Jose Vidro?

by The Jade Scorpion on Feb 9, 2006 4:16 PM CST

From the daily Herald:

Vidro out there

"If there are any teams on the North Side of Chicago looking for a second baseman, Washington still has two, and one of them is Jose Vidro, who says he wants to play 160 games this year.

Vidro told MLB.com that his knee is close to 100 percent, and two weeks ago he did squat and jumping exercises in front of Washington team doctors without any pain.

Just in case there's a team on the North Side of Chicago looking for a second baseman."

Question: in light of Hendry's apparent inability to deal with Todd Walker as the starting 2B-man, would a healthy Vidro be worth a pickup, especially if all that was primarily involved from the Cubs was cash?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

Tweet Comment 7 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

crap shoot

vidro has been a lovely player in the past, but he's not been healthy -- and don't we have enough players like that?

more importantly, he's owed $7mm a year for three more years. this team is near its infuriating greed-inspired artificial cap in terms of payroll. i would think either vidro or soriano unlikely. there are shareholders.

by gaius marius on Feb 9, 2006 4:29 PM CST reply actions

OK, let's say that wasn't a factor...

... would you take either of these guys?

I wouldn't take Soriano at any price. But if the Nats are that desperate to get rid of Vidro, and they'd pick up some of the contract, I'd take a chance on him.

All depends on whether they can/will trade Walker.

by Al Yellon on Feb 9, 2006 5:21 PM CST up reply actions

I'd bite on Vidro

Vidro's defense was about like Walker's before both got injured, and Vidro's injury was worse. They seem like equivalent players at this point, and Walker is cheaper. BUT Vidro has a much higher upside, and as a switch-hitter, would keep Neifi on the bench except as a defensive replacement. I'd rather have Vidro than Soriano.

The thing is, the Cubs don't really have overpaid players they can deal for a guy like Vidro. Maybe Bowden would be interested in Rusch and Williamson? I'd put Wood, Jones, Howry, and Eyre into the overpaid category, but the first has a no-trade clause, and we just got the other three. So, yes, the Nats would have to pick up part of Vidro's salary. However, I think they could get just as much for him from a team that would be willing to pick up his whole salary, or swap a useful, if somewhat overpaid player in return.

What I don't understand is why Washington didn't go to Vidro before the Soriano deal and ask Vidro to move to left field. It would be better for his knees, and he wasn't a great 2nd baseman on defense anyway. I think Vidro could be worth $7 million a year for the next three seasons as a leftfielder--he has hit that well in the past.

by cubzfan on Feb 9, 2006 7:51 PM CST up reply actions

at any price

i'd take them both. i have a really difficult time divorcing players from their contract values -- it's like saying, "if you could win the battle of the somme without considering the number of men you'd kill, would you?" well sure -- but that's not an option.

fwiw, if it were between soriano, hairston and walker (which is maybe what you mean to ask) i'd consider him over hairston (who i like).

soriano 280/320/500 30hr 30sb rc/27 5.62
walker 290/350/440 13hr 0sb rc/27 5.53
hairsto 260/330/370 6hr 25sb rc/27 3.98
vidro 300/360/460 15hr 0sb rc/27 6.15

but, all things considered, i'd rather they kept walker and played him every day, glove and all.

by gaius marius on Feb 10, 2006 11:56 AM CST up reply actions

mostly agree

i'd rather keep walker than give up what it would take to get vidro, given his recent injury history, and that his recent production is similar to walker's.

if we are willing to live with a sub-par defender, and soriano is available, his offensive production, in the form of HR and SB, might outweigh the lesser obp. This is more anecdotal than evidencial, but walker, despite seemingly perfectly suited to the 2-hole, seemed to struggle when dusty finally put him there last year.

getting soriano would almost assuredly take the second baseman out of the two-hole, and put murton there, where he'd likely thrive and be able to play "his game", which is good fundamental baseball without pushing for power numbers.

soriano is a bad defender, but statisticall at least he's comparable to walker:

fp rf zr
soriano .971 4.78 .806
walker .981 4.75 .792

as much as the cubs don't need more strikeout hitters, he might be an overall upgrade over walker, and it would allow them to part with walker, something the seem antsy to do. it would make it hard for them to say they are dumping walker because they want to get better defensively.

by tomas21 on Feb 10, 2006 12:14 PM CST up reply actions

If we could

Trade "Mr. Pop-up" or "King of unproductive outs" Todd Walker, my first choice would be Lugo, but Vidro is not far behind. I would be willing to risk his health concerns if Washington would pickup $4 or $5 million of his contract. At one time he was an elite 2nd baseman, and he is not over the hill by any means.

Yes, I've held it in as long as I could. I know most are Walker fans around here, but besides the range of an average 1st baseman and the speed of an average 1st baseman, he has more fly ball outs that a guy with 40HR power. There is reason he has been on so many different teams lately and nobody wants him now. The Cubs are trying to give him away and nobody will take him for $2.5 million. Stats don't tell the whole story.

by MADD DOG 31 on Feb 9, 2006 6:09 PM CST reply actions

Lee, Aramis, ?

If anything, the Cubs should go after Soriano if they could get him at the right price. It would settle both the 2B situation and probably the hole at the #5 spot (plus he'd protect Aramis at the #4 spot). Vidro is hit or miss...if he gets injured, we're stuck with Hairston everyday at 2b and nobody to bat #5.

"I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want somebody else to go chase it.

by 10 14 23 26 on Feb 10, 2006 1:16 PM CST reply actions