Five years ago today, 49-year-old Julio Franco and 43-year-old Randy Johnson faced off in the oldest hitter-pitcher matchup in baseball history. Franco took the Big Unit deep, extending his own record as the oldest player to ever hit a home run. Here's the latest from around the league…
- Pirates Prospects spoke to Pirates president Frank Coonelly about a potential international draft.
- Phoul Ballz interviewed top Phillies prospect Trevor May.
- River Ave. Blues says the Yankees will never be same without Mariano Rivera.
- Baseball Trivia Questions thinks the Michael Pineda trade is a good deal gone bad.
- Over The Monster looks at the early returns of Red Sox GM Ben Cherington's moves.
- BoSox Injection believes it is time for the Red Sox to trade Kevin Youkilis.
- I-70 Baseball says the Cardinals have better balance without Albert Pujols.
- FanSpeak thanks Dan Duquette and Andy MacPhail for the Orioles' hot start.
- Through the Fence Baseball explains why the Padres should change the dimensions of Petco Park.
- Chicken Friars thinks Huston Street could attract trade interest soon.
- The Nats Blog wonders what's wrong with Danny Espinosa.
- Call to the Pen analyzed the Hideki Matsui signing.
- The Brewers Bar listed some candidates to replace Mat Gamel.
- Know Hitter assessed the Tigers' needs.
- MLB Reports says the Blue Jays need to add a big bat to contend in the AL East.
- Rant Sports Blue Jays wonders if Edwin Encarnacion is for real.
- Meanwhile, The True Fan's Sports Blog wonders if the Dodgers are for real.
- 85% Sports wrote about the Astros and the first overall pick in this year's draft.
- Redbird Rants says Mike Matheny has proven he was right man for the Cardinals.
- MLB on Deck lists some managers who may be on the hot seat.
- Shutdown Inning analyzed pitcher mechanics and hitter reaction times.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here. Only one email per week, please.
I agree with doing a platoon job and Youk. he never should have sent to play 3b full time to begin with for more than a couple of months. Maybe 3-4 times a week and then DH, even 1b, but not every day.. His body cannot handle it any longer, especially when opposing pitchers use him for target practice.
Contrary to what another poster said above.. There are no viable options out there for 3b and he is the best by far who could get moved, though it would be a mistake to count on him to play that position more than 75-80 games IMO. he will put up better numbers than he did last season, remember he played hurt the last month and a half and was probably hurting the last week + this year.
Not saying they may not have to pay some of his salary, depends on whether they hold onto him before he starts hitting again.. Me personally? I’d wait until he begins to hit and then they wouldn’t have to pay anything.. Youk hitting is well worth 13m.
Youk’s problem is that he made a transition in the reverse of most guys. He played his younger days at 1B and then when he got older made the move to 3B, logically it should have been the other way around (particularly as a guy who has had little nagging injuries every year, even as a 1B).
“Youk’s problem is that he made a transition in the reverse of most guys.”
Really a shame in a way also.. When he was younger and more able to play 3b he was blocked from playing in the league period by Mueller and Miller, then blocked from 3b by Mikey Lowell. Then they got AGone and he was forced to play 3b after he became a very accomplished 1b and his body was breaking down.
Just a bad situation all around that worked out not very well like you said.
It’d be interesting to see what the Red Sox would want in return, but I think the Indians would be a good fit for him.
It’s no secret the Indians could use a big bat, and a RH one at that. Their current 1B (Casey Kotchman) is making Youk’s numbers look very solid.
I really think a problem with Youk is that at this stage in his career he’s a 1B/DH only and shouldn’t be playing 3B. With A-Gon and Ortiz around he really doesn’t fit in Boston anymore. A place like Cleveland though that has a huge hole at 1B, could be a fit. Cleveland is a team that values OBP highly too and would likely take a chance on Youk hoping he rebounds once healthy.
I actually put this idea forth this winter and Sox fans basically wanted Masterson, which obviously won’t happen. Would be an interesting fit though I think…
And as far as Youk’s salary…well, the Tribe reportedly offered Beltran 2yr/$26M, which is actually more than what Youk will make in 2012 and 2013 (even after picking up his option next year). For once salary may not be the real kicker for the Tribe…
If Youkilis is traded it will be for a quality major league starting pitcher. As far as Cleveland is concerned Masterson is the only guy who really fits that bill; Youkilis for Masterson straight up obviously isn’t going to happen, for multiple reasons, so I don’t really see a fit there.
I would be happy as a lark for Masterson back.. Youk and some prospect even…
You have a very high standard for a “quality” ML starting pitcher if Masterson is the only one that fits the bill on the Indians…
Agree the fit may not be the best (as far as matching up on players). Think a team like the Rangers could get in too….not sure they trust Moreland at 1B.
That may have been an unfair way to phrase it, but nobody wants Lowe and his contract at this point, nobody is going to touch Jimenez right now, and Tomlin’s never done anything to impress anyone. The only one besides Masterson who could fit is Gomez, but he doesn’t have any sort of track record of success (and as far as I know he was never a highly regarded prospect) and the Sox would want someone they felt could step in and help their rotation immediately.
Not saying a Ubaldo for Youk deal would work (Ubaldo is a mess)…
But I find it interesting that since 2008:
Ubaldo’s fWAR is 19.8
Youk’s fWAR is19.6
Even last year Youk was only at 3.7 compared to Ubaldo’s 3.5.
Only bring that up since you mentioned Youk’s WAR a few times above. Again, not saying a Ubaldo for Youk deal would work…
Have to agree with Maine there.. Masterson is the only SP am thinking Boston would have any interest in. I don’t think Jimanez could turn his poor AL start around under the pressure in Boston is the thing. Masterson has already done well in that surrounding and better in Cleveland, going from a sidearmer to more 3/4.
I get what you’re saying, but Youkilis is still essentially the guy he has been for year – elite production when he’s playing, but battles injuries – Jimenez has some pretty scary signs that there is something wrong, and something isn’t what it used to be with him. His fastball is down 4mph in just two years, and his slider velocity is down 4.5mph over that same time. He’s not striking guys out, and he’s walking everybody.
He ended the season pretty well last year, and if he turns it around soon and pitches well until the deadline he might prove me wrong. But at this point I don’t think anyone touches him.
I haven’t really been following the Dodgers pitching staff and I don’t really see the Sox seriously trading Youk at this point but could there be some match there? Youk would definitely be an upgrade over Loney.
When do you think the end of the Loney era will be?
I think it should have ended a couple of seasons ago. But the fact is they’re paying a guy over 6 million to have a sub-.700 OPS at a position traditionally taken by a power hitter. People can keep trying to think of Loney as the player who suddenly emerged last August and September but its far more likely those months were flukes.
They have this Kershaw guy who’s supposed to be pretty okay.
No, but really, I would think the Sox might be looking for someone a little better than Capuano, and the Dodgers might not be excited about giving up 3 1/2 years of Billingsley (for cheap) for 1 1/2 of Youkilis (at a good price, but not exactly cheap).
I also wonder if they don’t have their 1B playing RF right now.
you’re last sentence is all that needs to be said really.
Dodgers should be looking for an outfielder not a 1B
I’m with @facebook-100002009799615:disqus, I think the Brewers are probably their best chance of dealing Youkilis (not that I think they will, or should, necessarily trade Youkilis). The Brewers have been getting almost no production from 1B or 3B, and they have two very good starting pitchers who are only under control until the end of the year. If they get the impression that they aren’t going to be able to re-sign one of them (or they feel they can only afford to re-sign one of them), and assuming Youkilis comes back hitting, and stays healthy until the deadline, I could see a possible fit for both clubs.
I wonder if Greinke would welcome the chance to work with McClure again…
Houston Street + O-Dawger for somebody’s up and coming SS prospect….Filling the future SS and 2B positions in one week = priceless
That would be great, but changces are you’d get a better player by just dealing Street than pairing him up with Hudson. Hudson was available all off season and no one bit, so him having 1 good week I’m sure hasn’t made hima hot commodity. It will be very interesting to see who the Padres can get for Street.
The Brewers need a bat at first. Trade Youk to the Brewers for a arm or two…
nah, someone would give up a decent player to get Youkilis without the Sox eating much (if any) of his contract. Youkilis is only getting about $12M this year, and once healthy still has top 10 hitter in the game potential (he has been the sixth best hitter in the game since ’08, and yes that includes his “down” year last year and his poor start this year – take out his poor start to this year and he’s #5, and the list of better hitters includes Manny, who is not the hitter he used to be). To a team in need of a 1B in particular Youkilis could be a very valuable player.
Doesn’t really matter though because the Sox aren’t going to trade him (nor should they).
I know, who would want a guy who put up almost 4 WAR in just 120 games, and hit as well as (or better than) guys like Kinsler, VMart, Longoria, and Teixeira in what most would consider a “down” year, right?
what is your criteria for assessing Youk as the 6th best hitter in baseball?
wOBA
If you want to use wRC+ instead (which adjusts for park and league) he’s tenth.
Fact is though, he did only play 120 games and is on the DL again. Most teams will be hesitant to give something up for a guy that is injury prone and the age of Youk. OPS dropped about 150 pts from where it was the previous 3 seasons in 2011. He may just have hit that age where he’s simply not going to put up .950 OPS’s anymore…
Now…if he were to come back and hit again, maybe you could move him for a Carlos Beltran-like deal (when he was dealt to the Giants). Needs to come back swinging though.
That’s kind of the problem with people even talking about trading him really. If he comes back hitting the way he is capable the Red Sox aren’t going to want to trade him, and if he doesn’t nobody is going to want him.
The only way I see a trade happening is if Middlebrooks goes back to AAA and continues to rake, and a team with excess pitching comes looking for a 1B or 3B (most likely they’d be looking to use him as a 1B). The only possible chance I can see of that is the Brewers.