The Hanshin Tigers are looking at Jeff Clement and Mauro Gomez for next year, according to a Japanese report passed along by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker (on Twitter). Both players were recently called up to the MLB level after successful minor league seasons. The Tigers are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Japan.
Clement has appeared in 12 games for the Pirates since the end of August after posting a .276/.340/.486 batting line with 16 home runs in 459 plate appearances at Triple-A. The CAA Sports client has a .219/.279/.374 batting line in parts of four MLB seasons.
Gomez, who signed with the Red Sox in February, has appeared in 22 games with Boston this year. The 28-year-old corner infielder has a .299/.342/.448 batting line in 73 MLB plate appearances. He spent most of the 2012 season at Triple-A Pawtucket, where he posted a .310/.371/.589 in 426 plate appearances.
I would like to keep Gomez…
Clement can ask Resop about Hanshin Tigers… he knows them well
Jeff Clement…the next Tuffy Rhodes.
Oh please take Gomez.. Have fears he will waste a 40 man roster spot over the winter and a REASON he has a 10+ year MiLB career before getting a few AB’s at The Bigs.. Atrocious plate discipline and terrible defense.. 28YO career AAA player? Cya…
I agree with his age being an issue, but his Minor League Equivalency for this season at Pawtucket isn’t so bad: .273/.324/.505…or about similar to Garrett Jones. If he stayed at first all season, he’d probably accrue 2.5 WAR per season. I’d be in favor of keeping him if and only if the Sox are committed to a total rebuild. Otherwise, they’d do better in free agency.
I like Gomez. Listen im not comparing him to Ortiz but lets not Forget Ortiz was more of a fringe MLB player at 26 27 years old when we signed him an we no the story from there. Some guys take a longer time to become great players. Ortiz was never a highly regarded prospect eathier who suddenly found his grove at a older age like some guys do. Lets use Carlos Pena as an Example, He was a highly regarded prospect who was 28 when he finally broke out an went on to have phew good seasons in Tampa after his breakout year there. Shit Ortiz wasnt even a good prospect if I remmember right. Gomez doesnt have good plate discipline but its something he could get better at. At 28 it seems mybe unlikely he does but he can hit an has power hes a bettter option then Loney just on the fact that Loney is… Loney an Gomez has some real potentiel here. He could be Carlos Pena 2.0 minus the Defense an the once highly rated prospect tag. Id love to keep him around an see what he can become. It will depend on our Roster an what direction we take. Assuming Ortiz is back an we find a good proven 1B then I wouldnt see room for him. But if we traded for a young potentially good 1B ( Brandon Belt, Yonder Alonso type) who has good or big upside but yet to put it all togethar an prove it why not have a Mauro Gomez to push him an even potentially become a better player then himself win the job an shock baseball.
Ortiz was a PED user and probably still is.
Prove it
Ortiz admitted to testing positive in 2003. I cant prove he is still using PEDs currently but thats why i said probably.
He never admitted to taking steroids. He admitted that his name was on the list and that he was careless with supplements in the past. He also said the union didn’t tell him he tested positive for anything. He also said he tested negative 14 times since 2004 (the article is from 09).
Loney has potential? I dont think youre fooling anyone but yourself with that statement. Loney is just a good defender and nothing else, he cant get on base enough to be a good player. Ortiz’s on base percentage was around .400 before he got injured which is in the realms of Miguel Cabrera. He was also on pace for at least 30-100. He still has gas in the tank and is a fan favorite. Even if they are rebuilding with all the money saved they can take the risk for two years.
They can have him for a 52M posting fee.
Yes!
I refuse to pay just to read an ESPN article.
On October 4th, I think Bobby V will be applying for a managerial position somewhere in one of the Japanese leagues.
Actually I figure Francona will get a new position somewhere as a manager and Bobby V will reclaim his spot on ESPN… even more critical of the Sox than he was before.
I almost read this as Matt Clement..
I did read that as Matt Clement. Then I saw batting numbers and wondered whether he moved to a position player and then I saw Jeff and everything was clear. Think its time I get contacts.