Monday, November 15, 2010

Beltre Or Bust

I'm still fixated on Adrian Beltre, in the longshot hopes that he will end up back with the Dodgers for 2011. It won't happen, I know. But might I point you toward Keith Law of ESPN.com, who says "it's Beltre or bust" in the 3B market this offseason (insider only):

1. Adrian Beltre: Beltre got out of Safeco and was fully healthy in 2010, leading to the walk year he probably should have had in 2009. His two-strike approach improved, and he hit every kind of pitching to all fields. He's a pull-oriented hitter whose approach won't work everywhere, but even if his bat does regress -- as it likely will -- he provides a ton of value as one of the game's best defensive third basemen.

2. Juan Uribe: Plays a good third base defensively, but doesn't project to hit enough to play it every day. Still, he is the only other option for whom I could hear an argument.

3. I don't know: If you want a free agent to play third base for you every day, it's Beltre or bust. There isn't even another viable conversion candidate among the middle infielders beyond Uribe.

Yikes, I Don't Know on third? That sounds positively comical.

14 comments:

Nostradamus said...

I'm reminded that we purged our farm system of Third Basemen and Catchers.

I'm also reminded that I don't really want most, if any, of those guys back, either.

Double Sad Trombone...

Nostradamus said...

Apologies for Santana-baiting.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

The 2011 season is already depressing me.

Kuroda at $12,000,000 for one year? Really? How much value is he over a middling journeyman? (His record as a Dodger is middling as well.) Shouldn't we save our money on some offense? Shouldn't I stop obsessing over the 2011 season while still in Nov 2010?

rbnlaw said...

Again I say, look into Carlos Beltran in left (he'll move over). The Mets might pick up a chunk of that contract.
Then go after Beltre, maybe secure the Battletoad, and order those rings.

rbnlaw said...

I'm kind of half-kidding about the rings.

Nostradamus said...

I could go for some rings...

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

As much as I hate to admit it, I think we're stuck with the Beard at third for the rest of next season. Nobody in the system, nobody in the free agent pool past Beltre and Uribe, more pressing concerns at first and in left.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

It still boggles me that no one sees that Andre Ethier is NO LONGER AN ACTUAL RIGHT FIELDER AND SHOULD BE MOVED TO LEFT!

If were lucky we can pick up a center fielder or a right fielder and move Ethier to Left and maybe move Kemp to right.

Onion rings maybe?

Josh S. said...

If we can't get Beltre, a nice bust will at least be fun to look at.

Unless it's Broxton's.

MR.F said...

Welcome back, Hiroki!

MR.F said...

Note to self: Josh S. considers Broxton's bust to be "nice."

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I could go for a pallid bust of Pallas just above the chamber door.

Er, I mean, stadium door.

Kyle Baker said...

I want to see Broxton's boobs.

Steve Dittmore said...

I have this feeling that Russell Martin gets reincarnated at 3rd.