Loretta to Astros

[B]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2719795

[AllStarMe]

DeRosa at 3/13M or Loretta at 1/2.5M (3.5M w/ incentives). I'm pretty sure I know which one I'd choose. Come on Hendry, WTH?

[UMFan83]

Wow, what a screw job. Loretta would have been a perfect 1-2 year segway to EPatt.

[craig]

DeRosa at 3/13M or Loretta at 1/2.5M (3.5M w/ incentives). I'm pretty sure I know which one I'd choose. Come on Hendry, WTH?

 

With all respect, I'm not sure I see why Loretta is obviously preferable.

1. He turns 36 this season, and is getting old.

2. I don't believe his defense is very good. I don't have all the defensive metrics, but his range factor (I know, it isn't great, but it's the easy one to find) has been below-average for the last couple years. By almost half-a-player-per-game his last year in NL. I don't think Loretta offers any defensive advantage relative to DeRosa.

3. Loretta has OPS'd at .706 and .707 the last two years. Given his age, I'd guess that his recent output is probably a better predictor of future than what he was 3+ years ago. DeRosa had an .813 OPS last year. He's not likely to repeat that, but neither is he likely to fall was below his career norm and fall down to Loretta's .707 level. I don't think Loretta offers any offensive advantage relative to DeRosa.

 

Loretta appears to be the inferior player offensively and probably defensively.

 

Which may be why he's gotten so little market. And why Boston didn't even consider bringing him back, despite his modest price.

[RynoRules]

Wow, his OPS is lower than I thought.

[rawaction]

Wonder why he would go there, with Biggio set in stone at 2B. He's not a very good option at 1B, SS, or 3B if he has to play there.

[Bruno7481]

Trade for Chris Burke

[baseball7897]

Trade for Chris Burke

 

Cubs already have a simliar player in Ryan Theriot.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

While this is a good signing, I still have to wonder why unless the Astros plan on moving Burke to CF.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Trade for Chris Burke

 

Cubs already have a simliar player in Ryan Theriot.

 

I think Burke is better than Theriot.

[Bruno7481]

Trade for Chris Burke

 

Cubs already have a simliar player in Ryan Theriot.

 

I think Burke is better than Theriot.

 

A lot better, compare the numbers through their minor league careers.

 

Honestly surprised Houston hasn't given him a regular shot yet. 2B is his natural position, they moved hiom to the OF to move Biggio back, and now they have signed Loretta.

 

I think Burke would provide more than Loretta anyway.

[Jon]

He couldn't even get Blanco money? Who is his agent?

[Hosak8]

Trade for Chris Burke

 

Cubs already have a simliar player in Ryan Theriot.

 

Please tell me you were joking? Please?

[AllStarMe]

DeRosa at 3/13M or Loretta at 1/2.5M (3.5M w/ incentives). I'm pretty sure I know which one I'd choose. Come on Hendry, WTH?

 

With all respect, I'm not sure I see why Loretta is obviously preferable.

1. He turns 36 this season, and is getting old.

2. I don't believe his defense is very good. I don't have all the defensive metrics, but his range factor (I know, it isn't great, but it's the easy one to find) has been below-average for the last couple years. By almost half-a-player-per-game his last year in NL. I don't think Loretta offers any defensive advantage relative to DeRosa.

3. Loretta has OPS'd at .706 and .707 the last two years. Given his age, I'd guess that his recent output is probably a better predictor of future than what he was 3+ years ago. DeRosa had an .813 OPS last year. He's not likely to repeat that, but neither is he likely to fall was below his career norm and fall down to Loretta's .707 level. I don't think Loretta offers any offensive advantage relative to DeRosa.

 

Loretta appears to be the inferior player offensively and probably defensively.

 

Which may be why he's gotten so little market. And why Boston didn't even consider bringing him back, despite his modest price.

 

While Loretta is trending downward, his patient approach makes his game less likely to decline as sharply with age as other players whose game is based on speed or power. I guess the age difference is more substantial than I previously thought, but DeRosa is no spring chicken either. The fact that Loretta has demonstrated more sustained success throughout his career made me lean in his favor, as well as his higher BB rate and lower K rate. I didn't really consider the gap in defense to be significant.

 

Neither player is a true diference maker. But I would guess that in 2007, they will probably post similiar numbers if playing full time, with DeRosa having a slight edge in SLG and Loretta in OBP. I certainly wouldn't want Loretta for 3 years, but I think he would've made a decent stopgap for a season, especially at the bargain basement price.

 

Of course I hope that I'm wrong and DeRosa excels while Loretta stinks it up in Houston.

[A New Era]

Trade for Chris Burke

 

Cubs already have a simliar player in Ryan Theriot.

 

Please tell me you were joking? Please?

 

Neifi Perez and Sammy sosa were simular.

[NorthsideAvenger]

While this is a good signing, I still have to wonder why unless the Astros plan on moving Burke to CF.

 

That's the plan. I thought you knew this, Vance, I mean they did open up CF after the trade of Wily "Don't call me Juan Pierre, cause I play like Pierre" Tavares?

 

The signing only affects Craig Biggio and not Chris Burke.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

While this is a good signing, I still have to wonder why unless the Astros plan on moving Burke to CF.

 

That's the plan. I thought you knew this, Vance, I mean they did open up CF after the trade of Wily "Don't call me Juan Pierre, cause I play like Pierre" Tavares?

 

The signing only affects Craig Biggio and not Chris Burke.

 

The Astros would have been better off to give Burke second and go after another CF. Biggio is only worth anything when batting at home against lefties.

[NorthsideAvenger]

While this is a good signing, I still have to wonder why unless the Astros plan on moving Burke to CF.

 

That's the plan. I thought you knew this, Vance, I mean they did open up CF after the trade of Wily "Don't call me Juan Pierre, cause I play like Pierre" Tavares?

 

The signing only affects Craig Biggio and not Chris Burke.

 

The Astros would have been better off to give Burke second and go after another CF. Biggio is only worth anything when batting at home against lefties.

 

Perhaps, but he Astros think Burke is a better bet in CF then 2B, so.

[Elrhino]

I heard people clamoring for him all offseason, but frankly I never understood the fascination with a 35 year old, .700 OPS hitter with a horrible glove. What next? Steve Finley?

[cheapseats]

I heard people clamoring for him all offseason, but frankly I never understood the fascination with a 35 year old, .700 OPS hitter with a horrible glove. What next? Steve Finley?

 

Mark Derosa, in the best year of his career last year, didn't even meet Loretta's career OBP mark.

 

I'd much rather have one year of Loretta than three years of Derosa.

 

For everything that Ned Colletti gets wrong, and he gets almost everything wrong, he's done well with the length of contracts to guys like Schmidt and Furcal.

[illiniguy]

I thought Hunter Pence was going to be given a chance to win the cf job?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I thought Hunter Pence was going to be given a chance to win the cf job?

 

He's probably better than any of the other options.

[Elrhino]

Mark Derosa, in the best year of his career last year, didn't even meet Loretta's career OBP mark.

 

And Steve Finley put up a .900 OPS in 2000. Doesn't much change the fact that he's washed up now, though.

[SouthSideRyan]

While this is a good signing, I still have to wonder why unless the Astros plan on moving Burke to CF.

 

They plan on doing what they do with every transaction they make. Finding a way to stop Morgan Ensberg from seeing the field.

[cheapseats]

Mark Derosa, in the best year of his career last year, didn't even meet Loretta's career OBP mark.

 

And Steve Finley put up a .900 OPS in 2000. Doesn't much change the fact that he's washed up now, though.

 

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/oracle/discussion/cubs_signed_derosa/

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/oracle/discussion/2007_zips_projections_boston_red_sox/

 

Again, we're paying Derosa more per year for three years when it's likely that Loretta will provide as much, if not more, value next year.