Flooded market is just what the Rays need.

by Tommy Rancel on Dec 4, 2008 7:00 AM EST Comment 15 comments

"There's no question this is a dual market situation," says one GM. "The corner bat/DH market is flooded, and the stock market is drowning. Not a good combination, not when pitching rules the market."

"The other thing is that teams are moving away from the base offensive statistics," says another GM. "They are pouring through defensive studies and seeing that below-average defenders like Ramirez and Burrell in the field depreciate their offensive numbers because of what they give up."

That is an excerpt from this piece written by Peter Gammons on the corner outfield/DH market which figures to be tops on the Rays priority list.

Gammons specifically mentions the Rays in this portion of the entry

Which is why the Tampa Bay Rays are in such a great position. They need a right field or DH bat. They have a terrific lineup in which to stack numbers. And a long list of names to consider, like Dunn, Jason Giambi, Burrell, Abreu, Raul Ibanez and Garrett Atkins from which to choose.

What once looked like a pipe dream, is now becoming a bright reality for the Rays. After the major pieces like CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira fall and set the market, the Rays will probably have three or four solid options for right field and/or DH. This comes without trading Edwin Jackson, Andy Sonnanstine, Jeff Niemann or even Jason Bartlett.

This should give Friedman the flexibilty to pick and choose in a trade while supplementing whatever position he doesn't fill via a trade with a weakened market. Even if names like Dunn, Burrell, Ibanez, Bradley and Abreu get multi-year deals elsewhere it leaves guys like Giambi, Juan Rivera, Ken Griffey, Eric Hinske, Cliff Floyd and Rocco Baldelli with no place to go. Now some of those names(including the former Rays trio) aren't ideal, but for the potential price they maybe worth a shot.

And that doesn't even bring in the trade market which could include guys like Rick Ankiel, Ryan Ludwick and Jeremy Hermida among others.

In the beginning of this offseason most of us thought talking about these guys was just wishful thinking. Now, we may infact just get what we wished for.

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Baseball Analysts article

“Now some of those names(including the former Rays trio) aren’t ideal, but for the potential price they maybe worth a shot.”
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There is an interesting article by Patrick Sullivan at Baseball Analysts that reviews the building of the Phillies. Among his many excellent points is that sometimes players are acquired who may seem not to be smart pickups but who do contribute. One example on the Phillies was Feliz, generally derided for his hacking ways, but who was still a useful part on the team. I think your point meshes with that and we have to be ready to consider context for anyone we acquire rather than simply evaluating each exclusively according to narrower performance metrics.

Here is the link:

http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2008/12/a_note_on_the_c.php#comments

by bobr on Dec 4, 2008 7:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Feliz has always been a good defender though.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 4, 2008 10:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, that was part of the point.

The other was that even Feliz was an improvement offensively over the departed Nunez. That is a contextual comment. The question is not whether Feliz is a good offensive player; he isn’t. But relative to what else was available, he served well enough. I think one would also have to assess the budget implications of signing a Feliz vs. the marginal increase in value another player might have brought at a higher price which may have implications for decisions elsewhere.

by bobr on Dec 4, 2008 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ALthough the flooded DH market this year would help the Rays big time

the long term ramifications of a potential value shift might not….

“The other thing is that teams are moving away from the base offensive statistics,” says another GM. “They are pouring through defensive studies and seeing that below-average defenders like Ramirez and Burrell in the field depreciate their offensive numbers because of what they give up.”

Not good if you’re a team that already values defense. It means that they won’t be able to pay below-market rates for good defensive players anymore. Like Mark Ellis. Hopefully this isn’t a long-term value shift.

Jon Garland, pleasepleaseplease accept arbitration. Your mad iNNiNgZ eAtEr sKiLLz will be greater exemplified in next year's free agent class. kthxbai.

by Blicks on Dec 4, 2008 8:58 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

On the flip side.

If you all ready have defense, you can now get cheap offense.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 4, 2008 10:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Something to add from Olney's blog today

And the prices in the corner outfield market are collapsing. There had been talk during the summer of Adam Dunn getting $15 million a year this winter, but now his salary range might be little more than half of that. Pat Burrell might be looking at a situation where he could take a one-year deal with a good team, like the Rays

Says a lot about the market right now

by Erik Hahmann on Dec 4, 2008 10:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Oops, and this

You do wonder if Dunn or Burrell might drop into their laps, as each seeks an opportunity for a big year in 2009.

by Erik Hahmann on Dec 4, 2008 10:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yes plz.

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls, Riggans Your Thingans
09: This one is for all the rings.

by SRQman on Dec 4, 2008 10:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yes plz times two

by daveh33 on Dec 4, 2008 12:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Speaking as a perennial fantasy baseball player I say

Stay the hell away from Herrmida (unless it means unloading bartlett)

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Dec 4, 2008 10:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'm not a huge Hermida guy either

There are two types of players who walk a lot – guys who have a good eye, and guys who just don’t swing as much as they should, and thus get a lot of walks or strikeouts just by dumb luck. After watching him a few years, I’m convinced that Hermida falls into the latter category. Those guys generally never have a breakout as big as was anticipated when they were minor leaguers.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Dec 4, 2008 11:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs