Lookout Landing: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: The Boxing Bulletin for Boxing Fans!

J.J. Putz Is What We Feared He Was And Thus Why We Traded Him


A.K.A. he's hurt. Officially.

Mets right-hander J.J. Putz will undergo surgery Tuesday to remove a bone spur in his pitching elbow, according to a major-league source. Putz will be unable to throw for six weeks and likely will be out 8 to 10 weeks, the source said. He would return in early to mid-August if he meets the 8- to 10-week timetable.

Jason Vargas, 0.2 WAR
Franklin Gutierrez, 1.2 WAR
Ronny Cedeno, -0.3 WAR
Garrett Olson, -0.1 WAR
Endy Chavez, 0.5 WAR
Mike Carp, .432 wOBA in AAA
Ezequiel Carrera, .428 wOBA in AA
TOTAL: 1.6 WAR + 2 well hitting prospects

J.J. Putz, 0 WAR
Sean Green, 0.2 WAR
Jeremy Reed, 0.0 WAR
Luis Valbuena, .426 wOBA in AAA, -0.5 WAR in MLB
TOTAL: -0.3 WAR + 1 well hitting prospect

0 recs  |  Comment 86 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Said Rotoworld on the day of the trade:
Chavez is no asset at his salary, but Carp is an intriguing first base prospect and Gutierrez has quite a bit of upside. It still doesn’t seem like enough of a return for Putz.

by Teej on Jun 5, 2009 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Hilariously this morning I was reading another site I frequent

and the Mets guy there was hoping Putz wasn’t hurt yesterday because he thought he was tradeable since he had racked up some saves.

I told him that the only team that thought Putz had any value was the Mets as everyone else realized he hasn’t been healthy in over a year.

Paris Hilton, Burberry plaid, reality TV, mullets, Zima, Dubya, and the Sonics being sold to Oklahoma City. - Yahoo Answer results for "7 Signs of the Apocalypse"

by bluemax on Jun 5, 2009 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

This is what I find so weird

2007: 65.2% strikes, 5% BB
2009: 65.3% strikes (excluding 4 IBB), 11% uBB

Somebody please explain this.

by Jeff on Jun 5, 2009 1:02 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

People swinging way less at his pitches out of the zone.

Leading to less Ks, leading to longer counts, leading to inevitable more walks.

by Matthew on Jun 5, 2009 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

That would be my theory anyways.

Pretty hard to test, but there is a relationship between strikeouts and walks.

by Matthew on Jun 5, 2009 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

That was my first guess too, as his '09 swinging strikes are 73% of last year's

But for him to retain the same strike rate he’d therefore have to be pounding the zone

by Graham on Jun 5, 2009 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

He's also having more pitches put into play though

The whole thing is strange. I can understand a worse walk rate, but more than doubled?

by Jeff on Jun 5, 2009 1:15 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well, when he throws strikes, people put them in play.

His contact rate has jumped, his O-swing rate has fallen, and his K rate is way down.
He’s throwing the same number of out-of-zone pitches, but if people don’t swing, and if they pound whatever IS in the zone, this makes perfect sense to me. Especially considering that the overall numbers of walks aren’t huge, it’s easy to get a ‘doubling’ of a rate stat like this.

by marc w on Jun 5, 2009 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Also consider that his fastball velocity is down to 93.5

So those pitches in the zone are just easier to hit. It seemed to me that even in 2007, at a certain point batters just stopped swinging so much at his stuff out of the zone, getting him into deeper counts. But his control was a little better, as was his stuff, so it resulted in more swinging strikes. I’m not basing this on anything but my eyes and memories, so it’s possible I’m totally wrong, but I remember worrying about JJ’s command in about August of 2007. A slight loss in stuff could be a viable reason for the spike in BB’s, right?

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Jun 5, 2009 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

He's actually putting more balls in the zone this year than he did in 2007

57.9% to 53.6%.

His contact rate and number of pitches in the zone would suggest fewer walks, not more. Yeah, they’re not swinging as often at his offspeed stuff off the plate, but if his overall number of strikes is the same, then there’s no good reason why his walk rate should be this much higher.

by Jeff on Jun 5, 2009 1:46 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Wow

After a 1-0 count JJ is 533% more likely to walk a batter than after an 0-1 count

by Graham on Jun 5, 2009 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah

That’s nuts. I feel like his walks have probably been of the quick 4- and 5-pitch variety.

by Jeff on Jun 5, 2009 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't know....

This seems like a decent guess as to what would happen when a player loses his stuff. Balls in the zone get hit, balls out of the zone are taken (not swung at), and you get fewer Ks, more hits, and more walks.
Specifically, his FB just doesn’t have any life left. In 2007, batters were frozen by the FB. Now, they hammer it. So batters can tee off on the FB, and take his split (which still looks OK by linear weights). Given the movement on it, it’s not surprising that people can work walks if they simply refuse to swing at anything bendy.

What’s actually sort of amazing (in hindsight) is that he still got so many Ks in 2008.

by marc w on Jun 5, 2009 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Look at his 2009 by-count splits

Something is really weird there

by Graham on Jun 5, 2009 2:12 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, but look at it in 2008.

I don’t have a sense of what’s normal in a split like this, however….

by marc w on Jun 5, 2009 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Let's not exaggerate things

We’re talking about a drop in OSwing% from 25% to 18%. That’s significant, but we’re only talking about 15 swings so far. 15 swings out of 526 pitches.

by Jeff on Jun 5, 2009 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Wait, are we comparing 09 to 08 or to 07?

So far, it’s only 15 swings, but he’s gone from 3rd among MLB relievers in 06, to middle of the pack in 07-08 to now, when he’s in the bottom 10% or so. That’s a collapse, and given his walk rate was so low, it just seems to me that this kind of outcome can’t be seen as that anomalous.

I think it’d be really interesting to see the results by pitch (I know you’re in a better place now, Josh Kalk, but I miss you).

by marc w on Jun 5, 2009 2:36 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Better plate discipline amongst the competition?

I mean, y’know, Angels… and stuff. I haven’t looked, but is there a real “hacker” team amongst the NL East or.. well.. any NL team they’ve played enough to influence the stats?

Fans are typically idiots.

by The Typical Idiot Fan on Jun 5, 2009 11:21 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Perhaps pitches that used to be swung on and missed are getting fouled off now, as they are easier to hit.

Which so the strikes are still there, but the at bats are extended in stead of ended by a strike out. And then those extended at bats end with a walk due to worse control or command or something?

50!

by joof on Jun 5, 2009 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Doesn't look like it.

The % of pitches that batters foul off is roughly the same (actually a little lower) now as it was in ‘06/’07. The % of pitches put in play is higher, back up to his ‘04/’05.

by marc w on Jun 5, 2009 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

they did

Hire Steve Phillips as a GM, that taint will last a lot longer than Bill Bavasi (unless Bavasi ends up in a national sports booth .)

Here’s hoping they trade Beltran or something.

by RollingWave on Jun 5, 2009 10:55 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Guys, lets pause for a minute and soak in the glory

….

As an M’s fan, we don’t get to feel this very often.

by PattyB on Jun 5, 2009 1:45 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Get used to it.

Zduriencik isn’t Bavasi. The days of dreading the July deadline and winter meetings are officially over.

by eponymous_coward on Jun 5, 2009 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I remember some commentators saying at the time

that Zduriencik just jumped at the first offer that he liked, and that he shouldn’t have done that. This would be why he did — he couldn’t afford to overreach and have the deal fall through, because once the season started, it was probable that Putz’ value was going to crater like this.

by The Ancient Mariner on Jun 5, 2009 2:57 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

If the stories are right

Jack Z got what he wanted in Gutierrez. Supposedly Omar MInaya was what made that trade work to involve Cleveland.

Fans are typically idiots.

by The Typical Idiot Fan on Jun 5, 2009 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Remarkably

The most amazing part of the Putz trade is Zduriencik specifically wanting Franklin Gutierrez.

by ThundaPC on Jun 5, 2009 3:12 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Zduriencik wanted a premium OF

A previously rumored trade involving Detroit fell though presumably due to the lack of one. In addition, the actual deal was initially just a two-team trade with the Mets but Zduriencik insisted on bringing back a premium OF (mainly Gutz). Omar got on the phone with Cleveland and got the wheels turning to make it a three-team trade.

by ThundaPC on Jun 5, 2009 5:02 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Rumor is he wanted Fernando Perez from the Rays and the interest in Joyce was

as a carrot for Tampa.

"Even the stupidest of men, by some instinct of nature, is convinced on his own that with more observations his risk of failure is diminished."
-Jacques Bernoulli Ars conjectandi 1713

by Bearskin Rugburn on Jun 5, 2009 6:45 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Is Fernando Perez that good?

I’ve never heard of him until I today.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/P/Fernando-Perez.shtml
If he’s a defensive wizard he might be good, but as a 25 year old rookie I can’t imagine he’d be much of an improvement over Gutz.

by Decatur on Jun 5, 2009 8:45 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Nando is a defensive wizard. He's runs good routes and may be the fastest guy on the Rays team. A noodle for an arm though.

He’s hurt right now and it’s a bad wrist injury, so that’s really bad, but when he was healthy he was a plus CF. His bat isn’t special, he’s a switch hitter who really struggles left handed, but is actually pretty good RH.

Tools Whore

by Tyler on Jun 6, 2009 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I didn't think he was after Gutierrez specifically.

That’s why he was better than Bavasi. Bavasi would say “I want that guy” and go get him, regardless of the cost. Zduriencik said “I want a good centerfielder” and used options to get Gutierrez.

Fans are typically idiots.

by The Typical Idiot Fan on Jun 5, 2009 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Quick question.

Was there any real reason for the Mets wanting both Putz and K-Rod? I know there bullpen was bad last year but was is the value in two closers. I feel that the Mariners by themselves prove having a lot of closer make don’t make a good bullpen.

Thug Life

by Slow Country on Jun 5, 2009 4:21 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

It wasn't so much "getting two closers"

As much as it was getting “proven” arms to fortify the bullpen. Obviously the Mets had dreams of Green, Putz, K-Rod regularly working 7-8-9. After seeing their bullpen collapse causing their season to end in heartbreak twice in a row they wanted to nail down this issue as thoroughly as possible.

by ThundaPC on Jun 5, 2009 4:29 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I've often wondered how Bavasi would do as a pitching scout.

It’s incredible how the guy has such a keen eye for bullpen talent, yet he adores garbage SPers.

Not to rosterbate, but considering how their bullpen still isn’t stellar & how left handed Philadelphia is, a package of Washburn and Aardsma to the NYM makes a lot of sense to me.

by katal on Jun 5, 2009 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

So who would we be looking at?

In return for Aardsma and Washburn?

Thug Life

by Slow Country on Jun 5, 2009 4:59 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

someone

that can play a little shortstop.

Betan is fielding like pre 08 Jeter and hitting like his mom, a good combination.

by RollingWave on Jun 5, 2009 11:00 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Is it possible the Mets don't trust us anymore?

Or do teams just forgive and forget after getting jived in a trade?

Thug Life

by Slow Country on Jun 5, 2009 4:53 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

They knew what they were getting.

At least they really better have known.

by ThundaPC on Jun 5, 2009 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Don't forget Sean Green

He’s been giving the Mets some good innings of late, big turn around from the beginning of the season. It looks like he’ll fill in the void left by JJ.

by crazyremy on Jun 5, 2009 11:47 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

.
J.J. Putz, 0 WAR
Sean Green, 0.2 WAR
Jeremy Reed, 0.0 WAR
Luis Valbuena, .426 wOBA in AAA, -0.5 WAR in MLB
TOTAL: -0.3 WAR + 1 well hitting prospect

by acblue on Jun 5, 2009 11:48 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Jeremy Reed is a solid OF defender

He’s been doing a great job in the OF and earlier in the season where he would come in for Daniel Murphy, with all these injuries, they are lucky to have him.

by crazyremy on Jun 5, 2009 11:59 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

.
J.J. Putz, 0 WAR
Sean Green, 0.2 WAR
Jeremy Reed, 0.0 WAR
Luis Valbuena, .426 wOBA in AAA, -0.5 WAR in MLB
TOTAL: -0.3 WAR + 1 well hitting prospect

by Matthew on Jun 6, 2009 12:44 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

By reading a game thread of your own volition you agree to accept all liability for any and all damage done to your delicate sensibilities.
Start posting about the Mariners »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Max_small
FootbaLL IV (Nov 21st)
Small
The Sabermetrics of Cats

Recent FanPosts

Small
WAR gains major exposure
Laughing_man_elmex_small
AFL Championship game thread
Smell-the-glove_small
OFFTOP 11/19 - The Hand of Fraud
Small
Tony Blengino interview on 710 AM ESPN Seattle's Hot Stove League
Ichirocameron_small
OTFPOTD 11/16: Recipes Edition
Small
Lookout Landing as a communtiy
Small
Royals determined to unload Callaspo...
Ichiro_small
Ackley and Triunfel on MLB TV right now

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


Sexy People

1_small Graham

Small Matthew

Small Jeff