Lackey to Padres?

Say it ain't so. I like Lackey best as a member of the Red Sox.

Petco and Bud Black would probably do him good, though.

7 months ago wumbug 20 comments 0 recs |

Comments

Think it would be a great spot for him too

No local media pressure, giant ballpark, Bud….has all the makings for a “Can you believe the Red Sox are PAYING them to have him here?!” situation after he posts a 3.50 ERA before the all-star break.

I know not many agree, but I actually wouldn’t hate taking him if the Red Sox paid $35 million or so of what’s left on his contract.

RIP Nick Adenhart

by ihearhowie2.0 on Oct 20, 2011 7:33 AM PDT reply actions

Or if the Red Sox absorbed a bad contract of ours

You know, if we had one…

"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." - Woody Hayes

by johnnyangel101 on Oct 20, 2011 7:58 AM PDT up reply actions

haha

I saw that written in the Boston Globe and was floored someone actually thought Lackey for Wells was plausible.

I know Vernon knows the AL East and could probably rebound there…but whoever is running Boston will be too smart to remedy the bad Lackey contract by taking on even more money in return.

RIP Nick Adenhart

by ihearhowie2.0 on Oct 20, 2011 8:07 AM PDT up reply actions

What if the Halos kick in about $2 million a year?

That would pretty much even up the financial commitments to both sides. From the Halo’s point of view, it would make a ton of sense. The sunken-cost of the Wells contract would fill out the back-end of our rotation with a pitcher who had success here in the past and opens up LF for the best prospect in baseball.

But as you said, I think the Sux are too smart to stick themselves with two sub .300 OBP guys in the outfield corners who make over $40 million a year combined.

by dmhead on Oct 20, 2011 4:43 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd only do the trade without kicking money in.

VW would still have value to the team by serving as the most expensive platoon player in history. He hit .284/.320/.531 versus left-handed pitching last year.

If the cost of VW and Lackey is the same, then it’s reasonable to expect some sort of value from VW in a limited role while saving the team from Lackey’s bad attitude and the questionable pitching production you’d get from him.

Vernon Wells 2011 Stats (.218/.248/.412) and 2010 road stats (.224/.299/.400). The front office shouldn't have been surprised.

by snowhor on Oct 21, 2011 9:16 AM PDT up reply actions

I presume you mean

Wells would platoon with Abreu, which yes, makes perfect sense. The problem is you still have Trumbo and Morales on the roster. If Kendry is healthy – and I know we’re all well aware of that “IF” – Trout is in AAA and Abreu is on the bench.

Lackey had an awful year, no question. I don’t believe he’s quite that bad and he should bounce back some, just like Wells. As others have said, both players probably have a much better chance to bounce back in new environments: Wells hitting in a bandbox in a division he is used to playing in, Lackey in the cozy confines of Anaheim where fly balls go to die and the fans and media are far more forgiving.

Believe me, I’m in no hurry to welcome back horseface with open arms but we actually have a need for a back of the rotation starter, while the outfield/1B/DH situation is quite crowded. It just seems to be a better use of resources that have already been wasted.

by dmhead on Oct 21, 2011 9:34 AM PDT up reply actions

But there are other back of the rotation options other than Lackey.

And the only way Wells bounces back is if he plays half his game in a place like Fenway. His performance last year is on par with his performance the previous year minus the benefit he had playing half his games in Toronto.

That being said, I do think he would bounce back and become a valuable player in Fenway. I wouldn’t give the red sux someone who could benefit them and eat part of the cost. If they wanted to trade Wells for Lackey without us covering the difference or part of it, I’d do it in a second.

Also, I wouldn’t let any of those players block Trout. I’d start him in LF from day 1 and keep Mickey Hatcher away from him. I’d trade Trumbo if we upgrade at 1B (sell high). I would still consider Morales a question mark, but platoon him if his leg is no longer broken at DH with Abreu (or Wells if that Boston thing didn’t work). Of course, I’d be open to trading Abreu, but those second half numbers may indicate he’s done.

Vernon Wells 2011 Stats (.218/.248/.412) and 2010 road stats (.224/.299/.400). The front office shouldn't have been surprised.

by snowhor on Oct 21, 2011 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions

I wouldn't want to dump trumbo just yet

I can just see it: trumbo gets traded, morales dosent come back, we make a “competative offer” to Prince, and 2012’s big splash is carlos lee.

"id take 5th Dimention Wormhole Rivera over Wells any day of the week"
-clover_black

by the king of CERA on Oct 22, 2011 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Trades don't have to be dumps.

Reagins is gone.

Vernon Wells 2011 Stats (.218/.248/.412) and 2010 road stats (.224/.299/.400). The front office shouldn't have been surprised.

by snowhor on Oct 23, 2011 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Interesting points

But I still think we would have to send money. It doesn’t make sense for Boston otherwise. Lackey can eat innings, and without him, they will have to pay someone else.

Lackey’s contract was frontloaded, and he is due $15.25 million per season for the next three years. That leaves a difference of $5.75 million per year between their salaries. I doubt that VW would have greater value than Lackey on the free agent market. Sure, he hit left-handed pitching, but he didn’t hit right-handed pitching at all, and most of the league is right-handed. Also, Manny Ramirez only got a one-year, $2 million deal in free agency last season, so the market for broken down hitters is not what it used to be. Lackey, while fairly awful last season, still eats a lot of innings, and the Red Sox would have to replace him with someone else to do that.

I think we would have to at least split the difference with Boston ($3 million per year) to make this work. Maybe even more. I still might do it, even if we did have to kick in some cash. Just to free up left field for Trout.

by Brody on Oct 21, 2011 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions

We don't have to do anything to free up a spot for Trout other than adopt a policy of playing our best players.

I wrote more on the DH/LF logjam above, but I wouldn’t step in to cover any costs for Boston in a Lackey/Wells trade. I think the situation with Lackey in Boston is worse than Wells here in that the whole clubhouse cancer thing has exploded in the press.

If the two teams were to discuss trading those two players, I think Arte would see more success in using his free agent hardass negotiating style than he has using it on free agents that can freely choose to play elsewhere.

Boston still might not do it in the end, but I wouldn’t be the one to help them offset their losses on Lackey.

Vernon Wells 2011 Stats (.218/.248/.412) and 2010 road stats (.224/.299/.400). The front office shouldn't have been surprised.

by snowhor on Oct 21, 2011 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions

wait i thought bud black was going to be the gm?

by Halos in DE on Oct 20, 2011 8:21 AM PDT up reply actions

No, don't be ridiculous.

Scioscia is going to buy the team from Arte, Hatcher becomes GM and Bud Black is the new manager.

by ~MMP~ on Oct 20, 2011 8:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Him being single in the Gaslamp

Watch out ladies a horse faced bitch is coming to mount you

I take it you don't have the DOV Secret Decoder Ring
You need to drink more ovaltine
-Quad Fin Rider

by DAD OF VLAD on Oct 20, 2011 8:58 AM PDT reply actions 6 recs

gotta make this greener

"id take 5th Dimention Wormhole Rivera over Wells any day of the week"
-clover_black

by the king of CERA on Oct 20, 2011 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Boston better eat almost all of that contract

Otherwise, this will look like Hoyer has staged another fleecing of the Padres on behalf of his old team.

by Brody on Oct 20, 2011 11:59 AM PDT reply actions

The Red Sox

Reportedly asked the Cubs to take Lackey’s contract as “compensation” for Epstein.

by Brody on Oct 20, 2011 9:39 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

That sounds like a Twilight Zone episode

“The Pitcher”

Every time Epstein (played by a younger Peter Falk) looks in the mirror, he sees Lackey in the background, smiling and laughing, saying “This is MY game!” But, of course, nobody else sees or hears Lackey. Theo thinks its a plot by Hoyer to drive him insane, and ends up killing Jed needlessly.

"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." - Woody Hayes

by johnnyangel101 on Oct 20, 2011 11:09 PM PDT up reply actions

Lackey's xFIP was 4.70

Not good, but certainly MUCH better than his 6.41 ERA would suggest. He’s probably worth about $5-6MM/year. If the Padres can get Boston to cover $12MM/yr (or more), then I think they have a pretty good deal.

"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." - Woody Hayes

by johnnyangel101 on Oct 20, 2011 11:20 PM PDT reply actions