Levine: Prior, Hudson, Swisher

[Jon]

I've never heard somebody claim Colorado knocks down HR power.

 

I believe that to be the case, though. Colorado plays as a hitter's park more for the spacious outfields, rather than HR's. At least since Colorado adopted the storing of baseballs in a humidor.

In 2007, Coors had a HR park factor of 1.218, 5th highest in the majors. It was 10th highest in 2006 and 8th in 2005. I think that it's drop from the top 2 or 3 earlier in the decade towards the middle of the pack a few years ago probably leads to a perception that it's not much of a HR park, but it's right back up there now.

[jersey cubs fan]

I've never heard somebody claim Colorado knocks down HR power.

 

I believe that to be the case, though. Colorado plays as a hitter's park more for the spacious outfields, rather than HR's. At least since Colorado adopted the storing of baseballs in a humidor.

In 2007, Coors had a HR park factor of 1.218, 5th highest in the majors. It was 10th highest in 2006 and 8th in 2005. I think that it's drop from the top 2 or 3 earlier in the decade towards the middle of the pack a few years ago probably leads to a perception that it's not much of a HR park, but it's right back up there now.

 

Yeah, it's spacious, which leads to more doubles and triples, but it doesn't cut down on HR power. I've always wondered if they could figure out a way to bring in the fences, and raise their height at the same time. Something like this could cut down on hits dropping into the huge gaps, and it may turn a few HR into doubles.

[rocket]

Would anyone deal Hill for Swisher?

 

Billy Beane.

 

Would Jersey Cub Fan?

 

straight up, i'd do it.

[mdwilla]

Whats the price tag on Swisher gonna look like in terms of talent going to back to Oakland?

Swisher isn't making any money, I wonder if Hendry would be able to pick up Miggy from Baltimore if he could fill RF that cheaply.

[Twiggy]

no to hudson please

[UMFan83]

Im sorry if this was discussed in the previous Prior trade, but what sort of trade value does Prior have? I was under the impression he could be traded for something like 2 mid-level prospects or something like that. Now his name is being thrown around with Swisher?

 

Two separate transactions, obviously.

 

Although, if Beane liked a prospect or two on some team interested in Prior, that could help.

 

 

Whoops, you mean Craig Monroe really isn't being traded for Carl Crawford?

[jersey cubs fan]

Would anyone deal Hill for Swisher?

 

Billy Beane.

 

Would Jersey Cub Fan?

 

straight up, i'd do it.

 

I might. I don't know a lot about Swisher. His numbers are very solid. He's relatively young and his contract is very affordable. He does a lot of things that the Cubs need done, namely getting on base and hitting for some pop. He's a switch hitter, who handles LHP very well (but not as much the RHP). However, his comparable players list on br.com is a little alarming, with names like Bubba Trammel and Shane Spencer.

 

They are essentially the same age, and I believe when you take Swisher contract into account, they will reach free agency about the same time. Swisher is owed $34.8m through 2012 (if the team picks up 2012 option). Hill is going to start making sigificant money after this season, but team could do well by offering an extension before then.

 

I don't know, I think I'd have to stick with Hill. I'd trade him in a package for a stud, but I don't think Swisher is quite at that level of player I'd be interested in.

[jersey cubs fan]

Whats the price tag on Swisher gonna look like in terms of talent going to back to Oakland?

Swisher isn't making any money, I wonder if Hendry would be able to pick up Miggy from Baltimore if he could fill RF that cheaply.

 

I wouldn't say he's making no money. He's essentially got a 4/25.5 deal right now, with a team option to make it 5/35. It's relativley affordable, but it's not exactly peanuts.

[mdwilla]

Whats the price tag on Swisher gonna look like in terms of talent going to back to Oakland?

Swisher isn't making any money, I wonder if Hendry would be able to pick up Miggy from Baltimore if he could fill RF that cheaply.

 

I wouldn't say he's making no money. He's essentially got a 4/25.5 deal right now, with a team option to make it 5/35. It's relativley affordable, but it's not exactly peanuts.

 

Espn still has him making 400,000 next year. 4/25.5 still sounds prettyu fair if his power numbers continue to rise.

[jersey cubs fan]

Whats the price tag on Swisher gonna look like in terms of talent going to back to Oakland?

Swisher isn't making any money, I wonder if Hendry would be able to pick up Miggy from Baltimore if he could fill RF that cheaply.

 

I wouldn't say he's making no money. He's essentially got a 4/25.5 deal right now, with a team option to make it 5/35. It's relativley affordable, but it's not exactly peanuts.

 

Espn still has him making 400,000 next year. 4/25.5 still sounds prettyu fair if his power numbers continue to rise.

 

Nick Swisher of-1b

5 years/$26.75M (2007-11), plus 2012 club option

 

signed extension 5/11/07

$0.5M signing bonus

07:$0.7M, 08:$3.5M, 09:$5.3M, 10:$6.75M, 11:$9M,

12:$10.25M club option ($1M buyout)

2012 option increases to $12M with top 5 in MVP vote any year 2007-11

limited no-trade clause 2011-12 (Swisher may block deals to 6 clubs)

[RynoRules]

Isn't the Colesium difficult for lefty power hitters? Swisher's OBP has gone up each of the last three years; his slugging dipped a bit last season. I'd love to have him, and yes, I would do Hill for Swisher straight up. We have a ton more major league-ready pitching in our system than we have position players.

[abuck1220]

We have a ton more major league-ready pitching in our system than we have position players.

 

really? who?

[craig]

Colvin's best comp is Mark Kotsay, right?

 

Defensively yes, offensively no. Kotsay has averaged 12 HR's a year. Some scouts who like Colvin think that if things go right for him, he could be a 30-HR guy.

 

Colvin hit 16 HR in <500 AB in two pitcher-friendly minor leagues this year at age 21, and has a projectible frame that could add some muscle and additional power. He could be a good HR hitter if things go well for him. Big if, obviously.

[RynoRules]

We have a ton more major league-ready pitching in our system than we have position players.

 

really? who?

 

By 'syatem" I mean young guys already on the ML level as well as in the minors. Gallagher, Marshall, Marmol, and Hart, to name a few. But my point was really more relative than anything else, i.e., our pitching depth far outweighs our position player depth, IMO, and therefore I'd prefer to trade Hill instead of, for example, Pie.

[Mephistopheles]

oh man swisher would be excellent.

[inari]

I don't see what we have that could possibly net Nick Swisher.

[Mephistopheles]

I don't see Beane parting with Swisher.

 

The Athletics are at a crossroad as an organization. It might be time for a minifire sell. Not for prospects really but ML ready guys (Marshall, Gallagher, Pie, Patterson, etc). If they sell their guys that are good for rebuilding theyll probably be back to the top of the AL West by 2010 and Swisher, Haren and those guys would be either FAs before then are 12-14 mil players in their last year of arby so he couldnt afford them.

 

its not a poor move if he thinks the team cant compete well in 08-09. its amazing that hes been able to field a contendor for nearly a decade with that payroll.

[PrimeTime]

Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times has heard rumors of a Raul Ibanez-for-Mark Prior trade, though he's been told it isn't happening.

 

The Cubs are interested in Ibanez, but they're likely targeting Kosuke Fukudome first, and the Mariners would almost surely want a better bet in return anyway.

[rawaction]

Swisher would be too good to be true. He walked 100 times last year, while cutting down his K rate a decent amount. He plays in a pitcher's park and his OPS is routinely 30-60 points higher on the road. Good pitchers can get him out, but he feasts on bad pitching. In the NL Central, there's a lot of the latter.

[AllStarMe]

I don't see Beane parting with Swisher.

 

It's probably the same m.o. behind Haren being shopped. If we offer something impressive, he'll deal him.

 

So...what would a fair deal for Swisher be? It seems we're shopping Prior.

 

So...how about like Prior/Gallagher/Colvin for Swisher?

Beane loves OBP, not something Colvin exactly excells at.

 

I bet he'd like a Murton type hitter.

Could Prior/Gallagher/Murton net the Cubs Swisher? That would be a huge boost to the Cubs offense. It's been pointed out, but 36M over what should be his prime years - ages 27 thru 31 - would be a huge bargain if Swisher continues along his trajectory, and maybe boost his power numbers playing at Wrigley.

 

Hudson is completely redundant and not an exciting enough player to warrant pursuing IMO. I don't know why Hendry can't just sit tight with Dero at 2nd.

[inari]

I think Hendry views acquiring a left hander at either second or right as the priority. If he gets them at second, I think he's quite comfortable with making DeRo the starting right fielder.

[Sammy Sofa]

I don't see Beane parting with Swisher.

 

It's probably the same m.o. behind Haren being shopped. If we offer something impressive, he'll deal him.

 

So...what would a fair deal for Swisher be? It seems we're shopping Prior.

 

So...how about like Prior/Gallagher/Colvin for Swisher?

Beane loves OBP, not something Colvin exactly excells at.

 

I bet he'd like a Murton type hitter.

Could Prior/Gallagher/Murton net the Cubs Swisher? That would be a huge boost to the Cubs offense. It's been pointed out, but 36M over what should be his prime years - ages 27 thru 31 - would be a huge bargain if Swisher continues along his trajectory, and maybe boost his power numbers playing at Wrigley.

 

Hudson is completely redundant and not an exciting enough player to warrant pursuing IMO. I don't know why Hendry can't just sit tight with Dero at 2nd.

 

What about Marshall instead of Gallagher? I'd rather have Gallagher around as the 5th man option this year and more down the line.

[CuseCubFan69]

I don't see Beane parting with Swisher.

 

It's probably the same m.o. behind Haren being shopped. If we offer something impressive, he'll deal him.

 

So...what would a fair deal for Swisher be? It seems we're shopping Prior.

 

So...how about like Prior/Gallagher/Colvin for Swisher?

Beane loves OBP, not something Colvin exactly excells at.

 

I bet he'd like a Murton type hitter.

Could Prior/Gallagher/Murton net the Cubs Swisher? That would be a huge boost to the Cubs offense. It's been pointed out, but 36M over what should be his prime years - ages 27 thru 31 - would be a huge bargain if Swisher continues along his trajectory, and maybe boost his power numbers playing at Wrigley.

 

Hudson is completely redundant and not an exciting enough player to warrant pursuing IMO. I don't know why Hendry can't just sit tight with Dero at 2nd.

 

Could be a move that could be made. Do you know were Swishers HR's were hit?

[AllStarMe]

Could be a move that could be made. Do you know were Swishers HR's were hit?

I'm not sure where to look for players stats by park, but Swisher has slugged 24 points better on the road than at home for his career, and ESPN's park factor lists Wrigley as 2nd best hitting park while Oakland is 28th, though there's probably a better measurement of that out there somewhere.

 

I don't think it's unreasonable to believe he'd be a consistent 30-35 HR guy if he played in Chicago, with a sweet OBP.

[Post Count Padder]

If we got Swisher, I might faint as a result of shock and joy.