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For me, the question of Abreu, Griffey, GA is a big shrug. You can spend a lot of money to accomplish nothing, or a little money to accomplish nothing.
Depending on the phase of the moon, I either snicker or cringe at these discussions. And I think I've finally figured out why. It isn't my newfound interest in focusing on team psychology. It isn't my curiosity of watching plan "Z" from outer space unfold, so I can figure out what the new GM is REALLY up to, (rather than what he says he's up to). No, my mirth (or ire), is because of one thing -- the "savior" syndrome.
Think about it. After 2007 -- after 88 wins -- after the offense was just a bit above average, and the pitching was solid except for two HUGE holes -- after that, most of the blog-o-sphere caught SS. The belief (by many, but not all), was that if the Ms could just fix the mess in the 4/5 slots of the rotation, the team could compete in 2008. Bedard and Silva were the fixes, (and didn't make everyone happy) - but they WERE that attempt to go out and add those 7 extra wins.
Well, we saw the result of that -- 101 losses, a team backsliding into the Pit of Dispair.
I like what "Z" has done so far. I am optimistic that the team may be headed in the right direction for 2009. But, c'mon, does anyone REALLY think the current roster is actually poised for the playoffs if it gets "just one more" piece?!?
If you replaced Yubet with AROD - and all the other spots stayed the same - are the Ms winning the division?!? I don't think so. Not for one minute. It ain't about production. It ain't about projections. It's about a 40-game gap between the Ms and first place in 2008. There's three teams in the division that were better than the Ms last season - and there remain 3 teams that are "probably" better than them today.
You could put the 2004 version of Barry Bonds in LF for the Ms, and they STILL wouldn't make the playoffs. (The 2004 Giants didn't make the playoffs, either - and they had a much better team across the board.) Abreu is NOT going to post a 1400 OPS, either.
Me? If *I* am GM, and want to bring in one more bat for DH/1B/OF depth? I probably look into getting Kevin Millar. No, he's not a production machine. But, he'd bring a personality to the team that might offset all the gloom and doom of the recent past.
I'm still of the opinion that it's silly to pay large money to get the declining years for a player - and just about everyone mentioned, (except maybe Dunn), falls into that category.
But, perhaps the item in all of this that makes me pause is -- why is NOBODY mentioning Prentice Redmon? He's 28, and has never gotten a shot in the majors. Fine. But, he hit .959 in Tacoma, with 19-HR in 319 ABs, and only fanned 45 while walking 37. Okay - he didn't make the bigs at 22 - so he's not going to the Hall of Fame. Who cares? But, he hit pretty much just as well as Wlad did in AAA last season. He's 28 - NOT 38 -- and he's gotta know his time is all but up for making the majors.
Personally, I think the team has a bunch of guys with the potential to post .780 - .800 OPS figures in the OF, if things break right for them -- Wlad, Morse, Redmon.
Why is everyone so desperate to run and pay lots of money for a declining .830 OPS, instead of paying nothing at all to get MULTIPLE shots at a climbing .750?