Could the Jays trade for Michael Young?
by Tom Dakers on Jan 27, 2011 12:17 AM EST
in Toronto Blue Jays Analysis
Email
PrintSo I'm watching a boring Calgary Flames game, and surfing the web and I come across this story by our pal Richard Griffin. In it, Richard speculates that Michael Young could be coming to Toronto. I know, but even if it is Griffin, let's think about it for a moment. He says a few things I agree with:
On the one hand, the Jays need a starting third baseman if they want to move Bautista back to the outfield - where he believes his future lies - and tempt him to stay.
I do agree it would be good to find a 3B and let Jose play the outfield. Not that I think it would have any effect on the negotiations with Jose, but I'd like them to put Jose in a spot and leave him there. I think, with star players, give them a role and move the lessor players around.
And I also agree that the Rangers would love to get rid of his contract.
And ummmm...well that's about all I agree with.
I really don't think the Jays would want to take on a third baseman with three years left on his contract. I think they would like to have the position open for Brett Lawrie, whenever he is ready for the majors, hopefully by the start of the 2012 season. Also I don't think the Jays would want to be paying Young $16 million a year for the next three, even if we don't have Vernon's contract anymore. I would imagine the Rangers would kick in some of the cash though.
But the part where I really don't follow the logic is here:
Need a clue that something with the Jays and Young could be in the works? Vernon Wells was asked during a Tuesday conference call where he'd been when Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos called to ask him to waive his no-trade clause, to consent to go to Anaheim in trade.
"I was at the Mavericks-Lakers game with my wife and, ironically, with Michael Young and his wife," Wells said. "I got the call at halftime and missed most of the rest of the game."
Ironically? Why would Wells use that word for something that was merely coincidental?
Ok. because Vernon used the wrong term, that makes you think there is a trade coming? I mean, yeah there is nothing 'ironic' about him sitting with Young, but if Alanis Morrissette can use the word wrong, why can't a baseball player? How can you read anything into that? It is just such a stretch.
I do think that it would be good for Alex to do something to get us excited about this season. It does seem like the fans are being expected to be happy that sometime in the future we'll be good, so don't worry about this year. We have been sold on that idea for awhile. The team isn't all that far off from being able to contend this year and we are thin at the corner spots. I think it would be a shame if we go into the season having Juan Rivera playing RF full time. So a move would be nice, just I don't see that this is it.
42 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I probably wouldn't mind the Rangers unloading Young onto the Jays
If Young came along with $5-10 million in exchange for Esteban Loaiza.
Seriously, I think trading for an expensive veteran now will be ill advised. Let this team grow up one or two more years, then when the Jays are poised to win the division, they can start grabbing a Young-type player. Young will not thrust the 2011 Jays past the Rays or BoSox.
One of many horrible trades by Gord Ash
Hated it then. Hate it even more. I curse Gord for that one.
Once in a while I’ll go all William Shatner:
ESSSSTEBANNNNNNNNNN!!!!
In honor of the Jays 2nd Baseman who played with fire in more ways than one.
by Damaso's Burnt Shirt on Jan 27, 2011 8:48 AM EST up reply actions
Your first mistake in this post...
was admitting to watching a Flames game :p
First and only mistake haha.
by HabsFanInCalgary! on Jan 27, 2011 12:37 AM EST reply actions
Wow
I honestly can’t stand reading Griffin anymore…..I think he writes just to see what he can put out. There is honestly no indication that we are going for Michael Young because all signs point to the Jays trying get younger and save money. Has it come to the point where a writer has to just make up stories because there aren’t any leaks from the front office.
haha
has it come to the point where a writer has to just make up stories because there aren’t any leaks from the front office?
pretty much. i don’t get all the hate on griffin, i love to read his stuff.
The new guy.
by ButWhatDoesMineSay on Jan 27, 2011 1:39 AM EST up reply actions
I like Griffin too, but I have to admit that seeing a whole story based on a player’s use of the word ‘ironic’ instead of ‘coincidental’ set me off as well. Young’s contract is simply too long and too expensive to make sense.
I've been looking at the sky
by Back In Black on Jan 27, 2011 10:09 AM EST up reply actions
Griffin's reaching for this one.
It’s ironic because he was with a guy who would be his teammate after the phone call.
Witnessed Playoffs last: April 28, 2008
Sincerely yours, Tortured T.O Fan
6 words
Michael Young is NOT a 3rd Baseman!!!
Why do you think the Rangers got Adrian Beltre to play third when they had a “3rd baseman” in Young? This guy is a terrible defender and has mediocre offensive stats. Only way this deal makes sense is if the Rangers pick up $18-20 mil and don’t expect more than a Purcey in return. This way, Young would try to play 3rd for a 1+ years until Lawrie is ready and would then move to DH or super utility. Bottom line, on a young staff, infield defense is pretty crucial and having Young at 3rd would only hurt the development of the young hurlers
Bonerific Defense!!!
That statement about Young’s D is true, he is below average. But all is relative and when you compare him to their other option at third(if Bautista is in right), Encarnacion, suddenly Young isn’t so bad. Young in two full seasons at third had UZR/150 of -6 and -9, Edwin in his two full seasons at third in 07-08 posted -16 and -14 UZR/150. The last two years in less than full time innings he posted -15 and -2.
That sudden improvement to a -2 last season could be real, but his overall body of work suggests not. I’m certainly not saying they should go after Young and at his age his D is almost guaranteed to start decline where as E5’s might get better. But if we’re just talking about the defense of 2011’s everyday third sacker Young would probably be better than Encarnacion.
Writer for Bleacher Report and BlueJaysAnalysis.com, both feature articles about the Blue Jays, the exact same articles for now actually...follow me on twitter @Tpinzone
situational irony
It is ironic because Wells was sitting with his best friend who had been traded from the Jays back when they were both youngsters. All these years, that trade had stuck out in his mind as something he wished hadn’t happened. So there he is sitting with his best friend who had been traded away from the Jays when he was young and impressionable and he gets a phone call saying he too is about to be traded. If someone were to write a short story about this incident it would be termed an “irony” – situational irony at its finest and a fitting closure for Mr. Wells tenure in TO.
So irony- check. An indication that Young is coming to TO- umm.. no.
yeah, the ironic comment could mean almost anything really
maybe he made a poor choice of words, maybe they were just recently talking about it, maybe it’s because they’ll be playing in the same division.
I think Griff is reaching here. I enjoy reading him. His stories are usually interesting, at least. But his reasons for speculation are sometimes (actually often) pretty silly.
so, "ironically" tweaked his warning bell
Wouldn’t a good reporter follow up that “lead” and ask Vernon what he meant by that “ironically” comment?
On the other hand, I’ve never read Griffin claiming that he was a good reporter.
If the Rangers were willing to pay half his salary he’d be something to look into. He can still hit for average with roughly league average power and his walk rate is around average too. Bill James projects him to hit .293/.345/.437 with 17 HR and 36 DB in 670ish trips to the dish. Something in that neighborhood would do just fine.
Then maybe if Lawrie is ready for 2012 they could look at paying half again what’s left on his salary and pass him on to somebody else at a greatly reduced priced of 4 million a year for two years. They’d end up paying him 16 million for one season, meaning he’d have to put up about 3-3.5 WAR for them to break even on the investment.
Kind of a risky move becuase they could get stuck with him for three years but if he produced someone contender might take him on as a bench player at 4 mil a season. But again, unless the Rangers wanted to pay half what he’s owed it’s not worth it.
Writer for Bleacher Report and BlueJaysAnalysis.com, both feature articles about the Blue Jays, the exact same articles for now actually...follow me on twitter @Tpinzone
I don't like it
he’s really no better a hitter than E5 and is distinctly in the decline phase of his career, whereas Edwin has, at least theoretically, some room to grow. I think Edwin could maintain his not-as-terrible-as-before showing at third over a whole season, which would put him a couple runs worse than Young over a whole season. And all this can be ours at a cost of whatever it would take to acquire Young plus 3 years/$48M. Please, please, please pass on this.
Griff might be pulling the "rumor" from nowhere, but
I think I would actually like this move, IF it didn’t cost the Jays much in the way of prospects (do the Rangers need RHP??) AND IF the Rangers pick up a good chunk of his salary.
He would fill the 3B hole for this year, then if Lawrie is ready next year (or Hill is moved to 3B), he can DH and fill in at 1B and 3B occasionally.
We have to do what we do better and we have to do it faster! - Jack Bauer
Since they traded Napolin already...
I think if it was going to happen it would of happened then.
Too much money for too long a contract. Get someone younger.
I think AA is still working on 3rd base. Just wait and see.
I think he is cooking something for 3B
Like Rivera + cash to the Royals for Gordon or something similar.
I think AA is out there working on a “buy low” trade for 3B. That way we can see if someone develops for the upcoming win now years. If someone doesn’t, you have Lawrie to fit in, if someone does, you always have a good problem on your hands, too much talent. The reason why you can’t say the same for Young is he’ll be too hard to shift if he’s bad or we need room for Lawrie.
Not happenin'
Too expensive for too long with declining defensive skills
RG should change name to PG
I read the article by mr. griffin and had the same thought as you, Tom. Why would AA dump an overpriced contract to replace with another overpriced contract? Richard griffin has some strange ideas.
I think mr. griffin should seriously consider changing his first name to “peter” …
Tom, you should probably post a Griffin poll
Question should be:
What do you think of Richard Griffin?
1. Great writer! Wasn’t he the Expos PR guy once?
2. Head up his… Wasn’t he the Expos PR guy once?
3. Decent writer with tendency to slip occassionally; Wasn’t he the Expos PR guy once?
4. Wasn’t he the Expos PR guy once?
I’ll let you post that poll, as nobody’s taking any note of my polls…
/sitting in the corner, pouting…
Festina Lente
Isn't Griff ironic?
The act of asking someone a question in order to demonstrate his or her ignorance
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Socratic_irony
Methinks that for a certain scribe, ‘Ignorance is bliss’
by Paul Chicago on Jan 27, 2011 10:03 PM EST up reply actions
If the Rangers were willing to eat a third of the contract, sure. Young would be a nice bat in the lineup, transitioning from 3B to DH as soon as a better defensive option comes available. But I don’t think I’d give up anything for him other than money.
That would work for me.
Although at the same time, we’d be getting a Michael Young that was another year or two older by the time we were actually planning on competing, in which case we might be better off signing someone else for that DH role.
But it would be nice for this year.
Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.
True
But he’s a dependable bat that can play a lot of spots on the field. Between platoons and injuries, I can see him being almost a super utility guy; getting 500ABs filling holes at 3B, 1B, DH, etc… really, it depends how much the Rangers are willing to pay to move him out.
Michael Young isn't any better than EE
Over his career, Michael Young is barely better than league average offensively on the road (104 wRC+).
Michael Young’s Road wRC+ by season since 2005
2010: 78
2009: 114
2008: 83
2007: 99
2006: 91
2005: 132
EE’s career road wRC+ is 99, a little lower than Young’s, but Young’s best days are behind him. EE’s shouldn’t be. There is little-to-no justification for paying Michael Young to play third when EE should be able to hit as well and doesn’t field much (if at all) worse
"Look at me! I'm Tomokazu Ohka of the Montreal Expos!"
Speculation today has the Jays possibly involved in three way deal that sends Figgins to A's
and potentially Kouzmanoff to the Jays as their third baseman for the coming season. He would be pretty equivalent to EE offensively, an improvement defensively. Terrible OBP but it would allow Bautista to play RF.
Young is not the answer for the Jays
I don’t think it’s a good move to bring on Young and his contract; however, I think the Jays should spend the money and get Vladimir Guerrero; I have a feeling that he’s going to have a great season….
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bluebird Banter
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Baseball Nation Recent Stories
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- Giancarlo Stanton busts Marlins Park scoreboard with tape-measure grand slam (VIDEO)
- Baltimore’s tradition of fans shouting ‘O!’ during national anthem sparks interleague feud
- Chris Perez follows rant against Cleveland fans with even better rant against Cleveland fans
- Pitcher Clayton Richard gets key pinch single in 13th after coming in 0 for 16
- Livan Hernandez welcomes ball boy to the bigs with shower of sunflower seeds (VIDEO)
