................
Dr. K sez,
If I were Jack, I would be aggressively pursuing a salary dump in the outfield or third base. My criteria would be not too many years left on the deal, say one or two. If you could get Carlos Lee for a bucket of balls, I do it. He doesn't damage your flexibility. I don't want Alfonso Soriano because he has three years left on his deal. Sadly, doesn't look like there are any good salary dump options at 3B.
Alternatively, they wait until the trade deadline and if the M's surprise us, they will have the payroll flexibility to add salary.
What I don't want to do is trade premium youth for expensive veterans. Would you trade Nick Franklin and Taijuan Walker for the privilege of paying David Wright $31M total the next two years?
:50 cpoints:
And Zduriencik has absolutely nothing against short-term hitters:
- Jack Cust for DH last year ... could be (was) even called a reach by Dr. Dimento
- Adam Kennedy at ages 34-35 in the middle infield, "saved" the M's 1st half
- Milton Bradley in LF wasn't going to be here more than a year or two
- Casey Kotchman, a weird glove-first "Moneyball" band-aid, was always going to be a bridge player here
- Eric Byrnes came in as spaghetti against the wall, would have played if he'd been good
- Russell Branyan was used for 1.5 years at ages 33-34, was not part of Z's future
- Sweeney and Griffey
A true Stars & Scrubs GM, such as Billy Beane, isn't married to the idea that every single player has to be here for the 5-year scan.
He uses this process: (1) Sign up your Zitos, Hudsons, Tejadas, Giambis if he can, (2) Get your dynamic ML-ready players flowing into the club, and finally -- as a last step -- (3) Putty in the gaps with quality 1-2 year veterans, Hatteberg / Branyan types.
.
=== Suggestions ===
Youse guys stay on top of this a lot more than I do, but here are a few players who fit Dr. Gaffney's general idea:
Lance Berkman is 36, making $12M, and a free agent at the end of the year. He was rumored to be a trade chip at last July's deadline. He's prominently left-handed, oft-injured, plays some OF and hit 300/400/550 last year.
I'd give valuable prospects, not to say the blue chippers, in this one.
...
David Wright is a little tougher to view as a bridge player: the Mets will try to get a lot for him, and the team that pays it probably wants to think in terms of an extension.
Wright's fractured back, and declining EYE, means that SSI pencils him in for 3-4 WAR at third base, rather than 6-7 WAR. But $16M for 3-4 WAR, at the right side of the D-spectrum, might be the right thing to do for the M's.
I don't think that you are talking two mega-prospects for Wright, not with his health questions. My guess would be one top prospect, if that. Could be wrong.
...
Curtis Granderson is a pending FA this year ($13M team option for 2013), and is a player that Sandy has suggested in the past. With the Yankees and Red Sox in full-on cost savings mode, maybe this is where you put your Prince Fielder money -- a LH, homer-hitting CF in the Josh Hamilton mode.
"Say, Brian, is there anybody other than Felix you'd be interested in for Granderson..." "Well, Jack, there are really only three...."
...
Grady Sizemore might be of interest on a Russell Branyan-type concept. Shane Victorino is a LH* hitting center fielder who is a pending FA. Nick Swisher is a pending FA who hits LH, has a 120 OPS+ established level of performance, and he has been great in Safeco (200+ PA's).
I don't think Swisher is part of the Yankees' future, probably, but he might give the Mariners a nice three years. Again, it's a bit of a stretch to call the 31-year-old Swisher a bridge player, as such, except that his contract is up.
Lifetime, he has hit .290/.375/.540 in Safeco despite a low BABIP here (.288). His walks, his power to straightaway RF, and his attitude play well here.
Not sure who the M's bridge player would be, but Kelly's idea has legs.
Printer-friendly version
