Now that the Diamondbacks have hired Kevin Towers to be their new GM, their priority is to assemble an improved bullpen, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney. Olney says it’s likely that the Diamondbacks will part ways with one or two of their hitters this offseason, because their lineup strikes out so much. Here are the rest of Olney’s rumors:
- Former Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch joined the Padres scouting department because he believes they have a “good pro scouting staff in place with some building to do.”
- Rival GMs believe Russell Martin will have some trade value if the Dodgers decide to move him (Twitter link).
- Multiple talent evaluators tell Olney that they see Jayson Werth as a distant second to Carl Crawford among free agent outfielders (Twitter link).
The red sox should trade for martin. Bowden, coello for him. or martin/loney for dice-k(money), bowden, anderson,
One reason Padres have a good scouting department: Kevin Towers. There is better catchers on the FA market than Martin, so that takes down his trade value. Of course Crawford is a distant first, he’s a better fielder, runner, and batter.
He’s not a better hitter. Werth has a career .845 OPS and a .370 wOBA. Crawford has a career .780 OPS and a .347 wOBA. Crawford is the superior defender and baserunner though.
You can’t use OPS with non power hitters. Slugging % skews is so much. Unless you see Ryan Howard as vastly superior to both with his career .947 OPS. It is a flawed stat in situations like this.
Which is why I included wOBA. And I don’t see how Werth having a higher OPS doesn’t make him a better hitter. Crawford is the better defender and baserunner, and may very well be the better overall player. But when it comes down to who’s the better hitter, Werth clearly is.
I still think that Werth will go to the Red Sox.
It’s sad, being both a Red Sox and Phillies fan, but I do have reasoning to back it up.
Look at the Red Sox outfield (when no one is injured)
Ellsbury in left, Cameron in center, and Drew in right.
Now in the 2011 offseason, lets suppose that the Sox do not resign David Ortiz. Just let him walk.
Then you sign Jayson Werth, and move Drew to the DH role, (the only place he isn’t injury prone) and that would be a great lineup.
Still a shame to see him leave Philly, but we’ve all heard that already.
Not true about JD Drew. DH’ing could make him MORE injury prone because he’s not staying loose in the field. Papi should come back and move Werth to LF. Ellsbury back to center. I feel for Cameron but he picked a bad time to sign a two year deal. I don’t think he factors into their plans next season. I look at him as a Julio Lugo type at this point. Injured yes, but still underperformed.
Not to mention Drew is a terrific fielder and the Sox will want to keep his glove in RF as many innings as possible. Injury-prone or not, he’s wasted as a DH.
I see Crawford as a more likely choice than Werth. He simply provides more and is younger. Plus he is a guy that the Sox have coveted since he came up with the Rays.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Phillies make Werth a reasonable offer in November based on what they can afford, he turns it down, and then has to sign with someone else for less money.
I’ll admit I have no idea what the Phils can afford… but they already have more money on the books for the start of next season than they did at the beginning of this one. And that’s before they consider bringing back Moyer (33 more wins!) or going through a few minor arbitration raises. Werth is a Boras man and one of the top FAs… don’t be shocked to see him raking in $14M-$15M a year. I’d think the Phils owners would be a little squeamish about a 50% salary increase from 3 years ago.
Martin is probably going to make 7m in arbitration and he’s coming off a messed up hip as a catcher, not to mention 3 straight years of declining offensive stats.
PTBNL? Sure. Anything of real value? No.
I doubt that Martin will get a 2M raise via arbitration after another disappointing season. Based on his previous raise I would suggest that he might earn close to 6M in 2011.
Fine 6m
I think a $2M raise is actually more on the low end. I think he’s a lock to get at least $7M in arby.
In 09 Martin hit .250/.352/.329. He was worth 2.2WAR, and he agreed to a 1.15M raise avoiding arbitration. This season Martin has put up a line of .248/.347/.332. he has been worth 2.1WAR. With his injury and another disappointing season, I seriously doubt that he gets a better raise than he did last off season. Take his 5.05M salary and add a maximum 1.15M raise and I would think that he will get a max of 6.2M for 2011.
Why don’t the Dodgers send Martin north to Seattle for minor league OF Greg Halman?
I don’t know folks, I keep hearing Martin to Boston Either to Boston Kemp wasn’t happy this year etc. I’m sure LA owner would like to cut payroll without gutting the team so shall we play a little and talk blockbuster here?
To Boston: Kemp, Either, Martin
To LA: Dice K and money, Jacoby, Cameron (and salary), Redick? Bowden? Anderson? Navaro? I don’t know what else not sure what’s enough. Just keep in mind Theo won’t part with Kelly or Iglaciouse
So basically you want the Dodgers productive outfield for our questionable one and a pitcher with a rock for a brain.
Kemp may be having a down year, but the Dodgers won’t sell low and they won’t sell Eithier unless they’re blown away. If Boston goes after Martin it’ll be a small deal. Something along the lines of Bowden and a sleeper prospect.
I just thru out the names others are using and if you read what I wrote, I said let’s play, and I said I don’t know what else it’d take.
The point is for you to name names. I think it’s reasonable to keep in mind money is an issue for LA given the ownership issues.
The Red Sox don’t even have enough minor league talent to trade for Kemp or Ethier individually.
Packaging them both together would require Buchholz, AND whatever top prospects Boston has on the farm. As a starting point.
Umm Kelly is still potential ace material, Kalish is a major league ready outfielder, Rizzo is a power prospect, Doubront is a major league ready pitcher with potential to be a solid #3 on any pitching staff, Reddick still has 20 hr a yr power, Project Prospect recently voted Iglesias to be the top shortstop prospect in baseball, Project Prospect also recently voted Navarro the #2 second baseman prospect in baseball, and Britton is coming off a huge year in Greenville.Add to it Boston is still considered by many to have a top 10 farm system. I’d say you’re kidding yourself to imply Boston doesn’t have the talent in the minors to get a good hitter.
Agreed. And you didn’t even mention any of this year’s draft picks. They are absolutely loaded.
None are tradeable yet.
Yeah that was a pretty ignorant comment by andrewyf. He obviously has no clue exactly how much the Sox have in their farm system and how much many teams would love to have many of their prospects. Most of the Sox good prospects are in the lower levels so in 2 to 3 years that top 10 ranking may turn into a top 2 or 3 ranking.
Andrew (in all of his numerous alts) has consistently maintained that the Red Sox don’t have a single prospect of value. He’s a troll.
I was going to educate him/her but decided he was too much of a homey in LA to see past his team. Thanks for doing it for me.
Don’t forget about the guy who we got for manny delcarmen. We don’t want kemp or werth. Trade bowden, ceollo for Martin.
How about no, Scott?
Don blame him, blame Lou Merloni for repeating a DiceK for Ethier trade offer for the last month on the Saturday morning radio show he’s on.
Who the hell is that? DiceK is GARBAGE, so that is a awesome deal.
A drug test is in order here.
If I were Dodgers, I’d be looking to make a buy-low trade with each other. For ex. something like Kemp for BJ Upton comes to mind. Dodgers can pay some salary and Tampa can add a decent prospect with Upton. I really think Martin and Kemp can turn it around with a change of scenery. I’m not sure what’s the problem with Martin. It seems like he is still getting on base but his average and power numbers are down even though his strikeouts haven’t changed much.I actually wouldn’t mind if Jays traded for Martin. Would be a pretty good buy-low situation. What would Dodgers fans want in return?
How about Dan Schlereth for Stephen Drew? :))
The Phillies might try to semi-low ball Jayson Werth and get lucky. The guy likes playing in Philly, and if they can make him a respectable offer, then there might be a match. The Phillies don’t have many upcoming free agents, but they play big roles. For example, unless he retires and the Phillies go with Vance Worley, I’m sure there is mutual interest between the Phillies and Jamie Moyer. Two guys that have been big for the Phils’ out of the bullpen, Chad Durbin and Jose Contreras, are also free agents. Kyle Kendrick is going to be a Super Two, so I’d really, really like to see him non-tendered.
In a perfect world, the Phillies would be able to use commitments from players that are coming off the books at the end of 2010 (Geoff Jenkins, Adam Eaton, Juan Castro, and Pedro Feliz), a total of 3MM dollars, to resign Chad Durbin, can use a healthy Scott Mathieson to replace an aging Jose Contreras, resolve their fifth starter’s spot, and go over budget to resign Jayson Werth.
I do realize that the world is not perfect though… Lol.
Of course he likes Philly, but he likes his benjamins a lot more.
I guess that’s yet to be determined, no? (Although hiring Scott Boras may be tipping his hand a bit. LOL)
He’ll be 32 next year and has made 13m playing professional baseball. Take taxes and agent fees and that’s more like 6-7m, that’s nothing for a guy hitting FA. If Phillies offer 60m and another team offers 70m, you got to assume he takes the 70m.
Hope Jayson doesen’t go to a hitters park… *cough* Comerica *cough*