By: Paul Leoncavallo
OK, it looks like the trade talk is spreading to other avenues. So I figure I should give some thoughts on the players I didn't mention before. If you haven't read part one of this report, I suggest you go back and read that before moving on to this one.
Below is a continued list of players that I either failed to mention, decided not to mention, or just came into the trade mix. As always, feel free to contact me with any gripes or questions. paul@redsox2000.com We also just activated our sites message board, you can find me there regularly posting under the user-name nyyankeessuck.
Onto the list:
| YR 2000 |
G 74 |
AB 282 |
R 64 |
H 78 |
2B 18 |
3B 1 |
HR 18 |
RBI 51 |
BB 49 |
SO 63 |
SB 4 |
CS 2 |
OBP .397 |
SLG .539 |
AVG .277 |
PROS: Gives us the much needed offense the Sox are missing. Has hinted he wants to come home to Boston. Contract does not run out until 2001, so there's time to negotiate. More resignable than Sammy or Juan. May accept a "home town" discount.
CONS: Still doesn't solve pitching, third base, and left field problems. Creates logjam at first base (Offerman, Stanley, Daubach). Possibly forces Offerman back to second base and Frye out of the line-up. Will take allot to pry him from the Astros, especially in lieu of the Everett steal.
OVERALL: I'd love to have him, but I don't think he's on the trading block. He's one of Houston's "bread and butter" guys, they will do everything to resign him. Yes, Bags has hinted that he would like to come home, but it doesn't mean he will.
MY DECISION: If Houston is even willing to deal (something I highly doubt) getting Bags this year could do as much bad as it does good. You fill the offensive hole, but it still leaves the three major holes we're dealing with. And with the ramifications a trade will cause (position switching and playing time) it could make for allot of unhappy ball players. Bags is a better option to go and get next year, Stanley's contract is up, as is Frye's. I want him, but I'm more concerned with 3B, LF, and Pitching.
| YR 2000 |
G 70 |
AB 271 |
R 34 |
H 75 |
2B 15 |
3B 0 |
HR 10 |
RBI 45 |
BB 21 |
SO 26 |
SB 1 |
CS 0 |
OBP .331 |
SLG .443 |
AVG .277 |
PROS: I don't see any. Those who think he can play third, should think again, he's been converted to a first baseman and wasn't great at third anyway.
CONS: Clogs up firstbase and DH even more with another mediocre bat and an average glove. His stats don't stink, but they don't spell savior either.
OVERALL: If a deal were to be made for Coomer, I'd take it as a "well at least we did something" trade from the Sox. Kind of like getting Butch Huskey last year. We need to go for bigger prey.
MY DECISION: There are better options.
| YR 2000 |
G 59 |
AB 217 |
R 28 |
H 54 |
2B 6 |
3B 2 |
HR 6 |
RBI 26 |
BB 23 |
SO 37 |
SB 0 |
CS 1 |
OBP .317 |
SLG .378 |
AVG .249 |
PROS: Should be better at 3B than what Wilton Veras has done thus far. But how much better? Shouldn't take a ton to get him.
CONS: Had a breakthrough season in 1999, but has yet to get it going this year. Very suspect glove, which is the reason DD has cut off talks for him. Doesn't really solve any of the teams problems.
OVERALL: Sounds like another "well, we did something" trade.
MY DECISION: Look elsewhere, but Duke is already doing that.
| YR 2000 |
G 59 |
AB 208 |
R 42 |
H 63 |
2B 13 |
3B 0 |
HR 15 |
RBI 45 |
BB 42 |
SO 37 |
SB 3 |
CS 0 |
OBP .419 |
SLG .582 |
AVG .303 |
OUT UNTIL SEPTEMBER, NO LONGER AN OPTION
| YR 2000 |
G 65 |
AB 253 |
R 34 |
H 63 |
2B 11 |
3B 2 |
HR 12 |
RBI 24 |
BB 24 |
SO 55 |
SB 4 |
CS 2 |
OBP .315 |
SLG .451 |
AVG .249 |
PROS: Cheap fix for left field. Brings some more power to the line-up. Some. Will not cost much to get, and resigning him is not a priority.
CONS: Has twelve homers, but only 24 RBIs this year. Hasn't been the impact player he was since Atlanta Days.
OVERALL: Gant has kind of fallen off the face of the earth since his motorcycle accident 4-5 years ago. He was an allstar and a 30/30 guy with the Braves, but has since become an average player at best. A more imposing presence at the plate over Darren Lewis or Curtis Pride, but he isn't going to put a team over the top.
MY DECISION: If he's the best we can do, I'd use the prospects we'd use to get him and try to maximize what we can get at 3B or pitching.
| YR 2000 |
G 77 |
AB 280 |
R 41 |
H 94 |
2B 24 |
3B 2 |
HR 4 |
RBI 46 |
BB 50 |
SO 30 |
SB 15 |
CS 4 |
OBP .435 |
SLG .479 |
AVG .336 |
PROS: Upgrades the leftfield situation big time. Not allot of pop, but he's batting at a .336 clip, we'd have a few more wins if O'Leary was in that area. Signed to cheap contract that runs thru the end of this season and he's only 28.
CONS: Not too many, his contract does run out at the end of the year, but he'll be the last free agent on most teams minds. Could be a steal of a resigning if we pick him back up. But he is a Twin and has never been in the midst of a pennant chase, who knows how he'll react. How much we'd have to give up for him is the biggest question.
OVERALL: A career Twin who seems to have come into his own this year. The no pressure confines of Minnesota could attribute to his success. But with what we've been getting from LF so far this year, it's probably worth the chance we'd be taking.
MY DECISION: I think Lawton would be a great extra acquisition if he were to come over with Radke. Not sure how realistic that is, but it would definitely plug a couple of holes. I don't like him as much as Alou, but I would take him over Burks in a second.
Not a whole lot here with this list. It ranges from "no chance" players, to Injured players, to last resort players. Feel free to email me with feedback paul@redsox2000.com.