A $16M Dowry for Dan Jr.
Spec Flip: What happens if Johjima goes back to Japan? Doesn't that constitute "retiring" and get the Ms out of the deal -- isn't that what happened with Sasaki?
Couldn't that be mutually arranged?
CHOP: It could, and it had been my assumption that it is what Johjima would, in fact, DO -- if he is told flat-out that he is the backup catcher for 2010.
What had NOT occurred, for whatever reason (probably IQ deficiency) was how much money that lops off the payroll. Joh-san is making $8 large per season.
Johjima can make nice money back in Japan, and he can return as an MLB alumnus, and he can enjoy his last few years of baseball. As Spec notes, this is precisely what Sasaki did.
......................
As many have noticed and as San-Man underlined, Rob Johnson had 10 BB vs. 10 K in July and is rapidly improving at the plate.
How good does Johnson have to be, before you accept 130 games from him at 2010? Not very, if he comes with an $8M cost savings. Dunn & Johnson or Langerhans & Johjima? Thought so.
Johnson's 10 walks in July are very interesting, because we all know that he has respectable gap power. He combo'ed the BB and XBH into a 118 OPS+ in July, and... that led to what, a 270/390/425 line. 10 walks, 5 doubles, and a homer in July. That's 60 walks, 30 doubles, 10 homers over a full season. A nice year from a catcher.
If RJ continues to shrink his strike zone, and strike the pitches into the tween zones, you could see him running a 260/360/420 line in the best-case. That's a real solid hitter. From a glove-first catcher that's a player you could win a pennant with.
......................
Well, I'm about as close to projecting Rob Johnson to a 118 OPS+ as you are but like we say, the guy has a great shot to become Dan Wilson.
Maybe even Dan plus a few walks, and maybe even Dan plus a little power. Danny was a pretty slim guy. RJ could hold a charging DE off of Matt Hasselbeck for a 1-alligator count, if he had to.
Dan Wilson's okay with me, if he comes with a 2 x $8M dowry.
.
Watcher FLIP: Yeah, Dunn should DH, but Griffey/Sweeney at DH > Saunders/Langerhans in LF, and Dunn is better than any of them.
So play Dunn in LF in 2009 through Jr.'s farewell and be happy. You have your super DH in 2010.
CHOP: A creative solution to what is becoming a 2009 quibble.
You've got what, 50-60 games now, and even Dr. D is watching these guys fall back by 22 in the fourth quarter and running out for a quick lemonade.
And even the non-UZR-bound Dr. D is a bit squeamish about putting Adam Dunn in the field if it isn't necessary to break a team offensive slump or something.
So here's an answer. If that is the only thing keeping you from pairing up your Manny-Ortiz Lite in Safeco -- that you don't know where to pencil Dunn's name in for the next 50 games -- then absolutely. Play him in LF *for those games that Griffey DH's anyway.* (Griffey sits a fair amount now, and Dunn can DH those. Finesse it with Junior.)
..................
Again, you don't PREFER to build your offense at 1B and DH. There is nobody, I mean nobody, who emphasizes position scarcity more than Dr. D.
But nothing's an absolute.
Branyan and Dunn, IN THE SAFECO CONTEXT now, are pennant-class mashers. The Boston Red Sox are the template for jamming your #3-#4 hitters into the DH and 1B/LF slots, and going from there.
I think Capt Jack has a real easy path his next contender here, and Manny/Ortiz Lite would surge about twenty yards towards paydirt.
Git 'R Done,
Dr D