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Giants Acquire Mike Fontenot

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San Francisco is 2,100 miles away from Chicago, but Mike Fontenot didn't have to go far at all when the Giants acquired him today. The Cubs are in San Francisco, so all Fontenot had to do was walk from the visitors clubhouse to the home clubhouse. The Cubs obtain minor league center fielder Evan Crawford in the deal.

Fontenot has a .284/.332/.402 line in 185 plate appearances this year. Edgar Renteria is going on the disabled list, so Fontenot restores San Francisco's infield depth. The 30-year-old has played second, third and short. 

The Giants control Fontenot's rights through 2013. He makes $1MM this year as a super two player and will go to arbitration for the second time this winter. The deal shows that every NL team with a worse record than the Giants let Fontenot through waivers. For more on trading in August, click here.

Crawford, who turned 22 last week, is hitting .255/.319/.366 in A ball. The 2009 draftee has 24 steals in 33 attempts. 

Mychael Urban of CSNBayArea reported (on Twitter) that a trade was in the works, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reported more specifics on the deal (on Twitter) and Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reported the specific players (Twitter links). The Cubs and Giants have since confirmed the deal.

The Brewers’ 2011 Rotation

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The Brewers made the 2008 playoffs thanks, in large part, to a rotation led by C.C. Sabathia and Ben Sheets. Yovani Gallardo has since established himself as a frontline starter, but the Brewers have struggled to surround him with equally capable arms. Barring injuries, the Cardinals and Reds will have strong rotations next year. Here’s how Milwaukee’s starting five will compare.

Gallardo leads all NL starters with 10.1 K/9 and his 2.86 ERA ranks eighth in the league. He’ll be the team’s opening day starter in 2011. Doug Melvin’s challenge: fill out the rotation with other capable arms.

Randy Wolf was supposed to be a solid complementary starter this year, but Melvin’s big offseason addition hasn’t worked out nearly as well as most Brewers fans hoped. Wolf has been durable enough to make his starts, but his walk, hit and homer rates are up and his strikeout rate is down. The Brewers will have to hope Wolf, now 33, bounces back in 2011.

Left-handers Manny Parra, Chris Capuano and Chris Narveson have all started games for the Brewers this year. Parra can strike major leaguers out and could win a rotation spot despite his high walk totals. Capuano has started just two games since returning from his second Tommy John surgery, but has pitched effectively. And Narveson (5.62 ERA and 131 hits in 115.1 innings) has been hittable. Like Parra and Capuano, Narveson strikes out twice as many batters as he walks, but the Brewers will presumably want alternatives to this trio of southpaws heading into the season.

Doug Davis ($6MM mutual option) and David Bush are both eligible for free agency after the season, but the Brewers can consider promoting a couple of prospects. 

Amaury Rivas has a 3.21 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 21 AA starts this year. He was the Brewers’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2009 and impressed Baseball America with an efficient approach based on “three pitches, command, confidence and aggression.” It’s easy to imagine the 24-year-old starting for the Brewers at some point in 2011.

Former fifth-overall pick Mark Rogers has a 3.78 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 5.8 BB/9 in the upper minors. He has a mid-90s fastball, but the 24-year-old needs a John Axford-esque improvement in command to succeed as a starter in the majors. Baseball America liked Rogers’ stuff enough to rank him 11th among Brewers prospects before the season, but they suggested he “fits best as a reliever” because of his command and health issues.

Rivas and Rogers are promising pitchers who could contribute in 2011, but they are not sure things. Neither are Narveson, Parra and Capuano, so Milwaukee will presumably be in the market for one or two starting pitchers this winter.

If the Brewers entertain offers for Prince Fielder, as expected, they’ll presumably ask for big league-ready starters in return. Even if they trade Prince, they could have interest in re-signing a pitcher like Bush (he has turned in a solid season). Milwaukee has many question marks behind Gallardo and Wolf, so it would be a surprise if starting pitching is not at or near the top of Melvin’s offseason wish list once again.

Poll: Which Team Will End Its Playoff Drought First?

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The Reds (1995) and Rangers (1999) may end long playoff droughts this year. Neither team has any guarantees, but both seem well-equipped to re-appear in the postseason before long. Let’s set those two clubs aside for today’s poll question and consider the seven other teams with the longest running droughts: the Nationals (as Expos, 1981), Royals (1985), Pirates (1992), Blue Jays (1993), Orioles (1997), Mariners (2001) and Marlins (2003).

Which team will end its postseason drought first?

Click here to take the survey and here to view the results.

Mike Gonzalez: August Trade Candidate

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Let's imagine for a minute that the Orioles didn't sign Mike Gonzalez last winter, and his season unfolded in exactly the same way for another team: April struggles, months missed with a shoulder injury and strong outings of late. If all of that happens in, say, a Mariners uniform, would the Orioles want to sign Gonzalez to a one-year $6MM contract for 2011? Maybe, but that's not the kind of deal the Orioles would necessarily want to make.

Essentially, the O's have guaranteed Gonzalez a one-year $6MM deal for 2011. That, along with $1.7MM this year, is what remains on his contract and it's not necessarily the kind of deal the O's want on the books. It stands to reason that Baltimore would consider trading the left-hander if he clears waivers, though the Orioles may want to see him succeed in Baltimore given their initial $12MM investment.

Gonzalez is on waivers, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The Orioles may not want to move the left-hander, but they will soon see whether he clears waivers. It's entirely possible that he'll clear, since his salary is substantial and teams are probably not fully convinced by Gonzalez's nine-game stretch of effectiveness. The Phillies are one potential fit and the Red Sox, who acquired a left-handed reliever last August, are another.

The Orioles may prefer to keep Gonzalez in the hopes that he provides some value in Baltimore. The Orioles showed that they aren't desperate to move payroll when they held onto Ty Wigginton, Jeremy Guthrie and others at the trade deadline. However, they would have to consider letting Gonzalez go if a rival team claims him. 

How Reasonable Are Jeff Francoeur’s Demands?

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In a move that has amused those who follow the New York Mets closely, Jeff Francoeur has gone public with his demands to be traded following New York's decision to platoon him with young outfielder Fernando Martinez.

Despite a season line of .241/.294/.385, Francoeur apparently believes a major league team would play him regularly at a position, right field, that averages production of .271/.344/.447. Indeed, Francoeur's line is well below the MLB average at second base (.266/.331/.393).

But we have yet to see how Francoeur's demand for a trade stands up to history. It isn't easy to find comparable performance among right fielders in recent years, and it's even harder to find any who were traded after performing as poorly as Francoeur.

Since 2000, just 31 of the 165 right fielders to amass at least 300 plate appearances posted an OPS+ below 100. Of those 31, only four checked in lower than Francoeur's 2010 OPS+ mark of 82: Richard Hidalgo's 2005 (81), Jeromy Burnitz's 2002 (80), Austin Kearns' 2008 (67) and Jeff Francoeur's own 2008 (72).

Kearns followed his 2008 with a similarly poor 2009 before the Nationals let him walk after last season. Burnitz followed 2002 with a half-season of a 139 OPS+ for the 2003 Mets, earning a trade to Los Angeles for Kole Strayhorn, Jose Diaz and Victor Diaz. Hidalgo never played in the majors again, and Francoeur followed his 2008 with a half-season of 68 OPS+ hitting in 2009, earning a trade to the Mets for Ryan Church.

In other words Jeff Francoeur is the only one from that group to be traded for anything at all. Incidentally, four of the 31 player seasons in right field below 100 OPS+ are from Francoeur. Only three others are on the list more than once: Juan Encarnacion (three times), Alex Rios (twice), Hidalgo (twice) and Burnitz (twice).

Encarnacion is an instructive comparison. His career OPS+ of 97 is better than, but similar to, Francoeur's 91. Encarnacion had additional value because he lacked a platoon split (amazingly, his OPS against both lefties and righties was .758) and had the ability to play center field.

In the middle of an 84 OPS+ season in 2004 at age 28, a year after he posted a 97 OPS+, the Marlins acquired Encarnacion as part of a six-player deal from the Dodgers. He went on to start 46 of Florida's remaining 58 games. His salary ($3.6MM) was roughly equivalent to the $5MM Francoeur earns in 2010.

So there is precedent. It happened one other time.

Among those under 100 OPS+ in right field, Alex Rios had a 96 OPS+ last year when the White Sox took him from the Blue Jays and agreed to pay his entire salary (at $61MM, many times as much as remains on Francoeur's deal). But Rios had three seasons of 120, 122 and 112 OPS+ in 2006-2008 under his belt, success Francoeur hasn't seen since his half-season debut in 2005.

Overwhelmingly, the players performing as poorly as Francoeur, or even demonstrably better, are simply let go, often never to surface again. Trot Nixon's 96 OPS+ in 2006 represented his last season as a regular player. So did Danny Bautista's 85 in 2004 and Derek Bell's 98 in 2000. Jose Guillen's 89 in 2000 got him sent back to the minor leagues by Tampa Bay, then released.

There's also that pesky question: who would Francoeur replace in another team's regular lineup? Of the 20 right fielders in MLB who have played more than half their games in right field this year, Francoeur ranks dead last in OPS+ with 82. The four closest to him? Jay Bruce (96), Ben Zobrist (98), Hunter Pence (102) and Ichiro Suzuki (107). It is safe to say Francoeur won't be replacing any of those players. He'd make a decent platoon partner with Bruce, but… right. Platooning led Francoeur to demand a trade in the first place.

In short, the answer to the title of this piece is: not reasonable at all. Not reasonable in light of his 2010 performance, not reasonable in terms of other right fielders, not reasonable comparatively through recent history.

Odds & Ends: Draft Signings, K-Rod

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Links for Wednesday, as newly acquired catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia joins the Red Sox…

Adam Dunn Stays Put

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An unknown team claimed Nationals slugger Adam Dunn off waivers on Thursday, reported Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  The teams had 48.5 business-day hours to work out a deal, so the window closed around Monday afternoon.  Dunn will remain with the Nationals through the end of the season.

The Nationals may still attempt to sign Dunn to an extension.  Failing that, they can at least offer arbitration.  With a 76.000 rating, Dunn remains a Type A free agent in our latest Elias rankings projections.  The highest Type B in the NL 1B/OF group is Shane Victorino at 72.791.  There's a pretty good chance the Nationals offer Dunn arbitration even if they think he might accept, as getting him back on a one-year deal worth $15MM or so wouldn't be that bad.

Two years ago today, Reds GM Walt Jocketty traded Dunn to the Diamondbacks for Dallas Buck, Wilkin Castillo, and Micah Owings.  Castillo and Owings were named later.  Josh Byrnes was behind the deal from Arizona's side.  At the time of the deal Dunn sported a .233/.373/.528 line with 32 home runs, good for a .383 wOBA.  This year he's hitting .272/.359/.573 with 30 home runs and a .393 wOBA.  Dunn was a Type A free agent after that season too (81.250 rating) but Byrnes chose not to offer arbitration.  Byrnes explained that decision in a March 2009 interview with MLBTR.

Nationals Interested In Carl Crawford

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The Nationals have "strong organizational interest" in Carl Crawford, reports MASN's Ben Goessling.  The Rays' left fielder will be eligible for free agency as a 29-year-old this offseason.

Goessling's blog post speculates on the look of the Nationals' outfield next year.  They seem to have Josh Willingham locked in as the left fielder, and Goessling says there's some sentiment to trying Roger Bernadina as the regular center fielder and using Nyjer Morgan in a utility role.  Michael Morse also merits consideration – he's raked in 126 plate appearances this year.

Crawford has never played right field in his career, though Willingham played a decent amount last year and could theoretically shift over.  Crawford also hasn't dabbled much in center field since 2004, and it's hard to picture him changing positions now that he gets to pick his next team.

It being August and all, the market for Crawford has yet to take shape.  Last week MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith named more than a dozen clubs that could pursue the speedy left fielder, including the Nationals.

The Athletics’ 2011 Offense

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The Athletics' pitching staff is second in the AL with a 3.65 ERA, but their offense ranks 11th with 4.08 runs scored per game.  It's time to find some bats!

A's assistant GM David Forst told ESPN's Jayson Stark on July 29th the team is considering "bringing back the same 25 guys next year."  That approach doesn't make sense regarding the offense.  Let's go around the diamond.

Kurt Suzuki is locked up through at least 2013.  He hits pretty well for a catcher.  If lineup changes are made, they'll happen elsewhere.

Daric Barton has been the regular first baseman, and he leads the American League with 68 walks.  His job appears safe, though he does not provide traditional first base power.  Forst told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle last week that Barton "really established himself at first base," one reason top prospect Chris Carter has been playing left field recently.

The A's retained second baseman Mark Ellis and center fielder Coco Crisp at the trade deadline.  Both players have club options for 2011 – $5.5MM net for Ellis, $5.25MM for Crisp.  Both are defensively-talented players with extensive injury histories.  They generally lack power, though Crisp is flashing some pop in a limited sample this year.

Ellis figures to be paired up with shortstop Cliff Pennington again next year.  Pennington is not playing badly, and it's not as if shortstops are in abundance.  Still, bring him back and you've locked up yet another lineup spot with a slugging percentage of .400 or less.

Non-tendering third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff must be considered.  Can the A's really give him a raise on this year's $3.1MM salary despite a .266/.299/.400 batting line?  It'd be tough to pursue free agent Adrian Beltre again now that he'll be coming off a great season, but there has to be a way to get offensive production at third base.  Perhaps the Cubs and Diamondbacks will entertain offers on Aramis Ramirez and Mark Reynolds this winter.

Jack Cust has been a bright spot at designated hitter.  It'd be wise to bring him back for around $3MM again, though the A's have jerked him around a bit the last few years.  It shouldn't be that difficult to find a free agent DH type who can slug .450 or better.

The A's have tons of outfield corner options, most of them lacking pop aside from Carter.  Will the A's go with Ryan Sweeney and Rajai Davis again, given the lack of power from other lineup spots?  The A's were surprise suitors for Matt Holliday a couple of years ago.  If they don't want to pursue big names this winter maybe they can get creative and put together a Cody Ross–Jim Edmonds platoon or something of that nature.  The A's haven't put together a lineup with multiple 20 home run bats since 2007.  Even a middling offense might put them in the playoffs in 2011.

Left-Handed Relief Options For Phillies

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The Phillies have acknowledged their need for a reliable left-handed reliever.  We mentioned the recently recalled Antonio Bastardo and free agent Scott Eyre yesterday, but who else is out there?

If we exclude the Rockies as sellers, six potential left-handed relief trade candidates jump out: Mark Hendrickson (Orioles), Pedro Feliciano (Mets), Doug Slaten (Nationals), Brian Tallet (Blue Jays), Brian Fuentes (Angels), and Mike Gonzalez (Orioles).  Gonzalez has been injured much of the season so we won't look at his numbers.  The samples are otherwise tiny for the other five southpaws, but all have pitched well against lefties in 2010 (xFIPs below 4.00).

Tallet, Fuentes, and Gonzalez are well-paid and likely to clear waivers.  That might make trading them easier, if their clubs are willing to assume significant salary.  Feliciano can probably be ruled out for two reasons: the Mets will be reluctant to help the Phillies, and as a Type B free agent he brings the possibility of draft pick compensation after the season.  Hendrickson and Slaten are the best fits – they're cheap and controllable for next year.  However, Hendrickson could be claimed by an American League team and Slaten would have to make it past the Dodgers, among others.

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