Monday, November 28, 2005
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WHERE THE DEVIL ARE MY SLIPPERS?
WHERE THE DEVIL ARE MY SLIPPERS?
Cease this detestable "boo-hooing" instantly...or else seek the shelter of some other place of worship.
- Professor Henry HigginsEiO Knee-Jerk response: I don't understand overpaying for Loaiza no when they could have waited and maybe grabbed Scott Elarton, Kevin Millwood or even Matt Morris cheaper or done their homework and grabbed Jason Johnson. As it is, the A's will owe Washington a draft pick in 2006. Speaking of Washington, Loaiza's 2005 home/away splits are a study of contrasts (isn't that what splits are?). But the logic; ' the A's signed Esteban Loaiza, therefore Zito will be traded ' is just asinine.
SPLIT AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB HBP SO SB CS BAA OBP SLG OPS vs. Left 425 121 26 2 7 34 38 3 88 2 0 .285 .346 .405 .751 vs. Right 415 106 16 0 11 48 17 2 85 2 2 .255 .287 .373 .661 Home 412 96 16 1 9 31 23 1 95 1 0 .233 .275 .342 .617 Away 428 131 26 1 9 51 32 4 78 3 2 .306 .358 .435 .792
In an effort to continually screw up my sequence of posts, Billy Beane has gone out of his way to sign 34 year-old right-handed starter Esteban Loaiza. For the most part under the radar, as it was assumed and supposed by most of the baseball world that the A's were in the market for a DH or a bat in general. For a whopping $21 Million through 2008, the three year deal has a club option (a Beane favorite) for 2009.
Both Susan Slusser and Mychael Urban, who generally are the sore anointers and feet washers of the A's front office, have started their trumpet calls that Zito is now 'unofficially - which means officially' on the trading block heading into the Winter Meetings. As if Beane ever has a player he won't discuss trading. Both Slusser and Urban are also stuck on the right-handed hitter syndrome. The syndrome is caused by listening to old sportswriters who clamor for the days of McGwire, Canseco, Henderson and Steinbach.
The only positive I get out of this transaction, at this point, is being able to talk like Professor Henry Higgins for the rest of the week; Esteban Loaiza Doolittle.
ESTEBAN LOAIZA W L ERA G GS CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB SO WP BK h9 hr9 w9 k9 whip MLB Totals: 11 years 112 99 4.60 334 297 12 5 1,880.00 2110 1037 960 228 539 1255 30 8 10.1 1.09 2.58 6.01 1.41 Minor League Totals: 7 years 41 27 3.52 113 110 12 1 656.1 643 297 257 0 195 474 ? ? 8.82 ? 2.67 6.50 1.28 MLB Average: 11 years 10 9 4.60 30 27 1 0 170 191 94 87 20 49 114 3 0 10.1 1.09 2.58 6.01 1.41 WHY CAN'T THE ENGLISH?
The first thought was; didn't Billy Beane learn his lesson with Mark Redman? That's the most recent pitcher the A's acquired and signed to a multi-year deal. Meaning the player was not brought up through the A's system. And the A's ended up flushing Redman and Arthur Rhodes at the end of 2004. But, here's a chore for you A's fans to get after - who was the last A's pitcher signed as free agent to make more than 20 starts in a season for Oakland?
The second thing I thought was; is someone asleep at the wheel?
The A's signed three right-handed pitchers in the last few weeks; Jay Witasick, Matt Roney and now Loaiza. Before that they signed Jay Payton to a head scratching deal, which at least two people pointed out, was not a bad deal for a 4th outfielder. Except Payton is the starting left fielder. At least Roney was a $340,000 deal. It was not announced if the deal was a major league deal or a minor league deal. Witasick's deal looked like one of a wave of the hand, 'just sign him so I don't have to worry about it' type of deal. I don't want to imply laziness or a lack of focus, but usually there is some hand-wringing for every dollar the A's spend in the off-season.
The A's are not crying poor as much as they used to and they certainly have stopped being frugal. You have to start wondering if the concept of the A's front office - finding market inefficiencies and exploiting them, was a lot of noise. That the ingenuity and fever at which the A's played the game off the field has slipped and possibly been lost.
The latter is what most thought last year, and then Beane smacked every GM in the mouth at the Winter Meetings. Still, A's fans should take note that the howl of the owner's whine has switched from 'no money to compete' to 'give me money so I can make even more money' with the change in ownership.
The rising issue is now - weren't the A's supposed to overpay for a hitter rather than a pitcher? Isn't it their offense that stinks on ice? Weren't names like Frank Thomas and Mike Piazza being bandied about? Thomas could provide sportswriters with fodder and DH while Mike Piazza could help the A's in two areas; DH and get Jason Kendall out of the lineup every 5 or 6 days.
The only question now is; how many questions get asked and not answered over the next few days?
Why would the A's deal Barry Zito, the one player the A's have with a national media cache?
If the A's end up trading players not named Zito, who might they be? Joe Blanton? Kirk Saarloos? Nick Swisher? Joe Kennedy? Jay Payton? Marco Scutaro?
Would the A's dip into their bag of prospects and deal Andre Ethier or Dallas Braden this early?
The biggest issue I see is what the A's could get for Barry Zito with only one year left on his deal. Beane was able to snare Zito when he was younger as Zito was a fairly centered guy. Unless the A's are able to grab Miguel Cabrera, Adam Dunn, Lance Berkman or an upper tier young hitter for Zito, I don't think Zito is dealt.
What I do see is Beane playing Zito off on a combination of other players like Swisher and Saarloos to get a bat. And for the umpteenth time, he doesn't have to hit right-handed. Production is production. Honestly, if the A's could unfreeze Ted Williams and reheat him to his 1941 season, people like Slusser and Urban would bitch that 'he hits lefty'. It's all they know how to write about.
The Loaiza signing is not the end of the world. But it is a sign that there is more money in the A's war chest than rumored under Schott y Hoffman. Though it is very, very true that when the A's do not make the playoffs, they cost themselves millions of dollars. Not a few million, either.
The market has definitely shifted, though, the game has changed. If the Oakland A's are signing free agent starting pitching and overpaying to do it, someone has something up their sleeves.
posted by ZACHARY D MANPRIN at 2:14 PM
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I don't get the Loiaza signing either. Gotta give Beane some credit though, resigning Witasick looks like a bargain now.
Which is just more proof that the FA market's gone nuts.
# posted by
: 28 November, 2005 15:18
I think the Witasick signing was not that bad, but is the A's farm system so bad that they couldn't find an effective right-hander for the bullpen that costs less than $500,000?
Witasick is not a good pitcher in stress situations, you know, like when there are runners on base. Especially when he put them there.
I kind of miss the good old days when Beane used to get guys you have never heard of and plug them ito roles. Now he's just like any other GM retreding the veterans because they are veterans rather than working for a better option.
Maybe it is laziness.
# posted by
Rob Neyer and Rany Jazayerli wrote that they thought the royals should sign Loaiza at 21 for three (although Neyer was a bit more pessimistic). http://www.robneyer.com/robrany.html . Loiaza was 26th last year in support neutral value added, right behind mulder according to baseball prospectus.
He is old. 7 mil a season is a lot for the a's. Maybe they think a better defense will lower his numbers significantly. regardless, it'd be great to be a pitcher free agent this offseason.
# posted by
Jerry
The top 3 AAA arms the A's have are Maebus, Garcia and Flores. Both Maebus and Garcia are hard throwing RH pitchers (like Witasick) but they both have questions and may not be ready.
I agree with you regarding Witasick's abilities, but I think he can be used effectively in middle relief.
# posted by
There's a report circulating on the free agent market this year that has been leaked to the peripheral circle of baseball and a formula for projecting costs so Rany and Rob might be working from that.
But to give a guy $7 a year when he made less than $3 million the year before for being slightly better than league average is blasphemy by the A's front office.
I think someone mentioned Jason Johnson, who would have been a better choice and cheaper. But if you're going to pay for pitching go the extra step and land a known quantity rather than a player who had one fluke season for the White Sox.
Overpaying for releivers is one thing. Over paying for a starter's arm when you have a full rotation (Harden, Zito, Haren, Blanton, Saarloos) plus two in reserve (Duchscherer and Kennedy) seems like a reach.
I do like the fact there is some honest reaction here and not a sudden gush to go buy a Loaiza jersey and cry about losing Zito.
# posted by
What about Victor Moreno and Shane Komine? Why not use Braden or Windsor early and ease them into a starter's role even if it meant starting their arbitration clock?
I know, quibbling over a measily $1 Million. But this is what ruined the NBA - overpriced players with lack of talent due to inflated TV and product sponsor dollars.
It does appear that Billy Beane has slacked off, though. Where are the Chad Bradford's and the Billy Taylor's? The Jim Mecir's and the Jeff Tam's?
Witasick just reminds me of the Rincon deal.
Hopefully, Jose Flores can replace him, cheaply. He was really effective in AAA and Macha let him pitch in critical situations down the stretch. Plus, how could you not like a guy who is so nervous about catching the flight from AAA to the big leagues he forgets all of his gear in the trunk of his car?
# posted by
Okay, I'll ask.
Did everyone just skip the guy ripping Slusser and Uyrban?
Is that right? I mean these aren't bad people. They are just trying to do their jobs.
# posted by
Was Gil Heredia the answer to the Trivia question?
1999, 33 starts?
# posted by
What about Mike Oquist in 1999?
Was he a free agent? I thought he came up in the A's system.
Damn. Six years without having to sign a free agent starter and this is the guy they sign?
# posted by
Loaiza will excel in Oakland. Time will tell us if BB paid too much or not. And he might be re-dealt....if Zito can be dealt, so can Loaiza.....unless you see Harden going through a year injury-free, we're gonna need a good 6th pitcher. I have to officially eat my words here on Kennedy: I thought he'd be a hell of a lot more effective for the A's than he was. He dang sure isn't the extra pitcher we're looking for.
Duscherer might be, but they won't move him off long relief.
As noted elsewhere, this signing, other than costing BB some cash today, does nothing but set BB in concrete when it comes to negotiating for another bat. Fact is, there are now at least 6 GOOD pitchers in the stable, and a couple-three definitively average ones.
Not a major coup by Beane, but a pretty good move overall.
# posted by
goodmeat2000 : 28 November, 2005 16:23
Pat
Komine is coming off TJ surgery, he looked good in the AFL but he missed a year of development. I see him in AAA next year, it might be a bit much to expect him in Oakland. Windsor and Braden are in AA and the A's don't rush prospects. Besides, both showed they need more time in Tulsa.
I got nothing on Moreno.
# posted by
Thank you! This signing does not inevitably mean Zito will be gone (a good example of lack of creativity in analyzing personnel moves).
I'm not sure Harden can be counted on healthwise, and I'll bet Beane isn't sure either.
By the way, who's José Flores? However, the A's do have a lefty named Ron Flores...
# posted by
I like the Loiaza deal. He has a power arm, throws a good number of strikeouts, and eats up innings. His ERA improved last year and he's right handed.
# posted by
This deal freakin' stinks...and I got nothing else to say about this.
# posted by
The A's go heavy on HS'ers in the '05 draft and then give up their 1st round pick in '06. The game is indeed changing...
# posted by
I hope everyone has had a chance to check out the bizarre Gwen Knapp piece in the Chron today.
Not sure what's more laughable...her suggestion that the A's trade Zito to the Giants for their territorial rights in San Jose or her notion that the A's struggled in April/May 2005 because the players were still sad about losing Mulder/Hudson.
Jesus Christ...almost makes Slusser n' Urban look like the voices of freakin' reason.
# posted by
If YOUR editor told you to write something ferkrisakes cuz he's tired of seeing your pointless doodling, you would also write something as doofy as Gwen's article. If you were in a hurry that is, because lunch hour was closing fast.
Don't YOU wish your paycheck hinged on jotting down drivel like that and calling it reporting?
Right now, Gwen is saying 'mo money, mo money, mo money'.
# posted by
"Don't YOU wish your paycheck hinged on jotting down drivel like that and calling it reporting?"
After the Hudson and Mulder trades, Ray Ratto went on ESPN News and predicted a 65 win season for the Athletics in 2005.
When you're a sports "expert," you can be comically wrong on a consistent basis and there are no repercussions.
# posted by
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