Those Wheat Prices Kept on Dropping Till it Was Like We Were Getting Robbed / Frankie Came Home in '68 and Me, I Took This Job

by hugo on Jan 6, 2009 7:56 PM EST in Toronto Blue Jays News

I'm mining Springsteen's Nebraska again (the great song Highway Patrolman) but in MLB it is DH prices that keep on dropping.

Fresh off the Rays 2 year, $16 million dollar signing of Pat Burrell, the A's have apparently reached agreement with Jason Giambi for a 1 year deal worth $5.25 million. There is an option for 2010 with a $1.25 million buyout, so Giambi will be guaranteed about $6.5 million.

I don't count myself a Giambi fan, but this is quite an affordable deal. Giambi hit .247/.373/.502 last year for a nifty 128 OPS+, with 32 home runs in only 458 at-bats. And yet he's taking over an $18 million dollar paycut from last season, where he made $23.5 million. I know he hasn't exactly been a picture of health from year to year, but still.

With the baseball market in this situation, you've got to think we can acquire someone with a little stick, no? With yet another suitor off the market, the economy not getting any better, and the days ticking by, the likes of Abreu and Dunn could be getting a little lonely right about now.

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Just $5.25 Million?

Wow I would think we should be able to afford that. I know we have been joking about it but anyone think we could soon be the only chair left for Dunn?

by Tom Dakers on Jan 6, 2009 8:16 PM EST reply actions

The DH types keep signing for less and less money per year

Ibañez and Bradley at $10MM, Burrell at $8MM, and now Giambi at $5.25MM. Eventually it will get low enough for us.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on Jan 6, 2009 8:47 PM EST up reply actions

yep

hopefully by then someone good will still be left

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Jan 6, 2009 9:20 PM EST up reply actions

According to Hardball Times' new xBABIP stat

(which is supposed to replace the LD% + .120 heuristic) Giambi was one of the unluckiest hitters in 2008.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on Jan 6, 2009 10:45 PM EST reply actions

does that take his

speed into account?

"The NY Mets are my favorite squadron" -- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

by jessef on Jan 6, 2009 11:08 PM EST up reply actions

Yes

the Bill James speed rating is part of the formula.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on Jan 6, 2009 11:36 PM EST up reply actions

that's a really cool stat

nice job by THT.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Jan 7, 2009 6:49 AM EST up reply actions

Guys like Anderson and Griffey will be definately be affordable for smaller market teams. I’m curious to see what happens to players like Hudson and O. Cabrera, whose position scarcity should have secured them a good deal by now.

Lower-end guys, Hinske, Kotsay, Millar etc. will be lucky to make $2 million this year.

From now on, I think we’ll be seeing a lot of short-term deals, 2 or 3 years at max. None of these players are going to want to lock in for too long under the current market conditions. Presumably the market will improve within the next few years.

Bradley
http://44north.mlbogs.com

by 44north on Jan 8, 2009 7:04 PM EST reply actions

Griffey may be affordable

but that doesn’t mean he’ll be a good deal.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on Jan 8, 2009 7:25 PM EST up reply actions

I'd rather use Snyder and Lind than Griffey or Anderson.....

I think the best will still get good money but guys like Griffey and Cabrera who would be at best minor upgrades for any team won’t be getting the $10 mill they expected.

by Tom Dakers on Jan 8, 2009 7:33 PM EST up reply actions

why would we want Garrett Anderson?

3 of his last four years he has posted an OPS below league average, adjusting for park. And being a lefty, he doesn’t hit lefties well so he doesn’t mix and match with LInd and Snider. It would be foolish for the team to forgo getting a real DH and then pick up Anderson. At least if you blow $20 million on Manny, you’re making the team better – a lot better. Anderson is likely to be a waste of money even if it won’t be a lot of money. Looks to me like he’d be Stewart all over again, except now he’d be blocking Snider instead of Lind. Griffey is somewhat more appealing but I don’t think he really makes sense for the Jays.

The Jays need a quality bat, and particularly a power bat. Anderson slugged .433 last season, is in obvious decline, and has never been good at getting on base. Griffey slugged .424 last season (including .405 after coming to the AL). Lyle Overbay was a substantially better hitter than either of these last season and yet folks want to trade him away for nothing just to shed his salary. I just don’t see either one being an upgrade.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Jan 9, 2009 6:47 AM EST up reply actions