Willy Taveras just got cheaper

by Brendanukkah on Sep 25, 2008 12:06 PM EDT

There's been some rumblings over what the outfield will look like next year. Jay Bruce seems like a sure bet to man right field, and then.... what? The need for a strong defensive center fielder is clear, and with some uncertainty about what Chris Dickerson can do over a full season, and whether Jerry Hairston or (gulp) Corey Patterson will be back next year, the name of Willy Taveras was floated as a possible acquisition.

Well, he wasn't expensive before, but he just got cheaper. He's out for the year (all four remaining games of it) with a stress fracture in his leg.

Taveras's best asset is his speed. He's stolen 68 bases this year and only been caught 7 times. Lifetime, he's 169/205, a success rate of 82.4%. Not too shabby at all. When he gets on base, he's a great threat to steal. Unfortunately, he was only getting on 30.8% of the time. His OPS this year is .604 (not much higher than Patterson's .582). He's never had an OPS+ higher than 89. He did however finish second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2005 to Ryan Howard.

Taveras made $1.975M this year, and you can see where Dusty (and maybe Jocketty) would like a centerfielder with so much speed to lead off. But now he's had a leg injury, and he never had a good OBP. I'm not sure anyone can really consider him a viable option for the Reds next year. Or can we? Who's in our outfield next year?

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I really feel like it's inevitable at this point

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by Man Mountain on Sep 25, 2008 1:00 PM EDT 0 recs

do these jerks not see Dickerson as a CF?

the dude is probably one of the top 5 defensive CFs in the game if he’s playing. he’s exactly the kind of defensive-first speedster that Taveras is, but he can actually take a walk. we need to find a left fielder. one name that i dont think has come up here yet: Jeremy Hermida?

"for integrity of races and the game" - Dusty Baker

by Charlie Scrabbles on Sep 25, 2008 1:12 PM EDT 0 recs

Hermida could be a fine acquisition.

Or he could be a bust. How’s that for analysis? Anyway, he was a top prospect as recently as two years ago. Hermida has power potential and is fair enough defensively. Might we see a classic challenge trade — Hermida for Bailey?

We Are ... Marshall!

by Thundering Turtle on Sep 25, 2008 1:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

hermida may be non-tendered

florida’s got something like 19 arb-eligible players this year, and so maybe there’s no need to trade. unless a) you really want to get rid of someone, and/or b) you really want to get your hands on hermida right away.

and taveras would be bamboo shoots under the fingernails, in my opinion.

I am Bill S. Preston, Esquire.

by Dubman on Sep 25, 2008 3:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

Want a left fielder?

Why not Danny Dorn. He has had an OPS of 1.030 (rookie ball), .875 (A+/AA in 07) and .906 (this year in AA). He struggles against lefties, but the guy murders right handed pitching and will be 24 years old until the end of July. He has had 497 PA in AA between the end of last year and this year and has hit .284/.378/.566 (thats good for .944 OPS in AA mostly as a 23 year old) with 27 doubles, 3 triples, 29 HR, 57 walks and 107 strikeouts. He may need a platoon partner against tough lefties, but most of the league is right handed and for league minimum I am really willing to give him a good strong look at the position. If I weren’t able to land a real big bat for LF for next season, this kid would be my first option to look at.

www.redsminorleagues.com

by dougdirt on Sep 25, 2008 5:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

im all up ons the Dorn train too

mostly because he sounds so close to Dunn. but you and i and everyone else here know he wont get a sniff of a shot at it. he hasnt played above AA and he’s left-handed. i have a feeling that Walt is going to look for a right-handed vet for the spot. perhaps a trade for Magglio Ordonez? i might be open to that, for the right price.

"for integrity of races and the game" - Dusty Baker

by Charlie Scrabbles on Sep 25, 2008 5:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

I like the idea of Dorn

but I’d rather see a platoon of Dickerson/Stubbs in CF than a platoon in LF. I’d either move EdE to LF and find another 3B or go after Magglio or Holliday.

"You never want to give up a 7-0 lead, in your rival's ballpark, that would put them in first place. Never want to do that." - Ron Darling

by Slyde on Sep 25, 2008 6:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

Thats also an option

I have talked about recently. EE has the arm and athleticism to play in LF and I think he could hold his own if not more against most left fielders at the plate.

www.redsminorleagues.com

by dougdirt on Sep 25, 2008 7:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

Since when do left fielders pitch?

"Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est."

by jch24 on Sep 26, 2008 10:15 AM EDT up 0 recs

Do you know what else Taveras does well?

Bunt. 37 bunt hits last year, 56 in ‘05. Let’s stop kidding ourselves and just pencil him in as the CF/leadoff for next year already.

by ken on Sep 25, 2008 1:26 PM EDT 0 recs

Shit

You’re right and I hate it.

"Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est."

by jch24 on Sep 25, 2008 1:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

ugh

hello Dusty

Hope Springs Eternal! Go Reds

by Caleb on Sep 26, 2008 7:24 PM EDT up 0 recs

I guess if we know there's going to be incessant bunting,

it might as well be someone who can actually bunt.

Everybody's a jerk. You. Me. This jerk.

by andromache on Sep 30, 2008 8:02 AM EDT up 0 recs

Not that I want Taveras roaming CF for the Reds,

but the stolen bases have to count for something, don’t they? What if we count each stolen base as a single? That would bump Taveras’ batting average from .251 to .392 and his slugging percentage from .296 to .434.

Yeah, I know it doesn’t really work that way. But it’s fun to put together a silly argument to make a mediocre player appear to be a super star. Heck, Scott Boras got rich doing it.

We Are ... Marshall!

by Thundering Turtle on Sep 25, 2008 4:50 PM EDT 0 recs

wouldn't it be better to count stolen bases as in increase in slugging percentage>

since it would be turning a single into a double, or a double into a triple?

"It will put a smile on your face to see a Chevy with a Soviet transmission"

by justin007000 on Sep 25, 2008 11:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

yes

but you also need to take CS out of hits/slugging/OBP. Its something I have seen done before.

www.redsminorleagues.com

by dougdirt on Sep 26, 2008 12:13 AM EDT up 0 recs

Yes, and I considered that.

It just made Taveras’ numbers appear so ridiculous I couldn’t make myself do it.

We Are ... Marshall!

by Thundering Turtle on Sep 26, 2008 9:25 AM EDT up 0 recs

Dickerson and Stubbs

and start cursing the Cubs.

Honestly, lets start trying to be real about up-the-middle defense. We have the pitching to become a pitching-and-D team. It’s what we do about the corners (Is EE the answer at 3b? Can we get someone like Magglio for LF?) that I’d be interested to see.

...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield

by Cy Schourek on Sep 25, 2008 5:04 PM EDT 0 recs

Up the middle defense

I’d rather see Frank Costanza stop short than see Jeff Keppinger at shortstop.

by Brendanukkah on Sep 25, 2008 5:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

that's where Alex Gonzalez comes in

theoretically, of course.

so what would you trade for Magglio? I’d give up DT and a couple of the Dorn/Henry/Cumberland/Turner/Francisco prospects for Magglio if the Reds take his salary. Thoughts?

...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield

by Cy Schourek on Sep 25, 2008 6:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

Gonzo is coming back from a broken leg

i bet he has signicantly reduced range.

"It will put a smile on your face to see a Chevy with a Soviet transmission"

by justin007000 on Sep 25, 2008 11:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

no bones = more flexibility

I have no problem arguing everyone’s reasonably-thought-out-position until you agree with me.

...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield

by Cy Schourek on Sep 26, 2008 2:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

you do have a ponit

we could make some jell-o and place it at the shortstop position. It would be the most flexible shortsotp ever. Or we could put somebody out their with Paget’s Disease.

"It will put a smile on your face to see a Chevy with a Soviet transmission"

by justin007000 on Sep 26, 2008 4:12 PM EDT up 0 recs

i've always wanted a ponit!

What's the ratio of Stanley Nickels to Schrute Bucks?

by chandrathan on Sep 26, 2008 4:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

Mon Petit Ponit

"You never want to give up a 7-0 lead, in your rival's ballpark, that would put them in first place. Never want to do that." - Ron Darling

by Slyde on Sep 26, 2008 4:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

a hot stove league log

go out and get Ellis from the A’s to play 2nd and move BP to shortstop. And then go see what it takes to get Holiday from the Rockies. he would fit nicely with Bruce and Dickerson in the outfield don’t you think?

Hope Springs Eternal! Go Reds

by Caleb on Sep 26, 2008 7:24 PM EDT 0 recs

important part you added that won't be in the Reds plans:

that last word there: “think”

...because there's already someone posing as Jacob Brumfield

by Cy Schourek on Sep 26, 2008 10:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

Slyde?

Is that you?

"Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est."

by jch24 on Sep 27, 2008 12:45 AM EDT up 0 recs

Cueto, Francisco +

Is what its going to take to get Holliday from the Rockies.

www.redsminorleagues.com

by dougdirt on Sep 27, 2008 2:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

Why Taveras?

Career OBP of .331 and +OPS of 72 (55 last season). Oh, and that’s playing almost half of his career in Coors Field. He had more stolen bases than runs this last season. Unfortunately, wins and losses are decided by runs. As for Holliday, he has a career .280 BA and .803 OPS outside of Coors Field (and he’s 29 by next April). I’m not saying that Holliday would be terrible (he’s certainly more productive than Taveras), but I fear that he would come with a hefty price tag from his previous inflated seasons in Colorado (assuming Cincy could ever get him).

by tonywf on Oct 7, 2008 2:47 AM EDT 0 recs