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A few things......


bigbird

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I clearly remember an interview from 2007 in which Huff was asked his favorite position. He said it was DH.

Huff reached the majors in 2000. In nine seasons, he's played the majority of his games at 3B only four times: 2000, 2001, 2004 & 2006. Huff' was as much an outfielder as a 3B before coming to Baltimore, and he has a below average fielding percentages & range factors at both positions.

DH & 1B are spots where he produces runs with the bat without giving them back with the glove.

Here's an article from 2006

"I'd like to go out there and prove I can play there," Huff said. "I played third all through college and the minors so I don't think this would be much different, but I just haven't had much chance to do so here without getting switched around."

...

"He really likes third base; that's what he told me," Maddon said. "But he's okay everywhere. He really is.

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People keep saying this but it makes no sense to me.

First of all, if he struggles as a closer and goes back to being a LOOGY, he will likely never be an AS again and won't have a big number under that "S" column, therefore he won't be worth nearly as much.

Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that we can get LaRoche for him straight up and we pass and Sherrill is a LOOGY from June of next year until he leaves the team....There is no way Sherrill, as a LOOGY, is worth more than a young third baseman with AS potential.

So, this idea that we don't need to trade him right now is silly if you put into the context of the way you are here....That is the exact reason why we should trade him...because he may revert back to being a closer...Because he has a high walk rate, high FB rate, etc....We don't know how he is going to react the last 2 months of the season when his workload gets greatly increased from last year's.

Now, I have no diubt that Sherrill can be a solid piece in our pen for the next few years...That's not the debate..The question is, do you hang onto him and hope he ends the year well and then look to move him or do you say there are too many warning signs out there and you just trade him now?

The Brewers bullpen hasn't been stellar since their GM mentioned he had no plans to acquire Sherrill. Hopefully they continue to blow games through Thursday and possibly cause Melvin to rethink that position. Sabathia pitched a nice game last night only to have the bullpen blow it.

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Here's an article from 2006

Does it really matter, though, if he's not a good defensive player over there?

He's more suited to a DH role. Occassional 1B and 3B. But if you throw him in at 3B consistently, you're going to get some really brutal play out of him.

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People keep saying this but it makes no sense to me.

First of all, if he struggles as a closer and goes back to being a LOOGY, he will likely never be an AS again and won't have a big number under that "S" column, therefore he won't be worth nearly as much.

Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that we can get LaRoche for him straight up and we pass and Sherrill is a LOOGY from June of next year until he leaves the team....There is no way Sherrill, as a LOOGY, is worth more than a young third baseman with AS potential.

So, this idea that we don't need to trade him right now is silly if you put into the context of the way you are here....That is the exact reason why we should trade him...because he may revert back to being a closer...Because he has a high walk rate, high FB rate, etc....We don't know how he is going to react the last 2 months of the season when his workload gets greatly increased from last year's.

Now, I have no diubt that Sherrill can be a solid piece in our pen for the next few years...That's not the debate..The question is, do you hang onto him and hope he ends the year well and then look to move him or do you say there are too many warning signs out there and you just trade him now?

I completely agree with you. But it seems to me, based on what we're hearing, that the market is already treating him as a LOOGY. If that's the case it makes sense to hold onto him since he's under club control for 3 more years and LOOGYs can be effective well into their 30's.

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Does it really matter, though, if he's not a good defensive player over there?

He's more suited to a DH role. Occassional 1B and 3B. But if you throw him in at 3B consistently, you're going to get some really brutal play out of him.

All the stats I've seen show Huff to be a league average 3B man. He's not a defensive wizard, but he won't kill you either.

I think he's gotten a reputation just like Scott and his supposed lack of ablity to hit LHP...

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Curious that the Marlins are shopping for a LH reliever, at the same time that they're offering up Taylor Tankersley (a LH reliever) for Hernandez.

I'm not sure what the bottom of the barrel is, but "Marlins reject" is probably pretty close.

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I completely agree with you. But it seems to me, based on what we're hearing, that the market is already treating him as a LOOGY. If that's the case it makes sense to hold onto him since he's under club control for 3 more years and LOOGYs can be effective well into their 30's.

It doesn't make more sense if you get a ML ready SS, third baseman, starter or combo there of.

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The Brewers bullpen hasn't been stellar since their GM mentioned he had no plans to acquire Sherrill. Hopefully they continue to blow games through Thursday and possibly cause Melvin to rethink that position. Sabathia pitched a nice game last night only to have the bullpen blow it.

Sabathia left last night's game trailing, 4-3.

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Curious that the Marlins are shopping for a LH reliever, at the same time that they're offering up Taylor Tankersley (a LH reliever) for Hernandez.

I'm not sure what the bottom of the barrel is, but "Marlins reject" is probably pretty close.

They want a proven veteran LH reliever. Someone who's going to come in and shut down a Ryan Howard/Chase Utley type come crunch time.

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People keep saying this but it makes no sense to me.

First of all, if he struggles as a closer and goes back to being a LOOGY, he will likely never be an AS again and won't have a big number under that "S" column, therefore he won't be worth nearly as much.

Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that we can get LaRoche for him straight up and we pass and Sherrill is a LOOGY from June of next year until he leaves the team....There is no way Sherrill, as a LOOGY, is worth more than a young third baseman with AS potential.

So, this idea that we don't need to trade him right now is silly if you put into the context of the way you are here....That is the exact reason why we should trade him...because he may revert back to being a closer...Because he has a high walk rate, high FB rate, etc....We don't know how he is going to react the last 2 months of the season when his workload gets greatly increased from last year's.

Now, I have no diubt that Sherrill can be a solid piece in our pen for the next few years...That's not the debate..The question is, do you hang onto him and hope he ends the year well and then look to move him or do you say there are too many warning signs out there and you just trade him now?

I would be more inclined to think Sherrill should be traded if he had been lights out this year and there was little reason to believe he could duplicate that success next year. With the numbers not earth-shattering why should we believe he's not capable of being at least as good in 2009. One could argue that he will become more used to the increased workload and pitch a little better next year.

If it is true that McPhail is holding out to get a good shortstop prospect for Sherrill I am all for that. Sherrill is the only piece the Birds have (excluding Roberts) that could possibly get the team the shortstop they so desperately need. If the team is unable to trade Sherrill for that SS I would hold onto him.

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I completely agree with you. But it seems to me, based on what we're hearing, that the market is already treating him as a LOOGY. If that's the case it makes sense to hold onto him since he's under club control for 3 more years and LOOGYs can be effective well into their 30's.

That is assuming that he goes back to being a LOOGY. It is more likely after his stint at closing that he goes to being a LH setup man, and not just a one-out guy. There is a little value out there for dominant set up men, if that is what a team thinks he can be.

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They want a proven veteran LH reliever. Someone who's going to come in and shut down a Ryan Howard/Chase Utley type come crunch time.

Neither "proven" nor "veteran" really matter.

As you imply, "effective" is what matters. Tankersley isn't that (or at least hasn't been).

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Interesting what BB said about Walker....he looked god last night..You have to wonder if they rushed him back off the DL to get a few outings before the deadline and see if they can move him?

That's not necessary. Walker would clear waivers, leaving him eligible to be traded next month.

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