Some GMs have the perception the Giants are trying to block the Cardinals and Braves from acquiring a third baseman through a waiver trade, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. The team with the worse record gets first crack at a player, so at the moment the Giants can't stop a player from getting to the Cardinals. They can currently thwart the Padres, Reds, Phillies, and Braves.
Three players with the ability to play third base have already gotten through waivers unclaimed: Geoff Blum, Craig Counsell, and Edwin Encarnacion. We haven't heard about the status of Chone Figgins, Adam Kennedy, Jamey Carroll, Jeff Keppinger, Ty Wigginton, Wilson Betemit, Mark Reynolds, Melvin Mora, Jhonny Peralta, Aramis Ramirez, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Wes Helms, Andy LaRoche, Nick Punto, Brendan Harris, Jose Lopez, or Pedro Feliz yet. Brandon Inge is expected to hit the waiver wire this week, wrote Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch yesterday. The Twins could theoretically claim Inge before he gets to the Cards, but they may be satisfied with Danny Valencia at the hot corner.
Have fun trying to block the Cardinals, Sabean. Oh wait…you can’t — you have a better record than we do.
It does make sense for them to try and stop the Braves from acquiring one though.
I hope Jose Lopez clears waivers (if he’s even put on waivers in the first place). That guy has been golden defensively at 3B and the Cardinals could sure use some upgraded defense at third.
I bet other Cardinal fans are glad you aren’t running the team. Jose Lopez is one of the worst players in the game this year.
He is a 0.0 WAR player this year, at a corner infield spot (where teams look for offense) he is hitting .241 with 7 homers and 35 RBIs in full time duty while hitting behind Figgins and Ichiro and has an OPS in 2010 of .608…. In case you’re wondering that is second WORST among qualified players in ALL OF BASEBALL ahead of only Cesar Izturis.
My only hope for you as a fan is that you were being sarcastic.
The thing you have to remember about Lopez is that he is playing at Safeco. Beltre OPS’d .683 last year for the Mariners and this year his OPS is .932. Remember Spezio? Spezio hit like .083 or something for Seattle and went to St. Louis and helped them to a World Series. I’m not trying to defend Lopez, but he’s young and cheap. He’s played an OK defense at 3B, not great, maybe not good. But, he does have power. I think his buyout next year is $450K.
Disagree.
Beltre had a hard time at Safeco. He has a career line of .274/.328/.461 but only posted a .252/.305/.406 at Safeco.
Jose Lopez, on the other hand, is posting a .235/.262/.343 line on the road this year and a similarly mediocre .247/.278/.332 at home.
Some players suck at Safeco, and some players just suck.
Again, BABIP suggests Lopez is just having some bad luck. GB%, LD%, and FB% are all about even with what they were last year.
The guy sucks, there is no denying that. But he isn’t as bad as what his numbers this season suggest.
And again, the reason I’d like the Cardinals to acquire him is for defensive purposes only. He can suck away all he wants at the bottom of the lineup. If he’s saving runs with his glove, that’s more than I can for Felipe Lopez, the Cardinals’ current third basemen.
Beltre had 1 season where he was simply just not hitting at Safeco and that was last year. Some of that had to do with his groin injury as well but there have been some players who have certainly succeeded at Safeco.
a good couple points, fair enough….
but he sucks; he’s not beltre. Beltre slugged nearly 800 for three consecutive years before multiple injuries held him to only 110 or so games last year after being a very healthy player over his career.
I know nothing about Spezio’s career. But i do know that Safeco field shouldn’t have anything to do with getting a single with two guys on in the first inning. Something Lopez can’t do apparently. And he’s not that good with the glove either. He was so bad at 2nd that they signed one of the best defensive 3rd baseman in baseball (figgins) and moved him to 2nd so they could do something else with Lopez.
I think we need to stop blaming the ballpark for Beltre as well. A. he’s a contract year player B.he was injured in 2009 C. from 2006 to 2008 at Safeco he put up some pretty solid numbers.
25 HR’s – 90 RBI’s – .800 OPS. These numbers AT SAFECO are better than all his career stats outside of his two contract years. (2010 and 2004).
Jose Lopez is terrible; i dont care what anyone says about other players. the guy sucks
Yep.
If I’m the Giants, the one guy who I think is worth blocking would be Mark Reynolds.
Lopez should clear waivers without a problem if he is placed on waivers.Sure, his offense sucks, but that could perhaps be partially attributed to some bad luck. A .257 BABIP would suggest this. What’s even more telling is that GB%, FB%, and LD% are all about even with what they were last year. Now take a look at his numbers from last season. They weren’t great, but they aren’t nearly as bad as what they look like this year. So bad luck is a bit of an understatement. Plus, playing half your games in Safeco (aka, the American Leagues version of Petco) doesn’t quite help either. This is probably why he’s a zero WAR player.However, I don’t particularly care about his offense because offense isn’t exactly a glaring need with this team. Defense, on the other hand, is. According to UZR/150, Lopez’ defense is 3.0, which is above average. That’s significantly better than what Felipe Lopez is providing for the Cardinals at 3B. Plus, F. Lopez is only a .7 WAR player, and that’s probably because of whatever “offense” he has provided this team. His .313 wOBA is pretty average and you could even perhaps surmise that his contributions on offense aren’t exactly “game changing.”Upgrading defense at 3B is probably something that the cardinals should certainly look into. J. Lopez would be a pretty cheap and easy way to do it if he clears waivers (which I most certainly believe he will if he is placed there).
I would take the 85 extra ops points and the ability to play some SS as well with Felipe than trading for the second worst offensive player in baseball in 2010 for the VERY SLIGHT upgrade defensively you would get with Jose.
the difference is a very small one. Jose is qualified at 3rd base and according to UZR he is the 10th best 3rd baseman defensively. Felipe doesn’t qualify b/c of innings played but if he did he would rank 13th. (better than David Wright)
Today isn’t opposite day right?
As a Giants fan, I’d happily let the Cards take Jose Lopez. There’s awful, and then there’s Neifi Perez status. Lopez is entering the Neifi Zone.
I think Wes Helms could help either in the short haul and be gotten for almost nothing. After watching him with the Fish these last few years, he gets the hits only when needed and plays a pretty decent 3B. One of those .240/300OBP players that is better than stats, cause the hits actually mean something when they get them..Clutch times.
Probably not the right place to post this – but why would teams put some of their better players (e.g. Reynolds of the D’Backs) who I would imagine they still want to keep – does it serve any real purpose?
There were talks of them considering trading him for the right return, i doubt if they did it would be to the braves, but a package the braves might be able to present because of thier young pitching might be what could persuade them.
I don’t know if this is true or not, but I read that a lot of teams put almost their entire team on waivers. They do this to hide who they truly want to trade since the waivers are revocable.
I believe this is true as well.
All I want is Aramis Ramriez. Otherwise I rather stick with Prado at 3rd and Infante at 2nd. I mean they are both All-Stars ya know…
Infante shouldnt not have been a allstar, thats all that needs to be said
The big names on that list arent the ones SF has to worry about. ATL, SD and those guys dont have the prospects to get a guy like Reynolds or Aramis Ramirez. And BTW, Figgins makes too much $. SF should be trying to block a player like Peralta or Punto; guys who are affordable, have been to the post season, and can get hot at the right times.
Don’t have or won’t trade the prospects to get Ramirez or Reunolds?
Please tell me you are not serious, though i doubt the braves would do it, they could probably get either of those guys for a package around Delgado or Teheran or Freeman or Viscianio any of thier top prospects. They have by far the best pitching rich farm in the nl
Atlanta doesn’t have the prospects……Man they have the best or one of the best farm systems in baseball. I just hope they don’t dare to trade Julio Teheran or Freddie Freeman. There’s a rumor floating around about the Braves and Aramis Ramirez. Braves Nix Zach Alvord Deal To Free Up Money For Aramis Ramirez talkingchop.com/2010/8/16/1626553/braves-nix-zach-…
I think you underestimate the Braves minor league system. Have you heard of Julio Teheran, Randall Delgado, Arodys Vizcaino, JJ Hoover, Robinson Lopez, Edward Salcedo, Matt Lipka, Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimbrel, Stephen Marek, etc., etc. Now tell me again why the Braves wouldn’t have enough prospects to get an overpaid Aramis Ramirez or Chone Figgins.
hell you could probably even throw cody johnson or jordan shaefer in there, even though they havent been performing im sure teams are still high on them
The worst part of the post you are commenting on is that almost all of these guys would be OVERpayment for either Ramirez or Figgins due to their contracts. I would think that if either of them were claimed their current teams would have to strongly consider letting them go for free and getting the money freed up. (a la alex rios and the white sox) let alone getting a reasonable prospect in return as well as the monetary freedom.
Absolutely, the only way you throw in any of these guys is to get the Cubs to pick up a big slice of that salary.
I agree. I wouldn’t give up most any of the guys I mentioned for Ramirez or Figgins.
I think Matt makes a good point.
Nah, I’m just trying to be nice.
Mr. Lombardi, your right with a part of this. I don’t think the braves will actually go for a Ramirez, but not because they don’t have the prospects, Thats Ludicrous. Its more becuase I know frank wren and he values an amazing farm system and actually realizes that its more valuable then third basemen that are hurt or washed up and have a greater chance to continue failure or sub par achievement then actually bouncing back. So yes maybe a Cabrera or punto but only becuase Wren will buy low on these guys who the value and upside is verrrry apealing and we still keep the future of this ball club.
thanks guys… I was about to start ranting, reading that the Braves don’t have prospects, but you all seem to have taken care of it for me.
I would cry if the Braves got Peralta. The Giants would be crazy to block that suck back from joining their competition. No third baseman is putting up more Jeff Francoeuresque numbers. I looked it up.
Also, Atlanta has one of the deepest farm systems in baseball, it would be more accurate to say the Braves wouldn’t be willing to part with the prospects necessary to haul in Mark Reynolds. I’m not really sure why the D-backs would trade him though, he is owed a reasonable $13 million over the next two years.
The Cubs, on the other hand, are looking to dump salary. The Braves could get Aramais Ramirez without giving up any of their top 15 prospects and could probably get some salary relief thrown in too.
How dare you question the depth of the Atlanta Braves farm system. For that you have incurred the wrath of the internet Braves nerd collective.
Braves Nerd Collective. New band?
I laughed at the comment by Matthew Lombardi when he said the Braves dont have the prospects to get Ramirez or Reynolds LOL LOL LOL Obviously he has no clue about the Braves farm system
Not that braves would put up the prospects to get them, But your crazy and uneducated to think that The braves don’t have the talent in the minors to put together a package for Ramirez…ha.
That was a pretty serious smack down on that comment.
Dude just got hit with like 10 different people calling him a moron with the facts to back it up.
Tears in your cheerios, Matt.
My sincere opinion is that the Braves won’t trade for Aramis, because if they do we’re talking about paying 30.6 million the next two seasons, if Ramirez doesn’t opt out of his contract(and if he does opt out after a down season there’s something wrong in his brain). And Chipper still has a chance of coming back. So if they do trade for Ramirez, the Cubs better pay at least 8 million, and if Chipper gets healthy they would have to trade Aramis(who has a no trade clause)…..Very complicated, specially when Prado is coming back, and Infante playing like the allstar he is.
No way the Phillies let the Braves get a third baseman through waivers. They’ll be blocked.
If the Braves acquired someone like Aramis that would certainly be a huge statement, the phillies chances would get even smaller with that type of acquisition.
Phillies are already tied for the WC and they have Utley and Howard possibly both back tonight. Yeah, their chances are really tiny.
I meant the division. Obviously the wild card is theirs to lose.
yeah but the cubs would want some high level prospects for this guy. I wouldn’t want to give up that much for a rental *cough*tex*cough*
with their payroll already stretched quite a bit, do you really think the phillies GM is going to gamble on whether or not the cubs will just drop the contract on them? if aramis ramirez made like 8 or 9 million then sure i could see that, but i have a hard time believing they would gamble on 30 million dollars
Twins are very satisfied with Valencia. He’s been the “third baseball of the future” for a few years now, and has proven he’s here to stay.
Don’t expect them to put in a claim on a 3B.
I was actually just in Chicago and went to one of the Sox-Twins games (Liriano’s start). Valencia may have been the biggest surprise there- I hadn’t realized how comfortable he looked at the hot corner, but he seems to have soft, quick hands and a great glove at third. I could absolutely see him holding down the position well into the future.
He’s hitting well over .300 through about 6 weeks now, too. Very little power, but piling on the singles.
Brandon Inge, Wilson Betemit, or Ty Wigginton seem like the best fit for the Braves at this point. Affordable, play 3B, and productive at the plate.
Yeah, very under the radar, but Wilson Betemit has had a very nice season.
Small sample size, but I seem to remember him doing fairly well when he was on the Braves before.
Keppinger and Mora aren’t having bad years either, so I’d add them to the list of guys that could at the very least least help out the bench.
ugh. I kinda don’t want a former brave. I rather have wigginton, that dude has pop and he can play the infield.
didn’t Ramirez play for the cards a few years ago? maybe they can get him back cheep
No, Ramirez was never a Cardinal. He came up as a Pirate and was traded to the Cubs. Pirates seem to be the Cubs minor league team, because they have made lots of trades over the past couple of seasons.
I don’t know if the Braves really pulled their offers to their picks (as Talking Chop says), or what, but if they do end up getting Ramirez, I’d be pretty happy. Yes, we’d be on the books for two expensive 3B next year, but you have to figure they could eat some of Ramirez’s salary and get a good return in the offseason. Besides, there is one huge fact on the minds of those in the front office:
Winning the 2010 World Series is marketing GOLD. It’s Bobby Cox’s last season and the team would get an insane amount of exposure for doing well in the postseason. Organizations could wait an eternity and never get that sort of storyline. It’s more than worth it for them to do everything possible to make this season a successful one, and Aramis Ramirez is one of the few guys that could not only make an impact, but is also probably too expensive for most teams to risk putting a claim on.
It was one late round pick that was asking for 1st- 2nd round money, yes they didnt sign him to save cash, but they were the first to sign their first like 31 draft picks
With the Braves defensive struggles as of late, I would support the importation of Brandon Inge, although I would love to have Prado and Infante in the lineup every day. Inge isn’t a great hitter but he is OPSing .817 against left handed starting pitching this year.
Not sure what they would do if they picked up anyone else. Now that Fontenot and Guillen are here, there isn’t really anywhere to put them unless we finally DFA Renteria!!
Sounds also as if the Giants don’t think they can catch the Pads.
send Renteria to the Cardinals then. He can help teach Brendan Ryan.
Oh like he taught Escobar how to stick his tongue out after he f’ed up a play?
55, I think you hit it on the head. After the weekend series and then watching SD gain another half-game last night as the Giants head into a tough stretch on the road, it’s very possible that Sabean and Evans don’t think they can catch the Padres now, and are simply focusing on doing what it takes to hold off their wild card challengers.
Of course, people assume the Giants are simply blocking here, and don’t consider the possibility that the team is reconsidering its own 3B options.
No thanks to Aramis. When he’s healthy and goes on tears, it’s awesome. When he’s not healthy..what good is he? D:
I love the idea of waiver war. You know, sometimes when you win you lose and sometimes when you lose you end up actually winning. Most everyone that hits waivers has something wrong, be it salary, performance, attitude. Let the waiver wars begin!
If the Giants are claiming third basemen off waivers, it’s because THEY need one! Sandoval’s not getting it done, either at the plate or in the field!