For contenders looking to acquire a new leadoff hitter, here are a few potentially available options (100 plate appearances leading off required):
- Kelly Johnson, Diamondbacks. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports finds the D'Backs likely to retain their second baseman, as he's under team control for 2011. We've read that Josh Byrnes was willing to listen on Johnson, but it's less clear what Jerry Dipoto is planning.
- Rickie Weeks, Brewers. It appears that Weeks would be even tougher to pry loose, as ESPN's Buster Olney recently tweeted that the Brewers have no interest in trading him.
- Fred Lewis, Blue Jays. He cost only cash for the Jays to acquire, so perhaps they'd consider flipping him.
- Scott Podsednik, Royals. The Royals hold a $2MM club option on Pods for 2011, though if he tallies 146 more plate appearances he can void it. He should be available.
- David DeJesus, Royals. It's rumored the Royals will wait a little longer before deciding whether to trade DeJesus, who can be retained in 2011 for $6MM. The Padres and Giants could make sense.
- Corey Patterson, Orioles. He's never been known for getting on base, but he's doing a decent job overall back with Baltimore. But if he's healthy, you'd think the Orioles would want to give more playing time to another former Cubs "next big thing," Felix Pie.
- Nyjer Morgan, Nationals. Four days ago, Rosenthal noted that "some within the Nats’ organization are in favor of trading Morgan to clear center field for Roger Bernadina." However, the Nats would be selling low on Morgan.
- Ryan Theriot and Kosuke Fukudome, Cubs. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports recommended a month ago that the Cubs consider moving both players. Theriot is under team control through 2012 as an arbitration-eligible player, while Fukudome is signed through '11 at a large salary and has no-trade protection against 15 teams.
Kelly Johnson’s road numbers give me night terrors.
How badly the Royals are going to mishandle trading DeJesus and Pods give me night terrors
Love your work… But if you write a piece named “Available Leadoff Hitters” and in it say that “the Brewers have no interest in trading him [Rickie Weeks]”, would it not be better to leave him out of the piece??!?
Thinking the same thing. Highly doubt he will be moved.
I see your point, but throwing the word “potentially” into the title made it seem clunky. I wanted to discuss Weeks somehow.
The Brewers management loves Rickie Weeks. He has a nice blend of power and speed, and he’s worked hard to be acceptable at second base. Also, has a great attitude, was diligent through his many rehabs, and is a great team player.
If they were to get a premium starting pitcher, they might consider him in a trade. That’s it. So it’s safe to say Weeks will be a Brewer for a long time-no one is dealing premium pitchers.
Frankly, I don’t think Fred Lewis is going anywhere.
Likely not. He doesn’t have much trade value because he is still some what unproven and Jays don’t really have a lead-off hitter.
Actually, the Jays should target a lead-off hitter. Lewis is not the answer, he does make a good quick solution but Jays need to add a legit lead-off hitter(s) in the farm.
I’m glad Fred Lewis has gotten a chance in Toronto. San Francisco was so caught up in what Lewis couldn’t do that they could no longer see the things he could do. You see that a lot when teams are disappointed in a player, and Lewis did give them a lot to be disappointed in.
To be fair though, Lewis does have a lot of holes overall as a player. Lewis did get a lot of playing time in 2008 as their left-fielder and started on opening day last year as their #3 hitter. I think what happened with Lewis is that after 2008, the Giants just had too much expectations from Lewis and needed him to be the potential 5-tool player he was deemed as a high-schooler and prospect. The Giants desperately needed an impact bat in their lineup to be a potential playoff threat and might have even put too much pressure on Lewis. When Lewis got injured early last year, he started to fall in favor to Nate Schierholtz, and ever since then he fell out favor to the Giants. Maybe with a little more playing time Lewis could have develop his tools more properly. But it was the fact that the Giants just couldn’t wait on Lewis to develop as they didn’t have the time being in the playoff race. If the Giants weren’t contending in their division and still rebuilding, then they might have been more patient with him. However, that was not the case as he was traded to the Blue Jays earlier this year.I do agree with you in the sense that SF was disappointed with Lewis and what they did/didn’t see in him, but he just has way too many holes in his game. He strikes out way too much, doesn’t have much plate discipline, and makes too many mistakes defensively. Lewis could be a very solid player if he straighten out his game more.
Lewis just isn’t really a lead-off hitter at all. Sure he’s fast, but his OBP leaves much to be desired and he doesn’t steal a great number of bases. He also K’s a ton. His 50 doubles per 150 pace would be better in another spot, likely 2nd.
I would agree. He’s only the lead-off hitter in Toronto because they didn’t have anyone else remotely suitable.
Dejesus wouldn’t be a leadoff hitter for the Giants. Andres Torres is the man. He would most likely bat 3rd….but we need SOME power there now that Pablo has been figured out.
The Cubs need to ship out these overpaid vets this year and splash free agency with Carl Crawford and make him the face of the franchise for the next few years.
Cubs won’t have the money to get that FA deal done. Too many bad players with bad contracts. Even if they move some of those vets, they will most likely eat a lot of the remaining dollars.
I love Carl Crawford’s game and his speed would be awesome for the Cubs, but for what it would cost and all those burdensome contracts the Cubbies already have? There is almost -0- way they could fit Crawford in I see. One has to figure he’s going to be looking at 5/75-80M and also, the last couple years he’s going to be 33/34 years old and wonder how that speed is going to be, cause speed is pretty much what you are buying in the 1st place.
Long winded way of saying this could be another bad signing, though not as horrific as most knew that Soriano was from the beginning.
Fred Lewis would be a great fit for some teams. He is a speedy outfielder with a little bit of pop in his bat, he has done a great job with keeping up with his numbers throughout the season, and has really contributed to Toronto Blue Jays franchise. He has overall done a terrific job in Toronto.
Coco Crisp will be available also
Leadoff hitter or not, Ryan Theriot to the Tigers, please and thank you (in my dreams, that is).
Wonder if Theriot could be included in potential deal with Lilly between Mets and Cubs. Wonder what Cubs would want back. 2B still a hole for Mets.
I thought they were really high on Tejada?
I would like to see both Fukodome and Theriot in a Red Sox uniform come the deadline if they avoid making a serious run at a top player. Chicago seems to be selling low with these guys and they would be nice fits for the Red Sox right now.
Padres trade for DeJesus. Look out NL. With the pitching they have. They could be a real threat, the 2nd half.
A .334 OBP (with a .351 BABIP) and 25.8 K% are not the makings of a bonafide leadoff hitter, sorry.