http://322feet.wordpress.com/2007/11/24/the-center-field-hole-part-2-the-free-agents/ All things Padres & musings on the business of baseball. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 23:25:33 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://322feet.wordpress.com/2007/11/24/the-center-field-hole-part-2-the-free-agents/#comment-19 Franco Sat, 24 Nov 2007 20:41:15 +0000 http://322feet.wordpress.com/2007/11/24/the-center-field-hole-part-2-the-free-agents/#comment-19 Four free agency candidates, but I think you can discard Aaron Rowand off that list as I am pretty sure he won't be coming here. So that leaves Andruw, Kosuke and Lofton as the remaining options. I agree with you on Lofton being a fallback option, so its down to two. Andruw's season may have been a fluke IMO, and I would much rather sign the sure thing rather than the unknown. At least we know Andruw will hit around 25 bombs, true he will strikeout a lot, but he also brings out the same defense Cameron has. Offer Andruw a one-year deal to help us contend and I would be satisfied. On the other face of the coin we have Kosuke. Many people say he is the best Japanese FA right now and I pretty much agree. In case we fail of acquiring Jones, I'd go straight to Kosuke. A four year deal wouldn't be bad at around 11 MM. I wouldn't say him playing only RF would be a problem. You just switch Brian Giles to LF (his original position in Pittsburgh I believe) and have Kosuke at RF though the CF void would still be there. In that case how about signing both Kosuke and Lofton? 17 MM for both guys would seem a much better investment than Andruw Jones, but who knows? Four free agency candidates, but I think you can discard Aaron Rowand off that list as I am pretty sure he won’t be coming here. So that leaves Andruw, Kosuke and Lofton as the remaining options. I agree with you on Lofton being a fallback option, so its down to two. Andruw’s season may have been a fluke IMO, and I would much rather sign the sure thing rather than the unknown. At least we know Andruw will hit around 25 bombs, true he will strikeout a lot, but he also brings out the same defense Cameron has. Offer Andruw a one-year deal to help us contend and I would be satisfied. On the other face of the coin we have Kosuke. Many people say he is the best Japanese FA right now and I pretty much agree. In case we fail of acquiring Jones, I’d go straight to Kosuke. A four year deal wouldn’t be bad at around 11 MM. I wouldn’t say him playing only RF would be a problem. You just switch Brian Giles to LF (his original position in Pittsburgh I believe) and have Kosuke at RF though the CF void would still be there. In that case how about signing both Kosuke and Lofton? 17 MM for both guys would seem a much better investment than Andruw Jones, but who knows?

]]>