21 Dec
Free Agents: Here’s Who’s Left
From the Free Agents List at MLBTradeRumors:
| Left Fielders | Center Fielders | Right Fielders |
|---|---|---|
| Bobby Abreu (39) | Rick Ankiel (33) | Jeff Baker (32) |
| Endy Chavez (35) | Michael Bourn (30) – declined qualifying offer |
Ben Francisco (31) |
| Johnny Damon (39) | Nyjer Morgan (32) | Ryan Sweeney (28) |
| Mark DeRosa (38) | Scott Podsednik (37) | Nick Swisher (32) – declined qualifying offer |
| Matt Diaz (35) | Grady Sizemore (30) | |
| Kosuke Fukudome (36) | ||
| Scott Hairston (33) | ||
| Bill Hall (33) | ||
| Raul Ibanez (41) | Third Basemen | |
| Austin Kearns (33) | Miguel Cairo (39) | |
| Don Kelly (33) | Chone Figgins (35) | |
| Darnell McDonald (34) | Alberto Gonzalez (30) | |
| Ryan Raburn (32) | Orlando Hudson (35) | |
| Juan Rivera (34) | Brandon Inge (36) | |
| Cody Ross (32) | Adam Kennedy (37) | |
| Vinny Rottino (33) | Jose Lopez (29) | |
| Delmon Young (27) | Scott Rolen (38) |
So… who do ya want?
That’s a list that has very few appealling options on it.
December 21st, 2012 at 10:52 amBourn, but only if he takes a low market 1-year contract. Otherwise, it’s an unlikely trade for someone like Morse, or standing pat.
December 21st, 2012 at 10:52 am#2 The Bourn thing is Talking Chop Very wishful thinking. Not going to happen.
There sure are a lot of guys on that list that won’t get tendered a contract this year effectively ending their careers.
December 21st, 2012 at 10:57 amA Manuel’s bartender friend of mine just called and said he overheard two guys “talking about draft pick compensation and the shortcomings of defensive WAR for outfielders” last night. He said they looked like Cary Grant and Fabio, tipped 75%, and could really hold their liquor.
December 21st, 2012 at 11:04 amAfter adjusting for age since 35 y/o leadoff hitters are rare, Grady Sizemore followed by Austin Kearns look like the best of an unimpressive lot (Bourn excepted). A 1-2 year deal might work.
I don’t know what Boras is thinking for Bourn, but either he has a goal no one else understands or he’s misjudged the market. Maybe he thinks Texas will pony up to replace Hamilton.
I’m not sure that Francisco and Constanza aren’t as good (and with more potential) than just about anyone on the list. Standing pat doesn’t solve the lead-off spot other than put pressure on Simmons and Prado to get on-base.
December 21st, 2012 at 11:10 amRaul Ibanez is 41. I am 41. He looks older than dirt.
December 21st, 2012 at 11:37 amThere was a scene in Louis CK’s TV show (in season 2, I think) where he hooks up with a young woman who is turned on by his expressions of how old he is. At one point while they’re in flagrante delicto he says something like “I’m older than any active major league baseball player…wait, is Jamie Moyer still pitching?” Which I found not only hilarious, but poignant, as I’ve had that exact same thought.
December 21st, 2012 at 11:48 amFlier on Sizemore?
December 21st, 2012 at 12:02 pmI am rarely, if ever, thinking of Jamie Moyer when in flagrante delicto.
December 21st, 2012 at 12:25 pmdidnt Sizemore just have another setback?
December 21st, 2012 at 12:34 pmBraves interested in Scott Hairston
December 21st, 2012 at 12:41 pmJust thought I’d give y’all a heads up, Dale Murphy will be doing an AMA (Ask me anything) on Reddit today at 2.
https://twitter.com/DaleMurphy3/status/281947811413651456
December 21st, 2012 at 12:42 pm#7
At a certain point, I became acutely aware that Jamie Moyer is about 9 months older than me.
Moyer made me finally & fully understand the early-’70s fascination that a lotta people had with George Blanda.
December 21st, 2012 at 1:04 pmOy vey. When you put it like that, maybe standing pat ain’t such a bad idea.
December 21st, 2012 at 1:23 pmexactly
December 21st, 2012 at 2:01 pmWhat would a flier on Kearns (1st choice) or Delmon (distant 2nd) cost?
December 21st, 2012 at 2:09 pm@7 – I think Woody Allen did that, didn’t he?
There’s a fine line between DELAY and RETREAT tactics. At my age, you have to be careful.
December 21st, 2012 at 2:16 pmI think we should just get Sizemore under contract and take him to every known healer (medical, spiritual, bionic, etc.) know to man.
A healthy Grady Sizemore on this team means World Series Champs!
December 21st, 2012 at 2:17 pmI wouldn’t take Delmon if he paid the Braves for the opportunity. He’s a terrible player, not to mention a bad human being.
December 21st, 2012 at 2:25 pmSwisher if he’d take a two-year deal, which I doubt he would.
Bourn if the price is reasonable and the Braves pony up, which I doubt they will.
No thanks to all the rest. Make a trade Wren!
December 21st, 2012 at 2:26 pmI’d take Hairston as a fourth OF or platoon LF — he’s posted some good power numbers the last few years despite playing in pitchers’ parks.
December 21st, 2012 at 2:40 pmI guess Willingham is just never going to happen, is it?
December 21st, 2012 at 2:58 pm21—But isn’t that what Reed Johnson is supposed to be?
December 21st, 2012 at 3:08 pmAs a person who has arvo aged for a Scott Hairston acquisition in the past, I say, maybe we should have thought of that before we signed Reed Johnson?
December 21st, 2012 at 3:08 pmYes, my phone auto corrected “advocated” in to “arvo aged.” No, I don’t know what that could possibly mean.
December 21st, 2012 at 3:10 pmI think I arvo aged a little bit when I heard earlier that “Maneater” is 30 years old today.
December 21st, 2012 at 3:32 pmOh yeah. Maybe so.
December 21st, 2012 at 4:31 pm@18 I love Grady SIzemore but if I was signing him I’d try to work in a second year option. He’s out until June or so and it will probably take him nearly the whole year just to get back into shape. Again, I love this guy’s skills but he’s super rusty and I’m afraid the end may be near.
December 21st, 2012 at 5:12 pmI love Grady Sizemore, but I think that he just isn’t Grady Sizemore any more. His last good year was in 2008. In four years since then, he has played 210 games and had 938 PA (none at all in 2012), and he has hit .234/.314/.413, and he has been worth -14 runs in the field, per DRS.
I know he’s only 30, and his face looks the same, but I just don’t think he has the same body or the same skills that he had five years ago. I think that guy is gone forever. I’m sure he’ll get a flier from somebody, but I wouldn’t pay him more than the minimum. I wish him the best and I hope that he can recover — but I don’t want that to happen on our dime, because the chance of that happening is almost nonexistent.
December 21st, 2012 at 5:24 pmSwisher and Ross are the only 2 guys on that list that are appealing at all.
December 21st, 2012 at 6:09 pmOther than Bourn, that is.
December 21st, 2012 at 6:18 pmD’oh:
December 21st, 2012 at 6:28 pmI’ll take running bare over any of the players listed. I am ready for a study of older players in the post PED era. I submit Nelson Cruz as the poster child of the study.
Much like we heard an eon ago, don’t trust anyone over 30.
December 21st, 2012 at 8:06 pmRoss isnt appealing to me. He was a product of Fenway last year.
December 21st, 2012 at 8:30 pm@34 Totally Agree. Willingham, Upton or let it go at this point, as angry as that makes me, because neither of those is a realistic option.
December 21st, 2012 at 9:24 pm@ 33,
Mark’s goin’ streeeaakiiiinnng!!!
December 21st, 2012 at 11:53 pmMatty Diaz deserves some love. I will give him my vote as sympathy.
December 21st, 2012 at 11:55 pm@33, 36 – Running bare might seem more comfortable, for the first quarter mile. But even the shortest bare running outing will inevitably lead to serious chafing.
December 21st, 2012 at 11:56 pm@JimBowdenESPNxm
With the Diamondbacks signing of Cody Ross does this mean that Jason Kubel gets traded…or maybe even Justin Upton? hmmmmmm
PLEASE!!!!
December 22nd, 2012 at 12:07 pmUmmm yes please. Move Gattis back to catcher then.
December 22nd, 2012 at 1:59 pmThings Jim Bowden Says is almost universally distinct, categorically, from Things That Are True.
December 22nd, 2012 at 5:04 pmThis is not an impressive list of available players. If I had to choose one, Ryan Sweeney makes sense in left field. He’s a career .280 hitter who gets on base at a .340 clip.
Look up and down our lineup from this past season. Unimpressive in terms of batting average…and now take away Chipper. I mean, unless you find .230 averages impressive.
December 22nd, 2012 at 5:20 pmDon’t crush my dreams, Sam, it’s nearly Christmas.
December 22nd, 2012 at 5:25 pmThe Diamondbacks have four outfielders right now: Cody Ross, Jason Kubel, Justin Upton, and Gerardo Parra. So it’s likely, though not a given, that they’ll trade one.
Of course, if the Braves were a good trade partner for Upton then they would have traded us Upton already. So either they’ll have to lower their demands, or we’re not getting him.
December 22nd, 2012 at 6:15 pmI’ve always liked Parra. But I suppose he’s the best candidate they’ve got to play CF.
December 22nd, 2012 at 6:39 pmWeird for the D-Backs to sign Ross if they plan to keep all of Upton, Parra, and Kubel. I could live with any of the three.
December 22nd, 2012 at 6:42 pmThey’ve been running a negative PR campaign against Upton since last season, which is the main reason I’ve got a sliver of hope they’d move him.
December 22nd, 2012 at 7:03 pmI could be talked into Kubel, but Parra does not impress me. His most hrs in a year were 8 and he stole 15 bases max in a season. He is young (26 next year) and is a good fielder, but not much of an upgrade over a platoon of Gattis, Prado, and Francisco in my opinion.
December 22nd, 2012 at 7:28 pmDon’t crush my dreams, Sam, it’s nearly Christmas.
Bah. Humbug.
They’ve been running a negative PR campaign against Upton since last season, which is the main reason I’ve got a sliver of hope they’d move him.
I don’t think there’s any doubt ARZ wants to move Upton. The question is if the Braves line up with them. The Braves said no to Simmons, which means the Dbacks would have to accept Ahmed.
December 22nd, 2012 at 7:30 pm@49 You’re probably right, I’m not sure we match up either. But they did get a SS in a deal earlier this winter, correct?
December 22nd, 2012 at 7:39 pmThey got Gregorius, if you think he can start next year. Maybe he can. They have questionable pitching overall, so could match up with the Braves
December 22nd, 2012 at 7:52 pmI’ve heard that they were looking for relievers, and we certainly have plenty of those.
December 22nd, 2012 at 8:43 pmThe D’backs have their shortstop. They may move Upton for young pitching.
December 23rd, 2012 at 3:09 amHmmm.
Delgado/Gilmartin/EO’F for J. Upton.
Get smitty’s barber on the phone!
December 23rd, 2012 at 8:29 amNew thread.
December 23rd, 2012 at 9:53 am