Heyman: Bucs indeed shopping for an OF

Add another legitimate reporter saying that the Bucs are after outfield help. That makes Olney, Biertempfel and Heyman by my count. Probably missing others.

Still speculation, but the accumulating weight of evidence would tend to confirm that NH is indeed working the phones to get another corner outfielder.

I don't get it. Maybe Tabata's recovery setback was worse than has leaked out?

If it were me, I'd try to bolster the rotation and pre-empt, to some degree, a starting rotation due to come back down to earth. But then I'm not an MLB GM.

10 months ago Raybin 32 comments 0 recs |

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it makes perfect sense to upgrade over Tabata/Presley

esp for a stretch run. That’s why I’m strongly in favor of a guy like Willingham. Won’t cost the farm, will be a rental, with upside.

of course, they really really should be looking for a SP too.

by BurgherKing on Jul 18, 2011 2:07 PM EDT reply actions

I'm not convinced Willingham is, at this stage of his career, and upgrade over either right now

He’s hitting .238 in Oakland as opposed to .250 on the road. To me, that’s not enough of a difference to use “Well, the Coliseum is a horrible environment for hitters” to explain his dip in production.

It’s a tough thing. If NH stands pat and Presley not only comes back down to earth, but goes into a prolonged cold streak, it’ll hurt the team’s chances to make the playoffs in a huge way. on the other hand, getting Willingham will take playing time away from him and do you really want that if he’s still kicking ass and taking names 10 days from now? Same logic can be applied to Tabata.

Kamerion Wimbley is the truth

by Raybin on Jul 18, 2011 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Same logic can be applied to Tabata.

Not really. Tabata’s injury makes him inherently unreliable, imo. Further, I’m fairly certain that both Presley and Willingham will provide more offensive value than Tabata for the rest of the year. The Pedro route might help Tabata get back to where he was at the start of this season.

by BurgherKing on Jul 18, 2011 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm glad you agree about the need for another SP

Looking at the names that could realistically be acquired (which rules out Jimenez, Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez, assuming any of those 3 are really available outside the columns of the sports pages), I keep coming back to one name: Edwin Jackson. Great rental, could be re-signed next year. Problem there is that the Sox are only 4 games back, so they need to fade a bit in the upcoming week to force them to sell.

I mentioned this elsewhere, but in theory, I’d love the idea of Wandy Rodriguez…reasonable price this year and next year, but a 13 million dollar salary in 2013 and a 2014 option that becomes HIS if he’s traded. Ick.

Kamerion Wimbley is the truth

by Raybin on Jul 18, 2011 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I mentioned elsewhere

I’d consider calling the Rays and asking about James Shields, and finding out what they want.

by BurgherKing on Jul 18, 2011 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

a shitload... lol

by white angus on Jul 18, 2011 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions

i wouldnt care about giving up a shitload

still, it depends on the kind of shit they want in the load…

by BurgherKing on Jul 18, 2011 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions

er, now that i look at it

the comment looks a bit family-unfriendly… i dont believe i can delete it, Charlie, so if you think its not safe for this site, go ahead and delete it

by BurgherKing on Jul 18, 2011 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Is Willingham better than those two? He seems to be average at best

Can you give a breakdown of his skills?

by samvescovi on Jul 18, 2011 2:13 PM EDT reply actions

He is above average, though not by much

Link to stats

I’d expect him to be OPSing above .800 again, if he was anywhere but Oakland.

1. Has not OPSed below .827 since 2006.
2. Has good power, which should play even in PNC.
3. Half-year rental and should be cheap (a Gorkys Hernandez should get it done)
4. Projects as Type B, on the cusp of Type A. Really expect him to get a contract next year, netting the Bucs 2 picks. (potentially both supplemental round level, but at least one)
5. injuries are the biggest issue, although he has quite a high K/BB this year— not sure why, this is the thing to look into.

Should comfortably provide more offensive value for the rest of the year than Tabata (I’d have said Presley too, but I can’t bet against the kid right now!). I am not sure how his arm is and whether he’ll fit into RF— should be OK range-wise. Would be better if he can handle 1B…

by BurgherKing on Jul 18, 2011 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

4. Projects as Type B, on the cusp of Type A. Really expect him to get a contract next year, netting the Bucs 2 picks. (potentially both supplemental round level, but at least one)

This why we need to do this! I don’t get why more teams don’t just do this in general. If it really would only take a Gorkys (or do the A’s realize he’s a Type B on the cusp of Type A; are they afraid he will take arbitration; would he take arbitration from us?) Hernandez to get this done its a no-brainer.

We trade Gorkys Hernandez to get a bit better this year and one or two draft picks in the future.

Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend

by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Jul 18, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

The problem is that Billy Beane is the pioneer of this kind of maneuvering and is no doubt aware what draft picks he could get for Willingham. There’s no way that won’t factor into the price.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Jul 18, 2011 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions

yep

i’d guess that played some role in trading for him in the first place.

by BurgherKing on Jul 18, 2011 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Ya

that’s exactly what I was thinking. The Rays are onto this as well because (IIRC).

Via Piratesprospects

One big problem lies with guys like Brad Hawpe or Chad Qualls. The Rays traded for Qualls at the trade deadline, sending a player to be named later to Arizona (Matt Gorgen, who didn’t even rate in Arizona’s top 30 prospects this year). They signed Hawpe as a minor league free agent in late August, and called him up on September 1st. Yet they get two first round compensation picks for having Hawpe for a month, and Qualls for two months.

It’s actually dissapointing we aren’t doing things like this. I’d rather use a roster spot to get a first round pick rather than on someone like Brandon Wood, and for Hawpe they just waited till September.

Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend

by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Jul 18, 2011 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

CBA

The new CBA may well get rid of this kind of thing or, at the very least, completely revamp the system. Players have never liked it and I imagine this year’s draft where the sandwich round was so large likely convinced some owners that this needs to change as well.

But, yes, we should have been doing this all along and Tampa really took the entire league to school on the subject.

by Aphthakid on Jul 18, 2011 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Willingham at first would be a huge gamble

Given that he’s played a sum total of 4 innings there his entire career.

Kamerion Wimbley is the truth

by Raybin on Jul 18, 2011 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions

meh, i dont think so.

hes played harder positions in his career. if clement can be passable, i would bet willingham would be as well.

willingham is a smart player. hes pretty much made himself into a major leaguer despite never being a prospect. and hes been very sucessful too.

by white angus on Jul 18, 2011 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

He's RH

solid power, solid BB, K’s but not an absurd amount, not a good defender. Injury prone.

The hope would be his numbers rebound a bit after leaving Oakland but we also have a huge LF.

by Mr. E on Jul 18, 2011 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions

i dont know how you can keep AP out

if we were to get another OF whose the odd man out? presley or tabata? i dont see why you would take either out. but then again tabata hasnt been very good. I’m in favor as long as presley stays in until he proves he cant hit at ML level.

i understand the need for more power tho, and even willingham will be a welcomed edition right now, has he ever played 1st?

by bbautista24 on Jul 18, 2011 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

Am I the only one screaming at my monitor, “Get a f@#$%n’ 1B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”, every time I read one of these rumors?

by Kev S on Jul 18, 2011 4:16 PM EDT reply actions

The problem is Who?

There really aren’t that many availible, and the ones that are aren’t that great. The FO has said that they aren’t interested in Pena, so what else have we got? Mark Reynolds?

by Wizard of Woz on Jul 18, 2011 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions