FRIDAY, 5:27pm: Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com tweets that Blum's two-year contract will be worth "a smidge over $2MM."
THURSDAY, 8:58pm: The proposed deal would be for two years, tweets Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. An announcement could be made as soon as tomorrow.
THURSDAY, 7:12pm: The Diamondbacks are closing in on a deal with Geoff Blum, a baseball source tells Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. The 37-year-old hit .267/.321/.356 in 218 plate appearances this season while dealing with elbow and neck injuries.
The Astros informed the veteran on October 1st that they would pay his $150K buyout rather than exercise his $1.65MM option for 2011. At the time, Blum told MLB.com's Brian McTaggart that he would miss Houston and gleaned from conversations with people in the organization that he would not return. However, it was reported yesterday that he appeared to be close to re-signing with the Astros.
If Blum signs with Arizona, it will mark a reunion of sorts between the veteran and GM Kevin Towers. The versatile switch-hitter played two seasons and change for the Padres during Towers' time in San Diego.
Bye bye Special K…
Although, he might just be taking Ryal’s spot.
Pardon me for this, but who is Special K? Did Tony Abreu get that nickname?
Mark Reynolds. He K’s a lot.
Ah. Gotcha.
Blum is one of the few guys in baseball I can buy the term “clutch” about. Statistically he has consistently performed better in higher leverage situations. I can remember a lot of specific big game-winning hits from him, which is especially unusual for a part-time player. And, he looked surprisingly not cringe-worthy terrible at shortstop in a handful of games this year. He obviously shouldn’t be playing the position due to his footspeed, but his instincts are still excellent, and he can fill in at first, second, or third base.
Basically he’s a good guy to have on your bench. Not a worldshaking signing but Diamondbacks fans should be a-okay with it.
All of that, and I didn’t use the phrase “veteran presence” even once. Aren’t you proud?
…oops.
Yeah but you did work in “clutch” so the post is still a fail.
I still say David ortiz is a Clutch hitter and I’m sticking to it. I don’t care if all the stats say there’s no such thing(and they do…. and they’re right).
But… there is a stat that measures someone’s clutch hitting….
Eh, I’m torn on it. A few guys with really long careers have done it pretty consistently, Blum is one of them. We can say he has *been* “clutch”, certainly, although I don’t know whether that has any predictive value or whether it’s just statistical noise (some guys are bound to be better in the clutch out of random variation).
I don’t know the answer to that question. What I do know is that according to Fangraphs, Blum is the 2nd most clutch player over the past 3 calendar years, behind only Carlos Lee (who had considerably more PAs). Both of them became a lot more clutch when they joined the Astros, and Michael Bourn is also in the top 10… it’s weird actually. Never noticed this before…
Hmm, interesting. Makes you wonder. The Twins used to turn the fans on and off in the Metrodome depending on which team was up to bat. The White Sox tailor there field to certain players. Makes you wonder if the ‘Stros are doing anything….. funny? Don’t know if it would be a sign stealing situation when things need to be “clutch” or whatever but it does see odd that three of the top ten players happen to be on the same team. Maybe it’s not too far off statistically but the ‘Stros aren’t exactly an offensive powerhouse so it’s definitely odd.
I think it’s random. It’s all about luck, some guys have just gotten their pitch more often than others in clutch situations, over the course of a career it’s going to happen for some and not for others.
To me the ultimate clutch hitter is Bigfoot. They’re one and the same. A lot of people have claimed to see it but there isn’t any evidence.
Who thought Blum would be the first free agent to sign? (I consider Peralta an extension since the deal was only a few days late)
Eric Hacker was the first free agent to sign a Major League Deal.
Geoff Blum, professional hitte…… oh, nevermind.
Didn’t expect there to be a bidding war for his services. oremlk is right though, he’s a descent enough guy to have on the bench, if you get stuck using him full time though your team is in trouble. At his age you have to wonder if the low HR total (taking AB’s into account) is a bad sign. Didn’t see him play much but he really should be losing bat speed by now.
I can’t but help to pronounce it Gee Off every time I see his name.
1st check on the new Kevin Towers regimen…
We fill the experience bench player spot…the one who was for Tony Clark a few years ago…, thi is ok but will be very bad if he will be our 1st Baseman
Actually Sweeney was the first move.
Glad he won’t be an Astro, they need to get younger, and Blum is not in that category
Now that we’ve paid more for a guy with a .089 ISO and unsustainable BABIP than anybody else in baseball would have, what’s our next fantastic move?
yeah so far I dont like where Towers is taking this team. First he declines LaRoche only to most likely downgrade at 1st Lance Berkman or Lyle Overbay ( Konerko not an option anymore) Second he considers signing 43 year old Trevor Hoffman as our closer who had an ERA at 5.89. Now he signs 37 year of Geoff Bum ( didnt include L on purpose). Cmon KT be as good as advertized.
Are you serious? Laroche struck out 172 times last year second only to Reynolds; we have no idea how much is being offered to Blum so how can you say he is overpaid? KT is doing EXACTLY what he has said so far. You two would be the first to say KT is great and you supported him the whole time if he was successful.
ugh, this guy shouldnt be our first focus.. but i guess it doesnt hurt to get a little better (NOT MUCH) on the bench. If Towers signs Trevor Hoffman though, I will be furious.
TWO years? This guy hasn’t even been worth one win over the past two seasons combined, and he’ll be 38 next year! This is Towers’ first signing in Arizona? Holy crap.
Figured a few people would get worked up about a relatively inconsequential signing. Who should the D-backs have signed first, Cliff Lee? Blum is a decent enough guy off the bench, and I’m pretty sure this isn’t going to be a contract that prevents Arizona from signing top-tier (or any tier for that matter) free agents.
Move on…
As a Giants fan it is really nice to have Kevin Towers back in the NL West.
This is a terrible signing for a rebuilding team and for 2 years? HA.
Blum is decent and still a really good bench bat, but did they really need to give him 2 years?
Yeah, really, why give him 2 years? Blum must be shocked to get 2 years. But for how much money? If it’s for less than $2mm, it’ll be ok.
is towers gonna go after anyone that he hasn’t already scouted/signed for the padres in the past? so far i am tremendously underwhelmed. all the names im hearing are WAY too old.
This is a good bench signing. Pick him up before a team NEEDS him and drives his price up. He fits what KT was looking for in a bench player. Glad the DBacks let Laroche go, what would anyone think if the DBacks signed a 1B that struck out 172 times last year? That’s essentially what they would be doing by retaining Laroche.
I’d much rather be seeing Dbacks talk about packages for Grienke or Rasmus and the signings of Rafael Soriano or Kerry Wood or Derek Lee. But instead we are stuck hearing about Blum, Hoffman, Berkman. Not a good sign. I think D. Lee, J.J. Putz, Fuentes and a Reynolds trade for a LF or SP is the best idea. I understand this young team needs a veteran presence, but too many vets leads to too many injuries and wasted money on underperformance.
Blum = Chum
you forgot the P at the end of chum
haha yeah i know, i just did chum cause it rhymed with blum