Lujan traded, Meyer DFA'd

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 12, 2007 3:33 PM CST in News Comment 44 comments

Jamey Newberg just sent out a news flash saying that the Rangers have traded Johnny Lujan to the ChiSox for 24 year old catcher Chris Stewart, and have DFA'd Drew Meyer to make room for Stewart on the 40 man roster.

Not sure that I like this deal all that much. Lujan is an interesting live arm, while Stewart is a good defensive catcher who has never really hit in the minors. You can see his stats here.

Clearly, the Rangers aren't thrilled about the idea of going into spring training with just Miguel Ojeda and Guillermo Quiroz as their only catching options, and Stewart is someone who is cheap and, I would guess, has options remaining, which gives the team some flexibility.

I just have to wonder if the cost for the that flexibility -- Lujan -- is really worth it.

I'll be interested in seeing if Meyer clears waivers. I'm guessing not, since the new Rule 5 rules allow for a less crowded 40 man right now, and since a guy with Meyer's skill set can usually find a home. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up reunited with Grady Fuson in San Diego.

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Yeah...

I don't like losing Lujan for a nothing-Catcher.

"Chip" first person on LSB to be berated by someone on the 25-man roster. - RangerMoto

by ortonius on Jan 12, 2007 3:42 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'm not wild about it either

This type of thing comes back to bite you a surprisingly high percent of times. Do you think that the Expos/Nats would like Chris Young back, or are they happy with the contribution Einar Diaz gave them?

by Brett Perryman on Jan 12, 2007 4:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder

why his runs increased last year while all his othere vital stats decreased, he looks to be a doubles hitter, a poor man's Rod Barajas(a don't know if that is a good thing).

"I freakin' love Derosa... What a beast..... what a beastly laugh.." -miles

by dstar442005 on Jan 12, 2007 3:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

poor man's Rod Barajas?

Heh. What would that make Rod?

Penalty Box? DONT THINK SO!!!!!!! And i wish everyone could stop writing that crap cause its gay...SUPER GAY!!!! NYTXfan!!!

by Brian Thomas on Jan 12, 2007 3:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

a homeless man's Gerald Laird?

CJ Wilson for Cy Young in 2012.

by trza on Jan 12, 2007 4:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice

I wish I thought of that...

I am in desperate need of a new signature. I may mull a blend of you and dstar's musings...

Penalty Box? DONT THINK SO!!!!!!! And i wish everyone could stop writing that crap cause its gay...SUPER GAY!!!! NYTXfan!!!

by Brian Thomas on Jan 12, 2007 9:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Calm

It looks OK. Nothing special lost, probably nothing special gained. Stewart didn't hit all that badly at AA/AAA, unless Birmingham is a hitters' park or something.

by Ed Coffin on Jan 12, 2007 3:46 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Birmingham

It contained Micheal Jordan.

http://web.archive.org/web/20030210121425/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=tex

by Dustin on Jan 12, 2007 4:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Rotoworld likes it

Drew Meyer-2B- Rangers Jan. 12 - 4:40 pm et

Rangers designated infielder Drew Meyer for assignment.

Meyer, a bust after being drafted in the first round in 2002, hit .228/.278/.305 in 364 at-bats for Triple-A Oklahoma last season. He'll go unclaimed on waivers.

Chris Stewart-C- Rangers Jan. 12 - 4:39 pm et

Rangers acquired catcher Chris Stewart from the White Sox for RHP John Lujan.

The Rangers just signed Guillermo Quiroz, but they felt they needed more catching depth after losing Rod Barajas and Nick Trzesniak, as well as trading Mike Nickeas in August. Stewart, who turns 25 next month, hit .265/.314/.393 for Triple-A Charlotte last season. He's a fine defender with the potential to become a long-term backup. He'll battle Miguel Ojeda for the job behind Gerald Laird this spring.

John Lujan-S- White Sox Jan. 12 - 4:36 pm et

White Sox acquired RHP John Lujan from the Rangers for catcher Chris Stewart.

Lujan, a 2004 15th-round pick, had a 5.74 ERA and a 58/43 K/BB ratio in 69 innings for Single-A Bakerfield last season. The White Sox must see something they like in him to give up the only obvious No. 3 catcher in their organization. They'll now be looking to sign a veteran catcher to stash away in Triple-A.

by AZranger on Jan 12, 2007 4:01 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

What is the typical

number of catchers to have on the 40-man roster?
This deal puts the Rangers at 4.
Is it reasonable to assume that one will be DFA'd?

Troy I.

by tdi1985 on Jan 12, 2007 4:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Probably

I wouldn't be surprised if they are stockpiling them, in the thought that someone will have an injury in spring training, and need a backup.

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 12, 2007 4:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

lujan

and the microphone.

all of our live arms are gone.

by ab03 on Jan 12, 2007 4:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Splits on Stewart?

I seem to remember that there's a site out there that has minor league splits. I'm just wondering how he hits lefties.

Texas Rangers: baby step to 2007. Baby step to 2007.

by WyoRanger on Jan 12, 2007 4:48 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Here's one

http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/pl/455/455755ChaILb06.html

by Brett Perryman on Jan 12, 2007 5:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

By the way

His MLE last season was .235/.277/.327, yuck.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 12, 2007 5:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the site

Bookmarked it.

Stewart's BABIP was a good deal higher than his OK BA, so that looks to have been helped by luck. meh.

I don't know why I cared how he hits against lefties. Laird crushed them last year. If anything, the Rangers need someone who can tee off on righties if he's going to spell Laird.

Texas Rangers: baby step to 2007. Baby step to 2007.

by WyoRanger on Jan 12, 2007 5:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

If Laird is about what most of us think he is, I'd like to see them come up with a backup that hits righties. Those guys are very rare in reality, since if they can hit righties and play acceptable defense, they can probably find a starting job, but maybe we have one of those in Emerson Frostad down the road. Frostad actually hit lefties better in High A last year, but we'll see if that changes as he progresses. Another prospect that comes to mind is John Jaso (TB org).

by Brett Perryman on Jan 12, 2007 6:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Stupid trade.

by Longhorn on Jan 12, 2007 4:57 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Why?

Pretty much everyone involved seems to be replaceable. I'd call it more pointless than stupid.

www.mavsmoneyball.com

by Wes Cox on Jan 12, 2007 5:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Because Lujan

has a chance of being special. Maybe a shutdown closer. The catcher, not. Stupid trade. You just don't trade guys who throw 97 for nothing. This catcher is nothing, IMO.

by Longhorn on Jan 12, 2007 6:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The Rangers have had a long list

of pitchers with a chance of being special. Jovanny Cedeno comes to mind how did he work out? Atleast Stewart has played in the majors so you kinda know a little about what you are getting where as in Lujan you still don't know who knows it might be years before he even has a chance to get to the show.

"He looks like a pink nightmare"

by boomer1 on Jan 12, 2007 6:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Lujan

Does not throw 97.

by AZranger on Jan 12, 2007 6:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

he does.

by Longhorn on Jan 12, 2007 7:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Based on what?

I've seen him pitch several times, including Puerto Rico last winter. Always been 89-94. Very good arm. But not 97, not a potential closer.

If he threw 97, as you suggest, wouldn't he rate a little higher in prospect lists?

by AZranger on Jan 12, 2007 10:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm.

Puerto Rico last year?

Hindman says this on Lujan:

"He went off to the Puerto Rico Winter League where he exploded, tossing 20 scoreless innings while holding the league to a miserable .131 average.

That's right: 20 innings, no runs. None. And his fastball sat at 97 mph."

by Longhorn on Jan 13, 2007 1:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

There's

your mistake...

by Brett Perryman on Jan 13, 2007 4:31 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's not accurate

I was there, saw him 3 outings. Never got above 95. Sat 90-94. Above average life, but it wasn't 97, trust me.

Mike does a wonderful job, but I assume he got his info by word of mouth (as does Baseball America quite often), and things have a way of getting exaggerated.

Lujan may very well end up in a big league bullpen, but it won't be pitching the 9th inning.

by AZranger on Jan 13, 2007 10:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Im just not that sad about

losing a relief pitcher prospect who had a 5.74 ERA at high A last season.

Live arm or not.

www.mavsmoneyball.com

by Wes Cox on Jan 12, 2007 11:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

If trading something for nothing makes you happy, well good for you my friend.

by Longhorn on Jan 13, 2007 1:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Drew Meyer

Does this mean he isnt going to be with the Rangers in 07?

by coolaid on Jan 12, 2007 5:48 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Depends

Rangers have ten days to trade him. If he isn't traded, then he's placed on waivers and another team can claim him. If no one claims him, then the Rangers can keep him.

Texas Rangers: baby step to 2007. Baby step to 2007.

by WyoRanger on Jan 12, 2007 6:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If Meyer gets claimed

after not being traded, then we effectively have given up him and Lujan for Stewart. That would be ugly.

Otherwise Stewart looks decent in how he's progressed through the minors, showing decent improvement in his 2nd year at each level.

by subsidiarity on Jan 12, 2007 6:15 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

What would

you guys want to trade Meyer for?

by myoungfan11 on Jan 12, 2007 6:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

RA Dickey

When all else fails, there's always delusion. - Conan O'Brien

by mtex on Jan 12, 2007 9:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

A box of day old donuts

probably about the most you can get for a guy that can't hit, isnt a great fielder, but has a tremendous face, when he isn't face down.

Quick, name the best OC in the NFL.

by DJCahill on Jan 13, 2007 3:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I like it

I'd rather be in Cleveland's position with the Einar trade than in ours. Developing a catcher with "potential to become a long term backup" is never a bad thing. I see this as JD possibly helping this team now and possibly helping it long term. It isn't like this guy's value is going to drop in the future.

And face it - the Rangers have a better history with catchers than with developing pitchers. Guys like Lujan may turn out to be great... but they rarely turn out that way coming up through our system.

by JBImaknee on Jan 12, 2007 6:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I just hope

Robb Nen didn't just get traded to the White Sox.

by Longhorn on Jan 12, 2007 6:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Relax

We're dropping Rob Nenn comparisons on Johnny Lujan? Everyone needs to take a deep breath.

by AZranger on Jan 12, 2007 6:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Lujan

He has never been viewed nearly as highly as Nen consistently was throughout his career.

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 12, 2007 6:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nen

...was ranked the #2 prospect in the organization in 1989 behind Juan Gonzalez when he was in A-ball. And that was around the year that Texas won organization of the year from BA. In 1991, he was a Top 100 in baseball (#86) at a similar stage as Lujan.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 13, 2007 5:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh

and he was 19 and 20 those two years, in Low A and High A.

And to clarify, he was on BA's 1991 top 100, but that was based on the 1990 season.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 13, 2007 5:03 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm hearing/I wonder

A little bit of "why?" at both ends, although not much comment in either place.

I wonder if JD is loading up on catching because there is still some significant deal "out of the blue" that might involve Laird?

Always lateral thinking ........

by Ed Coffin on Jan 12, 2007 11:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't think a Laird trade makes sense

because none of these guys are anything close to an full or half time catcher. If he were preparing to move Laird by stockpiling, he'd get at least one legitimate guy.

He's spoken in the past about how he thinks that having a full complement of catchers within the organization is important - both in terms of guys being around who could contribute in the majors and in terms of prospect depth. They have drafted one in the third round of each of the last two drafts and probably their most prominent Latin signing was Santana.

He specifically got Ojeda last summer with the idea that he needed someone in case one of the two big league guys went down in an anticipated race. The same is probably true of Stewart. If Quiroz doesn't make the team, he's probably gone, so Daniels probably wanted a viable third guy who he could put at AAA.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 12, 2007 11:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs