Giants add former Rockie Jeremy Affeldt to bullpen

It's a two-year deal, but the money isn't known yet.

7 months ago Russ Comment 14 comments 0 recs |

Comments

Good signing by the Giants,

They definitely could use the help in their pen, although the money’s got to be pretty big to lure him before the arbitration offer deadline. That’s good news for Brian Fuentes, as several teams were trying to use Affeldt’s availability as leverage. With Jeremy and Damaso Marte off the market and Joe Beimel looking like he’ll be next, LOOGY’s seem to be the item du jour for most GMs.

by Rox Girl on Nov 17, 2008 2:09 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Affeldt ... not a loogy

Affeldt is a legit set-up man. He was actually more effective against right-handed batters in ’08.

by StickRat on Nov 17, 2008 10:51 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

ESPN says $8 million

Which is more than I would have thought – I was thinking in the 6-7 range. Good for Jeremy – took him a long time but he’s found his big league niche.

I didn’t see what Marte signed for but I figure it’s about this much, and I think Beimel will go for something similar.

Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Nov 17, 2008 2:12 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Add

8 mil for a LOOGY is pretty absurd – at 4 mil a year and something like 50 innings total over 75 appearances, that’s what, about 27 grand per out? Now, Affeldt isn’t a LOOGY (though I wouldn’t put it past the Giants to use him like one), but I’m hoping the Rockies now don’t feel pressure to give that kind of money to a guy that’s going to be strictly a specialist. A Trever Miller or Ron Villone should come much cheaper while being just as effective at shackling the Gonzalez-Loney-Drew class of lefty hitters.

(And wow, now that I look at it, that’s a really crappy group of ‘best lefty hitters in a division’.)

Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Nov 17, 2008 2:20 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep, the

~~AFC West~~ NL West is definitely shaping up to be a steaming pile in 2009. If the Dodgers spend some money they have a really good chance of winning it again.

Second half run?

by moomacher on Nov 17, 2008 2:25 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe it's a salvo aimed at us...

Hawpe, Helton, Stewart, Smith and Gonzalez could probably go toe to toe with a combined squad of the best left handed bats from the other four teams. Because we don’t play ourselves, I don’t think the Rox need a lefty specialist as much as the others do.

by Rox Girl on Nov 17, 2008 2:59 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

lets not forget

That so far in his big league career Stewart’s numbers look more like a righty’s than a lefty’s. Let them bring in lefties to face Stewart.

by Resolution on Nov 17, 2008 5:06 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe this means we will really try to resign Fuentes?

…please…?

Oh who am I kidding?

Is it 2009 yet? Seriously?........Now? no......How about now?

by The Lodo Magic Man on Nov 17, 2008 6:44 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Could be a steal for San Fran IF

Affeldt can duplicate his ‘08 rates. Those rates suggest he could easily handle the closing role for the Giants. I was happy the Rockies moved on from him a year ago, but now that he’s possibly turned the corner, San Fran may have gotten him on the cheap.

We are in the 4 million per for reliever era. I know it was a shock when Baltimore spent that type of money not two-three years ago, but with higher specialization, these guys will just be in greater demand.

So do the Rockies push harder to pursue Beimel? I want to like Joe, he’s been a very solid LOOGY the last two years and has been a contender-level arm over that span. Hurdle overutilizes the platoon advantage, so it would be wise to give him a top notch LOOGY… but I have concerns. For one, his main selling point seems to be his homer rate, but it comes with a merely decent GB. For this to be repeatable, I’d like to see his GB get over 50%. His K and BB rates are probably below average in both directions, so he’s adopted some smoke and mirror approach. He’s 32… HOWEVER, he’s been a good reliever for three straight years, and LOOGY’s don’t have to have great rates always to be really good at what they do.

Ohman will be too expensive and is already in greater demand, and both Miller and Villone have really bad walk rates, are too flyball prone, and are more likely to pumpkin upon purchasing.

Beimel may be the best alternative. Will he come cheaply? That depends on the definition, as no free agent reliever that’s not taken on a one year deal ever lives up to his value. You have to overspend for value as is on the free agent market, and in the case of relief help, this is especially true. Does that mean Beimel is worth it? Probably not but I’m not willing to bet against him at this point.

by David OhNo on Nov 17, 2008 9:00 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

I think we should stick Morales there for a year.

He’d be a better option than all of the above, and I have a hard time believing that it would irreparably damage him or that he or the team would derive more benefit from 150 more AAA innings. The only issue I have with this is a lack of faith in Greg Smith, so I’d want Morales ready to ascend to his place in the rotation quickly should Smith stumble. But I guess we have Hirsh and Reynolds and what have you for that, so I don’t know. I’m just not enthralled with the LHP selection out there save the few that have signed already or are signing imminently.

by Rox Girl on Nov 17, 2008 9:29 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

I like the "Pen" Morales option

if his role is expanded beyond LOOGY. He could work as a lesser ‘07 Fuentes, in that he gets leverage roles that tilt in favor of a left hander, but isn’t limited to specialist duty. If his improvement in Instructs and VWL sticks, Then a Street-Buchholz-Corpas-Morales bullpen has some real teeth.

I’d be surprised if the Rockies bank on Morales for anything going forward until he proves himself, but they do sound optimistic and money (or lackthereof) can change peoples’ opinion on anything.

by David OhNo on Nov 17, 2008 9:35 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs