Nationals Acquire Kurt Suzuki: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com:
'via Blog this'
Going off half cocked is as old and venerable tradition as there is on the Internet. So, in the interest of serving tradition, allow me to to do just that.
If the Nats are paying even one penny of Kurt Suzuki's contract next year, then any off season excuses about $$$$ are a complete joke.
$6 million plus in 2013 for Kurt freaking Suzuki! Ouch. A Loduca +$1m that hurts.
For what exactly? He's not an offensive upgrade from anyone the Nats have now even given the depressive aspect of his formerly home field.
38% of baserunners thrown out. Whoop de Doo. You can't tell me there aren't a couple of members of the International Brotherhood of Backup Catchers waiting down at the union hall who couldn't do that while wielding a wet noodle at the dish?
And David Freitas? A 23 year old with solid OBP skills. No one will be able to convince me that the Nats couldn't have gotten Geovanny Soto from the Cubs for Freitas had it been offered. Soto's line now might be worse but he has solid secondary skills and has the potential to be at least league average offensively.
If Billy Beane got rid of Suzuki's contract for the rest of this year and 2013 and still got a guy who could be a decent backup catcher in a few years then all I can say is please stop trading with Billy Beane. Or at least don't let him take his pick of your minor leagues. Avert your eyes as he replaces Suzuki with former Nat farmhand Derek Norris.
My warning is this: I refuse to count Suzuki's 2013 commitment toward the salary budget. You took this on with malace aforethought -- don't bitch later about spending restraints because you horribly overpaid for a bad catcher. Not buying it, not one tiny little bit.
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http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/fielding/_/position/c/sort/catcherCaughtStealingPct/order/true
ReplyDeleteSuzuki = 4th in the majors in CS percentage this year. I think this trade is as simple as that, especially after watching the Phillies run rampant on the bases (even Cliff Lee! got a SB).
Money? meh. You buy what you need, when you need it right? The Nats have a ton of catcher depth, but most of it is either hurt (Ramos, Solano) or too young (Leon, Nieto). Flores has clearly underperformed and probably becomes trade-bait/DFA candidate with Suzuki's signing. Suzuki certainly can't hurt at the plate compared to what we weren't getting with Flores.
I'm ok with this move.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/fielding/_/year/2011/position/c/sort/defWARBR
ReplyDeleteOh looky here. Kurt Suzuki is tied in DWar with . . . Geovanny Soto! And Soto had a better CS% in 2011 too.
My point wasn't that Suzuki doesn't have a skill that might be useful, it was that giving up a very good catching prospect like Frietas AND taking on a $6m commitment for 2013 is insane! Esp. when you could have had Soto for a middle relief prospect and not had a salary commitment for next year. Just a dumb panic move made worse because they dealt with Billy Beane again.
Now if they got the A's to pay a hefty part of Suzuki's salary then I have less of a problem. I doubt they did. I fear this addition will make it less likely they make an addition needed in the offseason. that's why I say $5m of Suzuki's salary should not count in their payroll budget for 2013. He's worth maybe $1m and you stupidly overpaid for him. That's $5m lost in opportunity cost for 2013 along with David Freitas's potetntial. The gain? A couple less Sb's for the next 200 games or so. Not worth it in my view.