Cubs interested in Jermaine Dye?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Padres, Cubs Eyeing Jermaine Dye

By Tim Dierkes [January 14 at 8:06am CST]

THURSDAY, 8:06am: MLB.com's Corey Brock has a source saying a Dye deal is "low on likelihood" for the Padres. More likely would be Randy Winn or Jerry Hairston Jr., to whom the Padres have made offers. Another mild possibility for Dye is the Cubs. The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan says they're looking at him for a platoon/backup/DH role.

 

For the money, Id prefer Rick Ankiel who can play defense. Dye would be a nice bat off the bench, but Id much prefer use the money for something more usefull.

[weis21]

I'd be interested if it was a one year contract for a low price (i.e. 2MM). He mashes LHP and would be a nice platoon option for Fukudome in right; as well as a power bat off the bench that we desperately need.

 

I would hope there would be enough cash left to bring in Sheets, too, of course.

[soapy]

what kind of contract is he expecting? i can't imagine he's likely to take one that is in line with a player in the role of "platoon/backup/DH".

[erik316wttn]

I'd love Dye for the right price. I've always liked him.

[Schwarber Fan]

I'd rather have Dye starting than Byrd, but we're not signing him.

[jersey cubs fan]

what kind of contract is he expecting? i can't imagine he's likely to take one that is in line with a player in the role of "platoon/backup/DH".

 

The level of pay for that type of player varies significantly. Jason Giambi signed for $4m last year in a limited role. Dye already went from making $11.6m in the final year of his last Oakland contract to making $4m in his first year with the CWS. Reed Johnson played last year at $3m. I would imagine somebody as close to the end of his career as Dye is, who has never had a $100m type contract, would be willing to entertain offers in the $2-4m range in a reduced role if nobody is looking to offer him more to be a starter.

[biittner77]

I think I'd rather bring back Johnson for 1.5-2 million and have him Platoon with Fukudome. They'll be enough RH power in the lineup against LH starters so a high obp guy that can play defense would be more of a priority.

 

Johnson

Baker/ Byrd

Lee

Ramirez

Soriano

Soto

Byrd/ Baker

Theriot

P

 

Would not be bad against LH starters.

[Little Slide Rooter]

what kind of contract is he expecting? i can't imagine he's likely to take one that is in line with a player in the role of "platoon/backup/DH".

 

The level of pay for that type of player varies significantly. Jason Giambi signed for $4m last year in a limited role. Dye already went from making $11.6m in the final year of his last Oakland contract to making $4m in his first year with the CWS. Reed Johnson played last year at $3m. I would imagine somebody as close to the end of his career as Dye is, who has never had a $100m type contract, would be willing to entertain offers in the $2-4m range in a reduced role if nobody is looking to offer him more to be a starter.

 

Too bad for him that he collapsed so bad in the second half of last season or he could be looking at a 2 year deal, maybe even 3 at something like 7-8 mil/year. As I recall he was on pace for a 40-50 home run season around the all star break and ended up with 27.

[CUBZ99]

I think I'd rather bring back Johnson for 1.5-2 million and have him Platoon with Fukudome. They'll be enough RH power in the lineup against LH starters so a high obp guy that can play defense would be more of a priority.

 

Johnson

Baker/ Byrd

Lee

Ramirez

Soriano

Soto

Byrd/ Baker

Theriot

P

 

Would not be bad against LH starters.

 

I hope that Hendry doesn't waste another $1.5 or 2MM on Johnson, especially considering there doesn't appear to be much of a market for him. As people have been pointing out frequently those $2MM for a backup OF, $3.5MM for middle relief pitcher type of contracts start to take a drain on the payroll when added together.

[Sammy Sofa]

I was horrified at the idle speculation that he might be targeted for a fulltime role before Byrd was signed but I would not mind Dye at all for cheap as a bat off the bench or to platoon with Fukudome. His line against lefties was still pretty decent last year:

 

.292 .387 .508 .894

[Soul]

Sign me up for a bench role. Stick him in there when Soriano's legs decide to give him trouble again.

[A-Cal]

better than matt murton, daryle ward, and old man cliffy.

[Rob]

better than matt murton, daryle ward, and old man cliffy.

 

Actually, I'd still rather have Murton. Dye may be slightly better versus lefties, but he's much worse defensively, on the basepaths, likely more expensive and is much older and so carries a lot higher risk of decline.

[17 Seconds]

I'd rather have Dye starting than Byrd

 

why?

[TruffleShuffle]

i'm pretty sure that dye will end up making more than he should, because some teams won't realize just how horrendous his defense is.

[Cubswin11]

What are the legitimate teams out there that are looking to add a starting OF still?

 

Padres- Articles had them linked to Dye, but they seemed more interested in Winn

Giants- They have a glutton guys to rotate between LF/1B/3B Huff, DeRosa, Uribe, Ishikawa, Lewis, Sandoval, Bowker, Velez, Schierholtz. So Dye seems unlikely there and the seem more interested in Damon if they were to add a OF.

Braves-Certainly need to add another bat and have a opening in the OF, might not have a lot of money left to spend

 

 

It just doesn't seem like there is that big of a market for Dye and there aren't that many teams left that have pressing needs to add a OF, so getting Dye on the cheap end of a 1 year deal seems realistic.

[questionmarkgrace]

Actually, I'd still rather have Murton.

 

Thank god you're not our gm. Every other team in the league passes on a guy but people on this board still think hes great. :banghead:

 

At anyrate, Dye would be great at the right price, there is a very good chance that Lee and or Soriano miss some time this year and the platoon with Fukudome would probably very productive. I would like this move

[SouthSideRyan]

He never said Murton was great, he just thinks Dye is awful.

[Rob]

Actually, I'd still rather have Murton.

 

Thank god you're not our gm. Every other team in the league passes on a guy but people on this board still think hes great. :banghead:

 

At anyrate, Dye would be great at the right price, there is a very good chance that Lee and or Soriano miss some time this year and the platoon with Fukudome would probably very productive. I would like this move

 

I didn't say I wanted Murton and I certainly didn't say he was great. All I said was I wanted him more than Dye...

 

Jermaine Dye has been below replacement level two of the last three seasons. If you aren't aware, replacement level is by definition those AAAA guys like Matt Murton who, by the way, only cost the league minimum.

 

If I thought Dye would only act as Fukudome's platoon partner in RF, he might be worth it. But it's pretty obvious he'd get too much playing time and he simply isn't worth the marginal cost for a player who isn't any better than a couple dozen guys we could bring in on a minor league deal.

[Rob]

I'd rather have Dye starting than Byrd, but we're not signing him.

 

Wow... that's awful. I posted this earlier in the offseason when Dye was brought up. It uses Fuld as a baseline, but everything points to Byrd being a league average defender in CF, so it stands true for him as well.

 

Dye is consistently 20 runs below average in RF. Just for the sake of argument, let's say Fuld is a league average CF. That would be a difference of 25-30 runs between them on defense.

 

Jermaine Dye hit .250/.340/.453 this year in 574 PA, contributing approximately 66 EqR. So Sam Fuld needs to contribute 36-41 runs over 574 PA to equal his production... Do you realize how little it takes to manage that? You're looking at some sort of crazy .220/.260/.320 line.

 

Defense and baserunning matter.

[Little Slide Rooter]

While Dye would be a solid bench bat, there are also other options for a bit of thunder off the bench, such as Ryan Garko, Russ Branyan, Hank Blalock, abd Chad Tracy. It could be a matter of weeks before these guys are available for <2 mil, which would be a very good deal.

[biittner77]

While Dye would be a solid bench bat, there are also other options for a bit of thunder off the bench, such as Ryan Garko, Russ Branyan, Hank Blalock, abd Chad Tracy. It could be a matter of weeks before these guys are available for <2 mil, which would be a very good deal.

 

Can any of those guys play RF? I doubt any of them get less than 2 mil

[TruffleShuffle]

While Dye would be a solid bench bat, there are also other options for a bit of thunder off the bench, such as Ryan Garko, Russ Branyan, Hank Blalock, abd Chad Tracy. It could be a matter of weeks before these guys are available for <2 mil, which would be a very good deal.

 

Can any of those guys play RF?

 

probably not, but dye can't either.

[biittner77]

How is it possible that the Cubs organization can't produce a back up, RH corner OF. That's got to be the most dime a dozen of all baseball commodities.

[CUBZ99]

Actually, I'd still rather have Murton.

 

Thank god you're not our gm. Every other team in the league passes on a guy but people on this board still think hes great. :banghead:

 

At anyrate, Dye would be great at the right price, there is a very good chance that Lee and or Soriano miss some time this year and the platoon with Fukudome would probably very productive. I would like this move

 

I didn't say I wanted Murton and I certainly didn't say he was great. All I said was I wanted him more than Dye...

 

Jermaine Dye has been below replacement level two of the last three seasons. If you aren't aware, replacement level is by definition those AAAA guys like Matt Murton who, by the way, only cost the league minimum.

 

If I thought Dye would only act as Fukudome's platoon partner in RF, he might be worth it. But it's pretty obvious he'd get too much playing time and he simply isn't worth the marginal cost for a player who isn't any better than a couple dozen guys we could bring in on a minor league deal.

 

How can a guy that OPSs over .800 be considered below replacement level? Perhaps his defense is Jake Fox-like? I can't imagine that many teams have AAAA guys just sitting around in the minors that are capable of putting up .800 OPS over the course of a season.

 

Also, its hard to argue that Dye would be much more than a platoon partner in RF without significant injuries.