BBTF's Transaction Oracle Discussion :: Rangers

Transaction Oracle
— A Timely Look at Transactions as They Happen

Friday, December 10, 2004

Rangers - Signed Hidalgo

Texas Rangers - Signed OF Richard Hidalgo to a 1-year contract worth $5 million.

I like this signing much better than the Dye signing - Hidalgo has at least a chance of being excellent and it’s a shorter-term deal to boot without paying a premium in the one-year price. One of Hidalgo’s weaknesses, going through long stretches where he gets homer happy and swings at everything, isn’t as damaging for the Rangers as Arlington will allow a lot of those fly balls to end up as homers.

Hidalgo, Richard - 2005 ZiPS Projection (29)


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 AB   R    H  2B 3B  HR RBI  BB  SO  SB    BA   OBP   SLG  


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507  76  140  33  3  25  84  50 114   5  .276  .346  .501

Dan Szymborski Posted: December 10, 2004 at 07:18 PM | 26 comment(s)
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1. Gold Star for Robot Boy Posted: December 10, 2004 at 08:28 PM (#1011896)

Well, is the contract worth $4.5M or $5M? Let's split the difference - $4.75M!
Still a good deal for Texas. Risky for Richard, but it could pay off big.

2. Mark Shirk (jsch) Posted: December 10, 2004 at 08:38 PM (#1011913)

This may seem risky but it is only $1 mil less than the 2 yr. $6 mil daels that were signed en masse last year and it is only for one year. I coudl just about guarantee a deal worth at least $1 mil for 2006.

This is also a much better signing because the Rangers arent' in desperate need of lefty OBP sources like the White Sox. I am not a big fan of Doggy, but it is hard to quibble with this deal. Might we be seeing more really short deals, well unless you are a #3 or 4 pitcher, then you are set!

3. Sometimes it Rains (sj) Posted: December 10, 2004 at 08:41 PM (#1011919)

I am suprised there isn't an option.

4. Don Guillote (The Cheat) Posted: December 10, 2004 at 08:41 PM (#1011920)

This is one of those deals that's probably good for both sides.

Hidalgo gets a chance to come back to Texas to another good hitters park, put up some numbers and then be a free agent again next year, in what should be an even more lucrative market.

Texas gets a comparable player to Dye, for less money, and less risk(fewer years).

That being said, Texas supposedly offered a better deal to Dye than the White Sox did. They could come out better in the end, though.

5. shoewizard Posted: December 10, 2004 at 08:50 PM (#1011932)

Heck, the D Backs could have had him for that kind of money. We need a right fielder too.

6. Pops Freshenmeyer Posted: December 10, 2004 at 08:50 PM (#1011933)

Pretty good signing. Outfield is a serious need for the Rangers. Money and length are good. It's a risk considering his unpredictability but one that has some serious benefit if it works out.

If he stinks, then that's basically what they've had the last few years anyhow.

7. villainx Posted: December 10, 2004 at 09:11 PM (#1011976)

A deal that makes sense! The Texas GM is actually doing his job!

8. Mikαεl Posted: December 10, 2004 at 09:18 PM (#1011984)

Heckuva contract.

Hidalgo is one the best defensive OFs in the game by UZR, and eventually he should have a season around his career averages, instead of only at the ridiculously high or low end.

9. 1k5v3L Posted: December 10, 2004 at 09:24 PM (#1011992)

I'm telling you, shoewiz:

Joe Jr will trade Ortiz for Hidalgo, straight up.

He's that clever.

10. Walt Davis Posted: December 10, 2004 at 09:50 PM (#1012024)

good signing

11. Rob Base Posted: December 10, 2004 at 10:23 PM (#1012083)

Bye, fatass.

12. Kyle S Posted: December 10, 2004 at 10:37 PM (#1012115)

This is much better than I would have expected. Wow. Finally, something not insane. Now the Braves are really f'd.

13. mgl Posted: December 10, 2004 at 10:39 PM (#1012118)

Decent signing, assuming his defense holds up (I am always more wary of an overall projection that includes particularly good [or bad] defense - UZR - than one that incudes good [or bad] offense, for obvious reasons). I have Hidalgo projected at +12 in UZR and +1 in batting, and a total Slwts of 5 runs above an average RF'er, which gives him a fair market value of around 5 mil...

14. Rob Base Posted: December 10, 2004 at 10:40 PM (#1012119)

Very suprising comparables through 29:

1. Larry Walker (959)
2. Jermaine Dye (955)
3. Tony Conigliaro (953)
4. Frank Howard (952)
5. Geoff Jenkins (952)
6. Willie Stargell (949) *
7. Wally Post (948)
8. Bobby Higginson (946)
9. Frank Thomas (944)
10. David Justice (944)

What a weird list. Inner-ish circle HOF'er, 2 borderlines HOF'ers, a couple of hall of very gooders, and a couple of d-bags.

15. I Love LA (OFF) Posted: December 10, 2004 at 10:45 PM (#1012127)

MGL,

I was wondering what Drew's projected SWLTs are for next year. Is he the most underrated OF out there?

16. Psychedelic Red Pants Posted: December 10, 2004 at 10:52 PM (#1012137)

What a weird list. Inner-ish circle HOF'er, 2 borderlines HOF'ers, a couple of hall of very gooders, and a couple of d-bags.

In light of the developments of the last few weeks, I'm not sure you can call Frank Thomas a borderline HOF (by which I mean he should be in on the first ballot).

17. mgl Posted: December 10, 2004 at 10:52 PM (#1012138)

I was wondering what Drew's projected SWLTs are for next year. Is he the most underrated OF out there?

Oh yeah! +35 in RF. Might even be more valuable in CF. One of top 10 players in baseball. Does everything well. Fair market value = 10-12 mil per year...

18. Rob Base Posted: December 10, 2004 at 10:54 PM (#1012145)

In light of the developments of the last few weeks, I'm not sure you can call Frank Thomas a borderline HOF (by which I mean he should be in on the first ballot).

Well, he'd have my vote. I don't know how it will play out though. In any event, are we sure Frank has been untouched by the PED scandle?

I probably exaggerated Stargell's creds also, but the point remains -- what a weird list. Walker?

19. Jason Kendall's #6,530,420,771 fan (AS) Posted: December 10, 2004 at 11:46 PM (#1012251)

Wow, that ZiPS projection for Hidalgo seems awfully kind. Is that in Arlington? If it's in Shea, it's even more surprising.

20. Christopher Rose Posted: December 11, 2004 at 12:10 AM (#1012279)

Silly me thought that the "inner-ish circle HOF'er" was Thomas. I thought Stargell was the "borderline HOF'er".

21. Joe Cowley's #1 MVP choice Posted: December 11, 2004 at 12:14 AM (#1012288)

This is a great signing. Better than the Dye signing by virtue of Hidalgo only getting one guarenteed year, but I think their potential isnt much different. Dye hasnt been healthy and that's why he hasnt been as good as Hidalgo over the past few years. If he's healthy, I'm not sure why he cant be as good as Hidalgo has been.

I guess most around here just cant resist the chance to bash Kenny Williams.

22. Rob Base Posted: December 11, 2004 at 12:16 AM (#1012291)

Stargell was pretty damn deadly at his best. Productive a long time too, and associated with very memorable Pitt teams.

23. Benji Posted: December 11, 2004 at 01:33 AM (#1012372)

If history holds, Hidalgo will reward the Rangers by coming to camp looking like Larry Allen and his excellent defense will be in a smaller and smaller area. Plus Jamarillo is going to have his hands full getting him to lay off the outside sliders.

24. Chris Dial Posted: December 11, 2004 at 01:40 AM (#1012375)

I agree with mgl's assessment of Hidalgo's value. The MEts should have kept him.

25. Psychedelic Red Pants Posted: December 11, 2004 at 01:43 AM (#1012379)

Well, he'd have my vote. I don't know how it will play out though. In any event, are we sure Frank has been untouched by the PED scandle?

Thomas has been something of a (physical) freak of nature from a very young age. I wouldn't be surprised if, out of medical necessity, he was prescribed otherwise unkosher meds following his nasty triceps injury. Other than that, though, he's the guy I'd consider the best bet to be clean. I mean, 1) his body type probably hasn't changed since 8th grade and 2) you'd expect someone who was 'roided up to be able to do a sit-up (or at least have an appearance that strongly implies such capacity). Steroids don't do you much good if you aren't lifting at all. They aren't "muscles in a bottle" but they allow much more rapid recovery and, in theory, more dramatic response.

26. danup Posted: December 11, 2004 at 01:59 AM (#1012390)

Uh, guys, that's the other Frank Thomas. Any Similarity Score in which Richard Hidalgo, whose age-29 season's OBP was only four points higher than "The" Frank Thomas's batting average, has some major issues.

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Friday, December 10, 2004

Rangers - Signed Hidalgo

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