. A medium-sized deal to get Barfield. The Phillips fiasco. And the only success has come from a toss-away deal that netted Astrubal.
I’d be all for putting some serious resources into a long-term fix for 2B, given the lack of prospects. Short-term solutions are starting to look very expensive and there are other needs on this team.
The Indians have pounded a lot of sand into this rathole. A big deal to get Marte. A medium-sized deal to get Barfield. The Phillips fiasco. And the only success has come from a toss-away deal that netted Astrubal.
Yeah, it’s pretty disgusting if you look at the talent traded/thrown away to try to fill those spots.
I could also mention A. Boone and the short-lived Crowe experiment, but they didn’t really cost anything.
It’s not an overwhelming amount of talent (if you exclude BP as a special circumstance). Just a lot of resources that could have been better used. Kouz and Coco aren’t great talents, but each was very tradable at the time and both deals seemed to set us up nicely for the near future. That is to say, to avoid being in the position we’re in now.
Consider the funding limitations, I would prefer that they beef up their pitching and/or a corner outfielder, pick up a cheap middle infielder (assuming that Barfield is done), and go with an infield of Peralta (at 3rd), Cabrera, Carroll, Garko/Victor/Pronk. I’m no sabrematrician but that seems like a better allocation of resources than chasing after overpaid, injury prone middle infielders.
MLB2PDX!!! (someday...)
by The Cactus Leaguer on Dec 3, 2008 10:36 PM EST reply actions
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