Eric Byrnes' extension

hashed out already.

I was dead set against it back then and i still am. What can I do though? He plays for the team I support, so…...

1 – They signed him in the middle of the season when he was putting up all star numbers. They should have at least waited to see if he was able to put together a strong first half and a strong second for the first time ever in his career.

2 – The NTC.

3 – Middle to small market teams don’t need to spend top dollar on players to the left of the defensive spectrum. Left field is the second easiest position on the diamond to find productive scraps that can fill it. That money should be given to players on the far right of the spectrum, like Orlando Hudson.

4 – In 2007, the average OPS+ of a left fielder was 107. Last year, Byrnes OPS+ was 104. In 2006 it was 96. While his defense was great, even in a career year for him he was still a below average offensive left fielder.

5 – He’s a mediocre outfielder in his 30’s. It only takes a small decline in his performance before he goes from being “good enough” to a millstone. I would say that what we are looking at right now, a minor nagging injury, is enough to push him over that precipice. Unfortunately, at this point in his career he’s not likely to become a bastion of health and consistency.

To quote the great baseball analyst, William Shakespeare, “What’s done is done and cannot be undone.” Byrnes is on the team through 2010, good or bad. I wasn’t that impressed with the contract at the time, for most of the reasons brought up by others: I was also disturbed that the extension was apparently given over the head of Josh Byrnes by Jeff Moorad. I’d have though that after the Ortiz fiasco, he’d have learned to leave decisions on baseball staff to those with better knowledge.

That said, we now should put it all behind us, and root for Byrnes to do well during his time with us. My feelings towards him are like those I felt for my bigger sibling growing up: half the time, I wanted to strangle the hell out of them, but the other half, you’re willing to go through fire and ice for them, because you know they’d do the same for you. The flips and the exaggerate strikeouts have me wanting to throw things through my TV, but then he’ll do something that is just frickin’ awesome. I can’t imagine the D-backs without him now though.

I am rapidly heading into agreement with Ben on this one: those were some hellacious at-bats this afternoon. This season, his line is now .242/.316/.417 – an OPS of just .733. He has only 3 SB – and 2 CS – this year, and his defense has been unremarkable.

I really, really hope he is hurt and that he can come back after some time on the DL. Because the alternative right now is pretty disheartening.

What the starter of this thread misses, and it’s really quite simple is this:

It was never about what Byrnes WAS during the first half of last year, it should always have been about what he was likely to become over the course of a 3 year contract.

I sat not 10 feet from Josh Byrnes in early June of 2007 and listened to him explain why he wasn’t going to extend Byrnes.

6 weeks later his boss overrode him and gave Byrnes the extension, which then set in motion the obvious after effects.

There’s no defending it. It was a stupid move then, and it was explained at length why. And it’s a stupid move now.

But it can’t be undone. We, as fans, just have to live with it.

Everyone knew that in 2009+2010, the Snakes would be better of with Q or Nuevo Gonzo in LF.

It was more debatable who would be better in 2008. I was a Q guy from the get go so it killed me to see him moved. Q is a better ballplayer now, tomorrow and in three years at a much cheaper rate.

Byrnes was a guy whose value was built around speed, the first tool to go with age.