2010 AL Central Catch-All

[Chisoxfn]

Twins have been talking about trading Ben Revere (Top prospect) for Heath Bell.

[chw42]

Twins have been talking about trading Ben Revere (Top prospect) for Heath Bell.

 

Is he the great decedent of Paul Revere?

[knightni]

Is he the great decedent of Paul Revere?

 

 

Anything's possible, but his picture hints at me "maybe not."

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Revere

[ThunderBolt]

Twins have been talking about trading Ben Revere (Top prospect) for Heath Bell.

That would give the Padres a bundle of highly athletic Of prospects. That would be a pretty damn big gamble for the Twins given that Bell's been good for only three years, would be moving to the AL, and out of Petco.

[knightni]

Three years of being good is excellent for a closer. Usually after five they start to regress.

[ThunderBolt]

Three years of being good is excellent for a closer. Usually after five they start to regress.

He's only been a closer for one. Set-up man for two. He's just a guy who took some time to figure it out, and relief pitchers are always an erratic position to project.

[flavum]

I definitely hate the Twins less now. What a nice looking park Target Field is.

[Benchwarmerjim]

Twins have been talking about trading Ben Revere (Top prospect) for Heath Bell.

 

I would rephrase that as 'people are making stuff up'. The Twins have no CF option if Span gets hurt (Cuddyer would play there in a pinch. He played a handful of ST games in center. Punto has played some CF in his career too. ). Revere impressed the Twins brass in camp and my gut feeling is that he would be called up if Span got hurt for an extended time.

[Balta1701]

I would rephrase that as 'people are making stuff up'. The Twins have no CF option if Span gets hurt (Cuddyer would play there in a pinch. He played a handful of ST games in center. Punto has played some CF in his career too. ). Revere impressed the Twins brass in camp and my gut feeling is that he would be called up if Span got hurt for an extended time.

They'd put Cuddyer there over Young?

[witesoxfan]

They'd put Cuddyer there over Young?

 

Pick your bullet to the head.

 

----

 

Target Field is a beautiful park. Looks very big though. Deep CF (I think it's like 410), like 380 to the LF power alley and like 370 to the RF. 339 down the LF line, but there is a short porch in RF. Infield has looked very fast so far from what I have seen. It may be because it's spring still and not summer, but there was a wind blowing in from RF...knocked a ball that Pujols crushed down and kept it in the park (though Rasmus had no problem hitting through it later), and Holliday hit a long, high flyball that went out of the park towards LF, and it didn't look like he hit it well at all.

 

 

[chw42]

Jack Cust was DFA'd.

 

I'm wondering if Kenny will take a chance.

 

 

[Jordan4life_2007]

Jack Cust was DFA'd.

 

I'm wondering if Kenny will take a chance.

 

No chance. They've been preaching "position flexibility" for the last 6 months. They could've brought back Jim Thome for peanuts. But decided not to. To bring in a worse version of Jim Thome at this point would be the epitome of hypocrisy.

[GoodAsGould]

No chance. They've been preaching "position flexibility" for the last 6 months. They could've brought back Jim Thome for peanuts. But decided not to. To bring in a worse version of Jim Thome at this point would be the epitome of hypocrisy.

 

I wouldnt mind giving him a minor league contract, gives Charlotte a big bopper they can enjoy watching and if one of Kotsay/Jones end up being a total bust or an injury to anyone he could be called up. Unless its Pierre in which case Id imagine De Aza gets the call.

[Harry Chappas]

so the worst offense in baseball cuts a player and the Sox should take a look

[chw42]

so the worst offense in baseball cuts a player and the Sox should take a look

 

Jack Cust isn't that bad of a player. Just keep him from playing defense.

[ThunderBolt]

so the worst offense in baseball cuts a player and the Sox should take a look

This guy averaged 28 homeruns the last three years, walks his ass off, and hits lefty. We're poised to give Mark Kotsay 400 AB's this year. Who needs who?

[Kyyle23]

way to be completely selective Thunderbolt, lets not forget that the guy also strikes out damn near 200 times a year and considers a .240 average to be a good year. Thome's WORST year would be considered Custs best year.

 

Not to mention the defensive deficiencies that Cust has. Kotsay may not be perfect, but IMO he is a much better choice as the flexible bench option. Better pinch hitter, better outfield and first base option, less likely to strike out, can also draw a walk and steal a bag, as well as not being a station to station baserunner.

[chw42]

way to be completely selective Thunderbolt, lets not forget that the guy also strikes out damn near 200 times a year and considers a .240 average to be a good year. Thome's WORST year would be considered Custs best year.

 

And Mark Kotsay, at this stage in his career, can't even touch a .850 OPS. That's something that Cust brings.

[ThunderBolt]

way to be completely selective Thunderbolt, lets not forget that the guy also strikes out damn near 200 times a year and considers a .240 average to be a good year. Thome's WORST year would be considered Custs best year.

I'm not in the camp that touts the Thome-Cust comparison. I think Thome is an infinitely better player than Cust will ever be. That being said I’m comfortable with a guy striking out a lot if he mitigates that with decent power and a great approach at the plate. Cust does that, and batting average, as ever, is an incredibly overrated statistic.

[Kyyle23]

I'm not in the camp that touts the Thome-Cust comparison. I think Thome is an infinitely better player than Cust will ever be. That being said I’m comfortable with a guy striking out a lot if he mitigates that with decent power and a great approach at the plate. Cust does that, and batting average, as ever, is an incredibly overrated statistic.

 

everything in baseball is overrated when it doesnt agree with your opinion.

[Jordan4life_2007]

And Mark Kotsay, at this stage in his career, can't even touch a .850 OPS. That's something that Cust brings.

 

Cust's OPS the last three years: .912, .851, .773. That's a rapid decline right there. Still strikes out at a rate that would make Rob Deer point and laugh. Can't sniff a .250 BA most years. I'd much rather role with Kotsay/Jones. Cust is just terrible.

[chw42]

Cust's OPS the last three years: .912, .851, .773. That's a rapid decline right there. Still strikes out at a rate that would make Rob Deer point and laugh. Can't sniff a .250 BA most years. I'd much rather role with Kotsay/Jones. Cust is just terrible.

 

And what says he can't go back to .851 hitting in a better lineup and a much better hitter's park?

 

And it looks like the guys over at FanGraphs agree with me on this...

 

"Cust could stay with the A’s if he clears waivers and accepts a minor league assignment. However, one obvious landing spot would be the south side of Chicago, where the White Sox are set to open 2010 with an underwhelming DH duo of Andruw Jones and Mark Kotsay. Jones and Kotsay project as sub-replacement-level at the DH spot, and Cust could be a two-win upgrade if he matches those offensive forecasts. Considering how tightly bunched the AL Central standings figure to be, Chicago shouldn’t let such a chance slip past them.

 

Chavez, meanwhile, will try to pick up the pieces of a career that has been shattered by back, shoulder and elbow injuries. Entering the last guaranteed year of a six-year, $66 million deal that was entirely defensible at the time, Chavez will pull down $12 million in 2010.

 

The memories might be hazy now, but the 32 year-old was once a force both in the field and at the plate, eclipsing the 5 WAR mark in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005. Chavez could be quickly relegated to spectator status by another injury, Jake Fox or Chris Carter, but it’s hard not to root for the guy. "

Edited April 4, 2010 by chw42

[iWiN4PreP]

Good thing we have andruw jones !

[Quin]

If I could sign Cust for the Andruw Jones deal, I'd do it, but the thing is, he costs 2.665M and brings no defense and would be joining a 3-Man Rotation DH.

[Jordan4life_2007]

And what says he can't go back to .851 hitting in a better lineup and a much better hitter's park?

 

And it looks like the guys over at FanGraphs agree with me on this...

 

"Cust could stay with the A’s if he clears waivers and accepts a minor league assignment. However, one obvious landing spot would be the south side of Chicago, where the White Sox are set to open 2010 with an underwhelming DH duo of Andruw Jones and Mark Kotsay. Jones and Kotsay project as sub-replacement-level at the DH spot, and Cust could be a two-win upgrade if he matches those offensive forecasts. Considering how tightly bunched the AL Central standings figure to be, Chicago shouldn’t let such a chance slip past them.

 

Andruw Jones was sporting an OPS of almost .900 through July last year. And then he had the injury problems (not sure exactly when they took place. I'm sure Kalapse can tell us). And the guys over at fangraphs have obviously chosen to ignore who our manager is. If they wanted a guy like Cust, they would've signed Thome.