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Ranks of Astros shortstop options grow at tender deadline

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by No Worries, Dec 13, 2011.

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  1. No Worries

    No Worries Contributing Member

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    Ranks of Astros shortstop options grow at tender deadline

    Posted on December 13, 2011 at 12:46 am by Zachary Levine

    The list of Astros shortstop candidates swelled a bit on Monday as most notably Ryan Theriot was non-tendered at the deadline for teams to do such barely speakable things.

    The Astros have a crowd at shortstop with Angel Sanchez, Brian Bixler, Diory Hernandez and Rule 5 pick Marwin Gonzalez all claiming some aptitude for the position, but the team has sought an upgrade.

    With Ryan Theriot and old friend Jeff Keppinger, whom we’ll throw in mostly for kicks, added to the mix, there are still a handful of names on the market to watch.

    Ryan Theriot – Cardinals non-tender
    Age: 32
    Bats: Right
    2011 salary: $3.3 million
    Position: Shortstop. Has played some second depending on need.
    2011 stats: .271 BA, .321 OBP, .342 SLG, 1 HR in 442 AB
    Fit: There will be competition for his services – most bidding for a utility man – and the thing that the Astros can offer if not money or a winning team is playing time. Theriot would be the Astros’ starting shortstop in all likelihood.

    Jeff Keppinger – Giants non-tender
    Age: 31
    Bats: Right
    Position: Second base every play of 2011. No shortstop with any frequency since 2008.
    2011 salary: $2.3 million
    2011 stats: .277 BA, .300 OBP, .377 SLG, 6 HR in 399 AB
    Fit: The offense could be better than Theriot’s even if there was something to his slide in San Francisco. It would still mean a lot of Angel Sanchez at shortstop. Jose Altuve is no sure thing to stick at second all year, but it would be odd pressure to put on him by bringing back the man he replaced. Call this a weird fit.

    Some of the options already out there in free agency.

    Yuniesky Betancourt – Free agent (Brewers)
    Age: 29, will be 30 opening day
    Bats: Right
    Position: Has played 99.2% of his career innings at shortstop and all since 2006.
    2011 salary: $4 million (Club declined $6 million 2012 option in favor of $2 million buyout)
    2011 stats: .252 BA, .271 OBP, .381 SLG, 13 HR in 556 AB
    Fit: Not terrible. The fact that he can run into one occasionally makes him an upgrade despite the frequent mockery of his (in)ability to get on base. The Brewers signed Alex Gonzalez so he’ll be looking for a home.

    Orlando Cabrera – Free agent (Giants)
    Age: 37
    Bats: Right
    Position: Has always been a shortstop until his time in Cleveland last year. We’ll say shortstop.
    2011 salary: $1 million
    2011 stats: .238 BA, .267 OBP, .307 SLG, 5 HR in 450 AB
    Fit: The price would be right, but the production is in steep decline and wasn’t any better than Angel Sanchez’s last year.

    Ronny Cedeno – Free agent (Pirates)
    Age: 28, will be 29 opening day
    Bats: Right
    Position: Shortstop
    2011 salary: $2.05 million (Club declined $3 million 2012 option in favor of $200,000 buyout)
    2011 stats: .249 BA, .297 OBP, .339 SLG, 2 HR in 413 AB
    Fit: A streaky hitter who would not be a disastrous low-cost option. Production is falling though and the Pirates wanted to pay Clint Barmes $10.5 million for two years instead of giving him the option-buyout difference of $2.8 million for a year.
     
    #1 No Worries, Dec 13, 2011
  2. rockets934life

    rockets934life Contributing Member

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    Theriot is the guy that stands out due to the obvious connection with Luhnow. I do think Marwin Gonzalez might surprise and take that job down the road.
     
    #2 rockets934life, Dec 13, 2011
  3. juicystream

    juicystream Contributing Member

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    I'd rather we go with what we have now. These are a bunch of guys who have OPSs under .700 for their career, another that is a 2B, and an old man that should hang it up.
     
    #3 juicystream, Dec 13, 2011
  4. xAliceInChains

    xAliceInChains Member

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    I pick nobody, but, I would avoid Betancourt like the plague. If Keppinger wants a starting job somewhere I would welcome him back on a 2 year contract at no more than 2mm a year.


    But really, we are better to just stand pat, this is going to be an even worse year than last, and there is no point in spending money.
     
    #4 xAliceInChains, Dec 13, 2011
  5. Major

    Major Member

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    Astros need to quit with the stopgaps. Play the guys they have and find out if any of them have the potential to be a starting SS on a decent team in a few years. That was the only purpose of last season, and that's the only purpose of this season.
     
    #5 Major, Dec 13, 2011
  6. Phillyrocket

    Phillyrocket Member

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    +1 this goes for the Rockets as well.
     
    #6 Phillyrocket, Dec 13, 2011
  7. rockets934life

    rockets934life Contributing Member

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    While in general I agree with 100%, who are these guys that you want to see at SS? Angel Sanchez? Brian Bixler?

    Villar is a year off, Marwin Gonzalez seems intriguing but he was at AA last year. So it's not really a matter of a stopgap but rather just someone who can play the position at a decent level.
     
    #7 rockets934life, Dec 13, 2011
  8. msn

    msn Member

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    The word "stopgap" implies that there is a solid structure in place with just a gap to fill to keep out the potentially destructive flood.

    Hello and welcome to last year. It's not a "gap"; the whole thing is freaking flattened.
     
    #8 msn, Dec 14, 2011
  9. juicystream

    juicystream Contributing Member

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    He actually spent half the season at AAA.

    I agree with Major, but only when we have a young unknown available. At SS, it has to be Marwin Gonzalez or a stopgap, IMO. Granted, Angel Sanchez/Brian Bixler could be that stopgap given the available options.
     
    #9 juicystream, Dec 14, 2011
  10. No Worries

    No Worries Contributing Member

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    None of the FA SSs sniff of money ball.

    Marwin Gonzalez knows how to draw a walk. Whether he can hit his weight in The Bigs is another story.
     
    #10 No Worries, Dec 14, 2011
  11. sealclubber1016

    sealclubber1016 Member
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    They need to play an unproven guy, period. We're gonna be terrible regardless. Whats really the difference between 55 wins or 58 wins.

    Sutil or Gonzalez should start. Neither guys will probably be a good big league player, but they might. Only one way to find out.

    I know for a fact all of the other options suck.
     
    #11 sealclubber1016, Dec 14, 2011
  12. Sean Elliot

    Sean Elliot Member

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    apparently we just got Lowrie and a pitcher from the Red Sox for Melancon
     
    #12 Sean Elliot, Dec 14, 2011
  13. juicystream

    juicystream Contributing Member

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    #13 juicystream, Dec 14, 2011
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