Cordero?

[moorecg]

From ESPN:

 

Risk vs. reward

Apr 28 - There are rumblings that the Nationals might decide to deal closer Chad Cordero during this season, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Cordero, who led the majors in saves in 2005, has been the subject of trade rumors before, but the team was reluctant to part with him and didn't pull the trigger.

 

If Cordero is moved this time, Washington likely would insist on receiving starting pitchers in return, with at least one ready for the major leagues.

 

 

 

So...what about Marshall/Mateo, Jones and Cash? He'd solidify our bullpen a bit.

[Balsa]

No, no, no, and no.

 

Codero had one good year in 2005, and has the benefit of RFK. He's not a very good pitcher, and would be a horrible acquisition.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

No, no, no, and no.

 

Codero had one good year in 2005, and has the benefit of RFK. He's not a very good pitcher, and would be a horrible acquisition.

 

What was wrong with his 2006?

[moorecg]

No, no, no, and no.

 

Codero had one good year in 2005, and has the benefit of RFK. He's not a very good pitcher, and would be a horrible acquisition.

 

What was wrong with his 2006?

 

Kinda what I was thinking...he saved 30 games for a team that won only 70....he's no savior...but he'd be ok in the pen and just as importantly we'd clear up some of the outfield trainwreck.

[jersey cubs fan]

No, no, no, and no.

 

Codero had one good year in 2005, and has the benefit of RFK. He's not a very good pitcher, and would be a horrible acquisition.

 

What was wrong with his 2006?

 

Kinda what I was thinking...he saved 30 games for a team that won only 70....he's no savior...but he'd be ok in the pen and just as importantly we'd clear up some of the outfield trainwreck.

 

Alfonseca saved 45 for a team that won 79 in 2000. That's the kind of thinking that caused Hendry to foolishly go after him. I'm not saying Cordero is just like Alfonseca, just noting that saves is a pretty worthless way to judge a reliever. Generally speaking though, I'm not all that interested in giving up much talent for any reliever, let alone a soon-to-be free agent who Hendry is bound to overpay longterm. They'd be better off acquiring somebody whose value is not overinflated by a number of saves.

 

 

But they'd be much better off concentrating on starting position players to help this team.

[Banedon]

But they'd be much better off concentrating on starting position players to help this team.

 

Heaven knows we could use a few more right fielders.

[jersey cubs fan]

But they'd be much better off concentrating on starting position players to help this team.

 

Heaven knows we could use a few more right fielders.

 

Or one real one.

[TruffleShuffle]

he sure as crap is better than eyre

[Balsa]

Chad Cordero saved 29 games last year; 47 the year before that. He has a 2.61 career ERA. Seems reasonable as the tenth closer taken, but there is cause for concern. Not only is a trade into a setup role possible, but check out this evaluation from Keith Law of ESPN.com:

 

"Cordero was throwing between 87 and 89 on Friday, and while he has a solid breaking ball, he works too often in the upper half of the zone -- giving up 13 homers last year in a tough home-run park -- and is just a tiny slip in command away from being a back-end reliever."

 

While it's been pretty strong in most seasons, Cordero doesn't really have the elite K rate you want in a top closer. He gives up plenty of longballs and relies on a low hit rate to keep his numbers looking good. Plus, his team may not win more than 55 games in 2007. He can probably get by for a few more years in the NL, but red flags are everywhere.

LINK

 

That's from March, mind you.