Sizemore, Martinez Lead Tribe Past Twins
September 17, 2008Does Phil Savage Still Heart Romeo?
September 17, 2008As I ate my lunch today, a friend of mine and I were talking baseball. He is a Braves fan, and has apparently reached the end of his rope. As I lamented about the Tribe not quite being able to get over the .500 mark, he finally blurted out, “I just think it’s time this off-season for the Braves to just blow the whole thing up and start over.” I asked him who he would keep from their current roster, and he said, “I don’t know. Brian McCann, maybe Jeff Francoeur. That’s about it.” That gave me pause. “How many years does Chipper Jones have left on his contract? You wouldn’t keep him around?”
He thought for a moment. “I don’t know. Two years? I mean, he’s 36. He’s still hitting, but at this point why keep him? It’s not like they’re winning before his contract is up. I say see what you can get for him.”
Well, I looked up his contract: he’s got a club option for 2009, worth between $8 and $11 million (depending on incentives; I couldn’t find the specifics). The option is now vested since he reached 450 PA this season.
Now, as we all know, the Tribe has a pretty large hole at third base in the short-term, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility for them to contend in 2009 with the right tweaks. So, purely hypothetically, I ask you WFNY readers: what would you give up for Chipper Jones this off-season? It’s no secret the Tribe has an abundance of high-level starting pitching talent. Would you part with one or two of them to take a relatively inexpensive flyer on Chipper for a year?
This year he’s hitting .365 with 21 HR and 72 RBI. He’s walked 84 times against 59 Ks, for an OBP of .467. His OPS is 1.038 (.571 SLG) in the NL, and he plays on a pretty lousy team–far worse than the Tribe’s projected 2009 roster. Yes, he is 36 years old (turns 37 on 4/24 next year), but he’s a true, potential-HOF switch hitter who plays a serviceable third base (in other words, he’s not that good – .959 fielding percentage with 12 errors in 112 games).
Would that be something you could live with for those numbers in the middle of our lineup? Could you put up with a lackluster fielding third basemen to have two switch-hitting mashers in the middle of our lineup for a year or two? Even if Chipper goes .300/20/75 that would be an astronomical improvement over our current third base situation, and to only have to pay $8-$11 million for that would certainly be a worthy investment.
I don’t know why a package of Gutierrez/one of our young pitching prospects couldn’t get that deal done. Me, I would make that deal if it was on the table. So, what say you… what would you be willing to give up? Or, would you be willing to give up anything at all?
12 Comments
the braves can have andy marte back for him!
I wonder how many people will skip over the part that said this was purely hypothetical and will go crazy. I hope a lot
That said, I would make the Gutierrez/young pitching prospect (Adam Miller?) deal in a heart beat, but I don’t think the Braves would. I don’t see where Gut fits on this team, since Francisco seems to have locked up one outfield spot, obviously Grady has center, Choo has performed very well and we have prospects that figure to be at least as good as Gut. If we can get something for Adam Miller, who looks like he will never be able to stay healthy, that would be great, but even if its Laffey or Sowers, I would probably make that deal. Chipper has 2 good hitting years left in him and he would put us right back into contention next year
The bonus as I see it–and I should have put this in my post as well–is that moving to the AL is going to add a little bit, I think. He can have days where he doesn’t play third, but can still hit. His average has only been below .296 once in the past eleven seasons (including 2008), so it’s not like he’s spiking this year. I salivate at the thought of a Grady-Chipper-Victor 3-5 next year (or, Grady-Victor-Chipper, though I think Chippers better power numbers put him in the 4-spot).
The way I see it, the Tribe has roughly four of the same guy in Laffey, Sowers, Lewis, and Jackson (obviously, some are better than others…). I would give up one, maybe even two, +Gut to get Chipper for 2009. I also think the shortness of Chipper’s contract would blunt how much the Braves could reasonably offer him.
Left out of the post as well is that Chipper is a 10/5 guy, so all of this posturing would depend entirely on his willingness to leave Atlanta and come to Cleveland.
“I also think the shortness of Chipper’s contract would blunt how much the Braves could reasonably offer him.”
s/b
“…could reasonable ask for for him.”
And yes, I know “reasonable” in that last one s/b “reasonably”… 🙂
Depends, I mean if it’s a guy like Gut and another pitcher with some potential then I guess we got to do it. But, could we get Casey Blake for a little cheaper and he could give us the same power numbers (20/75) but hit for less average. That’s something to think about.
It would be nice. Chipper can still rake it. His fielding is fine. We have lots of pitching.
But it’s not going to happen so that’s that.
I abhor Casey Blake. There, I’ve said it.
i would give my left nut for chipper
I just don’t think making a run at Chipper is the right move for this team. Sure he potentially adds a lot, but he also adds a lot in payroll and I think the logical assumption is that his numbers would drop. First of all, I disagree with the idea that a move from the NL to the AL would help him. It sure seems to me like the better players currently reside in junior circuit these days, as evidenced by CC’s incredible domination of NL hitters. Also, at some point his numbers have to drop. Whether it would be in 2009 or 2010 or later I don’t know, but I don’t think you give up good prospects for a 37 year old.
Frankly a better option might be Blalock. He’s no Chipper, but perhaps they offer him an incentives laden contract similar to the one they gave Millwood and get some mileage out of him. He’s still young (28, which is right around the average players prime years) and he certainly has a decent history. That said, I wouldn’t take either of them.
Scratch going after Chipper.
I would make a move for 2B Dan Uggla from the Marlins. he going to go to arbitration so the Marlins will try to deal him. Trade Gutierrez/young pitching prospect for him. Them move Peralta to 3B and start Cabrera at SS.
I would do the Gut/Pitching prospect deal for Chipper right now.
@ Brian: I love the idea of going for Uggla. Marlins historically trade their good young players so they don’t have to pay them the big bucks. He fills 2 needs for us: decent fielder at 2nd, and adds instant offense in a position that we’ve come to expect nothing from. Only problem, what do we have to give up to get him?