Comments on: Garrett Atkins to the Orioles

By: mystlyfe

mystlyfe — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:33:36 +0000

Joe Crede.

Sure, Crede was even worse offensivley in 2009 than Atkins (and got hurt, once again), but he’s an excellent defensive 3B and still has power. Crede hasn’t had a UZR/150 under +7.2 since 2004, and has never posted a UZR/150 lower than +3.6.
He’s also posted .ISO of .200 or higher in 2005, 2006, and 2008 (and a not too shabby .189 in 2009), and managed 15HR in only 90 games in 2009.

As an O’s fan, Crede seems like a perfect fit. Sure, he’d miss 50+ games probably, but that’s what Wigginton and/or Aubrey are for. Hell, if he’s injured at the end of the season, Josh Bell might even be ready.

Hopefully the O’s still sign Crede and play Atkins at 1B (and possibly try and flip him at the deadline).

By: Matt Klaassen

Matt Klaassen — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:33:08 +0000

Interesting. I hadn’t thought of it that way. I’m not dismissing your point, but what great defensive third basemen are available that would have taken a short-term contract a la Atkins? Beltre and Figgins certainly wouldn’t.

I guess that if the Orioles feel like they’re a couple of steps from contending in 2011, they could try to lock up Adrian Beltre for a few years and figure out something else for Josh Bell to do…

Thanks for the interesting comment from another perspective.

By: saj

saj — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:41:16 +0000

Matt – you missed the strategic situation. The main 2010 goal of the O’s is to develop their potential young starters into a top line staff. If that succeeds, they compete, if not who cares. They don’t need a bat to achieve this, they need a defensive 3rd baseman to go with their terrific ss, a 3b whose play will encourage the arms to let em hit grounders. If pitchers run up good numbers and lose 3-2, they develop confidence and learn the right things. If they lose 6-5, they don’t.

By: TLB

TLB — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:43:50 +0000

How many is “several”? Can Luke Scott fetch 6 consistent middle relievers?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:50:53 +0000

One thing not mentioned about Garrett Atkins is that his performance jumps off a cliff in high leverage situations. Over the course of the 2007 and 2008 seasons, he was one the most “un-clutch” players in baseball. While this statistic did not hold up in 2009, it’s because his low leverage performance was abysmal to begin with.

As a Rockies fan, I was hoping for Atkins to sign with any other NL West team. I remain highly doubtful that the projected WAR value mentioned above will prove to be accurate.

By: Lombard

Lombard — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:49:58 +0000

O’s should go after hank blalock for first and deal luke scott for an innings eater or several very solid consistent RPs

By: Lombard

Lombard — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:40:21 +0000

Not sure I would include pie there, but arrietta maybe.

By: Justin

Justin — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:55:22 +0000

Thank you for a wonderful write up, I think you judged all aspects very well. Certainly and average player for an average salary on a team that needs just that. I suppose there is upside there as well which could make the move more interesting. More than anything, I believe the idea here was to not block the prospects: Bell, Snyder, Moore, Turner, Waring…etc.

Keep up the GREAT work, Happy Holidays!

By: Reuben

Reuben — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:34:38 +0000

weiters, markakis, jones, reimold, pie, tillman, matusz, roberts

yeah they’re going to be terrible forever…

By: AInquisition

AInquisition — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:38:51 +0000

Though to be fair, that was before the Rays emerged, and before the Yankees started spending their absurd wads of cash wisely and with Boston continuing to have a large budget and smart management. I really do feel for O’s fans.