The Best and Worst of Joe Garagiola

[Diamondback Jay]

Every General Manager (with the exception of perhaps Ed Wade or Steve Phillips) has made good moves and bad moves in their career.

With that said, the recent departure of Joe Garagiola Jr. has gotten me thinking about the career that was of the only GM this franchise has ever had. So, I’ve decided to come up with my own list of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Joe G’s sometimes illustrious, other times maligned run as General Manager.

Feel free to chime in with your own additions to this.

Best Trade
December 28, 1998
Diamondbacks trade OF Karim Garcia to Tigers for OF Luis Gonzalez

-- I know a lot of people will probably give me flack for picking this over the Schilling for Lee-Padilla-Daal-Figueroa deal, however I can not look past this deal as the best Joey G. ever made.

Gonzo has really been a vital part of the franchise and is questionably one of the most popular D-Backs ever. He also collected the hit that gave Arizona the World Series Ring. Garcia didn't do crap for Detroit and was gone the next season, bouncing around baseball.

To me, this was a deal that really defined Garagiola's run as General Manager.

Worst Trade
November 28, 2003
Diamondbacks trade SP Curt Schilling to Boston for SP/RP Brandon Lyon, SP Casey Fossum and SP/RP Jorge DeLaRosa

-- When you consider the fact that DeLaRosa was spun to Milwaukee as a part of the Richie "A DBack for 29 Games" Sexson and Fossum was traded to Tampa Bay for Jose Freakin Cruz, this deal looks even worse than it did at the time. When you add in the fact that Fossum is FINALLY looking like a pitcher with promise, which is all we heard Boston say when they were peddling him off, it makes you truly want to hurl.

Best Free Agent Signing
November 30, 1998
Diamondbacks sign SP Randy Johnson to a four-year, $52.4 million contract

-- What did $13 million annually buy the Diamondbacks? A World Series ring, several NL West titles, 4 Cy Young Award trophies, a pitcher's Triple Crown and a certain induction in to Cooperstown donning a Diamondback cap. I'd say that's money pretty well spent.

Worst Free Agent Signing
I'm having a tough time picking this one.. Part of me wants to say Jay Bell, but when you consider he was paid roughly 7 million a year, that's chicken scraps considering the contracts being dished out now a days..

 

[nathan]

Key: Good Mixed Bad
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1997
11/17/1997 Signed free agent shortstop Jay Bell, who had been with the Kansas City Royals, to a five-year contract.
11/18/1997 The Diamondbacks acquire OF Devon White from the Florida Marlins in exchange for LHP Jesus Martinez.
12/01/1997 Cleveland Indians traded third baseman Matt Williams to the Arizona Diamondbacks for third baseman Travis Fryman and pitcher Tom Martin.
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1998
11/04/1998 Named Mike Rizzo national scouting supervisor for the central region and Jason Goligoski area scouting supervisor for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
11/18/1998 Agreed to a four-year contract with free agent right-handed pitcher Todd Stottlemyre, who had been with the Texas Rangers.
11/30/1998 Agreed to a four-year contract with free agent left-handed pitcher Randy Johnson, who had been with the Houston Astros.
11/24/1998 Agreed to a two-year contract with free agent right-handed pitcher Armando Reynoso, who had been with the New York Mets.
12/07/1998 Agreed to a four-year contract with free agent outfielder Steve Finley, who had been with the San Diego Padres.
12/28/1998 Detroit Tigers -- acquired outfielder Karim Garcia from the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfielder Luis Gonzalez and cash considerations.
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1999
02/19/1999 Signed pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim.
02/26/1999 Acquired second baseman Tony Womack from the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Paul Weichard and a player to be named.
06/12/1999 Acquired left-handed pitcher Dan Plesac from the Toronto Blue Jays for infielder Tony Batista and right-handed pitcher John Frascatore.
07/09/1999 Acquired pitcher Matt Mantei from the Florida Marlins for pitchers Vladimir Nunez and Brad Penny and a player to be named
08/02/1999 Signed outfielder Luis Gonzalez to a three-year contract extension with club option for the 2003 season.
11/23/1999 Signed free agent pitcher Russ Springer, who had been with the Atlanta Braves, to a two-year contract.
12/12/1999 Signed infielder/outfielder Tony Womack to a four-year contract.
-----------------
2000
06/09/2000 Traded infielder Andy Fox to the Florida Marlins for outfielder Danny Bautista
07/26/2000 Philadelphia Phillies -- Traded pitcher Curt Schilling to the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfielder-first baseman Travis Lee and pitchers Omar Daal, Vicente Padilla and Nelson Figueroa.
11/15/2000 Signed pitcher Miguel Batista
12/06/2000 Signed pitcher Armando Reynoso to a two-year contract
12/08/2000 Signed free agent first baseman Mark Grace, who had been with the Chicago Cubs, to a two-year contract.
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2001
01/17/2001 Agreed to a four-year contract with pitcher Matt Mantei.
02/24/2001 Signed pitcher Greg Swindell to a two-year contract extension with a club option for 2004.
03/29/2001 Acquired catcher Chad Moeller from the Minnesota Twins for infielder Hanley Frias.
12/18/2001 Agreed to terms with OF Danny Bautista on a three-year contract
12/12/2001 Agreed to terms with free agent OF Jose Guillen.
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2002
01/07/2002 Acquired LHP Mike Myers from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for OF Jack Cust and C J.D. Closser.
01/09/2002 Agreed to terms with 2B Craig Counsell on a three-year contract extension with club options for 2005 and 2006.
07/06/2002 Acquired pitcher Mike Fetters from the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Duaner Sanchez.
12/15/2002 As part of a 4-team trade, traded Erubiel Durazo to the Oakland Athletics. Received Elmer Dessens and cash from the Cincinnati Reds.

------------------
2003
01/09/2003 Agreed to terms with P Elmer Dessens on a two-year contract.
03/19/2003 Signed outfielder Luis Gonzalez to a three-year contract extension through the 2006 season.
03/24/2003 Signed pitcher Randy Johnson to a two-year contract extension through the 2005 season.
05/29/2003 Traded RHP Byung-Hyun Kim to the Boston Red Sox for 3B Shea Hillenbrand.
07/29/2003 Acquired OF Raul Mondesi from the Yankees in exchange for OF David Dellucci, P Bret Prinz and C Jon Mark Sprowl.
11/28/2003 Acquired LHP Casey Fossum, RHP Brandon Lyon, minor league LHP Jorge de La Rosa and a player to be named later from Boston in exchange for RHP Curt Schilling.
12/01/2003 Acquired 1B Richie Sexson, LHP Shane Nance and a player to be named from the Brewers for IFs Craig Counsell, Junior Spivey and Lyle Overbay, C Chad Moeller and LHPs Chris Capuano and Jorge de la Rosa.
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2004
03/25/2004 Acquired LHP Randy Choate from the Expos for RHP John Patterson.
07/31/2004 Traded Steve Finley and Brent Mayne to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Received Koyie Hill, Bill Murphy (minors), and Reggie Abercrombie (minors).
12/11/2004 Signed Troy Glaus as a free agent.
12/11/2004 Signed Signed Russ Ortiz as a free agent.
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2005
01/11/2005 Traded Randy Johnson to the New York Yankees. Received Javier Vazquez, Brad Halsey, Dioner Navarro, and cash.
01/11/2005 Traded Dioner Navarro, Beltran Perez (minors), Danny Muegge (minors), and William Juarez (minors) to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Received Shawn Green.
01/12/2005 Traded Shea Hillenbrand to the Toronto Blue Jays. Received Adam Peterson.
02/06/2005 Traded Casey Fossum to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Received Jose Cruz and cash.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Good list, I disagree with a couple though.

Key: Good Mixed Bad
-----------------
1997
11/17/1997 Signed free agent shortstop Jay Bell, who had been with the Kansas City Royals, to a five-year contract.
Fairly big part of our early success, Id call it a good signing.

-----------------
1999
12/12/1999 Signed infielder/outfielder Tony Womack to a four-year contract.
Since we are playing the hindsight game, Id imagine getting two of the franchises three most important hits ever in 2001 makes signing him in 1999 a good deal.

-----------------
2002
01/07/2002 Acquired LHP Mike Myers from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for OF Jack Cust and C J.D. Closser.
Meh...maybe this is a nitpick, but Id gray this one because we arent missing anything out of this trade.

------------------
2003
07/29/2003 Acquired OF Raul Mondesi from the Yankees in exchange for OF David Dellucci, P Bret Prinz and C Jon Mark Sprowl.
Same logic applies here as the Myers deal, Id gray it.

12/01/2003 Acquired 1B Richie Sexson, LHP Shane Nance and a player to be named from the Brewers for IFs Craig Counsell, Junior Spivey and Lyle Overbay, C Chad Moeller and LHPs Chris Capuano and Jorge de la Rosa.
This one should indeed be red, but I think that in a couple years this one wont look all that bad with the two draft picks we got for letting Sexson go.

-------------------
2004

12/11/2004 Signed Troy Glaus as a free agent.
He's had a fairly successful year, Id green this one.

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2005
01/11/2005 Traded Dioner Navarro, Beltran Perez (minors), Danny Muegge (minors), and William Juarez (minors) to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Received Shawn Green.
We traded a bunch of minor leaguers that were way, way down on the depth chart for Green, who I think has been having a pretty good year. Id green it.

 

[nathan]

I grayed Jay Bell because he was overpaid for most of his stay here:
2000: 565 AB, .267/.348/.437, $7,000,000
2001: 428 AB, .248/.349/.400, $8,050,000
2002: 49 AB, .163/.250/.306, $8,000,000
He was the first big free agent signing, but did not provide much value during the latter 3 years of contract.

Cust hasn't amounted to squat, but Myers was very mediocre here (typical JG pitcher). Closser is in the majors although not doing that well.

Mondesi deal was pretty irrelevant, I agree.

Sexson deal was awful. Torra+Neighbor"ball" have to do very well to make this deal look better.

Green and Glaus have worked out reasonably so far but have question marks (age and injury). I can see Green losing power quickly and Glaus putting up a very low average with lots of strikeouts (he is a career .253 hitter). The jury is still out.

 

[AZZenny]

Very good! - Oh, a few quibbles, and a couple I'd put in bold-face, but not bad.

We have an option on Gonzo for 2007 as part of that deal - which I am sure they will feel compelled to pick up - plus he's overpaid for what he gives us now, and you have to be careful about 'making up' for good deals of the past. IMO sentimentality has been one of Joe's big weaknesses.

I think the Finley trade is gray at best. Abercrombie's gone, Murphy is struggling, and Hill is so-so.
Likewise, getting a pitcher we cut immediately for Hillenbrand was a big red.
While the Shawn Green trade may be OK, the contract they signed him to is totally red, so I guess you're right, its gray.

Now, if we looked at all the actual contracts and signings - the Shane Reynolds, the 2 years to Choate and then cut him 30 days later... there'd be a lot more reds up there. But who has the time?!

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Very good! - Oh, a few quibbles, and a couple I'd put in bold-face, but not bad.

We have an option on Gonzo for 2007 as part of that deal - which I am sure they will feel compelled to pick up - plus he's overpaid for what he gives us now, and you have to be careful about 'making up' for good deals of the past. IMO sentimentality has been one of Joe's big weaknesses.

The new (full time, not interim) GM has not been announced yet, but you already know what direction that GM will want to move in and therefore know what will happen with Gonzo? Impressive. I agree that extending Gonzo to 2007 would be a big mistake, but I really dont think that is going to necessarily happen.

I think the Finley trade is gray at best. Abercrombie's gone, Murphy is struggling, and Hill is so-so.

And what has Finley done this year at what price?

Likewise, getting a pitcher we cut immediately for Hillenbrand was a big red.

Agreed, dont know how I missed that the first time.

Now, if we looked at all the actual contracts and signings - the Shane Reynolds, the 2 years to Choate and then cut him 30 days later... there'd be a lot more reds up there. But who has the time?!

Now, if we looked at all the actual contracts and signings, there would be a lot more greens up there too. Why does the glass always have to be half empty?

 

[nathan]

I think the Finley trade is gray at best. Abercrombie's gone, Murphy is struggling, and Hill is so-so.

Murphy has been decent in AAA especially compared to Gosling and Edgar Gonzalez:
4.25 ERA-101.2 IP, 96 H, 32 BB, 72 K, .249 BAA

I think he started the season poorly too.

 

[overseascardfan]

Good:
Gonzalez
Johnson
Schilling
Clark
Batista
Finley


Average:
Glaus
Green
Williams

Bad:
Sexton
Mantei
Bell
Stottlemyre

 

[Lefty]

Murphy has been decent in AAA especially compared to Gosling and Edgar Gonzalez:
4.25 ERA-101.2 IP, 96 H, 32 BB, 72 K, .249 BAA

I think he started the season poorly too.

You are correct. Murphy has been getting better as the season has gone on. Finley on the other hand, is having a horrible year in the friendly hitting AL.
He is batting only 228 with an OBP of 285. Plus he only has 8 home runs with 43 rbi's. Those stats are definitely worth giving $16 million dollars for two years guaranteed for a 40-year old player.

 

[Lefty]

I will only mention a few good and bad trades. I did find what Thom said yesterday interesting in that Joe brought a World Series title and three division titles to Arizona while the Devil Rays have not even been competitive. There are those who are very happy Joe is gone but he did assemble that 2001 team and for that I am grateful. I bet Cub and White Sox fans wish they had a World Series title in the last 50 years.

Best trades:
Getting Curt from the Phillies.
Getting Gonzo from the Tigers.

Those two acquisitions were instrumental in Arizona winning it all in 2001.

Worst trades:
Curt Schilling to the Red Sox.
Acquiring Richie Sexson for all those players. Even though Overbay is the only guy who really is putting up numbers, not re-signing Sexson and letting him go proved the trade was a bad one.

There are others that have already been mentioned, but those are the ones that stick out with me.

Of course you can look at every general manager and find some good and bad trades. I think it comes down to if your team has won the World Series. Theo Epstein is getting all the praise and deservedly so. Dan Duquette(sp) could not bring a title to Boston and was basically kicked out of town. Dan made some really bad moves, including not re-signing Clemens and trading Bagwell for Larry Anderson, ouch!

 

[Dback Jon]

I will forever argue with anyone that claims the Jay Bell signing is Mixed or Bad.

Yes, we overpaid for him - but his value lies in what messeage the signing sent to MLB - the D'backs meant business, and they were committed to building a winning team quickly. This signing showed other free agents, like Randy Johnson, that the D'backs were committed to building a contender ASAP, as evidenced by winning the division, and 100 games, in their second year. A year I might add, that Jay Bell was an All-Star.

 

[Lefty]

I will forever argue with anyone that claims the Jay Bell signing is Mixed or Bad.

Yes, we overpaid for him - but his value lies in what messeage the signing sent to MLB - the D'backs meant business, and they were committed to building a winning team quickly. This signing showed other free agents, like Randy Johnson, that the D'backs were committed to building a contender ASAP, as evidenced by winning the division, and 100 games, in their second year. A year I might add, that Jay Bell was an All-Star.

There are things some players bring to a ballclub that you can't measure or see in the clubhouse.

 

[AZZenny]

Yeah, actually, I agree on Jay Bell, too - that was an important signing for a lot of reasons at the time.

And stand corrected on Finley - but since he wouldn't have been ours this year (necessarily) and we might have gotten a free agent pick without the trade, it's sort of a wash. And right - Murphy is improving as he's learning some new pitches.

Regarding Gonzo - I am basing my glass-half-empty expectation on several things - Gonzo is the face of the franchise. He was Moorad's client and remains a close friend. Moorad has shown a little tendency to overvalue former clients (cf. Shawn Green). He has said he is not ready to think about retiring and hopes to finish out here in a few years whenever he's done. And the fans love him, and most franchises - Oakland a rare exception - will cater to that strong a fan attachment if they possibly can. He's not hitting well enough anymore to be traded as a DH or anything else at his salary. Ergo - Gonzo in 2007, even though possibly in an expensive back-up role.

If we get a really unsentimental GM who has a lot of authority, and we have worked our top prospects in to the roster full-time, maybe the aging Gonzo would not be picked up for 2007. Otherwise, it just seems that the cards are stacked a bit more in that direction more than against.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

From the Houston Chronicle.

Sure, Purpura could have landed Clark before the non-waiver deadline, but the Diamondbacks wanted Brad Lidge in return.

The Joe Jr. school of general managing: Ask for mediocre players when trading away a great players, but ask for great players when trading away mediocre ones and hope the GM on the other line is as clueless as you are.

 

[AZZenny]

Sure, Purpura could have landed Clark before the non-waiver deadline, but the Diamondbacks wanted Brad Lidge in return. The Joe Jr. school of general managing: Ask for mediocre players when trading away a great players, but ask for great players when trading away mediocre ones and hope the GM on the other line is as clueless as you are.

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Explains why he gave Clark a two-year/ntc deal, though - I am sure Joe actually believed Clark was worth a Brad Lidge. Classic, classic, classic.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Sure, Purpura could have landed Clark before the non-waiver deadline, but the Diamondbacks wanted Brad Lidge in return.

That is insane beyond recognition.