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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
5,326 comments Add your comment
ncscoots
December 11th, 2012
4:45 pm
Dbacks could end up with Gregorius and not Cabrera.
Towers has said all along that he wanted players with more than two years of control. I know some of that is posturing, but there’s always at least a small grain of truth in such public utterances.
RC
December 11th, 2012
4:46 pm
RC, Ive stated that as for a bench role, yes Bonifacio would have more value. If he’s our answer for an everyday LF’r then its a waste of resources and we havent improved.
I disagree. Just because you wouldn’t be using Bonifacio’s flexibility on an everyday basis doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. Prado’s 2012 season is a great example of that. Even though he was the “everday left fielder”, his versatility helped the team tremendously throughout the season, letting him fill in at 3b, SS, 2b, and 1b at times to enable injured/struggling/resting players a chance to be benched while using a better offensive player as the “replacement” (moving Prado to SS and playing Johnson in LF is an example….Johnson a much better hitter than Pastornicky would have been).
Real Talk
December 11th, 2012
4:47 pm
@RC Bonafacio sux!!!!!!
P'cola Brave
December 11th, 2012
4:47 pm
Something some aren’t thinking of but what about Cabrera for us. Several teams have looked at him for 3B. Could he not do the same for us. Plus hitter. Hits at the top of the lineup. He could be just as good a fit and with two years control.
njbraves
December 11th, 2012
4:49 pm
Teams that were already better than the Braves, Wash and Cincy, continue to get better, while Wren continues to stockpile prospects. Juan Francisco and Reed Johnson starting on opening day… Well done Frank.
ncscoots
December 11th, 2012
4:49 pm
i bet scoots loves randy newman
I do love Randy Newman, and while I didn’t click on the link, I’m guessing it’s “Short People”.
Am I wrong?
Efrim
December 11th, 2012
4:49 pm
Emilio Bonifacio as a Marlin: .271/.332/.345, 83 OPS+
Ben Revere as a Twin: .281/.322/.327, 81 OPS+
Why in the world would we have interest in either of these two players for LF on a team hoping to win 90+ games in 2013?
RC
December 11th, 2012
4:50 pm
As to why the Indians would accept such a small return for Choo, I really don’t think it’s that small of a return. Gregorius is a really highly regarded prospect. I’d say his perceived value in the industry is similar to what Simmons’ perceived value was last offseason (prior to his spring traning and MLB breakout, when there were still big questions about his bat).
Mako
December 11th, 2012
4:51 pm
So they’re really going into next season with Francisco/Constanza as starters….
Unreal. 3rd place
Brava
December 11th, 2012
4:52 pm
Matt Yallof @MattYallofMLB
If #reds #indians trade goes thru, 2012 OBP for Choo .373, Stubbs .277. Choo would reportedly hit lead off for reds
RC
December 11th, 2012
4:54 pm
So they’re really going into next season with Francisco/Constanza as starters….
Unreal. 3rd place
One, there is a plenty of time for them to make another move. Two, even if a move isn’t made, I don’t see any scenario in which Constanza is a starter:
vs RHP
LF – Prado
3b – Francisco
vs. LHP
LF – Johnson
3b – Prado
A Francisco/Johnson platoon could actually be pretty decent.
ncscoots
December 11th, 2012
4:54 pm
So they’re really going into next season with Francisco/Constanza as starters….
Screw that. Gattis a year early. The worst he can do is go bust, which is probably still better performance than you would get from some of the other internal “options”.
ncscoots
December 11th, 2012
4:56 pm
A Francisco/Johnson platoon could actually be pretty decent.
The impossible dream.
unbelievable
December 11th, 2012
4:57 pm
I disagree. Just because you wouldn’t be using Bonifacio’s flexibility on an everyday basis doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. Prado’s 2012 season is a great example of that.
Big difference in offensive production between Prado and Bonifacio also. Just because you are “able” to play more positions doesnt make you as valuable as Martin Prado. End of the day, Bonifacio is a replacement level player thats capable of playing multiple positions. He’s not a starter.
bravesfaninnc
December 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
P’cola Brave – I actually suggested something similar about a week ago. Except I would put Cabrera at 2B and move Uggla over to 3B. Imagine the up the middle defense with Simmons and Cabrera!
Gone Viral
December 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
We would want him because he played every position but pitcher, catcher and 1B in 2011 while maintaining a .360 OBP in 640 plate appearances. He’s not a full-fledged solution but he is a nice piece.
Mako
December 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
“A Francisco/Johnson platoon could actually be pretty decent.”
Yeah and Francoeur could have a .900 OPS season
Efrim
December 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
If #reds #indians trade goes thru, 2012 OBP for Choo .373, Stubbs .277. Choo would reportedly hit lead off for reds
So funny that Mark Bowman kept saying the Braves don’t really need a leadoff hitter because the Reds had a terrible OBP in 2012 and still scored a lot of runs….
Well, looks like Walt has identified a weakness and is looking to address it with a “premium” player.
RC
December 11th, 2012
5:00 pm
A Francisco/Johnson platoon could actually be pretty decent.
The impossible dream.
Just to see, I plugged in Francisco and Johnson’s 2012 numbers in, weighting them 35% Johnson and 65% Francisco, since that’s about the split of RHP to LHP in the league. The result:
.268/.313./.465
Not great, but certainly not terrible. It helps that the “bad half” of the platoon is against RHP, when you would expect the rest of the team to perform better.
nolie
December 11th, 2012
5:01 pm
Here are the 25 Honorable Mention players of all time per ESPN Top 100
#125……Roy Campanella, C 1948-57
#124……Arky Vaughan, SS 1932-48
#123……Don Drysdale, RHP 1956-69
#122……Edgar Martinwz, DH 1987-2004
#121……Ed Delahanty, LF/1B 1888-1903
#120……Billy Williams, LF 1959-76
#119……Rube Waddell, LHP 1897-1910
#118……Lou Boudreau, SS 1938-52
#117……Sam Crawford, OF 1899-1917
#116……Dennis Eckersley, RHP 1975-98
#115……Tim Keefe, RHP 1880-93
#114……George Sisler, 1B
#113……Bill Dickey, C 1928-1946
#112……Ryne Sandberg, 2B 1981-97
#111……Pud Galvin, RHP 1875-92
#110……Harry Heilmann, RF 1914-32
#109……Don Sutton, RHP 1966-88
#108……Rafael Palmeiro, 1B 1986-2005
#107……Johnny Mize, 1B 1936-42 1946-53
#106……Whitey Ford, LHP 1950-67
#105……Curt Schilling, RHP 1988-2007
#104……Dave Winfield, RF 1973-95
#103……Eddie Plank, LHP 1901-14 1916-17
#102……Shoeless Joe Jackson, LF 1908-1920
#101……Luke Appling “Old aches and pains”, SS 1930-50
Efrim
December 11th, 2012
5:02 pm
Hmm. Asdrubal Cabrera for 3B would be interesting, I guess. Not sure he is worth the bounty if the Phillies package of Worley and two prospects was rejected, though.
unbelievable
December 11th, 2012
5:03 pm
We would want him because he played every position but pitcher, catcher and 1B in 2011 while maintaining a .360 OBP in 640 plate appearances.
So I guess we should ignore his 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012 seasons? Why are we just looking at 2011 where he had an abnormal .372BABIP which inflated his AVG/OBP? He’s a .270/.330/.340 player with speed. Perfect for a super utility role. Nothing more.
ChattTownBrian
December 11th, 2012
5:05 pm
Here’s my take … I do understand why a GM would want to put some money in the piggy bank for a rainy day as it appears ours may be doing. What I would say is that you also want to sell tickets to an excited fan. Upton alone doesn’t get my excited level all that high and I doubt I’m alone on that. You’ve lost Chipper which is a major hit. It is a bigger blow than even I think most realize. FW almost has to do better than Reed Johnson and his left handed brother in LF if he wants more fans in those seats.
JasonInFL
December 11th, 2012
5:05 pm
So, if the D-Backs get their SS from Cleveland, any chance they take Teheran in a package…
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:05 pm
Jeff Passan @JeffPassan
Royals championship odds jumped from 100/1 to 40/1 after Shields trade. Tri-favorites: Dodgers, Nationals and Tigers at 17/2, per @BovadaLV.
Efrim
December 11th, 2012
5:05 pm
Deep in talks has taken a while. Usually when news breaks like this – minutes later KRo comes in with “Team A acquires Player B” sort of tweet.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:07 pm
DKnobler @DKnobler
Also on those @BovadaLV odds: Blue Jays now 10-1, behind only Tigers in AL
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:10 pm
I checked and Braves odds are 16-1 on that site.
TennesseePaul
December 11th, 2012
5:10 pm
Gotta think no left fielder is coming. Choo was by far the best option rumored to be available. So Biff will be in left field, splitting time with Prado as he bounces between third and left.
Really looking forward to seeing that $30M player Wren is targeting for mid-season acquisition. Hope it isn’t A-Rod.
Interesting how the definition of the term “premium player” has unfolded this off-season.
“We’re going to do some thinking. Might be better to get two players with the money we have available than it would be to get one expensive players.”
Or, it might be even better to get one mediocre player and stash the cash for a mid-season trade… isn’t this team getting Beachy back at the half? That’s like a mid-season trade right there!
Gone Viral
December 11th, 2012
5:11 pm
“Big difference in offensive production between Prado and Bonifacio also. ”
A lot depends on whether 2011 was a fluke for Bonifacio. Prado’s 2011 line was .302/.385/.687. He played three positions. Bonifacio’s 2011 line was .360/.393/.753. He played six positions. In 2012, Prado was better at .359/.438/.796 because he can hit a baseball hard, Bonifacio’s weak spot. A lot depends on whether Bonifacio had a career year in 2011 or he is improving with age. He got off to a solid start before getting injured in May. How much the thumb affected his swing is an unknown. If he is healthy, he is not a bad option. I would prefer Fowler, Willingham, Upton or Choo and have long championed all of them but Upton as potential Braves targets. If we are not in on any of them, Bonifacio is a decent option, assuming a reasonable trade cost.
Venice Jim
December 11th, 2012
5:11 pm
Adam Kilgore @AdamKilgoreWP
100 flavors of awesome. RT @BillShaikin Greinke: “I thought Stan Kasten was, like, the smartest guy I have ever talked to.”
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:11 pm
Jon Morosi @jonmorosi
Choo tried to learn CF when he broke in with Mariners, because Ichiro was in RF. Didn’t go well. But he’s a more confident player now.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 11th, 2012
5:13 pm
All that money we have left…. we can buy a LF at the deadline!
Best option is going off the table, Hart is probably too “premium” for us to pony up the prospects… get ready to see Biff or Schafer out there, or some platoon… and if that happens, this will be Prado’s last year in ATL, he shouldn’t accept being yanked around like a yo-yo.
nolie
December 11th, 2012
5:13 pm
Phil Niekro #100 all time. Sorry I ain’t buying that one
Murph
December 11th, 2012
5:14 pm
I think that Upton and an improved Francisco will make the loss of Chipper and Bourn hurt less. I don’t know that they’ll match or improve on production, but I don’t think the offense is going to fall off a cliff.
That said, I have a hard time believing that this is it… that this is our team. Wren can’t seriously be ok going into next season with the team as it is constructed.
Who is going to go to the ballpark to see this squad? I’ll bet that April ticket sales, before BMac comes back, are the lowest they’ve been in years.
Fans don’t protest with angry letters to the team GM (those not on the blog, at least), they protest with their wallets. Gotta put a compelling product on the field to get fans out to the ballpark. Not a whole lot to get excited about… even though i think they’re going to be about as good as they were in 2012.
Maybe Frank is holding on to that extra $10mil knowing that he’s not going to see the same income next season… gotta keep the lights on.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:16 pm
Gone Viral, I agree with your post.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:17 pm
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
#dodgers are looking at 3b depth but wont be a big name like youkilis. youk has options tho: at least nyy, sea & cle
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:19 pm
paul hoynes @hoynsie
3 team dealing cooking among #Indians, Reds, Arizona. Shin-Soo Choo headed to Cincy. Asdrubal Cabrera not involved as of right now.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:20 pm
Jon Morosi @jonmorosi
Rare that team can find *exactly* what they need offensively, but that is what Reds would have in Choo (AL top 10 in OBP – ‘09, ‘10, ‘12).
nolie
December 11th, 2012
5:20 pm
why would we not think that 2011 was an outlier when all his other seasons are worse?
JasonInFL
December 11th, 2012
5:20 pm
Damn it, Frank. Make it a 4 team deal and go get Upton!
nolie
December 11th, 2012
5:22 pm
NO on Upton. too many potential problems especially since they both have a bit of a ‘tude
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 11th, 2012
5:24 pm
Indians want Upton, my guess, and they’re gonna flip Didi? Surely the Braves can get involved…
Murph
December 11th, 2012
5:24 pm
Damn it, Frank. Make it a 4 team deal and go get Upton!
He lacks the grapes to jump into the fray and deal one of his coveted prospects… not gonna happen.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:24 pm
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
choo could work in CF for #reds because of small ballpark. potentially dynamic offensive OF w/ bruce, ludwick, etc
Hillbilly
December 11th, 2012
5:24 pm
There’s plenty of room in the Internal Options Cabinet for the Juan Francisco Project and the Jose Constanza Projects to be stored….Right between the Scott Throman Project and the Anthony Lerew Project and one shelf below the Tyler Pastornicky, Josh Anderson, and Jordan Schafer Projects.
Mako
December 11th, 2012
5:24 pm
“Rare that team can find *exactly* what they need offensively, but that is what Reds would have in Choo (AL top 10 in OBP – ‘09, ‘10, ‘12).”
That could’ve been the Braves but nope, gotta have a spot for Francisco/Constanza/Schafer. They deserve it!
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 11th, 2012
5:26 pm
“Rare that team can find *exactly* what they need offensively, but that is what Reds would have in Choo (AL top 10 in OBP – ‘09, ‘10, ‘12).”
And we lost a good OBP guy in Bourn, could have added a better one in Choo. But we add more Ks and another streaky hitter, what we don’t need…
Mako
December 11th, 2012
5:26 pm
That should’ve been the Braves
keyLargo
December 11th, 2012
5:29 pm
Three or four years ago the had a few millions of unspent payroll money and no one on the radar to spend it on. I suggest that the Braves could hire 10 extra scouts and and 10 extra minor league instructors/coaches. I ‘ve never had so many people object a post as that one.
I wonder what the results of those hires would have been vs. the Garrett Anderson, Troy Glaus type of player the Braves could get for a couple of million $.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 11th, 2012
5:29 pm
I bet FW would be like… hey, can I join this deal?
Well, what are you offering?
Northcraft and Schlosser.
Who do you want to receive, then????
Justin Upton
BAHAHAHA
JasonInFL
December 11th, 2012
5:29 pm
Noles, he is a helluva lot better than these other options we are talking about! Jose Constanza? Bonifacio, DeJesus…
Bravesfaninnc
December 11th, 2012
5:29 pm
Wait I thought that Upton can block a trade to the Indians.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:29 pm
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
#phillies talked to cubs about domonic brown for soriano swap. but cody ross/other FA more likely now http://cbsprt.co/VS72Y7
JasonInFL
December 11th, 2012
5:30 pm
Is FW vacationing in the DR?
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:31 pm
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
#cubs willing to pay vast portion of soriano’s contract, depending on prospects back. philly will look at free agents 1st
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:33 pm
DKnobler @DKnobler
Cubs also shopped Soriano to Astros as a possible DH, but Astros don’t have enough money (even with Cubs contributing a lot).
Murph
December 11th, 2012
5:33 pm
Wren should go get Soriano from the Cubs. Get ‘em to cover $20mil or so and give up a package of players that doesn’t include Teheran or Delgado.
The guy is good for 25+ HR in ATL. May not play the best defense or have the highest OBP, but he’s a good player still and worth $7-8mil a year for the next 2 years.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 11th, 2012
5:34 pm
It’s alright guys Juan Francisco and some combo of Reed, Gattis, Georgie, Schafer will save us… Those are premium players right there! And, we’re getting back Beachy in August, that’s like making a deadline deal right there…. plus! with having about 10mil in the bank, we can afford to trade for a 20+mil player at the deadline.
Win-win all the way around! We’ll pass those 98 wins Nats (who have gotten better as a team)
Gone Viral
December 11th, 2012
5:34 pm
“why would we not think that 2011 was an outlier when all his other seasons are worse?”
Whenever I talk about players we should consider acquiring, one of the first topics broached is usually age. Bonifacio was great at 26. He was solid at 27 until he injured his thumb, thereby becoming the first of many Marlins 2012 sob stories. I think he’s a better player than he used to be. Since he can play a ton of positions and give us the same flexibility we had when Omar Infante was still here, I like the potential for the move. If you think 2011 was a fluke, I understand why you would not.
Hillbilly
December 11th, 2012
5:35 pm
Wait I thought that Upton can block a trade to the Indians.
I’m betting it’s more likely young pitchers in the Skaggs/Corbin mold going to Cleveland, Choo to Cincinnati, and Gregorius to Arizona with whatever filler is needed. I don’t see Cleveland landing Upton.
P'cola Brave
December 11th, 2012
5:35 pm
Dejesus is really not a bad option. Guy rakes RHP and gets on base at a good clip. Compliments Johnson perfectly. Plus has a decent glove. The chance of Upton happening is slim to none. I’ll take Dejesus
Murph
December 11th, 2012
5:36 pm
1. Simmons
2. Prado
3. Heyward
4. Upton
5. Freeman
6. Soriano
7. BMac
8. Uggla
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:41 pm
John Fay @johnfayman
I’ve been out of pocket all day. Just confirmation that the Gregorius and Stubbs trade for Choo is all but complete. #red
JasonInFL
December 11th, 2012
5:41 pm
Not bad, Murph. Soriano has improved defensively too. Too bad he didn’t have any speed left…
P'cola Brave
December 11th, 2012
5:42 pm
If ARZ gets Gregorious or a SS w/out giving up Upton then they have no reason to move him. They would have the piece they seek while keeping their star attraction.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:42 pm
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
RT @markasaxon Ned Colletti said Dodgers probably done spending, more or less//LAD looks pretty darned good, more or less
Gone Viral
December 11th, 2012
5:42 pm
I do think Wren is dancing with the temptation to wait until spring training to see how some of these guys look. We made absolutely no moves of note last off-season yet we improved five games. As such, holding back the money/prospects to see what is out there in July must be tempting, especially since the price of doing business right now is extraordinary. I believe it’s the wrong move to wait but I understand his dilemma.
P'cola Brave
December 11th, 2012
5:43 pm
Soriano brings you similar production to Upton, minus the defense and SB. Don’t know that its a great fit.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:44 pm
Jerry Crasnick @jcrasnick
I checked with a couple of scouts who see Didi Gregorius as a utility player or average SS on 2nd division club. #reds
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:44 pm
Jerry Crasnick @jcrasnick
Pluses for Gregorius: He runs well and has a good glove & strong throwing arm. Also plays with energy. #reds
ChattTownBrian
December 11th, 2012
5:44 pm
Hardly anybody around here even listens to each other. It’s like a circle of meanness and arrogance that never ends.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:44 pm
Jerry Crasnick @jcrasnick
But Gregorius has a .323 OBP in minors, doesn’t steal bases and has 20 HRs in 1,755 professional ABs. #reds #indians
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:46 pm
NBA @NBA
Michael Jordan hit the practice floor with the @Bobcats to give them a little boost! Photos/Video: http://on.nba.com/UAfd6C
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 11th, 2012
5:46 pm
Jerry Crasnick @jcrasnick
I checked with a couple of scouts who see Didi Gregorius as a utility player or average SS on 2nd division club. #reds
And Towers really loves this guy? Ahmed and Cunningham for Choo sounds better than that trade…
nolie
December 11th, 2012
5:49 pm
Noles, he is a helluva lot better than these other options we are talking about! Jose Constanza? Bonifacio, DeJesus…
nothing to do with talent. there is a reason that mosr companies do not all fraternization between employees and do not let married couples work in the same divisions or even within the company
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:50 pm
Bob Nightengale @BNightengale
The #Dbacks would much prefer getting Gregorius back from the #Indians for young pitching than Cabrera
P'cola Brave
December 11th, 2012
5:50 pm
TOBF
Gregorius isn’t going to be an elite SS but will be a decent one. His OBP will come up w/ age (only 22). His glove isn’t bad and has a pretty strong arm. Like one of them said before he plays with excitement. Fun to watch. He does has some growing up to do though as I witnessed a few pitty parties for himself this year.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:51 pm
Nick Cafardo @nickcafardo
The Phillies have been scouting and talking about Cody Ross since the summer. Would be a good fit at that ballpark if they sign him.
P'cola Brave
December 11th, 2012
5:54 pm
It amazes me what little attention Swisher has gotten this year. Unless its by his choice to sit back and watch it all play out first. The guy has been productive with pretty even home/away splits last few years. I would imagine someone would give him a 3 or 4 yr deal.
nolie
December 11th, 2012
5:55 pm
I like the potential for the move. If you think 2011 was a fluke, I understand why you would not….GV
I do think it is likely a fluke, but well argued. you make good points. I don’t hate the guy, and he is about the level that I have thought all along was what we would likely get. Still disappointing even though I expected such
nolie
December 11th, 2012
5:58 pm
His OBP will come up w/ age (only 22).
no reason to think so, it does not automatically happen like that for most players. many are terrible at it their entire careers
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:58 pm
Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN
Some rival evaluators very impressed with what CIN lineup might be:Choo, Phillips, Votto, Ludwick, Bruce, Frazier, Hanigan, Cozart. Balance.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:59 pm
Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal
Source: #Yankees sign Youkilis, one year, $12M.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
5:59 pm
Bob Nightengale @BNightengale
If the #Dbacks get shortstop in this deal, then they won’t have to insist on getting one back in return in any future Justin Upton trade.
Lew
December 11th, 2012
6:01 pm
Well, that’s it. There are no more possibilites for LF and we no longer have any time left to find someone, anyway.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
6:02 pm
Andy Martino @MartinoNYDN
Whatever was said by and about Dickey today, numbers are numbers, and fact remains that sides closer on $ now. Talks no longer in stalemate.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
6:03 pm
Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal
To clarify on Youkilis and #Yankees: Two sides in agreement, one year, $12M. Deal almost certainly pending physical.
TheOnlyBravesFan
December 11th, 2012
6:03 pm
Bob Nightengale @BNightengale
If the #Dbacks get shortstop in this deal, then they won’t have to insist on getting one back in return in any future Justin Upton trade.
Seems like less reason to move him though… just pitching (which they already have) doesn’t seem like enough. But the Rangers, having good prospects on the offensive side, probably have the advantage.
JasonInFL
December 11th, 2012
6:05 pm
Youk as a Yank…
Rick C
December 11th, 2012
6:06 pm
Good radio interview with BJ Upton here http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2012/12/11/audio-bj-upton-joins-booger-and-rich/
JasonInFL
December 11th, 2012
6:07 pm
We will never be limited in options…there will always be 680 OPS guys around…
Brava
December 11th, 2012
6:10 pm
Like they haven’t spent enough?
Scott Miller @ScottMCBS
Dodger Stadium, in middle of $100 million in renovations this winter pic.twitter.com/6nccxIWd
old man
December 11th, 2012
6:11 pm
RC
I propose that your assessment of a Johnson/Francisco platoon is unfair.
Here are Francisco’s splits against RHP, which are the numbers you used:
.245/ .291/ .477/ .768
But here are his splits as a starter, against both RHP and LHP:
.265/ .296/ .497/ .792
That’s odd, how can he be better in a split which includes RHP and LHP? The reason is that he is an AWFUL pinch hitter, a role in which he had many, many of his at bats last year. You might even say beyond awful. Here is his line as a pinch hitter:
.122/ .217/ .195/ .413
This is even worse–if that’s possible–when you assume, as you should, that he would be asked to pinch hit primarily against RHP. People who are saying he should be in a bench position are nuts. He needs to start, or platoon, or be traded. As a pinch hitter, he is worthless. And this from someone who likes him a lot.
I am guessing that his splits AS A STARTER (or, not as a pinch hitter, which is a slightly different stat, I think), against RHP only, could be exceptional. And that would be his role in a platoon situation. He would start, and he would face RH pitchers.
CAN ANYONE GIVE ME THE LHP/RHP SPLITS FOR FRANCISCO, EXCLUDING PINCH HITTING? Does such a stat exist? I would value 2012 over career, but both would be swell.
So RC, I think including his pinch hitting splits does not tell us about how a Francisco/Johnson or Francisco/Gattis platoon would work.
cabravesfan
December 11th, 2012
6:12 pm
About time they actually renovated Dodger Stadium, instead of just adding luxury seats…
Brava
December 11th, 2012
6:13 pm
Jon Morosi @jonmorosi
#Yankees one-year deals this winter: Rivera, Pettitte, Kuroda, now Youkilis. They *appear* serious about the $189MM limit for 2014
Brava
December 11th, 2012
6:15 pm
Bob Nightengale @BNightengale
The #Yankees plan to play Youkilis at third base, first base and DH. This is a guy they needed.
Brava
December 11th, 2012
6:18 pm
Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1
#Yankees careful to say only “terms” reached. Physical needed. NYY usually very worried about doing deals with plyrs with pre-exist (cont)
Brava
December 11th, 2012
6:18 pm
Joel Sherman @Joelsherman1
back issues, like Youk has at least had. So sure thorough physical coming. But remember they did sign Chavez who had back issues #Yankees
Brava
December 11th, 2012
6:20 pm
Jack Curry @JackCurryYES
With Youkilis in the fold, the Yankees will next look to complete a deal with Ichiro. Source said that could happen in the next 48 hours.