From Jayson Werth's Baseball Reference page:December 11, 2000: Traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Toronto Blue Jays for John Bale.
Ouch. In case you were wondering, this is what the O's got out of John Bale: 26 and 2/3 innings of relief in 2001 with a 3.04 ERA. He was traded to the Mets for Gary Matthews, Jr. the following Spring, and has been a fringe major leaguer ever since, suffering through 43 games in the Royals bullpen this year with a 5.72 ERA that probably should have been worse (judging by his 1.84 WHIP).
You probably know all about Werth, but let me put it in stark relief. In 2009, the Phillies right fielder hit .268. Not bad. Of course he also scored 98 runs, walked 91 times, clouted 36 home runs, and stole 20 bases for good measure. Today he scored the first run of the defending World Champs' 5-1 win in Game 1 of the NLDS, and later tripled in another run.
Sure, the Orioles are pretty set in the outfield with three talented young players, each of whom is at least five years younger than Jayson. Sure, the Blue Jays and Dodgers both let him slip away as well. Neither of these facts makes it easier to accept his breakout season, occurring as it has some 12 years after the O's made the then-high school catcher their first overall draft pick.
Oh, and the inclusion of sluggard Ramon Hernandez on this card? That's just salt in the wound, isn't it?
As long as we're examining the other players pictured, I have no beef with Pat Cline. Besides the "Patsy" taunts that the poor young man must have endured from cruel peers, he slogged along for eight minor league seasons with a .762 OPS, never getting a brief taste of the majors.
But seriously, that Werth trade was turrible.
Werth is better than he was with the Dodgers, but he still strikes out too much. And I'd still rather have Andre Ethier in right field.
ReplyDeleteLove Werth - Lets face it at least two other teams gave up on Werth before the Phils claimed him. His early career was to injury prone. and the move to the OF must of helped him.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure Pat Gillick was in Baltimore when they drafted Werth but Gillick has always know he had potential.
night owl - He does strike out a lot, but that sort of thing is becoming less taboo. It's what he does with his other at-bats that makes him valuable. Still, you're right...the Dodgers have a good enough outfield that they don't necessarily need him.
ReplyDeletedeal - Yeah, he wasn't going to get very far as a catcher. He was drafted in 1997, so that would have been under Gillick's watch.
You can guage the strength of an organization by a trade it makes. These trades are indicative of what we've become. Whether we trade for the short term or long term, it seems as though everything is messed up. Compare this to Frank Robinson, Mike Cuellar, Rick Dempsey etc
ReplyDeleteMr P - Let's hope that Bedard for Jones, Tillman, Sherrill, Mickolio, and Butler was the trade that turned the tables.
ReplyDelete