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Monday, February 18, 2013

Diamondbacks Acquire Tony Campana

The Cubs announced that they have traded outfielder Tony Campana to the Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league right-handed pitchers Erick Leal and Jesus Castillo…

Campana, 26, finished 2012 with a slash line of .264/.308/.299 in 192 plate appearances. The speedster also racked up 30 stolen bases last season, good for ninth in the National League. The Diamondbacks are already more than set in the outfield, so its not clear what kind of role they have in mind for Campana.

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The Cubs announced that they have traded outfielder Tony Campana to the Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league right-handed pitchers Erick Leal and Jesus Castillo…

Campana, 26, finished 2012 with a slash line of .264/.308/.299 in 192 plate appearances. The speedster also racked up 30 stolen bases last season, good for ninth in the National League. The Diamondbacks are already more than set in the outfield, so its not clear what kind of role they have in mind for Campana.

The District Attorney Posted: February 18, 2013 at 04:24 PM | 26 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: cubs, diamondbacks, tony campana, transactions

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1. Canker Soriano Posted: February 18, 2013 at 04:52 PM (#4371479)

I'm OK with this. Tony Campana was not going to make the Cubs an appreciably better team, and rolling the dice on two 17-year-old pitchers at least has the chance to produce something better than Campana.

For a contending team, I can see where he might be useful - no power at all, but in a late inning situation where you need a stolen base, he's a pretty good bet to get it for you as a pinch runner (54/59 in his career). They'd do well to keep him short of the 200 PAs he got with the Cubs last season, though.

2. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: February 18, 2013 at 04:56 PM (#4371482)

Is Billy Hamilton going to be better than Tony Campana?

3. attaboy Posted: February 18, 2013 at 05:00 PM (#4371487)

I believe that he might have been an upgrade for the Mets and he is completely useless to the Diamondbacks. Not sure what we are waiting for. I imagine you could field the 1999 Mets infield and the 1969 pitching staff with this outfield and still miss the playoffs. I guess we'll have to wait for 2029 for a good OF!

4. Hack Wilson Posted: February 18, 2013 at 05:03 PM (#4371488)

Is Billy Hamilton going to be better than Tony Campana?

I have never seen Sliding Billy, but yes.

5. Pops Freshenmeyer Posted: February 18, 2013 at 05:11 PM (#4371491)

For a contending team, I can see where he might be useful - no power at all, but in a late inning situation where you need a stolen base, he's a pretty good bet to get it for you as a pinch runner (54/59 in his career). They'd do well to keep him short of the 200 PAs he got with the Cubs last season, though.

I agree with this. I would just like to add that a team as bad as the Cubs needs to look out for more high ceiling types rather than a guy like Campana who is fairly limited in the value he can provide with his bat.

He is a fun dude to watch and I'm glad the Cubs were able to give him the break he needed to show he can contribute to a major league club.

6. morineko Posted: February 18, 2013 at 05:46 PM (#4371515)

Hey, Reno needs outfielders too! I'll miss him at Iowa.

7. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: February 18, 2013 at 06:26 PM (#4371528)

I believe that he might have been an upgrade for the Mets and he is completely useless to the Diamondbacks. Not sure what we are waiting for. I imagine you could field the 1999 Mets infield and the 1969 pitching staff with this outfield and still miss the playoffs.

Just because Tony Campana might be an upgrade to your outfield is not a sufficient reason to sign him. Any more than you should sign Oliver Perez if he would be an upgrade to your rotation.

8. Tom (and his broom) Posted: February 18, 2013 at 06:46 PM (#4371533)

I think the D-backs forgot that it is a more balanced schedule, they are thinking of working the whole park platoon thing, play the sluggers in AZ and COL Play the Campana's and small ball in LA, SD and SF.

9. Jim Wisinski

Posted: February 18, 2013 at 07:11 PM (#4371548)

I couldn't remember what position Campana plays so when I saw the headline I assumed it was shortstop

10. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: February 18, 2013 at 07:29 PM (#4371556)

Tony Campana is a blast to watch if he somehow finagles getting on base.

11. Kiko Sakata

Posted: February 18, 2013 at 07:38 PM (#4371560)

My son and I were at the game where Tony Campana hit his one and only major-league home run (inside-the-park, of course). It was one of the funnest baseball moments I can remember seeing live. But yeah, this is probably a good trade for the Cubs.

12. akrasian Posted: February 18, 2013 at 10:21 PM (#4371610)

Here's Baseball America's analysis of the prospects. They do look intriguing, though of course if they'd been born in the US they'd still be in high school. Still, it wouldn't shock me if the Dbacks were able to spin Campana at the trade deadline for a more advanced prospect. Campana definitely has value, just barely any at the plate. But if properly used, could rack up a win above replacement or more as the 24th or 25th man on the roster, which isn't bad at all.

13. Eric J can SABER all he wants to Posted: February 18, 2013 at 10:21 PM (#4371611)

My son and I were at the game where Tony Campana hit his one and only major-league home run (inside-the-park, of course). It was one of the funnest baseball moments I can remember seeing live.

It was not just his only MLB homer - it was his first homer at any professional level (he added one at AAA last year). All thanks to Yonder Alonso and his rude introduction to the padded wall in foul territory.

14. formerly dp Posted: February 18, 2013 at 10:27 PM (#4371612)

Damn, I wish the Mets had snagged Campana. More of a commentary on the sad state of the Mets OF than on Campana's worth as a player. They're talking about Byrd as their starting RF.

15. Dock Ellis on Acid

Posted: February 18, 2013 at 10:40 PM (#4371614)

I'm not sure how common these types of deals are, but two 17 year old pitchers with intriguing upside sounds like a lot to give up for Campana. Of course, the Diamondbacks haven't been behaving very rationally this offseason.

I wonder where these kids would've gone in the draft if they had gone to high school in the US.

16. Gonna break my Rusty Kuntz and run . . . Arbitol Posted: February 18, 2013 at 10:58 PM (#4371621)

They're talking about Byrd as their starting RF.

Oh, they are not. No hyperbole is necessary to disparage this outfield. For example, I took the comment about a team with the '99 infield and the '69 rotation missing the playoffs to be dead serious.

17. MM1f Posted: February 18, 2013 at 11:00 PM (#4371622)

I wonder where these kids would've gone in the draft if they had gone to high school in the US.

Good question, since these arms are so young they wouldn't have even been drafted yet if they were American. Leal turns 18 this spring, so he would be a HS senior right now while Castillo wouldn't be 18 til August 27, so (depending on school entry dates and stuff) he could be part of this draft or might not even be a HS senior til spring 2014.

18. Walt Davis Posted: February 18, 2013 at 11:49 PM (#4371640)

Campana for one lottery ticket is a fine deal so I like trading him for two ... unless this means I have to suffer through even one more inning of Joe Mather in a Cubs uni.

I am mildly surprised by this, I was assuming Campana as 5th OF until Jackson was "ready". Can Sappelt cover CF?

19. Kiko Sakata

Posted: February 18, 2013 at 11:58 PM (#4371641)

I am mildly surprised by this, I was assuming Campana as 5th OF until Jackson was "ready". Can Sappelt cover CF?

Hairston and Schierholtz have played CF in the majors, although Schierholtz has only played 7 games (5 starts, 44 innings), all last season for Philly. And so has Brent Lillibridge, who will probably fill a Mather-like role on the team.

20. PreservedFish Posted: February 19, 2013 at 12:11 AM (#4371647)

Just because Tony Campana might be an upgrade to your outfield is not a sufficient reason to sign him.

Why not? That seems like the best possible reason to sign him.

21. What did Billy Ripken have against Elroy Face? Posted: February 19, 2013 at 11:18 AM (#4371780)

I'm glad the Cubs were able to give him the break he needed to show he can contribute to a major league club.

Wait, when did he do this?

22. Meatwads stronger now, ready for the house Posted: February 19, 2013 at 11:29 AM (#4371788)

Best of all the cubs had dfa'd him to sign hairston. So getting back 2 arms is a big win. The cubs have enough guys who cant get on base so its no loss for them.

23. KT's Pot Arb Posted: February 19, 2013 at 11:36 AM (#4371795)

I couldn't remember what position Campana plays so when I saw the headline I assumed it was shortstop

Campana hits too well to play shortstop for the DBacks.

24. Johnny Sycophant-Laden Fora Posted: February 19, 2013 at 01:42 PM (#4371904)

Is Billy Hamilton going to be better than Tony Campana?

Hamilton's minor league numbers are not that much better- unless you look at age, Hamilton has been in rookie ball through AA at ages 18-21, Campana was in the same levels ages 22-25.

Any way, BBREF WAR sees him as a surprisingly useful player despite being a zero with the bat,
+13 as a baserunner in 347 PAs, +7 as a fielder, +3 in DP avoidance

54/59 as a basestealer (92%) (in the minors he was only 77%)

too much of the value WAR sees him is tied up in that ungodly (and likely unsustainable) baserunning success

25. zonk Posted: February 19, 2013 at 02:19 PM (#4371938)

I approve.

Getting anything for Campana is great... getting two 17 yo arms is a coup. Chances are that neither of them amount to anything - but Castillo in particular was apparently the biggest foreign FA bonus the DBacks handed out last year ($250k, but I have zero idea how good their Latin scouting operation is), so getting something like that in return for a 5th OF (albeit a fun 5th OF) is magnificent return.

I absolutely wish Campana well - in addition to just being a fun guy to see on the basepaths, he's also got that inspiring cancer recovery story as another reason to root for him - but the simple fact is that if you can swap a Joey Gathright clone for a couple of interesting arms, that's a no-brainer.

26. Walt Davis Posted: February 19, 2013 at 05:13 PM (#4372120)

too much of the value WAR sees him is tied up in that ungodly (and likely unsustainable) baserunning success

Probably unsustainable but he's a very good baserunner. His value is entirely in his speed, both on the bases and in the field. He's an excellent 5th OF / 25th man, at least as long as he's cheap. He would obviously be exposed as a starter but he's got plenty of uses. If he can get to the point where he can hit as well as Tony Womack, he might well end up with 3000 PA.

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Monday, February 18, 2013

Diamondbacks Acquire Tony Campana

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