Next Steps on Snyder & Bell?

[TyCobb]

I think its crazy at this point. I don't think you can reasonably expect anything higher than maybe a .750 OPS from him.

If you want a poor-fielding 1B stop gap for the first month or two, just go with Wigginton. Of course, he may be our poor-fielding 3B stop gap, although I'd prefer to sign a legit 3B to a 1-year deal to give Bell plenty of time to adjust to AAA before being called up to MLB.

My wish list as of now (if we can't trade Scott) is to sign Crede to play 3rd base. Trade Guts for JJ Hardy. And Sign Huff to a 1 year 3-5 million dollar contract.

[Mackus]

My wish list as of now (if we can't trade Scott) is to sign Crede to play 3rd base. Trade Guts for JJ Hardy. And Sign Huff to a 1 year 3-5 million dollar contract.

Why would you want Huff to a 1-year deal if you've got Crede at 3B and JJ Hardy at SS?

You've already got Wigginton who is a better hitter and probably a better fielder than Huff, plus he fills a weakness of ours as a excellent hitter against LHP.

[TGO]

This team is not going to play Huff at 3B. Ever. He is a break-glass-in-emergency 3B. I don't know why this subject keeps coming up.

[DrungoHazewood]

This is probably going to be crazy, but I wonder if signing Huff to backstop 1B at the start of the year would be crazy.

Yes, it would be crazy unless someone could drug him, and his agent, and get him to accept a one-year contract for $500k.

Signing Huff is accepting the idea that you don't particularly care if your first baseman is below-replacement level at above-replacement prices. That's not the way to .500 and beyond.

[TyCobb]

Why would you want Huff to a 1-year deal if you've got Crede at 3B and JJ Hardy at SS?

You've already got Wigginton who is a better hitter and probably a better fielder than Huff, plus he fills a weakness of ours as a excellent hitter against LHP.

I am not a fan of Wiggy. He has been great as of late, but I rather have Huff as the starting 1B than Wiggy come next season. Having Huff and Wiggy though would be some nice depth you only find on quality teams.

[JTrea81]

You've already got Wigginton who is a better hitter and probably a better fielder than Huff, plus he fills a weakness of ours as a excellent hitter against LHP.

While Wigginton has a been a better fielder than Huff at 1B this year, he hasn't been a better hitter, nor has he been good vs. LHP this year posting .644 OPS against them.

We also desperately need to keep him away from 3B as he's been atrocious there posting a -23.8 UZR/150.

With that being said, I would much rather sign a Troy Glaus or an Eric Hinske, than re-sign Huff Daddy.

[Mackus]

I am not a fan of Wiggy. He has been great as of late, but I rather have Huff as the starting 1B than Wiggy come next season. Having Huff and Wiggy though would be some nice depth you only find on quality teams.

Not sure Huff on the bench would count as nice depth any more than Kevin Millar on the Blue Jays counts as nice depth. And him starting is a very bad option, IMO. He's horrible defensively and is bad offensively. Not sure what skills he brings that you like. It was great when he was hitting well, but most thought he'd come back down to Earth. And he has and even moreso, he's been far worse than even the most pessimistic predictions for him this year. I don't wanna pay $5M to gamble that a 33 y/o can bounce back when he's only been even an average player one time in the past 5 years.

.749, .813, .778, .912, .725

Which number stands out to you as the fluke one?

[TyCobb]

Yes, it would be crazy unless someone could drug him, and his agent, and get him to accept a one-year contract for $500k.

Signing Huff is accepting the idea that you don't particularly care if your first baseman is below-replacement level at above-replacement prices. That's not the way to .500 and beyond.

Yes Huff has been pretty awful so far this year. I just don't see any other options that would realistically sign with us for a 1/2 year contract.

The only other guy I would want to sign is Russell Branyan (33 years old), but that is probably going to take at least 3 years. Now maybe I would do that because once Synder is ready you move Branyan to the DH role.

[Mackus]

Yes Huff has been pretty awful so far this year. I just don't see any other options that would realistically sign with us for a 1/2 year contract.

You honestly think the only option is a guy who is a below replacement level player this year as a 32 y/o?

Below replacement level. Meaning you can go and shake a tree in the Mexican Leagues and have a 50/50 chance of finding someone who can do better.

[TyCobb]

Not sure Huff on the bench would count as nice depth any more than Kevin Millar on the Blue Jays counts as nice depth. And him starting is a very bad option, IMO. He's horrible defensively and is bad offensively. Not sure what skills he brings that you like. It was great when he was hitting well, but most thought he'd come back down to Earth. And he has and even moreso, he's been far worse than even the most pessimistic predictions for him this year. I don't wanna pay $5M to gamble that a 33 y/o can bounce back when he's only been even an average player one time in the past 5 years.

.749, .813, .778, .912, .725

Which number stands out to you as the fluke one?

Huff's BABIP so far this year is .282. Past two seasons it has been .310 and .314.

[TyCobb]

You honestly think the only option is a guy who is a below replacement level player this year as a 32 y/o?

Below replacement level. Meaning you can go and shake a tree in the Mexican Leagues and have a 50/50 chance of finding someone who can do better.

I also think there is a 50/50 chance Huff has an wOBA over .330 next year.

[DrungoHazewood]

While Wigginton has a been a better fielder than Huff at 1B this year, he hasn't been a better hitter, nor has he been good vs. LHP this year posting .644 OPS against them.

In Wigginton's career he has about a +100 point OPS advantage against lefties in nearly 1000 PAs against them. This year he has 96 at bats against lefties.

That .644 in about 10% of his career at bats adds less than 10% to our knowledge of how Wigginton hits against lefties. Going forward we can assume that he'll continue to have nearly a 100 point advantage against them.

[DrungoHazewood]

I also think there is a 50/50 chance Huff has an wOBA over .330 next year.

I also think that there's a 100% chance that MLB first basemen will have a wOBA over .330 next year, so that Huff will have both a below-average bat and glove even if his bat lives up to your expectations.

That's the kind of player you try to avoid, and if you have to settle for one you sign to a contract near league minimum.

[ejf1025]

Why did this thread get moved?

It's def pertinent to the current O's.

[DrungoHazewood]

Huff's BABIP so far this year is .282. Past two seasons it has been .310 and .314.

If you use the quick-and-dirty batting average estimator (LD% + .120), Huff "should" be hitting about .280 instead of .255. That would put his season about in line with his 2007 performance. Which was still pretty crappy.