Report: Tampa Bay Rays Hold Interest in Florida Marlins Reliever Matt Lindstrom

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 6, 2009 5:54 PM EST

Per MLB.com reporter Joe Frisaro on Twitter:

#Marlins The Rays are exploring interest in Matt Lindstrom, arb eligible for the first time.

Lindstrom will turn 30 in mid-February and pitches with his right arm. Since 2007 he has completed at least 45 innings per year and has FIP of 2.85, 3.27, and 4.47 over that span. His fastball sits at a blistering 96.6 miles per hour for his career and he also features a slider which combine to result in a number of groundballs and contactless swings (career 77.5% contact).

Oddly, Lindstrom has a career .332 BABIP despite all those groundballs. Of all relievers with a GB rate around 45% over the last three seasons only Merkin Valdez and Tyler Yates come close to Lindstrom's BABIP. Then again, we're talking about like 500 balls in play. That's not enough to say whether this is will be a reoccurring issue or simply sample size issues being mangnified.

Last season, Lindstrom dealt with injuries and allowed a career high 9.3% HR/FB - his previous two season figures were 2.9% and 2% even. Heading forward you shouldn't expect as low as 2%, but it seems like the 9.3% figure won't last either. Somewhere in the middle is likely.As mentioned, he is eligible for arbitration and would be under team control for three seasons.

This one passes the logic test. As would reported interest in Matt Capps, Mark Lowe, or a number of Blue Jays relievers. I'm not sure how realistic a trade with the Marlins is though. In the past they've shown how ... optimistic they are with regards to valuing their own players. Fewer than 12 months ago they asked for Wade Davis in exchange for Jeremy Hermida, and within the past month they dumped Hermida before having to non-tender him. Their ambition has been evident in other potential dealings (i.e. Elijah Dukes) as well.

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He's a relief Edwin Jackson

Vroom vroom party starter
www.raysprospects.com

by Imperialism32 on Dec 6, 2009 5:55 PM EST reply actions

A relief Edwin Jackson is an above average reliever.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 6, 2009 6:00 PM EST up reply actions

But a relief Andy Sonnanstine is like, a bajillion times better, amirite?

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Dec 6, 2009 6:46 PM EST up reply actions

So what?

Sign lady must die.

by EminenceFront on Dec 6, 2009 6:04 PM EST up reply actions

Matt "The Stormin' Mormon" Lindstrom.

Sign lady must die.

by EminenceFront on Dec 6, 2009 5:55 PM EST reply actions

This man has a fastball straighter than Edwin and is injury prone

I trust him as a MU man, not a SU/CL type

Give me a CC long term deal, please!

by joeybw on Dec 6, 2009 5:57 PM EST reply actions

Kyle Farmsworth Jr

by sternfan1 on Dec 6, 2009 6:08 PM EST reply actions

If it's 2003-2005 Farnsworth then so be it.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 6, 2009 6:09 PM EST up reply actions

It wouldn't be so easy to hate you if you took the time to spell correctly and use good grammar.

Sign lady must die.

by EminenceFront on Dec 6, 2009 6:13 PM EST up reply actions

He certainly is a POWER ARM.Are you off that horse in 2010?

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Dec 6, 2009 6:49 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

A power arm w/o the K/9 to support it. What gives?

by sternfan1 on Dec 7, 2009 8:01 AM EST up reply actions

That would give us more Dugout attention

Wherever the red dot goes, ya bang.

by boxman37 on Dec 6, 2009 7:49 PM EST up reply actions

Hmm let me see

Above average arm
Above average numbers 2 out of last 3 years
His high ERA will hurt him in arbitration and the Rays would get additional controlled years.

Yea I’m ok with this. The Marlins always set the bar high so I wouldn’t give up much, but for the right price I’d be perfectly ok with this.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Dec 6, 2009 6:22 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Lindstrom's numbers

07 FIP: 2.85 WHIP: 1.3 BAA: .259 WAR: 1.4
08 FIP: 3.27 WHIP: 1.5 BAA: .261 WAR: 0.8
09 FIP: 4.47 WHIP: 1.65 BAA: .288 WAR: 0.0

He gives up at best a hit an inning, and what no one likes to see is a negative trend. 3 consecutive years of declining stats. He has impressive tools to work with and the Rays can hope he puts it all together, but it’s going to cost them around 1.4-1.5 mil in his first year of arb. Take that money and use it on Calero and try to get another reliever via trade. I don’t think that’s the right guy to spend such a limited amount of resources with.

by raysfaninminnesota on Dec 6, 2009 7:15 PM EST up reply actions

WHIP relies on BABIP, which as I noted, he has an abnormally high BABIP for someone who gets so many grounders.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 6, 2009 7:20 PM EST up reply actions

he's young and talented

Rays could hope to get another Balfour.

by raysfaninminnesota on Dec 6, 2009 7:24 PM EST up reply actions

I wouldn't mind getting this guy while his value is low.

That’s what we do best here. I wouldn’t want the guy as a closer or anything, but a change of scenery might help.

by raysrule44 on Dec 6, 2009 6:30 PM EST reply actions

Fernie should be enough.

We are in the mix !

by raysrule44 on Dec 6, 2009 6:39 PM EST up reply actions

I read somewhere that Fernando Perez would be enough

I think that one works for me, Nando is a perennial September back up

Give me a CC long term deal, please!

by joeybw on Dec 6, 2009 7:07 PM EST reply actions

if we can get him for nando

then I say get the deal done

Then again I never said I was a genius.....

by thedudeofdudes on Dec 6, 2009 9:40 PM EST up reply actions

He's only like that on this team.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Dec 7, 2009 11:40 AM EST up reply actions

I would be curious for someone to identify

a sure-fire reliever in the majors today.

Rivera, Hoffman: They are 40 and 42 years old!
Wagner, Soriano, Gonzalez: Injuries?
Valverde: More expensive than he will be worth
Papelbon: Showed some worrisome decline this year
Bell: Has closed for one year-and in Petco

Everybody has questions surrounding them, and with relievers they are even more serious than similar questions about every day players.

So Lindstrom has question marks. Over his career his numbers have careened wildly at various stops. In substantially full years, his HR/9 has been as high as 1.4 in AA and as low as .2 in the majors. His K/9 has been as low as 5.6 at high A and as high as 12 in AA. His BB/9 has been as high as 6.8 in AA and as low as 2.8 in the majors.

Even in his 3 nearly full major league seasons his HR/9 has been .3, .2, 1; his BB/9 2.8, 4.1, 4.6 and his K rate 8.3, 6.8, 7.4. So “we know we cannot be sure” what he will do in 2010. We also know his entire major league record is in the NL East, in the Marlin’s ball park, and that he throws very hard but not always effectively.

In other words, how is he different from Balfour when we acquired him? Seems to me he is pretty much a typical relief candidate who can be very useful to a team if used judiciously. He earned $410 thousand so even with arbitration he probably is not too expensive. If the price in talent is not significant, he seems like a worthwhile acquisition to add to the reliever pool.

by bobr on Dec 6, 2009 7:07 PM EST reply actions

Broxton perhaps.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 6, 2009 7:12 PM EST up reply actions

I would always trust Joakim Soria coming in the 9th

Give me a CC long term deal, please!

by joeybw on Dec 6, 2009 7:13 PM EST up reply actions

He fits under the injury issues category.

Does anyone trust the Royals doctors after the Gil Meche, Kyle Farnsworth, Coco Crisp, and Mike Aviles happenings?

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 6, 2009 7:20 PM EST up reply actions

if(should say when) the Royals trade him

and he gets some real doctors, he will be very dominant

Give me a CC long term deal, please!

by joeybw on Dec 6, 2009 7:24 PM EST up reply actions

He's the exact kind of player the Royals won't trade.

He dominates ERA and saves. They value that stuff more than probably anyone in the league.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 6, 2009 7:25 PM EST up reply actions

"sure-fire" and reliever rarely go in the same sentence

those type of relievers you can count on one hand and most of the time are not available. Ever.

But it’s important to get as close to the sure-fire range as you can get. He’s a risk. All relievers are. The Rays have to determine if he’s the best risk for their limited funds.

by raysfaninminnesota on Dec 6, 2009 7:22 PM EST up reply actions

I like Andrew Bailey a lot

Kid gets people out.

I'm a writer.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Dec 7, 2009 10:07 AM EST up reply actions

What do you think of Joey Divine?

Would he be a possible trade target? He’s coming off injury so I don’t think he’d be too expensive. He had a unreal second half in 2008 and was their closer going into this past year.

I'm a Brett Favre honk so FUCK YOU!

by PriceMultiCyYoungs on Dec 6, 2009 7:41 PM EST up reply actions

I think hes on the wrong team

A’s wont trade him until he demands a lot

Give me a CC long term deal, please!

by joeybw on Dec 6, 2009 7:43 PM EST up reply actions

I'm sure he can be had.

They need infielders though, and I don’t think there’s too many of our MIFs I’d trade for Devine straight up.

by R.J. Anderson on Dec 6, 2009 7:55 PM EST up reply actions

I really like both Briggy and S-Rod

and is there anyone else they would take?

Give me a CC long term deal, please!

by joeybw on Dec 6, 2009 7:56 PM EST up reply actions

How about this?

Elliot Johnson, and somebody else (any other expendable infielders?) for Devine.

by TBRaysfan009 on Dec 6, 2009 10:26 PM EST up reply actions

I'd like him

But if the A’s traded him this off-season, I’d be awfully suspicious.

Vroom vroom party starter
www.raysprospects.com

by Imperialism32 on Dec 7, 2009 12:25 AM EST up reply actions

@Buster_ESPN

A trade of Marlins reliever Matt Lindstrom is said to be “imminent” by a highly ranked source.

Representin' the West Side of Mulberry!

by SeanDubbs on Dec 6, 2009 8:40 PM EST reply actions

With the multiple team interest,

I’m thinking the price might be higher than expected, even though he is arb. eligible.

by FLBoy84 on Dec 6, 2009 9:34 PM EST reply actions

Rays will gracefully bout out if that happens

Lindstrom would be nice, but not worth a bidding war.

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on Dec 6, 2009 9:47 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Correct--Marlins are a crafty bunch and would seem to sell mainly on the high side

as far as returns go

by sternfan1 on Dec 6, 2009 10:08 PM EST up reply actions

Marlins IF UZR/1350 Innings

07: -10.67
08: -1.32
09: -3.13

Might explain the high BABIP somewhat.

by rglass44 on Dec 6, 2009 10:17 PM EST reply actions

BABIP by year for Lindstrum:

2007: .335
2008: .321
2009: .342

by rglass44 on Dec 6, 2009 10:41 PM EST up reply actions

I put this together just for 2009

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AhdYS83t3IB7dG5oOFY1UW9kLTMzdlMyYnJoZmVZV2c&hl=en

I'm a writer.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Dec 7, 2009 10:13 AM EST up reply actions

Rays inquire on Nelson Cruz

how I love this week of the year. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. The Rays have already been mentioned here with Lindstrom, throughout the off-season with Bradley, and now Cruz. While all the Rays did was just see what it would take to get him, and was prob nothing more than casual convo, gotta love the rumors.

by raysfaninminnesota on Dec 6, 2009 10:30 PM EST reply actions