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Friday, December 16, 2011

Rockies To Sign Michael Cuddyer

Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd continued a busy offseason today by making his biggest move yet. The Rockies have agreed to sign Michael Cuddyer to a three-year, $31.5MM deal.

Cuddyer, 32, hit 20 homers and posted a .284/.346/.459 line in 584 plate appearances for the Twins this past season. After 11 seasons in Minnesota, the Excel Sports Management client has a career line of .272/.343/.451. Cuddyer spent considerable time at three positions in 2011: right field, first base and second base. He has also played third base and left field at the Major League level, so Rockies manager Jim Tracy will have lots of places to pencil his new player into the lineup.

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: December 16, 2011 at 05:18 PM | 55 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. Dale Sams Posted: December 16, 2011 at 06:42 PM (#4017847)

And a million Red Sox fans just said, "Yeah, we wern't paying that."

2. JJ1986 Posted: December 16, 2011 at 06:44 PM (#4017849)

Is he playing 3B? Because he's not better than any of their outfielders.

3. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: December 16, 2011 at 06:47 PM (#4017852)

Is he playing 3B? Because he's not better than any of their outfielders.

Supposedly they're shopping Seth Smith, possibly for Martin Prado. But yes, that doesn't really make much sense either. MLBDepthCharts has him at third - isn't his defense pretty brutal there? I guess its brutal in the outfield too. Maybe he'll DH for Colorado.

4. philly Posted: December 16, 2011 at 06:48 PM (#4017853)

Yeah, does this mean Seth Smith will be on the move perhaps to Atlanta or something?

5. attaboy Posted: December 16, 2011 at 06:56 PM (#4017864)

It's not my money but 10M for Michael Cuddyer? WOW!! Maybe they over paid per year to keep it at 3 years? It is the right number of years, at least.

6. Davo Malvolio Posted: December 16, 2011 at 06:58 PM (#4017865)

He's just not that good.

7. Nasty Nate Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:00 PM (#4017869)

Seth Smith was a great rotisserie bench player in daily leagues because you could slot him in against righty starters for all home games and some road ones.

8. Tom Nawrocki Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:02 PM (#4017870)

I'd rather have Seth Smith than Cuddyer, even aside from the money. It would be fun to see Cuddyer at third, though. Lord knows he couldn't be any worse than Ty Wigginton.

9. stanmvp48 Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:03 PM (#4017871)

He looks pretty average to me. 111 OPS+ for a corner outfielder. 33 years old when the season starts. Baseball-reference similarity scores are Troy O leary, Larry Hisle, and Milton Bradley. However, Troy Renck of the Denver Post says he would be a positive influence in the clubhouse. Man is that guy full of it.

10. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:13 PM (#4017879)

Wait? What? Why?

$30M+ for Michael Cuddyer?

11. Melo's Love Handles (NJ) Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:19 PM (#4017887)

I just found out about this. Consider me shocked and confused.

12. DL from MN Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:20 PM (#4017888)

Twins got a much better deal on Willingham. $10M less commitment.

13. DL from MN Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:21 PM (#4017891)

Consider me shocked and confused.

Don't you mean Dazed and Confused?

14. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:30 PM (#4017901)

Feeling better about Ararmis Ramirez.

But what does this accomplish for the Rockies?

15. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:37 PM (#4017910)

But what does this accomplish for the Rockies?

Makes them $30M poorer.

16. Walt Davis Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:39 PM (#4017911)

But what does this accomplish for the Rockies?

It gives them their Jeff Conine or Kevin Millar which guarantees them a WS win.

17. Davo Malvolio Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:42 PM (#4017915)

Players with more Wins Above Replacement than Michael Cuddyer, since opening day 2009:

Brendan Ryan
Ryan Hannigan
Will Venable
Cliff Pennington
Jamey Carroll
Coco Crisp
Clint Barmes

NOTE: 2009-2011 represents the best 3-year run of Michael Cuddyer's career.

18. A triple short of the cycle

Posted: December 16, 2011 at 07:43 PM (#4017917)

Is the Colorado clubhouse still a House of the Holy?

19. Walt Davis Posted: December 16, 2011 at 08:22 PM (#4017945)

Is the Colorado clubhouse still a House of the Holy?

Pretty sure it's not In Through the Out Door.

20. attaboy Posted: December 16, 2011 at 08:31 PM (#4017954)

21. PreservedFish Posted: December 16, 2011 at 08:31 PM (#4017955)

He is a veteran Presence.

22. Jim (jimmuscomp) Posted: December 16, 2011 at 08:34 PM (#4017956)

Is the Colorado clubhouse still a House of the Holy?

Pretty sure it's not In Through the Out Door.

All these Zep references, and nothing about "Misty Mountain Hop", or how Cuddyer is singin' "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" to the Twins? I'm shocked. Actually, there are a ton of possibilities, this could suck up my entire work day if I let it.

Also, count me in the "$30 million for Cuddyer???" camp. That's just silliness.

23. Tom Nawrocki Posted: December 16, 2011 at 08:36 PM (#4017958)

At least I will go into this season with no hopes at all for the Rockies, which means that I won't be disappointed.

24. A triple short of the cycle

Posted: December 16, 2011 at 08:50 PM (#4017972)

Cuddyer is one free agent who's not Going to California this offseason.

25. Infinite Yost (Voxter)

Posted: December 16, 2011 at 09:01 PM (#4017978)

This relieves me of my horror that the Sox would sign him. It's not even the pricetag -- which is too steep -- as much as the fact that he's not really any good. He's a goodish sort of hitter who, if he could field at all, would be useful . . . but he can't field at all, at any position, as far as I can tell. He is, sort of, versatile . . . but is there really that much value in a guy who can play 2B, 3B, LF, RF and 1B equally poorly?

26. toratoratora Posted: December 16, 2011 at 09:02 PM (#4017982)

Oh man, this contracts gonna be a Heartbreaker.

27. vortex of dissipation Posted: December 16, 2011 at 09:06 PM (#4017986)

It's only a three-year deal. By 2025 he'll be ten years gone.

28. A triple short of the cycle

Posted: December 16, 2011 at 09:12 PM (#4017990)

Also, count me in the "$30 million for Cuddyer???" camp. That's just silliness.

I think we are all in agreement that 3/30 is a Whole Lotta Love for a player like Cuddyer.

29. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: December 16, 2011 at 09:14 PM (#4017993)

This contract is a stairway to heaving!

30. puck Posted: December 16, 2011 at 09:19 PM (#4017999)

So ridiculous. O'Dowd is going back to his the "random plan" method, I guess.

Team plays like crap, so they trade their best pitcher for some minor league pitchers, have two others coming back from injuries (De la Rosa off TJ and Nicasio off the broken neck), and their best position prospects are a year or two away (Rosario, Wheeler, Arenado).

So yeah, sign this guy for over $10M/yr to patrol a very large OF.

If they needed to do something to show the fanbase someone was still awake in the FO, they could have fired Tracy instead.

31. WhoWantsTeixeiraDessert Posted: December 16, 2011 at 09:44 PM (#4018024)

Apparently there is a Communication Breakdown between the club and it's fans

32. rlc Posted: December 16, 2011 at 09:50 PM (#4018028)

I predict this signing will go over like a ... um ... cast iron balloon.

No, that's not right. More like a molybdenum dirigible.

Or is it a cobalt blimp?

Wait, wait - an arsenic aerostat?

33. Misirlou's got a busy day, he's wearing a vest Posted: December 16, 2011 at 09:55 PM (#4018029)

Players with more Wins Above Replacement than Michael Cuddyer, since opening day 2009:

Brendan Ryan
Ryan Hannigan
Will Venable
Cliff Pennington
Jamey Carroll
Coco Crisp
Clint Barmes

OK, so he's the 8th best player in baseball. Not too shabby.

34. stanmvp48 Posted: December 16, 2011 at 10:03 PM (#4018033)

Or the Coors effect makes him a 300-30-100 guy and everyone thinks they are smart.

35. stanmvp48 Posted: December 16, 2011 at 10:09 PM (#4018040)

That is to say, Everyone thinks the Rockies are smart to have signed them.

36. Tom Nawrocki Posted: December 16, 2011 at 10:09 PM (#4018041)

Team plays like crap, so they trade their best pitcher for some minor league pitchers, have two others coming back from injuries (De la Rosa off TJ and Nicasio off the broken neck), and their best position prospects are a year or two away (Rosario, Wheeler, Arenado).

So yeah, sign this guy for over $10M/yr to patrol a very large OF.

The Iannetta trade in particular seemed to indicate the team was rebuilding and would be ready to contend again maybe in 2013-2014. Then they do this.

I wouldn't mind if they were stepping back in an attempt to build a powerhouse, or if they were stepping on the gas in order to take over a division without a world-beater in it. When your cornerstones are youngish veterans like Tulowitzki and Gonzalez, either strategy seems tenable. But it's like they're trying to do both at the same time.

37. Cowboy Popup Posted: December 16, 2011 at 10:11 PM (#4018042)

The Rockies are hoping that when Cuddyer comes up to base with RISP he's going to Bring 'Em on Home.

38. The District Attorney Posted: December 16, 2011 at 10:25 PM (#4018048)

The Iannetta trade in particular seemed to indicate the team was rebuilding and would be ready to contend again maybe in 2013-2014.

Well, as you know, it's not like they're actually giving the job to the prospect :-)

39. puck Posted: December 16, 2011 at 10:50 PM (#4018071)

In case you missed it in the linked article: Cuddyer is the Rockies' biggest free agent signing since Neagle and Hampton.

40. Matt Waters Posted: December 16, 2011 at 10:52 PM (#4018073)

41. Blastin Posted: December 16, 2011 at 10:57 PM (#4018079)

Will Venable

He was a basketball star at our college. I remember rooting for him against Penn, which we jerkily referred to as a "safety school."

42. John DiFool2 Posted: December 16, 2011 at 10:57 PM (#4018080)

I'm disappointed that the BBTF poster alluded to in the writeup hasn't deigned to drop by yet.

43. Tim Stauffer, Trot Nixon's Coming (Dan Lee) Posted: December 16, 2011 at 11:02 PM (#4018085)

What's harder to find, a right fielder who can hit twenty home runs and provide versatility at first base or a player like Barmes?

What right fielder can't play first base? Isn't Mike Piazza pretty much the only player in MLB history who tried and failed to play first?

By my count, 14 of the 30 starting right fielders in MLB hit 20 home runs last year.

44. Tom Nawrocki Posted: December 16, 2011 at 11:03 PM (#4018087)

Well, as you know, it's not like they're actually giving the job to the prospect :-)

Yeah, that's why I said it looked like they were acting like they might contend next year. I think they've given up on 2012.

45. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: December 16, 2011 at 11:06 PM (#4018092)

Don't think this is a great contract. But wow WAR is a suspect stat. What's harder to find, a right fielder who can hit twenty home runs and provide versatility at first base or a player like Barmes? Again, not singing the praises of Cuddyer, but really? Just how much can defense be totally overrated?

WAR has its flaws, but telling you that a poor RF who puts up a 271/336/417 107 OPS+ is a throughly mediocre player is not one of them. Hell his conventional stats (.271 14 81) told you that too.

I think the flaw lies more in early sabremetric thinking, that discounted defense b/c we couldn't measure it, than in WAR which tells us, yup, catching the ball still matters.

46. Nasty Nate Posted: December 16, 2011 at 11:08 PM (#4018093)

47. Nasty Nate Posted: December 16, 2011 at 11:09 PM (#4018095)

The Rockies are hoping that when Cuddyer comes up to base with RISP he's going to Bring 'Em on Home.

Apparently there is a Communication Breakdown between the club and it's fans

hot dog

48. Matt Waters Posted: December 16, 2011 at 11:12 PM (#4018097)

Defense matters a bunch but I don't think it accounts for the difference in offensive talent between Cuddyer and Barmes.

43. Yeah, 14 of 30, basically half the league. Decent production. Is a slick fielding, offensively challenged shortstop easier to find than your basic average hitting right fielder? I think so, definitely. In that sense, I'm just kind of contemplating out loud that no talent evaluator would really pick Barmes over Cuddyer, despite what WAR suggests.

49. Dale H. Posted: December 16, 2011 at 11:17 PM (#4018103)

Isn't Mike Piazza pretty much the only player in MLB history who tried and failed to play first?

Ken Caminiti was brutal at first for the Braves.

50. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: December 16, 2011 at 11:22 PM (#4018108)

Defense matters a bunch but I don't think it accounts for the difference in offensive talent between Cuddyer and Barmes.

...

I'm just kind of contemplating out loud that no talent evaluator would really pick Barmes over Cuddyer, despite what WAR suggests.

Defensive stats are still not that great, but if Barmes actually is the fantastic defender BRef WAR shows, it certainly does, and lot's of people would take Barmes.

Last 3 years, Barmes has an 81 OPS+ and ++ defense. Ozzie Smith is in the hall of fame with a similar (thought better) profile.

Cuddyer has a 117 OPS+ with poor defense. Does anyone think Dave Parker was better than Ozzie Smith?

51. Matt Waters Posted: December 17, 2011 at 12:53 AM (#4018167)

If he's really that good, then I stand corrected.

52. Something Other Posted: December 17, 2011 at 10:36 AM (#4018321)

Isn't Mike Piazza pretty much the only player in MLB history who tried and failed to play first?

Ken Caminiti was brutal at first for the Braves.

Not to mention all the guys they tried in practice and ST and in the off-season who couldn't cut it and so didn't get a chance in actual ML games. Piazza was just one of the worst who got a chance to show how bad he was.

53. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: December 17, 2011 at 12:35 PM (#4018336)

Re: #18-19-21-24-26-27-28-29-31-32-37-47
What, a dozen posts and no this guy?

54. Tricky Dick Posted: December 17, 2011 at 02:37 PM (#4018353)

What's harder to find, a right fielder who can hit twenty home runs and provide versatility at first base or a player like Barmes?

Barmes was really, really good on defense last year. I watched most of his games, and his defense at short reminded me of Adam Everett. That's pretty rare. I don't recall any free agent shortstops who would provide the same kind of defense.

55. stanmvp48 Posted: December 17, 2011 at 04:19 PM (#4018378)

Per Troy Renck in Saturday's Post: "A desire to create a more mentally tough team; they want guys to be 'accountable; he led the league in appearances in team functions; and he will change the clubhouse chemistry"

Yes people actually get paid for BS like that.

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Rockies To Sign Michael Cuddyer

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