A late Spring Training cut that might actually be useful
By
Late last night we got word that the Marlins had released third baseman Dallas McPherson, a former top prospect with the Angels. Rated the twelfth best prospect in the game as recently as 2005 by Baseball America, McPherson was never able to grab hold of the Halos’ hot corner job and saw his career beset by a series of hip and back injuries. After signing a Major League contract with the Marlins last offseason, he brought his baseball career back from the grave with a monster year in the Pacific Coast League, clubbing 42 homers with the Simpsons inspired Albuquerque Isotopes. I think you know where this post is going.
First things first, McPherson had a phenomenal year last year (.275-.379-.618) in his first healthy year since 2004, but he was in an extremely favorable environment. The PCL is a hitters’ league in general, plus Albuquerque is at altitude (his home OPS was nearly two hundred points greater than his road OPS), giving him another nice boost. Translating his numbers to a neutral MLB environment (via the MLE Calculator) gives you a .207-.295-.440 batting line with a Mo awful 181 strikeouts in 468 at-bats. The .233 IsoP is dead sexy, and that’s pretty much right in line with his .213 career mark. There’s no doubt about it, the guy can hit the ball a long way. He just struggles making contact.
The second part you need to understand about his offense is his massive platoon split. A lefty, McPherson hit just .217-.308-.528 against his fellow southpaws last year, down from .285-.395-.635 against righties. In his big league career (128 total games), he’s managed just a .176-.218-.297 line off lefties, with a 38.5% strikeout rate. If the Yanks were tempted to bring McPherson aboard, it would have to be in a platoon situation only, which is fine because Cody Ransom is a righty and annihilates lefties (1.056 career OPS).
Defensively, he’s nothing special. Total Zone had him pegged as a zero run defender in Triple-A last year, which is about what you’d expect from him following surgery to fuse two of his freaking vertebrae together. I think his days of being a +9 UZR third baseman – which is what he was pre-injuries – are over. He can also play first, but that’s not going to make or break a deal for him.
CHONE sees a .203-.301-.409 line for McP next year, which is better than what it spits out for Ransom. Platooning the two will probably bump you up into the .250-.310-.430 range, an improvement over what you’d reasonably expect each player to do individually. Adding McPherson also allows Ransom to serve as the utility infielder (on days he starts you just slide him around if needed), which keeps Angel Berroa’s inevitable suckiness off the team, not to mention stopping all this Ramiro Pena nonsense. (Seriously, it’s Ramiro frickin’ Pena, when did this guy become the next great Yankee shorstop?)
Now, there’s two problems here. One is that the Yanks certainly won’t be the only team interested. The Astros can use a third baseman, and teams like the Giants and Tigers could use upgrades. Don’t discount the Cardinals either. The second is that once A-Rod comes back, McPherson’s useless because he can’t play anywhere other than first or third. You’d have to keep Ransom as the spare infielder because he can actually play the two middle spots. And as we’ve mentioned a bunch of times the last few months, why should we expect this guy to sign with the Yanks when other teams can offer him more playing time and greater opportunity? Because he wants to win? Puh-lease, the guy’s looking for the longest guaranteed paycheck he can find.
The Fish resigned McPherson to a one year, $500,000 contract earlier this offseason to avoid arbitration (he’s a Super Two), so they’re stuck eating that money while all his new team is on the hook for is the league minimum. He hit .239-.314-.370 in 46 at-bats this spring, but is out-of-options and the team had no room for him, hence the release. I obviously think the Yanks should look into McPherson as a temporary solution at third base, but I’m not very confident they’ll be able to land him. A gig with basically zero security beyond May just isn’t very attractive to a player in McPherson’s position. I’ve certainly been wrong in the past though, so who knows.
Photo Credit: Rick Scibelli Jr., The New Mexican
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HAHAHA! Good one Mike.
Holy bartender, I get it, that’s a GREAT one!!!
The Fish resigned McPherson to a one year, $500,000 contract earlier this offseason to avoid arbitration (he’s a Super Two), so they’re stuck eating that money while all his new team is on the hook for is the league minimum.
Wait, isn’t the league minimum like 400,000 now anyway?
It’s uh … a recession? Yeah, let’s go with that.
so he gets a mill even if he never plays. good to be him
i think he gets the $500K.
the Yankees would pay $400K and the Marlins would owe him $100K.
i think…
oh ok, word
That can’t be how it works. How would the team who released him be on the hook for the minority portion of the contract? If you’re right, that’s highly idiotic.
which is about what you’d expect from him following surgery to fuse two of his freaking vertebrae together.
this made me laugh.
now, as for the rest of the article:
when you put it that way, yeah he’ll prob end up in either houston or san fran. but hey, whatevs, it was worth a shot and I’m sure cash will do his due diligence.
not gonna lie first thing that came to my mind basically word for ord when i read this last night was “GET ON THE PHONE CASH DUBYA TEE EFF SERIOUS OR YOU ARE TEH SUXORIEST!” then i was like, wow, this website has got me thinking in internet inside jokes.
Why SF? They should be committed to Sandoval, shouldn’t they?
Sandoval, perhaps.
Ishikawa, not so much.
They can use an upgrade at one of the corner IF spots, take your pick. Sandova plays the other.
Sweet Mo, I never thought I’d say this, but…
I think I’d rather have Angel Berroa.
::head explodes::
what are you a credibility lacking socialist?
http://instantcrickets.com/
to quote tjsc:
the joke
———–
your head
I really don’t want to be accused of stealing someone else’s joke. I didn’t coin that one.
thief.
Tsjc, that’s twice you’ve been incorrectly cited. How much of this is your fault and how much theres?
It’s my fault because I do start so damn many memes that people think it’s all new material. Sometimes I’m just respecting other people’s brilliance.
I’m not a biter, I’m a writer for myself and others/
I say a Big verse I’m only biggin’ up my brother/
Biggin’ up my borough, I’m big enough to do it/
I’m that thorough, plus I know my own flow is foolish/
That was mine in reply to someone missing tsjc sarcasm.
Thank you! I couldn’t for the life of me remember who dropped that one.
Golf-clap, Expired Milk.
The Joke
——–
Your Head
…is going in the compendium.
Ohhhh we so need an instant golf clap.
oooo good one
Thirded.
to quote Expired Milk:
the joke
—–
your head
there, fixed
I keed, I keed.
Nice response, though, jsb.
Mike, Ben’s previous April Fools Day post was socialist and tarnished the already damaged credibility of this website.
CHONE wOBA:
McPherson – .313
Mike Lamb – .321
i’d wager that McPherson is a better bet to outperform his projection and Lamb is a decent bet to underperform him, but wrapping defense into it, i wonder if Lamb isn’t the safer move.
i’m not sold either way, but i do think we’re letting the sexiness of McPherson’s ex-prospect status muddy the waters a little. he’s just not very good.
Wait a sec:
-Plays 3B poorly, is probably just a glorified first baseman;
-Has crappy OBP skills but lighttower power
-Is probably more of a “name” than a good baseball player
I got it: The Royals will sign McPherson. It makes sense on so many levels!
can we trade them Shelley Duncan? or Eric Duncan?
The Duncan brothers, Juan Miranda, Kei Igawa, Damaso Marte and Al Aceves for David DeJesus.
Things the Royals love:
First basemen that don’t draw walks
5th starters
Expensive set-up men
Ross Gload, Billy Butler, Mike Jacobs. Am I missing anyone? I’ll leave Shealy off this.
Ryan Shealy (no reason to leave him off, he’s a 1B/DH)
Kila Ka’aihue
Eric Hosmer
you could throw Teahan into the mix. same basic mold.
Yeah, that’s true.
Gload just got traded away to the Marlins, so maybe the Royals finally noticed their surplus of crappy 1B.
Marlins have plenty of 1B too if I’m not mistaken.
http://www.realgmbaseball.com/.....o_marlins/
Heh. So, basically, they traded Gload and Leo Nunez AND cash to FLA for Mike Jacobs and a PTBNL.
[ facepalm ]
I wonder how long Rob Neyer can last before he starts attempting suicide?
You’d think we could get them to throw in Greinke too, that way Joba can return to the role that obviously suits him best, the 8th inning.
obviously
Dallas reminds me of Mike Jacobs a bit.
If there was some way to give the guy a little playing time, let him hit and flex that power, build up his trade value and send him on his way, I’d be all for it. Not too realistic I suppose.
Trade Melky heads up for him. They both stink.
melky >>>> mcpherson
Yeah, probably.
also, he’s been released.
“once A-Rod comes back, McPherson’s useless because he can’t play anywhere other than first or third.”
I think this is why you don’t jump on McPherson today. He will add something as a platoon partner for Random for 6 weeks, but it is a small add, and I like the possibility of a better player shaking loose in the next 5 days. The PCL numbers, and the old prospect label, are smoke and mirrors.
If someone else swoops in, so be it. Maybe Melvin Mora gets released tomorrow. I’d rather wait a bit.
Why would the O’s release Mora? He’s on a reasonable contract, $9 million, and he’s fairly consistent.
You realize that the contract size is irrelevant when being released?
The only reason to release someone is because you have another player you want to have his role, and no other role to give him. That was Sheffield, that was Andruw, and it might be someone else better than McPherson between now and opening day.
A little off topic but did you see the garbage Rosenthal wrote today about the Yanks? I know he’s probably trying to be funny but still…
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/s.....k?MSNHPHMA
This probably made the B-Jobbers jizz in their pants.
If the Rosenthal family will allow it, I will personally pay for a tombstone for Ken Rosenthal when he dies that will be inscribed with the epitaph “Sucka got no juice”.
Because that was the worst joke ever, and it should be remembered into perpetuity as a warning to others.
“Sucka got no juice”? Really, Ken Rosenthal? Did you and your fellow non-rap listening intern come up with that on your own?
(rolls eyes)
That joke by Rosenthal made me think of Graham Wellington.
Heh, well done.
Oh, and everybody, IF YOU VALUE YOUR SANITY, FOR GOD’S SAKE, DO NOT READ THE COMMENTS ON A YOUTUBE VIDEO, EVER.
It took you this long to figure this out.
That period should be a question mark.
You know what’s stupid about that (besides the whole thing)? This:
The Yanks’ bullpen of no-names was among the best in AL last year. That’s just lazy and dumb of Rosenthal.
The Yanks’ bullpen of no-names was among the best in AL last year. That’s just lazy and dumb of Ken “Sucka got no juice” Rosenthal.
Fixed.
and it’s over and over and over….
Wowsa.
i tend to ignore it when everyone complains about anti-yankee bias in the MSM, but this was absurd.
no one would ever write a piece 10% as negative as this about any other team.
i can’t wait until Joba and the yankees shove it down everyone’s f’ing throat all season.
That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever read about anything ever.
This wasnt the least bit comical.
Am I the only one here who thought was funny? Really, some of you guys really need to chill out. It was meant as a joke, and it’s just that. Of course it wouldn’t be written about any other team, this is the Bronx Zoo, it’s too funny not to make fun of. Everything he said is just an exaggeration of things that have happened in the past. Hell, seems like a great idea for a Family Guy episode, it’s the same kind of humor.
I have no problem making jokes at the expense of the Yanks, but Rosenthal’s piece just wasn’t funny. It was very Jim Caple-esque.
Family guy funny? More like Tyler Perry fnny Imo.
I have laughed at anti-Yank stuff before…this just was not funny and I assume it was meant to be.
It is the opposite of funny. Ken Rosenthal is a “habitual line stepper.”
what line did he step over?
eh…
To quote TSJC who quoted someone else.
Joke
——————–
Your head
C’mon man, it’s Charlie Murphy
I didn’t even finish reading it and I know this is the best of the bunch.
OK, scratch that:
Dammit, Tommie. Honestly, the collective minds of George King, Bill Madden, Mike Lupica and Mike Francesa couldn’t even imagine to write/say something this awful.
I still can’t get over it. It’s like Rosenthal literally has never heard of Jay-Z, Beyonce, rap music, or black people, other than what Bill O’Reilly and Fox News have told him.
It’s shocking. I didn’t think anybody would actually right that and thing that we’d do anything other than laugh at them for writing it.
Ken “Sucka got no juice” Rosenthal may have just ruined April Fools Day, and possibly comedy as a whole, forever.
You just brought it back with this post, golf clap.
“I’m a white guy and I take no crap when I deliver my..white rap”
Sorry, couldn’t find the clip.
Great Moments in Diversity: Mitt Romney’s sings “Who Let the Dogs Out” in front of a group of black teenagers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDwwAaVmnf4
That’s just sad.
this is like when Sam Malone raps on Cheers…
g-g-g-groin injury.
I see this as a no-lose situation. Who cares if we lose the services of the great Angel Berroa? (The F***ing Royals didn’t want him) If we need a back-up to our backup utility guy(C-dog) then we have bigger issues to worry about. Mcphereson offers potential to hit for power from the right side. If he works out, we have him and tex mashing righties over the right field wall. If he doesn’t work out we’re out the league minimum. If he is succesful, not only do we have a power hitter off the bench to hit righties,(perfect complement to C-dog) we also have a trade chip that is earning the league minimum. And why doesn’t everyone want this guy if we can get him?
Whoops, I meant *left side* mashing righties.
i don’t think it’s that anyone “doesn’t” want him, it’s just that we expect him to be terrible for the Yankees. if they get him, fine. if they don’t, fine.
and i don’t put much stock into the scenario where he plays for a month and becomes an attractive trade chip.
anyone can have him now for nothing. a month isn’t going to all of a sudden generate major trade value.
I disagree, if the guy has five homers and has an obp of 360 teams will want to pick him up. And it’s not like we wouldn’t have the leverage, we wouldn’t “have” to trade him. He’s a great guy off the bench if he does well and Alex comes back.
The next time that Dallas McPherson OBP’s north of .300 at the big leagues will be his first. Don’t hold your breath on him OBPing .360.
(and yes, I’m ignoring the .400 OBP he put up in 15 plate appearances last year. It was 15 plate appearances.)
Right, I don’t expect anything. I was just saying that teams would have interest if that was the case even if it is only a month’s sample.
IDK what’s worse: the “joke” by Ken Rosenthal or the fact that nearly 20% of the myriad FOX Sports readers said that the biggest concern for the 2009 New York Yankees is “ARod’s mental state.” Other options in the poll were “ARod’s hip,” (13%) “Jeter’s declining range,” (10%) and “the Rays and Red Sox,” who garnered 58% of the vote.
People are fucking awesome.
I know it doesn’t count for anything. The Yankees have won 16 of the last 18 games. 21-10 overall in ST. Can we get just a little bit of love? I’m so sick of these sensationalists. We got more recognition last year with the emergence of “generation tre.”
My biggest concerns for the 2009 season:
1. Why we didn’t solve the 8th inning problem, like the Mets did
2. The clubhouse distractions caused by ARod, Cano, and Melky
3. The fact that Joe Girardi isn’t a proven winner like Joe Torre
4. Our appaling lack of gamers, like my by Scotty Bro
5. The fact that our GM isn’t smart enough to get a utility infielder
“…clubbing 42 homers with the Simpsons inspired Albuquerque Isotopes.”
The episode where Homer lobbies for an NFL expansion team in Springfield and gets his wish, The Springfield Meltdowns. Enter Lenny and Carl:
Lenny: “I have Melts Fever!”
Carl: “I have Downs syndrome!”
(Seriously, it’s Ramiro frickin’ Pena, when did this guy become the next great Yankee shorstop?)
Hopefully this year
Seriously, if he shows he can hit at all this year, any chance Cash & Co. ask Capt’n Jete to “volunteer” to move to LF next year? Then trade IPK and Cervelli for Yadier Molina. I know it’ll never happen, but one can dream right?
LF-Jeter
2B-Cano
1B-Tex
3B-A-Rod
RF-Swish
DH-Posada
C-Molina
CF-A-Jax
SS-Pena
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