Justin Speier

by riktermiller on Nov 19, 2006 8:48 AM PST Comment 35 comments

The Angels have agreed to a four year deal with Speier to add a little more quality depth to the pen. This report is on ESPn.com per Gammons.

This is much better than the last bullpen signing of Mr. Carrasshole.

to KG and/or Donkey see ya!

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Good Pickup

Solid middle bullpen guy, frees us up to not give a fuck about The Whiner/The Beaver. Nicely done.

by Brendo on Nov 19, 2006 8:50 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Beat me to it

(Oops. Hit "enter" on accident)

I thought that this might be a great way to really solidify the bullpen and it really should.

However, Rev's report regarding Andruw Jones got me thinking about Shields. He's going to be a free agent next year and, I think he's a Georgia boy, and I remember hearing/reading somewhere that he'd like to go home and pitch for the Braves. He could go in a package to be their closer for a few years along with Santana.

by halomatt on Nov 19, 2006 8:54 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Actually,

Shields is a Floridian, but who cares? He's still at peak value for trades and on the cusp of being below peak performance. I'd be very happy to keep him, but if he brings in Jones packaged with some prospects, that's a good deal for the Halos.

by Brendo on Nov 19, 2006 10:29 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

cusp of being below peak performance

if Shields is on the cusp, isn't Speier there then? He's older than Shields and hasn't been considered a great reliever or setup man, and I don't think he's been on a playoff contender. I dont like giving a 4 yr committment to a reliever that isn't all that great, or very young. Pending a trade, he is a 4 million dollar 7th inning guy.

A bad day at the ballpark is better than the best day at work

by SoCalSoxFan on Nov 20, 2006 11:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

4 years!?!?!

why did we sign a very mediocre reliever for 4 years?

by hathaway93 on Nov 19, 2006 9:47 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

And $18 million

and he's 33

by Ty Webb on Nov 19, 2006 10:22 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

good, not "very mediocre"

He's had ERA+s the past two years of 173 and 158, which is very good, and the lowest mark he's had as a full-timer is 109. My only complaint about this deal is the length; otherwise this is a fine pickup.

by mattwelch on Nov 19, 2006 10:35 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

The length of the contract bites, but if he can be consistent in front of Shields, dizman. That's a filthy 7-8-9 (6-7-8-9 when all three are rested!).

Do you guys still think we should get a lefty? I'm on the fence, as Speiers has had success against lefties.

So what's our pen look like heading into '07?

Rodriguez - Closer
Shields - Setup
Speiers - Setup
Carrasco - 6th/7th/swing man if needed
?
?

We need two more spots if we're going to carry 11 pitchers. I liked Donnelly's performance after his discovery of voodoo, err chiropractic science. I think Gregg's a good innings eater.

What are our other options?

by Ty Webb on Nov 19, 2006 10:50 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd like a lefty

Donnelly can skedaddle; I'd love a Damaso Marte type or better. A guy who can strike people out and last a whole inning if need b e.

by mattwelch on Nov 19, 2006 11:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

the signing reminds me of the trade for JC Romero

another "good" reliever. . . at the time some people liked the move a lot, and called the trade a steal. . . relievers are just too up and down for me to get excited about giving a 33 year old a four year deal.

A bad day at the ballpark is better than the best day at work

by SoCalSoxFan on Nov 20, 2006 12:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I like it

The deal maybe for 4 years and while you would always like to get middle relief for less years and less money, quality middle relief us going to cost you in this market. I prefer this to some risky move with upside, such as a Yan signing. We need a quality option that we can depend on, hopefully putting less of a burden on Shields, so when we do resign him (hopefully), that turns out to be a wise investment as well.
If it doesn't work out with Spier in years 3/4, Arte can afford to take the hit. I am very happy we have at least addressed one of our glaring weaknesses. Better to give out more years here at about 4.5M per (guessing) than years 5,6,7 to someone like Soriano or Lee which could be a bank buster at $14M per when they are old and ineffective.

by LosAngel on Nov 19, 2006 10:47 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Link to Robothal story

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6188086

by mattwelch on Nov 19, 2006 11:21 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Solid pickup

But I don't see this as an addition but rather a replacement for a now soon-to-be departed Scot Shields. Bill's gonna have to move him for a bat now with Soriano likley going to the Cubbies.

DarkAngel hath spoken....

by darkangel01 on Nov 19, 2006 12:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Stoneman

Could have seen the writing on the wall with Soriano and knew that, as in the past, everyone and their mother wants Sheilds. So he acted quickly to get the best bullpen arm on the market and now has an available reliever to add to a package. In fact Shields could be the guy that gets a deal done.

by halomatt on Nov 19, 2006 12:29 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

DAMN!

Speier is a type A FA. Goodbye pick number 25. Maybe we can get a pick back from AK.

by riktermiller on Nov 19, 2006 12:59 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

BINGO!

Watch it be higher, too ...

by Rev Halofan on Nov 19, 2006 1:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Any system in which Jeff Weaver is a type-A

is FUBAR. When are they junking this crap-shoot system? And if Weaver is type-A, who the fuck is Type-C? Edgardo Alfonzo?

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Nov 19, 2006 1:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Type C was eliminated in the new CBA.

by riktermiller on Nov 19, 2006 1:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

New Labor Agreement

Free agent compensation

Type C free agent classification is eliminated.
Teams that lose a Type B free agent will now earn a sandwich pick instead of taking selection from club that signed player.
The pool of Type A players shrinks from top 30 percent of each position to top 20 percent, while the Type B player pool will be reduced from the top 31-50 percent of players to 21-40 percent.

--Justin Speier ranked as the 12th best reliever by this system and is thus a Type A player.

A pipeline of talent, welcome to Anaheim.

by ClutchHomer on Nov 19, 2006 1:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

CORRECTION

Speier is ranked the #1 reliever in this free agent class and is Type A. He was ranked 16th overall in a different calculation by Elias Sports Bureau.

A pipeline of talent, welcome to Anaheim.

by ClutchHomer on Nov 19, 2006 1:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Weaver is Type B

A pipeline of talent, welcome to Anaheim.

by ClutchHomer on Nov 19, 2006 1:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

How about...

Sign Zito, and spin off Santana and Shields to Toronto for Vernon Wells? That's gotta be enough, right? Toss in Aybar?

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Nov 19, 2006 1:42 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Sure

just convince Ricciardi that those three palyers will fill the void in CF and at the plate. I think any deal for Wells (if he is to be dealt) will require a bat. Rivera could be a piece that would interest the Jays but I still don't think they will deal VW.

by riktermiller on Nov 19, 2006 2:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Ithink you are right

Gonna take Shields, Rivera and Figgins (or Aybar) to get VW ... and JP prolly wants more pitching in addition to all that......

by Rev Halofan on Nov 19, 2006 2:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Riccardi's problem right now isn't offense

It's starting pitching. It's Halladay, Burnett when healthy, and then...??? He just bolstered the offense with Frank Thomas, and still has Johnson, Rios, Glaus, Hill, and Overbay to add to that. Pitching (as we saw with Matsuzaka) is EXTREMELY pricey right now, and Santana is one of the best young arms in the game. Sure, he probably wants a bat to take the place, but his needs are far, far more pitching oriented than offense oriented. He has to have SOMEONE who can be a filler for Wells (obviously without the production).

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Nov 19, 2006 2:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

True, but

He also has gaping holes at SS and C.

Still, I think Andruw's more likely at this point.

by mattwelch on Nov 19, 2006 2:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Shields/Mathis yield Vernon Wells, while...

...Figgy brings in a better than replacement level middle reliever.

by Rev Halofan on Nov 19, 2006 3:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Figgy's more valuable than that

Dude plays 10 positions, steals mad bases, and has that whole butterfly-bandaid voodoo going on. He's had three identical good years then one bad one. We can get more than Marte for the guy.

by mattwelch on Nov 19, 2006 3:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

maybe team X throws in a pitching prospect

or a 7th outfielder, Gorneault-type...

by Rev Halofan on Nov 19, 2006 3:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

and makes him take off the bandaid

to reval his implant chip that reveals him as a CIA lead - Figgy supersecret agent....

by Rev Halofan on Nov 19, 2006 3:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If Matsuzaka is the bar

then Santana for Wells should be enough.

by higdog on Nov 19, 2006 4:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But since that isn't entirely the case

throwing in Aybar should ABSOLUTELY seal the deal, especially with their need for a SS.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Nov 19, 2006 5:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Who says he's the bar?

The Red Sox offered WAY more than anyone else for his rights.

Think of it this way. If I auction something off in a silent auction, and 10 people bid, with $100 being the highest bid, and $50 being the next highest, that doesn't mean the going rate is now $100. It's $50.

Matsuzaka's posting fee is a sign that the market for pitching is tight, but it's not a sign that it's as out of whack as the Red Sox think it is.

by LA Seitz on Nov 20, 2006 7:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Matsuzaka's posting price was way high

because of two things, the Sox wanted him bad, and they wanted to make sure the Yanks wouldnt get him. . . you can't really use him as the measuring stick for other guys because his situation is very unique.

A bad day at the ballpark is better than the best day at work

by SoCalSoxFan on Nov 20, 2006 11:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I was hearing

the price of free agent pitching was going to be high because of Matsuzaka. My point was that if Matsuzaka was getting that, then Santana was worth more.

by higdog on Nov 20, 2006 2:20 PM PST reply actions 0 recs