Friday, June 5, 2009

Let's make a deal: Villone and Beimel

It would seem a little redundant to me to go through Josh Willingham and Nick Johnson/Austin Kearns in consecutive days so I'll mix it up a little bit with two lefty relievers I think have a high chance of being traded: Ron Villone and Joe Beimel. While regression by Villone can be expected (and hopefully progression with Beimel), there is still no doubt in my mind that a contender could use either.

LHP Ron Villone-0.00 ERA, 14 and 2/3 IP, 8 H, 6 BB/5 K, 3.69 FIP, 0.2 WAR
LHP Joe Beimel-4.87 ERA, 20 and 1/3 IP, 26 H, 8 BB/11 K, 4.67 FIP, 0.0 WAR

Who might be interested (in order of potential interest)?
Angels-The worst contender in terms of OPS by opposing lefty batters, a highly surprising stat considering their depth of lefties (Joe Saunders in the rotation and Brian Fuentes and Darren Oliver in the pen). Even so, guys like Jason Bulger and Rafael Rodriguez are wasting space and the Angels could use bullpen help more than anyone in baseball. If any team is going to give Joe Beimel a shot (and the Nats something for him), it's gonna be the Angels. Trade possibility: I would love to pair Beimel with someone like Marvin Lowrance or Leonard Davis and snag 2B Sean Rodriguez, but he's been tearing up AAA this year so I don't know if the Angels would trade him (scouting). Some other possibilities include LHP Robert Fish, RHP Manuarys Correa or 2B Ryan Mount.
Cubs-Nobody on their current roster (Cotts or Waddell) can get lefties out. While Beimel has a reputation as an equally tough pitcher on lefties and righties, Villone usually puts up pretty good platoon stats. Trade possibility: Nobody of true consequence really, all we can expect is a C prospect in A-ball or lower (see Martis, Shairon). Think we could swing control specialist RHP Hung-Wen Chen from them?
Yankees-I can see the Yankees having huge interest in Beimel because he keeps the ball in the yard (0.7 HR/9 career, 3 total HR allowed from 07-present, 2 of them this year). Their only lefty out of the pen is Phil Coke, who has given up 5 gopherballs this year, 4 to lefties (only one of Beimel's was against a lefty), so they could stand to add another. OF Eduardo Sosa, RHP Kanekoa Texeira and even a reacquisition of RHP Jon Abaladejo (for Villone rather than Beimel) could be possibilities.

Because pretty much every team in baseball could use help out of the pen, I'm going to cap it at these three. I do expect both Beimel and Villone to be dealt before the deadline, and Villone probably sooner rather than later.

What do you guys think-am I asking for too much or too little or just enough? Right positions? Right ages? Comment away, and I'll come up with my next on the list soon! Follow the "Let's make a deal" series here.

4 comments:

  1. Sean I think you are selling Biemel and Villone a bit short. I think you were maybe on target with Sean Rodriguez but as for the other teams I would hope the Nats would make a better deal. They aren't gonna get any top 15 guys but they should be able to get a solid young guy with upside a C+ prospect if you will.

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  2. I'm not so sure they will trade them. Or maybe I don't think its a great idea from a business stand point. I don't the team can sustain the anger in making the current product worse. I think that they will have to pay for talent.

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  3. Of course the Lerners are cheap so they probably won't pay.

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  4. After giving the Gnats a Standing O from my living room last nite (I so wish I'd been there for the 701 shellacking of the Mets!), I tuned in all giddy & excited to watch them hammer the Mets again. But after the Metropolitans scored 5 runs in the 1st, I turned the game off. Game over...for Manny, I'll bet!

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