The Nationals and Dodgers have some interest in free agent right-hander Brandon Webb, tweets Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. We'd heard about the Nationals, but the Dodgers part is news. Webb hasn't pitched professionally since he made one appearance in April of 2009, as he was sidelined by shoulder surgery. Prior to '09, Webb was among the best pitchers in all of baseball.
The Dodgers signed Ted Lilly early, so he's penciled into their rotation along with Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley. One more veteran arm would make sense. The Dodgers are also known to be seeking a left fielder and bench players, with another question mark being Russell Martin's standing as the starting catcher.
This is purely my speculation, but I wonder if the Cardinals will take a look at Webb as their annual rotation wild card. Perhaps it will depend on whether they sign Jake Westbrook.
Sinker baller with the dodgers defense is a letdown waiting to happen.
How so? Loney, Furcal, and Blake were all above average defensively last year and we have no idea who the second baseman is going to be.
I like the idea of Javier Vazquez pitching for the Dodgers…Fly Ball pitcher in a big ballpark and pitching in a not so strong offensive division. But I’d sign Brandon Webb for the 5th spot…Kershaw/Lilly/Billingsley/Webb/ is a pretty good 1-4 but I’d sign a back up plan…maybe Dave Bush.
It’s been said a billion times. Javy is going nowhere west of the Mississippi if he has a say in it.
Does he even have a choice anymore?
Yeah, particularly if he’s willing to come cheap in order to choose his location.
well, you’re right about that.
you’ll get the same production out of Padilla for a lot less money,
Well you’re all about the washed up veterans, aren’t you?
wonder what the chances of webb signing an incentive based contract…wouldn’t mind having him in there as a 3rd or 4th starter. dodgers already have a pretty strong rotation. again, though: left fielder, 2nd baseman, catcher. left fielder, 2nd baseman, catcher. left fielder, 2nd baseman, catcher. left fielder, 2nd baseman, catcher. left fielder, 2nd baseman, catcher. left fielder, 2nd baseman, catcher.
Anybody depending on Webb for a rotation spot are going to be sorely disappointed. Where he is going to suddenly come up with the 6 MPH on his sinker that he lost throughout this whole ordeal?
Also, it would be really really horrible of him to have his option exercised, not play, and then sign with a division rival and actually log innings. Not that he won’t do it, but I’m just saying. Weak move.
I’d expect a minor league deal with incetives based on innings pitched.
flash backs of jason scmidt. do it dodgers!! hahahaha….
Yeah, but at least Schmidt didn’t (cough cough, hack hack) come in with known arm problems…
*S*A*R*C*A*S*M*
As long as it’s a one year deal with low base pay and more with incentives based on innings pitch I’m cool with it
I’m in
I’m going to be so pissed if Webb turns back into a beast with the Dodgers after the D’Backs payed him so much money to not pitch.
i am a huge webb fan so im torn about this. on one hand i want to see the guy make it back and compete again, but on the other it would just chap my hide to watch it happening on another team.
He had an unfortunate injury, what’s the issue?
Nothing, it would be pretty frustrating though, seeing him perform great for a division rival.
would love for the phillies to add brandon webb and/or justin duchscherer. might be the type of low risk/high reward guys they need to fit the payroll.
Does Webb still want good pitcher money though?
No matter which team he goes to, he shouldn’t be expected to be 100% there come opening day. He’s not a reliable starter anymore and the only contract he deserves is a heavy incentive based contract.
All very true. That type of surgery always seems to take at least 2 years for complete recovery. The fact the Webb in being clocked at about 86 mph at the AFL, says to me that any team that signs him is tossing the dice. Any team that signs him would be have to be patient and hold their breath that they can get something the first year,in order to re-sign him and get the former Brandon Webb the second year.
Well if Webb pitches well the Dodgers will probably trade him. They’ll need a new owner to be competitive.
no they wouldn’t. expect to see the dodgers compete next year, new owner or same owner.
I don’t get why they don’t just resign Kuroda.
It makes me sick that Ned isn’t looking for a regular right fielder, seeing as Andre Ethier has been the worst right fielder short of Jermaine Dye and Brad Hawpe over teh last 3 years. Ethier should be moved back to left where he belongs and we should be looking for a platoon partnership in right. Maybe a Jim Edmonds/ casey Blake platoon. For that matter Ethier is pretty worthless against lefties and it would be nice to have a lefty amshing outfielder like Francouer or Thames. The Casey Blake deal is getting worse by the minute.
Francouer?… Really? …Did you see him play ALL year?
Maybe against selective lefties, but that’s going to be very expensive considering he can’t hit righties with a banjo.
Clearly you haven’t looked at his line against lefties. 299/343/481. I’m advocating that Casey Blake likely shouldn’t be starting on the team and his role should be off the bench. But Francouer against lefties is nasty. He is also a top ranked defensive player. I’m thinking logically. I am a Dodger fan, which is why most people would think I am stupid. Most Dodger fans thought Juan Pierre was a good idea…
Juan Pierre wasn’t a bad player in the NL at all. Dodger fans (and front office) just couldn’t accept him for what he was.
Herbert, Juan Pierre was a terrible player in LA. He was an average 1.3 WAR player in LA. Which included crappy defense and a below league average bat. His speed was his only asset and even that was offset by his inability to get on base and always running into outs. Nice guy, sure. Bad baseball player… a resounding YES!
I didn’t look at his numbers against lefties because I saw him play all year. Francouer has a decent arm in right, hits mediocre lefties, is a great clubhouse guy and is very endearing.But he has no plate discipline, swings at anything in the area code and does not take instruction very well. When he arrived in NY last year, he quickly became a fan favorite because of his hustle and his willingness to play hurt.
unfortunately he thinks he’s a great player and cannot adjust to reality. Atlanta got tired of his act as did NY and Texas saw him for what he is. Think about it this way, he’s been on three teams in two years, was demoted to the minors and was released when he refused the demotion. How significant are those stats againist lefties when this happens?
you saw him play, which qualifies you to be basically as smart george w bush. they are called statistics for a reason.
He was demoted as a way of releasing him a month early. Likely to make room on the 40 man roster. It was his choice to accept or refuse the demotion, but the fact that he refused it simply meant that he became a free agent. It shouldn’t be taken as a knock on the guy. If he accepts the demotion he stays in the minors and likely gets released in a month anyway.
Learn whats going on, then you can stick your foot in your mouth. At least your opinion wont sound as if you were making comments about something you know absolutely nothing about.
He’s been on three teams in the last two years, been demoted to the minors and finally released.When he’s playing in the minors, I’m sure his stats will be very comforting.Then you can go around and crow about what a great minor league player he is. He was released not to open up a spot, he was released because he sucks! When you are a free agent it means you are unemployed. Do you really think Texas would risk losing a worthy player by doing something like that. Better yet, do you really think Francouer wants to be a Free agent after the last two years?
Save his stats, when he’s playing in an independent league this season, sprinkle a little salt and pepper on them and eat them,since his stats are so good.
I like how you make it seem that “I love Francoeur”, when I am simply pushing for him as a defensive replacement/platoon option for Ethier/Kubel in right.
All things considered, he’s suggesting him as a bench guy/ platoon player.
You’re telling me you weren’t a fan of JuanPierreWood?
hahaha, oh hehehe. That was good times. His two weeks of “stardom” while Manny was suspended was laughable.
If you’re advocating playing either Jeff Francoeur or Casey Blake in RF, you cannot be a Dodger fan.
Im advocating not having Ethier in right!
maybe platoon Ethier and Francouer.
Kubel>Francouer
Kubel=DH
ya he isnt as good as fancouer defensively (francouer= beast arm), but kubel is an actual middle of the lineup threat (at least for the dodgers)
In the Dodgers current lineup, Kubel would have been a nice option ahead of Podsednik. Certainly a middle of the order “type” bat that I would prefer to Podsednik. However, the guy is not an outfielder. Though him and Podsednik were equally bad last year with the glove.
Mayube get both Kubel and Francoure to platoon in right. But Kubel is a pretty bad defender. But what he can do against righties is impressive. He’s not particularly good against lefties. Similar player to Ethier. I’m just not a huge fan of Ethier against leefties while LOST in right field.
and he had 6 outfield assists in 83 games in right field, pretty good
i don’t recall ethier being so awful and causing us runs defensively that you would want him out of there so bad. and seriously? you want to platoon ethier and francoeur?! your crazy.
Ethier has one of the weakest arms I’ve ever seen in right field.
he probably is. just not a smart one.
troll.
trollo. trollo. trollo. trollo. trollo. trollo. trollo. trollo. trollo…….
THUMP!
Gutter ball.
BURN
Dude, Blake was a seriously good defensive outfielder in Cleveland.
Blake spent signficant time in RF in just one season for the Indians, and that will be six years ago this coming season. Guessing his mobility will be (and I’m being nice here) less.
skeptic, is that you?
seriously! this guy is an ethier hater.
look at the NUMBERS doucheblue10. its more than just a trend.
oh your very clever dusto. baseball is more than just a game about numbers. ethier isn’t even close to being as bad as your saying.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Ethier. But he is definitely NOT a right fielder. Ethier, the 4th worst defender last year, behind Gomes, Lee, and (sadly) Kemp. I didn’t make him out to be a poor defender. He did.
Get a center fielder, move Kemp to RF and Ethier to left.
YUP. that would be nice. I’m thinking this is Kemps last year in center. Next year he moves to right and Ethier moves to left and Trayvon Robinson takes over in center. Hopefully, Tray, DeJesus, Sands and Gordon have huge years in the minors and they all come up 2012. Were still missing a third baseman and it would be nice to see Beltre signed long term, but the financials dont add up for McCourt, I’m sure.
Webb should look for a one year deal with San Diego to rebuild his value, similar to what John Garland took last year.
I remember hearing recently that due to his home in Indiana Webb wants to play for either the Cards or the Reds. 2007 – 2008 Brandon Webb is Dave Duncan’s wet dream
Webb? Why not get Sheets too? What a combo!
…in 08
The DL is going to have a beast team this year.
I dont see how this is a flashback of Schmidt to say that means you really know nothing. I think Webb is intriguing but only if you can sign 2 other pitchers. I think Webb just needs to throw and he will get that 6 mph back. The rotation is going to be good but I still have issues with the bullpen
Right? Webb is an incentive based one year deal, we gave JS big money for 3 years!
Two factors for this
1. He isn’t a Type A or B free agent so basically they give up nothing if they sign him.
2. If he signs with the dodgers, they have a big risk of losing money if they spend big (a la Ben Sheets and the A’s.) or they will make one of the best free agent signings in the last five years if Webb at least gets 60 to 70 percent back to form.
Webb would be a good fit for a team that doesn’t really need him, but could make good use of him if he shows well. A team like the Braves or the Red Sox; maybe even the Giants. Nice depth option to help cover for performance or injury problems on a staff that’s already pretty well set. Because if your counting on him in any meaningful way, you’re going to be disappointed. Even if he comes into spring training throwing the ball well, he still will have quite a ways to go since he hasn’t pitched competitively for almost 2 years now.
I think the Dodgers need more sure things (well, as sure as any pitcher can be), on the roster before they even think of adding Brandon Webb.
I highly doubt the Cardinals have any interest in Webb after what happened with Penny and Lohse last year as well as still having Lohse and aging, occasionally fragile Carpenter in their rotation.
that would be a nice pick up for a one yr deal
they should go after him and resign Padilla or kuroda. if not go after freedy garcia
Nobody should go after Freedy Garcia. Or Freddy Garcia.
he could be a # 5 starter