Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJays

by nostocksjustbonds on Dec 13, 2007 10:14 AM PST Comment 25 comments

The Blue Jays have been mostly quiet this off-season, waiting for the right player to become available at a reasonable price.

That player finally has emerged -- free-agent shortstop David Eckstein.

The Jays have reached a preliminary agreement with Eckstein on a 1-year, $4.5 million contract, according to a major-league source.

Eckstein, a two-time World Series champion, likely will become the team's everyday shortstop, returning John McDonald to a backup role.

The Jays signed McDonald to a two-year, $3.8 million contract in September, but considered his deal affordable even if they used him as a reserve.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7558686

Scrappiness and grit are only worth a year, apparently.

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Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJays

I guess now the Jays are the smart pick for the World Series in 2008.

Dave Righetti: You Know You Want It. / Also, my blog. For writers.

by howtheyscored on Dec 13, 2007 10:14 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

In the interest of less diaries:

Another signing:

The Red Sox signed Scott Atchison to a minor league deal, and invited him to spring training.

If he made it to the big team at some point this year and made Red Sox fans collectively cry, I'd be truly content.

This from Rotoworld.

And Boom Goes the Dynamite

by Andy from DC on Dec 13, 2007 10:16 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

LINSEKUM FOR EKSTINE!

Coming to you from The Land of Many Beers.

by WalrusMan on Dec 13, 2007 10:29 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta)

Seems reasonable. He's about as good as Vizquel is.

by Evan on Dec 13, 2007 10:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta)

Hmm, you think so? I guess if Vizquel really is done as a hitter (and he well may be), then it's true. But Vizquel is SOOOOO much better defensively that if he could hit somewhere between his 2006 and 2007 seasons he would clearly be the better player. Depending on what metric you use, I think Vizquel is on the order of 35 runs better at short, which I think more than makes up for his being a slightly crappier hitter. OTOH I admit last season Vizquel was so unspeakably bad at the plate that it probably was a wash.

by taliesin on Dec 14, 2007 7:12 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta)

What's interesting about this signing is that once you take defense into account it's not clear that Eckstein is even better than the guy he's replacing, John McDonald. McDonald is at least as good defensively as Vizquel and the same age as Eckstein. He's also about as bad a hitter as Vizquel, but still I think when they already had McDonald this looks like a pretty stupid signing for the Jays. Not like signing a fifth centerfielder, but still....

by taliesin on Dec 14, 2007 7:18 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJ

not exactly Lincecum, is he.

you will suffer humiliation when the sports team from my area defeats the sports team from your area

by nick on Dec 13, 2007 10:43 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

huh huh huh...

He said BJays

I HATE BRIAN SABEAN!

by camwoody on Dec 13, 2007 11:18 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJ

Huh, that's actually not a bad deal. I was pretty sure Eckstein would get the worst contract of the off-season, I guess most GMs are smarter than I give them credit for.

Barry Zito: Mike Hampton with a guitar

by JakeS on Dec 13, 2007 1:36 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJ

Aaron Rowand is the worst contract of the offseason.

Bonds stands alone.

by nostocksjustbonds on Dec 13, 2007 1:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJ

So far, yep. Although I actually expected that contract to be worse (in terms of $$$, not who signed him).

Barry Zito: Mike Hampton with a guitar

by JakeS on Dec 13, 2007 1:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Worse than

Scott Linebrink for about $20M? JC Romero for $12M? Yes, I know those deals are smaller.

How about Torii Hunter for $90M?

by rfloh on Dec 13, 2007 2:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Worse than

Hunter and Rowand are in similar situations - players being overpayed coming off a career year. I could go back and forth, Hunter is clearly the better player but I'm not sure if it covers the difference in the contract. I'd lean towards yes.

Barry Zito: Mike Hampton with a guitar

by JakeS on Dec 13, 2007 2:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hunter is CLEARLY

better?

I'm not being snarky here, I actually am interested in seeing the reasoning behind that.

Most of the metrics I've seen have the both of them is being similar defensively.

by rfloh on Dec 13, 2007 3:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

as being similar

by rfloh on Dec 13, 2007 3:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Hunter is CLEARLY

Three-year EQAs:
Hunter: .283, .284, .292
Rowand: .264, .265, .302

I guess "clearly" may have stretched it - I just don't expect Rowand to maintain his career year numbers heading into his thirties and if both players regress back towards their career form Hunter is the much better hitter.

If their defenses are indeed a wash I would say the Rowand contract is a little better, but not by a whole lot.

Barry Zito: Mike Hampton with a guitar

by JakeS on Dec 13, 2007 3:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Err, yes

What happens when you extend that 3 year period to 4 years?

Last 4, Hunter: 275, 283, 284, 292

Rowand: 301, 264, 265, 302

Rowand in the last 4 years has 2 horrible years bookended by 2 borderline MVP calibre years.

Hunter career EQA: 272

Rowand career EQA: 278

Every metric that I've seen, ZR, RZR, UZR, plus minus puts them in the same class defensively.

by rfloh on Dec 14, 2007 4:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Worse than

I'd say the Hunter deal is all kinds of worse than what we gave Rowand.

The A-Rod deal may well turn out to be the worst contract of this offseason, but it'll be a long time before we know for sure.

All your signature are belong to us.

by EliminateMe on Dec 13, 2007 2:36 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJ

Not Omar Minaya though. He was all set to give him a big four year deal when he decided to give it to Luis Castillo instead.

Bring me just about anyone, you moron Sabean!!

by rxmeister on Dec 14, 2007 8:02 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJ

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

YOU SAID BJAYS!

that's actually not a bad deal for a team without a shortstop.

omar vizquel is paid more :(

Pedro Feliz: Marginally better this year.

by SloIsLonelyForTheOrange on Dec 13, 2007 3:20 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJ

Throw Francisco Cordero into the mix for worst contract. 4 yrs $46 M for a closer who turns 33 next May.

I also think 4 yrs/$48 M for Fukudome could be a total disaster. We really don't have a clue how his skills will translate.

Now...how about BEST contract so far? Dare I nominate LA/Andruw Jones?

"There's not enough bases out there to intentionally walk everybody you want to." - Grady Little

by leftymalo on Dec 13, 2007 3:32 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJ

Agree with you on the Jones signing, I like it a lot. Very short, lots of dollars, but it will soon come off the books if Andruw continues to stink.

Best case is that the Dodgers are paying for the mid-to-end years of a HoF-caliber player without paying for the risk of his decline years.

Nice move, in my very humble opinion.

by xanthan on Dec 14, 2007 6:56 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein signs with BJ

I could actually ignore all the LA hats out here (Vegas) until THAT happened...now I wish they would all gamble their savings away and jump off the Stratosphere.

Rockies juggernaut rolls o...ver , dead. NL West TempestTeapot CASE IN POINT!

by victor frankenstein on Dec 15, 2007 11:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein

This would be funnier if Ecks was paying for BJays, instead of BJays paying for Ecks. Not a whole lot funnier, but... jeez how much did we pay our 47-y/o shortstop?

Southern California: Water thieves and Dodgers fans.

by jasomack on Dec 13, 2007 6:35 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Sigh of Relief (sorta): Eckstein

Considering a bad year for Vizquel means he won't be back in 2009, and that Eckstein only signed a one year deal, and I think that sigh of relief can only be classified as a temporary one.

Bring me just about anyone, you moron Sabean!!

by rxmeister on Dec 14, 2007 8:05 AM PST reply actions 0 recs