The Perfect Platoon partner for Adam Lind still unsigned

[berenjenareturns]

His name is Jeff Baker.

 

He can play 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base and both OF spots.

 

Baker slashed .314/.407/.667 last year against lefties, with 10 homeruns in only 124 PA.

 

He has a .875 OPS against lefties in his career.

 

The AL East has some tough lefties like CC, Lester, Price that usually eat Adam Lind alive. Lind is right down bad against lefties and really good against righties...Baker is the opposite. If you combine Both you'lk have a very good offensive player.

 

Seems like a match made in heaven...get it done AA!

[Brenner]

I read your second sentence first and thought Bo Jackson had returned. Jeff Baker is ok too I guess.

[Jays]

How to get a good platoon partner for Lind: fire Beeston.

[Angrioter]

Barry Bonds?

 

For some reason we do not know, Baker still unemployed.

 

He is German, wouldn't fit in a team full of black guys and other Jews

[Brenner]

They could never find a good Platoon partner for Chris either, because Sgt Elias couldn't get along with that jerk Sgt. Barnes.

[berenjenareturns]

Paul Beeston refuses to deal with Scott Boras.

 

/thread

 

Who is Paul Beeston and why does he refuses to deal with Boras?

[jaysfan2014]

He won't be unsigned for long. MLBTradeRumors reports that he is close to signing with a team, and the Nats and Marlins are in the mix. Considering he only hits lefties and isn't exactly a guy you can play defensively, he's better suited as a NL player. Remember, he was with the Cubs for many years.

[G-Snarls]

Who is Paul Beeston and why does he refuses to deal with Boras?

 

BTS snark aside, it was because of a disagreement the team had with a drafted player Boras was representing

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/396962-the-toronto-blue-jays-and-scott-boras-a-scorched-earth-policy

Edited January 28, 2014 by G-Snarls

[KingKat]

Team President, and because he is incompetent.

 

Specifically, he bungled the negotiations with 1st round pick James Paxton by publicly complaining about Boras' involvement (which technically isn't allowed but happens all the time). Totally bush league. There was a reason why they usually avoided Boras picks previously. If they wanted to avoid him, they could have just continued avoiding him. Better to not have a relationship than strain the relationship and get Paxton suspended.

[KingKat]

He won't be unsigned for long. MLBTradeRumors reports that he is close to signing with a team, and the Nats and Marlins are in the mix. Considering he only hits lefties and isn't exactly a guy you can play defensively, he's better suited as a NL player. Remember, he was with the Cubs for many years.

 

Maybe it's better to have sign somewhere else than having him just sitting there while knowing that the team won't sign him.

[jaysfan2014]

Why does everyone hate Moises Sierra so much? Just because he's a lousy OF, doesn't mean he could be a decent DH and platoon partner for Lind. Don't you remember he hit very similar numbers to Jeff Baker last year with decent doubles power.. and he doesn't have hernia issues, which forced Baker on the DL for a chunk of last season, and hurt his numbers in the 2nd half (.236/.325/.375)

 

That hernia issue with Baker is why many teams are not willing to sign him.

[jaysfan2014]

A number of teams, even the Red Sox, have stories about Boras as well.. it's not just a Blue Jays issue. Boras has sold certain free agents to teams for way too much money, which have hurt franchises because he hypes them so much..

[KingKat]

Why does everyone hate Moises Sierra so much? Just because he's a lousy OF, doesn't mean he could be a decent DH and platoon partner for Lind. Don't you remember he hit very similar numbers to Jeff Baker last year with decent doubles power.. and he doesn't have hernia issues, which forced Baker on the DL for a chunk of last season, and hurt his numbers in the 2nd half (.236/.325/.375)

 

That hernia issue with Baker is why many teams are not willing to sign him.

 

Because a platoon DH with no options is a waste of a roster spot. The way to succeed using platoons is to do it with players with defensive value. That way when you're inevitably forced to used the player against the platoon advantage, the player still provides value. This is what the Rays do so well.

[KingKat]

A number of teams, even the Red Sox, have stories about Boras as well.. it's not just a Blue Jays issue. Boras has sold certain free agents to teams for way too much money, which have hurt franchises because he hypes them so much..

 

It's litterally impossible for an agent to hype a player too much. That's an agent's job. Caveat emptor.

[Abomination]

Specifically, he bungled the negotiations with 1st round pick James Paxton by publicly complaining about Boras' involvement (which technically isn't allowed but happens all the time). Totally bush league. There was a reason why they usually avoided Boras picks previously. If they wanted to avoid him, they could have just continued avoiding him. Better to not have a relationship than strain the relationship and get Paxton suspended.

 

In fairness, maybe Paxton signs if Boras isn't breaking the rules and in his ear. I'd be pretty mad if I was Beeston too, he just shouldn't have said anything about it publicly. Regardless, I think if the deal is the best fit for both sides they'll put their issues aside and get something done, they just won't look to deal with each other as a first choice. Since most Boras players are fairly highly sought, that usually means we won't be part of it. Baker may be different in that regard.

[Abomination]

Sierra's only shot of any use is converting to a BP arm to be an 7th man in the BP that can also be a 5th man on the bench.

 

That would be rather interesting for a team to try.

[Angrioter]

Sierra's only shot of any use is converting to a BP arm to be an 7th man in the BP that can also be a 5th man on the bench.

 

I was touching that topic with a Sierra's friend last night via twitter.

[KingKat]

Sierra's only shot of any use is converting to a BP arm to be an 7th man in the BP that can also be a 5th man on the bench.

 

Should have been done last year when he still had options. Would have worked well with AA's obsession with deep bullpens. Ship has sailed. He's not going to learn to pitch at the MLB level.

[Abomination]

Should have been done last year when he still had options. Would have worked well with AA's obsession with deep bullpens. Ship has sailed. He's not going to learn to pitch at the MLB level.

 

Why not? No reason he can't regularly throw bullpens every other day and build up some feel. You'd likely only use him initially as a pitcher if you're getting blown out anyway (or enough extra innings that you have to bring in a position player regardless). If things start to go well, you can increase his game usage as needed.

[KingKat]

Why not? No reason he can't regularly throw bullpens every other day and build up some feel. You'd likely only use him initially as a pitcher if you're getting blown out anyway (or enough extra innings that you have to bring in a position player regardless). If things start to go well, you can increase his game usage as needed.

 

I suppose it can work out if you're getting blown out with regularity. Seems like the king of thing you do if you're already tanking Astros style.

[Atothe]

A number of teams, even the Red Sox, have stories about Boras as well.. it's not just a Blue Jays issue. Boras has sold certain free agents to teams for way too much money, which have hurt franchises because he hypes them so much..

 

Dumbest thing I heard today, agents do force any gm or president to pay for his clients. Bad decisions by the executives are bad

[berenjenareturns]

Mlbtraderumors says he's close to signing with a team...lets see what's up

[Lawrie22]

Let's cross our fingers that the team is us but most likely won't be.

[berenjenareturns]

Adam Lind career vs Righties: .286/.322/.850

Jeff Baker career vs Lefties: .298/.352/.875

 

Equals to a player with the following lines: .292/.337/.863

 

Which is superb! That is a Cano type season!

 

....wonder why GMs don't do this more often.

[KingKat]

Adam Lind career vs Righties: .286/.322/.850

Jeff Baker career vs Lefties: .298/.352/.875

 

Equals to a player with the following lines: .292/.337/.863

 

Which is superb! That is a Cano type season!

 

....wonder why GMs don't do this more often.

 

Platoons are hard to implement with todays larger bullpen but if you look at the small market teams who find a way to compete (Oakland, TB), they use platoons. Oakland emphasizes platoon splits a little more than Tampa Bay which emphasizes defensive ability and vesatility before straight platoons.

[Boxcar]

Considering he only hits lefties and isn't exactly a guy you can play defensively, he's better suited as a NL player. Remember, he was with the Cubs for many years.

 

How this makes sense in your pea sized brain, I will never understand. Why do you even post here?

[KingKat]

Yeah but when you forego a platoon guy to give Mark DeRosa almost 250 ABs it becomes a little murkier.

 

Ironically, Derosa did turn out to be a good platoon bat last year and he was mostly used with the platoon advantage although probably not quite as much as he should have (131 AB out of 204 AB*).

 

* not 250

[Laika]

Jeff Baker career wOBA splits:

.375 vs. LHP

.285 vs. RHP

 

Jeff Baker regressed wOBA split, plopped on top of his 2014 Steamer projection:

 

.329 vs. LHP

.292 vs. RHP

[KingKat]

Jeff Baker career wOBA splits:

.375 vs. LHP

.285 vs. RHP

 

Jeff Baker regressed wOBA split, plopped on top of his 2014 Steamer projection:

 

.329 vs. LHP

.292 vs. RHP

 

This illustrates well why it's prefferable for your platoon hitters to also provide value on defense. Not only so they can provide some value against their split but also because perceived platoon advantages are by their very nature the creatures of smaller sample sizes.

[KingKat]

Still better than Sierra. I don't know if I'd prefer Kratz or not. Obviously Baker>Kratz at straight hitting, but Kratz can play C when he's platooning and provide great D and framing.

 

Would your plan be to roster all of Kratz, Thole and Navarro?