Miguel Tejada - What to do with him

Post #1 » by **nykgeneralmanager** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:30 am

I am big on selling high and buying low, so I usually have no intention of trading stars that are struggling. However, Tejada seems as though all of his power has been sapped while he is still hitting for average. He seemed like he was heating up about 2 weeks ago, but he went right back into his early season form. He is on pace for 15 homers and 84 RBI, both of which would be his lowest totals since his rookie season.

I feel confident he will turn it around, but we are almost 2 and a half months into the season. How long do I give him?

Post #2 » by **sunshinekids99** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:15 am

Yeah I'm in the same boat. I have him from a keeper league and he's just not cutting it right now. The best bet is to offer him up in some trades and maybe a less educated GM will take a bit given the Tejada name. Other than that it needs to be a bigger deal and you just have to take his face value.

Post #3 » by **nykgeneralmanager** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:45 pm

Yeah, and aside from not knowing whether or not to deal him, I'm not even sure what to try to get for him.

Post #4 » by **CFan21** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:39 pm

I read recently, I'm not sure where, I think it was either BA or ESPN that a scout was talking about Tejada. He said he's made adjustments over the years to be a better hitter instead of swinging for the fences. The result would be fewer HRs but a higher average and OBP.

This is a new Tejada from the Oakland days.

Dude is definitely slumping, but you've got to weigh your options. You can take Tejada and know he'll even out to about:

100 R, 18 HR, 90 RBI, .320

If that sounds good to you then take it, knowing Tejada is probably going to be stuck with lousy support this year but his average will stay true.

If you need homers then trade him, you're bound to find a guy who still believes he'll give you .320 with 30 HRs to boot.

If you decide you want to trade him, look at you team, decide on it's weakest 3 positions and come back here and I'll tell you from an outsiders perspective who realistic targets are.

Post #5 » by **nykgeneralmanager** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:31 pm

I'd say I need outfield help. My starters look like this:

C - Ivan Rodriguez
1B - Ryan Howard
2B - Robinson Cano
SS - Miguel Tejada
MI - Kaz Matsui (just picked up, had Vidro here)
3B - Miguel Cabrera
CI - Ryan Braun
OF - Vladimir Guerrero
OF - Hideki Matsui
OF - Willy Taveras
OF - Reggie Willits
OF - Austin Kearns/Melky Cabrera/Jim Edmonds
U - Keans/Melky/Edmonds

My pitching is okay, but the ERA sucks.
I'm 6th in homers, 6th in RBI, 7th in R, 10th in SB, and 7th in TBW.
My Ks, Wins, Saves, are all top 3, and my WHIP and quality starts are middle of the pack. Overall I'm comfortable with my pitching, but I need my hitting to break away from the middle of the pack.

I had drafted Tejada thinking I had just drafted a keeper, and he has been a disappointment. I wouldn't mind packaging Tejada with somebody to get a big power bat, unless I should go with something else.

EDIT: It's a 12 team roto league with 6 or 7 keepers (probably 7) and for money, so people in this league are intelligent and serious.

Post #6 » by **CFan21** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:54 pm

Well it all depends on what your trading partners needs are. I'd target Lance Berkman and Manny Ramirez who are both struggling but should break out soon and prove much more valuable than Tejada. Although it'll probably take some smooth talking or a little added incentive to get one of those two.

If you're looking to get a deal done quicker I'd say your most realistic targets are Jason Bay and Torii Hunter.

Post #7 » by **nykgeneralmanager** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:58 pm

Setterlund wrote:Well it all depends on what your trading partners needs are. I'd target Lance Berkman and Manny Ramirez who are both struggling but should break out soon and prove much more valuable than Tejada. Although it'll probably take some smooth talking or a little added incentive to get one of those two.

If you're looking to get a deal done quicker I'd say your most realistic targets are Jason Bay and Torii Hunter.

I'm also considering selling high on Francisco Cordero. I could include him and a solid pitcher such as Looper in a deal for somebody like Manny and a lesser closer than Cordero. Milwaukee has slipped big time, and Cordero's already recorded half of the saves that he will for the entire season.

Post #8 » by **nykgeneralmanager** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:18 pm

Okay I offered up 2 deals (and coincidentally they are to two of the "less intelligent" members of the league):

Trade 1: Miguel Tejada, Francisco Cordero, Braden Looper FOR Manny Ramirez and Octavio Dotel (Dotel will be my 3rd closer, and I have Tom Gordon on the DL should he return healthy and in the closers role)

Trade 2: Kelvim Escobar (sell high and I have tons of pitchers), Jose Vidro, Jim Edmonds FOR Michael Young and Tim Wakefield.

Over the course of the year, Wakefield should win about the same amount of games as Escobar due to their respective offenses.

I don't hesitate to give up a little extra in trades because I am usually all over the free agent market, hopefully these trades are convincing enough.

Post #9 » by **CFan21** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:22 pm

The second not so much, but you should convince the guy in the first trade to pull the trigger.

Post #10 » by **sunshinekids99** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:32 pm

I like the second deal for you. Young has just started to heat up and I think it will be for a prolonged time. First deal while I love Manny in fantasy baseball, don't expect much from Dotel.

Post #11 » by **nykgeneralmanager** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:57 am

sunshinekids99 wrote:I like the second deal for you. Young has just started to heat up and I think it will be for a prolonged time. First deal while I love Manny in fantasy baseball, don't expect much from Dotel.

Throwing Cordero and Dotel in there is my way of convincing him, I am 2nd in the league in saves and he is in dead last. As I said earlier, I am hoping that Tom Gordon can come back healthy and become the Phillies closer again because that would help my team a lot.

I'd rather trade the saves for the home runs and RBI that Manny will provide.

EDIT: Escobar with 14 Ks in 6 innings tonight...bump up that trade value :nod:

Post #12 » by **CFan21** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 4:03 am

sunshinekids99 wrote:I like the second deal for you. Young has just started to heat up and I think it will be for a prolonged time. First deal while I love Manny in fantasy baseball, don't expect much from Dotel.

What I was saying is that I think he's going to have a harder time getting the guy to agree to the second deal.

Post #13 » by **sunshinekids99** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:23 am

Gotcha now. :thumbsup:

Post #14 » by **nykgeneralmanager** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 3:08 am

Well the trade for Michael Young was declined, and I withdrew the Manny trade since Tejada was placed on the DL so that would be a waste of time.

But I did deal Kelvim Escobar and Jim Edmonds for Vernon Wells and Garland. I sold high on Escobar (no way he pitches 220 innings and with such a low ERA) and bought low on Wells since he won't finish with the .244 average, 13 homers, and 77 RBI that he is on pace for.

It doesn't really solve my problems as I need ERA and WHIP, but I feel it improves my team overall.