Tag Archives: Carlos Quentin

April 5, 2015

Cornering the Upton Market

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The Padres acquired a great closer and a poor hitter from the Braves:

The Atlanta Braves have traded closer Craig Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. to the San Diego Padres, sources confirmed to ESPN.com’s Keith Law.

San Diego will send oft-injured outfielders Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin to Atlanta along with prospects Matt Wisler and Jordan Paroubeck, and the 41st pick overall in the upcoming draft.

This strikes me as a deal for Kimbrel, and the Braves insisted the Padres take Upton. Quentin and Maybin are useful players. Melvin Upton (aka B.J.) works as a late inning defensive replacement.

This trade is about prospects from the Braves side. Wisler has excellent strikeout and walk numbers in the minors, and will play 2015 as a 22-year-old, having already pitched 116 2/3 innings at AAA. Paroubeck hit will in rookie league ball last season at the age of 19.

The Padres were going to use Joaquin Benoit as their closer. He posted a 1.3 WAR in 2014, Kimbrel a 2.3. So this move might give the Padres one more win. That could easily be the difference between making the wild card or not.

The Upton brothers are once again united. The story does not say if the Padres will assume his remaining salary.

June 5, 2013

Pulling the Puig

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Yasiel Puig hit two home runs and drove in five Tuesday night as the Dodgers went on to a 9-7 win over the Padres in a slugfest. (Video at the link.) Both team hit three home runs, with Carlos Quentin adding a shot as he went 3 for 5. Puig picked up three hits, and after two games is doing it all with a .625 OBP and a 1.500 slugging percentage.

April 23, 2013 April 14, 2013 April 13, 2013 April 12, 2013

Eight Games for Quentin

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MLB will down an eight-game suspension to Carlos Quentin. No doubt he will appeal.

With Carlos Carrasco also getting a long suspension for hitting a batter, MLB seems to be trying to crack down on both ends of this problem. Normally, suspensions are reduced upon appeal. We’ll see if that happens. MLB may be making the suspensions eight games so that when they are reduced, players are still getting a long suspension that we used to see.

April 12, 2013

Hit By Pitch f/x

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Dave Cameron looks at the pitches that hit Carlos Quentin using PITCHf/x:

Quentin’s rate of being hit by pitches within six inches of the inside corner is 20 times higher than the Major League average. It is, at the minimum, a little hard to have sympathy for the guy.

For the record, last night’s pitch from Greinke was plotted at -1.504, so it is just barely outside of that sample area. It was certainly inside and off the plate, but most batters would not have been hit by that pitch.

April 12, 2013

Greinke Gone

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Zack Greinke got in a fight and will miss significant time:

Zack Greinke Carlos Quentin fight

A hit by pitch leads to a fight between Zack Greinke and Carlos Quentin. Greinke broke his collar bone. Photo: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Greinke broke his left collarbone in a bench-clearing brawl during Los Angeles’ 3-2 victory Thursday night, leaving the Dodgers so furious that Matt Kemp confronted Padres slugger Carlos Quentin nose-to-nose as the two were leaving Petco Park.

Juan Uribe‘s pinch-hit home run in the eighth put the Dodgers ahead, two innings after Greinke hit Quentin on the left shoulder with a pitch.

The slugger started walking toward the mound and Greinke appeared to say something. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Quentin then charged the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner, who is 6-2 and 195 pounds. They dropped their shoulders and collided, and Quentin tackled the pitcher to the grass.

There is video at the link. It wasn’t even that hard a pitch, 89 MPH. Vin Scully does a very good play by play of the fight, giving background that Carlos Quentin gets hit a lot, and that the Padres appeared to throw at Matt Kemp earlier.

The two players have a history, as Greinke hit Quentin for the third time, but he’s not the only one.

Looking at the video, Greinke hit Quentin fairly high, and batters tend to get upset with that.

The Dodgers won the game against the Padres 3-2. Los Angeles may end up wishing they had waited a week to trade Aaron Harang.

Update: Quentin did think Greinke threw high:

In a hallway between the home and visiting clubhouses, Kemp stood face to face and exchanged angry words with Quentin, who charged the mound and broke Zack Greinke’s collarbone in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.

“If a guy’s throwing at your head …” Quentin said.

July 23, 2012

More on Quentin

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Carlos Quentin did get a no-trade clause, so the Padres intend on keeping him.

The contract also includes a no-trade clause, which was key for Quentin, who expressed a desire to remain in his hometown. The clause, as well as the 320 games played buyout trigger, represents a break from the Jeff Moorad mold, as the former super-agent had enacted a no NTC or incentives policy in San Diego. This isn’t to say that the Padres and Josh Byrnes will throw around clauses and incentives with reckless abandon, but it’s certainly notable that Quentin’s deal is inclusive of both.

I remember when Bronson Arroyo signed a team-friendly deal with the Red Sox and was promptly traded. I thought something like that might happen with Quentin, but the no-trade clause kills that possibility.

July 22, 2012

Extending Quentin

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The Padres extended the contract of Carlos Quentin three years, and I agree with Getting Blanked:

The deal comes at a curious time for San Diego who were reportedly fielding trade offers for the outfielder who turns 30 next month and has a long history of getting injured. At the same time, the Padres have difficulty acquiring and developing productive hitters–something Quentin undoubtedly is when healthy. The deal compares favorably to ones recently handed to Twins outfielder Josh Willingham, Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, and Colorado Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer and shouldn’t be too much of an albatross for San Diego if Quentin can’t stay on the field.

I don’t know if this deal kills the trade offers, however. If Quentin didn’t get a no-trade clause, then this deal might make him easier to trade. He would be a free agent at the end of the season, and now he’s locked up. Since teams no longer get draft picks when acquired players leave at the end of the season, the Padres might be able to get more for Carlos if the other team has a fixed cost in acquiring him.

March 17, 2012

Quentin Takes a Knee

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Carlos Quentin needs knee surgery and will miss four to six weeks of work:

Quentin has been experiencing knee discomfort since the beginning of spring training, and San Diego manager Bud Black told Hayes on Saturday that team doctors wanted to “knock it out.”

…

The surgery opens things up for Kyle Blanks, who was on the fringe for a 25-man roster spot heading into camp but could now see regular action in the Friars’ outfield during the early part of the regular season.

It’s too bad for Carlos, but I do enjoy seeing Kyle Blanks play. The big man can run.

December 31, 2011

A Trade! A Trade!

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Carlos Quentin starts 2012 with a new team:

The Padres just announced that they have acquired outfielder Carlos Quentin from the White Sox for prospect right-hander Simon Castro and prospect left-hander Pedro Hernandez.

Quentin will be reunited with Josh Byrnes, who traded him to the White Sox for Chris Carter in December of 2007 when he was general manager of the Diamondbacks.

Quentin posted a breakout season at age 25, but did not follow through during the rest of his peak years as injuries slowed him. Still, he does a good job of getting on base and can hit for power, skills that will help any team.

Castro is an interesting prospect, as he pitched well for the Padres AAA team when it was in Portland, not so well when it played in Tucson. Looking at his career as a whole, he’s worth the risk for the White Sox. Hernandez is a reliever with great minor league K and BB numbers. Since the White Sox seem to be in rebuilding mode, this looks like a good deal for both clubs.

August 9, 2011

The Morel of the Story

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The White Sox received home runs from Carlos Quentin and Brent Morel as they defeated the Orioles 4-3. Both own similar batting averages, Quentin at .264 and Morel at .259. The similarities end there, however. Morel hardly walks, and his dinger was just his second of the season, giving him a .277 OBP and a .319 slugging percentage. His batting average is his offense. Quentin, on the other hand, walks a ton and hit his 24th home run, giving him a .348 OBP and a .522 slugging percentage. The moral of the story is that offense is much more than batting average.

August 5, 2011 June 1, 2011 May 25, 2011

Late Night in Texas

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The White Sox and Rangers endured a nearly three-hour rain delay as a dangerous storm passed through Arlington, but it was worth it for the White Sox as Carlos Quentin hit three home runs and drove in five runs as Chicago defeated Texas 8-6.

Quentin became the fifth major league player in 13 days to homer three times in a game, joining Carlos Beltran, Jose Bautista, Jason Giambi and Corey Hart, who did it Monday night.

Those are the only five three-homer games this season. In 2010, 13 times players smacked three home runs or more, which was the first time the majors were in double digits since 2006. In 2001, there were 22 such player feats, the most since 1957.

Season 3 HR Games
2011 5
2010 13
2009 8
2008 5
2007 5
2006 11
2005 6
2004 13
2003 12
2002 14
2001 22
2000 9
1999 16
1998 11
1997 11
1996 15
1995 7
1994 8
1993 4
1992 3
1991 6
1990 8
1989 3
1988 2
1987 15
1986 8
1985 6
1984 2
1983 5
1982 6
1981 1
1980 7
1979 11
1978 3
1977 7
1976 6
1975 4
1974 4
1973 6
1972 2
1971 4
1970 8
1969 6
1968 4
1967 5
1966 4
1965 4
1964 5
1963 7
1962 4
1961 7
1960 1
1959 6
1958 6
1957 3

The 2011 season hasn’t bee a great offensive year, but in terms of three home run games, it’s off to a good start.

May 10, 2011

White Sox Find their Offense

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Carlos Quentin collected three hits, all for extra bases as the White Sox shut out the Angels 8-0. Carlos seems to be back to his 2008 levels of power, as the two doubles and home run raised his slugging percentage to .581.

The White scored five runs or more three games in a row. The had only done that twice in their previous 22 games.

April 6, 2011

Last AB Chance

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The Royals looked like they might win their game against the White Sox easily. They took a 6-3 lead into the ninth with Joakim Soria on the mound. With two out and no one on, the White Sox score four runs, the last two on a Carlos Quentin double, his second extra-base hit of the game. That puts the Royals up in the bottom of the ninth down 7-6. They get a chance to win their fifth straight game in their last at bat. They do have the heart of the order up.

Update: The Royals tie the game. They get a lot out of what should be two singles. Billy Butler singled with one out, and Jarrod Dyson ran for him. Dyson stole second, then Kila Ka’aihue dumps a slow line drive toward the leftfield line, scoring Dyson. Kila stretches the hit into a double to put himself in scoring position.

Update: That’s all the Royals get, and the game goes to extra innings. Fans are getting a lot of free baseball in KC the last few days.

April 2, 2011

Grapefruit League

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The balls must look like grapefruits to the Chicago White Sox as they continued their barrage of the Cleveland Indians with an 8-3 win Saturday afternoon. Today was singles afternoon as only two of their 11 hits went for doubles, and they added five walks. Carlos Quentin continued hot with the two doubles, and four of his five hits on the season went for extra bases. Gordon Beckham also collected two hits. Quentin returning to his 2008 form and Beckham maturing into a tough hitter are two keys to the White Sox success this season. So far, so good.

April 1, 2011 July 11, 2010

First Quentin-tile

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The Chicago White Sox move into first place in the AL Central, pounding the Royals 15-5. Carlos Quentin delivered two of five Chicago home runs, including a grand slam, bringing his season total to 19. He’s slugging .523 with a low .244 BA, as 35 of his 64 hits have gone for extra bases. He’s a good example of why batting average doesn’t always tell the full story.

The White run their winning streak to eight games as they move 1/2 game ahead of the Detroit Tigers. That is the second long win streak since the team started their comeback on June 9. They are 20 games over .500 at 25-5 in that one month stretch, the best record in the majors. Their two opponents, the Twins and Tigers, went 12-18 and 18-11 respectively to give the White Sox the lead. We’ll go into the All-Star break with four division having at least three teams within five games of the lead. Should be an exciting second half all around.

Zack Greinke did not start this game due to shoulder soreness. You never like to hear that, but the Royals say he’ll start the first game after the break.

July 5, 2010

White Sox Sock

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The Chicago White Sox use four home runs to defeat the Angels 9-2. Carlos Quentin hit two to bring his season total to 15. He’s not hitting for much of an average, but 31 of his 59 hits have gone for extra bases. Dayan Viciedo picked up his first major league home runs as well. The 21-year-old third baseman was slugging over .500 when he was called up from the minors.

Scott Kazmir gave up seven runs, the third start in a row in which he allowed at least five runs. His ERA is up to 5.98, and I wonder how much longer the Angels will go with him in the rotation.

June 25, 2010

Zinging Zambrano

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Carlos Zambrano wishes he still pitched in the bullpen after that first inning. He gives up four hits, the final a three-run homer by Carlos Quentin. That’s Quentin’s fourth home run in his last four games.

Zambrano has a meltdown in the dugout after the inning, and Carlos appeared to be upset with Derrek Lee. We’ll see what comes of that. The Cubs have a reliever up in the bullpen.

The White Sox lead the Cubs 4-0 in the top of the second.

Update: Tom Gorzelanny comes on in relief in the bottom of the first.

May 18, 2010

Hits and Walks

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Carlos Quentin picked up three hits against the Tigers as the White Sox take the afternoon game 6-2. Quentin came into the game with 20 hits and 18 walks. His batting average was below the Mendoza line, but his OBP was above .300. Neither is great, but at least he’s doing something to get on base. Today marked his second three hit game in four contests, so maybe he’s starting to hit again. With that walk rate, he needs to get his BA up to around .230 to not be hurting the team too much. He’s up to .200 now.

April 14, 2010

Two Hits, Two Runs

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The White Sox white washed the Blue Jays Wednesday night by a score of 11-1. The top three hitters in the lineup, Pierre, Beckham and Carlos Quentin, each collected two hits and score two runs, while clean up hitter Andruw Jones had three hits and a homer. Quentin doubled and hit a grand slam, and given his start this season, appears to be recovered from the injuries than ended his 2008 season and kept his stats down in 2009.

With Beckham, Quentin, Jones and Mark Teahen hitting well, the 2010 White Sox appear to have a decent core of offense to support pitchers like John Danks, who turned in his second excellent performance of the season.