Armando Galarraga traded to ARZ

[scenario]

I do wonder why the Tigers are trying to move him.

Decent inexpensive starters don't exactly grow on trees.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I do wonder why the Tigers are trying to move him.

Decent inexpensive starters don't exactly grow on trees.

 

If he were decent he wouldn't have been designated for assignment by a team that hardly has a flawless rotation. His peripherals are terrible [even in his only 'good' year in '08] and he's got a gopher problem while pitching a large majority of his games in a park that's much friendlier to hitters than ours.

[witesoxfan]

Yes, me stating that I wouldn't expect a thing from a 28-year old failure of a 'prospect' we claimed off of waivers is hardcore negativity. It's just REALLY annoying whenever we bring in a bum, be it waivers, Rule 5, minor league free agent, that inevitably we get a hoard of 'well, he was once a top prospect, I don't know, 5 years ago. Maybe Coop can do something with him. Low-risk, high reward' yadda, blah, gag, barf. This occurs EVERY year.

 

People will get excited about small moves just because a small move is better than nothing, so then they envision getting the next diamond in the rough. There are 1, maybe 2 of those types of players that come out of Spring Training, otherwise they're all retreads.

 

There are some players that I get genuinely excited about, but I know how to temper my expectations. I love the Bruney MLC and I think he has a legitimate chance to make the team if he can show that he still has something left in the tank, but I'm definitely not going to suggest that he is going to close for the White Sox this season.

[Jordan4life_2007]

People will get excited about small moves just because a small move is better than nothing, so then they envision getting the next diamond in the rough. There are 1, maybe 2 of those types of players that come out of Spring Training, otherwise they're all retreads.

 

There are some players that I get genuinely excited about, but I know how to temper my expectations. I love the Bruney MLC and I think he has a legitimate chance to make the team if he can show that he still has something left in the tank, but I'm definitely not going to suggest that he is going to close for the White Sox this season.

 

I don't mind genuine excitement. But to say I'm 'negative' because I don't expect a thing from this guy? Even Ranger or Scott Merkin wouldn't sip that kool-aid.

[southsider2k5]

I do wonder why the Tigers are trying to move him.

Decent inexpensive starters don't exactly grow on trees.

 

If we really want Sale in the pen, and there is a legitimate belief that Peavy won't be ready for the start of the season, Galarraga is a guy I wouldn't mind us sniffing around.

[TheChrisSamsa]

Galarraga went 5+ innings in 18 games last year, 6+ in 12 of those. For a 5th starter type guy who wouldn't even be expected to start the whole season, that's pretty good. His record wasn't pretty, but I'd rather have him at 2.3 mil than Tony Pena putting up 15+ starts.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Galarraga went 5+ innings in 18 games last year, 6+ in 12 of those. For a 5th starter type guy who wouldn't even be expected to start the whole season, that's pretty good. His record wasn't pretty, but I'd rather have him at 2.3 mil than Tony Pena putting up 15+ starts.

 

NOTHING about Galarraga is pretty. That's what some aren't comprehending. He's a bad pitcher. We've got guys under contract now that can be bad for us and cheaper. No need to go out and spend over 2 million on another bad pitcher for a handful of starts.

Edited January 19, 2011 by Jordan4life

[TheChrisSamsa]

NOTHING about Galarraga is pretty. That's what some aren't seem to be comprehending. He's a bad pitcher. We've got guys under contract now that can be bad for us and cheaper. No need to go out and spend over 2 million on another bad pitcher for a handful of starts.

 

I disagree that he's as bad as you're making him out to be. Did you actually watch any games that he pitched last year (not trying to be condescending, actually curious)? There are many worse pitchers in the game. That's all. I think he'd be a better brand of "bad" than Lucas Harrell or running through the whole pen every 5 days or any other career AAAA player the White Sox have in the system. The chances of him landing in with the Sox are slim anyway, but I'd be content with snagging him as an insurance policy.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I disagree that he's as bad as you're making him out to be. Did you actually watch any games that he pitched last year (not trying to be condescending, actually curious)? There are many worse pitchers in the game. That's all. I think he'd be a better brand of "bad" than Lucas Harrell or running through the whole pen every 5 days or any other career AAAA player the White Sox have in the system. The chances of him landing in with the Sox are slim anyway, but I'd be content with snagging him as an insurance policy.

 

A few. We do play the Tigers 18-19 times a year. And he's bad. His ERA, which is already mediocre, is eclipsed by his FIP and xFIP by a considerable amount. His rate stats are all below average, aside from his BB/9, which is only marginal all things considering. He's surrendered almost 80 HRs the last three years. And that's pitching for a team that plays in a pitcher-friendly park. And the funny thing is, his BABIP two of the last three years has been WAYYYYYYYYY below league average despite the below average peripherals. So he's actually been sorta lucky. In our park with an inferior defense, a 5+ ERA would be a foregone conclusion.

[Balta1701]

In our park with an inferior defense, a 5+ ERA would be a foregone conclusion.

Really, our defense was/is that far behind the Tigers?

[Jordan4life_2007]

Really, our defense was/is that far behind the Tigers?

 

By most every single metric I've seen we were a lot worse. Doesn't help when you've got two of the worst defensive players on the planet on one team.

[Balta1701]

By most every single metric I've seen we were a lot worse. Doesn't help when you've got two of the worst defensive players on the planet on one team.

I'd have figured that the combination of Carlos Guillen, Magglio, Cabrera, and Jhonny wouldn't set them up very well, even with Inge and Jackson.

[TheChrisSamsa]

A few. We do play the Tigers 18-19 times a year. And he's bad. His ERA, which is already mediocre, is eclipsed by his FIP and xFIP by a considerable amount. His rate stats are all below average, aside from his BB/9, which is only marginal all things considering. He's surrendered almost 80 HRs the last three years. And that's pitching for a team that plays in a pitcher-friendly park. And the funny thing is, his BABIP two of the last three years has been WAYYYYYYYYY below league average despite the below average peripherals. So he's actually been sorta lucky. In our park with an inferior defense, a 5+ ERA would be a foregone conclusion.

 

Agree to disagree. I watched a lot of Tigers games and he held his own. I understand the stats, but my eye test showed me that he has more potential than he's shown.

[Balta1701]

Agree to disagree. I watched a lot of Tigers games and he held his own. I understand the stats, but my eye test showed me that he has more potential than he's shown.

Galarraga's sort of like Edwin Jackson if Jackson lost 7 mph on his fastball. He's got a 90 mph average fastball, with a little bit of sink on it, and a slider that sits around 86. He has a low-80's changeup that he'll throw occasionally but not often and it gets hit fairly hard when he throws it.

 

He's the kind of guy who, if the slider is working and the fastball is pinpoint, can be extremely on (case in point last season), but if he doesn't have both pitches working, he becomes a 1 pitch pitcher without enough velocity to get guys out with the fastball and not enough difference in velocity between pitches to get people out.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Agree to disagree. I watched a lot of Tigers games and he held his own. I understand the stats, but my eye test showed me that he has more potential than he's shown.

 

I mean you're obviously entitled to your opinion. But what is the basis of your argument? That he had a a # of starts in which he pitched 5 or more innings and a few other in which he managed to go 6 or more innings? Is that really an adequate way to judge a SP? Hell, half the time managers leave a starter in an inning or more longer when it's clear as a bright, shiny, summer day he's got nothing just to save the bullpen some. I just can't see any other reason other than 'Well, he's a body and I know who he is' compared to a no-name minor leaguer in which you would waste any change on a guy that you might not need for anymore than 6 or 7 starts, depending on how long Peavy is out for. You mentioned Lucas Harrell. Hell, give me Lucas Harrell at the minimum over Galarraga at two+ million any day. The difference in performance would be minimal at best.

[witesoxfan]

By most every single metric I've seen we were a lot worse. Doesn't help when you've got two of the worst defensive players on the planet on one team.

 

One is obviously Quentin. You referring to Teahen as the second? Because he isn't going to be starting. And you can't be referencing Konerko, because UZR doesn't do Konerko's glove justice, considering it doesn't count how many throws he digs out.

[Jordan4life_2007]

One is obviously Quentin. You referring to Teahen as the second? Because he isn't going to be starting. And you can't be referencing Konerko, because UZR doesn't do Konerko's glove justice, considering it doesn't count how many throws he digs out.

 

Good point on Teahen. And I totally agree with you about PK. I've become a big proponent of UZR but like you said, it totally underrates PK. If Morel is as good as we think, our defense could be above average. Will see. I just don't like Galarraga at all.

[caulfield12]

Remember Jon Van Benschoten or whatever his name?....although I think he must have had more injury problems, about the last players who have come out of nowhere to make the Sox pitching staff have been Loiaza and Boone Logan.

 

I guess you can count someone like loogy Williams, but he hardly made a huge contribution, I suppose he was "okay" in 2009 when almost nothing was expected out of him but he was quickly overexposed ala D-Weezy.

 

We hardly turned around Jeff Marquez...another high draft pick that a lot were hoping could turn it around with Cooper.

 

Another pitcher that kind of comes to mind in this category is Jason Grilli with the Sox...although he did his best work in DET, the White Sox are the team who resuscitated his career.

 

And...

 

If Bruney looks like the Bruney of old (doubtful) and less like Jeff Nelson in the last year of his career, he's got a definite shot. Dolsi is another candidate....he's definitely got a live arm, it only takes one or two pitchers having Politte/Hermanson/Cotts career years to really make a bullpen.

Edited January 21, 2011 by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/01/dbac..._medium=twitter

 

D'Backs Acquire Armando Galarraga

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [January 24, 2011 at 3:00pm CST]

 

The D'Backs acquired Armando Galarraga from the Tigers for Kevin Eichhorn and Ryan Robowski, the teams announced. The D'Backs appear to be assuming responsibility for Galarraga's $2.3MM salary, though they can avoid paying the entire amount by releasing the right-hander.

 

Galarraga, 29, posted a 4.49 ERA with 4.6 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 144 1/3 innings for the Tigers last year. He made headlines in June, when he came within one out of a perfect game, lost his chance at history on a blown call and handled umpire Jim Joyce's mistake with grace.

 

Eichhorn, a 2008 third round selection, has a 4.80 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 105 minor league innings. When Baseball America ranked him 18th among D'Backs prospects before the 2010 season, they praised his three-pitch mix and athleticism. Eichhorn's father, Mark, played 11 seasons in the big leagues.

 

Robowski, who turns 23 next week, has a 4.82 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 84 innings over the course of two pro seasons. The D'Backs chose the left-handed reliever in the 16th round of the 2009 draft.

 

D’Backs GM Kevin Towers says Galarraga will compete for a spot in his team’s rotation. Converted reliever Aaron Heilman is a candidate to start, along with Joe Saunders, Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, Zach Duke and Barry Enright.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Good. Bad pitcher.

 

/thread

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I don't know anything of the 2 prospects the Dbacks traded, but just going off their numbers from last year, they both seem like decent prospects, and a nice return for the Tigers.