Brad Lidge?

[BigRapidsJackass]

From today's RMN, more Lidge trade speculation:

Rocky Mountain News - Denver and Colorado's reliable source for breaking news, sports and entertainment: Columnists

Lidge is an interesting case. He is widely considered to have lost confidence after that NLCS homer by Pujols. He is also widely considered to have had a horrible year last year. But consider:

Fuentes '06 Fielding Independent Pitching: 3.86
Lidge '06 FIP: 3.70

And in '05: Fuentes 3.20, Lidge 2.05
And in '04: Fuentes 3.39, Lidge 1.71

Lidge's '06 was kind of weird in that his HR/FB rate shot up from 11% to 18% -- the best guess would be "bad luck" rather than "hitters hit the ball a lot harder against him." Why do I say that? Well, his line drive rate remained similar. Perhaps due to a lack of confidence, his BB rate also increased. But the strikeout rate remained excellent.

I'd take him straight up for Fuentes. Better still, I'd take him for a AAA hitter and a Ramirez type.

[Heltonfan]

Better still, I'd take him for a AAA hitter and a Ramirez type.

Better still? I'm torn as to whether or not Fuentes is better than Ramirez, but when you take contract status into account, there's no question who the more valuable asset is.

Lidge would be a substantial upgrade, no argument there. But he's making $5.35 million. There are a few relievers who are worth that kind of money. He's not one of them.

[Roxpert]

I'd take him for Hawkins and Kim. Heck, I'd even throw in Barmes and Taveras (as long as they included Chris Burke).

If we are ever to be taken seriously, we have to have at least two legit closer-types in our bullpen. The Padres have Linebrink and Hoffmann. The Dodgers have Broxton and Saito. We have Hawkins and Fuentes, and are hoping that Corpas becomes an elite pitcher. Maybe he will but, he's hardly proven.

I'd like us to trade for Lidge or, if not available, Chad Cordero. Why does a team like the Nationals need a pitcher like Cordero anyway???

[bedir than average]

Wow, you guys seem to be down on Fuentes, why is that?

[BigRapidsJackass]

Not down on Fuentes at all. Just kind of bullish on Lidge.

The Astros need to understand that they're in rebuilding mode ... or should I say, that they should be in rebuilding mode. When they finally come to that realization (I think it'll be round about the time Biggio gets his 3000th hit), they ought to be intrigued by the likes of Baker, Stewart, even Koshansky. And young hitters is where they should be focused if they're ready to give up on Lidge as a closer.

[hiaspire]

Originally Posted by BigRapidsJackass

When they finally come to that realization (I think it'll be round about the time Biggio gets his 3000th hit), they ought to be intrigued by the likes of Baker, Stewart, even Koshansky. And young hitters is where they should be focused if they're ready to give up on Lidge as a closer.

You'd trade Ian Stewart for Brad Lidge? I can't see being high on Lidge and low on Fuentes either. I'd certainly take a flyer on Lidge because he's done it before, but I wouldn't pay a high price for a gamble on him turning it around. Right now, the price tag on him is still pretty high with the need for closers and higher than I'd think we should pay. When he's a free agent, we'll have an edge on signing him and coming home someday.

I think it might be a grass is greener on the other side. Astros fans have to be frustrated by him blowing games since the incident. He's probably blown more than some of the guys in the Rox bullpen many have come to hate in that time. I can't see him being quite as beloved here if he was blowing those same number of games here.

I wouldn't mind him coming here, though, but wouldn't pay a premium with some uncertainty associated with him. The price tag is a little too high for someone who might just blow as many games here where the pressure is even greater on the pen (physically) and things can go badly more quickly in this environment (mentally).

[BigRapidsJackass]

Ian Stewart just hasn't shown a whole lot in the last couple years. Right now he's behind Atkins AND Baker at 3B, and if he goes to the OF he's behind Hawpe and, amazingly, has even been passed by Seth Smith. Actually, I'd say right now it's a toss-up as to who has a better chance of making it, Smith or Stewart.

[RMF]

Ian Stewart will probably be passed by Josh Vitters. Vitters could be the Rockies new 3B prospepct. Stewart has just been a power outage. The total opposite of what I expected.

[hiaspire]

Originally Posted by RMF

Ian Stewart will probably be passed by Josh Vitters. Vitters could be the Rockies new 3B prospepct. Stewart has just been a power outage. The total opposite of what I expected.

I still have faith in him. I'd give him a better chance of blossoming in the big leagues than I would have Holliday who overcame not living up to expectations in the minors.

If that really is the case, though, the Rox need to move him before they pull off another example of wasted value. At one point, Stewart was about as valuable as you could get in our franchise. I think he still has quite a bit of trade value and more so than a removed skaky closer. He would still look nice in a blockbuster package in terms of pure talent and upside value that a GM could sell to his fans after acquiring.

[RMF]

I'd give him a better chance of blossoming in the big leagues than I would have Holliday who overcame not living up to expectations in the minors.

I agree with you there. I'm just amazed that the tool that is missing is the power. This guy was supposed to be Mr. Power. It's not like he was promoted aggressively. He shouldn't have been overmatched at any level It's disturbing that we haven't seen progress in 3 years.

Since Atkins emerged I'd always assumed that Stewart was going to end up in LF. Hopefully he'll follow Holliday's lead. I'm just kind of shocked at his minor league career up to this point. I really wonder how motivated he is.

[wolf213]

Only way I trade a guy like stewart is if it gives us an CF in return, I think it stupid to trade away a once top prospect for a struggling reliever, and while Stewart hasn't lived up to his expectations, I think he has the potential to bring more to a ballclub then Lidge would.

I agree with Aspire on this, Lidge would be nice, but his price tag is to high for the time being.

[Roxpert]

Some guys just don't develop as expected. Sean Burroughs, even Hank Blalock are good examples. Stewart may be another one of them.

But he still has trade value.....getting someone like Lidge may require a Stewart, and if I were DOD, I'd have to seriously consider it.

[wolf213]

Ya but know this team we would acquire Lidge and then send down a guy like Corpas and/or Ramirez to "make room"

Hawkins is worse then Mesa was...

[Roxpert]

Hawkins worse than Mesa? How about Hawkins being the righthanded "Ray King"? Ugghh.

[BigRapidsJackass]

Yes, Hawkins is worse than Mesa was last year.

One thing you can say about Mesa: he never looks or pitches scared. He doesn't have the same stuff he used to, but he always attacks hitters. Hawkins? You tell me.