Pujols signs with Angels pg 151

[Guest]

If you're looking for "above average" production at a given position...doesn't it make sense that it's equally easy to find that at every position? By definition, there's 15 teams that get above average production at each position every year.

[CubColtPacer]

If you're looking for "above average" production at a given position...doesn't it make sense that it's equally easy to find that at every position? By definition, there's 15 teams that get above average production at each position every year.

 

Not necessarily. Average is defined by all the players who play in MLB in a given year, but the pool of available players is deeper than that. Between backups and minor leaguers there are plenty of people who could be above average if just given the opportunity. The amount of players who could realistically do that could vary based on position. That is especially true in the middle infield, where some teams may promote a defensive first player and others are more likely to give playing time based off of offensive potential.

[Guest]

If you're looking for "above average" production at a given position...doesn't it make sense that it's equally easy to find that at every position? By definition, there's 15 teams that get above average production at each position every year.

 

Not necessarily. Average is defined by all the players who play in MLB in a given year, but the pool of available players is deeper than that. Between backups and minor leaguers there are plenty of people who could be above average if just given the opportunity. The amount of players who could realistically do that could vary based on position. That is especially true in the middle infield, where some teams may promote a defensive first player and others are more likely to give playing time based off of offensive potential.

It seems to me that you're assuming that teams are being extremely inefficient in how they are filling positions or assuming that the talent pyramid is much flatter at the top for certain positions. I'm not sure I can agree with either argument.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Whilem I think Pujols is possible, I think hes more of a pipe dream, and Prince Fielders our guy, and thats who se should be going for right out of the box. The reason I say this is while teams know that Fielder wont be cheap, they also know how much more expensive Pujols will be in years and in money, so theres a good chance that while were messing around with Pujols, someone else will scoop up Fielder, and we'll be left with Carlos Boozer in blue pinstripes. While it might be in Fielders best interest to wait until Pujols is off the market to sign, he knows he wopnt be getting the same money, and may very well appreciate a team who doesnt take him as the consolation prize. Id say 6/108 or even 5/95, considering Princes body type seems like the type of a guy who will need to be DHng by the time hes Pujols' age.

[Backtobanks]

Whilem I think Pujols is possible, I think hes more of a pipe dream, and Prince Fielders our guy, and thats who se should be going for right out of the box. The reason I say this is while teams know that Fielder wont be cheap, they also know how much more expensive Pujols will be in years and in money, so theres a good chance that while were messing around with Pujols, someone else will scoop up Fielder, and we'll be left with Carlos Boozer in blue pinstripes. While it might be in Fielders best interest to wait until Pujols is off the market to sign, he knows he wopnt be getting the same money, and may very well appreciate a team who doesnt take him as the consolation prize. Id say 6/108 or even 5/95, considering Princes body type seems like the type of a guy who will need to be DHng by the time hes Pujols' age.

 

I don't think there's any way Fielder would settle for those numbers and if he did there would be a whole bunch of competition for his services.

[imb]

Proving once again why he's one of the best posters on the board

 

from the dunn thread

 

i'd probably rather avoid Dunn and hold out hope that we can sign Adrian Gonzalez, Prince Fielder, even Pujols

 

Pena or Berkman shouldn't be a real humongous downgrade for 11 in which we'll struggle to contend regardless, and both should come pretty affordable on a Beltre-type prove-yourself deal

 

EDIT

 

this exchange made me laugh really hard in hindsight

 

Carlos Pena and Nick Johnson are both very likely to sign much, much cheaper deals - perhaps 1 year and less than $8-10 mil for both of them. For guys who very realistically could exceed Dunn's value, those would be very good deals.

You are funny.

[sneakypower]

yeah, i honestly don't know why i'm not the GM of this damn team yet

[17 Seconds]

if they get what we'll think they'll get, i don't know if i want either of these guys. we're finally starting to get rid of these bad contracts. giving one of these guys 200 million seems like a bad idea and the type of thing that keeps killing the organization.

 

if we were talking about somebody like adrian gonzalez i'd be all for it... but both of those guys scare the [expletive] out of me on a big/long contract.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

So does the rotation give anybody concerns that this team isn't ready for a quick turnaround? What if they finish the year pitching the way they are now?

[mookie]

I am sticking to my 2016 World Series Championship prediction. There is no quick turnaround for this team.

[davearm2]

I am sticking to my 2016 World Series Championship prediction. There is no quick turnaround for this team.

Hehe given the context (100+ years of futility), 2016 would be plenty fast.

[Sammy Sofa]

I am sticking to my 2016 World Series Championship prediction. There is no quick turnaround for this team.

 

Quick turnaround doesn't necessarily mean winning the world series.

[Outshined_One]

So does the rotation give anybody concerns that this team isn't ready for a quick turnaround? What if they finish the year pitching the way they are now?

 

The farm system sure as hell doesn't have much in the upper levels as things stand now. Jay Jackson's career took a nose dive and Trey McNutt's been battling injuries all year.

 

If Z or Dempster are traded, the Cubs will have to get someone through free agency to fill the rotation next season.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

So does the rotation give anybody concerns that this team isn't ready for a quick turnaround? What if they finish the year pitching the way they are now?

 

The farm system sure as hell doesn't have much in the upper levels as things stand now. Jay Jackson's career took a nose dive and Trey McNutt's been battling injuries all year.

 

If Z or Dempster are traded, the Cubs will have to get someone through free agency to fill the rotation next season.

 

I mean that if we are assuming none of them are traded, the ERA+ for the guys we are presumably wanting back in the rotation are at this point 99, 92, 76 and whatever Randy Wells' is at this point (60ish?). Should that be a concern at all or is it just sample size?

[Outshined_One]

I mean that if we are assuming none of them are traded, the ERA+ for the guys we are presumably wanting back in the rotation are at this point 99, 92, 76 and whatever Randy Wells' is at this point (60ish?). Should that be a concern at all or is it just sample size?

 

I think it is a concern, but I don't think the Cubs should throw a lot of money at the problem this coming offseason. This offseason seems like it'll have a weak crop of starting pitchers (unless Sabathia opts out), with Mark Buehrle and Paul Maholm (!) heading up the list.

 

If the rotation has one or two guys go down because of injury in 2012, we'll see a repeat of this season. There are well-founded concerns about Cashner's ability to stick in the rotation, plus I don't see the in-house options being a whole lot better next season. What I think would be a better option for the Cubs would be dumpster diving. Someone like Jeff Francis or Brandon Webb could at the very least add some depth this team will need next season.

[Guest]

I think we have more than zero starters with a true talent of 100+ ERA+ going forward, so yes, I think it's much more sample size than huge concern at this point.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I think that a lot of people are underestimating the amount of potential suiters for Fielder. While hed be a great addition to any team, he isnt the once in a lifetime free agent that Albert Pujols is, and nowhere have I heard that he wont DH for an AL team, which significantly widens the amount of suiters, adding the likes of Toronto, Baltimore, Detroit, Anaheim, Seattle, and of course the Yankees and Red Sox, and while both teams have their 1B for years to come, I believe both teams DH spot will be open next year. Sure Papis having a big year, but hes like 35 and hes an FA next year. Even if Fielder says he wants to play defense, Im sure that the combination of the right amount of money and Scott Boras will change his mind.

[WrigleyField 22]

If you're looking for "above average" production at a given position...doesn't it make sense that it's equally easy to find that at every position? By definition, there's 15 teams that get above average production at each position every year.

I'm coming into the question late, but it kind of depends on if average is defined as the mean or median in mathematical terms. If you have a given position with top heavy talent the mean will be higher than the median. So if you are looking for mean production, certain positions will have more or less players that fit that description. If you just are just looking for the median, then theoretically yes, it would be just as easy at each position (assuming every player is equally available, which obviously isn't true, but can vary just based on the on the particular off season)

[Little Slide Rooter]

Prince Fielder Open To DH Role Next Year?

By Tim Dierkes [June 29 at 8:26am CST]

First baseman Prince Fielder wouldn't rule out signing as a DH, talking to John Harper of the New York Daily News:

 

"I'm not ruling anything out, but as for right now, I like playing first base."

 

Admittedly, that's a tiny scrap of information, but Fielder has been understandably reluctant to talk in-depth about his upcoming free agency. It is notable that Fielder didn't openly rule out the possibility of signing as a designated hitter. Of course, the best offer often trumps the player's preference, as we saw with Adam Dunn and the White Sox last offseason.

 

Harper's article discusses the possibility of the Yankees signing Fielder to DH, since first base will be occupied by Mark Teixeira through 2016. The Red Sox could technically consider Fielder as a DH as well, but both scenarios seem highly unlikely for plenty of reasons. Surely Scott Boras would prefer those teams in the mix for his client. But we're talking about what Boras hopes to be the third-largest contract in baseball history, so Fielder will probably not ditch his glove in the first year.

 

 

Nothing earth shattering. Hes basically saying, for the next 3 months or so, Im a Brewer and playing 1B. After that, Im following the money, and lots of it.

[Guest]

Is Boras hoping that Fielder will receive the third biggest contract in baseball history before or after Pujols sets the new record?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Will Fielder be any easier of a target than Pujols? Since he said hell "consider" DHing, translation, give me money and ill do whatever, that really opens up his market. Pujols, on the other hand will likely not, leaving his market as teams with money and a need for a 1B. The Cubs are in it, as are of course the Cards. Also, teams like the Orioles, Nats, and Blue Jays could throw their hat in the ring. Depending on their financial situation, the Mets could be in ,d turn around and get something quite nice for Ike Davis, and the Mariners could do the same with Smoak. The bottomg line is, anytime the Yankees and Red Sox want the same thing you do, which could be Fielder, its hard to win that fight.

[dew1679666265]

Will Fielder be any easier of a target than Pujols? Since he said hell "consider" DHing, translation, give me money and ill do whatever, that really opens up his market. Pujols, on the other hand will likely not, leaving his market as teams with money and a need for a 1B. The Cubs are in it, as are of course the Cards. Also, teams like the Orioles, Nats, and Blue Jays could throw their hat in the ring. Depending on their financial situation, the Mets could be in ,d turn around and get something quite nice for Ike Davis, and the Mariners could do the same with Smoak. The bottomg line is, anytime the Yankees and Red Sox want the same thing you do, which could be Fielder, its hard to win that fight.

 

All the more reason to try to sell the Yankees on a Montero/Aramis swap - we get our third baseman of the future and the Yankees fill both third base (ARod) and DH (Aramis) through 2012, making them less likely to pursue Fielder.

[Brian]

Fielder will be DHing for the Yankees or the Red Sox.

[SouthSideRyan]

Fielder will be DHing for the Yankees or the Red Sox.

 

Yes, and Joe Mauer will be catching for one of them.

[SouthSideRyan]

Fielder will be DHing for the Yankees or the Red Sox.

 

Yes, and Joe Mauer will be catching for one of them.

 

Catching pitches from Cliff Lee.