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December 21, 2005

Hard To Argue With The Logic

In the comments to Andrew's short Damon-related post at 12eight:
I Win!

Johnny Damon is a Yankee.

Thank God.
There is discussion pro and con about the signing. However, Earl puts the matter to rest:
Well, you guys could argue about this forever, and there’s plenty I could add also, but it really comes down to one thing: the Steve-Phillips-O-Meter.

Steve Phillips thinks the Yanks made a great move.

Therefore, Andrew wins.
Also, check out Andrew's five least-favourite Red Sox. I don't know where I'd rank him, but his #4 is probably on my list, too. ... I don't dislike Damon, but to be honest, I'll miss watching Bill Mueller more.

Also, someone commented today in the Mariners trade rumour thread about Bronson Arroyo, writing "Bronson is a great pitcher and has improved imensley over the past seasons he has been with the Red Sox. He will also keep improving."

I like Arroyo, too, but let's look at his two full seasons in Boston:
       IP     H   BB   K   WHIP   ERA  ERA+
2004  178.2  171  47  142  1.22  4.03  121
2005  205.1  213  50  100  1.30  4.51   98
While Arroyo made more starts and pitched more innings in 2005, his H/9 rate has gone up, his K/9 has dropped (as has his K/BB ratio), and he's allowing more baseruners and runs. He is not improving.

Fact is, Arroyo wasn't even a league-average pitcher last year. I'd rather deal him than Clement (whose 2005 ERA+ was only 96, by the way).
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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 21, 2005 at 1:45 PM

    I'd rather hold onto Clement too, if it came to that. I adore Arroyo--he's fun to watch on the mound (what with that leg kick and all) and he's an amicable guy who can also play a pretty good guitar. But in terms of raw stuff, Clement is the better pitcher, regardless of his terrible second half this year. Best case scenario would have us hanging onto both guys while getting a suitable CF and SS, but if one of the chips must go, I'd rather it be Bronson.

    And I will miss Billy Mueller next year. A lot.

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  2. XDecember 21, 2005 at 3:19 PM

    Arroyo is exactly the type of player to deal now. He has peaked. He is still relatively cheap, but no so cheap that he is untouchable.

    And frankly the only reason Arroyo made more starts this year versus in 2004 was the presence of the disaster known as Byung Hung Kim.

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  3. DanMDecember 22, 2005 at 2:47 AM

    Well, far be it for me to sit idly by while all this action and talk goes on. New 1st, 2nd, ss, 3rd, CFer, still a question in right and left - what do you think is going through Tek's mind?

    Perhaps I missed something in the trade news but do we have a twenty game winner on staff (I know Schill is here - we need another).

    Any chance that Theo knew the team was to be gutted and decided he didn't want to be part of the Beantown Comedy?

    Lets wrap up the outfielders, nail down a new 20 game winner and get to Florida before the world ends!!

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  4. AnonymousDecember 22, 2005 at 11:03 AM

    What's going through Tek's mind:
    -"Boy, will I have a great starting rotation to give signals to."
    -"Please, God, don't let me have to catch the knuckleball again."
    -"I always knew Damon was an ass-hole."
    -"Hey! I'll finally be able to tag up and score from third on fly balls to center when we play the Yankees!"

    ReplyDelete
  5. DanMDecember 23, 2005 at 2:53 AM

    Hey Jack,
    The last one - tag up and score - is the best. Good laugh for this hour of the morning!

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  6. AnonymousDecember 23, 2005 at 6:46 AM

    DanM - I actually honestly think this was the plan all along, this 'gutting'. I look at the moves that were made, and every single one of them strikes me as a move Theo would have made without hesitation. Not to mention the fact that it turns out he's been there all along anyway.

    Allan - thanks for sending the traffic my way with this one.

    ReplyDelete