Gerald Laird

[Brian the Automator]

link

The Marlins are the most aggressive suitor for Rangers catcher Gerald Laird, but add the Brewers to the list of interested clubs, which also includes the Reds and Yankees.

Brewers GM Doug Melvin acquired Laird for the Rangers in 2002, and Laird would be a strong complement to Jason Kendall, who needs to start only 16 more games to guarantee his vesting option for next season.

The Rangers are seeking a young starting pitcher in return for Laird, and also fielding calls on their other catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

With Salome close-ish and Rivera not really all that bad of an option, it's weird to hear the Brewers name in Laird rumors.

[brewmann04]

I very schocked seems like the brewers are actually ok at that position,maybe Lucroy is going to clev after all.

[endaround]

My guess is that because the Brewers were interested before they got pulled up again. Does anyone really think Kendall is going to catch significantly less game next year? Its just not worth it.

[JoeHova]

Why is Doug so obsessed with Laird? He's rumored to be traded to the Brewers every freaking year. The elephant in the room is that Laird sucks, despite him having 150 nice AB's this year. I think it would be a horribly stupid move to trade for Laird. What is the point when Kendall plays every game anyway? What could be the possible upgrade? He and Rivera have exactly identical career hitting numbers. Meanwhile, Mike is making the minimum, Laird is getting $1.6 million this year and will get much more next year. In addition to salary, the Brewers would have to give up talent as well. I hate the idea of trading for Laird and if Doug does it, I think he should be fired. I'm not even joking about that. He needs to realize that there are more players in MLB than just ones he's had before. I don't think Laird is an upgrade over Rivera and I don't think he's worth giving up any talent for. This isn't as bad as the Brian Schnieder rumor/wishful Met thinking of last month, but it makes just as little sense.

[dadofandrew]

Laird is supposedly a very good backstop, though I've heard TEX fans say he doesn't frame pitches well. Rivera, at best, is average defensively.

 

No doubt he'd be an upgrade, but money wise it would seem strange. It'd be more for '09 than '08.

[markedman5]

I know the Brewers love Kendall behind the plate but it would be really nice to upgrade that position offensively.

[Postseason2006]

Another Melvin boy? What a suprise.

[Oldcity]

Yeah, cause Francisco Cordero and Doug Davis worked out terribly.

[JoeHova]

I know the Brewers love Kendall behind the plate but it would be really nice to upgrade that position offensively.

Then Laird isn't your man.

[endaround]

Larid BABIP is .369 with a LD% of 19.4 meaning his BABIP is about 69 point too high based upon how he's hit.

[JohnBriggs12]

Kendall's been a bust offensively. With him in the lineup, it's like having 2 pitchers batting.

 

I'd be all for any move that results in Kendall being benched. Laird is a much better offensive player than Kendall at this stage of Kendall's career. Personally, I'd be all over the Pirates for Ryan Doumit.

[PeaveyFury]

Kendall's been a bust offensively.

 

Considering how low the expectations were for him offensively, I don't think he's a bust. Everyone was more or less expecting him to be pretty bad at the plate.

[dadofandrew]

Jason has a OBP of .332, well above average for a C. Laird offers more power, but has not done much for his career either. Catchers don't hit, with rare exception, I'm not sure why this is always a surprise.

[JoeHova]

Jason has a OBP of .332, well above average for a C. Laird offers more power, but has not done much for his career either. Catchers don't hit, with rare exception, I'm not sure why this is always a surprise.

 

 

sure, they aren't good hitters generally, but they also aren't totally useless with the bat usually. People go too far in trying to defend bad hitting catchers. The positional average OPS+ over the past 20 years is 87. Kendall is well below that this year. So is Laird for his career. Granted that OPS+ slightly underrates Kendall because OBP is his strength, but not enough to change the point that he's been pretty bad with the bat, even for a catcher.

[Postseason2006]

Yeah, cause Francisco Cordero and Doug Davis worked out terribly.

Considering we could have Ervin Santana now over Cordero, Mench, and Nix, yes. Davis I will give you.

[logan82]

League average catcher .259/.328/.393/.721

Kendall .246/.331/.323/.656

 

Add good defense and I don't think he is to far off league average which is more than we can say about our other options.

[PeaveyFury]

Considering we could have Ervin Santana now over Cordero, Mench, and Nix, yes.

 

Link, please?

[jwill535]

I have always wondered the same thing. People always mention the Santana possibility but I only remember being speculation from a media source or was made proposals from people on this board that was repeated so many times that they became fact. The only other trade I remember was the one from the Tigers for the big time pitcher that went to the Yankees and then blew out his arm the next year.