November 28, 2007
Garza for Delmon Young?
Rays Anatomy hears that a multi-player deal involving Matt Garza going to the Rays for Delmon Young is almost complete.
As of November 28th though, I think the Rays are giving up too much to get something they aren't sure about. Young can produce at the level he did last year and still bat in the middle of the lineup for Minnesota. While he needs to learn not to hack at everything, his value will always be higher than it is now. I just wonder did Tampa Bay not wait for a more established arm before they moved their starting right fielder.
The Rays need a better offense, and a better defense to complement their pitching staff. Getting rid of Young, a low OBA player, might help if they could pick up someone else to get on base. Another starter, good as Garza might be, shouldn't be a priority. However, if the Rays can get Garza for Young, they should go for it.
Posted by David Pinto at
05:05 PM
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I'm not so sure getting Garza for Young is a fair swap. Given Young's age and ability, he's likely to develop more discipline as he matures at the plate. Remember, he was only 21 last season. I think it would be wiser for the Rays to trade one of their older, more expensive outfielders (like Crawford) for pitching help.
I don't see why Young will develop more plate discipline. Torii Hunter never did. In general, players don't just "develop" plate discipline. They do learn to recognize pitches better, and that can look like plate discipline.
That said, Delmon Young will be a fantastic player. But it always seems like the Rays need pitching more than they need offense, and Garza is a very good, pre-arbitration player. That pre-arb. part is very importatnt for an organization like the Rays.
Still, with the prospects involved, Tampa Bay gave up a lot.
Delmon Young is a lot better than Torii Hunter. Hunter spent 6 years in the minors, Young spent 3. The only time DY was even near average age for his league was in 2003 and he showed a decent walk rate in Low A.
Maybe plate discipline was the wrong term to use, but Young should increase his walk rate as he gets older and realizes he can't drive everything. So I doubt his OBP will be a long term problem.
Young's discipline in the minors was a bit better then it's been in the majors thus far. And if he grows into 30 or 40 homer power the Twins probably won't mind the plate discipline issue, even if they kinda should.
FWIW, I think the deal is Young, Brendan Harris, and Jason Pridie for Juan Rincon, Garza, and Jason Bartlett. Pridie is a 24-year-old CF prospect who showed good discipline and raked in half a season of AAA last season after a poor 2006 in AA.
Tampa's also supposedly close to signing Troy Percival, according to Buster Olney. I think they at least finish above the O's this year...
Playing for the Twins will not help Young's discipline - see Torri Hunter; Jaques Jones, etc. etc.