“Above league average” for a low ceiling player who can only (poorly) play LF and 2B doesn’t have much value. That’s exactly the kind of player who gets DFA’ed. (Also, his career wRC+ is a well below average 93 fwiw.)
No I know the difference. Tony Kemp will have more trade value than cash considerations, not a lot, but enough to get something in return. We will keep him, or make a proper trade. We aren't gonna DFA him and lose any leverage.
He’s out of options. Marisnick is the only good defensive CF on the roster. Reddick, Springer, and Brantley are guaranteed spots, and they’re not carrying 5 OF, especially since it would mean displacing Tyler White, a much superior offensive player and much better fit for the team’s needs.
Prior to this year Kemp had 175 PA. Obviously last year was his first real shot and a breakout year. You don’t DFA players coming off a year with these stats. Dude has defensive versatility and offensive weapons.
It’s not that I am guaranteeing he will clear waivers. I think the odds favor it, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see some rebuilding team claim him. However, I am willing to guarantee that if he is traded, it will not be for any prospect in another team’s Top 20.
It’s more likely that he is dealt to a rebuilding team as part of a larger PKG for a starting pitcher.
Go look at some of the players who have been DFA over the last year. The list is riddled with defensively limited guys who are average hitters. I’m not here to bag on Kemp; he’s a fine 12th or 13th or 14th position player and the kind of guy you love to be able to stash in AAA. But he doesn’t have defensive versatility, he is a butcher at 2 low value positions. And he doesn’t have offensive weapons, he has weapon: he can put the bat on the ball. He doesn’t hit for power and never will. And for a player with his profile he’s not even a great baserunner or great at taking walks; he’s average to slightly above average in those areas.
So you’re debating me on whether he will clear waivers or be a meaningless throw-in on a bigger trade? Ok.
Rather than require me to find evidence for you, why don’t you go find comparables for your argument. I already rebutted your claim that Kemp didn’t have statistics to prove my point.
Ok. In that case I disagree. Again, if Kemp is traded, it will be for peanuts or as a throw-in, as close to a DFA as possible. Not worth talking about anymore. If Kemp is traded we can see what he brings back; if it is a prospect from another team’s top 20, or if he is a headliner for a big league player, I will gladly eat crow. I would love nothing more than for crummy Tony Kemp to bring back big value for Houston.
Gregor Blanco, Peter Bourjos, Preston Tucker, Dilson Herrera, and Cory Spangenberg all have career wRC+ within 5 points of Kemp, and all were DFA within the last 12 months. That’s far from a complete list; those 5 names were who I found within 5 minutes of looking. And all of those players (except maybe Tucker) are much better defenders than Kemp.
When was the last time a 27 year old 5’5” bad defensive LF with a career wRC+ of 93 was traded for a meaningful return? I’ll wait.
You’re citing a different stat. I used wRC+. But even then, you’re wrong. Blanco’s career line is .255/.338/.348, 90 OPS+. You’re wasting our time.
You are using ‘career’ stat references for a functional rookie. Invalid point. Dude has about 500 PAs and had his first real season last year—when he broke out. And his defensive versatility is actually a strength, not a weakness. I find this argument really funny because I don’t want Kemp here. We have too many other valuable pieces. That said, his value is solid.
Ignoring 175 of Kemp’s 470 career PA is a better way to analyze his value? Sounds like cherry picking to me. “Functional rookie”? What does that even mean? And as far as defensive versatility goes, Tyler White has seen time at every infield position in the minors; doesn’t make him good or give him “defensive versatility”. Kemp is a crummy defensive player. Again, give me one example of a player like Kemp (27, physically limited, not a good defender, career below average hitter) who was traded for anything of value.
