Diamondbacks trade 2 minor-league players for 3B Chris Johnson

[Lefty]

Arizona Diamondbacks‏@Dbacks
ROSTER MOVE: #Dbacks acquire 3B Chris Johnson from #Astros in exchange for @MarcKrauss25 and Bobby Borchering.

 

[PDXChris]

Looks to be an upgrade over what we have had there and Borchering was batting .130 in AA this year. Marc Krauss was our second round pick on 2009 to go with the first round pick of Borchering 2009 and we turned it into an average starting 3B. I wonder if this means we will be moving Drew with a log jam at 3B-SS between McDonald, Drew, Bloomquist and Johnson. I also guess the Ryan Wheeler experiment is over.

 

[PDXChris]

Nick Piecoro ‏@nickpiecoro
It at least seems more likely now than it did an hour ago. RT @LGJ3630 do you think this could be setting up a possible trade for Stephen?

Interesting

 

[PDXChris]

More

Nick Piecoro ‏@nickpiecoro
Johnson has career .279 average and .735 OPS in parts of four seasons with the Astros.

Nick Piecoro ‏@nickpiecoro
Per Baseball Reference, that career OPS of Johnson's is perfectly average. A 100 OPS+.

Nick Piecoro ‏@nickpiecoro
The new Dbacks front office has never been high on Borchering or Krauss.

 

[Gaddabout]

They had already moved Borchering to LF, but he left his bat in Visalia. It's going to hurt if he ends up finding his bat and taking it to the bigs, because he really does have big boy power.

Chris Johnson is a stop-gap measure at that position.

 

[Dback Jon]

Wheels are turning - at least they are trying to do something

 

[devilalum]

Wheels are turning - at least they are trying to do something

This sounds like a classic small market "safe" move.

This 7-2 stretch seems to have fooled the front office into thinking we're buyers. Unfortunately the stretch just after the deadline will probably kill any post season hopes.

 

[Lefty]

They had already moved Borchering to LF, but he left his bat in Visalia. It's going to hurt if he ends up finding his bat and taking it to the bigs, because he really does have big boy power.

Chris Johnson is a stop-gap measure at that position.

Borchering is an undiscipline hitter. Strikes out too many times.

 

[Gaddabout]

The weird thing is Johnson is not a stellar fielder at 3B. In fact, he's been pretty awful and his range is average.

Johnson's 2012 Fld%: .940
League 2012 3B Fld% avg.: .952
Johnson's 2011 Fld%: .937
League 2011 3B Fld% avg.: .954

His salary is super cheap and he's controlled through 2017. Not eligible for arbitration until 2014.

 

[Gaddabout]

Borchering is an undiscipline hitter. Strikes out too many times.

Yeah, I wasn't a fan. Just nervous trading legit power prospect for a corner fielder who is what he is, and it's not a power hitter.

 

[Gaddabout]

Was just informed Astros see Borchering as their DH-to-be, considering they're moving to the American League.

 

[BC867]

Wheels are turning - at least they are trying to do something

It is ironic that Gibson has been referring to Wheeler as "Wheels" since he came up and now he'll be turning into the permanent backup. Unless the plan is to ultimately use Chris Johnson that way.

 

[overseascardfan]

I would have traded the Borchering & Krauss for a legit 3B like Aramis Ramirez who might be available now that MIL has decided they are going to be sellers, at least he provides a bat that opposing pitchers will worry about. Ramirez's contract is up after next year which would be around the time Davidson should be ready. Chris Johnson reminds me a lot of Ryan Roberts who we just got rid of, with a better career BA. Do not like this trade for ARZ.

 

[PDXChris]

I would have traded the Borchering & Krauss for a legit 3B like Aramis Ramirez who might be available now that MIL has decided they are going to be sellers, at least he provides a bat that opposing pitchers will worry about. Ramirez's contract is up after next year which would be around the time Davidson should be ready. Chris Johnson reminds me a lot of Ryan Roberts who we just got rid of, with a better career BA. Do not like this trade for ARZ.

As much as I am a Ramirez fan, the bottom line is 500K for Johnson and 5 years on control versus 3 years at 36 million for a aging Ramirez. We can't afford to take a chance like that with our payroll constraints.

As far as the Roberts comparison, Roberts was a career minor league baseball player until he was 28 and Johnson is now just 27 and showed the ability to hit for decent average and still has a bit of upside.

 

[Dback Jon]

Another HR for Johnson today

 

[overseascardfan]

art

As much as I am a Ramirez fan, the bottom line is 500K for Johnson and 5 years on control versus 3 years at 36 million for a aging Ramirez. We can't afford to take a chance like that with our payroll constraints.

As far as the Roberts comparison, Roberts was a career minor league baseball player until he was 28 and Johnson is now just 27 and showed the ability to hit for decent average and still has a bit of upside.

http://mlb.si.com/2012/08/01/trade-...-sox-reds-athletics-cardinals/?sct=mlb_t11_a1

This guy thinks we made a mistake ditching Roberts for Johnson and I kind of agreed with him but Johnson is raking. He has to come back down to Earth, right?