It’s Time For a Little Math Lesson
November 19, 2008 at 4:50 pm | Posted in C.C. Sabathia, Carlos Santana, Casey Blake | 11 CommentsThis isn’t even going to be the kind of math lesson you think it is. This isn’t going to be about years or dollars, although believe me, that’s a kind of math we’re going to be dealing with a lot. No, today, we’re going to deal with the simple lessons of “greater than or equal to”.
Last July, the Brewers gave up highly-touted minor league slugger Matt LaPorta and three lesser prospects in order to acquire one of the three best pitchers in baseball, CC Sabathia.
Last July, the Dodgers gave up breakout star minor league catcher Carlos Santana and minor league pitcher Jonathan Meloan to acquire one of the most thoroughly mediocre third basemen in baseball, Casey Blake.
Here’s where the math comes in.
We can eliminate these two variables: origin (Sabathia and Blake each came from Cleveland, and x=x) and contract (Sabathia and Blake were each free agents at the end of 2008; again, x=x). Otherwise, CC Sabathia > Casey Blake. This much is obvious. Just think of there being 400 “greater than” arrows in that equation and all of them being the size of the moon, for proper perspective. Not only is a top starter almost always more valuable than a decent third baseman, but Sabathia is way better at his job than Blake is at his. Besides, Sabathia might be nearly as dangerous of a hitter.
So by that logic, the value of the players moved for the immensely more valuable Sabathia should dwarf what was given up for Blake, right?
Oh dear God:
Baseball America’s Top 10 Indians prospects:
1. Carlos Santana, c
2. Matt LaPorta, of
Somehow the Dodgers acquired the far inferior Indians player, yet gave up the more valuable player. Oh yeah. Because that makes sense. Let’s not even get into the idea that Meloan would also arguably be as or more valuable than the rest of the players Milwaukee sent to Cleveland if the Dodgers hadn’t tried to convert him into a starter this year; the simple fact is, the Dodgers traded more for less than another team had to. And isn’t that the way it always is? Dioner Navarro for Mark Hendrickson. Edwin Jackson for Danys Baez and Lance Carter. All trades in which the Dodgers sent away much more than was received.
I hope you don’t get tired of this one, friends. “Santana for Blake” is going right up there with “Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields” in the annals of Dodger infamy.
- Mike Scioscia’s tragic illness 
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Good call. I have tried to make this impression on my friends and family who are more like the casual fan – much like the Dodgers’ upper management.
Comment by Michael— November 19, 2008 #
Well, at least I was right about something. :o
-
Not in the way I wanted though.
Comment by kensai— November 19, 2008 #
Okay, I read that actual scouting reports, and now i’m actually sad. :o
Comment by kensai— November 19, 2008 #
If you remember the C.C. to Dodgers proposed trade, it had Matt Kemp, Scott Elbert, Carlos Santana, Meloan, and I think James McDonald(I’m not sure about McDonald) and two more prospects I’m missing for C.C., Casey Blake, and Jamie Carroll.
Either way, we were going to get ass raped for making a trade with the Indians.
Comment by Tripon— November 19, 2008 #
anals is correct.
Comment by Dusto— November 19, 2008 #
I said it then and I will say it now, Ned Colletti is one stupid motherfucker. He can glow in the ambience of getting Manny for a bag of marbles, but that doesn’t change the fact that between signing Rafael Furcal and getting Manny, he blew every other deal he tried his hands at.
I know he has gotten a pass from the media, but I am scared at the next several stupid moves he will pull out of his ass, this winter.
If it is true, he hasn’t spoken to Towers about Peavy, hasn’t spoken to Sabathia’s agent and seems to sitting there hoping that Boras will make his mind up sooner, rather than later. Talk about recipe for disaster. While Colletti fiddles, every decent free agent and trade target is on the move.
I swear if we end up with stiffs like Eckstein, Burrell and Paul Byrd, Colletti will not be long for this world.
Comment by grabarkewitz— November 20, 2008 #
I will have a hard time rooting for the Dodgers if David Eckstein is there – not that I think he will be. But I don’t hate Pat Burrell as much as you do, Torgy. You can say he’s a lousy OF and he is, but so is Manny. His bat wouldn’t be quite what Manny’s would be – but neither would his salary and possibility of clubhouse disruption.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— November 20, 2008 #
Mike, the problem I have with Burrell is that he is a DH waiting to happen. Manny is in his late thirties and I would expect some deteriorating defensive ability. Burrell is much younger and his defense has been atrocious since the day he left the campus in Coral Gables.
The fact that his bat is slowing and he is about as exciting as moldy Jello doesn’t bode well, either. If given the choice of the older Ibanez and the younger Burrell, I will take the old man.
I say let the Gints sign Burrell and have a Phillie’s reunion in their outfield. Given the production of Burrell and Rowand, that alone would guarantee the Gints another second division finish.
Comment by grabarkewitz— November 20, 2008 #
[...] because if you’re a regular reader you know how against this we were – as recently as, oh, Wednesday. Suffice to say, this deal was horrifying all [...]
Pingback by MSTI.com’s 2008 in Review: General Manager « Mike Scioscia’s tragic illness— November 20, 2008 #
How about Adam Dunn? :o
Comment by kensai— November 21, 2008 #
I fundamentally agree with all this analysis about the Dodgers blowing a great prospect for a guy who was an only slightly above average 3B. I will add this caveat: it’s hard for the Dodgers to hide that Russell Martin is their catcher, and anyone behind him is pretty much trade bait. Every GM knows that the Dodgers were never going to call up Santana and that they could deal him, so his value probably wasn’t as high as, say, Blake DeWitt.
Comment by Mike Sharperson Lives!— November 24, 2008 #