Leads us into temptation & makes handy purse!
As my fellow TRDMB Fantasy League players surely know, yahoo sports provides daily “notes” about happenings related to players on our fantasy teams. Well I was checking my player notes this morning and found a rather long note attached to Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Dan Haren. It began: “RHP Dan Haren, CF Chris Young, both of whom have long-term deals with the D-backs, and new free agents 1B Adam LaRoche, 2B Kelly Johnson and RHP Edwin Jackson could be among many Arizona players who could be traded after D-Backs president/CEO Derrick Hall announced he is considering ‘altering the budget.’”
The yahoo sports report was based on this article from Fox Sports Arizona’s website. Check it out and let us know what Diamondbacks you might be interested to see as Mets, and what you’d be willing to give up for them.
32 comments
stickguy
6/7/2010-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
could happen. they do seem to be one of those teams that has enough talent to hang around respectability, but not enough to seriously be in the race. And not enough money likely to buy their way to the top right now. And not sure how their prospect pipeline is, but if you are going that way, it takes a few years.
So, trade a few high priced talented assets (but effectively wasted ST) for younger talent. Clear payroll to lock up your young core, and spend a few years rebuidling into a juggernaut.
Better plan probably then patching with a few mid-tier FA types each year, and staying on the .500 treadmill.
So, while he is still a stud (and not too old), Haren is the ideal guy for them to trade. Reasonable contract for what he is, and not too old, but he would also be leaving by the time the D Backs are ready to compete. So he clears a bunch of payroll, and will bring back real talent.
Not sure which teams will give up what talent, but Omar should be all over him. He is the one guy on that list that will get a top prosepct back. ALthough if AZ wants to throw in Kelly too, I won’t complain.
So, if Omar (Jeffy?) is going to cash in some of his carefully hoarded chips, haren is a good guy to do it for. Not just a rental, but also an anchor for at lest the next 2 years too (option for 2013).
You could be potentially looking at a rotation through 2012 (or 2013) of Johan, Haren, Neise ane Pelf. With cheap #5 parts plugged in. And that my friends, is a fine looking rotation.
So yes, I drive Mejia to the airport to get a locked up top rotation guy like this. Depending on who else goes. Mejia + THole? Bye guys. Beyond that, depends, but this is a deal to get done.
Really, in the next 1-2 years, they have not a lot of position holes. If they can fill 1B internally, they will need to plug catcher, and mix in a new OF. ANd Kirk N could be the CF by then anyway.
so if the big need is one more stud SP, the perfect opportunity might be staring them in the face.
GravediggerHebner
6/7/2010-11:35am at 11:35 am (UTC -4)
Stick you initially mentioned Haren last night so first of all kudos to you for putting this thought in my mind. Finding the yahoo note just made it more “official.”
But when you mentioned it last night I commented that I am wary of Haren. He’s pitched a lot of innings over the last 4 years and despite keeping up his excellent strikeout rate he is getting knocked around this year. He leads the league in HR allowed. Plus his FB velocity has decreased 4 years running and this season is the lowest of his career. I am worried that maybe he is reaching the point where he becomes mortal (in somewhat the same way that Johan has). Now don’t get me wrong, he’d still be a plus and still win more games than he lost IMO, but I don’t want the Mets to pay “young stud ace” prices in trade for a guy who could be fairly described as beginning a decline.
I have read that some teams utilize young pitching with the “treat them as delicate flowers and let them blossom” approach while others treat them with the “use them up when they’re at their best then let some other team pay them for what we got” approach and I just wonder if maybe the DBacks have done the latter with Haren (and Webb).
trs86
6/7/2010-11:41am at 11:41 am (UTC -4)
While true his FB has decreased ever so slightly the last 3 years, (I am not sure it’s fair to use this year yet because it’s 1st half but that’s a different discussion)almost all of his other pitches have also decreased about the same percentage. Thus his difference in his pitches are about the same. Also his K/9 rate is actually the highest of his career. His BB/9 are below career averages. Where the change is that his HR/FB ratio is 17% where is career rate is 11.0.
So in other words I would not worry too much about Haren.
GravediggerHebner
6/7/2010-11:56am at 11:56 am (UTC -4)
Ultimately I’m OK with acquiring him because he’s signed for the next 2 seasons after this one for only $750,000 more than the Mets are paying Perez annually. But his limited no-trade surely means he would want an extension, or at least the guarantee of his option, in exchange for waiving it. I could live with guaranteeing the option which would make him a Met through 2013 and age 33, but I would hope no large extension would follow.
He’s not an ace but he doesn’t come with an ace salary so that’s good. He fits my request for the legit # 2 that I wanted all winter nicely, and with Santana & Pelfrey makes a formidable front 3. I just don’t want the Mets to give the DBacks an ace ransom to get him and I don’t want them to have to sign him to an extension as a way to get him here.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-12:01pm at 12:01 pm (UTC -4)
But you would think with his contract so team friendly, you would have to give up at least Mejia to get him.
njstuckintx
6/7/2010-12:05pm at 12:05 pm (UTC -4)
I would think you’d be looking at a Mejia & Havens + some more. The age, the contract, the ability… It’s not going to be cheap.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-12:06pm at 12:06 pm (UTC -4)
agreed.
njstuckintx
6/7/2010-12:14pm at 12:14 pm (UTC -4)
Would you do that?
(I would)
You think they would take Ollie? And I’m serious about that. Not straight up, obviously, but if we ate all but a million? Just to get the PR nightmare gone alone would be worth it.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-12:18pm at 12:18 pm (UTC -4)
I guess if the Mets draft a college arm who could start in the majors in 1-2 years, letting go of Mejia isn’t a bad idea.
stickguy
6/7/2010-12:08pm at 12:08 pm (UTC -4)
I got no problem with giving up mejia to get im.
I know his NTC is that he can block 12 teams this year. But, no idea if he did that before the seaosn, or if he would be asked for it now? But, if the Mets are not one of the 12 teams, then he has no leverage.
His 2013 option is I think 15.5mill, with a 2.5mm buy out. So, for basically 12 million for the year, not a biggee.
hey, if Haren’s agent called this off season and said he wuold sign for a 3/41 deal, you would take that, right?
Mr North Jersey
6/7/2010-12:05pm at 12:05 pm (UTC -4)
It will be interesting to see what the demand is for HAREN and how that demand will affect the asking price for him. The Phillies who traded for Lee last year would they get in the mix for him or for that matter would the Braves?
I won’t even mention the Nationals since they prob wouldn’t even consider taking on his salary right?
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-12:11pm at 12:11 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t see Bravos in the mix since they’ve got good talent in pitching department already. Phillies are maxed out in their salary with $29,000 Million they are giving to Howard. Nats… who knows, but they do have the money though.
I think a team like the Yankees (of course) or Cubs could be in the mix. I think medium market teams would be in the mix too like the Cards (makes a lot of sense).
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-11:55am at 11:55 am (UTC -4)
I wouldn’t take too much stock in the HR allowed numbers. DBacks stadium (whatever it is called) to Citi Field will solve that problem. Plus, his HR/9IP seems like anomaly this season compared to other seasons.
I like Haren and his contract is definitely team friendly. Haren’s contract looks like this.
Dan Haren rhp
4 years/$44.75M (2009-12), plus 2013 club option
* 4 years/$44.75M (2009-12), plus 2013 club option
o signed extension with Arizona 8/5/08, replacing option year & final guaranteed year of previous contract
o 09:$7.5M, 10:$8.25M, 11:$12.75M, 12:$12.75M, 13:$15.5M club option ($3.5M buyout)
He is 1 year younger than Johan and has been a horse. Yes, his FB velocity dropped about 1.7 mph since his younger days, but so has Johan’s and we know Johan can still pitch well.
Problem I see is that many teams will be in the race for Haren IF he’s available and thus driving the cost real high.
GravediggerHebner
6/7/2010-12:00pm at 12:00 pm (UTC -4)
I wholly agree with your last sentence. The Mets will likely have to over pay to get him. As excited as I would be about having him here, I’m equally not excited about surrendering too many/too valuable trade chips and/or too much of a contract extension to make it happen.
If the Mets can somehow pull it off without getting ripped off I’m all for it.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-12:03pm at 12:03 pm (UTC -4)
From what I have seen so far from Omar & Co, they don’t like to overpay especially in talent division. Sure there’s Ollie and Luis, but I’m not sure we thought it was overpaying at the time.
Kingman 26
6/7/2010-11:38am at 11:38 am (UTC -4)
Absolutely right. Haren would be perfect; never misses a start, plenty of Ks, doesn’t walks anyone, only 29.
Cliff Lee is NOT worth the ridiculous deal he will command, nor is he worth the prospects. Lee is almost 32, and has two great years spread out within a career of being pretty good and being injured. I would not trade just about anything for him, unless the Mariners want a healthy Beltran at the deadline (if that is not an oxymoron at this point) to supplement their nonexistent offense if we pay half his salary and have Lee as a rental just like the Phils did.
Hell, if the DBags want to throw in Kris Benson, I would even take him too, just so we can have the pleasure of releasing him and his loudmouth bee-atch wife.
Kingman 26
6/7/2010-11:26am at 11:26 am (UTC -4)
KELLY JOHNSON!!
Oh man, slot him in at 2B and we won’t even need Brittle Beltran to return from his vacation.
A 1-year cheap deal, let Slappy be a PH and backup, let Tejada and Havens develop.
OMG is he PERFECT!
trs86
6/7/2010-11:31am at 11:31 am (UTC -4)
I don’t see the Mets upgrading their offense at all. Sorry Kingman.
Kingman 26
6/7/2010-11:32am at 11:32 am (UTC -4)
Gotta admit, having him for the rest of this year for one-point-something million would be almost too good to be true.
trs86
6/7/2010-11:35am at 11:35 am (UTC -4)
Yeah it would be nice offensively but based on what I have read and seen he’s a terrible defender. I think I would much rather go with Tejada and concentrate on pitching.
Kingman 26
6/7/2010-11:40am at 11:40 am (UTC -4)
Well, that would be OK too.
You know my mantra on the young guys; gee I hope Jerry plays Cora again tomorrow! (Insert vomit noise here.)
But Stick is right—Haren would be ideal for Citi and ideal for us as a number 2.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-11:58am at 11:58 am (UTC -4)
with one-point-something million, there’s no reason for the DBacks to trade him.
Kingman 26
6/7/2010-12:14pm at 12:14 pm (UTC -4)
Perhaps; just responding to his being mentioned in the article Grave cited.
And you never know; if they are losing dough hand over fist and are going to finish last, trading ~1.5 million for a prospect earning less than 100 Gs can indeed make a mark on the bottom line.
trs86
6/7/2010-12:17pm at 12:17 pm (UTC -4)
I would think that his would be more about talent in return than cost saved.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-12:20pm at 12:20 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. I’m assuming that even though they want to dismantle the team, they would want the fans to still come out to watch games. That’s why I think Haren would not be traded this season.
stickguy
6/7/2010-12:51pm at 12:51 pm (UTC -4)
IMO. a better reason to trade a SP, as opposed to an every day player. At least for the 4 games he doesn’t pitch, they won’t miss him!
I also don’t think Haren is like Lincicum, halladay or Strassburg. Not a talent comparision, but from people going to the game to see him.
given all the facotrs, for the stated goal of the D backs, Haren is the single best player for the to trade.
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-12:16pm at 12:16 pm (UTC -4)
Just browsed through the Cot’s baseball contract site and for 2010 the team with the highest payroll is the Cubs followed by Phillies and Mets. Ironically, the team with the lowest payroll is the Padres.
Did you know the Tigers have higher payroll than the Mets?
trs86
6/7/2010-12:18pm at 12:18 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah?
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-12:23pm at 12:23 pm (UTC -4)
it’s like $134M vs $126.5M
trs86
6/7/2010-12:27pm at 12:27 pm (UTC -4)
OK, but they actually have worse contracts than we do. I am not sure the point?
DNDJohan aka kistics
6/7/2010-12:37pm at 12:37 pm (UTC -4)
no point.. i just thought it was interesting given the economy of the motor city…
trs86
6/7/2010-12:49pm at 12:49 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah they did that when times are good. Bad BAD contracts like Ordonez, Gullien, Nate, DTrain that’s a lot of money right there.