A scout's take on A's trade for Wuertz
From Chronicle Staff Writer Susan Slusser
I haven't seen much of Michael Wuertz, the right-handed reliever the A's obtained today from the Cubs, so I called an advance scout for a National League team who I knew would have seen Wuertz often
.The scout tells me that Wuertz is a lot like Kiko Calero - "sliders and more sliders" - but he throws harder, 92 mph or so. The scout said Wuertz wound up in Lou Piniella's doghouse for some reason, and that's a tough place to escape from. So it's a move that should benefit Wuertz a lot, and the scout said, "When he's right, he's very tough on right-handers. He's a lot like Russ Springer was three years ago."
Wuertz, 30, is probably a 6th, 7th-inning guy, with newly signed Springer as a right-handed set-up man. While Springer wasn't signed because of Andrew Brown's recent season-ending surgery (the A's were talking to Springer before they knew of Brown's health problems), Wuertz does add some much needed depth in middle relief now that Brown is out of the picture.
The A's traded outfielder Richie Robnett and infielder Justin Sellers for Wuertz. Robnett, a first-round pick in 2004, had fallen behind several other outfielders in the last few years, in large part because of injuries. Sellers is a super defensive player who could be an asset if he can improve offensively.
I'm told the A's had talked about Wuertz with the Cubs several time before, so they have liked him for a while. He's out of options, but will be under club control for three years.
Oakland still might add a left-hander to the bullpen in the next week and a half. The team sent a representative to Andrew Sisco's recent workout, and Sisco, at 26, might fit what the A's are trying to do right now more than someone such as Ron Villone, who is 39 and who might not be looking for just an invite to big-league camp. Sisco - who is 6-foot-10 and 270 pounds - is coming off Tommy John surgery and might not be big-league ready until late in the season.
| February 02 2009 at 12:22 PM
Comments
I think we need a story analyzing the A's drafting since Billy Beane became GM. I'm not that impressed. Here's another example: Trading an 04 #1 draft pick for a 30 yr old who is projected to pitch the 6th inning...
Posted By: Fritzy | February 02 2009 at 01:32 PM
Think nothing of Robnett being a former #1 pick. He has failed to develop that fabulous power. Maybe he can be a Josh Hamilton for another team, but doubtful with that work ethic. He is a great batting practice hitter however. And he does occasionally connect during the game.
Posted By: georgeltownsend | February 02 2009 at 02:05 PM
Well, I see the Chicago-Oakland relationship is still strong. I'd imagine that the Cubs would be a little bitter after what Harden/Gaudin combo did for them (next to nothing).
Posted By: hellyeahman | February 02 2009 at 02:08 PM
Harden was just as good as Dempster and Zambrano down the stretch, so much that some Cubs fans wanted him for game 1. He wasn't so good against the Dodgers, but neither was anyone else on the team. He's a nice luxury item for a team that can afford a once-a-week starter.
Posted By: vk | February 02 2009 at 02:33 PM
did A's inquire on rich hill? all it took was a ptbnl from orioles. for a chance in spring training, its at least worth a risk
Posted By: asfan09 | February 02 2009 at 03:12 PM
Wuertz's K/9 is pretty strong at 9.3 career-wise but his WHIP is somewhat mediocre at 1.35 (only Embree and Casilla were worse in that category for the A's last year). If he can improve the number of guys he puts on base and keep the Ks up, he could be pretty valuable.
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Kind of agree with asfan09; Hill cost the O's practically nothing, is younger than the other lefty options out there and may be better suited for relief anyway. I think he just had a terrible 08 and could definitely rebound. I've always thought he'd be a strong reliever and I wonder if it was his or the club's resistance toward that move last year.
Posted By: scotthatty11 | February 02 2009 at 03:42 PM
Starting Pitching anybody?
Posted By: Drewby | February 02 2009 at 03:48 PM
i'm guessing the remaining moves
2nd lefty w/ experience, though between outman, braden, kilby, marshall, etc i think they can get one out of that group.
cabrera for reasonable deal..2yr/10mill
i'd love to add another bad like abreu or dunn, but their payroll maybe shrinking after 8mill spent on duke, springer, wuertz
getting any sp seems unlikely at this point, but i know mulder is pitching in early february that might be the only fit
Posted By: asfan09 | February 02 2009 at 04:20 PM
You can find hundreds of examples of first round draft picks who amounted to nothing in the Major Leagues. Big deal if one was traded for an average Major League reliever.
The team was heavy on the outfielders anyway. They still have 10 outfielders on the 40 man roster.
Posted By: brian7906 | February 02 2009 at 04:27 PM
you're right we can find hundreds of examples of first round draft picks who amounted to nothing. At some point, those clubs fire their GMs....
Posted By: Fritzy | February 02 2009 at 09:08 PM
The bullpen got a little better - and it needs to be very good, because if the A's don't find another competent starter, the pen is going to get a LOT of work. Right now, Beane just seems to be tinkering. I wonder what the end-game is here.
Posted By: mrbacchus | February 02 2009 at 09:28 PM
I agree that mrbacchus that these seem to be little moves. You would think there is one big move left. I agree with all that I think a veteran starting pitcher is our biggest need.
Posted By: texasfan | February 02 2009 at 11:15 PM
There are still about 20 unsigned free agent starting pitchers. Some notables are:Paul Byrd, Tom Glavine, Matt Ginter, Livan Hernandez, Orlando Hernandez,Kip Wells, Mark Mulder, Pedro Martinez,Randy Wolf, and Jon Leeber. Maybe BB has one of these in mind. I know some like Pedro Martinez are out of his price range but time is running out and a fire sale could begin any day. I agree we definately need another veteran starting pitcher. I hope BB agrees too.
Posted By: screamingeagle | February 03 2009 at 12:54 AM
I would love Paul Byrd, but he has indicated that he is going to set out a la Roger Clemens and wait until he is needed later. Randy Wolf would slide in nicely as a back of the rotation guy as would Leiber. Sign Mulder for a low incentive based contract.
Posted By: texasfan | February 03 2009 at 08:03 AM
The PTBNL might be a high draft pick not necessarily chump change. A player cannot be traded within a year of being drafted. Recall that the A's traded Jeremy Bonderman that way - as a PTBNL.
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I don't understand the price the A's are paying for right-handed short relievers.
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Fritzy - for YEARS I have been calling out the A's on their draft 'strategy'. I've been called, 'negative', 'idiotic' and worse. Funny, though that hasn't helped the A's develop any players they drafted. When I asked Billy Beane and David Forst about making a change last year at the FanFest to the draft and player development departments he was clearly agitated. His comeback was that these were the same guys who drafted Barry Zito and Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder. Yah, with two first round picks more than 10 years ago! Even the latest bounty of minor league prospects has to do with trades and not drafting quality players and developing those picks.
Posted By: EiO | February 03 2009 at 09:59 AM
Wuertz got in Piniella's dog house because of an ongoing issue with his elbow. He throws a lot of sliders, but nowhere near the amount of Calero. He'll average a strikeout an inning when he mixes in his cutter and two seam fastball. I like the addition. As for Robnett, he was a terrible choice. I'm from the Fresno area and Robnett attended Fresno State, so of course the team I scouted for at the time wanted reports on him. We had him ranked as an eighth to tenth rounder tops, and couldn't believe Oakland took him in the first round. Great athlete, but very raw baseball player that needed a ton of work. At the time we thought that they saw something that we didn't see.
Posted By: dashman33 | February 03 2009 at 11:44 PM