2012 stolen base leader Tony Campana designated for assignme

[PrimeTime]

I needed a respirator yesterday after reading multiple posts on the Cubs board calling Campana a " Game Changer" and " Mr. Excitement" and about 25 Lou Brock comparisons and how were going to regret this. Also how the Theo and Jed are complete morons for doing this and running the organization into the ground for trading the fastest and most exciting player in baseball. I don't know if this or when Theriot was gone is worse. It's unreal how clueless and dumb these know nothing meatball homers are.

[Careless]

And I can't be the only one who notices that there wasn't this type of fan uproar when Joey Gathright and Freddy Bynum, who were essentially better versions of Tony Campana were traded. Surely there must be some reason.

 

I can appreciate the point you are attempting to make, but you whiff big time on this.

 

Gathright and Bynum might have been the same type players, but they weren't anywhere near as productive as Campana during their stints with the Cubs to make fans love them. Heck, Bynum had fewer stolen bases his entire career than Campana did last year.

Yep. Bynum had 8 SB with the Cubs. Gathright had one. Gathright had one of the most pathetic lines in recent Cub history, now that I look. I guess I forgot all 15 of his PAs. He got on base four times and was CS twice.

[Thed Hoyerstein]

I needed a respirator yesterday after reading multiple posts on the Cubs board calling Campana a " Game Changer" and " Mr. Excitement" and about 25 Lou Brock comparisons and how were going to regret this. Also how the Theo and Jed are complete morons for doing this and running the organization into the ground for trading the fastest and most exciting player in baseball. I don't know if this or when Theriot was gone is worse. It's unreal how clueless and dumb these know nothing meatball homers are.

 

 

You know, with the advancement of the internet as respects increased media outlets, I would have figured the average fan would be smarter as they wouldn't be subjected to the likes of Kaplan and Sullivan as their primary source of information. Unfortunately, much like Republicans watching Fox News, these meatballs only pay attention to the journalists meatballs that cater to their meatball audience.

 

Stupid meatballs.

[Derwood]

Campana doesn't even sniff that speedy dude on the Reds, though, right? Campana isn't the fastest guy around by anyone's measure

[Cubswin11]

Campana doesn't even sniff that speedy dude on the Reds, though, right? Campana isn't the fastest guy around by anyone's measure

I'd probably guess they are close. Difference being, Hamilton (Reds guy) appears to have moderate on base skills and him stealing bases and using his speed doesn't mean having to have someone else get on base and take their place.

[Guest]

Hamilton is, without a doubt, faster than Campana.

 

And, of course, has shown a much better ability to get on base.

[Guest]

it's going to suck having to deal with hamilton for years

 

hopefully dusty lets him rot on the bench for a few years so he can learn behind a veteran

[KingCubsFan]

it's going to suck having to deal with hamilton for years

 

hopefully dusty lets him rot on the bench for a few years so he can learn behind a veteran

Unfortunately, a middle infielder/CF with speed that profiles as a top of the order hitter is right up Dusty's alley. He's basically what Dusty always wanted Corey Patterson to be.

[RynoRules]

In terms of frequency of stolen base attempts, only Rajai Davis ran more than Campana last year. In terms of successful stolen bases per opportunity, Davis narrowly edges Campana out for the top spot, but only does so because of the extra usage rate. While Davis stole 16 more bases in 39 more opportunities, he also was thrown out ten more times. Additional steals at a 61% success rate have negative value, so it’s fair to say that Campana was probably the best high volume base stealer in baseball last year...

 

Put simply, Tony Campana is probably the very best base stealing weapon in Major League Baseball right now. He runs even when everyone knows he’s running, and he’s been ridiculously successful even without the element of surprise. He can’t hit, and Cubs fans aren’t as kind in their defensive evaluations as the very-small-sample-metrics have been, but there should be little question that Campana can create a significant amount of value as a pinch runner, and potentially as a defensive replacement as well — there aren’t too many examples of big leaguers this fast that weren’t above average defensive OFs, after all.days of simply evaluating a player based on his ability to hit are over. Or, at least, they should be. There are ways to produce value in the big leagues without being a good hitter. Tony Campana is probably one of the best people alive at producing that non-hitting value. Instead of focusing on what he can’t do, let’s acknowledge what he can, and note that Campana likely makes the Diamondbacks a better baseball team than they were without him.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/diamondbacks-acquire-tony-campanas-base-stealing

[seanimal]

and potentially as a defensive replacement as well — there aren’t too many examples of big leaguers this fast that weren’t above average defensive OFs, after all.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/diamondbacks-acquire-tony-campanas-base-stealing

 

entirely anecdotal

 

yes, campana is fast. yes, he is incredibly successful at stealing bases. yes, in situations where he doesn't have hurt your team by wielding a heavy wooden stick, that is valuable

 

now that we're through stating the obvious, let's just remember two things:

 

a) the diamondbacks gave up non-filler prospects (TWO!) for that, and

b) it is highly unlikely the diamondbacks only use him in the most optimal way

 

way. singular.

[Sammy Sofa]

Right; he's basically only useful as a pinch-runner since he can't really get on base enough himself. That write-up seems like a rather unsuccessful attempt to put lipstick on a pig.

[TheDude]

I actually agree with mob that Tony was the most exciting player on the team when he played. He was really fun to watch in the few instances he reached base. That doesn't make him any better at baseball or worthy of a roster spot.

[Cubswin11]

and potentially as a defensive replacement as well — there aren’t too many examples of big leaguers this fast that weren’t above average defensive OFs, after all.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/diamondbacks-acquire-tony-campanas-base-stealing

 

entirely anecdotal

 

yes, campana is fast. yes, he is incredibly successful at stealing bases. yes, in situations where he doesn't have hurt your team by wielding a heavy wooden stick, that is valuable

 

now that we're through stating the obvious, let's just remember two things:

 

a) the diamondbacks gave up non-filler prospects (TWO!) for that, and

b) it is highly unlikely the diamondbacks only use him in the most optimal way

 

way. singular.

That and he only needs to continue to do something at a 90%+ success rate at the highest level of his profession when he was only about successful 77% of the time doing it over his 5 year minor league career which is just a bit above the success% he needs to be at for stolen base attempts to be worthwhile.

[Guest]

The break-even for SB in the current run environment is actually below 70%, I believe.

 

Either way though, that's Cameron at his Cameron-iest. Basically, if you squint real hard and look at the best case scenario for Campana's baserunning and defense, he's a valuable bench player. Of course that ignores the collateral costs of having one of your outfielders be a guy who you rarely/never want to start(lest he be way below average by getting enough trips to the plate), requires Campana being an average or better defender when all scouting reports are that he's not(he is a converted 2B, after all) and continuing his amazing SB success rate(probably not sustainable). When you do that level of wishcasting to come to the conclusion that Campana is an above average bench player, you're going a little far with the mental gymnastics.

[Sammy Sofa]

The break-even for SB in the current run environment is actually below 70%, I believe.

 

Wow, really? I had no idea; I still thought it was a lot higher than that.

[mul21]

The break-even for SB in the current run environment is actually below 70%, I believe.

 

Either way though, that's Cameron at his Cameron-iest. Basically, if you squint real hard and look at the best case scenario for Campana's baserunning and defense, he's a valuable bench player. Of course that ignores the collateral costs of having one of your outfielders be a guy who you rarely/never want to start(lest he be way below average by getting enough trips to the plate), requires Campana being an average or better defender when all scouting reports are that he's not(he is a converted 2B, after all) and continuing his amazing SB success rate(probably not sustainable). When you do that level of wishcasting to come to the conclusion that Campana is an above average bench player, you're going a little far with the mental gymnastics.

 

I don't think this is right since he's a lefty.

[Guest]

Crap, you're right. I confused him with Harrison since they both came from Cincinnati in the same draft. Rest of the point remains though, he's never been thought of as an above average defender.

[Guest]

The break-even for SB in the current run environment is actually below 70%, I believe.

 

Wow, really? I had no idea; I still thought it was a lot higher than that.

 

I saw a graph that illustrated it recently and I can't seem to find it now. This article makes a similar claim:

 

The break-even rate on steals has fallen from 68 percent to 66 percent, down from 70 percent at the height of the steroids era in 2000.

[Guest]

Crap, you're right. I confused him with Harrison since they both came from Cincinnati in the same draft. Rest of the point remains though, he's never been thought of as an above average defender.

I don't think that's right either.

 

Campana is has one tool, but that tool is elite. On rare occasions when you need that tool he is valuable. I think the question is what sort of an environment would Campana have use.

Perhaps a team:

with better than average SLG

with a core group of OF who rarely need a day off, but might need late inning replacement

Other bench players who have decent OPS/OBP

 

Obviously you want to limit his ABs, he can't hit a fastball to save his life, but that doesn't mean he's useless.

[Sammy Sofa]

Sure, but nobody is saying he doesn't have a baseball ability that he's good at; there's a huge difference between that and actually having a useful enough player that you can justify giving a roster spot to.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The problem with Campana goes beyond his inability to get on base. He also plays only one position. Granted with the exception of Brett Jackson, who's likely to start off in Iowa, we don't have a natural center fielder. This being said, Campana's simply too one dimensional of a player to keep around as a late inning replacement before September 1st. He'd be 7th on the OF depth chart behind Soriano, DeJesus, Schierholtz, Hairston, Jackson, and Sappelt.

 

Also, a lot of fans seem to refer to Brent Lillibridge as the new Campana, and they're very wrong. While I don't particularly care for Lillibridge, it should be acknowledged that his defensive versatility makes him far more valuable than Campana, and could end up our main utility guy if Stewart flops and Valbuena's given 3rd, unless Vitters is ready. Though I do admit that I have no idea how good Lillibridge is at any position.

[Smack]

BP on the trade, from today:

 

Acquired OF-L Tony Campana from the Cubs for RHPs Erick Leal and Jesus Castillo. [2/18]

 

Campana is a fast runner and efficient basestealer. Unfortunately, he can't hit and doesn't field as well as his speed portends; the prototypical fifth outfielder, in a sense. But Campana isn't likely to make Arizona's Opening Day roster, and he might not be ahead of A.J. Pollock on the depth chart. He could just be a piece of organizational depth with a specialized skill set. That kind of player can come in handy on a roster with two sluggish pinch-hitting options like Eric Chavez and Eric Hinske. Campana might not be around all year to serve as their legs, but when he is he could provide the D'Backs with some utility.

 

What of those arms, you ask. Mark Anderson informs me that Castillo is "athletic and projectable, reaching 90-91 at times." Anderson says of Leal that he "has a nice frame and decent arm action, but sits in the 86-88 range" all while throwing "a really promising curveball." Exciting times in Chicago.

[Sammy Sofa]

Also, a lot of fans seem to refer to Brent Lillibridge as the new Campana, and they're very wrong.

 

Who is saying this? Show me.

 

Though I do admit that I have no idea how good Lillibridge is at any position.

 

Terrible at 2B and SS, tolerable elsewhere.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Also, a lot of fans seem to refer to Brent Lillibridge as the new Campana, and they're very wrong.

 

Who is saying this? Show me.

 

 

Not here. Mainly Twitter and such.

[Sammy Sofa]

Bull [expletive].