ATM report--Whitesox sign Lofton

[nyy26wc]

1) The Whitesox signed free agent CF Kenny Lofton to a 1 year, $1.25 million contract.

Lofton had the worst year of his career in 2001, hitting .398 SLG, .322 OBA, .721 OPS, -10 RCAA, .439 OWP, 4.50 RC/G, 68 RC in 133 games. He's declined in SLG, OBA, OPS, RCAA, OWP and RC declining in each of the past 2 years. Lofton has a .802 career OPS, compared to his league average of .766 and CF average of .757, 189 RCAA and 161 RCAP in 1366 games.

2) The Diamondbacks re-signed P Miguel Batista to a 2 year, $5.8 million contract, with an option for 2004.

Batista had a 3.36 ERA and 20 RSAA in 48 games (18 starts) for the Diamondbacks in 2001. It was the first time in his career that he had a positive RSAA. Batista has a 4.74 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.54, and -16 RSAA in 182 games.

3) The Yankees signed OF Ruben Rivera and C Chris Widger to minor league contracts and invited them to spring training.

Rivera hit .426 SLG, .321 OBA, .747 OPS, -5 RCAA, .434 OWP, 4.57 RC/G, 35 RC in 117 games with the Reds in 2001. The Giants claimed him off waivers from the Reds earlier in the offseason and then they non tendered him. While it was his 3rd consecutive year with a negative RCAA, he has shown improvement in the past 3 years: RCAA: -20, -16, -5, RCAP: -26, -20, -1, OWP: .355, .380, .434, RC/G: 3.92, 3.95, 4.57, OPS: .701,
.696, .747 (OK, that stat isn't a absolute improvement like the others, but the drop from .701 to .696 was statistically insignificant). While he hasn't performed well enough for a starting job (unless he takes another step forward in 2002, which could put him above average), he's a better choice to come off the bench than many other backup OFs.

Widger missed the entire 2001 season, due to shoulder surgery. He has a .709 career OPS, compared to his league average of .780 and C average of .736, -46 RCAA and -21 RCAP in 467 games.

4) The Giants re-signed 3B Ramon Martinez to a 1 year, $775,000 contract.

In his 1st year with over 100 games, Martinez hit .353 SLG, .323 OBA, .676 OPS, -12 RCAA, .394 OWP, 3.83 RC/G, 45 RC in 128 games. He has alternated between positive and negative RCAA's and RCAP's during his 4 years in the majors. Martinez has a .733 career OPS, compared to his league average of .781 and positional average of .759, -11 RCAA and -3 RCAP in 296 games.

5) The Tigers claimed OF Craig Monroe off waivers from the Rangers and designated P Matt Perisho for assignment.

Monroe hit .346 SLG, .293 OBA, .639 OPS, -2 RCAA, .375 OWP, 3.86 RC/G, 6 RC in 27 games as a 24 year old rookie in 2001 and had a .870 OPS (.512 SLG, .358 OBA) in AAA.

Perisho had a 5.72 ERA and -6 RSAA in 30 games in 2001. He has a 7.00 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.61, and -47 RSAA in 81 games.

6) MLB's ownership committee approved the sales of the Marlins to Jeffrey Loria and the Expos to MLB, even though neither sale has been finalized.

7) The A's re-signed DH-OF Jeremy Giambi to a 1 year, $1.065 million contract.

Giambi hit .450 SLG, .391 OBA, .841 OPS, 14 RCAA, .610 OWP, 6.25 RC/G, 66 RC in 124 games in 2001. He has a .784 career OPS, compared to his league average of .784 and positional average of .827, 6 RCAA and -8 RCAP in 336 games.

8) The A's claimed P Allen Levrault off waivers from the Brewers and designated OF Rob Ryan for assignment.

Levrault had a 6.06 ERA and -24 RSAA in 32 games (20 starts) as a 23 year old rookie in 2001.

Ryan had a .691 OPS, 0 RCAA and -1 RCAP in 70 PA with the 1999-2001 Diamondbacks and 2001 A's.

9) The Mariners re-signed SS Carlos Guillen to a 1 year, $1.4 million contract.

Guillen hit .355 SLG, .333 OBA, .689 OPS, -6 RCAA, .452 OWP, 4.26 RC/G, 57 RC in 140 games in 2001. He has a .701 career OPS, compared to his league average of .781 and positional average of .738, -14 RCAA and -4 RCAP in 140 games.

10) The Indians signed OFs Bruce Aven and Brooks Kieschnick to minor league contracts and invited them to spring training.

In a small sample size (just 26 PA), Aven had a .926 OPS with the Dodgers in 2001. He has a .785 career OPS, compared to his league average of .791 and positional average of .822, 3 RCAA and -5 RCAP in 252 games.

In 45 PA with the Rockies in 2001, Kieschnick had a .837 OPS and -2 RCAA. He has a .701 career OPS, compared to his league average of .773 and positional average of .803, -8 RCAA and -11 RCAP in 113 games.

11) The Braves signed P Rich Rodriguez to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.

Rodriguez had a 4.15 ERA and 2 RSAA in 53 games with the Indians in 2001. That ended a streak of back to back negative RSAA's, which were the only 2 such seasons in his 11 year career. Rodriguez has a 3.77 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.24, and 17 RSAA in 570 games.

12) The Mets claimed OF Endy Chavez off waivers from the Tigers and designated P Craig House, who they acquired from the Rockies in their 3 team trade, for assignment.

13) Twins MGR Ron Gardenhire says Brian Buchanan is the frontrunner for the starting RF job. Prospect Michael Cuddyer is also a candidate.

Buchanan hit .487 SLG, .342 OBA, .830 OPS, 5 RCAA, .574 OWP, 6.06 RC/G, 33 RC in 69 games. He has a .764 career OPS, compared to his league average of .779 and positional average of .831, -4 RCAA and -6 RCAP in 99 games.

Cuddyer, who turns 23 late in March, had a .955 OPS (.560 SLG, .395 OBA) in AA in 2001. He's given an A- grade by the Minor League Scouting Notebook, which ranks him as the 11th best prospect in baseball, while John Benson ranks him as the Twins's #2 prospect (behind Justin Morneau). Cuddyer has been a 3B in the minors, but the Twins are going to try him in the OF. He had 8 games of major league experience as a late September callup in 2001.

14) The Redsox signed 3B Shane Andrews to a minor league contract.

Andrews has a .722 career OPS, compared to his league average of .778 and 3B average of .777, -52 RCAA and -58 RCAP in 562, with the 1995-99 Expos and 1999-2000 Cubs.

[Xanadu Dragon]

Too bad - I was hoping to see Craig House in NY.

Shane Andrews? Where are they finding these guys?

[hmrsf]

Originally posted by Xanadu Dragon
Too bad - I was hoping to see Craig House in NY.

Shane Andrews? Where are they finding these guys?

I would say way down at the bottom of the barrel.

I'm surprised the Pale Hose sunk any money in this clunker. His OPS has declined from .837 to .791, to .721; his OBP: .405 to .369, to .322; his RCAA: 23, 4, -10 from 1999-2001.

Considering he'll be 35 this year, he's probably beginning the decline phase of his career. Basically, the White Sox got a considerably older version of Chris Singleton (-6 RCAA; .762 OPS in 2001).

Best Regards

John

[Xanadu Dragon]

Maybe they signed him for his leadership skills and to be a role model to the younger Sox like Carlos Lee, et al........................not.

Ah yes, those wonderful "leadership" and "intangible" factors that keep guys like Alex Gonzalez, Brian Hunter, Rey Ordonez, and Homer Bush in the everyday lineup.

Character and chemistry are nice--after all the Dodgers will score fewer runs with Brian Jordan than Gary Sheffield, but they'll enjoy it more.

Amazing--isn't it? You'd think front offices would realize that you can get equal production from a guy in AAA than a veteran sliding on the slippery slope for far less money. That was Gord Ash's biggest bugaboo--thinking that a 386 year old Otis Nixon making $3M a year for a .350 OBP was preferable to a young Shannon Stewart's .350 OBP making the major league minimum.

Of course, Nixon was a "veteran"!

I guess that's what agents are for eh? Selling the "intangibles" to unwary GM's. During the Ash years "veteran" was a synonym for "he sucks, but he does it with professionalism"!

Besides, don't the ChiSox have Frank Thomas for leadership?

Oh well.

Best Regards

John

Does anybody have Lofton's 2001 VORP handy?

Best Regards

John

[gyb13]

Originally posted by Fleet N. Ema
Does anybody have Lofton's 2001 VORP handy?

Best Regards

John

John,
welcome to the forum!

Lofton had a VORP of 8.6

complete list available atBaseball Prospectus

I also noted that Singleton's VORP was 11.5. In other words, Lofton is a downgrade--and older downgrade.

Remember, this is the same Kenny Williams who outwitted Gord Ash. Which of course explains why Ash got

Best Regards

John

[gyb13]

and Aaron Rowand's was 8.3 so they could've pocketed the $ they gave Lofton, given Aaron the job, and get the same production (or better, considering Rowand should improve and Lofton is more likely to continuing declining)

[Fuzzy Bear]

Originally posted by Fleet N. Ema
I'm surprised the Pale Hose sunk any money in this clunker. His OPS has declined from .837 to .791, to .721; his OBP: .405 to .369, to .322; his RCAA: 23, 4, -10 from 1999-2001.

Considering he'll be 35 this year, he's probably beginning the decline phase of his career. Basically, the White Sox got a considerably older version of Chris Singleton (-6 RCAA; .762 OPS in 2001).

Best Regards

John

Lofton seems to have fallen in love with the long ball, to the point where it has affected what he should be doing best, which is getting on base and scoring runs.

If Lofton were to be resored to a leadoff role with clear instructions to FORSAKE HOME RUNS, and try to walk and get base hits where he once did, he will regain his effectiveness, as well as his chance to maintain a .300+ lifetime BA (his key to Cooperstown at this point).

Maybe the big park will help Lofton focus. He's not an old slugger; he's still got defensive and baserunning value. He needs to get untracked, focus on what he does well, and get the HR bug out of wherever it's hiding.