Griffey looking definitely like a Brave
by waterskiace on Feb 16, 2009 3:27 PM PST
70 comments
Well, from Mark Bowman who writes one of the MLBBlogs, it appears that after a personal meeting today between Braves GM Frank Wren and Jr. himself that this is virtually a done deal.
Wren is scheduled to meet with Griffey's agent, Brian Goldberg, on Tuesday and in the hours that follow, the veteran outfielder will likely announce whether he'll be playing for the Braves or Mariners this year.
I am absolutely not complaining at all. :)
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There's nothing in there to indicate
that it’s “virtually a done deal”, as such, but I would not be at all surprised if Griffey ended up in Atlanta because it’s so close to his home.
Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.
Agreed
My use of “virtually a done deal” was a touch too strong. I guess my subconscious really wants to see Griffey go to ATL.
I enjoyed watching him play for us — past tense.
Honestly, I don't get the "it' so close to his home" justification (on Griffey's part).
Being an hour flight away from home is not going to change the fact he is going to be on the road no matter if he is in Atlanta or Seattle. It’s definitely close enough where his family can drive up and stay the weekend, but it’s not close enough where he will be going home every night.
I just don’t see how being 300 miles from home gives reason to not choose a team 3000 miles away. There is very little lifestyle difference to justify Atlanta over Seattle. I won’t mind if Griffey chooses to go to Atlanta, but being closer to home should be the last item on his list of deciding factors.
There's a lot of lifestyle differences between Atlanta and Seattle
Humidity and heat being the main one. But really – if money’s not the issue (which for Griffey it doesn’t need to be, since he’s got more money than sense anyway at this point), why would you not choose to play close to home? He can drive 20 mins from his house to ST, so that’s an extra month with his kids that he wouldn’t get in Arizona; if it’s a 7 hour car ride from ATL to ORL that’s about a 45 minute flight if need be.
At this stage in his career, he has every reason to want to play closer to home.
Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.
I can't really understand the Braves' thought process if this goes through.
I hope we don’t sign Anderson if this does happen though…
I don't think we sign anderson just because we don't get Griffey.
I think the Anderson rumors are more Boras pushing his client on us. Though I’ve gotta admit, Anderson makes way more sense for the Braves than Junior, so it’s strange to see an organization that still employs John Schuerholz honestly looking to give Griffey playing time in the field.
Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.
by BrettJMiller on Feb 16, 2009 3:55 PM PST up reply actions
If you refer to Dave's post on USSM.
GA would make more sense for the Braves and Griffey would make more sense for the Mariners. Why it would be flip flopped is beyond me. I am hoping that Z tries to trade for Swisher if Griffey is signed with the Braves.
If we sign Anderson
then i’d be very disappointed in GMZ. Anderson would be a very small upgrade over our current OF and doesn’t offer any of the happy feelings. It just wouldn’t make sense.
by insidetheparker on Feb 16, 2009 4:23 PM PST up reply actions
If we can't get Johnson
or one of the Gnats other OFers, I seriously would suggest Edmonds
by JI on Feb 16, 2009 7:54 PM PST up reply actions
I really hope that they take him
And we use the money we would’ve spent on him to sweeten a trade for Nick Johnson.
That would be the ultimate.
God, I’d so love to have Nick Johnson on this team.
I will smash your face into a jelly.
agreed
He nows if he wants to have a great year and fulfill his destiny it’s through seattle,i would be the most happy mariner fan in years.
by justicebeau on Feb 16, 2009 11:14 PM PST up reply actions
Please adhere more closely to English's standard spelling and grammar rules while posting here
You may not consider it worth your time, but everyone else’s opinion of you is coloured by the way in which you communicate; one would suggest making a better impression may be in order.
It makes very little sense to both parties.
Why on earth would ANY National League team even glance in his direction? For that matter why is Griff looking to the NL?
If last year really was just the knee and he can bounce back at the plate, then maybe he has some value as a DH. That’s it though.
Speaking strictly in terms of defense, he simply cannot play the outfield anymore. But even if he was still ok at it, his body seems very unlikely to hold up to the workload of regular outfield play.
I don’t really get the Nick Johnson love though. He can indeed hit when healthy, but how often is that? He’s basically been as injury prone in his 20’s as Griffey in his 30’s. And he’s now nearly 30 which doesn’t seem to bode well for him. I guess he’s worth taking a flyer on if he can be gotten on the cheap, but I don’t think he’s worth giving up much value for.
Whiskey: The other bio fuel!
I agree on Nick Johnson. He's had multiple injuries to different part of his body.
If we have to give up any kind of talent, I’d say no. If it was Washburn + cash and a few minor league scrubs for Johnson, I’d be fine with it.
Look at his injury history more closely.
His time out these last two years have been related to an utterly freak (and horrific) accidental collision with Austin Kearns. Do you honestly believe that someone who got a knee torpedoed into his lower leg, causing it to fracture, is going to suffer through more freak accidents that keep him out just because he had one?
Injury history is a legit concern when discussing acquiring baseball players, but context people… context!
Fans are typically idiots.
by The Typical Idiot Fan on Feb 16, 2009 5:47 PM PST up reply actions
Actually, that is not his only injury.
He also tore a ligament in his wrist and therefore missed most of 2008.
Okay, let's examine this, because now I'm getting annoyed.
2001 – Fine
2002 – Fine
2003 – Stress fracture in right hand
2004 – Back spasms; Broken cheekbone (Freak accident on a ground ball)
2005 – Fine
2006 – Fine until Austin Kearns came along.
2007 – Out with broken leg.
2008 – Torn ligament in wrist
2009 – Fine (so far)
So we have two freak accidents, a common baseball player ailment (back spasms), and two legit injuries related to the hand. I can’t seem to find if the ligament tear and the stress fracture were in the same hand / wrist or not, but if they are, the second is probably a long term result of the first. Both have been repaired.
The only thing you can really say is that this guy might have osteoporosis with how many bone related injuries he suffers. Then again, unless you expect Nick Johnson to drink Jobu’s rum and have a bat come flying at his dome from behind, the injury concerns for Nick Johnson don’t seem to be warranted at this time.
He’s healthy. Grab him.
Fans are typically idiots.
by The Typical Idiot Fan on Feb 16, 2009 7:26 PM PST up reply actions
TIF, I've spent more time watching NJ than anyone else on this board, and you're just wrong about the assessment.
The tendon sheath in his right wrist that he tore last year? That’s not only an injury with a high risk of recurrence (it happened when he was swinging a bat), it’s something that has bothered him for years – the reason it isn’t showing up in his injury history here is because it didn’t put him on the DL until 2008, although he had complained about it earlier.
Additionally, you’re omitting a significant foot/heel injury he suffered in 2005 that kept him out for a month. (I remember it so well because it agonizingly came in the middle of the Nats improbable pennant race…the Carlos Baerga 1B experience wasn’t much fun).
The fact is, Johnson just seems to be fragile. I completely agree with you that the broken leg is a (ghastly) freak accident, and I don’t hold that one against him. But even if you take that one out, you still have a SIGNIFICANT injury history plus a situation in the present where he’s coming back from an injury that threatens to recur.
Hey, you know I’m a Nationals fan to go alongside the M’s, so I would love to see a successful and healthy NJ playing either in Washington or Seattle, with a fair trade (or heck, even a Vidro swindle!) going either way. But I think you’re far too quick to discount Johnson’s injuries, and I think that no front office will discount them.
In a sense, that makes him a bargain if GMZ decides to make a run at him, since he can get him on the cheap. But Jim Bowden is looking to trade outfielders right now, not his provisional starting 1B. Assuming Dunn is playing LF like it’s been announced (boy they’re boomeranging back and forth on that one), then the match isn’t really there.
Want some Josh Willingham?
Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism
Where did you hear that?
A link would be even better to back something like that up — which I doubt you can provide. :/
I think this is a reference to the inside joke of "Adam Jones has a degenerative hip condition"
by seattlebruin on Feb 16, 2009 4:26 PM PST up reply actions
A little slow today
Thanks for picking me up on that one, heh.
Great that means we get him next year
Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org
But only for a few weeks
Since after, he demands a trade to the Rays to be closer to his Great Uncle Chester in Tallahassee, Florida.
Good.
Odalis Perez is holding out on his minor league contract, and it looks like Tom Glavine will return to Atlanta. Everything is falling into place for a Nick Johnson trade. Hell, if you really want to fit it into the budget, go ahead and get Anderson. Just as long as you also get Nick Johnson.
My guess would be
RRS or Feirbend for Johnson or something like that.
by Edgar for Pres on Feb 16, 2009 6:30 PM PST up reply actions
I would do Feierabend for Johnson before you can say the word huzzah
Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org
I'd be so excited to do that trade that it wouldn't take much longer
Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org
That one might be a little unrealistic when I think about it a little more.
by Edgar for Pres on Feb 16, 2009 7:12 PM PST up reply actions
If for no other reason than the Mariners need to dump salary.
by Aaron Campeau on Feb 16, 2009 7:16 PM PST up reply actions
In terms of raw talent (payroll matters aside) I think Feierabend + B-/C+ level prospect is all it would take
Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org
Yeah but I bet Washington probalby is too
by Edgar for Pres on Feb 16, 2009 7:40 PM PST up reply actions
They were willing to add payroll for Dunn/Teixeira.
Now that they have Dunn, though, they might not have much more wiggle room.
Some facts:
1.) Washington does not need to dump payroll. Quite the opposite, in fact: they have MASSIVE payroll space and would be able to take on a significant amount if a good deal justifying it came about. They were willing to sign Teixeira after all.
2.) Washington would almost certainly not bite on a Johnson for Feierabend deal at this point. When I thought that Dunn was penciled in for 1B and Johnson was going to be a backup/bench-player, this might have happened (though Feierabend is pretty much shit as a prospect/pitcher…it would take something a little better than that). But if it’s true that Dunn is back in LF and Johnson is the starting 1B, it’s going to take more than that now.
Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism
Do you think the Nats would ever take Washburn for Johnson?
What would need to be added to sweeten the deal?
I think the Nationals would want someone with upside
so I can’t see how Washburn fits.
by JI on Feb 16, 2009 9:19 PM PST up reply actions
Don't put it past Jim Bowden
That fucker will trade for Washburn who will then somehow win the Cy Young award
Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Wyomingroutes.org & Washingtonhighways.org
The problem is that the match doesn't seem to really be there anymore between the Nats and the M's
The Nats now don’t want to dump Johnson at all if they can help it – he would need to be coaxed away with a good deal. The reason for this is because it turns out he won’t be surplusage after all. When Dunn was going to be the Nats starting 1B, that left Johnson without a position and thus ripe for a trade (and possibly a bad one, given the pressure created by his desire to be traded in such a situation plus his current salary).
But now that Dunn’s back in LF and NJ is back at 1B, that shifts the FO’s attention to the real problem, which is dumping some of those damn outfields Bowden has been stocking like cordwood. The Nats are looking to trade Willingham, Kearns (not like anyone would touch him), or maybe even Milledge or Harris. Dukes is staying unless a great offer comes around, Dunn is obviously The Man, and that leaves one spot for Kearns (untradeable) or Milledge (prospect). So as I said above…want some Josh Willingham? Because unless the M’s start throwing a really sweet package at the Nats (and Washburn ain’t going to cut it unless I really misapprehend what the FO is thinking), that’s what’s on offer from Washington. It’s going to take something genuinely useful to pry Johnson loose, I think.
Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism
Isn't Langerhans still with the Nats?
or is he untradable/injured?
by Malcontent1 on Feb 16, 2009 10:46 PM PST up reply actions
He's with the Nats on a minor league contract
Which means he doesn’t have to be dumped at all – he can be kept down in AAA and brought up when one of our OF’ers inevitably gets hurt. The fact that he doesn’t create a roster problem right now (and is still a pretty reasonable player once his defense is factored in) is precisely what makes him such a nice piece to hold on to.
Bowden’s priority right now is to get rid of one or two of the ML-level guys who doesn’t have a place to play. That means Kearns or Willingham ideally.
Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism
Works for me.
We’ll take Austin Kearns for Washburn. Or you can give us Willie Harris. Either way, someone on that roster, whether it be an outfielder or Nick Johnson, needs to be moved to make room for Dunn as an everyday player.
Not a fan of Willigham.
If I were Jim Bowden I would do Kearns for Washburn in a heartbeat.
But you may not be as pleased when you realize how much money Kearns is due this season.
Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism
I know Kearns makes 8 million
In other words, less than Washburn, which is the important thing for me. Kearns is still well above average in the corner and ran a .251 BABIP despite a 21.1 LD% and a career BABIP around .300. Power drop off is a minor concern, but not a big deal for me as long as he can retain the defense and rebound the BA.
Projections have him slightly above average with the bat, so add in the +10 to +15 defense in the corner and some time spent platooning with Chavez (or perhaps time missed to injury) and you’re looking at a 3-3.5 win player.
You're also forgetting that Washburn has a full no-trade clause.
I can’t see him waiving it to go to Washington of all places unless the M’s back a truckload of bonus money up to his door. Which sort of obviates the point of dumping him for salary relief.
Patriotism, Pepper, Professionalism
Face it guys, Griffey just isn't that into the Mariner's.
He dumped us once. For months he has teased us with getting together again. Now he is flirting with another team! Enough is enough!
We all have to move on.
Mariners. It's just a plural noun.
I hate to be that guy, but unnecessary apostrophes drive me crazy.
the other angels fan
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