The Diamondbacks had one of the worst bullpens in baseball history last season (league-worst 5.74 ERA), something new GM Kevin Towers will undoubtedly try to correct this offseason. Part of the solution could be free agent reliever J.J. Putz, whom the D'Backs have interest in according to Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune.
Putz, 34 in February, was fantastic with the White Sox this year. He struck out 65 and walked just 13 unintentionally in 54 innings, pitching to a 2.83 ERA and holding opponents to a .204/.261/.313 batting line against. He did spend 16 days on the disabled list with knee tendinitis, a year after having bone spurs removed from his elbow. It's not long ago that Putz was one of the game's elite closers, a role he could easily fill in Arizona.
As Gonzales notes, Putz resides in nearby Peoria, something that will surely be attractive to the righty. The D'Backs also plan to pursue another former White Sox and Arizona resident, Paul Konerko. Putz earned $3MM in 2010 and is a Type-B free agent.
That bullpen needs about 4-5 new arms to not be a liability, but Putz would help start bringing them back. He has great stuff
Yeah I agree…I think Putz would be a fine addition on a 2 year deal…
I could see them signing Putz, and signnig a ton of players to minor league deals…
Just a hunch, but I think Towers ends up trading someone (Drew, Upton, Reynolds) for a package including relief pitchers. As it gets closer to spring, someone will be more inclined to overpay after striking out on other free agents/trades. He’ll ask for a young position player with lots of upside and pitching
Yeah if they get Putz they will sign at least one more big league back end guy for the pen, they’ve talked about Grant Balfour, or Rand Chocate. And they’ve already got 2 minor league contracts with Juan Jamie and Brian Sweeney so maybe one or two more of those, and if just 1 of those 4 can pan out then they could have a decent pen.
Do they just like to have former White Sox players? Looking at Konerko, Putz, and have Daniel Hudson, Brandon Allen, Chris Young, DJ Carrasco, and Geoff Blum? Am I crazy or is it unusual for a team to be comprised of that many people of one team? (I know the Orioles have a lot of ex-Cubs, and the Royals have a lot of ex-Sox).
thats kinda wierd lol ive never thought of that and I’m a Dback fan.
The Royals have ALOT of ex-Braves. A couple of years ago, so did the Nationals. At the end of 2010 they had ex Braves: Jesse Chavez, Kyle Davies, Brayan Pena, Wilson Betemit, and Gregor Blanco, not to mention Ned Yost as manager(used to be 3rd base coach for Braves). They will also have Jeff Francouer soon. Mark my words.
And Bruce Chen.
Go Arizona White Sox!
Yeah your welcome for Hudson and Allen. Keep Young he’s only a decent player IMO too inconsistent. But still, I feel like KW has only made a couple of bad moves (Swisher, Peavy, Jackson) and a lot have been with the D’Backs.
“Only a decent player”? Young was 4th among centerfielders in WAR, behind only Torres, Gonzalez, and Pagan. That’s more than decent.
He had a really good year, and is a talented CF. But I just feel a lot of his production was due to his home park, and that he is too inconsistent to ever reach his potential. I just think he isn’t as good as his 2010 production, I could be totally wrong though.
His OPS+ is 109 (which is park adjusted), and that’s very good for a CF… also, his BABIP was very close to his xBABIP, which means that he should keep up his production. CFs with his combination of power, speed, and defense aren’t very common. I know the Sox would have loved to be sending Young out there everyday instead of Juan Pierre.
Don’t get me started on Pierre. I would MUCH rather have Young than him. And I still think Young needs one more year to prove he’s a really good player. You’ve convinced me he’s a lot better than “decent,” however.
That being said, Javy Vasquez for Young was still a fine trade for the Sox. Javy was an above average pitcher who could be dominate at times in his tenure in on the South Side, and netted them Tyler Flowers, who at the time was a top prospects. I think that’s pretty even deal for Young, even if he continues to produce near his 2010 level.
I agree, and Flowers might still be something. But on the other hand, Javy demanded a trade (and at that time, a player had the right to do so) and the D’Backs got a guy at a premium position who was the #12 prospect in baseball a few years later… in a BEAST of a prospect class which had Delmon Young, Longoria, J. Upton, Lincecum in front of him and McCutchen, Bruce, Tulo, Gallardo, CarGo, Kershaw, Braun, Rasmus, Buchholz, Miguel Montero, Andrus, and Ubaldo behind him… wow.
he is putrid away from Chase Field. That isn’t even debatable.
That’s really what I base my argument on. His stats are great, yeah, and I’d take him on my team if I had the choice, but his road splits are bad, and something about him doesn’t pass the eye test.
US Cellular is a pretty big hitters’ park too. In fact, it’s more of a hitters park than Chase (according to ESPN, I couldn’t find any other sites that listed park factors).
Wll they used to share their spring training site in Tucson with the Sox, so maybe you’re on to something.
The royals have alot of ex Braves lol
This would be a great addition to the Dbacks. What will his contract look like though? maybe 2yrs./10mil?
JJ Putz – the one the Mets lost Endy Chavez for.
and Jason Vargas. [Thanks 🙂 ]
And Cleveland lost Franklin Gutierrez in that trade as well.
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oh man, i completely forgot we have up Jason Vargas! i knew it was Jason at the time of the trade, but i got him mixed up with Claudio Vargas so i was like “oh, we didnt lose anything there” but Jason had a great year
Anyone guess what his contract will look like?
Trade Idea! Mets & Diamondbacks- Diamondbacks acquire RHP Francisco Rodriguez(mets eat 8million of 11.5 owed in 2011), RHP J.Mejia, & OF F.Martinez from Mets in exchanged for OF Justin Upton.
DBacks can try out K-rod for their closing role!
Hah. No.
And… who else? KT wants 2-3 mlb ready players
Here let me help you
Diamondbacks acquire RHP Francisco Rodriguez(mets eat 8million of 11.5 owed in 2011), RHP J.Mejia, & OF F.Martinez from Mets in exchanged for OF Justin Upton’s used Jersey.
speaking of which does anybody know if Peoria won their game?
I’d Love Kenny to resign JJ, he was such an integral part of our bullpen.
If he lets Jenks go that would free up a nice amount of cash to keep JJ around.
Two things…
1. Why were intentional walks taken out of the stat reference in this post? Those usually follow poor pitching (leading to doubles or triples), so it’s not as though the IBB is “of no fault” of the pitcher. It just struck me as arbitrary and inaccurate to see them omitted from Putz’s stat line.
2. It should not always be assumed that playing for a team where one lives is desired. Speaking strictly from a fan’s perspective, I could see how it can be a distraction (extended family/friends around more often, asking for tickets, etc), it can be “too comforting” (wanting to spend more time at home than in the cage or on the hill), and it makes for no off season home to retreat to in the winter to get away from the game until February.
Your theory applies to young people…Putz is 35, and he is at the end of his carrier so much closer place should be fine
Putz was nails in ’07. NYM got hosed by him but that wasn’t his fault, more bad luck and perhaps poor decision making by Omar. He appears relatively healthy now and could help anyone, makes sense for the AZ to be interested in him.
Putz was nails in ’07. NYM got hosed by him but that wasn’t his fault, more bad luck and perhaps poor decision making by Omar. He appears relatively healthy now and could help anyone, makes sense for the AZ to be interested in him.