The Brewster

Outfielder Added to the Mix


YS9 GM Ron Collins indicated that he had three major issues to resolve this off-season: a starting pitcher, a solid reliever, and a left-handed hitting outfielder. The acquisition of Miguel Macias put a checkmark by item #2, and the Rule 5 selection of Dave Logan stopped the bleeding on the need for a left-handed hitting outfielder. But today the team appears to have closed that issue for good, announcing the signing of 26-year-old outfielder Francisco Delgado.

“Our baseball guys are thrilled with this signing,” Assistant GM Howard Dunlap said. “Francisco is a guy who can really go get’em in the outfield, and has proven he can hit major at a major league level. Our pitchers are going to love him.”

Delgado came up through the California organization, but was not offered arbitration. He played most of the season with the team’s AAA club, hitting .330 and stealing 10 bases. His biggest hole is a distinct disdain for taking walks. “Francis will swing at ball four just to see another pitch,” one scout said. He will be paid $3.5M this season, $3M next season, and the team and player both have options for a third. He is expected to play both left and center field, spelling Carlos Garcia some of the time.

The move brings into question whether the team will return Rule 5 selection Dave Logan to the Crusaders. Logan was tagged to play left field against RHP.

“The off season is like an ocean with constantly shifting waves,” Dunlap said. “We’ll figure it out.”

Just keep stocking up on all my old AAAA outfielders.

Delgado can suddenly hit a little against RHP. And his glove means he can spell Carlos Garcia reasonably. I overpaid a little, but with a little luck, he'll have more value to us than Hector Cantu had. Cantu was a good little player, but couldn't handle CF in the end.

He's probably a little better than AAAA since we are short on quality big league CFs in the BBA. I'd definitely say Ron overpaid a little for his services though.

RonCo wrote:Delgado can suddenly hit a little against RHP. And his glove means he can spell Carlos Garcia reasonably. I overpaid a little, but with a little luck, he'll have more value to us than Hector Cantu had. Cantu was a good little player, but couldn't handle CF in the end.

I appreciate you finding someone better than cantu, because he fits perfectly for me as a platoon starter (at this point, maybe full-time eventually).

Cantu is a good player. I probably should have kept him around. But:

1) I have cash to pay Delgado a bit too much
2) That Delgado can play CF pretty well gives him value in that I can back off Carlos Garcia a little against RHP
3) I got a low-boil prospect out of it.

So on the whole the deal became (a fair/good corner OF at $1.7M) for (a fair/good LF/CF + a prospect). I think it's a deal that looks good for us both at this point...but that's why they make January.