Delgado...? No way?
by jlk9697 on Oct 13, 2009 5:54 PM EDT
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PrintNormally, I'm not a fan of free agent speculation, especially when the Pirates are involved, but I just read an article on mlb.com about how the Angels used the money they would have spent on Tex and it got me thinking a bit.
The article, (linked below) compares the 20 million the Angels were prepared to spend on Tex, and how they dispersed it instead to improve at multiple positions, something they might not have been able to do with the signing (Re-signed Rivera, went out and signed Abreu and Fuentes) and spent less than what it would have taken to sign Tex.
Obviously, the Pirates don't have a Tex they're trying to sign, but they do have about $20 million in saved cash from the trades.
One big name came to mind when I thought of the Pirates in this position: Carlos Delgado. He's coming off an injured year and he's old (Crazy thought, right?). This also means his market value will be lower, add in the fact that he's a prideful Puerto Rican who wears #21 for Clemente, has had an OPS lower than .800 only once in the past 13 years, and he's a lefty with that nice short porch in right, and might we be onto something?
It's a crazy idea I know, but it would let Jones try and play RF permanently and suddenly the Pirates have gone from a team with no power to a team with decent power. Pearce and Moss suddenly have their roles being support off the bench.
Bobby Abreu had a poor 2008 and signed with the Angels for 6.5 million. Now, the Angels are perrenial contenders every year. Is it safe to say Delgado would sign a 2 yr/ 18 million deal to play in Pittsburgh? I know that thought will make many cringe, and I can't blame you. In general I'm a fan of the moves Huntington would make and this would certainly go against the grain, but I think it could pay dividends to and help the Pirates turn the team around quicker.
In addition, given we assume the Pirates made that move and had 11 million in addition to spend: Spend maybe 4 million on Grabow and another 5 million on Polanco (Assuming we keep Andy at 3B). No, this doesn't help the team in the long run, which is the ultimate goal, but if NH is serious about the core being in place, adding three pieces like this and an additional couple million in arbitration raises and the Pirates could have a very useful 20 million payroll increase.
Thoughts? (Let the blood bath begin)
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nyet
....You'll be able to spit nails, kid. You're gonna eat lightning and you're gonna crap thunder....
Why not?
Why not? Seriously why not? If he takes the same type of deal as Bobby Abreu (1 year, $5 million) he would end up being a steal.
I am thinking of him as more of a trading piece. His worst season was when he hit .258 with 24 home runs. Thats his WORST season. He is worth a flyer
Who is that everyone would rather see? Steve Pearce?
Thats absolutely Littlefieldian
If you can’t think of one good reason not to sign a 38 year old first baseman coming off of hip surgery that he said affected his back as well then you’re not thinking too hard.
by MrPedriqueIfYoureNasty on Oct 13, 2009 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions
No I wouldn't rather see Pearce...
but I would rather see Jones. Moss can hold down the fort in right until Tabata is ready to be called up. I would also rather see Clement than Delgado. Signing Delgado for anything over 1 million is a waste and is just blocking player’s development. We have enough options right now for most of our positions. I wouldn’t sign anything more than a couple bullpen arms.
Tabata probably isn't going to be ready next year.
So if you’re counting on Moss “holding down the fort”, you could be starting him until 2011.
Fair enough reaction
It does go against the entire movement NH has brought forward, and I’d probably be cautious if the Pirates did actually make the move.
However, I cannot agree on the point that Delgado would be blocking anyone. Jones? He isn’t a spectacular fielder anywhere on the diamond, he could easily fill in RF with that bat. Moss and Pearce have played themselves out of full-time roles, and Clement has yet to show us he’ll be able to hit or field in the majors consistently. Tabata could need two more years in AAA developing power for all we know.
Just saying, if the Pirates HAD to spend 20 million on free agency (PR, attendance purposes), Delgado would be a fair buy low option, and we know how attractive buy low’s are to NH.
Clement "has yet to show us he'll be able to hit or field in the majors consistently"...
…because he’s a prospect we acquired at the deadline, who got hurt right after the deal. He hasn’t been given a chance to show anything yet.
There’s probably a price at which I’d be willing to sign Delgado, given my relatively low level of trust for Jones, and the uncertainty around Clement as a 1B. But I suspect that he’d sign with an AL club as a DH, or re-up with the Mets, before taking an offer of that kind from us.
Yeah…and Clement has had limited major league time anyways to prove anything. I would hope that 1/2 a season in Seattle is not enough to draw a major conclusion about his potential. Clement was pretty hot-and-cold at Indy when he got here, and as Vlad says, he was injured about a month after he was acquired. Either way, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with starting Jones at 1B, with Clement in Indy, and call him up if he gets off to a good start, moving Jones to RF. I’m not sold on Jones at all, but one of the nice things he offers is flexibility, with 1B or RF. Steer clear of the free agent bin.
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