Yung Chi Chen --> A's

by PositivePaul on Nov 12, 2008 2:32 PM PST Comment 52 comments

Claimed off waivers, according to Hickey's P-I Blog.

I can't for the life of me figure out why the M's would put Chen on waivers. Injury concerns? Granted he's not exactly a star in waiting, but I thought the M's could use the depth in the middle infield.

Maybe this guy made him expendable?

Hmmm. Seems odd. Very odd. Probably the injury concerns, would be my guess...

(oh, and if the photos aren't big enough - you can actually make them bigger by clicking on them. I didn't quite have 75 words to say about Chen, apparently, so I probably should let y'all know that).

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anymore info on this guy?

his stats looked fine a couple yrs ago up until 2006…i assume has been injured since then

maybe he’s another jesus guzman (another former M’s prospect) who A’s got last season…tore up AA and the VWL winter league

now is possibly given a 40 man roster spot

by Asfan4ever723 on Nov 12, 2008 3:31 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Two shoulder injuries.

Hasn’t played much recently.

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Nov 12, 2008 3:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Here ya go...

Hot off the presses…

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Nov 12, 2008 3:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I used to really like the guy; he had developing gap power

But he looked lost this year in Tacoma. Obviously, injuries sapped a lot of his power this year, and it’s a good buy-low move for the A’s. Still, M’s fans aren’t going to mourn this loss very much. Even if that power returned, he’d be behind Valbuena both on defense and at the plate (Chen’s much older than Valbuena), and he’s probably behind Hulett (who can play SS and is only a few months older than Chen).

I wish him the best of luck, and look forward to seeing him next year as a Rivercat.

by marc w on Nov 12, 2008 4:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Beane likes Eric Chavez so much...

that he thought he’d pick up another guy with shoulder problems to keep Chavez company in the trainer’s room.

I will accept any draft combination of Crabtree, Andre Smith, Stafford, and Mays. Hear that Ruskell? Time to start spreading vicious rumors about all 4 so they fall.

by abender20 on Nov 12, 2008 3:40 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yet we retain Mike Morse.

by BrianL on Nov 12, 2008 3:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

.

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Nov 12, 2008 4:41 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs

rec'd

Indie.

by Taylor H on Nov 12, 2008 5:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You know when you say rec'd

you’re supposed to actually recommend the comment, right?

by brayden04 on Nov 12, 2008 6:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It'd be so much better if it just never got said in the first place.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Nov 12, 2008 6:10 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs

rec'd

by JI on Nov 12, 2008 6:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Whatever you curmudgeon.

by Sec 108 on Nov 12, 2008 7:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

But if you’re going to say it, you at least gotta do it.

by brayden04 on Nov 12, 2008 7:48 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I only say it if the topic either deserves multiple recs from me, or the post deseveres a rec for non-standard reasons.

54!

by joof on Nov 12, 2008 9:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I only say it if the reason for the rec needs elaboration.

J.K.L.

by acblue on Nov 12, 2008 10:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I did but the moderators unrec-d it.

Indie.

by Taylor H on Nov 12, 2008 7:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

We can't do that stupid

by Jeff on Nov 13, 2008 10:28 AM PST up reply actions 4 recs

Lies.

by brayden04 on Nov 13, 2008 7:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Leaving him alone is easy

Just leave him off the 25 man roster.

by Gomez on Nov 12, 2008 7:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You might want to take that rec back.

Rockapella didn’t agree to follow you around everywhere you go.

by BrianL on Nov 12, 2008 10:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Avatar'd

I love this JPG

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Nov 13, 2008 4:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I was told recently...

that the figure in question in that film/jpg is male.

Needless to say, I was quite surprised.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on Nov 13, 2008 4:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, I was too...

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Nov 13, 2008 6:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm so glad this is finally getting traction.

by BrianL on Nov 13, 2008 5:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Me, too.

I’m very sick of all the Mike Morse haters in the world!

Not that he’s any good, but still…

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Nov 13, 2008 6:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

One nice thing about having a new GM

is that if Bavasi had let Chen go, I would have assumed it was due to Bill’s own incompetence. I trust that Z has utilized evidence to a logical conclusion about how Chen does not fit into our future plans.

by katal on Nov 12, 2008 6:44 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Luis Valbuena + Jose Lopez = expendable Yung Chi Chen

by Gomez on Nov 12, 2008 7:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

+Triunfel, too...

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Nov 12, 2008 7:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, he's an option for 2B

Chen admittedly wasn’t much in comparison to any of the above.

by Gomez on Nov 12, 2008 8:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not lately.

If he hadn’t been injured, I’d put him in the running, but the torn meniscus could hurt his mobility and his speed and the shoulder thing may have hurt his hitting this year. Considering those two injuries, I’m not heartbroken to see him go so much as I am confused as to why someone would really want him that badly.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on Nov 12, 2008 9:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

According to Baker, Jake Woods is no longer with the organization either.

Refused an outright an assignment to the minors and filed for free agency.

by BrianL on Nov 12, 2008 9:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Don't every team in MLB come calling at all once

by Gomez on Nov 12, 2008 10:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey now, Horacio Ramierez had 6 teams interested in his services.

54!

by joof on Nov 13, 2008 5:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He's still left-handed

by seattlebruin on Nov 13, 2008 3:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, he'll get a job somewhere

I’m not expecting a bidding war, however.

by Gomez on Nov 13, 2008 9:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

In related news, Desert Sun has announced the closure of all Seattle area locations effective immediately.

J.K.L.

by acblue on Nov 12, 2008 10:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

What a tragedy.

by BrianL on Nov 12, 2008 11:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i was searching and he was a decent prospect

last yr..did that miniscus injury cause such a serious drop for him?
he was supposedly mentioned as part of bedard rumors too

this was from an AFL chat in november 07
though the shoulder injury could be more cause for concern w/ his hitting

Glenn Quiagmire from Quohog, RI asks:
IsYung-Chi Chen for real, or is this just a case of nice stats in ahitters league? Does he have any shot to play in Seattle withBetancourt and Lopez up the middle? What is his ceiling?

Chris Kline:A lot of scouts love Chen’s defense—he’s got exceptional defensivetools at second base. There is gap power, more of a spray, line-drivehitter without much raw pop. Ceiling is an everyday second baseman.

by Asfan4ever723 on Nov 13, 2008 7:54 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

His power never returned after a set of shoulder injuries.

by BrianL on Nov 13, 2008 8:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, that power didn't show up - which is not to say it may not return

but the guy’s a 25 year old with a true-talent ISO-P in the .120-.130 range BEFORE a big shoulder injury.
I’d also point out that not all scouts loved his D, and again, he was quite clearly behind Valbuena in that category, who in addition is younger, takes more pitches and may be developing more power.

It’s possible his defense never really recovered from the first injury -the knee injury that killed his 2007 season. I only saw him after that (except for 1-2 games in April of ‘07, when he was playing 3B), and he wasn’t exactly a lights-out 2B.

Again though, it’s a nice pick-up for the A’s who get an insurance policy for free. Similar thought process to the M’s pick-up of Ian Bladergroen.

by marc w on Nov 13, 2008 8:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

fair enough

i’m just wondering if he’s even worth a 40 man roster spot due to his injuries..if its worth the risk or not

A’s have several fringe guys at 2b of their own in patterson, pennington, petit etc so i’m not sure what plan they have collecting all these guys…especially with the rule 5 draft coming up

by Asfan4ever723 on Nov 13, 2008 9:21 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't really think so.

It’s not likely that he’ll ever be completely back to where he was before, but it’s possible that Beane just picked him up knowing he could assign him later as other teams were finalizing their rosters and were less likely to pick him up. Such things have happened before on rare occasions.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on Nov 13, 2008 9:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs