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Rays and Marlins after Blalock


Pnino

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If you look beyond his homeruns, and post all-star break he only hit six going an abysmal (ba).201 (obp).237 (slg).348 OPS.585 in over 200 ABs, he struck out more than five times as many times as he walked (10/53). In fact for the season his BA-OBP-BB-Ks were all worse than everyone's favorite whipping boy, EB. We like homeruns sure but not at the expense of everything else and being a defensive liability anywhere he stands on a playing field unless you're point of view is shilling for Scott Boras.

 

They'll probably sign him tomorrow and be proved wrong, but I don't see the fit. Are the ten potential homeruns he might deliver over the (at bats of) guys we have now really worth a $1 mil or two. I Don't think so, not for a team that expects its players to out play their contracts.

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I think Blalock's biggest threat for a bench/platoon spot with the Marlins is Lamb.

 

Jimenez too. We lose him if he doesn't make it.

 

yeah good point. helms, paulino, and carroll (for defense) are pretty much graved in stone to make the team. and you have to keep bonifacio for the middle infield insurance in case of injury so the verdict would have to come down to blalock and jimenez if we were to sign him. i think they'll give jimenez all the chance they can during spring training to make the team and if he produces i wouldn't be surprised if they tried to move helms to get some money relief no matter how small

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Helms is the "boss" of this team The enforcer. He appears to have the respect of young and old alike. The go to guy. As much as this is "Hanley's Team", the guy who makes it run is Helms. After Coghlan's recent object lesson there shouldn't be any question his importance to this team. That's why he's here.

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Helms is the "boss" of this team The enforcer. He appears to have the respect of young and old alike. The go to guy. As much as this is "Hanley's Team", the guy who makes it run is Helms. After Coghlan's recent object lesson there shouldn't be any question his importance to this team. That's why he's here.

 

 

yeah and people on here say veteran presence and team chemistry are overrated

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Helms is the "boss" of this team The enforcer. He appears to have the respect of young and old alike. The go to guy. As much as this is "Hanley's Team", the guy who makes it run is Helms. After Coghlan's recent object lesson there shouldn't be any question his importance to this team. That's why he's here.

 

 

The FO could give him a two year deal again if he performs like 09'. He is definitely the leader of this team and I would be shocked if he doesn't come back. Helms has already stated during a radio interview before spring training he loves the Marlins and wants to stay.

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Helms is the "boss" of this team The enforcer. He appears to have the respect of young and old alike. The go to guy. As much as this is "Hanley's Team", the guy who makes it run is Helms. After Coghlan's recent object lesson there shouldn't be any question his importance to this team. That's why he's here.

 

 

yeah and people on here say veteran presence and team chemistry are overrated

No that's Jim Leyland.

 

WINNING = CHEMISTRY

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If you look beyond his homeruns, and post all-star break he only hit six going an abysmal (ba).201 (obp).237 (slg).348 OPS.585 in over 200 ABs, he struck out more than five times as many times as he walked (10/53). In fact for the season his BA-OBP-BB-Ks were all worse than everyone's favorite whipping boy, EB. We like homeruns sure but not at the expense of everything else and being a defensive liability anywhere he stands on a playing field unless you're point of view is shilling for Scott Boras.

 

They'll probably sign him tomorrow and be proved wrong, but I don't see the fit. Are the ten potential homeruns he might deliver over the (at bats of) guys we have now really worth a $1 mil or two. I Don't think so, not for a team that expects its players to out play their contracts.

 

First of all, it's a MILB contract. It's not $1 mil or whatever. It's a potential $1 mil and if he stinks, he'd just get the prorate of however many days he's up and we just go to whatever the plan is now. This isn't hurting the bank. All this could do is potentially make you better.

 

Second, the post splits are very telling. But at the same time, he is also 29 years old, is one year removed from an .287/.338/.508 (.846) line and two years removed from a .293/.358/.543 (.901) line. Yes I know he played in Arlington, yes I know his road splits are lower, yes I know his most recent season was not good, yes I know he is very weak versus lefties, yes I know all the negatives. But to take a chance on a MILB deal? Compared to Jimenez, Lamb, Richar, Barden? I'm taking Blalock over that and hoping he can can hit right handed pitching to something like .270/.330/.450 (.780). Last year was .240/.294/.471 (.761), 2008 .291/.339/.480 (.819), and career .285/.348/.498 (.846). Yea it's a downward trend, but we pick stuff off the scrap heap (Cantu, Ross) all the time. Maybe Blalock is done, but maybe he could be an asset.

 

It costs nothing. NOTHING!

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We don't have the bench room to do a Gaby/Blalock platoon

 

Also, Gaby probably just does as well as Blalock against RHP. I did a regressed split projection based off CHONE's projections (Using Gaby's MILB data). Blalock was at at a .342 wOBA against RHP, Gaby at .339.

 

Blalock's wOBA since 2006 against RHP is .342, and that's non-park adjusted, so even that might be optimistic.

 

Blalock will likely out OPS Gaby but the difference in OBP is pretty significant.

 

Blalock should only be a bench bat/depth if Gaby implodes imo and I believe FO views him same way since they're only offering MILB deal.

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Lou, I think you misunderstood the money perspective (in my opinion). This is a Scott Boras client which I noted. Either through a guarantee if he makes the Opening Day roster or incentives I'm guessing the price will be substantially higher than your average Mike Lamb/Hector Luna/etc. minor league $300k signing. Lol, it almost isn't worth either Boras or Blalock's time to sign for less, even if it's all on the come. You might be right but I don't see him coming in on a minimum minor league deal, not when he's already banked $20 million+ since entering the league, a fact that drove my opinion considering he played for $6+mil last season and $6 the season before, $2 mil, maybe $1 mil would be a price point both he and his agent could live with.

 

But we'll see, no one appears to be rushing to sign him anyways. Until someone is hurt or for whatever reason he may be a late spring training signing. It think that may be all he can hope for.

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Helms is the "boss" of this team The enforcer. He appears to have the respect of young and old alike. The go to guy. As much as this is "Hanley's Team", the guy who makes it run is Helms. After Coghlan's recent object lesson there shouldn't be any question his importance to this team. That's why he's here.

 

 

yeah and people on here say veteran presence and team chemistry are overrated

 

Because it is. Specifically, the word chemistry.

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Lou, I think you misunderstood the money perspective (in my opinion). This is a Scott Boras client which I noted. Either through a guarantee if he makes the Opening Day roster or incentives I'm guessing the price will be substantially higher than your average Mike Lamb/Hector Luna/etc. minor league $300k signing. Lol, it almost isn't worth either Boras or Blalock's time to sign for less, even if it's all on the come. You might be right but I don't see him coming in on a minimum minor league deal, not when he's already banked $20 million+ since entering the league, a fact that drove my opinion considering he played for $6+mil last season and $6 the season before, $2 mil, maybe $1 mil would be a price point both he and his agent could live with.

 

But we'll see, no one appears to be rushing to sign him anyways. Until someone is hurt or for whatever reason he may be a late spring training signing. It think that may be all he can hope for.

 

Right. He currently does not have a job. No team is guaranteeing him a contract if he makes it opening day at this point. And of course it's worth it to sign, Blalock needs to PLAY. He can't just sit around and not play this year. He'd be done forever. Who cares if it's Boras. He's got nothing but two teams offering minor league deals. Boras needs superior talent or leverage, and Blalock isn't really bringing either of those to the park right now.

 

And sure, let's say it's a million plus incentives. Same deal as MacDougal basically. You make that back ten fold by keeping Morrison in AAA for 2 months, by not only delaying his arbitration, but getting another year of service time. Sure you can argue they can do that with Jimenez, Lamb, or whoever also, but I'm not afraid to give Blalock some spring training PA to see if he can beat out a Rule 5 pick, and a bunch of AAAA guys. And it he stinks?

 

Cut him, deploy the two headed Gaby/Jimenez monster.

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Helms is the "boss" of this team The enforcer. He appears to have the respect of young and old alike. The go to guy. As much as this is "Hanley's Team", the guy who makes it run is Helms. After Coghlan's recent object lesson there shouldn't be any question his importance to this team. That's why he's here.

 

 

yeah and people on here say veteran presence and team chemistry are overrated

 

Because it is. Specifically, the word chemistry.

you see lou, its not only jim leyland that thinks so. I've had this discussion with you and PWG before and the only real "support" you guys have of veteran presence and chemistry not being important in a clubhouse is jim leyland's comments and the championship winning chicago cubs of the early 1900's, which i believe was an isolated case. I on the other hand base my opinion on the fact that many sport writers and players speak about the importance of veteran presence

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Helms is the "boss" of this team The enforcer. He appears to have the respect of young and old alike. The go to guy. As much as this is "Hanley's Team", the guy who makes it run is Helms. After Coghlan's recent object lesson there shouldn't be any question his importance to this team. That's why he's here.

 

 

yeah and people on here say veteran presence and team chemistry are overrated

 

 

Right, I'm sure glad Hanley is taking advice from the almighty Wes Helms. I don't know what we would do without him.

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Helms is the "boss" of this team The enforcer. He appears to have the respect of young and old alike. The go to guy. As much as this is "Hanley's Team", the guy who makes it run is Helms. After Coghlan's recent object lesson there shouldn't be any question his importance to this team. That's why he's here.

 

 

yeah and people on here say veteran presence and team chemistry are overrated

 

 

Right, I'm sure glad Hanley is taking advice from the almighty Wes Helms. I don't know what we would do without him.

 

umm i never said any of the players benefited from veteran presence talent wise. As you probably already know, baseball is a mental game. you can completely screw yourself up mentally and end up struggling on the field for that reason. Veterans help players in the mental part of the game. For example, when a player is in a major slump and believes that there is no way to get out of it, a veteran can come in and give them some advice on the situation since they have been there before. Of course, not all players need their hand held but still it helps those who need it.

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