Deadline update: Still stagnant

[boondockdrunk]

Deadline update: Still stagnant

With Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline approaching, it still sounds like the Diamondbacks aren’t anticipating any deals.

Part of this is a lack of motivation on their part, at least when it comes to closer Chad Qualls, who won’t be eligible for free agency until after next season. Part of it is a lack of genuine interest from other teams in pitchers Doug Davis and Jon Garland.

From what we’re hearing, there aren’t a lot of teams clamoring for Davis or Garland, despite their names popping up in several reports in recent days. And the teams that have inquired haven’t made an offer the Diamondbacks consider intriguing.

The Diamondbacks apparently are not asking for other teams’ high-end prospects – more like the bottom half a top 10 list – but they are keeping 2010 in mind, particularly with Brandon Webb’s situation is up in the air. With Garland, there’s a 2010 option. With Davis, if they deal him they lose that exclusive negotiating window.

As for Qualls, ESPN’s Buster Olney explained the Diamondbacks’ position pretty well in his blog this morning.

His main points:

*The Diamondbacks want to compete in 2010 and dealing Qualls creates a major hole in the bullpen.

*They don’t normally spend a lot of money on free-agent relievers.

*If they fall out of contention next year, they can try to move him before next year’s deadline.

A couple of points we’d like to add:

*Qualls isn’t going to be expensive next season, probably somewhere in the $4 million range, so he’ll be an affordable and proven commodity as a closer.

*He most likely is going to rank as a Type A reliever, meaning he would bring back two draft picks if/when he departs via free agency. That makes the Diamondbacks’ asking price for him even higher, so it’s not surprising the Diamondbacks’ have yet to be blown away by an offer yet.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/NickPiecoro/58790

 

[UncleChris]

We should give any team Chris Young and a million bucks just to ensure he doesn't return here.....

 

[Gaddabout]

We should give any team Chris Young and a million bucks just to ensure he doesn't return here.....

I was thinking Chris Young might have some value on a good team as a fourth outfielder, defensive replacement and base runner. The D-Backs would just have to send a lot of cash along with him to help with his salary. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to try and him unload him right now.

The FO seems to have the idea there's still something salvageable though. If I were GM I would've waived him already and eaten his salary ...

 

[HooverDam]

Im fine with them just letting Qualls expiring and getting the picks. They screwed up by not shipping Davis out before he had a few bad outings, but maybe he still has some value. Really I'm fine with the D'backs sending him and Garland out for mid level prospects if thats all the team can get back. Just try to get left handed power bats with some chance of doing something and I'll be happy.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Unless the D-backs get offered a too good to be true offer for Qualls, he's not going anywhere...

I would absolutely look to dump Young for, well, anything really... There could be a team out there who's heading toward the post-season and who might want him as their late inning, defensive 4th outfielder.

Really wish Whitesell could hit in the majors... This team needs power a consistent bat with some degree of power (25 HR's at minimum) at first base in the WORST way...

 

[The Commish]

Unless the D-backs get offered a too good to be true offer for Qualls, he's not going anywhere...

I would absolutely look to dump Young for, well, anything really... There could be a team out there who's heading toward the post-season and who might want him as their late inning, defensive 4th outfielder.

Really wish Whitesell could hit in the majors... This team needs power a consistent bat with some degree of power (25 HR's at minimum) at first base in the WORST way...

It sounds like Brandon Allen may be that guy. In AAA Reno he's hitting .352 with 7 dingers in 54 AB's since his acquisition. Small sample size, but this is who the DBacks feel will be their starting first baseman next year. By comparison, Whitesell hit the same number of HR's in 154 AB's in Reno.

 

[PDXChris]

We should give any team Chris Young and a million bucks just to ensure he doesn't return here.....

If Connor somes back healthy, I am comfortable with a Para, Upton, Jackson outfield. My only question it, can Para play CF? I also want to see Roberts at 2B everyday the rest of the season to see if he can be the guy next year. If Young can get moved, this could be our lineup.

SS Drew
CF Para
RF Upton
1B Allen
3B Renyolds
LF Jackson
C Montero
2b Roberts

I think Snyder is the backup/defensive replacement next year.

 

[82CardsGrad]

It sounds like Brandon Allen may be that guy. In AAA Reno he's hitting .352 with 7 dingers in 54 AB's since his acquisition. Small sample size, but this is who the DBacks feel will be there starting first baseman next year. By comparison, Whitesell hit the same number of HR's in 154 AB's in Reno.

That's encouraging. Just hope he can bring that sort of production - or something close to it - to the bigs...

 

[DWKB]

The FO seems to have the idea there's still something salvageable though. If I were GM I would've waived him already and eaten his salary ...

So we'd field....Alex Romero? This is your preference?

 

[The Commish]

Buying high and selling low isn't a good strategy. You can't get anything for CY right now so what's the point in dealing him? If we didn't have so many injuries in the OF (Byrnes, CoJack) he would be down in AAA trying to figure things out. Might as well just hang on to him and hope he turns it around.

 

[binkar]

It sounds like Brandon Allen may be that guy. In AAA Reno he's hitting .352 with 7 dingers in 54 AB's since his acquisition. Small sample size, but this is who the DBacks feel will be their starting first baseman next year. By comparison, Whitesell hit the same number of HR's in 154 AB's in Reno.

He hit another one tonight. The kid is on fire.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

 

[Gaddabout]

So we'd field....Alex Romero? This is your preference?

Give someone like Geoff Jenkins a call and see if he'd like to pick up an easy pay check to finish out the season in left field. Parra in center, Upton in right. Would make you wonder why they didn't do that earlier.

 

[Gaddabout]

He hit another one tonight. The kid is on fire.

But don't all Triple A home run numbers come with an asterisk because of the elevation?

 

[DWKB]

Give someone like Geoff Jenkins a call and see if he'd like to pick up an easy pay check to finish out the season in left field. Parra in center, Upton in right. Would make you wonder why they didn't do that earlier.

What's the point? That's not going to make us a playoff team. A 34 year old not playing this year and putting up a 694 OPS last year isn't going to add anything over CY. You've now added at minimum $250k for this "addition".

 

[Gaddabout]

What's the point? That's not going to make us a playoff team. A 34 year old not playing this year and putting up a 694 OPS last year isn't going to add anything over CY. You've now added at minimum $250k for this "addition".

But a negotiated cash buyout of Young's contract saves the team money over the long run.

 

[DWKB]

But a negotiated cash buyout of Young's contract saves the team money over the long run.

"Negotiated cash buyout"? This is baseball, contracts are written in stone and cash is owed the moment the ink is dry.

The DBacks are on the hook for $28M over the next 5 years (counting 2009) regardless of if CY is on this team or not. The only negotiation they have in the contract is a team option in 2014 which would take a Ruthian change in performance for them to pick up.

 

[82CardsGrad]

"Negotiated cash buyout"? This is baseball, contracts are written in stone and cash is owed the moment the ink is dry.

The DBacks are on the hook for $28M over the next 5 years (counting 2009) regardless of if CY is on this team or not. The only negotiation they have in the contract is a team option in 2014 which would take a Ruthian change in performance for them to pick up.

Not neccessarily... I could be wrong but I believe Gadd was talking about a situation where a team agrees to buyout or pick up the remaining years on Young's contract. Of course, this is highly remote and the D-Backs would have to take quite a risk or give up something far too big to entice another team to spend more than a penny on Young...

 

[binkar]

But don't all Triple A home run numbers come with an asterisk because of the elevation?

Not all HR's are hit at high elevation.

 

[Gaddabout]

"Negotiated cash buyout"? This is baseball, contracts are written in stone and cash is owed the moment the ink is dry.

The DBacks are on the hook for $28M over the next 5 years (counting 2009) regardless of if CY is on this team or not. The only negotiation they have in the contract is a team option in 2014 which would take a Ruthian change in performance for them to pick up.

Everything is negotiable, even baseball contracts. That's how Colangelo got the team so deep in debt to begin with -- paying interest on money owed to players who aren't on the team any longer.

If Colangelo can do that, the team and Young can't reach an agreement for, say 50 cents on the dollar to let him walk and find someplace else to play?

Even if that's not possible, it's still cheaper to work an agreement to pay only part of his salary for him to play on another team than keeping him around.

 

[az240zz]

I don't see them trading Garland or Davis as they have no one to replace them. If they did they would have replaced Petit. They'll take the draft picks when they sign elsewhere next year.

By the way that was quite a game he threw tonight.

 

[HooverDam]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/2009/07/29/20090729dbnotestrade0730.html

Notes: D-Backs deadline deals unlikely
1 comment by Bob McManaman and Nick Piecoro - Jul. 29, 2009 10:12 PM
The Arizona Republic
Despite a flurry of trades by teams Wednesday as baseball's non-waiver deadline approaches Friday, the Diamondbacks appear to be done dealing for now.

Team sources indicated that if any trades were to happen, they likely would come next month, when players first must pass through the waiver system.

The Diamondbacks have had multiple conversations with clubs about potential trades, but they haven't been overwhelmed by any offers since dealing reliever Tony Pena to the White Sox and second baseman Felipe Lopez to the Brewers.

Players rumored to be available include starting pitchers Doug Davis and Jon Garland, closer Chad Qualls and corner infielder Chad Tracy. Davis and Garland are scheduled to pitch this weekend, when Arizona travels to New York for a four-game series against the Mets.

"Those are two names that have been mentioned a lot, but to be honest with you, I don't know. You never know how the end of these deadlines are going to go," Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch said.

General Manager Josh Byrnes said he did not think a trade is likely before Friday.

Draftee awaits offer
Finally healthy, Matt Helm is back on the field, but the seventh-round draft pick is awaiting an offer from the Diamondbacks.

Helm, a third baseman from Chandler Hamilton High, believes he would have been drafted last month in the top three rounds had he not suffered through an injury-plagued senior year.

Because of that, he said he is seeking a signing bonus commensurate with the top three rounds in order to bypass his college commitment to play at Arizona. Last year's third-rounders received between $300,000-$500,000 to sign.

"If everything works out right and they come to the number I'm looking for, it will be hard to choose between," he said.

Helm suffered a knee injury early in his senior season and a high-ankle sprain in the state playoffs, but the Diamondbacks have been monitoring his return to the field with a travel team.

Getting defensive
The Diamondbacks recently went eight games without committing an error, but the miscues returned on this homestand, and Hinch said part of the problem is that the players are thinking too much about playing perfect defense.

"It's in this team to play solid defense and play complete games," Hinch said, adding that his players must stop criticizing each other. "The finger-pointing stuff isn't going to help get us to where we want to be; execution is. This is a close-knit group that understands that, but at the same time we all wear our emotions on our sleeves sometimes."

Short hop
Chris Snyder got his first start behind the plate since June 23, when he went on the disabled list because of back spasms. Hinch reiterated that Miguel Montero will get the bulk of the playing time for now but added that Snyder remains an important piece and, "I want him to feel a part of it."

Bummer. I wouldve been happy to see them move Garland and Davis just because trades keep things interesting, and we need all the interest we can get this season.

 

[DWKB]

Everything is negotiable, even baseball contracts.

No, they are not. It just simply is not true. That's why we were paying Ortiz $7.5M to pitch for the Giants in 2007 and $8.5M last year to not pitch at all.

That's how Colangelo got the team so deep in debt to begin with -- paying interest on money owed to players who aren't on the team any longer.
If Colangelo can do that, the team and Young can't reach an agreement for, say 50 cents on the dollar to let him walk and find someplace else to play?

Colangelo negotiated those contracts up front when they were signed to have outrageously long payouts. The amount of money owed was never adjusted.

I could be wrong but I believe Gadd was talking about a situation where a team agrees to buyout or pick up the remaining years on Young's contract. Of course, this is highly remote and the D-Backs would have to take quite a risk or give up something far too big to entice another team to spend more than a penny on Young...

Even if that's not possible, it's still cheaper to work an agreement to pay only part of his salary for him to play on another team than keeping him around.

These two situations are completely different than Gadd's original suggestion that he would have released CY outright long ago had he been the GM of this team.

If I were GM I would've waived him already and eaten his salary ...

 

[Gaddabout]

Colangelo negotiated those contracts up front when they were signed to have outrageously long payouts. The amount of money owed was never adjusted.

Uh, no. Colangelo negotiated contracts that ultimately he didn't have the cash to pay, so then he re-negotiated several contracts to be paid out over a longer period of time -- with interest. That's why the payroll has been under lock and key -- the D-Backs are still paying for the 2001 championship.

 

[Mulli]

Uh, no. Colangelo negotiated contracts that ultimately he didn't have the cash to pay, so then he re-negotiated several contracts to be paid out over a longer period of time -- with interest. That's why the payroll has been under lock and key -- the D-Backs are still paying for the 2001 championship.

As as fan, I would say it was 100% worth it. No question.