Alternatives to Hudson

I don’t think most of us are pleased enough with Burke (batting .137 this season) to give him the time of day, let alone a consideration at a starting job.

didn’t Reynolds play second for a bit?

Ellis is extremely inconsistent.

With his age getting up there I have less faith that Ellis’ 110+ OPS+ seasons will out number his

If he’s asking for 100 OPS+, GG 2Bman money I would pass – I wouldn’t be confident in him putting up much more than a 95 OPS+ in his age 32 and 33 seasons.

If I weren’t on betting tilt against you, I’d try to make this interesting. As it is I’m still kicking myself for not putting up stakes last off season when I wanted the team to look into trading CJ and making Q a first baseman. I love CJ’s eye, but I’ve always thought that Q would end up being a better over all hitter.

It’s not hard to find someone fast that can steal bases.

It is extremely hard to find someone that can hit major league pitching.

unfortunately management already gave his money to your boy, Byrnsie.

O-Dawg wouldn’t have let Byrnes hit .108 in the month of May, and would have stopped Cruz from giving up that home run this afternoon.

I really want to give him the shot at the majors he’s slowly earning, the problem is we’ve had too many prospects working out recently. Eventually we’re going to have another monster flop. I feel like we’re due for one. I want insurance if he doesn’t pan out. I think if we switch D’Antona over to second in the minors next year and maybe get him nipping at EBone’s heels it’ll help him out and make me feel more comfortable. Just a thought

Shoewizard, Jim, Nihil, and myself were all on the anti-contract bandwagon… very vocally.

Here’s the post announcing the contract. Some of the statements there and in the comments look positively Nostradamus-esque now.

would be a better player this year than Byrnes. Every healthy year of his baseball career he’s put up offensive production just about on par with CJ while being a decent-ranged right fielder with a rocket arm. I thought that Byrnes was fungible fourth outfielder that only needed a small drop in his skill set to go from above average to albatross.

How much value do you really think Byrnes offers beyond the stat sheets? If you want some veteran presence then I think the F.O. should have given Byrnes’ money to another team leader – one whom we don’t already have a capable replacement making the league minimum. That person would of course be Orlando Hudson.

Of course Hudson isn’t a beach-blonde, scrappy, white guy who crashes into walls, does flips in the field and stars in his own t.v. show – so how valuable can his non-stat sheet production be?

how much value outside of the stat sheet did Luis Gonzalez bring us when the 2004 team lost 111 games? Had he still been on the 2007 team, would he have willed them to the world series on pure grit and hustle?

If you’re good and the team wins, you’re a good clubhouse guy. Winning creates loose clubhouses, just ask the Rockies, Mariners and a host of other teams that had “great clubhouse unity” last year.

And boy, if the this front office thought Byrnes’ off-field intangibles were worth $10 million dollars, then think of how much leadership and winning attitude Russ Ortiz brought to this team!

is putting up a better line than Byrnes though the playing time is more limited.