Russel Martin plans to catch RA Dickey

[KingKat]

 

Dickey gives you 210 innings of solid number 3 starter material. No he's not an ace but the Jays didn't really feel they needed one - they figured their offense would be fine and a guy as consistent and solid as Dickey for $10million - to get his performance with a 30 year old you'd be looking at $22 million a year for more than 5 years. So you give up the talent to offset the payroll.

 

I don't buy this rationale at all. I think the Jays thought they were getting an ace and not only an ace but a relatively cheap one. A cheap ace is a nearly impossible thing to trade for. If Dickey had the more traditional profile of an ace, younger, more conventional repertoire, it would not have been possible for the Jays to extend him as cheaply as they did but because he is, who he is, the Jays thought he represented a rare opportunity. Yes the fact that he's a solid inning eater gave him a nice floor and that probably factored into the rational but I don't believe they make the trade if they didn't at least think there was a chance he could maintain the success of his previous season. The Jays had tremendous success banking on a breakout season from Bautista. They thought they might be able to do the same with Dickey. It didn't work out as well as hoped but I can fully understand why they sacrificed prospect for what on they thought represented a rare opportunity. It was an aggressive trade made in the context of a very aggressive off-season and though it looks bad on paper, a made a fair amount of sense in context.

[Governator]

EDIT: I see Dickey's comments were posted a few days ago. Meh here's Blair's take on it

 

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/dickey-insinuates-he-wants-thole-on-jays/

 

Dickey makes it clear: He wants Thole on Blue Jays

Jeff Blair

January 19, 2015, 9:33 AM

 

 

R.A. Dickey always could talk, so it would come as no surprise if the city of Toronto had to pay overtime for maintenance workers tasked with cleaning up the words left by Dickey during the Blue Jays Winter Caravan. I’m not certain all of it was what the organization wanted to hear.

 

Whether it was in a radio interview on my show or several print interviews, the knuckleballer missed no opportunity to make clear that he wants Josh Thole to be part of the 25-man roster – even though Thole is offensively challenged and fundamentally useless on the four days Dickey isn’t pitching. Put it this way: if you thought Dickey would give a big endorsement to working with Russell Martin, you were upset.

 

“I don’t think there’s any replacement for time spent,” Dickey said. “Josh has caught 75 to 80 percent of my starts since 2010 or 2012 and there’s nobody better … but it would be nice to have someone like Russell who can do it as well.”

 

‘As well?’ Really? Look: I understand Dickey’s fears. He probably still has nightmares about J.P. Arencibia’s three passed balls in the 2013 Home Opener, which was also Dickey’s Blue Jays debut. I know I do. And I realize that any time Dickey shakes off a catcher it’s a sign he’s going away from his knuckle-ball, so having a catcher who can think along with him is vital. But considering this is a team with serious everyday concerns in centre field and at second base, not to mention a shortstop (who will see time at designated hitter) as well as getting days off to ward off the Artificial Turf Monster, the team can’t afford to waste a spot on a one-trick pony like Thole. Much like a Munenori Kawasaki sighting, if you see Thole around the Blue Jays this season it’s not a good sign.

[LongTimeReader]

Dickey's kind of a slimeball, very slithery with his words

[TwistedLogic]

And, as we all know, it's a fantastic idea to pay for past performance for a player in his late 30s... (yes, I know knuckleballers don't age the same way, etc... but late 30s = aches and pains and other crap for everyone, not just those that rely in fastball velocity...)

 

It's funny because I agree with you and I loathed that trade at the time, but there's an actually realistic scenario at this point that when all is said and done, that might have actually been a decent trade for the Jays.

 

I remember reading somewhere that RA9-WAR was a better indicator of Dickey's talent than regular fWAR, and by that measure, he's already been worth 5.3 wins for the Jays and that's even before taking into account the Dickey effect. If he gives the Jays another two years at that level, the deal doesn't look as bad as when it was signed, even if Syndergaard develops into a stud.

[Brownie19]

I don't buy this rationale at all. I think the Jays thought they were getting an ace and not only an ace but a relatively cheap one. A cheap ace is a nearly impossible thing to trade for. If Dickey had the more traditional profile of an ace, younger, more conventional repertoire, it would not have been possible for the Jays to extend him as cheaply as they did but because he is, who he is, the Jays thought he represented a rare opportunity. Yes the fact that he's a solid inning eater gave him a nice floor and that probably factored into the rational but I don't believe they make the trade if they didn't at least think there was a chance he could maintain the success of his previous season. The Jays had tremendous success banking on a breakout season from Bautista. They thought they might be able to do the same with Dickey. It didn't work out as well as hoped but I can fully understand why they sacrificed prospect for what on they thought represented a rare opportunity. It was an aggressive trade made in the context of a very aggressive off-season and though it looks bad on paper, a made a fair amount of sense in context.

 

I think this is spot on. Another point to add is that Dickey had been gaining velocity on his knuckleball year after year and with increased velocity came more strikeouts and better success. I agree the Jays took the risk that they had something very unique and very special on their hands. Given their financial situation, he really was the perfect storm opportunity.

 

Unfortunately, the velocity dipped 2 MPH in 2013 and he hasn't been the ace they'd hoped for. However, he'd been a very good #3 pitcher at a reasonable cost. Syndergaard and TDA have been absolutely nothing to date - so even though Dickey hasn't turned out as well as AA thought he might, the deal still hasn't been a disaster.

 

I don't blame AA for taking the risk, just like I don't blame him for taking a risk on Morrow, Santos, Gose, Delabar or Lawrie.

[G-Snarls]

TSN just showed video of Martin catching Dickey. Dickey was very complimentary about his abilities in an interview afterwards. Edited February 26, 2015 by G-Snarls

[Jonzo]

TSN just showed video of Martin catching Dickey. Dickey was complementary about his abilities in an interview afterwards.

 

Yeah, you could play back interviews from 2013 but replace "JP" with "Martin". Same exact responses..

 

But really, what else is the guy gonna say I guess..

[o2cui2i]

TSN just showed video of Martin catching Dickey. Dickey was very complimentary about his abilities in an interview afterwards.

 

Martin is the second coming. Dickey cant go against the messiah he be called a heretic and crucified. Dickey will have to say goodbye to his pet monkey.

[G-Snarls]

Yeah, you could play back interviews from 2013 but replace "JP" with "Martin". Same exact responses..

 

But really, what else is the guy gonna say I guess..

 

LOL good point

 

Except this time at least using Martin on opening day actually makes sense, whether it's Dickey or Stroman starting

[G-Snarls]

Martin is the second coming. Dickey cant go against the messiah he be called a heretic and crucified. Dickey will have to say goodbye to his pet monkey.

 

Is his pet monkey named Josh? Weird name for a monkey.

[Jonzo]

The mere mention of JP makes me so happy that we have a guy like Martin now. Looking back, just all the drama JP brought was horrible for this team.

[o2cui2i]

Is his pet monkey named Josh? Weird name for a monkey.

 

Thole has been riding on Dickey's coat tails for a few years now. AA needs to grow a set and stop letting Dickey DICK-tate the roster

[o2cui2i]

The mere mention of JP makes me so happy that we have a guy like Martin now. Looking back, just all the drama JP brought was horrible for this team.

 

come on... all of us laughed at JPA for saying he wasn't going to wear a cup catching Dickey because it would help him concentrate.

 

that is priceless and will live forever.

[Jonzo]

Thole has been riding on Dickey's coat tails for a few years now. AA needs to grow a set and stop letting Dickey DICK-tate the roster

 

Yeah I was thinking that today, someone's gotta tell Dickey to stfu

[Jonzo]

come on... all of us laughed at JPA for saying he wasn't going to wear a cup catching Dickey because it would help him concentrate.

 

that is priceless and will live forever.

 

Does anyone have a link to the top 10 catcher blurb

[o2cui2i]

Yeah I was thinking that today, someone's gotta tell Dickey to stfu

 

letting players have a say in management decisions is a really bad precedent to have and should NEVER have happened.

[o2cui2i]

Does anyone have a link to the top 10 catcher blurb

 

I think that he was a top 10 catcher within the jays system a the time he said it, but there were teenagers who were ahead of him?

[Jonzo]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/arencibia-believes-he-is-one-of-league-s-top-catchers-1.1184052

[o2cui2i]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/arencibia-believes-he-is-one-of-league-s-top-catchers-1.1184052

 

is he top 10 in the mid west independent league now? lol

[G-Snarls]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/arencibia-believes-he-is-one-of-league-s-top-catchers-1.1184052

 

Awesome thanks. What an embarrassment.

[G-Snarls]

Some video of Martin catching Dickey here:

 

http://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/707693

[Jonzo]

Awesome thanks. What an embarrassment.

 

i was cringing while reading that