Rocco Baldelli anyone?

jumanji · Post #1 » by **jumanji** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:50 pm

I believe he's playing minor league ball and is probably going to be available at the end of the year. Why not take a chance on this guy, he's only 26 years old and you probably could get him for a song. When is this franchise going to take some chances?

Post #2 » by **Sweezo** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:47 pm

...and we thought Chris Snelling was injury prone...

I'd give Baldelli a shot, but not for a very high price. There's just too many questions there.

jumanji · Post #3 » by **jumanji** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:14 am

Sweezo wrote:...and we thought Chris Snelling was injury prone...

I'd give Baldelli a shot, but not for a very high price. There's just too many questions there.

Of course the differance in talent between the two is huge. My point is take some chances, did they every think of going after Josh Hamilton when he was available?

Post #4 » by **Basketball Jesus** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:55 pm

Even when he was healthy, he wasn’t particularly good. Which sucks because he had so much promise.

Really, is it even worth acquiring him? Set aside his rather serious health issue, does he represent that much of an upgrade over what Balentien and Saunders could potentially offer?

jumanji · Post #5 » by **jumanji** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:55 pm

Basketball Jesus wrote:Even when he was healthy, he wasn’t particularly good. Which sucks because he had so much promise.

Really, is it even worth acquiring him? Set aside his rather serious health issue, does he represent that much of an upgrade over what Balentien and Saunders could potentially offer?

I think it would be worth the small amount you would have to pay to give the guy a shot. He was a 5 tool player out of highschool and i think there was enough there when he did play to say he wasnt a bust based on his production early on.

As for Saunders and Vlade i hope they pan out but as of now they're minor leaguers.

Post #6 » by **PhilipNelsonFan** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:11 am

I thought Baldelli's fatigue condition prevented him from playing baseball ever again. Shows how much I know. Either way, not really worth it.

Post #7 » by **Basketball Jesus** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:17 am

It's not that small an amount:

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/0 ... 25321.html

Baldelli has three club options after this season: $6MM in 2009 (with a $4MM buyout); $8MM in 2010; $9MM in 2011. The 2010-2011 have to be exercised together or the buyout's $2MM. At the very least, you're on the hook for his 2008 salary ($2.25MM) plus the buyout, which means it'll cost the Mariners $6.25MM without Baldelli ever playing an inning for them (assuming 2008 is a wash). That's some serious coin.

Post #8 » by **Sweezo** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:25 am

How the hell did he managed to get himself in line to make that much money? Factor in the cost of what you give up to get him along with the injury issue, and it seems like a pretty lousy gamble.

Post #9 » by **Basketball Jesus** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:53 am

Sweezo wrote:How the hell did he managed to get himself in line to make that much money?

He signed it before he was diagnosed with that mitochondrial disorder, back when people thought he was an extremely talent yet injury-unlucky player.

jumanji · Post #10 » by **jumanji** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:50 pm

And the response to Josh Hamilton a couple of years back would be "wouldnt want him, he has been out of baseball for 3 years or so and is a former drug addict, we dont need that".

My whole point is take some chances and stop rearraning the deck chairs on the titanic and do something concrete.

Post #11 » by **PhilipNelsonFan** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:11 pm

No. Jumanji, do not bring Josh Hamilton into this. Two COMPLETELY different scenarios. One player had an addiction problem that he eventually cleaned up, the other has a CAREER-ENDING MEDICAL CONDITION that basically prevents him from being an impact player at the ML level. Please don't try to spin that in another way.

Post #12 » by **Basketball Jesus** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:08 pm

jumanji wrote:My whole point is take some chances and stop rearraning the deck chairs on the titanic and do something concrete.

So you're proposing the Mariners add an expensive chaise longue to the deck instead?

The problem is Baldelli's the type of player that got the Mariners in the mess they're in now. Trading anything with any kind of value for a player with Baldelli's contract and huge injury concerns isn't as valuable a risk as, say, adding a recovering crack-addled former number one prospect would be. The Reds got Hamilton in the Rule 5 draft without sacrificing anything other than a roster spot and a league minimum salary. Acquiring Baldelli at this juncture would require considerably more, in both talent and money.

That isn't to say adding Baldelli is a bad idea in theory. Say, for instance, the Rays decide he's not worth the future commitment and buy out the remainder of his contract. He then becomes a free agent, free to strike a deal with any team. And say the Mariners offer him a one-year deal for 2009 for a decent price of $4MM with certain performance-based objectives triggering an option for a second year at $5MM-$6MM. Now you don't have the issue of being on the hook long-term at exorbitant cost and you're protected with a performanced-based option. (For comparion, Jose Vidro has a performance-based vested option based on 2008 plate appearances.) Now you've seriously mitigated risk therefore making adding Baldelli a smart option.

jumanji · Post #13 » by **jumanji** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:31 pm

PhilipNelsonFan wrote:No. Jumanji, do not bring Josh Hamilton into this. Two COMPLETELY different scenarios. One player had an addiction problem that he eventually cleaned up, the other has a CAREER-ENDING MEDICAL CONDITION that basically prevents him from being an impact player at the ML level. Please don't try to spin that in another way.

I'm not trying to spin anything (hate that Bill Oreilly term). Being a Mariner fan it's just frustration over a lack of any kind of plan. Like i tell my wife they're sitting there with a pair of fours and are choosing to stand pat.

The GM situation doesnt help matters, Pelokoudas isnt likely to pull the trigger on any kind of team changing moves. I do think they have some talent there, mostly on the mound, and they have shown they are willing to spend money. But basically they dont know what they're doing down there and i dont see any big move up the standings for a couple of years at best.

Off topic, guys i would be willing to part with;
Bettancourt
Lopez
Ibanez
Washburn
Green
JJ
Clement

Didnt mention Bautista, Vidro or any of the bums that nobody wants. Just my take.

Post #14 » by **Basketball Jesus** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:27 pm

I’m all for trading Putz. “Saves” guys are generally overrated and Putz is coming off an injury-plagued first half and heading into his final contract year in 2009. While the injury has deflated his value somewhat, that extra year is going to entice some team to take a gamble on him.

Plus they already have an able replacement (Morrow), who could probably move into the rotation if the Fields pick works out. Putz is wholly expendable.

Ex-hippie · Post #15 » by **Ex-hippie** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:10 pm

I'm more interested in another young Tampa player with the initials R.B.: Reid Brignac. He would have been untouchable two years ago, but his progress has stalled just a bit since then, and I'd love to make a run at making him the shortstop of the future. He's certainly better than anything we have on the team or in the system. I wonder if the Rays, needing bullpen help, might be interested in Putz for him.

jumanji · Post #16 » by **jumanji** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 1:55 am

I'm liking what i'm hearing here, some fans would say you cant trade JJ or Yuni for that matter, hey except for a select few everyone is expendable. Bettancourt drives me crazy with his total lack of baseball sense and i think JJ could either be part of a package for something real good or get them a fairly well thought of minor leaguer.

Post #17 » by **Sweezo** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:57 am

Betnacourt's one of those odd players who seems to be horribly overvalued...despite being a fat hacker with limited defensive ability and the inability to take a pitch. If you can trade him for something of actual value, by God pull the trigger....

Post #18 » by **Basketball Jesus** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 1:20 pm

Ex-hippie wrote:I'm more interested in another young Tampa player with the initials R.B.: Reid Brignac. He would have been untouchable two years ago, but his progress has stalled just a bit since then, and I'd love to make a run at making him the shortstop of the future. He's certainly better than anything we have on the team or in the system. I wonder if the Rays, needing bullpen help, might be interested in Putz for him.

Not to mention that Tampa seems to be in the market for a bat as well. You could probably package Ibanez along with Putz and net a few decent prospects like Brignac, Niemann (a LAIM-y starter blocked by organizational depth) and one of their plethora of outfielding prospects.