Ken Davidoff's baseball insider

Dear God, I hate this trade.

Farnsworth was finally doing well, and no one is a bigger brat than Pudge. The only way this makes a lick of sense is if Rodriguez is a free agent at the end of the year... anybody know?

Yes, he's a free agent. It's just a rental so they don't have to have an auto-out in Molina in the lineup every day.

Farnsworth was surprisingly emotional when he found out. He sounded on the verge of tears. I'm sure it's tough leaving your teammates, but I wouldn't expect such emotion from a guy regularly abused by the fans. (Not to mention he was successful for the Tigers just a few years back.)

Great move. His numbers may be better, but there is no one who trusts Fransworth in a big spot. With Marte aboard and more reserves in the minors (Bruney, Britton, etc.), Farnsworth became more than expendable. Cashman is the master at the under-the-radar trade.

That makes it a little bit better, thanks BW.

Still, the bullpen was starting to cook, I'm not sure messing with it was a great move. And it will be, um, interesting to see how Pudge gets on in that clubhouse.

Tim N

I love this trade.

Farnsworth was doing well until his last outing in Boston when the inner demons got to him again. The guy has been a head case since he got here, and after that Boston misfire, I figured he was gonna go in the tank for a fresh 6 weeks.

Picking up Pudge gives us a catcher who can hit without sacrificing any defense.

I would have taken a box of broken bats for Farnsworth.
I wish him well in a fresh fish bowl.

OUTSTANDING TRADE.

Ken, this trade is a surprise. Pudge is washup and old. If this was 10 years ago its one thing, but Pudge Rodriguez is on the down side of his career. Is he better than Jose Molina? Yes. Offensively he is better than Molina and Moeller combined.The Tigers trading Pudge to the Yanks tells me that they like Brandon Inge to be their starting catcher. Farnsworth has pitch better under Girardi, but he still makes fans nervous when he's on the mound. Both Farnsworth and Pudge are free agents at the end of the season, so their salaries are a wash. Overall the Yanks like the bullpen alignment so much that they were willing to give up Farnsworth to upgrade at catcher with Posada out for the season. The Yanks are in it to make a run to make the playoffs.

Islander505 I never thought the day would come, but I have to agree. While "love" might be a too strong of a word, I do think this is a good trade. Molina isn't an every day catcher and is very weak offensively. While Pudge lacks power and isn't nearly the same player he was at or behind the plate, this is still an upgrade.

Farnsworth could have regressed at any time. Who among us could really trust this guy. I was worried about the after effects of his Boston outing, too. It was awful. The error made him look foolish.

Leyland has Sheffield to deal with and now let him be a shrink for Farnsworth.

Love this trade.

-I never trusted Farnsworth despite his better season this year.

-We have a lot of bullpen options ready or close to being ready in Bruney, Melancon, and we just got Marte, making Farnsowrth expendable.

-We needed a starting catcher who could hit better than Molina and Pudge is also still good defensively.

-Pudge has October experience, obviously.

-Pudge is a type A free gent, so if he walks, we get the two draft picks.

Jeff, you only get the picks if the Yankees offer him arbitration and he declines. If he accepts, the Yankees could be on the hook for big bucks for a catcher well past his prime. They are already paying one post-prime catcher. If they can just get through this season, I will be happy. Forget the draft picks.

Jim

"Islander505 I never thought the day would come, but I have to agree."

Huh? When have you and I ever disagreed? (the last HOF Miller blog shouldn't count--1st time here)
I don't remember "tangling" with any "Jim's" unless.....you are....nah...you couldn't be.
.

The Miller exchange made me think we were on completely different wavelengths. But, alas, we aren't totally, are we? Let me reintroduce myself, my name is Jim and I think Marvin Miller belongs in the Hall of Fame, especially if we are going to have people like B - - ie K in there. (Sorry Ken, I just had to do it.)

Girardi got emotional over Farnsworth being traded.

Pudge has thrown out 18 of 50 runners this year. Not exactly Johnny Bench behind the plate.

I just returned to DC, Jim, and noticed your earlier post. Yes, the tickets will be yours. Hit me up at j.ep@comcast.net when you have a moment free and we'll coordinate.

Thank heavens for DirecTV and XM on those jetBlue flights! Listening to Kellerman rip apart Steve Philips on the use of relief pitchers was priceless!

Jeez, I hate to agree with everyone on the I-Rod pickup, but, yes, a .295/.338/.417 line for a backstop rental is excellent. Where I dissent is that some Yankee fans are kicking Farnsworth in the ass on his way out. Marte's arrival may have made him expendable, but the guy was having a pretty good season.

By the way, is that music for the new Reebok football ad ("Join the Migration") featuring, among others, Eli, a wee bit spooky and foreboding?

"The Miller exchange made me think we were on completely different wavelengths."

Jim, we may very well be. My transmitter has been missing a circuit for a few decades now. But it still works, or at least that's the information that my people tell me.

"Let me reintroduce myself, my name is Jim and I think Marvin Miller belongs in the Hall of Fame, especially if we are going to have people like B - - ie K in there."

Hi Jim, I'm 505 and I'm a blogaholic.
Well, when I'm not drinking anyway.
And I really have no argument against that point vis a vis Miller/Kuhn other than to that say two wrongs don't make a right.

And who the hell is Johnny Bench?
Was he the guy that poked around the NL for a coupla years when Munson and Fisk were rewriting the book on catching?
And I woudn't worry too much about Pudge's CS numbers. We have been spoiled with the bar that Molina has established this year. Pudge should more than make up for that with some offense.

Hallelujah there is a god!! Good riddance to Farnsworth and at the end of the year Pudge. I guess Moeller is now gone so who will be replacing him on the 25-man roster? Next thing you know the Florida Marlins will trade for Manny Ramirez, oh wait.....

Hey, Jim, Islander505 is on to something: Big Mike Piazza would have given his left you-know-what to throw out 18 of 50 baserunners!

505 from your lips to the ears of the baseball Gods on Pudge. I was just reading about Bench and was re-illuminated on his 1972 lung operation. He was never the same player after that.

505 - re: your transmitte r - has anyone ever walked up to you on a NYC sidewalk and asked: "Kenneth, what's the frequency?"

JE - I was reading how in 1972 (I think) that Bench threw out 31 of 55 runners trying to steal. So, only there were only 24 successful stolen bases against him. The average NL team had 80 steals that year. Pretty impressive. I like the trade, but let's not forget that we are getting the Pudge devoid of "juice" and about 100 lbs. lighter in the muscle department. Think steroids don't make a difference?

I don't disagree, Jim, but his numbers this year indicate that he still has credible offensive value.

Still, let's not get completely carried away with the ability to catch would-be basestealers. Since stolen bases aren't as important component to the game as it was in the 70s and 80s, Bench's defense numbers meant that much more to his team.

I-505 and others, I see your points, it is hard to defend Farnsworth, but, I mean, Ivan Rodriguez? Personally, I think we swapped one head case for another.

'Course, watch him hit .455 from here to October now that I sadi that. :>)

Thanks for clearing that up for me, Jim. I never totally understood how the draft pick and arbitration worked exactly.