Lo Duca traded to Mets (Done Deal)

[Bgbird68]

Starting to wonder if MLB shouldn't just give the Marlins money to prevent them from getting any worse...they may lose 100 games next year.

 

Actually, what the Marlins are doing is the right thing in my opinion. Assuming that they figured that once they dealt enough players to get under what they could spend, they realized they were not going to be a competitive team for a couple of years. Is it better then to hold on to players who will not be with you when you are competitive again or is it better to deal those as well in order to get you more pieces to help you when you do plan to be competitive? I think the second option is what you should do and it is exactly what the Marlins are doing.

 

Secondly, they have chosen the best time to do such a "fire sale". With the weak FA class, their trading chips have more value than they would in a year when teams could fix their problems via free agency.

 

Third is losing 100 games that much worse than losing 88-90 in the grand sceme of things?

 

Finally, before someone injects that they are alienating their fan base, the Marlins haven't had much of a fan base to begin with and it's doubtful that they will stay in South Florida. It's better to have a strong young nucleus to compete with and for your new fan base to grow with when you move to a new locale than to hang on to some players just because they're popular with the 5,000 fans who happen to come to your games.

 

I totally agree. And I'll say that they will rebuild and win another title before the Cubs. (I know....what a reach).

[Outshined_One]

Cubs need to be active just as "the Pets" are active.

 

So...you'd rather that we traded for Delgado and Lo Duca instead of the Mutts?

[jmajew]

Dont the Mets go on these off season spend-a-thons about 1 out of 3 years. Though this is 2 seasons in a row. I predict the Mets will not make the playoffs.

 

I predict the Mets will be the best team in the NL next year. Just look at their lineup. They are going to have one of the best offenses in Baseball, their rotation is solid, and their bullpen now has a good closer (granted that is all they have).

 

I also think the Marlins are doing the right thing. I see no reason for a team to be a mediocore team. You should either do everything you can to win it all or you should do everything you can to be horrible for a year, allowing yourself the chance to stockpile talent. I do not see any difference between juts missing the playoffs by 6 games and by missing it by 30.

[Diffusion]

their rotation is solid

 

Strange that, I thought their rotation was Pedro, Benson, Zambrano, Glavine and Trachsel.

[cubbyvirus00]

Their rotation is old, and overrated. I fully expect Pedro to have a down-year, and for Glavine to give up twice as many homers, as he did last season.

[MPrior]

And with their sucky pitching, they're still probably not going to get far in 2006. Manny, Delgado, Wright, Beltran in the heart of their order is going to be sick, but they don't have enough pitching.

 

Did I miss something really big? Or are you just speculating?

[YearofDaCubs]

their rotation is solid

 

Strange that, I thought their rotation was Pedro, Benson, Zambrano, Glavine and Trachsel.

They also have J Seo who is pretty good.

[biittner77]

Is this the Mets trying to adopt the Card's formula of getting a really good lineup, get lucky with a couple of scrap heap players and then find pitching from unexpected sources?

[USSoccer]

There's not really anyone in the East on paper that can compete with the Mets.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

their rotation is solid

 

Strange that, I thought their rotation was Pedro, Benson, Zambrano, Glavine and Trachsel.

They also have J Seo who is pretty good.

 

And Aaron Heileman.

[Diffusion]

And with their sucky pitching, they're still probably not going to get far in 2006. Manny, Delgado, Wright, Beltran in the heart of their order is going to be sick, but they don't have enough pitching.

 

Did I miss something really big? Or are you just speculating?

 

I'm just speculating. I think the Mets are going to land Manny, with Milledge, Heilman and another prospect heading to Boston.

 

Seo could make the rotation in Victor Zambrano's place.

 

Heilman won't make the rotation. He'll go back to the bullpen if he's not traded.

[LoneStarCubFan]

There's not really anyone in the East on paper that can compete with the Mets.

 

Except, of course, the Braves.

[Derwood]

Rotoworld reporting that the Mets will flip LoDuca to Arizona for Vasquez?

[Blueheart05]

Rotoworld reporting that the Mets will flip LoDuca to Arizona for Vasquez?

 

Yup, looks like the Diamondback got into the fun:

 

Latest News

 

Dec. 5, 2005 - 3:40 am et

 

According to the Miami Herald, before Paul Lo Duca was shipped to the Mets yesterday, the Marlins and Diamondbacks agreed on a trade that would have sent the catcher to Arizona for a package of prospects, only to have the deal fall apart when the Diamondbacks also asked for $1 million in cash considerations.

It currently appears unlikely that Lo Duca will be sent from the Mets to Arizona in a Javier Vazquez deal, but nothing has been ruled out.

Source: Miami Herald

 

Rotoworld

[GaborBako]

IMO, LoDuca = overrated

 

However, it's still a pretty good trade for the Mets.

 

Why? LoDuca is a career .285/.339/.417 hitter, which is merely decent for a catcher, he's not that special behind the plate, he's 33, and remember that catchers age early, and he's got $12.5m owed him over the next two years. Well, at least he's a real clubhouse guy.

 

I agree that LoDuca's overrated. I just wish Michael Barrett was actually better than him.

 

It'd be interesting to see the Cubs put Barrett on the block see what they can get for him and then get in on signing Hernandez or Molina.

[rocket]

I agree that LoDuca's overrated. I just wish Michael Barrett was actually better than him.

 

Your wish came true.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I thought this was a done deal? The Score (I know, I know) just said it wasn't official yet.

[goonys evil twin]

I thought this was a done deal? The Score (I know, I know) just said it wasn't official yet.

 

The Howry signing wasn't official for several days after it was reported to be done. Lots of these moves take time between being finalized and being official. There's probably just physicals to get out of the way.

[Andy]

I agree that LoDuca's overrated. I just wish Michael Barrett was actually better than him.

 

Your wish came true.

Seriously, Barrett is the most underrated Cubs player I've ever watched. Absolutely no one on any message board seems to think he's any good.

[goonys evil twin]

I agree that LoDuca's overrated. I just wish Michael Barrett was actually better than him.

 

Your wish came true.

Seriously, Barrett is the most underrated Cubs player I've ever watched. Absolutely no one on any message board seems to think he's any good.

 

Barrett is a good, but far from great catcher. He's solid offensively, but he still has many faults. Mainly, he is overanxious, swings at nearly everything, getting himself out or at least helping the pitcher. I think he's near the top of the list of fewest pitches taken per at bat. He doesn't walk much, so his production is nearly all in the AVG/SLG side. And he is at best an averate defensive catcher. I wouldn't have a problem seeing him traded even if they downgrade slightly at catcher. Unfortunately, as things stand, they don't have enough offense from the offensive positions, so they need his bat in the 6 hole.

[CubinNY]

I agree that LoDuca's overrated. I just wish Michael Barrett was actually better than him.

 

Your wish came true.

Seriously, Barrett is the most underrated Cubs player I've ever watched. Absolutely no one on any message board seems to think he's any good.

 

That is because he is not a good catcher. He is a decent hitter for a catcher though.

 

Behind the plate he sets up too late, he hops around, he has bad footwork, and an inaccurate arm. I can't fault him for his pitch calling as I don't know if he calls the pitches.

[Keener98]

I agree that LoDuca's overrated. I just wish Michael Barrett was actually better than him.

 

Your wish came true.

Seriously, Barrett is the most underrated Cubs player I've ever watched. Absolutely no one on any message board seems to think he's any good.

 

That is because he is not a good catcher. He is a decent hitter for a catcher though.

Behind the plate he sets up too late, he hops around, he has bad footwork, and an inaccurate arm. I can't fault him for his pitch calling as I don't know if he calls the pitches.

 

He was the best hitting catcher in the NL, Id say thats a little better than "decent".

[goonys evil twin]

That is because he is not a good catcher. He is a decent hitter for a catcher though.

Behind the plate he sets up too late' date=' he hops around, he has bad footwork, and an inaccurate arm. I can't fault him for his pitch calling as I don't know if he calls the pitches.[/quote']

 

He was the best hitting catcher in the NL, Id say thats a little better than "decent".

 

Three things: Using just last year to define a hitter is not wise. While he did have the best numbers in the NL, he did so without enough PA to qualify, which takes away some value (ie. he's not a franchise catcher). There are multiple AL catchers who are better.

[rocket]

That is because he is not a good catcher. He is a decent hitter for a catcher though.

Behind the plate he sets up too late' date=' he hops around, he has bad footwork, and an inaccurate arm. I can't fault him for his pitch calling as I don't know if he calls the pitches.[/quote']

 

He was the best hitting catcher in the NL, Id say thats a little better than "decent".

 

Three things: Using just last year to define a hitter is not wise. While he did have the best numbers in the NL, he did so without enough PA to qualify, which takes away some value (ie. he's not a franchise catcher). There are multiple AL catchers who are better.

 

Barrett posted very similar numbers last season too. 826 OPS vs. 824 OPS. I think it's safe to say he's the best hitting catcher in the National League. And he's better than Paul Lo Duca, which is really the only point I tried to make.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

That is because he is not a good catcher. He is a decent hitter for a catcher though.

Behind the plate he sets up too late' date=' he hops around, he has bad footwork, and an inaccurate arm. I can't fault him for his pitch calling as I don't know if he calls the pitches.[/quote']

 

He was the best hitting catcher in the NL, Id say thats a little better than "decent".

 

Three things: Using just last year to define a hitter is not wise. While he did have the best numbers in the NL, he did so without enough PA to qualify, which takes away some value (ie. he's not a franchise catcher). There are multiple AL catchers who are better.

 

Only 7 catchers in baseball qualified. That's not a huge indictment IMO. Setting 300 PA's as a benchmark, Barrett was 3rd in MLB in Catcher OPS.