Sorry for any confusion or rumor-mongering that could be read into this site. For all intents and purposes, Bumpus for all we know has NOT flunked out. It was only a rumor from what someone could claim is an insider, but clearly it was also a misunderstanding and nothing, absolutely NOTHING, has been finalized.
Please note that this site isn’t to be construed as actual NEWS. It’s just a spot that a few of us post messages back and forth to avoid clogging our work e-mail servers, nothing more. Sorry to all (you know who you are) if there was more read into it.
The M’s meanwhile have rapidly changed their lineup in one day. Everett DFA’d (thank GOD!), Snelling called up, but the big move was getting Ben Broussard from the Tribe for Choo plus PTBNL. I LOVE that move, for many reasons.
1) Productive lefty bat, hitting over .300 with 13 HR this year. An OPS about 200 points higher than Everett vs. righties. They are instantly better.
2) He’s 29, so it’s logical to assume the next 2-3 years will be his prime years, at least.
3) He’s under club control for 2007 and 2008. That’s BIG this time of year to not have to go the rent-a-player scenario and overpaying on 7/31.
4) Sends a strong message to the club that they want to win, now. Something that Gillick always failed to do. Read: This is NOT Al Martin or Jose Offerman! 🙂
5) Best of all, to me?? HE’S AN AL hitter that hits lefty! He knows the league, knows the stadiums, the pitchers, etc. And he’s a lefty stick in a stadium that strongly favors lefties. It’s a PERFECT fit.
With Perez who owns lefties and Broussard who is very successful vs. righties, they are suddenly much stronger at DH! Think of it in this way, in pure seamhead, sabermetrics sort of way. Combine the left-right breakdowns of Broussard and Perez, and this is what you have as the DH: a .352 batting average, 21 homers, 66 RBI, 21 doubles, 57 runs, a .385 on-base percentage, .616 slugging percentage, and 1.001 OPS.
The OPS figure is ahead of what Chicago (.991) and Boston (.961) get out of their DH position!
They do lose out on Choo, which I’m somewhat disappointed about. He was not a CF, no way at all, so there was no room for him. Plus he’s got like 2 hits EVER at the big league level and looked pretty overmatched in the process. And, finally, he is 24, and that’s the age where prospects enter the realm from produce NOW, or it might never happen?? Bavasi said it after the deal, that they were nearing a spot with him where teams will stop asking about him, so it was time to either live with him up in the bigs, or send him on down the road. He might turn into something special, but he also could be one of many guys that get cups of coffee in the show here and there, and could be classified in that “AAAA” world of baseball, know what I mean? Rake AAA pitching and completely relaxed, yet flail away at the highest level.
The other thing to sort of worry about is that famous PTBNL. They have until 8/31 to pick a guy, and as some of the analysis said already, it’s likely to be a higher-level prospect. You don’t see 29-year old hitters with Broussard’s ability and contract control traded for a guy like Choo. So cross your fingers it’s not one of the super-elite!
Did I mention I love this move??
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