You just LATed my last two comments!

Brady Clark?? Give Bigbie and Loney a shot.

2 - Need a righty. That's what you get for putting together an all-lefty OF (Pierre, Gonzo, Ethier, Marlon, and Loney).

brady clark is useful. thats more then i can say of valdez.

2 What does Bigbie bring to the table that Clark doesn't?

{rerun from previous thread} I wonder who will come back to bite/haunt who in that first series with the Brewers against their former team? Will Clark homer off of Dessens? Will he be caught stealing with Dessens on the mound? The drama will be so thick you can cut it with a bat.

5 He hits with his right hand?

brady clark walks and gets HBPs alot. his OPS+ the last 3 years

2006: 77
2005: 109
2004: 108

what happened last year?

Could it be that the Dodgers just wanted to control where Dessens would go instead of allowing him to become a free agent.

5
Clark has worked as a waiter before so he knows how to bring things to tables.

(that was a rhetorical question; you already knew the answer)

So does this affect Bigbie's status more or Loney's? I guess we'll have to wait and see. I don't think the Dodgers are done dealing, though... just a feeling.

5 - Clark was terrible last year. I didn't follow his season one iota - is there a reason why we should think it's not the sign of real decline?

Bigbie is younger and was hurt, so short of analyzing their platoon stats, I do feel a little better about him. Not to mention Loney.

5 - Bigbie has a little more power I think, but Clark is a good OBP guy though if his average stays down (.263 last year) then that won't be true. He seems like a useful bench guy, though I wonder how much money the Dodgers will get?

off topic: "Bush met with General Motors Corp. chairman and chief executive Rick Wagoner, Ford Motor Co. chief executive Alan Mulally and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group chief executive Tom LaSorda. They discussed Bush's support for flex-fuel vehicles and his administration's proposal to reduce gas consumption by 20 percent in 10 years."

There is a rumor in Boston Globe that a trade that includes Kemp and Dontrell Willis is out there.

Well this raises the question then - how important is it to make sure you have a right handed hitter mixed in vs. all lefties (in the OF)? If Bigbie is better than Clark, but the former is a lefty, how important is that. Teams seem to think it's pretty critical, to have that guy at least available later in games when the opponent is manuevering its relief pitchers. On the other hand, if the righty in question isn't any good, then what's the point?

On the other other hand, I think Clark is better than that - but maybe not much better. Argh, I wish Repko hadn't hurt himself again.

I wonder how much this trade has to do with Loney continuing to look lost in the outfield.

15 Yeah we were scoffing at that one here yesterday. Seems pretty ludicrous that the Dodgers would be trying to acquire more starting pitching, and lose an OF prospect, unless there's another deal in the works. Didn't make much sense to me.

I often have wondered what Tommy Lasorda's views on alternative energy sources is. I'm attending a roundtable discussion with him on hydrogen fuel cell technology.

brady clark can play all 3 outfield positions righ?

Okay, Clark and Bigbie platoon stats posted above. Clark has been better looking backward - just again wondering about that 2006 season.

20
Not at the same time.

12 Clark was horribly unlucky on balls in play last year, if he hit his natural BABIP, he would have hit .299/.374/.371.

Here's Bigbie's last two seasons: .239/.301/.346, .240/.321/.280 (albeit in 25 at bats). If you're going to dock Clark for being terrible last year, you have to dock Bigbie as well.

Rumors fly, and in the meantime, as usual, the guy who was in the rumors at all gets acquired.

BP 2007: "We've noted before that Clark's been a pretty decent player despite taking a long while to get his career going, but he failed to live up to even modest expectations in 2006, turning in his worst season as a Brewer. Clark still gets on base enough to be an asset, but he's not getting any younger and his precipitous power drop is worrisome. The Brewers have made it known that they're looking for a center fielder; with Clark set to earn almost $4 million in 2007, the Brewers may have an expensive backup. If he has a hot first half, he could be dealt to play a Chad Curtis role on a contender.
Comparables: Gino Cimoli, Harvey Kuenn, Gary Ward, Jim Piersall."

So I guess they think Clark is going to fracture the Dodgers' clubhouse along religious lines....

23 - I'll dock 'em both, and thanks for the BABIP update. Still, .745 OPS ain't much for an OF, which makes me feel this whole conversation is pretty inconsequential.

It's not like he's gonna start. He'll just be a decent righty to have off the bench. There could be worse guys to add to your bench in exchange for Elmer Dessens, is the way I'm looking at it.

26 True, but I'll take a .374 on base percentage from my fourth outfielder any day.

i think...this might be good for loney.

the dodgers want to keep loney but with repko out, they need someone who can handle all 3 outfield positions effectively. If they had not traded for clark, bigbie would basically be that person. But since they traded for clark, they dont need bigbie to handle all 3 outfield positions and thus, do not need him because they are keeping loney.

bigbies going to be traded.

28 - And plays center. Pierre and Repko are the only CFers on the roster.

Re the previous thread, here's the email address to suggest (or demand!) that DT should be on a list of the 10 best baseball blogs:

tips@sportsmediachallenge.com

This seems an overreaction to Repko's injury; then again, it gives us someone on the roster who can play center field besides the Human Out Machine. If this means Pierre gets one day off a week so Clark can face a lefty, sounds good to me. I think the trade works on a number of levels, even if Clark repeats his 2006 numbers. We're talking about a fifth outfielder here, folks; he doesn't need to be Stan Musial.

It would seem to mean, however, that Larry Bigbie had better tell his agent to start calling around. IMO there's absolutely no way Loney's getting left off the roster.

so basically, the dodgers have 2 days to find a taker for bigbie.

14 I wonder if they'll also be be building a more fuel-efficient Lasorda, one that consumes and expels less gas?

24 Actually, Rosenthal mentioned in his last column that the Dodgers could be looking at either Clark or Mench.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6610312

29 Won't it be tough to get much in return for Bigbie because he can just opt out and sign with any team that wants him?

23 - How do you figure? Clark's BABIP last year was .299 according to fangraphs, which points to him being about luck neutral. Bigbie only had 300 ABs total in those two years and actually did have a BABIP below his career average for 275 of those ABs. Clark has a different skill set than Bigbie, but going forward I think Bigbie is the better bet, especially for the price.

what were dessens and clarks zips projections this year?

35 - Fair enough. Score one for the mongers.

If Clark repeats his 2005 numbers he should start over Pierre.

32
agree- no need to worry about Loney in AAA, hes going to be a Dodger.

pitching staff

lowe
schmidt
wolf
penny
tomko

billingsley
hendrickson
saenez
beimel
broxton
saito

that seems correct.

37 BABIP is directly correlated with line drive percentage. Expected BABIP is .120+line drive percentage, so Clark should have been at .354, when he hit only .299.

42 - That is a general rule that shouldn't be applied all that specifically. For example, Clark has a career LD% of 22.9% which would translate to a .350 BABIP, but in reality it is .302. He was right around his career BABIP and posted his lowest batting average ever in a year he had at least 100 ABs.

43 Where are you getting those numbers from? THT only goes back three years.

Hey Nate:
Have you looked at Akins' numbers recently, I don't think he is looking like someone White would sign but I don't have a real feel for college stats, what do you think?

Okay, they obviously miss Bigbie in Baltimore (Bawlmore) and need more pitching, so we package he and Tomko or Hendrickson to the Orioles in exchange for (? -- someone lower than Markakis on the hierarchy). Sorry, I'm proposing more than mongering. Mostly, I'm procrastinating when I should be working.

44 - fangraphs.com.

46
If the Orioles need more pitching why are they planning a 13-man staff?

Shoot, I'll take Brady Clark as my 4th/5th outfielder and Rudy in the bullpen anyday of the week over Repko/Dessens. Nice deal.

47 Thanks. Clark's numbers are rather interesting. He's seen his line drive percentage make huge improvements over the last two years but hasn't really benefited at all from it. It's hard to get a read on his career since he rarely played until he joined the Brewers in 2003.

If I had to make a judgment call, I'd just say he got unlucky two years in a row, but I could be wrong.

32 If this means Pierre gets one day off a week so Clark can face a lefty, sounds good to me.

But does it mean that? My guess is that, barring injury, the Outmaker starts all 162.

44 - I will admit that I fibbed the numbers ever so slightly since LD% numbers only goes back 5 years, but BABIP can be calculated back to forever. So his LD% is for 5 years, but his BABIP is for his career. Still, I don't think it makes a big difference since the last four years are where he got 90% of his ABs.

50 - Wasn't there a study done somewhere (I want to say it was Tangotiger, but it could have been hardballtimes) that said that there is very little year to year correlation between LD%. It could be that Clark was lucky to get so many line drives and then unlucky that they didn't turn into more hits. Though he terrible power might also suppress his average.

51 I don't think it means Pierre will sit once a week. I do think it means he won't start all 162.

32/51: A more likely (and still unobjectionable) scenario is that Clark gives Gonzales days off against LHP. If Kemp is to be banished to Vegas, that's a good, second-best solution.

53 They aren't predictive at all for pitcher but there is some year to year correlation for hitters.

Yes, I hope Clark gives Gonzo some games off against LHP.

An outfield of Loney/Kemp/D Young with an infield of Abreu / La Roche on games that Greg Miller is starting and Tsao is closing makes the trip to Vegas a must.

48 I meant, "better," rather than "more," of course. Gosh, Tomricksonko would be better than Trachsel, imho.

57 I'm guessing that will be Tsao holding and Meloan closing. Maybe not, though.

Unquestionably a good trade. Filled a small but needed hole with a slightly better than servicable player, and dumped off some extra bullpen wood. Is anyone going to really argue with Saenz, Anderson, Clark, Loney, and Lieberthal? That's a good bench.

It is mind boggling that Tsao won't make the team. Hendrickson is beyond worthless and Tsao is a fireballer who could have his arm fall off at any minute. Make a trade Ned!

Can we now start rumors about Betemit going somewhere, Nomar moving to third, and Loney starting at first and Kemp in right?

Quote in Henson's new LAT article:

"It gives us a very capable player who plays hard, plays all three outfield spots and is a baseball player," said General Manager Ned Colletti, who added that his scouts say Clark "does a lot of things major league average. He's an average hitter."

63 - And it wouldn't be a Ned acquisition without this oldie-but-goodie:

"His character and work ethic will only add to the positive atmosphere in the clubhouse."

63 Is that a veiled shot at Kemp? (If so, it would be the second one today, after Josh's most recent post at ITD.)

Thank God he's a baseball player! Whew. That would have been a bad trade otherwise.

Nothing about his scrappiness stats, though?

66 - All baseball players are scrappy, but not everybody that plays baseball is a baseball player. Skill has nothing to do with this logic. It's superfluous. It's icing on the cake, that's all.

65 - I don't think so. I think it's just random GM-speak.

I wondered if Clark "wanted to be a Dodger." Does that criteria only apply to FA's since they're allowed to say stuff like that?

Clark was born in Oregon and went to college at USD.

He should be off at PETCO and asking for the "San Diego Discount."

After finishing my coffee, this appears to me to be another pointless trade, albeit one that's not obviously harmful in any way (except to McCourt's wallet). Clark is just Repko (not exactly the same player, but exactly the same role). Dessens was unneeded, but also free (KC was paying his salary, right?). So Milwaukee dumps salary and an unneeded player, and gets a free bullpen guy. LA adds salary and a basically unneeded player, again increases the age of the team, and replaces the guy blocking Kemp.

Imagine if this had been yesterday, and a straight Repko for Clark trade, along with a straight release of Dessens. No point. Just older, more expensive, and no upside.

Was there a mention of the length of Clark's contract?

71 I don't buy the argument that Repko was blocking Kent, at all. (Unless Kemp aspires to be a fifth outfielder and pinch runner when he grows up.)

Kemp, not Kent.

I thought Milwaukee is also giving LA cash for this? I don't think it's right to call it "free." Again, I think adding a solid right hand hitting outfielder in exchange for a pitcher we didn't need is not a bad trade. It's not very exciting, but seems relatively sound to me. Still, I assume this means they are sure Kemp isn't ready. (Or that they want him to start full time and won't be doing that yet in LA.)

74 - True, KC is paying his salary, but we're still paying Odalis', so LA comes out behind. Milwaukee is most likely paying just enough of Clark's salary to make the two a wash.

I still question the idea that Clark is a "solid" outfielder.

71 - Clark's is signed only for '07 (according to www.hardballdollars.com). The money Milwaukee is sending will most likely balance out the difference in salaries.

ZiPS and PECOTA forsee nasty numbers from Clark, like a sub-730 OPS.

it's situations like these that I wish I could post over Ned's bed a reminder: "Just because you could, doesn't mean you should."

Not an awful trade or anything, but what in the heck does Loney have to do to get a spot around here...

76
Why?

If one views Clark as simply a placeholder for Kemp or maybe Repko (injury permitting) this year, nasty numbers won't be a bad thing. If Clark plays poorly, he will be released when Kemp or Repko is ready. My greatest fear, though, is that Clark will, well, be average, which will lead to the Dodgers holding onto him even when the player with significantly higher upside (Kemp) is ready.

65 I read right through that bit on the ItD post. [Clark] also hits right-handed which, as you know, none of the other outfielders in camp can do.
Of course, as many pointed out, Matt Kemp is a right-handed hitting OF.

Hopefully Josh had the same mind-slip I did, having already mentally put Kemp in Las Vegas to start the season.

72. All I mean by "blocking Kemp" is that miClark will take starts and ABs that might have gone to Kemp. If they were determined to put Kemp in Las Vegas, then Clark's arrival doesn't really affect Kemp this year, and all Clark will do is take ABs that might have gone (post Repko injury) to Bigbie or Loney.

Obviously, the best-case scenario is that he takes ABs from Pierre, but I doubt that will happen.

How's his defense? Is it possible that when Clark spells Gonzales, he'll play CF, and Pierre's wet noodle arm will move to LF?

81 Please remove all reference to Repko in that post, since the latest report (Tony Jackson) is that he's out for the season.

The DBacks just traded Jorge Julio and cash to Florida for Yusmeiro Petit. Between Petit, MacLane, Eveland, Enrique and Edgar Gonzalez, and Nippert, Arizona will have a Triple-A rotation that almost rivals Vegas'.

79 I don't think Clark's acquistion has any bearing on Loney. There are three LH starting OFs either way. In my mind, Bigbie's agent is burning up the cellphone towers trying to find a better bench or maybe platoon situation for Bigbie, which doesn't seem to exist here. With the opt-out, Bigbie's ST is essentially a tryout for all of MLB.

Yeah, the treatment of Loney really calls into question the whole "willingness to let young guys take over once they've shown they're ready" company line. Jaffe parroted this in the BP article that someone (ToyCannon?) mentioned earlier today. If Loney isn't busting the door down, I don't know what that looks like.

True, Loney doesn't have the power you'd like from a first baseman. But neither does Nomar. And Loney is still just a kid. With his sweet swing, I imagine the only thing standing in the way of 25 HRs is strength, and that should come as he gets older and finishes filling out, no matter what else happens.

A belated rumination triggered by Sunday's Hendrickson topic.

The cost-to-cut for LuGo is $1.75 million.

86 - I agree. I think Loney remains the primary backup to the corner outfield spots (along with firstbase). This was a 5th OFer/backup CFer/RH-platooner acquisition.

The problem as I see it is that Ethier, Loney, and Nomar are all essentially the same player (tho Nomar is RH and injury prone) in the following sense: all are line-drive, high-average hitters with only occasional power, and all are limited to playing positions normally held down by power hitters. Trying to fit all three of them on the field at the same time is tricky.

Of course, this is a problem that was completely avoidable, if Colletti had just let Nomar walk after last season demonstrated that even playing 1b doesn't keep him from getting injured. And if he'd held off on Pierre and let Ethier give CF a try. Really, how bad would he have had to be defensively to cancel out his offensive advantages over Pierre?

88 - Now that is the sort of thinking I could get behind. Unfortunately, there isn't a chance that it will happen.

87
I suspect that Loney will be on the opening day roster. If not, we might as well just trade Kemp, Loney, LaRoche, and Abreu to the Giants for Vizquel, Durham, Roberts, and Aurilia. I am sure they have the intangibles that Ned is looking for.

I am trying to keep the faith with Ned, but it is becoming tougher. I will try to reserve judgment until April 1.

80 - See my post. He was a bit above average hitter in 2004-05, terrible in 2006, playing a position that begs for offense.

Ned has roster movement ADD. He always has to do something just to do something.

Money update above.

94 - I'm confused. Didn't LA's 5th OFer/RH-CFer just go down for the season? So Ned makes a move to replace that position, by jettisoning the 12th pitcher on a 11-man staff, and not taking on any add'l salary?

How is this doing something just to do something?

I think Matt Kemp could put up an OPS similar to Clark's.

He could probably put up a better one, in fact.

Injury news on a couple of old friends:

The New York Mets announced today that Duaner Sanchez has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture of the coracoid, a small bone in the front of his right shoulder.The recommended treatment is surgery to secure the fracture with a small screw. Sanchez is expected to be able to resume rehabilitation within 6 to 8 weeks following the surgery and to return to competitive throwing another 6 to 8 weeks thereafter.

And according to MLB.com, Toby Hall suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder while diving for a ground ball at first base in the ninth inning of Sunday's game against Texas. The injury will most likely cost the catcher his season.

97 - That may be so, but I don't feel comfortable giving Clark/Repko's AB's (or lackthereof) to Kemp. I'd prefer Kemp get 30 AB's per week in Vegas, in preparation for an everyday spot on the big league club.

Brady Clark represents the kind of bench player Ned and Grady prefer, vet guys (Saenz, Anderson, Martinez, Lieberthal and now Clark) who can handle (in their opinion) their playing time situation and still be prepared to produce when given the opportunity.

I agree with that philosophy, there is no point making guys like La Roche or Kemp sit on the bench if they are not going to play everyday.\

Loney is in a different situation, he has been in the organization the longest of all the "prospects" and he was successful at AAA in a full season.

I see the last roster spot coming down between Bigbie and Loney, I think Loney's case got stronger with the acquisition of Clark. Of course if Furcal is not ready, Valdez could get the nod.

I'm a little surprised that Milwaukee (small-market poster child) is footing the entire difference for the LOS ANGELES (#2 market in the U.S.) Dodgers. A $2.1 million sized check mark in Ned's column, I guess.

96 Agreed. This is a good-enough move, if Clark has looked good enough in ST for last year to be considered a fluke, rather than the start of an inexorably downward spiral. Caution, he turns 34 in 3 weeks.

100
I understand that. Of course, Gonzo was another pointless move to make a move in my opinion. At least sign someone with upside.

93
How does a backup CF position beg for offense? How many teams have 4th/5th outfielders who are better then the average OPS for the position? To me he is the perfect backup outfielder. His time in the sun has come and gone so he knows he is a bench player but