Transaction Analysis: Coco Crisp for Ramon Ramirez, and the Mariners hire Don Wakamatsu
Remember when Coco Crisp exemplified Theo Epstein's brilliance? When Crisp was supposed to be the younger, better, cheaper version of Johnny Damon, as Damon's replacement as the Red Sox's for the 2006 season?
That didn't work out too great.
Damon's OPS+ the last three years: 115 in 149 games, 97 in 141 games and 118 in 143 games.
Crisp's OPS+ in the last three years: 77 in 105 games, 83 in 145 games, 93 in 118 games.
Yes, Crisp was a superior defender, and Damon wound up switching to leftfield for the Yankees, but still. The trade today ends a big move that didn't work out as hoped.
To Epstein's credit, however, this deal marks a positive end. Ramirez gives the Red Sox a hard-throwing bullpen arm - and you can be sure that if Ramirez gets some big outs against the Yankees, we media types will bring up that Ramirez was once Yankees property, even though you can't blame Brian Cashman for giving up Ramirez for 2005 savior Shawn Chacon - and now the Red Sox can contemplate converting Justin Masterson back into a starting pitcher.
It'll make the Red Sox less desperate in the A.J. Burnett-Derek Lowe sweepstakes, which should please Red Sox Nation. And of course, they have Jacoby Ellsbury to play centerfield.
On the other side, Crisp will be happier playing every day, and this makes you wonder whether the Royals would be open to trading David DeJesus to the Yankees.
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Comments (32)
Before anyone goes coo-coo for David DeJesus, click here:
http://www.baseballmusings.com/archives/030095.php
His PMR rating in '07 was middle-of-the-pack; in '06, he ranked in the lower-third of his class.
I am not sure that he's the guy you want to patrol a Yankee Stadium-sized outfield.
Not only was that CoCo catch incredible, Ken, but you may remember that he got such a great jump on the ball.
Predictions:
1. C.C. signs with the Yankees for 6 years/$140 million.
2. Peavy is traded to the Yankees for Kennedy and several other good young players.
3. Lowe signs with Boston.
4. Burnett resigns with Toronto.
5. K-Rod signs with the Mets for nowhere near the numbers we heard about two months ago.
6. Mussina retires.
7. Pettitte goes back to Houston.
8. Teixeira resigns with the Angels.
9. Bud Selig tries to get his daughter to be his successor.
10. Clemens is a first ballot HOFer.
Johnny Damon is a good guy. Although he doesn't have a strong arm, he's an adequate OF and an excellent leadoff hitter.
Who's better, Crisp or DeJesus? I would think DeJesus which means they should keep him. People will keep trying to put someone new in CF for the Yanks but Gardner is going to get his shot.
Jack, you're funny.
Thank you, PL. I will take that as a compliment.
Oh, wow! Posnanski just ripped Boswell a new a--hole, albeit in the most polite and respectful way possible:
http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2008/11/19/life-of-boswell/
Here is the offending Boswell post, which argues that, when statistics and "logic" collide, always believe the latter -- and throw in your own choice set of statistics, if possible:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/baseball-insider/2008/11/mvps_howard_k-rod_not_pujols_p.html
There is no way that Brett Gardner is going to be the FT CF this year for the Yankees. You don't spend a couple of hundred million dollars on new players and turn CF over to Gardener. It isn't going to happen, IMHO.
Jon Heyman on his Hot Stove blog said that Derek Lowe wants $16 million a year, which is the amount Andy Pettitte made this year for the Yanks. Apparently Lowe's agent, Scott Boras made the comparison between Lowe and Pettitte on their stats this year and the preceding couple of years. $16 million a year for Lowe seem kind of high for Lowe. But it wouldn't surprise me if Lowe did get $16 million a year.
The only way the Blue Jays would trade Roy Halladay is for 2 reasons.
1. Halladay wants out.
or
2. The Blue Jays feel they can't re-sign Halladay when his contract is up in 2010.
Prediction:
Lowe will sign with Boston for three years/$43 million with a fourth year option.
In light of Dempster's re-upping with the Cubbies at 4/52, Dennis, are you sure that Lowe doesn't deserve the extra cash, regardless of how we think he compares with Pettitte?
I know that I am not alone in raising this issue, Ken, but in the past few days, getting around the "comment submission error" blocker has become next-to-impossible unless I alternate browsers.
Prediction:
The comment submission error" phenomenon leads to lower page views and lower comment totals.
You are understating the issue, Jack. In fact, the "comment submission error" is becoming so serious that Newsday is applying for federal bailout funds....
It will be spearheaded by Barney Frank who wants the government to take a direct stake in the news media to help insure "fairness." He has already lined up 165 co-sponsors. In the Senate, Harry Reid ahs also come out in support of the bailout funds for the Newsday blogging system, saying "No great power can stand idly by and allow the people's voice to go silent. We simply must act and act now." Rahm Emanuel said that President-elect Obama supports "whatever action is necessary to keep a viable newspaper afloat."
Of course, no amount of bailout funds will guarantee that the "comment submission error" problems will actually be addressed....
We might need a special tax to help fund the blogger system bailout. Maybe a surcharge tax on the wealthiest sportwriters, who will get defined in the bill as any reporter/columnist earning over $100,000. As Joe Biden said during the campaign" Paying taxes is patriotic.
Careful there, Jack, lest you wake up Ken from his late afternoon siesta! ;-)
Oh, Ken's awake. I have already heard from him through a back channel!
Did Dayton Moore learn at the foot of Schuerholtz or Paulson? Does he have an actual plan, because I can't seem to make rhyme or reason of what he's doing.
That Crisp catch off DW was amazing. Killed a Met rally as they got absolutely shellacked at Fenway for 3 games.
According to Ken Rosenthal on FOXSports.com , Moose will officially retired. Rosenthal said that Moose is selling his home in Bedford, N.Y. and is planning to spend more time with his family in Montoursville, Pa. The Yanks were expecting to see Moose retired. So looks like Moose is retiring. I don't think Moose is a HOF because he never won a Cy Young, he has 270 wins which is 30 wins short of 300, he only won 20 games in a season once, and he never was the beset pitcher in the sport.
JE, I believe Burnett will have a better chance than Lowe to get $16 million or more a year because Burnett is younger than Lowe who is 35. Would it surprise me if Lowe gets $16 million? No. I do think Burnett will get more than $16 million a year.
I am not here to shill for Posnanski, Dennis, but since you raised the question, he has good reason to believe that Mussina will indeed secure a berth in the HOF:
http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2008/11/18/mussina-redux/
Prediction:
Moose gets elected to the HOF.
Read Tyler Kepner's article in the Nov. 17 NYT. Here is the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/sports/baseball/18mussina.html?scp=2&sq=Mike%20Mussina&st=cse
Only five pitchers in history have as many wins with a winning percentage that matches Moose's .638. They are: Grover Cleveland Alexander, Christy Mathewson, Clemens, Lefty Grove and Johnson.
A survey of HOF voters show he currently has lots of support.
Oh, by the way, it's Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson (Not Walter Johnson).
I think before Moose goes in, you have to put in Jack Morris who was a dominating pitcher in his era. Then you might have to put in Blyleven and Jim Kaat who have nice win totals but over 20+ years. Now that Moose has a 20 win season, he merits consideration, but no way was he one of the best of all-time. You can't even argue he was one of the best of HIS time.
Jack Morris was a dominating pitcher? If anything, he was a workhorse with lousy BB/K ratios.
Moose's 20-win season shouldn't factor one way or another if he's a HoF. Jose Lima has a 20-win season. Big deal. It's just another arbitrary number. Supposedly Mussina has a lot of support for his Hall candidacy and I hope the writers, five years from now, consider his career and don't simply go down a check-list of numbers, which is a cop-out.
Sometimes I think the writers do go down a checklist of numbers. I don't think Moose belongs. If anything I was saying he compares to Jack Morris and I think Morris was better than him. Jose Lima has a HOF wife :)
And do Mrs. Posada and Mrs. Kotsay belong in the "HOF wife" category too, Sandy?
JE since my detailed answer was sent to the scrap heap by the censor the undetailed answer is yes.
another reliever passes by without the Mets being involved...
Sandy,
Mussina and Morris do not compare statistically:
Mussina: 3562.2 IP, 123 ERA+, 1.19 WHIP, 3.58 K/BB
Morris: 3824 IP, 105 ERA+, 1.30 WHIP, 1.78
Mussina is far superior. Morris supporters always cite his W-L record as reason for his HOF induction, but they conveniently forget all the great teams (with good offenses and good bullpens) that Morris pitched for. We should be focusing on stats that he has control over, like K/9, BB/9, K/BB, HR/9, etc.
Moose is a HOF'er in my book, along with Tim Raines and Bert Blyleven.
MLB has info interest bidders for the Chicago Cubs that they have until Dec. 1 to submitt their offer for the Cubs. Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said representatives of four bidders have met in New York in recent weeks with officials from the commissioner's office, MLB's Internet company and the sport's new television network. DuPuy said that "Bids are expected the week after Thanksgiving," and that "Mr. Zell claims the team is for sale and they're moving forward." Baseball officials said that Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban was not involve in the bidding process for mouths. And considering the fact that Cuban is in trouble with the SEC, Selig won't have to worry about Cuban bidding for the Cubs.
veryone credits Morris with that gutsy 10-inning performance in the 1991 Series, Sandy, but what I remember most is his 1984 no-hitter in near-freezing weather on the first NBC telecast of the season. It remains the first and only time that I have watched a no-hitter from start to finish.
Having said that, I concur with James K's assessment.
I don't know jack about Ramon Ramirez...
With Mussina outof the picture Pettitte could get greedy...I say "take a walk, Andy".
Yes, I have heard second hand that Missus Posada is HOF material. Must be the ears.