A New Name to Ponder

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 27, 2008 12:39 PM EDT

The always dependable John Perrotto at Baseball Prospectus gives us this heaping of names in his AL rumblings:

The Rays are in the market for help at multiple positions, and are eyeing Fuentes, Street, and Giants right-handed reliever Tyler Walker, along with Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent, Rockies infielder Clint Barmes, and Athletics outfielder Matt Murton.

We've discussed Fuentes, Street, Walker, Murton, and a bit on Barmes, but Jeff Kent is a new one. First thought: can he hit lefties? .795 OPS this year, .857 career. Where would he play? DH perhaps? Why would the Dodgers trade him? To give Andy LaRoche a slot perhaps? It couldn't take too much to acquire Kent unless Ned Colletti overvalues his own veterans like he does other team's veterans. Kent is a free agent at the end of the season, but he's also into his fifth (if only he were 30) decade on this planet.

Tweet Comment 31 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

First Thought on Jeff Kent

BARRY LAMAR BONDS

Second thought: I am not interested in someone who spent last year whining about playing time when the Dodgers were out of the race and they decided to see if some of their minor leaguers could play.

Kent is not a good character guy, and the examples above aren’t the only ones on Kent. If the Rays aren’t going to sign Bonds because of his character, they most certainly shouldn’t think about trading for Kent for the same reason.

by kericr on Jul 27, 2008 12:43 PM EDT reply actions

For all those you have mentioned above besides Street and Fuentes, how about a big fat emphatic NO!

One name that I find intriguing that isn’t mentioned much is SP Fransico Liriano of Minnesota. He isn’t happy there and maybe, just maybe we can fool the Twins into trading with us again. We could put Sonny or Ejax in the pen and would have 3 phenomenal starting LHP in the rortaion when Price is added to the starting rotation in ‘09. For now we could add Price to go with Sonny or Ejax to go in the pen….I think it could work for the here and now.

Imagine Kazmir/Shields/Garza/Liriano/Price. Like Whoa!

by Rays Rule on Jul 27, 2008 12:56 PM EDT reply actions

omg

by Jason Collette on Jul 27, 2008 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Why's this an OMG?

Liriano is quite pipe-dreamish, but Liriano certainly isn’t happy with how things have gone in Minnesota. Realistically though the Rays would have to give up quite a bit and Price would be a very realistic asking price for the Twins. I like the idea, but they wouldn’t be able to swing it.

by kericr on Jul 27, 2008 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions

because....

The Twins are screwing with his arb clock so they can afford him for longer. The Twins are a company that always runs by the bottom line and never turns anyone loose (Delmon/Garza deal 1st one in years) until the player is near free agency. The Twins can control Liriano for 4 more years after this year. For his price and talent, that is about as an untradeable commodity as there is in baseball.

by Jason Collette on Jul 27, 2008 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Uhhh...all that shit don't help if Liriano refuses to play for them and he will if Twins brass keep it up

by Rays Rule on Jul 27, 2008 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Refusing to play for him then doesn't help him at all.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 27, 2008 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Why not? He can force a trade if he refuses AAA assignment. All the guy wants to do is play in the bigs and his #'s prove that he should be

Players union already filing a grievance over the crap Twins are pulling. Only good point is that Minnsota’s rotation is pitching very well. This is why they say they have no room for him

by Rays Rule on Jul 27, 2008 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Counterpoint: Livan Hernandez.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 27, 2008 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Players Union

can file a grievance all they want. There is nothing that says a guy with options must be called up no matter how well he’s performing. Teams have the player under control and can keep them down as long as they want.

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Jul 27, 2008 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

i live in MN and what the twins are doing this year is just stupid

the twins FO always thinks they are so damn smart going with the veteran instead of the kid with talent and always dont know when to dump someone like boof bonser who is worse than gary glover throwing with his left arm and what they are doing to liriano is just stupid, but lets keep livan hernandez who might be a key guy as a teacher but isnt that what the coaching staff is supposed to do? he has to do his part as well but he just sucks ass and i knew that he would. i wish that they trade him here i would just laugh and laugh and move down to tampa and stop cheering for the twins as im sick of the dumbass moves they make every year.

longo=ROY. friedman=Executive of the year. Maddon=Manager of the year. Rays=WS champs 08!

by RaysOfHope on Jul 28, 2008 2:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Kent is an ornery bastard, but eh who cares really?

The real problem is that he’s just not all that good anymore. And Clint Barmes? Don’t make me laugh.

The Rays should try to get an outfield/DH bat: Bay or Bradley, ideally. They DON’T really need another reliever, because if Friedman has half a brain he’ll bring up David Price and turn him into the Nitro-Diesel Joba v.2008 out of the pen for the rest of the season rather than trying to slot him into the rotation. As good as Chamberlain was last year, Jesus Christ on a shoestring imagine what Price will be like this year. The Rays relief squad would be UNSTOPPABLE between Price, Balfour, and Wheeler.

I root for the two worst teams in baseball, non-ironically.

by esoteric on Jul 27, 2008 12:57 PM EDT reply actions

I'm not sure which line I liked best

“turn him into the Nitro-Diesel Joba v.2008 ” or “Jesus Christ on a shoestring”. Points are well taken though.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 27, 2008 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Jesus Christ on a Nitro-Diesel?

"I'm like a retarded Adam Dunn mixed with Jason Bartlett" - R.J. Anderson

by P Brady on Jul 27, 2008 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I have this image of him doing mad wheelies on an ATV with badass flames shooting out of the exhaust

I root for the two worst teams in baseball, non-ironically.

by esoteric on Jul 27, 2008 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Then Mary Magdalen's all like, "Jesus You can't do that", and he's all like

“Watch me bitch!”

"I'm like a retarded Adam Dunn mixed with Jason Bartlett" - R.J. Anderson

by P Brady on Jul 27, 2008 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions

rays tough to deal with

The Rays keep coming up just short on trade talks. One team they were in discussions with are complaining about their deliberate pace and their insistence on taking several names completely out of the discussion. One FOT is hearing his boss saying that "they come in thinking they’ve cracked the code, that this offer is the one that’s perfect. Maybe it is, for them." The Rays seem perfectly willing to go with what they have, especially given the progress of Rocco Baldelli. The team seems more focused on the pen and even there has options like bringing up David Price in September.

by Asfan4ever723 on Jul 27, 2008 12:59 PM EDT reply actions

Already have a thread about this quote.

And as an outsider to the team, my attitude is “good for them.” Better that they play hardball than they foolishly mortgage the future for the present. They have a great shot of making the postseason standing pat as it is. Why sell off valuable prospects if they won’t be necessary?

I get this feeling that a lot of GMs are pissed because they all want Price from the Rays, and the Rays won’t even let them get a foot in the door to discuss the matter. How dare they zealously protect the best pitching prospect in Major League Baseball!

I root for the two worst teams in baseball, non-ironically.

by esoteric on Jul 27, 2008 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions

It's not about Price though

Of course Price is off the table. It’s about Davis and Hellickson being off the table as well.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jul 27, 2008 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

If you don't at least give the illusion that the other side can get something good in return

then the other side has no incentive to negotiate to begin with.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jul 27, 2008 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I wonder if Niemann is off the table too

he could have gotten us Blake it seems like.

by Dbullsfan on Jul 27, 2008 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't have done that deal.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 27, 2008 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I think that is the point, R.J.

I would not do that deal either and I doubt the Rays considered it. We have to remember that a deal of Niemann for Blake really means Niemann and Gomes for Blake as Jonny becomes a non-person with Blake here. I know many would be happy to jettison Gomes, but I don’t think that is smart.

I also think it would have taken more than Niemann. The Dodgers gave up a highly regarded reliever (albeit one who has had difficulties the last 2 years) and a young catcher who has been outstanding this year.

by bobr on Jul 27, 2008 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Agree to disagree

he just finished his 4th decade. he is now into his 5th decade.

by The Professor on Jul 27, 2008 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

Correct.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 27, 2008 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

So Kent's LD%/BABIP don't match up at all

21.8% LD, .265 BABIP, but his BB and K %es have dropped as well.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 27, 2008 1:53 PM EDT reply actions

Oh and FWIW

Kent’s name had come up a week or two ago. I can’t remember where I saw it.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jul 27, 2008 1:56 PM EDT reply actions

I read an article in SPT saying Brignac was amoung the Rays untouchables? WHY?

Barty is not going anywhere anytime soon. And his offensive shortcomings are overshadowed by his unbelievable defense. I say include Brugnac an a trade for bullpen relief.

by Rays Rule on Jul 27, 2008 2:22 PM EDT reply actions

Brignac

Some people are speculating that Brignac could be groomed to be a RF for next year if we have not gotten anyone else and I kind of like that idea. Maybe that is one potential reason why he is not available in a trade?

SC raysfan

by SC raysfan on Jul 27, 2008 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions

um, his offensive skills would be below average in a corner spot, and I doubt his good infield skills would translate to right field

Ruggiano’s probably a better fielder (in the outfield) and hitter than Brignac.

my blog

by Sky Kalkman on Jul 27, 2008 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

And at this point, we know he's a better hitter.

Maybe not in the future, but right now anyway.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jul 27, 2008 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Kent would be a decent DH option...

Without mentioning Bonds, why wouldn’t Kent work as a DH vs. Lefties? He’d probably be pretty cheap.

by tallyray on Jul 27, 2008 2:26 PM EDT reply actions

I guess he could

but he has a reputation as being a huge asshole and a big time me-first player. If part of the reason they didn’t want to have Bonds/Dukes/Young around is because of their negative holier-than-thou attitudes, then Kent’s just as bad as those guys, if not worse, in that respect.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jul 27, 2008 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions