Chase Headley - Sox Potential Fit

[knightni]

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2013/10/21/486...mp-matt-wieters

 

Chase Headley (Third Base, San Diego Padres)

The Padres missed their chance to trade Chase Headley at the peak of his value when they couldn't find the right trade partner following the 2012 season. Headley hit .286/.376/.498 with 31 home runs and a league-best 115 RBI; he also won a Gold Glove. Headley didn't play as well in 2013, hitting just .250/.347/.400 with 13 home runs, but some of that might have been due to the knee injury for which he underwent surgery after the season ended.

 

Headley should be fully recovered in four to six weeks, so barring any setbacks he will be ready to play come spring, and there are plenty of teams including the Yankees, White Sox, and Cubs who could be looking for a third baseman this offseason. Headley is in his last season of arbitration this year and will get a bit of a bump over his $8.5 million salary despite a dip in production. The Padres may choose to keep him for one more season until he's an unrestricted free agent, but considering the average age of free-agent third baseman this season is 35, they may be able to find a team willing to give a big enough return to put Headley in a new uniform before March.

[southsider2k5]

I wouldn't be surprised if they were interested, but I wonder where his price is now?

[Balta1701]

I wouldn't be surprised if they were interested, but I wonder where his price is now?

I wouldn't give up scraps for him. He's a highly paid, small upgrade on what we currently have at 3b and he's a free agent at the end of the year. That's the exact opposite of what the White Sox should target in trades if they give away anything of value.

[Eminor3rd]

This says that the White Sox are "among teams that could be looking for a 3B upgrade"

[witesoxfan]

This says that the White Sox are "among teams that could be looking for a 3B upgrade"

 

Exactly. Next year is his age 30 season, and then you have to decide if you want to resign a player who has dealt with injury problems in the past from the ages of 31 and beyond as part of your future, or if you were to just cut bait and lose all the investment.

 

This is another one of those good ideas but at the wrong time.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I wouldn't be surprised if they were interested, but I wonder where his price is now?

 

Probably and hopefully significantly lower. I'd be all for bringing in Headley, but I would only be willing to part with a couple mid-level prospects.

[Eminor3rd]

Probably and hopefully significantly lower. I'd be all for bringing in Headley, but I would only be willing to part with a couple mid-level prospects.

 

Which is why the Padres won't trade him. They will be able to do better at the deadline if he bounces back at all.

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Which is why the Padres won't trade him. They will be able to do better at the deadline if he bounces back at all.

 

Probably true. They really missed out by not trading him last winter when he could have brought back a top prospect.

[TaylorStSox]

I'd consider it if we were an 85 win team, but we aren't, so no. Even if we do have a good first half, he's the type of player you pick up in a mid year deal.

[iamshack]

I'd consider it if we were an 85 win team, but we aren't, so no. Even if we do have a good first half, he's the type of player you pick up in a mid year deal.

Thing is you have to start somewhere. If you use this thinking the only reL way to get there is through ground-up development, which I think is not in the cards for us.

[Eminor3rd]

Thing is you have to start somewhere. If you use this thinking the only reL way to get there is through ground-up development, which I think is not in the cards for us.

 

No, that's not true. You don't need to get all the way through dev. You need to get half decent through dev and then start making signings and trades. The signings and trades can even be half of it if you think about the stars you'd be targeting.

[Balta1701]

No, that's not true. You don't need to get all the way through dev. You need to get half decent through dev and then start making signings and trades. The signings and trades can even be half of it if you think about the stars you'd be targeting.

The problem right now is figuring out which guys are going to be contributors. If Phegley, Viciedo, Abreu, and Garcia all hit next year and Gillaspie regresses, then if we'd done this move already it could put us in the playoffs. But, if Gillaspie and Keppinger in a platoon put up sort of what we might expect them to do and another hitter struggles...well then for example we'd have been much better off replacing Phegley with a high-salary McCann than we would have been taking on Headley.

 

That's the problem...we have talent at a number of spots, but talent often doesn't equal production. To turn this around rapidly we need to replace the guys who won't produce with guys who will. Which ones are they?

[knightni]

The problem right now is figuring out which guys are going to be contributors. If Phegley, Viciedo, Abreu, and Garcia all hit next year and Gillaspie regresses, then if we'd done this move already it could put us in the playoffs. But, if Gillaspie and Keppinger in a platoon put up sort of what we might expect them to do and another hitter struggles...well then for example we'd have been much better off replacing Phegley with a high-salary McCann than we would have been taking on Headley.

 

That's the problem...we have talent at a number of spots, but talent often doesn't equal production. To turn this around rapidly we need to replace the guys who won't produce with guys who will. Which ones are they?

Platoons rarely yield successful numbers.

[Eminor3rd]

The problem right now is figuring out which guys are going to be contributors. If Phegley, Viciedo, Abreu, and Garcia all hit next year and Gillaspie regresses, then if we'd done this move already it could put us in the playoffs. But, if Gillaspie and Keppinger in a platoon put up sort of what we might expect them to do and another hitter struggles...well then for example we'd have been much better off replacing Phegley with a high-salary McCann than we would have been taking on Headley.

 

That's the problem...we have talent at a number of spots, but talent often doesn't equal production. To turn this around rapidly we need to replace the guys who won't produce with guys who will. Which ones are they?

 

Which is why what we need is a transitional year, which I think is what we will get in 2014. Acquisitions this year should be limited those those that will productive for years and not handcuff us financially.

 

It won't be fun, but we need it.

[iamshack]

No, that's not true. You don't need to get all the way through dev. You need to get half decent through dev and then start making signings and trades. The signings and trades can even be half of it if you think about the stars you'd be targeting.

But you can't look at every opportunity to improve from the perspective of "well, if we were an 85-win team, we'd go after this guy. There are a number of routes we can go and the emphasis should be on acquiring talent that makes sense within the parameters of our time frame. If we never try to acquire anyone until we're an 85 win team, then it's going to be awhile until we are an 85 win team because the only other way to get there is through development from within.

[Balta1701]

Which is why what we need is a transitional year, which I think is what we will get in 2014. Acquisitions this year should be limited those those that will productive for years and not handcuff us financially.

 

It won't be fun, but we need it.

The reason I was big on the Abreu signing is that right now I can say the Sox have a complete roster where if everything goes right and everyone develops and they come out of spring training awake and they remember that they're supposed to catch the ball, this team could compete right now. Without Abreu I would have said they have a gigantic gaping hole at 1b and that would prevent them from competing.

 

If we're going to cut ties with someone now...Viciedo, De Aza, Phegley, Beckham...fine, but in some ways it has to be done based on information I don't have. I don't know how those guys worked with the coaching staff, how they were in the locker room, or what kinds of changes they were willing to make last year. That kind of info has to be big in deciding to replace on of those guys now.

[iamshack]

The reason I was big on the Abreu signing is that right now I can say the Sox have a complete roster where if everything goes right and everyone develops and they come out of spring training awake and they remember that they're supposed to catch the ball, this team could compete right now. Without Abreu I would have said they have a gigantic gaping hole at 1b and that would prevent them from competing.

 

If we're going to cut ties with someone now...Viciedo, De Aza, Phegley, Beckham...fine, but in some ways it has to be done based on information I don't have. I don't know how those guys worked with the coaching staff, how they were in the locker room, or what kinds of changes they were willing to make last year. That kind of info has to be big in deciding to replace on of those guys now.

I don't agree. I think that year was 2012. In 2014 we're going to need an upgrade at C and 3b and possibly even LF before I feel like we're there.

[Eminor3rd]

The reason I was big on the Abreu signing is that right now I can say the Sox have a complete roster where if everything goes right and everyone develops and they come out of spring training awake and they remember that they're supposed to catch the ball, this team could compete right now. Without Abreu I would have said they have a gigantic gaping hole at 1b and that would prevent them from competing.

 

If we're going to cut ties with someone now...Viciedo, De Aza, Phegley, Beckham...fine, but in some ways it has to be done based on information I don't have. I don't know how those guys worked with the coaching staff, how they were in the locker room, or what kinds of changes they were willing to make last year. That kind of info has to be big in deciding to replace on of those guys now.

 

Yeah I mean it's within the realm of possibility, but it isn't anything close to likely. A lot of these FAs just come with too much long term risk for the low chances we have this year. I think we'll be in a much better position to contemplate these types of signings next offseason. And if a miracle happens and we compete, we can snag some dudes at the deadline.

[Balta1701]

I don't agree. I think that year was 2012. In 2014 we're going to need an upgrade at C and 3b and possibly even LF before I feel like we're there.

If you're right, then the White Sox need to be targeting McCann and trying to trade for a 3b option using their surplus of pitching, because those are the ways they can find difference-makers at those positions and there aren't obvious better options available the following year. Headley simply isn't an option for me in that case, not with a 1 year contract. If the Sox can't find anyone to trade them a 3b, then they're better off signing Headley as a FA next offseason.

 

Like I said, I'm not going to be mad if you're right and they cut ties with both of the current incumbents...none of them have put up the numbers necessary to earn the position next year if another option is available.

[Jose Abreu]

Royals listening to offers for Billy Butler per MLBTR.

[TaylorStSox]

Thing is you have to start somewhere. If you use this thinking the only reL way to get there is through ground-up development, which I think is not in the cards for us.

I would be interested if he had more than 1 year left on his contract. It would be foolish to trade young talent for such a player.

[TaylorStSox]

I'll add that I still like Gillespie and would like to see him get another year as an everyday player. There's no way I platoon him with the corpse of Keppinger.

Edited October 22, 2013 by TaylorStSox

[Jake]

I'm not convinced that Headley would outproduce Gillaspie by very much

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Royals listening to offers for Billy Butler per MLBTR.

 

In what world are the Sox looking for another 1B/DH?

[Eminor3rd]

Royals listening to offers for Billy Butler per MLBTR.

 

I just want to note that my girlfriend came up with an excellent nickname for him that we used all last year: Billy Butthole