Barajas to Boston?

by DIESCTBRS on Aug 2, 2006 8:37 AM CDT

What is the possibility of trading Barajas to Boston and getting some very good prospects in the deal? With Varitek out 4-6 weeks they have a huge hole at catcher and Barajas would be a good fit up there. However, would Barajas be able to get through waivers and make it to Boston?

What prospects do you think Boston would give up for him? Much like the A.J. Pyrzynski trade I would ask for Nathan and Liriano type prospects in return or there is no trade. Granted both of those guys were probably not expected to be as good as thought.

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Waivers

Say Barajas passes through waivers--do the return prospects have to pass through too? Every time I think I get a handle on the waiver process, I ask myself another question that just ends up confusing me.

by neatfreakgeek on Aug 2, 2006 9:10 AM CDT reply actions

I believe...

...it depends on whether those prospects are on the 40-man roster. Anyone on the 40-man must pass through waivers to be dealt between August 1 & August 31. Otherwise, if we're talking up-and-comers or organizational depth guys, they don't have to pass through.

"I feel good...Tanned and rested. Well, not tanned. It's hard to tan this body." - Freaking Buck Seinfeld

by RangerMoto on Aug 2, 2006 9:28 AM CDT up reply actions

I would

nearly give him away just to have Laird starting every night.

You could maybe get a decent AA pitching prospect from Boston for him, but I wouldn't expect much of a return even though Boston is desparate.

by hubcityraider on Aug 2, 2006 9:11 AM CDT reply actions

that right there

is the return on trading barajas. hands down.

Troy I.

by tdi1985 on Aug 2, 2006 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions

I'd ask

for two beers so JD and Gerald can celebrate. Beyond that, I wouldn't care who we'd get.

"I felt that I could've written it, so the fact that it already existed is really a technicality." - Walt Berkman

by orton1227 on Aug 2, 2006 9:11 AM CDT reply actions

Slow Down

Like many of you I think Laird should be starting, but let's not be too quick to lionize him and demonize Barajas. Barajas is an above average ML catcher...he is not horrible, he just may not be as good as the guy behind him. But let's not forget, all Laird is, right now, is a productive part time player. No one knows what he will do in a full season, he may be better than Barajas, he may not. We will find out next season. I have no desire to trade Barajas for nothing right now, believe me, whoever we call up to replace him, like Ojeda, will be far worse and we will be subjected to him at least once a week. Imagaine trading Barajas and seeing Laird get hurt and trying to stay in the pennant race with a nobody as our starting catcher. There is no reason to just get rid of him right now, even if we are frustrated.

by pblack on Aug 2, 2006 9:18 AM CDT reply actions

fair enough

but then barajas better keep his yap shut about playing time and buck better start playing him once every 5 days like a real backup catcher

by ab03 on Aug 2, 2006 9:23 AM CDT up reply actions

Yes

But I want to say that unless we get some top notch prospects than I would not want to trade Barajas. As much as I get on him he is actually a pretty solid catcher.

by DIESCTBRS on Aug 2, 2006 9:30 AM CDT up reply actions

Above average

In what fantasy land is Rod Barajas an above average catcher? I don't have a problem with the guy personally because like I said in another thread he is what he is and he's just doing the best he can. However, to say that he is above average is not even remotely accurate.

He's a fairly good defensive catcher with occasional power. A vast majority of the time he is a liability at the plate and I would venture to say that most major league catchers are comparable to him defensively....even backups.

by LoneStarBallUser on Aug 2, 2006 9:31 AM CDT up reply actions

I agree

Not above average at all. Let's look at the AL catchers and put them into categories relative to Pop=up's greatness

Better than Pop-up:
BAL: Ramon Hernandez or Javy (both better)
BOS: Varitek
CWS: A.J.
CLE: Victor
DET: Pudge
MIN: Mauer
NYY: Posada
OAK: Kendall
SEA: Johjima
TOR: Benjie

Equal with Pop-up:
LAA: Napoli

Not better than Pop-up:
KCR: Buck

Not sure (sample too small):
TB : Navarro

So you see, Rod sucks.

"I felt that I could've written it, so the fact that it already existed is really a technicality." - Walt Berkman

by orton1227 on Aug 2, 2006 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Nice list

You of course forgot Laird and I would put Buck in the Equal with Pop-up list.

by LoneStarBallUser on Aug 2, 2006 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions

wait a minute

OK... I have to disagree with that list a bit. Barajas is a decent defensive catcher. His numbers compare favorably to some of those guys. For instance:

Barajas: .255/9/32
J. Lopez: .265/8/31
Kendall: .271/1/24
Molina: .277/8/27

Also, check out powerhouse Brad Ausmus over in Houston:

Ausmus: .232/1/22

Granted, none of those teams have Gerald Larid on their roster, but let's not go overboard here. Barajas isn't that bad.

by dan2 on Aug 2, 2006 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Those numbers...

aren't really relevant. Look at OBP and SLG and ignore home runs and RBIs

by chase1971 on Aug 2, 2006 4:45 PM CDT up reply actions

also

Lopez is not the regular catcher in Bal.

"Stubbornness is usually considered a negative, but I think that trait has been a positive for me." ~ Cal Ripken Jr

by kwellborn on Aug 2, 2006 6:10 PM CDT up reply actions

All I am saying is this...

If you figure there are roughly 60 catchers in the big leagues (2 per team), I would put Barajas in the top 30. That would make him an above average major league catcher. As a starter I would put him in the bottom half of the league for sure, but on most teams there is a big dropoff between their no.1 catcher and no.2. Barajas would be a top backup or a slightly below average starter. Again, that makes him above average overall.

by pblack on Aug 2, 2006 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions

He's not above average overall...

He IS above average as a backup, which makes him below average overall.

"I felt that I could've written it, so the fact that it already existed is really a technicality." - Walt Berkman

by orton1227 on Aug 2, 2006 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions

He'd never clear waivers

Why would the Yankees let him go? They would claim him just to keep Boston from getting him. Teams in WC hunt may do the same. Red Sox would have to have the highest priority at the time to have a chance.

by AZranger on Aug 2, 2006 9:47 AM CDT reply actions

re Yankees

You're assuming that the Yankees stay behind the Sox in the standings.

I say he doesn't make it past Toronto.

by Scott S on Aug 2, 2006 9:59 AM CDT up reply actions

Re: Yankees

If I am not mistaken, the Yankees can't touch him right now unless the Red Sox pass on him.

by baylor on Aug 2, 2006 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions

true

that's true today. come on jd, stick him through. we definitely shouldn't give him away though, since we can offer him arbitration and get draft picks for him if he's ours at the end of the year.

You're tough and I am tough, but who will write whose epitaph?

by tomwashere on Aug 2, 2006 10:22 AM CDT up reply actions