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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

KC Star: Royals trade Huber to Padres, cut loose De La Rosa

Even the Royals’ need for some right-handed power couldn’t overcome Justin Huber’s inability to master a defensive position. The Royals traded Huber to San Diego this afternoon for a player to be named later. The deal came one day after Huber smoked a two-run pinch double against the Padres in an 8-4 victory.

“For us, the way our club was shaping up,” general manager Dayton Moore said, “we just didn’t see the opportunity for him to be on our team. He’s out of options, and I really wish we had more time.”
...
The trade was one of two made today by the Royals. They earlier acquired right-handed reliever Ramon Ramirez from Colorado after clearing space on their 40-man roster by designating left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa for assignment.
...
The lack of a defensive position hampered Huber’s development. He was a catcher when acquired from the Mets but shifted to first base because of a knee injury. Huber struggled at first base and fared little better after shifting in 2006 to left field.

SportsTicker: Royals trade 1B Huber to Padres

NTNgod Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:01 PM | 37 comment(s)
Related News: General, Kansas City, San Diego

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1. Crispix Attacks Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:06 PM (#2721185)

FREE AT LAST

...to back up Adrian Gonzalez on a team without a DH

2. Better Schafer than Sorry Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:08 PM (#2721189)

Poor Huber. Can't say Moore has handled this well. Traded 2 live arms for Shealy and blocked Huber. Then gave ABs to Gload. and then sold Huber for pennies on the pound.

3. Gamingboy Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:11 PM (#2721192)

Poor Huber. Poor, poor Huber. I am a fan of all Australian baseball players, simply because Aussies are cool, and I am sad at how Huber, one of the more promising Aussie Baseball players (wasn't he in the Futures Game for a few years?) has been treated.

4. Jonk Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:26 PM (#2721211)

Why aren't the Giants going after guys like Huber?

5. Crispix Attacks Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:27 PM (#2721213)

Speaking of Aussies, the Phillies gave up on Travis Blackley. Though they still have more Aussie minor-leaguers than anyone except the Twins.

6. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:32 PM (#2721220)

can he play center?

7. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:34 PM (#2721228)

Anybody in the know... what did he look like in the outfield?
I mean this is a team [and GM] that ran Ryan Klesko out there for 4 or 5 years.

what does Huber look like in the outfield?

8. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:40 PM (#2721234)

He looks like a catcher who got moved to first base.

9. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:49 PM (#2721243)

He looks like a catcher who got moved to first base.

he played some outfield in the minors, thats why i was curious.
Playing center was obviously a joke, but if he can man one of the corners ... i like this. Other wise we already have Tony Clark so this seems like a useless move.

10. Crispix Attacks Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:54 PM (#2721247)

Wow, you do have Tony Clark. I thought he had retired. That does make this an odd move.

Could it be that the Padres are thinking it might be possible that Huber can return to catcher? Because Josh Bard sucks. I mean really, really sucks.

11. KevinHess (SARM leader) Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:57 PM (#2721250)

Huber can "man" the corners about as well as I can.

12. (Master) Greg K Posted: March 26, 2008 at 06:58 PM (#2721251)

He's ok at the whole, hitting aspect of the game

13. Jake Peavy's # 1 Fan Posted: March 26, 2008 at 07:15 PM (#2721261)

So... is he going to be the 5th OF'er? or the back-up to the back-up at 1B?
Maybe he'll be the back-up to Adrian and they'll use Clark as a pinch hitter more than a back-up 1B...I'm confused.

14. Crispix Attacks Posted: March 26, 2008 at 07:18 PM (#2721265)

Maybe Clark is being moved to "coach". That's what I would do. He can keep the same salary, though - why the hell not.

15. Jake Peavy's # 1 Fan Posted: March 26, 2008 at 07:20 PM (#2721268)

Yeah, I feel that the Pads got Clark just so he could quit owning C.Y. anyway.

16. Der Komminsk-sar Posted: March 26, 2008 at 07:34 PM (#2721277)

If I'm the Pads, I look into having him catch a little, since they obviously aren't worried about preventing steals. As a poor man's Craig Wilson (back when Craig was healthy), he's got some value, but he neither hits nor fields well enough to do any one role on a regular basis.

17. shoewizard Posted: March 26, 2008 at 07:36 PM (#2721278)

Maybe Kevin Towers finally looked at Clarks Splits vs. Lefty's and splits on the road the last two years:

06 Vs LHP .125/.276/.125
07 Vs LHP .219/.286/.438

Small samples sizes...because his bum shoulder prohibits him from hitting vs. lefties much in the first place.

06 Road .197/.300/.377
07 Road .202/.288/.317

2005 seems so very long ago

18. Crispix Attacks Posted: March 26, 2008 at 07:44 PM (#2721284)

Wow, shoewizard, a backup first baseman platoon? You don't see many of those in the age of the 12-man bullpen.

19. Jonk Posted: March 26, 2008 at 07:44 PM (#2721285)

he's got some value, but he neither hits nor fields well enough to do any one role on a regular basis.

We won't know this for sure until he finally gets a chance on a regular basis. Jack Cust concurs.

20. Please don't tell Phil Coorey to do the math Posted: March 26, 2008 at 08:13 PM (#2721300)

Go get em Hubs

21. McGwire's Silence (Sowers the Seed of Love) Posted: March 26, 2008 at 08:37 PM (#2721316)

Yeah, that was part of the awfulness of Buddy Bell. He could manage a shitastic team and still find a way to block one of the few players with any upside at all...

22. shoewizard Posted: March 26, 2008 at 08:50 PM (#2721321)

Wow, shoewizard, a backup first baseman platoon? You don't see many of those in the age of the 12-man bullpen.

Us d backs fans, being extremely familiar with Clark's splits, just couldn't imagine why he would sign in SD to backup up a LEFTY that plays 150 games...(or why KT would sign him). It's never made any sense for the Padres or for Clark.

23. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: March 26, 2008 at 08:58 PM (#2721324)

Us d backs fans, being extremely familiar with Clark's splits, just couldn't imagine why he would sign in SD to backup up a LEFTY that plays 150 games...(or why KT would sign him). It's never made any sense for the Padres or for Clark.

I said it when Towers signed him. It will be at least a 2 game turn in the standings, in the friars favor. Bud Black has also said that Clark is expected to pinch hit every game. He will be his number one option every game, and will spell Gonzalez only once in a blue moon. His primary duties are pinch hitting and keeping the bench loose. :)

This Huber trade is unexpected though, unless they plan on putting him in the mix at corner outfield. Maybe another trade is coming ...

24. McGwire's Silence (Sowers the Seed of Love) Posted: March 26, 2008 at 09:08 PM (#2721331)

Maybe the hope is that Huber does well in AAA, and he can be spun for something else? Or that he was available, and better then Gerut (aka: "The Crap They're Blocking Headley With")...? It is odd. Of course, for an offensively challenged team, you gotta snap up bats when you can. And it doesn't look like they're gonna need to give up much of anything for him. Now Clark, on the other hand, who knows why S.D. got him. Maybe it was to keep him from demolishing Chris Young...

25. Robert S. Posted: March 26, 2008 at 10:00 PM (#2721353)

I said it when Towers signed him. It will be at least a 2 game turn in the standings, in the friars favor. Bud Black has also said that Clark is expected to pinch hit every game. He will be his number one option every game, and will spell Gonzalez only once in a blue moon. His primary duties are pinch hitting and keeping the bench loose. :)

The only reason the Padres signed Clark. Tony won't even crack a .700 OPS this year.

26. Vrhovnik Posted: March 26, 2008 at 10:22 PM (#2721365)

Maybe the hope is that Huber does well in AAA, and he can be spun for something else?

Huber is out of options.

27. WillieMays Haze Posted: March 26, 2008 at 10:38 PM (#2721374)

Could it be that the Padres are thinking it might be possible that Huber can return to catcher? Because Josh Bard sucks. I mean really, really sucks.

.285/.364/.404 last year in a park that kills offense. They could do much worse from that position. (Bard's PECOTA for 2008: .286/.364/.410)

Michael Barrett does really suck, though.

Besides maybe using him in left field to push Chase Headley even further down the depth chart, I really don't see how they plan to use Huber except as AAA fodder.

28. Cris E Posted: March 26, 2008 at 10:53 PM (#2721378)

They may not have any plan for him beyond "Hey look, freely available hitting talent!" Of course if Bud Black thinks he can get Clark 150AB as a pinch hitter I'm guessing Towers would rather see a decent hitter picking up some of those. Or perhaps he was just blocking Sabean from grabbing Huber just to mess with a division rival.

29. shoewizard Posted: March 27, 2008 at 01:23 AM (#2721438)

I said it when Towers signed him. It will be at least a 2 game turn in the standings, in the friars favor.

Did they elevate Petco Park 1000 ft. when I wasn't looking? ;)

30. Edmundo, more Jules than Jim Posted: March 27, 2008 at 08:44 AM (#2721511)

keeping the bench loose. :)
Why not just buy a screwdriver at the 99 cent store?

31. Gromit Posted: March 27, 2008 at 08:54 AM (#2721514)

I thought Paul McAnulty already had the Padres DH position sewn up. Is he DH'ing for AAA again? I thought he was out of options.

32. Jake Peavy's # 1 Fan Posted: March 27, 2008 at 12:36 PM (#2721726)

Paul JackAnulty will be the left-hitting side of the platoon in LF, Hairston is the right-hitting side of the platoon, but since Edmonds will be hitting the DL often, Hairston will play CF and Huber will take Hairston's place in LF; when Edmonds comes back, they'll send Gerut down (I haven't check if he has options or not), also, they've got Callix Crabbe who can play everything except catcher and is a switch hitter. Probably when Edmonds comes back, Huber will be backing up Adrian at 1B.

33. alilisd Posted: March 27, 2008 at 05:03 PM (#2721924)

7: What? Klesko played 2 seasons in LF for the Padres. He was an OF for 5 seasons with the Braves.

34. alilisd Posted: March 27, 2008 at 05:06 PM (#2721930)

10: Josh Bard sucks based on what exactly? He's been a productive offensive catcher for the Padres. Don't tell me because his CS % is low you think he sucks defensively. He caught a staff last year comprised largely of Peavy, Young and Maddux, three pitchers who either are physically incapable of holding a runner on or who have stated publicly they don't care whether a runner steals or not.

35. Free Joe C and the Pop Culture Portmanteau Posted: March 27, 2008 at 05:16 PM (#2721938)

36. alilisd Posted: March 27, 2008 at 05:19 PM (#2721941)

24: Offensively challenged? Last season they were 4th in the NL in scoring on the road, 2nd in road HR's, and 1st in road extra base hits. Don't underestimate the power of Petco to mask offensive performance. Headley really isn't blocked, and certainly not by Gerut who looks likely to be behind McAnulty, who is a very good hitter, but he could use some time playing LF everyday before being brought up. It's tough enough to be a rookie, let alone being a rookie trying to learn a brand new position.

Huber is a RH bat, which the Padres lack at the moment, and is more valuable to the team as the 4th/5th OF for that reason than Gerut, imo.

37. alilisd Posted: March 27, 2008 at 05:25 PM (#2721944)

35: I'll take mediocre defense with the O he produces. btw, where is a good place to look for catcher's defensive performance/stats? THT has win shares, but I was wondering if there were better measures for catchers like UZR or something else.

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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

KC Star: Royals trade Huber to Padres, cut loose De La Rosa

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