Per SI.COM the Diamondbacks Agreed To Terms With Felipe Lopez

[asuhoopsnut]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/12/felipe-lopez-si.html

 

[Mulli]

:championship:

 

[Kablansky]

They'll have to come up with another Byrnes trade now.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

I like the deal. Lopez brings a wrinkle to the Diamondbacks that they didn't have in the last two seasons, someone who is a possible leadoff hitter and a potential 40 steals guy. Speed on the basepaths is so underrated and Lopez gives them just that.

 

[TJ]

I like the deal. Lopez brings a wrinkle to the Diamondbacks that they didn't have in the last two seasons, someone who is a possible leadoff hitter and a potential 40 steals guy. Speed on the basepaths is so underrated and Lopez gives them just that.

Didnt think of that. Steals are so underrated these days. If we end up keeping Byrnes, hopefully he can bring the same drive to steal a bunch of bases like he did a couple of years ago

 

[Shzm13]

Steal ability is nothing if Melvin doesnt call it!


That noob.

 

[overseascardfan]

Something's better than nothing. BOS has interest in Montero but will not give up Michael Bowden, a ASU signee who signed with BOS. Hopefully he can net us a SP.

 

[dbUNIT16]

Don't like it at all! I would've preferred Vazquez, and we probably could have gotten him for less than Lopez. Lopez had one All-Star year and had been at best marginal since... Very suspect when he hit 23 HR in 2001, then never hit more than 9 again! Juicy juice? Makes you wonder...

 

[BC867]

Very suspect when he hit 23 HR in 2001, then never hit more than 9 again! Juicy juice? Makes you wonder...

Why evaluate a 2B as a HR hitter? The homerun obsession is why the Diamondbacks (especially their young power hitters) have underachieved.

They go up swinging for the seats on every pitch and opposing pitchers take advantage of them . . . which then cause the umpires to do the same. And they hit .240.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Don't like it at all! I would've preferred Vazquez, and we probably could have gotten him for less than Lopez. Lopez had one All-Star year and had been at best marginal since... Very suspect when he hit 23 HR in 2001, then never hit more than 9 again! Juicy juice? Makes you wonder...

If he hits anything close to the way he did in St. Louis and becomes the base stealing threat he's capable of becoming when set loose, I'll take that "marginal" player in a heart beat.

If Lopez can hit .280 or above and get 35 steals or more, this contract is worth it's weight in gold.

There's more to a player like Felipe Lopez than hype. Since Tony Womack, the Diamondbacks have lacked a serious and true top of the lineup hitter. Yes, Byrnes had over 40 steals in 2007, however that seemed to be the exception not the norm of his career. What having Lopez does is gives them a player who not just can steal bases, but someone who when he gets on base, he opens up the pitches for the 2, 3 and 4 hitter. If the pitcher knows he's got to keep his eye on 1st, he's going to be more prone to give up a pitch for Drew or whomever hits #2 to hit. He also has the speed to turn a single in to a triple.. Or to turn a routine base hit by the 2-3 or 4 hitters in to a run.

That's speed on the basepaths. That's something the Diamondbacks have sorely missed in recent years.

Good signing. Very solid and under the radar.

 

[Dback Jon]

I like the signing...

 

[BC867]

If Lopez can hit .280 or above and get 35 steals or more, this contract is worth it's weight in gold ... That's speed on the basepaths. That's something the Diamondbacks have sorely missed in recent years.

'Sounds a lot like Chris Young.

Perhaps Lopez' age and experience will overcome whatever caused Young to decline (such as a homerun-or-nothing team approach).

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Perhaps Lopez' age and experience will overcome whatever caused Young to decline (such as a homerun-or-nothing team approach).

You hit the nail on the head as to what Young's decline can be attributed to. Piss poor management, who encouraged him to turn in to an all-or-nothing guy.

Perhaps now that they have a true leadoff guy, they can put Young at the 2-4 or 5 spot and work from there.