Gathright fallback option for CF?

by Brandon Wilson on Dec 3, 2007 9:47 AM CST

From Baseball Prospectus writer John Perotto in his Sunday column (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6963)

Texas: The Rangers are still looking for a center fielder after being rejected by Torii Hunter, and have their sights set on Crisp. If that fails, they could go after the Mets' Carlos Gomez. A more realistic target, though, is Gathright in a trade for shortstop prospect Joaquin Arias.

Gathright does not excite me very much and I still like Arias more than most. However, if the organization is dead set on Duran over Arias, might as well get what you can for Arias I guess.

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I believe

the Devil Rays have taken him off the table after the Young trade.

by brettgardner on Dec 3, 2007 9:38 AM CST 0 recs

impressive

since they don't control him

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 9:39 AM CST up 0 recs

Sorry I didn't read very carefully

I was thinking of Crawford. Oops. Oh well. Bring him on then!

by brettgardner on Dec 3, 2007 9:43 AM CST up 0 recs

what a dream that would be

Crawford for Arias!

Tomorrow Never Knows

by t ball on Dec 3, 2007 10:42 AM CST up 0 recs

I would be extremely

disappointed if all we got for Arias was Gathright.

by Nichols22 on Dec 6, 2007 9:52 AM CST up 0 recs

I mentioned this in another thread

but I'd be all for arias for gathright. same player except gathright is further along and in a position of need

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 9:45 AM CST 0 recs

penalty box

my bad, I did not read the entire Xavier Nady thread to see that someone had already posted this article.

by Brandon Wilson on Dec 3, 2007 10:43 AM CST up 0 recs

ha

its fine, I want to discuss it more. But, apparently me and you are the only people that want to go this route

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 10:45 AM CST up 0 recs

Not necessarily

I've yet to read a reason why Arias should NOT be traded for Gathright ...

T.R. -- enough is enough.

by Chase Irwin on Dec 3, 2007 11:43 AM CST up 0 recs

Gathright

is a terrible offensive player that doesn't steal bases at a very high percentage. Assuming Arias can become a utility player, I think he would have more value to a team than Gathright who seems more like Fast Freddy disguised as a major leaguer.

"On-base percentage is great if you can score runs and do something with that on-base percentage," Baker said. "Clogging up the bases isn't that great to me."

by jparks77 on Dec 3, 2007 9:47 AM CST 0 recs

except he's faster

and we already have a utility guy in duran. i say you stock up on as many CFers you can, espcially at the expense of utility infielders who don't walk

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 9:49 AM CST up 0 recs

btw

the faster isn't a big deal. the CFer is a big deal

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 9:50 AM CST up 0 recs

but

is Gathright a + defender, or just speedy?

"No, Donny, these men are nihilists, there's nothing to be afraid of."

by Walter Sobchak on Dec 3, 2007 6:32 PM CST up 0 recs

Duran

As much as I would like to see him as our utility infielder, I think Duran has more value as a starting 2B and should get traded.

"On-base percentage is great if you can score runs and do something with that on-base percentage," Baker said. "Clogging up the bases isn't that great to me."

by jparks77 on Dec 3, 2007 9:58 AM CST up 0 recs

I agree,

But as much as I hate to say it, Kinsler could probably bring back a bigger return then duran. I mean if traded, Duran can man second or vis versa. Either way we should win this situation.

Trade Kinsler and get a premium return including a big bat for the outfield or first. Just to throw some names out their and see what Kinsler would bring back. He is farther along then Duran and wouldn't be considered a thow in like Duran. He would be a centerpiece for a great deal in my eyes.

"I'd need a picture of Jamey with a shotgun saying "This is my Boomstick!" before I could see that one." DJCahill

by NYTXFAN on Dec 3, 2007 10:10 AM CST up 0 recs

well whatever

utility guys are a dime a dozen and I really don't want arias to be a utility guy for the rangers anyway. leave that to the ramon vasquez's of the world.

Gathright: I get that he's bad but he looks to be a plus defender (maybe?) and he walks a lot. Tell him not to steal so much and hope he can put up a 260 BA and take it. you don't need power from your centerfielder

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 10:27 AM CST up 0 recs

Gathright for Arias

I'd do that in a heartbeat.

"He says we're going the wrong way." "Oh, he's drunk. How would he know where we're going?" "Yeah. How would he know?"

by WyoRanger on Dec 3, 2007 10:38 AM CST up 0 recs

defense

I know he is fast, but can he play good CF defense? Can he throw?

Some professionals get better with age and experience. Lawyers, professors, engineers. Hookers? Not so much. -- DJ Cahill

by tricer on Dec 3, 2007 9:57 AM CST up 0 recs

Gathright Defense

so he didn't play CF much last year but that might have been because of dejesus. anyway, his small sample size looks pretty solid. as an aside, do people use BP stats for defense? Does BP have stat leaders?

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 9:55 AM CST 0 recs

defense stats

I usually got to THT (thehardballtimes.com) for defense stats.

by Brandon Wilson on Dec 3, 2007 10:36 AM CST up 0 recs

Gathright is terrible...

I'd rather swap bad contracts and trade Padilla to LA for Juan Pierre...

by N41D on Dec 3, 2007 10:13 AM CST 0 recs

Interesting....

I like that idea. There is actually alot to like about it.

"I'd need a picture of Jamey with a shotgun saying "This is my Boomstick!" before I could see that one." DJCahill

by NYTXFAN on Dec 3, 2007 10:15 AM CST up 0 recs

Gathright

is better than Pierre. Considering his salary, it isn't a stretch to say that Pierre is the worst value in the league.

"On-base percentage is great if you can score runs and do something with that on-base percentage," Baker said. "Clogging up the bases isn't that great to me."

by jparks77 on Dec 3, 2007 10:16 AM CST up 0 recs

juan pierre

you are picking a guy who was actually worse offensively than gathright, costs a ton more money, would cost more in trade assets, and is 4 years older.

ok....

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 10:29 AM CST up 0 recs

Gathright

Hit .307 with a .371 On-base last year. That's a higher OBP than any Ranger regular this year, albeit in only 228 at bats.

Hop on the bandwagon while It's still fashionable: Rickey Henderson for Centerfield in '08!

by BudLight on Dec 3, 2007 10:59 AM CST 0 recs

Gathright

had a .625 OPS vs. LHP. He is a platoon player at best.

"On-base percentage is great if you can score runs and do something with that on-base percentage," Baker said. "Clogging up the bases isn't that great to me."

by jparks77 on Dec 3, 2007 11:02 AM CST up 0 recs

40 AB's

sample size alert.

Career wise, he looks pretty craptacular from both sides. However, he bats right around 260-270 and gets on base right around 330 or 340. I would take that from a plus defensive #9 CF.

Now, can someone tell me if he is in fact a plus defender

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 11:08 AM CST up 0 recs

OBP = 330

not really 340

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 11:09 AM CST up 0 recs

plus defender

yeah he's plus, but I am not sure how much... THT's RZR, BP's RAR and David Pinto's PMoR shows him as a very good LF last year (where he mostly played) and an above average CF in 2005. In Pinto's numbers he ranks similar to Crisp in 2005.

by Brandon Wilson on Dec 3, 2007 11:44 AM CST up 0 recs

jparks

.625 isn't good, regardless, but I do think you are neglecting positional weight a bit.

As a rule, I would want great defense and .360+ OBP from a leadoff guy. He won't ever have any power, which will bring down his OPS, but that doesn't mean he isn't a good value. Power is a bonus for CF.

T.R. -- enough is enough.

by Chase Irwin on Dec 3, 2007 11:47 AM CST up 0 recs

well realistically we can't expect 360 OBP

i think last year in general is a sample size alert problem with a BA aberration. But, you could definitely expect 330 with reasonable hope for improvement. To get to 360, he probably has to bat 290, which isn't impossible but just not something you should count on

by ab03 on Dec 3, 2007 12:05 PM CST up 0 recs

Gathright

I can't find anything in his career that would suggest Gathright would be able to put up a .360 OBP as a starter. I would be very interested in a player that would be up a .360 OBP plus above average defense in CF, I just don't think Gathright is that type of hitter.

"On-base percentage is great if you can score runs and do something with that on-base percentage," Baker said. "Clogging up the bases isn't that great to me."

by jparks77 on Dec 3, 2007 12:16 PM CST up 0 recs

Rudy

will he get better playing IN Texas WITH Rudy coaching him? That's something to consider...Rudy doesn't do it for all hitters, but he's got a history of doing something good with an average at best player every year - Marlon Byrd, Gary Mathews, Mark DeRosa, Dave Delucci...the list goes on and on and on

I say we target a CF low in value that has a high chance of turning it around hitting in Arlington and playing with Rudy's instruction...is there any way to quantify what kind of player that is? I don't know...

"No, Donny, these men are nihilists, there's nothing to be afraid of."

by Walter Sobchak on Dec 3, 2007 6:36 PM CST up 0 recs

Why

would the Rays even want Arias for anything? They've got Bartlett at SS now, Brignac is coming up and can play SS or 2B, and what can Arias offer that current SS/2B backup Zobrist can't?

by Rangerchick on Dec 3, 2007 2:48 PM CST 0 recs