The Reds signed Fred Lewis to a one-year deal earlier today, presumably taking them out of the running for Scott Podsednik. The market for the outfielder has been anything but robust after he declined his half of a $2MM mutual option back in November, but let's see if we can find a potential fit for Podsednik with pitchers and catcher due to report in a little less than a month…
- Angels: The Angels showed interest in Scott Pods back in December, but we haven't heard of any dialogue since. Anaheim could use a speedy, lefty hitting leadoff type hitter, something they hoped to secure with Carl Crawford.
- Braves: Atlanta can certainly use a fourth outfielder, but Eric Hinske, Nate McLouth, and Jason Heyward all swing it from the same side as Podsednik. It's not a great fit.
- Dodgers: We know the Dodgers have interest in bringing Podsednik back and they still haven't solved their left field problem since he opted out. Could they get him for less guaranteed money than his original option?
- Mariners: The M's figure to give Michael Saunders a chance to sink or swim with regular playing time in left.
- Marlins: The Fish are counting on Chris Coghlan to transition from left field to center after the trade of Cameron Maybin, a position that he has played exactly zero innings at, majors or minors. Podsednik could give them a cheap fill-in at the position, allowing Coghlan move back to the infield.
- Mets: Carlos Beltran's knees are still a bit of a question mark, though they need a reserve outfielder anyway.
Podsednik has hit .300/.347/.397 with back-to-back 30+ steal seasons in the last two years, a nice rebound from five consecutive seasons with no better than a .700 OPS. His defense isn't what you'd expect from a speedy player, with negative UZR scores at all three outfield spots in recent years. Still a useful player with an albeit limited skill set, Podsednik doesn't have a ton of suitors and could end up settling for a platoon/bench job.
I´d love to see him with the M´s, he´s a good left fielder, with a good avg., and with good speed, but with limited action, maybe a 65% Saunders… 35%Podsednik, go M´s…
Sounds like a typical Mets signing potential, but I don’t think Alderson will sign off when he’s trying to dump salary…
Pretty sure he meant Mariners
We don’t have any money to spend and I’m sure he’ll get an offer that promises him more than 35% playing time.
Pod man got greedy I hope he spends the season unemployed.
Absolutely no chance Podsednik lands with the Braves, as the author mentioned he’s a lefty and the Braves want a better defender as their 4th outfielder. If they needed Pods, they’d poney up the cash for Andruw Jones instead, as he hits their needs to a tee(aside from being great defensively). He can play the corners adequately and can even fill in at CF and 1B in a pinch. He’s right-handed, has pop left, and mashes lefties and the Braves struggled overall against them last year. Really shocked their isn’t more interest for him with the Braves, unless he’s asking for the world. And I hear the Yankees are really after him, so I seriously doubt the Braves land him.
I dunno what they’re gonna do. I think they’re waiting to move Kawakami before they sign anyone, and there’s a good chance they feel confident in their internal candidates(Mather, Young, McLouth, Schafer, Hinske)
Coghlan in CF is going to be a mistake the Fish will realize early on. He wasn’t even a good left-fielder….
Dodgers should consider his opt-out a blessing. They need a RH hitter, and Gibbons is the LH hitting guy out in LF, and Gwynn is the glove.
no more lefties on the Braves please. We’ve got enough!!!
I’m pretty sure at this point that he is best suited for the Marlins. They will realize this half way through spring training when Coghlan proves he can’t play in the outfield, Dominguez and Helms can’t handle third and Bonifacio is well, Bonifacio. Pods isn’t great in center, but he’s an upgrade over whatever they throw out there now. Or more likely the team that traded Uggla for Dunn and Infante will let a player with potential like Dominguez get eaten alive by major league pitching.
why not the giants?
I think Pods would be an excellent addition to the Giants if they were able to make a swap that involved Aaron Rowand and maybe even Nate Scheriholtz. Pods could be the perfect platoon man for Burrell and he could be a defensive switch late in games, a pinch runner off of the bench late in games and could be a back-up at every position in the outfield.
It would be a good match to trade Rowand to the Mets for Oliver Perez, obviously the Giants would pick up the difference in the contracts, but the Giants would get the “6th” starter they need and the Mets could get an outfielder that could back up all three positions and hit from the right side. Both teams would also benefit from trading the player currently in their uni.
I would like to see the Tigers sign him as they need any speed and can use a lefty bat in the outfield to at least spell Ordonez/Jackson/Raburn on days they need off.
Raburn 2B.
I could see the Marlins or even Rays or Cards or Yankees or Padres.
Just so you know, Martin Prado is the starting LF for the Braves since the Dan Uggla trade. It would be a FIFTH outfielder they are looking for.