Snell and French locked an' loaded
FLIP: French is supposed to be help for 2009, huh?
CHOP: See Cool Papa's post "This is troubling" in the Aug. 1 pepper.
Every word he says is exactly mine.
On KJR, Capt Jack was very emphatic: this is the deal that got us both help down the road and HELP RIGHT NOW. Therefore I took this deal.
Which, supposing for a moment that you and I are right, and French is a Garrett Olson-level fringe SP, is alarming.
I know that the script is to praise Zduriencik's genius on every move individually, but on the surface of it, this one looks alarmingly misjudged.
She's over-bored and self assurrrrrrred ... I know, I know, a dirty worrrrrd ....
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Again as Cool Papa notes, the thought process is ransomed IF AND ONLY IF they have good reason to believe we have underestimated French -- say, if his command turns out to be Moyeresque. Don't waste a lot of time worrying about this. If Detroit had seen pinpoint command from a guy with that kind of hook, they'd be pencilling him into their #2-3 slot for the next six years, not us.
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There is value in a #6-7 SP. On real MLB teams, #6 SP is in essence a position, comparable to utility infielder or #4 outfielder.
If Zduriencik is saying, we got our #6 SP and he doesn't cost us a dime off the payroll* then I can respect that. But to trade Jarrod Washburn for that?
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G-Moneyball, and Matty. compare Luke French to John Halama. How did poor li'l Dr. D not think of that one? Good show.
Among the comps: Halam-a-rama was AAA-stomping only towards the end of his minors career, like French. Both have 87 fastballs and very sweet, big-breaking, David Wells curve balls. Both will knock around the bigs and log some innings.
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Allow me to respectfully demur, as to what a decent changeup means for a pitcher like this. Most of these lefty bad-FB good-SL guys do have changes, which play like sloppy versions of their sliders. I don't expect the change (which French does have) to impact his game. Just my $0.02.
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I do like G-Money's case for: "But Luke DOES have a plus change-speed/batter-eye-height weapon. I think he can hang in the back of the rotation just fine, and he HAS finally put it together. He also cares more about baseball than Halama ever did."
And, of course, all of our template guys for French -- Zito, Liriano, RRS, etc -- their hooks do change eye height. Which provides them what little 12" wooden shields they have against the ballistas of the AL mashers.
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On KJR, they had the script that Washburn's trade meant that the M's had quit, and then Zduriencik came on and explained very carefully that he had brought in 3 (actually 5, with Bedard and Beltre) players to replace one. "It's not a future direction; it's a different direction."
After the break, Gas went right back to the script. "So we had Zduriencik on, and he pretty much said, well, they're 8 games out and the writing is on the wall..." These guys are unSTOPpable. :- )
I DO like the fact that Zduriencik is putting THIS MUCH effort into the 2009 (and 010) games. Even the Washburn trade?
Cheers,
Dr D