Former Impact players w/ declining value

[yoshii8]

In looking at the FA market, there isn't a whole lot of big impact players besides Pujols, Fielder, Reyes, and possibly Ramirez. I think the Brewers might have to get creative to find an impact bat to replace Prince. I'd like to see them go after a player that has been great in the past, who has had a down year or two and might be available. What guys would you like to see the Brewers take a risk on that fit this profile?

Some of the guys I might want off the top of my head are Jason Bay, David Wright and maybe Nick Markakis.

[madtowndrunkard]

Michael Cuddyer.

 

 

Markakis would be a really nice addition to this team, but I'm thinking Baltimore could get more from other teams. We don't have a lot of trade value to offer. I do think Melvin will take a gamble on an aging vet or two.... 1 or 2 year kind of deal on someone that's career is nearing an end.....OR a player trying to come back from injury and/or prove him self worthy of a big contract. Lance Berkman is a great example of the kind of move Melvin will be looking at. Agree or disagree...I'm betting $ that Melvin will make that same sort of move the Cards did last year an an attempt to replace Prince's bat. This will also give us some flexibility for in season trades.

[Hate those Rodents]

Jason Bay would be given away by the Mets. I'd much rather sign Cuddyer and trade either Hart or Gamel (whomever won't play first base).

 

My outside the box idea: Sign Ramirez and trade Taylor Green to Toronto for the declining Kyle Drabek. The Canadien would have to play second for Toronto but could probably do it.

[RockCoCougars]

I'd pass on Cuddyer at anywhere near the rate he made in 2011. My Twins fans friends are pretty much unanimous that they don't want him resigned because he's looking for a multi-year deal paying eight figures per. They don't think he has much left in the tank. I'd rather go with Gamel for a small fraction of the cost.

[pingman]

1) Adam LaRoche.... missed almost all of 2011 after suffering a torn labrum in spring training....reportedly will resume baseball activities in mid-November & will be ready for the opening of spring training.... has a $8 million salary for 2012 with a mutual option for 2013.....whether the Nationals plan to keep Morse at 1B or move him to LF to make room for Pujols or Fielder, I think the Nats would deal LaRoche & maybe even eat some of his salary.....Nats will look for OF depth per MLB.com..... Good fit: gold glove quality fielder who would be the best defensive 1B in Milwaukee since George "Boomer" Scott & Cecil Cooper.....his overall numbers are consistent from year to year & he's still only 32.... and he's a lefthanded stick in a right handed dominant lineup .... Bad fit: he's terribly inconsistent in a lineup full of streak hitters (other than Braun) ....always starts slow & finishes strong....strikes out a lot....

 

2) Kendrys Morales.... hasn't played since early 2010 due to a broken ankle suffered during a homerun celebration.... sounds like he's headed to arbitration; last salary was $2.975 million....still only 28.....switch hitter, which would be a nice asset for the Brewers lineup..... do the Angels want to keep him???????

[dadofandrew]

Cuddyer isn't very good versus RHP. For $8-10M, that's a big flaw.

[JohnBriggs12]

Cuddyer isn't very good versus RHP. For $8-10M, that's a big flaw.

On a team with no Fielder and only Green, Morgan and occasionally Kottaras batting LH, that is a concern.

 

I'd pass on LaRoche. He fanned 172 times in 2010. Gamel is not too dissimilar to LaRoche as a hitter, and he should be able to produce similar numbers with maybe 40 fewer K's.

 

Alex Rios hit .284/.334/.457 in 2010 but fell into a funk he couldn't get out of last year though he did hit .307/.341/.533 in September so perhaps he figured something out.. If the Sox agreed to pick up half his salary for each of his contract's remaining 3 yrs, he might be someone to consider if you decided to deal Hart. He's not a bad CF and he can also play RF.

 

Jason Kubel fell off significantly also last year. He likely won't command anything huge as a FA. He's another guy you could stick in RF at least against RHP if you decided to deal Hart. In fact, a Kubel/Reed Johnson platoon in RF might be pretty effective.

[nate82]

2) Kendrys Morales.... hasn't played since early 2010 due to a broken ankle suffered during a homerun celebration.... sounds like he's headed to arbitration; last salary was $2.975 million....still only 28.....switch hitter, which would be a nice asset for the Brewers lineup..... do the Angels want to keep him???????

This is not going to happen as the Angels will just keep him. Morales could play DH if he wouldn't be healthy enough to play 1B full time next year. Plus you are going to have to give up some really good prospects to get Morales probably a Gamel/Peralta/Fiers/Gennett type of a trade just for the Angels to even listen to a trade for Morales. Yes he hasn't played since that injury but when healthy Morales is an impact player and the Angels are not going to give him up without getting a lot of talent back in return. This would be like the Brewers trading Fielder when he had a few years left of control. I just do not see the Angels trading away Morales or even Trumbo unless they are completely blown away by a deal for either of them.

[TooLiveBrew]

I could see the Angels possibly signing Fielder & then trading Trumbo.

[monty57]

Melvin always signs some aging vet bat (Kotsay, Kapler, etc). I don't expect to find someone who will put together a season like Berkman, but I expect an aging vet as a backup OF/1B on the bench.

 

Edit: Of course, Casey McGehee could really fill the "former impact player w/ declining value" role on the 2012 team.

[nate82]

I could see the Angels possibly signing Fielder & then trading Trumbo.

Everyone always brings up the Angels every year for them to sign a big impact free agent and nearly every year since they signed Hunter they have shy'd away from signing a big name player. They didn't go all in on Teixeira or Crawford last year it was almost a given that Crawford was going to sign with the Angels and then poof the Angels didn't want to go all in on Crawford. I believe the Angels are going to do the same thing this year they may have some interest in Fielder or even Pujols but they won't come anywhere near what either of them are asking. I wouldn't be surprised if the Angels offered either Pujols or Fielder a 6-year $132m contract and that may actually be the best offer for Fielder/Pujols depending on how interested Toronto, Milwaukee, Florida, Baltimore, and Seattle are.

[yoshii8]

Jason Bay would be given away by the Mets.

Thats why I brought up his name, because it wouldn't take much to get him, and they would have to cover a portion of his contract. He's not that old, and was a great middle of the order hitter as recently as 2009. He'd be a big gamble, but might be worth the risk.

[nate82]

Jason Bay would be given away by the Mets.

He maybe given away by the Mets but the Brewers shouldn't even entertain the idea.

Jason Bay's remaining contract:

12:$16M, 13:$16M, 14:$17M club option ($3M buyout)

 

That is just brutal and you are only getting a .700 OPS out of the guy. I know the stadium that Bay is playing in probably has more to do with his numbers but he is obviously declining and I don't believe he will be worth what he is being paid. The Mets would have to pay at least half of his salary for it to make any sense for the Brewers.

[Dollarbill13]

Jason Bay would be given away by the Mets.

He maybe given away by the Mets but the Brewers shouldn't even entertain the idea.

Jason Bay's remaining contract:

12:$16M, 13:$16M, 14:$17M club option ($3M buyout)

 

That is just brutal and you are only getting a .700 OPS out of the guy. I know the stadium that Bay is playing in probably has more to do with his numbers but he is obviously declining and I don't believe he will be worth what he is being paid. The Mets would have to pay at least half of his salary for it to make any sense for the Brewers.

The Mets would have to eat a good chunk of his contract but I'd be willing to take him for, say, half of that contract. Calling it him a 700 OPS guy is questionable because his BABIP in 2011 was 30 points lower than his career numbers. His drop in ISO is concerning and can likely be chalked up to his increase in GB/FB. That doesn't seem like a trend so I think there's a decent chance of him bouncing back. He seems like an excellent buy-low candidate, especially if we can trade Hart for an upgrade at SS.

[yoshii8]

Jason Bay would be given away by the Mets.

He maybe given away by the Mets but the Brewers shouldn't even entertain the idea.

Jason Bay's remaining contract:

12:$16M, 13:$16M, 14:$17M club option ($3M buyout)

 

That is just brutal and you are only getting a .700 OPS out of the guy. I know the stadium that Bay is playing in probably has more to do with his numbers but he is obviously declining and I don't believe he will be worth what he is being paid. The Mets would have to pay at least half of his salary for it to make any sense for the Brewers.

How do you know you'd get a .700 OPS out if him? He's had one season like that, but he's had a lot more .900 OPS seasons. Thats why you'd think about taking a risk on him.

 

[Mike]

JohnBriggs12[/b]]

dadofandrew[/b]]Cuddyer isn't very good versus RHP. For $8-10M, that's a big flaw.

Agree whole heartedley regarding Cuddyer.

 

 

In fact, a Kubel/Reed Johnson platoon in RF might be pretty effective.

Reed Johnson? Why do that? .283 average is OK, but averaging 10 Hr 57 RBI and only 6 SB per year is no better than giving some of our OF prospects a shot.

[Dollarbill13]

JohnBriggs12[/b]]

dadofandrew[/b]]Cuddyer isn't very good versus RHP. For $8-10M, that's a big flaw.

Agree whole heartedley regarding Cuddyer.

 

 

In fact, a Kubel/Reed Johnson platoon in RF might be pretty effective.

Reed Johnson? Why do that? .283 average is OK, but averaging 10 Hr 57 RBI and only 6 SB per year is no better than giving some of our OF prospects a shot.

You really have to use stats that matter to make your point. He has an 832 career OPS against lefties. Depending on his cost, he'd be a decent option in right.

[Turnbowsaves24]

I wouldn't mind seeing Brewers go after Eric Chavez for a bench spot, he still has the glove (granted if he can stay healthy) but he can play 1b or 3b. Switch hitter coming off the bench would be nice.