Is The (Geoff) Blum Wearing Off?
by Jim McLennan on Mar 23, 2011 6:00 PM EDT
in Diamondbacks News
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PrintNo sign of Geoff Blum in the line-up again this afternoon - he hasn't appeared since March 12, as it appears his right knee is continuing to give him problems. The issue was first reported on the 16th, when Steve Gilbert described Blum as "day-to-day", with the veteran infielder not concerned at that point. "I just strained it a couple of days ago and it swelled up a little bit. So we're going to wait for the swelling to go down a little bit, limit the activity for the next few days and then get after it again.
However, another week has gone by, and he still isn't playing. Indeed, if anything, things have got worse....
Nick Piecoro was the first to notice that, during Monday's broadcast, Kevin Towers was much less optimistic about Blum's progress:
Towers said during Monday's broadcast that Blum already has had two injections of gel "that works as a lubricant for the knee." "It's kind of bone on bone," Towers said. "The alternative isn't good. If that doesn't work it probably means microfracture surgery, which would keep him out for the year." Towers said in an e-mail late Tuesday afternoon that he hadn't heard the results of Blum's trip to the doctor.
If you've heard of microfracture surgery before, it's because it's something which a couple of Diamondbacks went through after the 2007 season - Doug Slaten and Chad Tracy. We wrote about the process that winter - Slaten made it back for the start of the following campaign, but Tracy was, sadly, never the same player again [OPS prior to the surgery = 104, OPS afterward = 77]. If that route does prove necessary, as Towers notes, it will be the end of Blum's 2011.
Counting up the 13 position spots, we have the following. Starters: Miranda (1B), Johnson (2B), Drew (SS), Mora (3B), LF, Young (CF), Upton (RF). Almost certainly guaranteed roster spots would be: Blanco (C), Branyan (1B), Bloomquist (IF) and Parra (OF). That leaves LF and one bench spot open. If Blum is no longer a candidate for the latter, the most likely replacements would seem to be Tony Abreu or Ryan Roberts, though if Xavier Nady is still give the left-field spot, Brandon Allen could join the mix.
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Last two spots
I’d take Tony Abreu and Brandon Allen as my last two offensive bench players. At least give Allen a real shot before we get rid of him.
Give me RyRo over Abreu
It’s not like Abreu’s really all that young, and RyRo is dramatically better.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 23, 2011 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
"In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back." ~Charles M Schulz
'Last words are for fools who haven't said enough'. - Karl Marx
by Rockkstarr12 on Mar 23, 2011 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Backup SS
Who is the backup SS if Blum is out? It seems like it is Abreu by default. Roberts has never played SS at the Major League level, and Bloomquist played all of 1 inning there last year. Neither one is playing SS in the spring. They actually started Chris Owings at SS today when Abreu was scratched.
Roberts has played enough SS in the minors that I wouldn't worry about him there
His defense might be below average at short, but it’s not like Abreu is some kind of defensive wizard or anything…
I'll eat up all your crackers and your licorice...
Roberts has 33 Games at SS in 8 seasons
If they think Roberts can be the backup SS, then I would expect Gibson to throw him out there during Spring Training. The fact that they are still playing Owings and Ed Rogers at SS, two players who have already been sent down, is a bad sign for Roberts as a SS. Hopefully they will try him there over the final week.
I had expected to see him there some by now as well
After all, Roberts’ bat is so far ahead of Abreu’s that the defensive differences would probably not matter much… as long as Roberts had some time to acclimate (not a word… I’m thinking of something else but oh well) himself to the position.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 8:32 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Acclimate?
It’s a word, it fits.
"What everybody needs to do is calm down, take a deep breath, and prepare their bodies for the Thunderdome. That is the new law."
Strange
T9 didn’t have it as a word…
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions
RyRo
Has played some time at SS during ST…I’ve seen him play there a few times
"In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back." ~Charles M Schulz
'Last words are for fools who haven't said enough'. - Karl Marx
by Rockkstarr12 on Mar 24, 2011 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
A little different
Cut Nady he’s toast. Parra starts in lf and Willy Mo Pena is the right handed bat off the bench also plays left against lhp. Branyan is the left handed bat off the bench and insurance if Miranda doesn’t come thru. Roberts becomes the ut and takes over Blum’s spot. Try to package Allen, Abreu, and an of (Gillespie) for more pitching.
Wily Mo Pena
has always been turrable…
Mr. Science Boy
by DbacksSkins on Mar 23, 2011 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions
If I wasn't on my phone
I’d look up his platoon splits… ;-)
No idea what they are, but there could be insight in that.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 8:35 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
On my computer now : )
Career line vs. LHP: .277/.340/.457, .344 wOBA, 105 wRC+. 34% K-Rate (lulz), 7.5% BB-Rate, .375 BABIP (21% LD-Rate), .180 ISO.
Not a bad righty bench bat at all.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions
And yet,
he’s been worth all of 1.3 WAR over 7 MLB seasons, most recently an ugly -1.1 in 2008. He’s 29 years old now. The LHP split is also mostly based on 363 PAs from 2005-2007, his age 23, 24 and 25 seasons.
Of our bench options, both Nady and Roberts have better career numbers vs. LHP. (Not that I would necessarily use career numbers in Nady’s case) Actually, even lefty Kelly Johnson has better career numbers vs. LHP.
As a right-handed outfielder off the bench, I’d rather give Gillespie the chance. Although maybe “turrable” was a little harsh to Wily Mo.
Mr. Science Boy
Well of course
People continue to insist on putting a 275-pound Wily Mo Pena in the field. With Parra and Bloomquist as solid-defending OF options, we can make sure that Pena never takes the field for us, maximizing his value (or, I should say, giving him value).
I will admit that RyRo would definitely be a preferable option.
It seems that Gillespie is completely out of the team’s plans at this point.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions
If you
only EVER use WMP as a DH, or PH, against lefties, then sure, I guess he has value. Except that that way, he’s taking a spot from someone else you might like to use more often. And his wOBA against LHP in 2008 (most recently) was only .241.
I understand that KT doesn’t really like guys from the last administration, but Brandon Allen and Cole Gillespie have gotta have SOME value.
Mr. Science Boy
by DbacksSkins on Mar 25, 2011 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree on BA
Not sure on Cole. It would be worth finding out, but we’ll probably never get a legitimate enough sample from him to find out, sadly.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 25, 2011 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Not looking good...
Time seems to be running out for infielder Geoff Blum to get healthy for Opening Day. The veteran had an injection in his ailing right knee Tuesday. “I asked [head athletic trainer Ken Crenshaw] if it’s possible for him to be back for Opening Day,” D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. “I think it’s still a possibility, but it gets slimmer every day.”
- Link
"While Mrs. SnakePit watched one of the most highly acclaimed films of the year, I sat through a badly made schlock fest with absolutely no redeeming value. And it was awesome."
I've kind of assumed so recently
But I wonder what exactly the insurance details for Blum’s contract are.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 23, 2011 10:49 PM EDT reply actions
Don't understand
What we’ve got to lose giving Allen the last spot. Can play OF and 1b and Willie can handle the infield duties when needed.
Time for another drink then?
http://www.wimbles.wordpress.com
What we have to lose
Is a player who is out of options, like Roberts.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not exactly sure
what being out of options means. Could you explain? (Use small words, I’m a girl.)
Well, you don't ever want to miss that.
by 4 Corners Fan on Mar 24, 2011 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Once a player is put on the 40-man roster
He has three (IIRC) “option” years, which means that he can still be shuttled between the major leagues and the minor leagues for three seasons (not necessarily the first three seasons after the player is added to the 40-man roster – for instance, Esmerling Vasquez still has an option year). In any “option year,” the player can be moved as often as the team needs to move him between the big leagues and minors.
If the player is “out of options,” he has to be put on unconditional waivers, and thus exposed to every other team in baseball, before he can be assigned to the minor leagues. So if someone decides that they want Ryan Roberts for a bench infielder job ahead of who they have already, but we decide to try to send him to the minor leagues, we would lose him altogether.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions
No
if someone decides that they want Ryan Roberts for a bench infielder job ahead of who they have already, but we decide to try to send him to the minor leagues, we would lose him altogether
He’s assuming that someone has already decided they want Roberts. (Dan, correct me if I’m wrong)
I should have a mfin theme song.
by emilylovesthedbacks on Mar 24, 2011 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions
No
If the player is out of options and you don’t want him on your team, the waivers are unconditional. After all, that would simply allow for teams to delay roster decisions past the start of the season and keep players in an awkward limbo… The waiver trade deadline is a different beast altogether – one in which players can be pulled back once put on waivers.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Ahhh.
Now that makes sense.
Mr. Science Boy
by DbacksSkins on Mar 25, 2011 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions
+1
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Options for Roberts
I’m trying to find confirmation that Roberts is out of options. From what I can tell, he was signed as a minor league free agent in November 2008, and was added to the 40-Man roster in the Spring of 2009. So he used up one option year in 2009 and another in 2010 – could he still have one more option year left?
Nick P or Gilbert
Recently mentioned that he’s out of options. He definitely is. I’m not sure if the ’09 season counted against him – after signing him to the MiLB contract, we kept him in the big leagues for the rest of the year as soon as we selected his contract from Reno and added him to the 40-man, right? So I believe that means we never had to option him to Reno.
I think the other option years (two of them) came with the Blue Jays/Rangers.
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 24, 2011 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Nick P says Roberts still has options
Last night, Piecoro tweeted that the team says that Roberts still has options left.
“To those asking: No, Dbacks infielder Ryan Roberts is not out of options, according to the team. And, yes, he is on the 40-man roster.”
http://twitter.com/#!/nickpiecoro
Was going
to make this very point.
Must’ve seen your tweet, Dan.
Mr. Science Boy
by DbacksSkins on Mar 25, 2011 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Woopsies.
Well, that does make things a little easier if we have a jam. Perhaps we keep Abreu (actually out of options) in the short-term if Blum is out, and he sucks then we dump him and bring up Roberts?
http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/
by Dan Strittmatter on Mar 25, 2011 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Sheesh.
Reply FAIL
Well, you don't ever want to miss that.
by 4 Corners Fan on Mar 24, 2011 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
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