With the recent DeRosa signing by the Giants moving Sandoval across the diamond to 1B I'm putting Kung Fu Panda on the block until this Sunday.
He caught 3 games last year, so his Catcher eligibility should extend through this year to go along with 3B and 1B.
The Stats and Projections:
2009 MLB - .330/.387/.556
2010 CHONE - .323/.366/.517
2010 BJAMES - .327/.382/.552
2010 FANS - .323/.379/.530
Perhaps a 23 year old with this kind of bat, eligible at Catcher, could be of interest to contenders?
Needs:
A legit MLB or soon to be catcher back in any offer.
Something that makes my team better, near term. The only positions I'm rock solid at are 1B, 3B, and CF.
I'm taking offers here, so no "who do you like" and I think I can find a place in my line-up for a 23 year old who OPS's .900 and has almost as many XBH as K's so I won't be selling low. Anyway, have at it guys. PM is best, though I'll beout tomorrow night and most of the 1st.
Panda
It's Sunday and Panda has left the building. There were a lot of good offers but in the end I went with a guy who'll hopefully help me get over not getting Heyward in the draft a couple years ago and then stupidly not trading Tim Beckham for him after last year's draft. It was an expensive acquisition but hopefully a cornerstone for my Red Sox.
I already said I overpaid to fill a need. Trying to close the book on the deal right now is simply lazy and shortsighted.
Sandoval is transitioning to 1B at which time his value will fall almost 2 wins even if he maintains his .943 OPS making him around a +3-4 win player.
Bruce increased his walk rate, lowered his K rate, and increased his ISO almost 50 points while laboring under an unsustainable BABIP of .222. Given he's a plus defender in right, even a return to the .294 BABIP the Hardball Times BABIP calculater suggests he should have had in 2009 would make him almost a +5 win player.
The average C has an OPS+ around 85. Pena's projected for a 93 OPS+ this year with VG range and throw. At 27 years old he should be at least average for a few years, perhaps worth up to +1 win with enough ABs.
Withrow is going to have to make up the difference, perhaps up to 3 wins, by himself because the rest of the deal is chaff. A 4th OF, a RP, a 32 yo UT, and a MiLB SP. Nothing that can't be created each year by someone with an open roster spot and a keen eye. For example Luke Gregerson who was worth as many WAR as League, Salazar, and Parra combined last year. I've had pretty good luck with creating/claiming/FA (Desmond, Carter, Withrow, Bell, Lannan, Richard) and buying low (Drabek, Panda) so even if I can only recoup 65% of their value this way I won't miss any of them.
Sandoval is transitioning to 1B at which time his value will fall almost 2 wins even if he maintains his .943 OPS making him around a +3-4 win player.
Bruce increased his walk rate, lowered his K rate, and increased his ISO almost 50 points while laboring under an unsustainable BABIP of .222. Given he's a plus defender in right, even a return to the .294 BABIP the Hardball Times BABIP calculater suggests he should have had in 2009 would make him almost a +5 win player.
The average C has an OPS+ around 85. Pena's projected for a 93 OPS+ this year with VG range and throw. At 27 years old he should be at least average for a few years, perhaps worth up to +1 win with enough ABs.
Withrow is going to have to make up the difference, perhaps up to 3 wins, by himself because the rest of the deal is chaff. A 4th OF, a RP, a 32 yo UT, and a MiLB SP. Nothing that can't be created each year by someone with an open roster spot and a keen eye. For example Luke Gregerson who was worth as many WAR as League, Salazar, and Parra combined last year. I've had pretty good luck with creating/claiming/FA (Desmond, Carter, Withrow, Bell, Lannan, Richard) and buying low (Drabek, Panda) so even if I can only recoup 65% of their value this way I won't miss any of them.
