Old idea, more current timing: Randy Winn, anyone?

[MNBrew]

There's a rumbling (LINK) that IF the Giants were to sign Manny Ramirez (odds still seem long), that they'd likely look to move one of their other OFs. Having a bit of fun with the idea. I think that Brewers should make a move for Randy Winn.

 

Winn doesn't have the same power or quite the RBIs as Cameron, but he's a switch hitter, a very solid BA & OBP guy, avg. 40+ 2Bs the past 4 years, still has very good speed (25/2 in SB/CS in '08). Winn does have a slightly better career fielding % than Cameron.

 

Past 4 years OBP, SLG, & BA (quick, slightly rounded figuring but w/ a calculator):

Cameron: .339, .464, .255

Winn: .350, .442, .294

 

Career OBP, SLG, & BA (mlb.com):

Cameron: .340, .448, .250

Winn: .347, .425, .288

 

Bottom line: There's no significant drop-off from Cameron to Winn, and Winn is a clear upgrade especially where the Brewers are looking to improve (R/L, BA, contact hitter, and a little better OBP). Winn's also 2 years younger & $1.75M cheaper than Cameron in '09.

 

I don't dislike Cameron. I'm simply brainstorming ways the Brewers might address their offensive weaknesses. Rip away...

 

(multiple edits for brevity)

[clancyphile]

If Winn doesn't cost too much, I could go for that idea. Winn as a #2 hitter would be an upgrade. But the Giants would need to blow me away in the deal. CF ain't broke.

[MNBrew]

You're right, Clancy, CF ain't broke. However, the reason why you'd make these Cameron & Winn trades -- is that the offensive issues that dogged the team all last year haven't been addressed at all yet.

 

Thanks, too, for bringing up Winn batting #2. This seems improved from '08:

 

1. Weeks

2. Winn

3. Braun

4. Fielder

5. Hart

6. Hardy

7. Hall/Lamb

8. Kendall

9. P

 

(multiple edits for brevity)

[clancyphile]

Put it this way... here's how I envision the Opening Day 2010 lineup:

 

Case 1

lf: Gillespie

3b: Green

ss: Hardy

rf: Braun

1b: Gamel

cf: Hart

c: Salome

2b: Weeks

 

Case 2

2b: Weeks

3b: Green

ss: Hardy

rf: Braun

1b: Gamel

cf: Hart

lf: Salome

c: Lucroy

[Mike]

Randy Winn to the Brewers will not happen for the following reasons:

1) Unlike the Brewers, the Giants are not deep offensively, in fact they are woeful. Winn is their only decent (OBP) hitter and I'd be shocked if they dealt him.

2) Sabean recently ripped the Bay Area press for false rumors made during the Winter meetings about Texeira and Sabbathia offers being made (which were not).

3) The consortium of owners is still trying to get their investment back for AT&T Park and Manny is going to be out of their price range, trust me.

4) The Giants after living with Bonds' act for so long are not anxious to bring in Manny for more of the same.

5) KNBR radio today published a report that the Manny to SF rumor was started by someone in Boras' group since nobody seems to be knocking down the door.

6) Sabean has said repeatedly in the SF press that they are not in the market for an OF. Sabean has lots of faults as a GM, but lying has never appeared to be one of his shortcomings.

 

[JohnBriggs12]

Randy Winn to the Brewers will not happen for the following reasons:

 

1) Unlike the Brewers, the Giants are not deep offensively, in fact they are woeful. Winn is their only decent (OBP) hitter and I'd be shocked if they dealt him.

 

2) Sabean recently ripped the Bay Area press for false rumors made during the Winter meetings about Texeira and Sabbathia offers being made (which were not).

3) The consortium of owners is still trying to get their investment back for AT&T Park and Manny is going to be out of their price range, trust me.

 

4) The Giants after living with Bonds' act for so long are not anxious to bring in Manny for more of the same.

 

5) KNBR radio today published a report that the Manny to SF rumor was started by someone in Boras' group since nobody seems to be knocking down the door.

 

6) Sabean has said repeatedly in the SF press that they are not in the market for an OF. Sabean has lots of faults as a GM, but lying has never appeared to be one of his shortcomings.

Winn is not untouchable. He'll be 35 in June and is entering the last year on his contract. Manny may well be out of their price range, but this team just signed Randy Johnson for $8 million so it's not like they won't spend money. They would have to cut payroll to sign Manny, and nobody wants Dave Roberts so Winn is logical guy.

 

They may not be pursuing Manny, but they want/need a power bat.

[MNBrew]

SF is also known for trading for or throwing out big money to bigger name or established players, even in the past couple offseasons when their pennant chances seemingly haven't been so great.

 

Molina, Rowand, Zito, Johnson, Roberts, Matt Morris, Klesko, Steve Finley...

 

Same ownership, same GM.

[DHonks]

Winn would make sense to add versatility. It's always nice to have good defenders, solid OBP guys, speedy runners, and switch hitters. As of now, the Brewers are lacking in all of those. He'd be a solid 4th OF as long as the Crew plans to use him well (means letting Braun get 145 starts, Cameron 120, Hart 130).

[Never Outhustled]

If the Brewers could trade Cory Hart for an established young starting pitcher (see Gavin Floyd thread), I'd be open to having Winn fill a corner OF spot for a year. The Giants are looking at some pretty bad options to fill there 3B hole, I'd inquire about a Hall and a B level prospect for Winn.

[MNBrew]

Winn would make sense to add versatility. It's always nice to have good defenders, solid OBP guys, speedy runners, and switch hitters. As of now, the Brewers are lacking in all of those. He'd be a solid 4th OF as long as the Crew plans to use him well (means letting Braun get 145 starts, Cameron 120, Hart 130).

The Brewers already have an $8.5M bench player in Hall who, out of necessity, will see plenty of starts at 3B. If they were to acquire Winn and his $8.25M salary, I highly doubt it'd be to come off the bench.

 

Of the two, I'd prefer Winn over Cameron. I think the only way the Brewers trade for Winn is if they trade another of their starting OFs. It won't be Braun, they're reluctant to trade Hart, and they've already tried to trade Cameron this offseason.

[twobrewers]

cf: Hart

That makes me cringe.