SAITO: Interesting Idea?

by Chzburger Jones on Dec 12, 2008 11:05 PM PST

I know that everybody is all caught up in the Teixeira sweepstakes, and for good reason, but as I was looking through the list of players who were non-tendered by their teams, one name in particular caught my attention. Takashi Saito. That's right. The all-star closer in 2007 for the Dodgers was non-tendered. He struggled this past year due to injuries and he's really old and I guess the Dodgers felt it was time to hand the ball over to Broxton, literally and figuratively.

It has been well documented that we need a big bat, but our bullpen has issues that need to be addressed as well. Last year our bullpen was good, but overrated in my opinion. The back of the bullpen with Arredondo, Shields, and K-Rod was great and Oliver was solid as well but we did have some problems in middle relief. Losing K-Rod certainly doesn't help the situation either.

Do you guys think we should take a flyer on Saito? Given the circumstances, we could get him for really cheap and who knows, if he's healthy, he can be a guy with 2.00 ERA, 40 save stuff. I'm not saying that he would be the closer but he certainly gives us another option. And he'd be one more guy to take innings away from Speier.

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meh...

i’d be careful with him.

there’s a few other relievers i’d go after first.. Juan Cruz and probably Chad Cordero.

Kotch would've had that.

by howiestheman on Dec 12, 2008 11:07 PM PST reply actions

YES!!!

We NEED JUAN CRUZ!!! I love him. Let’s sign him. He can go 1-2 innings between 6th-8th and can really provide a nice bridge to Shields/’Dondo along with Oliver.

by Sethy on Dec 13, 2008 8:40 AM PST up reply actions

id guess he was non-tendered for a reason

by ihearhowie2.0 on Dec 12, 2008 11:10 PM PST reply actions

Saitois NOT an "interesting idea"

Look the dude was hurt and got an experimental stem-cell injection instead of proper therapy. The dude is WACKO. ya know… CUCKOO… not operating with a full deck, but still plenty of jokers dealing the cards up in there…

by Rev Halofan on Dec 12, 2008 11:15 PM PST reply actions

i like the chad cordero

and what about joe beimel?

Mr Moreno,
Please re-sign Tex.
Sincerely yours,
Halo fans everywhere

by anaheim angels on Dec 12, 2008 11:41 PM PST reply actions

beimel

interesting idea, and had Oliver departed, I think they might have made a serious run at him. But I think Beimel will command a premium because of his left-handedness, and the Angels would probably be better off with either Cordero or Saito, if they’re healthy. And that’s a big if with both of those guys.

by jjackflash on Dec 13, 2008 12:39 AM PST up reply actions

Joe Beimel

is a BAMF. Seriously.

by Chzburger Jones on Dec 13, 2008 1:16 AM PST up reply actions

why not brandon lyon???

by cmy912 on Dec 13, 2008 9:20 AM PST reply actions

Spend the $$$

I think we forget about all of these guys. Brian Fuentes is the reliever we are pursuing and will probably get. He would give us a closer with experience and two very strong bridges in Arredondo and Shields. Plus we would still have a talented lefty. That would be awesome!

Remember when we had Donnelly, Shields, K-Rod to Percy?

Light up the Freakin Halo!

by marshgr on Dec 13, 2008 9:46 AM PST reply actions

Against this

I don’t want to pay that kind of money for a closer. Albeit his talent…. we’re fine in the pen. Maybe another middle reliever with experience. Mike McDougal (ChiSox) comes to mind for Chone Figgins…. works for me. We need to use the money else where.

by matt92130 on Dec 15, 2008 3:00 PM PST reply actions