David Haugh Is Taking Crazy Pills


There I was on Wednesday afternoon, watching college basketball and keeping an eye on all the latest in NFL free agency, and on how things are going with Illinois football as Lovie Smith continues to put together a coaching staff. Oh, and I was working too. I promise.

As I was doing this, I began seeing strange things on Twitter. White Sox fans talking about trading for Jay Bruce. This on its own confused me quite a bit because, well, the White Sox just signed Austin Jackson. Adding Jay Bruce at this juncture would seem to be a bit of overkill because you only have three outfield spots to work with, and you already have four outfielders.

So I ventured out to find the source of this hullabaloo, and I was directed to a column by David Haugh. In Haugh's estimation, he believes the White Sox should trade for Bruce, which, fine. I'm not exactly a fan of the idea, but it's not totally crazy in and of itself.

It gets a little crazy, however, when you plan to trade for Jay Bruce so you can do this.
Trading for Bruce to play right field with Jackson in center and Melky Cabrera in left likely would make Eaton a fourth outfielder and part-time designated hitter — perhaps platooning with Avisail Garcia — Eaton's ideal role on a contending Sox team. It also would make Eaton's five-year, $23.5 million contract extension signed a year ago all the more baffling. Bruce offers 30 home-run potential, a capable glove and an expiring contract, which Hahn appears to be collecting.

You want to make Adam Eaton a fourth outfielder and have him platoon at DH with Avisail Garcia? Have you murdered Adam LaRoche in this situation? Like, he's just gone, and so is the money the Sox have to pay him?

If you have, well, thanks. Seriously. You're a hero, but that still doesn't make the plan to demote Adam Eaton sensible in the slightest sense. And his contract is baffling? He's making an average of $4.7 million per year!

THAT'S LESS THAN THEY JUST GAVE AUSTIN JACKSON, WHO COULDN'T FIND A HOME UNTIL MARCH EVEN THOUGH HE HAD NO QUALIFYING OFFER ATTACHED TO HIM.

Oh, and Eaton's been the second-best offensive player on the White Sox the last two years. Maybe you hadn't noticed.

In his two years with the Sox Eaton has hit .291/.361/.418 with an OPS+ of 121. Let's compare that to Jose Abreu, who showed up at the same time. Jose's hit .303/.364/.540 with an OPS+ of 153.

In that same span, Eaton has been worth 9.2 bWAR. Abreu's been worth 9.3 bWAR.

The difference, obviously, is that Abreu hits for more power, but their relative value has been damn near equal when you measure both players for who they are on the whole rather than the dingers.

Jay Bruce? In the last two years he's hit .222/.288/.406 for an OPS+ of 90 and has been worth -0.3 bWAR. That's the player you want to replace Adam Eaton with? The markedly worse player? Just cuz he hits home runs?

If the White Sox do end up trading for Jay Bruce, the only deal I'd accept is one that sends LaRoche back to Cincinnati with a prospect, but Cincinnati isn't taking that deal. The Reds want to move Bruce's salary, and LaRoche's money basically breaks even.

But if it does happen, it's not Adam Eaton who you move to a fourth outfielder/platoon DH role. It's Melky Cabrera and Austin Jackson.

You simply don't put your second-best offensive player -- WHOSE CONTRACT IS A GOD DAMN STEAL -- on the bench while you're trying to contend. No matter how many times Jay Bruce might homer.

Comments

  1. David Haugh is a friggin idiot. 23.5 over 5 for the kind of offensive production Eaton's been putting out - friggin steal. Didn't even realize what Eaton's contract was actually like - a friggin steal. Just like Sale's.

    Lotta #hottakes in his article, but there is some truth, very little, but some. Like a lot of pressure to win this year. I feel like Chris Sale has about had it with not pitching in the playoffs. Underpaid and on a team that's hasn't played a meaningful game in late August since he joined the big league squad. That's gotta get old.

    I hope Adam Eaton read this article and friggin rakes this season. Eaton was unfairly ripped on in. He's always been a solid offensive weapon and run producer/scorer since joining the Sox. Would love to see him used at DH more this season. He's a guy you want in your lineup every night and Haugh is too much of a dumb ass to see how valuable he is. Especially on the kinda deal the Sox got him on.

    If Robin was a smart manager he'd read the article, post it on a bulletin board or something in the clubhouse. At least maybe mention it to the boys in a team meeting. Hope it lights a fire under the ass of this pieced together team to figure it out and maybe make a run. Lotta hope, but I love the hate.

    Kick rocks Haugh!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't think the Sox will do this deal. For all the reasons that you mentioned.

    ReplyDelete

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