 |
|
|
| |
« Webb, Haren Extensions Possible | Main | Edmonds Released By Padres »
Jays Acquire Kevin Mench, Brad Wilkerson
3:03pm: The Wilkerson signing is also official now. Both are pretty much no-risk moves.
2:48pm: According to the Newberg Report mailing list, the Blue Jays have acquired outfielder Kevin Mench from the Rangers for cash considerations.
The Brad Wilkerson acquisition may still be in the works, but Mench is a better match as a lefty-masher. He has a career line of .305/.361/.563 against them. It's only been 34 Triple A ABs but Mench is hitting .412/.500/.706 against southpaws this year.
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834515b9a69e200e55219bb048833
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Jays Acquire Kevin Mench, Brad Wilkerson:
Comments
Verify your Comment
Previewing your Comment
This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.
As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.
Top Stories
Search MLBTR
MLBTR Features
Recent Posts
Rumors By Team
Monthly Archives
Live Chats
Tuesdays at 2 p.m. CST
Kevin Mench is not the answer for this team (Barry Bonds would be) but he can certainly help by giving days off to Stairs and Overbay who do not handle LHP well. While everyone tabbed the Jays as lefty-mashers entering the season they are actually hitting RHP better thus far, which is just weird.
Posted by: 92-93 | May 09, 2008 at 02:56 PM
Maybe Halladay and Mench can discuss his leg breaking line drive....seriously JP what are you doing ?
Posted by: jayfantilldeath | May 09, 2008 at 03:13 PM
Honestly, something is wrong with Ricciardi. Does he think that bringing in two below average outfielders will somehow boost our offense?
We're last the East for a reason, and that's because we have no power bats now that Glaus and Thomas are gone.
Posted by: cyberzero_jays | May 09, 2008 at 03:23 PM
LOL @ Glaus & Thomas.
Rolen is better than Glaus, and Stairs is better than Thomas, so please, if you are going to post, at least recognize the proper problems with the Jays.
Posted by: 92-93 | May 09, 2008 at 03:31 PM
Since when are Rolen and Stairs offensively superior to Glaus and Thomas?
It seems like that's something that'd require some sort of proof before admonishing someone else for thinking the opposite.
Posted by: GoBoSox420 | May 09, 2008 at 03:36 PM
I'm not saying that Glaus or Thomas are offensively superior to anyone - just that they bring more of a presence to the plate. Pitchers get more intimidated when they hear big names, and hitting is contagious. The nervousness takes starters out of the game early.
Posted by: cyberzero_jays | May 09, 2008 at 03:50 PM
and thanks, GoBoSox, for the support
Posted by: cyberzero_jays | May 09, 2008 at 03:52 PM
Thomas and Glaus were not going to strike fear into anyone as a Jay this season.
Thomas looked worse than ever during the start of the season. He was behind average major league fastballs. That's a bat speed problem with age he's never going to recover from. It hasn't been a timing thing like it has been in the past. Frank only stuck fear into one pitcher all season and that's Manny Delcarmen and he was sitting on a fastball every time. They were also shitty locations. I figured Frank was done when he couldn't catch a Jamey Wright fastball. When he was hitting them they were just looping into right field. Balls he either missed because of timing early into seasons, or late in seasons hammering them over the center fielders head.
Glaus wasn't going to be back anyways this season. I couldn't believe they got that much for a guy that wanted to be traded who might need crutches by the end of the season with that big of a contract. He wanted to be traded. They got back a guy who plays with a better glove and better range. He hits for a higher average, despite less power (right now he does actually have more homeruns than Troy...think its 2-1) and he was slated in the 5 or 6 hole at the time of the trade. They had enough power in the pressure headcase of Rios, Wells, and Thomas all with expectations of 25 minimum homeruns. Overbay is expected to hit around 20, hill 15 and Rolen 20. They really did have enough of the only thing Glaus provided. And sadly right now the best Jay all season has been Rolen. Despite missing the first month.
Posted by: OKGoJay | May 09, 2008 at 04:45 PM
One last thing. Personally if I got to the majors and couldn't catch a Jamey Wright fastball I would announce my retirement after the game.
Posted by: OKGoJay | May 09, 2008 at 04:46 PM
Matt Stairs = .277 .321 .426
Frank Thomas = .210 .346 .343
Advantage Stairs.
Scott Rolen = .318 .392 .614
Troy Glaus = .225 .336 .350
Advantage Rolen.
And I didn't need the stats. Any Jays fan with eyesight can see that Stairs is a better hitter than Thomas and Rolen is a better hitter than Glaus.
Posted by: 92-93 | May 09, 2008 at 05:04 PM
Well, I think we should stop this arguing, because I can assume that we're both Jays fans, and we both want what's best for the team, and, back to the topic, Mench and Wilkerson are NOT what's best for the team.
They're not even good for the team.
Posted by: cyberzero_jays | May 09, 2008 at 05:40 PM
…Stepping away from the “Thomas/Glaus vs Stairs/Rolen” debate for a min…
“seriously JP what are you doing ?” ~ I second that!
Why would a team compile too many Corner-OF/1B/DH types; then release a couple proven/upside ones just to acquire a couple more? I’m puzzled… Maybe it’s a chemistry thing or something, but its still seems so strange…
Posted by: darkstar1661 | May 09, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Stairs vs RHP this year = .297 .337 .462
Stairs vs LHP this year = .100 .182 .100
Mench vs LHP last year = .314 .343 .558
The Mench acquisition strengthens the DH spot.
Wilkerson can actually strengthen what's probably already the best defense in the league if he enters some sort of LF platoon with Stewart. Which would be weird, because over their careers they both hit their own side better.
I like these acquisitions for the simple reasons that they cost nothing, we face 3 lefties vs Cleveland this weekend, and Overbay/Stairs, while both tremendous hitters vs. RHP cannot hit LHP.
Posted by: 92-93 | May 09, 2008 at 05:53 PM
Yes, but isn't the RHP vs. LHP platoon between Stairs and Stewart? We could've given Scutaro left field, newly promoted Jorge Velandia short, and Stewart at DH.
Posted by: cyberzero_jays | May 09, 2008 at 06:48 PM
"And I didn't need the stats. Any Jays fan with eyesight can see that Stairs is a better hitter than Thomas and Rolen is a better hitter than Glaus."
Wow, 92-93 you are an idiot. You honestly think that Matt Stairs is a better hitter than Frank Thomas? Thomas is a notoriuos slow starter, he has over 500 home runs, and your boy Stairs has hit what? 150? You watch Stairs is gonna flop Thomas is gonna get hot and you're going to look like an a$$hole.
Posted by: AriGoldisaG | May 10, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Sorry Cyberzero,
I agree with 92-93. The question was not who has had the better career, cuz that would obviously be Thomas. The question is who is the better hitter for the jays right now. That is Stairs.
And do a little research, he has a few more home runs then 150.
Stairs even had a better year then thomas did last year. Look at the numbers
Thomas .277/.377/.480
Stairs .289/.368/.549
And if you wanna talk home runs. Thomas had 26 in 531 plate appearances. Stairs had 21 in 357.
If you do the math, if Stairs had the same amount of plate appearances he would have hit 32.
Posted by: abcent11 | May 12, 2008 at 11:13 AM