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Cabrera on The Block
If Tigers can pick up a combination of 3-4 major league
an/or and major league ready budding young, low salaried
players ready to have break out years
in exchange for Cabrera, then do it.
Get at least 2 low salaried stud young pitchers'
and a couple of young, low salaried position players
preferably at SS and 3B and "ready to break out"
and maybe a 1-2 highly rated minor leaguers
thrown in.
SF Giants have tons of pitching
and a hot young minor league catcher
and are dying to get a few big bats.
Giants have money to pay Cabrera since
they were giving Bonds something like 20M
per year and have not replaced him yet.
Cabrera to Giants for
1)Madison Baumgardener top rated LHSP
2)Tim Alderson RHSP
3)Ehire Adrianza, ss
and a few top prospects
maybe cather Buster Posey? and another pitcher?
why not trade Cabrera?
his stats look good but do ya all remember how many men he left on base when it counted? he is not a clutch hitter; it wouldn't bother me at all to see him gone and this is aside from whatever issues he has that caused what happened that night at the Townsend (and on other occasions); I think DD is looking at a huge payroll that had high expectations last year and they failed pretty badly. In any other division they would have been nowhere; perhaps he wants to blow it up and rebuild although that would be pretty painful as a fan.
Chris
No question....going with a defensive posture in '09 worked. The club improved and the pitching improved. It was the quickest, cheapest, easiest fix available to DD last off-season. It nearly brought a playoff appearance despite some poor offense from several "unsuspected" sources (I'll go w/"unsuspected" but not "surprising").
But I don't view the proposed deals quite the same as you. I don't care about DD "filling holes" or opening holes in his lineup so much. I think they need to deepen the level of talent in the organization almost across the board....I almost don't care about the position. If they can turn 1 good player into 3 good or potentially good players that will pay off over time in my opinion. (I guess they don't need a 1B w/Cabrera and Strieby in the organization...but otherwise pretty much every spot should be in play) That payoff isn't necessarily precluding contention this year either in my opinion.
Can't wait until the Winter Meetings. Should be fun.
good night all.
Laird
'06 and '08....Laird played 95 games or less and hit pretty well both years. An OPS+ of 105 in '06 and a 91 in '08. More than acceptable.
In '07 and '09, he played 120 and 135 games respectively and had an OPS+ of 64 in both seasons.
So.....platoon playing time suits him at the plate....doesn't wear down and gets more favorable matchups.
Laird
Laird/Avila next year could work well. But without a doubt, they have to work that lefty bat of Avila's in the lineup more and give him more of a platoon or split time role depending on matchups. Laird was pretty awful the majority of the time at the plate, but I do agree he was so good on defense that it was a plus pickup. He unlikely is good enough to be a 130 plus catcher though, more like a 90 game guy, tops.
SD Wingnut
Cabrera hit in the 3 hole for over a 100 ABs this yr - and he hit basically the same there - but his RBI opportunities really dried up. He had only 12 RBI in the 3 hole - and team's worst offensive stretch of the yr came during the month he hit there.
On certain teams - I think he would be a good fit in the 3 - but on this team - I think his fit is the clean up slot. If they had a big LH slugger - I could see him hitting #3. If it's me - Clete and Raburn platoon at lead off this yr - Granderson hits 3rd in front of Cabrera v RH - Mags v LH.
Laird
I'm not making any comment on Avila's chances in '11 or '12 - I probably think as highly as most others regarding those years. At the plate, I thoroughly enjoyed watching his abilities to draw a walk, and work towards getting a pitch he wanted to see/hit. His OBP is his key stat.
But in 2010, I'm of the belief we'll see some significant regression from Avila - most likely down below his minor league numbers, with stretches that are painfully below. My guess is that it will involve at least one extended stay at Toledo - possibly even at the start of the season. ...For the record, Avila's winter stats (after 60ish plate appearances) are .140/.228/.388 avg/obp/slg.
...We haven't seen the last of Dusty Ryan.
Laird
The reason Dombrowski put Laird on the trading block is to avoid paying him 3.3M for platoon work with Avila next season. His 2.8M salary last season paid for itself catching 135 games. But Dombrowski will hesitate giving Gerald a raise to catch around 81 games or less.
My guess is they let Laird go and buy a good defender like Treanor once again for 750,000 to share duties with Avila.
More budget-cutting is what I see at the catcher role next season.
Laird
There might not be many that share this opinion - I don't know - but I thought he was a huge success as a pick up for the Tigers. I thought his game calling ability was a huge uprgrade from Pudge - he shut down other team's running games - and was overall probably was the best defensive catcher in the AL. He didn't do anything at the plate - I know this. I think he got overplayed early - and then late - because down the stretch Leyland didn't trust Avila behind the dish. Avila will have a full ST with the pitching staff next yr - and if he progresses behind the plate - he should earn more PT - and keep Laird fresher - which should help him offensively. But personally - catcher is not a spot I'm even thinking about adding to in this offseason. I'm way fine with Laird - Avila.
San Diego Wingnut
Look at all the other sluggers JL put in the 3 hole, in addition to Cletus. Huff, Guillen and Maggs [1st half]were all rally killers. By putting Miggy in the 3 hole at least he might get a few extra AB's with men on base.
overall regression
Polanco hit .315 after the all star break and won a gold glove at second base. His ability to turn double plays in the ninth inning saved Rodney's bacon in game after game.
If that is "overall regression", I will take nine "overall regressions" at every position on the field.
Shortstop
Hey TD, when have you ever known Patches to "work it right?" Patches sure worked it right when he chose Shelton over Pena. Patches did the same thing with Thames. Thames will hit 35 home runs next year for somebody else, but hey we still have Cletus lol. Laird has a rep of wilting offensively if overworked and yet JL overworked him. Everett's numbers against righties was absolutely non-major league and yet the "Manager of the year" kept trotting him out there. Grandy's offensive approach clearly had changed; however, it took the "Manager of the year" until August before he moved Grandy out of the lead off spot. The tiger offense suffered a great deal because of Grandy leading off and a 240 hitter in the 3 hole. I am sorry but JL is a loser, look at his career record. The only way JL takes this team anywhere is if the majority of them have career years [like in 2006] and JL does not have to make too many decisions.
San Diego Wingnut
As odd as it may seem, the Tigers were 23-16 with Clete in the 3-hole.
Yooper
I'm not quite sure what DD is doing right now. I think he told teams that everyone was available to guage what would happen - and what happened is - Granderson is the guy everyone wants - so I think he's created a bit of frenzy here that he might not have been expecting. As far as him finding a fit in what these team have for Granderson - I say good luck DD - I don't think it's going to happen.
I will say this - I'm of the opinion that DD going defense at C and SS last yr was part of what worked. What didn't work to me was the offense going south in other places - Polanco's terrible first half and overall regression - Guillen injury, Mags 3.5 months of nothing, Granderson and Cabrera's strange years - no help from the help picked up at the deadline... I personally thought that was the problem with the offense - not going defense at C and SS. So I think DD would be overracting horribly if he decides to move Granderson now - because he wants to upgrade the offense at SS and C. I actually think that would be mind-blowingly stupid on his part.
Trust in the defense first plan at C and SS. Work Avila in with Laird as he progresses behind the dish. Don't create a bigger hole elsewhere to bring in a young SS of the future - stick with Everett-iago for another yr if you have to - maybe give Dlugach a chance. Have a plan for what you think is the best way to handle Guillen and Mags to try to keep them healthy and get bounce backs from them (and keep Mags from vesting). Trust Sizemore - he's going to be a good one. Trust Raburn's bat and Clete's potential for forward steps. And if both Cabrera and Granderson are still here - make them the focal points of the offense - they are your two most dynamic players now.
I'm rambling now - but I guess to answer your question - I still believe Granderson will not be traded - that DD will eventually put a lid on this and say - we've looked at it - and the type of packages out there - aren't making us better. If he is traded - along with Jackson - I will believe it will be more about money than baseball - with possibly an overreaction from DD based on trying to get better when he's got so many unmovable pieces that he "forces" a move - that doesn't need to happen. Like you said earlier today - have to wait until you actually know who the players are - before you shoot down a trade. But I have a real hard time coming up with any Granderson trades that I think I'll be down with - from the teams interested right now.
Miner
Lets dont get carried away with 10-run Nate. I remember the articles about how much more flexible 10-run Nate was in ST after all of these new exercises he was doing. The only thing flexible about 10-run Nate was how many more runs per game he allowed in 2009 then in 2008. It would be typical of JL though to put 10-run Nate in the rotation; afterall, JL is the one who put the forum favorite "Cletus" in the 3 hole all year lol.
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