Ty Wigginton

[Brian the Automator]

Ty Wigginton is a guy who I think would fit nicely in the Brewers roster. He can play 3B, 1B, and a little bit of 2B, and he's a good bench bat vs. lefties, something I think we're lacking right now.

 

He has a career .837 OPS vs lefties (.277/.350/.486), including an .842 OPS vs. lefties this year.

 

Pena and Iwamura seem very entrenched at the corners, and while BJ Upton just strained his quad last night, he's not expected to miss much time at all (day-to-day)

 

Graffanino's and Winggintons salaries aren't exactly a wash, but the Brewers could easily make up the small difference between them and throw in perhaps a Greg Aquino with the Rays throwing in a trash PTBNL to make it even out.

 

Thoughts?

[tigerbrew]

I would do this trade.

[Giraldo8]

I would do a Charlie Fermaint type for Wigginton in a heartbeat (Sorry EDR). If Graffy needed to be added to balance salary so be it.

 

 

Although the Days will probably be looking for Pitching Prospects.

[Brian the Automator]

Alright, it's unanimous. I'll go get Doug on the horn http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

It's funny, I always was a Wigginton-hater, until I started working the splits, looking for a decent lefty-killer.

[sbrylski]

Why would Tampa do that though? I wouldn't mind adding Wigginton, but I don't see Tampa trading him for Graffy as the centerpiece.

[Brian the Automator]

[ Why would Tampa do that though? I wouldn't mind adding Wigginton, but I don't see Tampa trading him for Graffy as the centerpiece. ]

 

There's really no centerpiece of the aforementioned deal. Graffy's a Wigginton replacement, while Aquino is a pre-arby reliever with upside. If the Brewers need to throw in a Brad Nelson, so be it. Graffy also gives them a better backup SS option than Josh Wilson.

[JoeHova]

Wigginton is less of a lefty-killer than Mench (or Wes Helms). He can play 1st or 3rd, but who cares? If he plays either of those positions much for the Brewers, the season will be lost anyway because it will mean that Prince or Braun has gone down.

 

Plus, Wigginton is the kind of guy who Yost would be tempted to play way too much. The first time I saw him starting for Prince would be the last day I watched the Brewers until Yost was axed.

 

OTOH, if Weeks is out for awhile and Melvin makes it clear to Yost that Wigginton is not to ever start at 1st, 3rd or rightfield, I wouldn't mind him as a stopgap 2nd baseman if he can be had for a guy like Graffanino.

[Brian the Automator]

[ Wigginton is less of a lefty-killer than Mench (or Wes Helms). He can play 1st or 3rd, but who cares? If he plays either of those positions much for the Brewers, the season will be lost anyway because it will mean that Prince or Braun has gone down. ]

 

He can also play 2nd, which is important with Rickie's health the way it is. And if Prince or Braun has gone down, the season may or may not be over... but I think people living outside the area like yourself forget about the fact it's not necessarily WS or bust for every fan.

 

Mench has a .787 OPS vs lefties this year and has been aided in the past by a friendly home stadium. Given the fact that the Brewers have one-too-many outfielders, I'd prefer that the Brewers just deal Mench.

 

Wigginton has some career reps in LF and RF. Not many, but we're really just saying "he has to be on par with Kevin Mench devensively". I think half of us here are already qualified for that.

 

[ Plus, Wigginton is the kind of guy who Yost would be tempted to play way too much. The first time I saw him starting for Prince would be the last day I watched the Brewers until Yost was axed. ]

 

I don't think that's the case. Prince and Braun are fixtures... and it's VERY rare that players get 162 starts a year. Even the best players need a day off (only 6 in all of baseball in '06).

[dadofandrew]

Graffy can play SS, Ty cannot. Ty is slightly better offensively, but is not a middle infielder...and he still gets out more than Tony.

 

His only real role would be as a RH hitting 1B/3B...Braun hits RH, so that leaves him as Prince's reserve.

[JoeHova]

Quote:

---

I don't think that's the case. Prince and Braun are fixtures... and it's VERY rare that players get 162 starts a year. Even the best players need a day off (only 6 in all of baseball in '06).

---

 

Yeah, sorry, that was an overstatement for effect. I just meant if Yost was starting him for Prince once a week or every two weeks (as I fear he may be tempted to do), I would be upset.

[BraunROY]

I really believe that if any deal gets done with Tampa, Al Reyes will be a part of it. As the Rays try to get younger and younger I really believe that a guy like Reyes can be gotten cheap. Maybe and Aquino and Cappelan, Graffy and APTBNL for Reyes and Wigginton. I don't quite now how the salaries work out, or if that even makese sense, but I really believe that Reyes could help our pen. The Rays get the young pitchers with upside and we get a good bat and a solid reliever to bolter are pen for the stretch this year.

 

Just a thought, my first semi-trade idea, so don't laugh at me too much.

[Brian the Automator]

[ His only real role would be as a RH hitting 1B/3B...Braun hits RH, so that leaves him as Prince's reserve. ]

 

I see his real role as being the first right-handed stick off the bench when pinch-hitting for the pitcher. Given the talent we have on the roster, I don't think he would be doing much else, by design.

[rousieboy]

Not opposed to the idea...he is up for his last arbitration year in 2008...

 

since he is a Rottino type player why not...

 

Rottino/Graffy/ one of our 30 minor league relievers for Wiggy and a decent PTBNL?

 

so when does he play with Braun and PF?

[Brian the Automator]

so when does he play with Braun and PF? ]

 

He pretty much purely pinch hits.

[brewers4eric]

I think that Wigginton would fit on this roster, especially if Graffanino was part of the exchange.

 

Whether or not this works for you probably depends on the type of player you want on the end of the bench in the late innings. Most managers either opt for the late inning replacement that can fly around the bases, or the guy that can win a game with one swing of the bat.

 

If you break the philosophies down, you might compare Trent Durrington versus Bob Hamelin for the number 25 roster spot during the bad years, or Marshall Edwards versus Dick Davis during some of the good ones. I tend to lean toward Hamelin as the last player off the bench, "the game isn't over until the fat man swings".

[JohnBriggs12]

Wigginton may not have an everyday position but he's an everyday player for TB as evidenced by 236 AB so far.

 

Graffanino has never been an everyday player and is 5 years older.

 

No way TB would have the slightest interest and the value to the Brewers does not warrant adding a pitcher that would interest them enough either.

[Brian the Automator]

[ Wigginton may not have an everyday position but he's an everyday player for TB as evidenced by 236 AB so far. ]

 

Yes and no. He's started in 85% of their games, but his position has been pretty evenly spread between 1B, 2B, and 3B. 2nd base is owned by Upton, 3B is owned by Iwamura, and Pena has a much better shot at being a starter at 1B. He's filling the "billy hall" role of the '06 Brewers without the flexibility of being able to play SS.

 

[ Graffanino has never been an everyday player and is 5 years older. ]

 

He started pretty much the same number of games as Wigginton has in Tampa Bay last year while with KC (both, being crappy teams).

 

[ No way TB would have the slightest interest and the value to the Brewers does not warrant adding a pitcher that would interest them enough either. ]

 

I would think if that the Brewers sweetened the pot with enough 2nd tier prospects, the Rays might go for it.

 

Wigginton entered arby eligibility status this year. I can't imagine the Rays wanting much to do with him for much longer, given that they have legit starters at each of his positions.

[hauser42]

No way TB would have the slightest interest and the value to the Brewers does not warrant adding a pitcher that would interest them enough either.

 

Agree with you John. Unless the Brewers want to over pay for another bench player this deal not even goint to be on the radar.

[Brian the Automator]

[ Agree with you John. Unless the Brewers want to over pay for another bench player this deal not even goint to be on the radar. ]

 

Think about the kind of trash the Brewers received in similar type deals though...

[rousieboy]

I would be interested to see Wiggington in LF vs LHP...he has a OPS right now of .977 vs lefties...versitility is nice...make it a bigger deal by including Bush and getting Reyes also and you would have me sold...

 

Bush/Graffy/ZachJack

for

Wigg/Reyes...

 

that would grab me...rouse

[hauser42]

Think about the kind of trash the Brewers received in similar type deals though

 

What kind of trash are you talking about?

 

Graffy is not trash and he was acquired to fill a void left by Weeks injury.

[Barbs4339]

I realize Graffy got off to a horrible start, but his bat is really coming around lately(.455 in June) and has hit pretty well the past 3 years, right around .280. Wiggington has a little more pop, but right now has an OB% of .306, just slightly higher than Graffy's .303. Graffy has a better career average and OB%. Just don't see the point in making a trade like this unless we were able to get rid of Mench as well.

[Invader3K]

I don't think he'd be enough of an upgrade. He's a nice player, but I'm personally hoping that if the Brewers add another bat, it's someone with a little bit better average, or more power to help down the stretch (like a corner outfielder or something).

[Brian the Automator]

[ I don't think he'd be enough of an upgrade. He's a nice player, but I'm personally hoping that if the Brewers add another bat, it's someone with a little bit better average, or more power to help down the stretch (like a corner outfielder or something). ]

 

Beggars can't be choosers... I really don't think the Brewers are going to want to give up much in the way of prospects to get a marquee player. I specifically targeted a minor upgrade for that reason.

[JohnBriggs12]

"He's started in 85% of their games".

 

Not by my count. He's started 59 of 61 games (96%) including games at DH, and is third on the team in plate appearences just 15 behind everyday leadoff man Carl Crawford with 255.

 

Graffanino may have started quite a bit in KC, but by my count it was 60 of 97 (62%), which is a lot but a far cry from 96%.

 

My point was also that Wigginton was a full time starter at 3B for the Mets in 03 and half of 04, when he was traded to the Pirates to make room for David Wright. He then started at 3rd the rest of 2004 for Pittsburgh. Now he's a full time player for the D-Rays and Graffanino is not a full time player for the Brewers.

 

The crux is that he is a key element of their lineup and they aren't going to give him away for an older less productive player who's faced mostly LHP this season. As for a "2nd tier" pitching prospect, exactly what is that?

 

I'm sure the D-Rays are looking for pitching prospects that actually have a decent chance to be solid major leaguers and the Brewers don't want to give those guys up just to marginally upgrade their bench.

 

Graffanino has never had 500 AB's in one season (the minimum I would consider an "everyday player", and passed the 400 mark once, in 2006 thanks in large part to Weeks' injury.