Yanks Acquire Chad Gaudin
Posted by Steve L. on August 6th, 2009 · Comments (27)
The Yankees have acquired starting pitcher Chad Gaudin from the Padres for a player to be named later.
Gaudin, 26, is a little righty who has been around. Before joining the Yankees, he’s pitched in the majors for the Rays, Blue Jays, A’s, Cubs, and Padres. He’s much more effective against RH-batters than LH-batters, to date, in his career – as the latter have fashioned a .388 OBA against him.
In his last 11 starts this season for the Padres, Gaudin has gone 2-6 with an ERA of 5.22 in 58.2 innings pitched.
You can probably expect the same from him when he pitches for the Yankees this season.
Hey, he’d be the #3 starter on Boston with those numbers….
But seriously, the sad thing is he’d be an upgrade on Mitre or anything in AAA. I’ve heard some rumblings that Igawa looks better, but I don’t buy it. We’ve been there.
Russ Ortiz and Chad Gaudin…blech.
MJ wrote:
Your Brian Cashman tax dollars working hard for you!
Oh for the days of Darrell May and Tim Redding….
Someone has to start @ SWB. Igawa and Towers can’t do it by themselves.
Igawa could start everyday..hes the Chuck Norris of the Minor Leagues.
Gaudin has decent career numbers, and can start or relieve. He’s ok.
yagottagotomo1 wrote:
He’s like Shawn Chacon or Bruce Chen…which is better than a Willie Banks or Rob Bell…but not as good as a Chris Nabholz or David Bush…
If that’s “OK,” then you and I have the bar set at different places….
@ JeremyM: Basically, this tells Igawa: “We would rather activate Dave Eiland and Mike Harkey off the coaching staff and pitch them before we would ever call you up again…”
Best $46 million ever spent by Cashman…
He has a career ERA of 4.58 and has pitched in the AL East before, can start or relieve. Not saying that he is Cy Young, but he should be a decent fifth starter.
yagottagotomo1 wrote:
His career ERA+ (which takes park factors out of it) is 91.
This means he’s not even league average. In a pitcher’s park, like when he was in Oakland, he can post a decent outing or two. But, in the new Yankee Stadium, he’ll be cooked.
You know how many teams have 5 starters that are league average or better? I’d guess not many.
yagottagotomo1 wrote:
An in-ter-est-ing question. Let’s go see:
Baltimore: Either Brian Matusz or Chris Tillman. Both of whom are talented, but rookies. Tillman has the higher ceiling, Matusz is much more polished. I’d much rather have either one than Gaudin.. But anywho, if it’s Tillman, then no, he’s gotten slapped around in his 1st two starts in the bigs. Matsuz did OK in his 1st start. The notional 5th starter was Rich Hill. So it’s 0 for 1, so far.
Boston: Clay Buchholz. Worlds more talent than Gaudin, buuuuut…his ERA is 6.05. 0 for 2.
Tampa: 5th man was Sonnestine, but no more. Now either Niemann, who’s lots better, or Price, who’s slightly worse, but moving up with a bullet. Call it 1 for 3.
Toronto: Brian Tallett or Brett Cecil. Call it Cecil. 2 for 4.
Chicago: Was Clayton Richard. Now, with pickup of Peavy, either Conteras or Bartolo Colon. Let’s assume Contreras is losing his rotation slot. Colon is at 4.22. 3 for 5.
Cleveland: Jeremy Sowers at this point. His ERA+ is the same as Gaudin’s. 3 for 6.
Detroit: With Acquistion of Washburn, Galarraga is now 5th starter. ERA is 5.22. In Comerica. 3 for 7.
Kansas City: With Meche on the DL, it was Sir Sidney the Fat. Now it’s Bruce Chen. When Meche gets back, it’ll be Luke Hochevar, who has some talent, and shows some slight improvement. Any way you slice this one, it’s still 3 for 8.
Minnesota: With Slowey out for the season, the #5 slot falls to either Perkins or Swarzak. Both have some long-term potential, but right now, it’s 3 for 9.
Anaheim: At this moment, the #5 is hard to pin down. Palmer? Loux? O’Sullivan O’Sullivan is over 100, but it’s only 6 starts. This is the only sore spot on a very solid club. 3 for 10.
Oakland: Vin Mazzaro? Gio Gonzalez. Both have excellent stuff. Both have been flambed. Repeatedly. 3 for 11.
Seattle: It’s Jakubaskas or Vargas. 3 for 12.
Texas: When he returns from the DL, it’s Brandon McCarthy, unless Holland stays in the rotation. Either way, 3 for 13.
Well, there you have it, the #5 starter on 10 of the other 13 teams is below average.
Chad Gaudin, come on down!! You’re the next contestant on the (Waiver) Price Is Right!!!
“You know how many teams have 5 starters that are league average or better? I’d guess not many.”
Good post #13. And let’s use common sense. AVERAGE by definition if middle-of-the-pack. Add the numbers 1 thru 9 together (45) and the average is 5. 4 Numbers higher, 4 numbers lower.
If the AL League average is 4.43, the average team may have ERAs in a rotation, #1 thru #5 of 3.44, 3.93. 4.43, 4.93 and 5.43…. although typically, the #5 on a team is worse then stated above.
On a WINNING team, like the Yankees, you want better then ‘average’ numbers. However, with Wang out, Phil in the BP, and IPK injured (and many other farm hands jured as well), we are a bit short handed. Certainly, you would not initially build a winning team with a #5 like Gaudin, but our reality now is:
… Is he better then Mitre? (maybe)
… what did he cost us? (nothing)
… can he help the BP? (possibly)
… Is this an example of throwing shit against the wall (TSAW) and seeing if it sticks? (YES!)
This is simply an example of ‘It MIGHT help and it can’t hurt’. I’m SURE Cashman is still looking for someone better. But TSAW moves are part of the game, and like Aaron Small, sometimes you get lucky.
Cashman’s best work? Of course not. Better then nothing? Maybe.
Besides, #5 starters are like BUC’s & BUIF’s; plentiful, and people don’t build their teams around them. Doesn’t work out, swap another one in until you find one that works.
Well said, OldYankeesFan and Evan. That’s exactly what I meant by ok.
From Geoff Young earlier this season…
“Chad Gaudin’s command in Colorado? A mirage. He was back to his old tricks Friday night, missing the strike zone with aplomb. He’s got good stuff — low-90s fastball with movement and a biting slider that made Justin Upton look ridiculous in the fifth — but doesn’t seem to trust it.
If you missed Gaudin’s start, his first batter of the night tells the story. Gaudin jumped ahead of Felipe Lopez, 0-2, and then walked him. From there, it was just variations on that theme. I could tell you more, but then I’d have to kill… myself.”
http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2009/06/is-it-giving-up-if-you-never-believed.html
…missing the strike zone with aplomb…
Sounds like Jose Veras Jr. to me.
Sometimes, guys, nothing is better than something…
…missing the strike zone with aplomb…
———
Sort of like the fat bastard that started the game for us last night, too.
Why is that necessary, MJ? I don’t get what makes him a fat bastard. Did you call him that after his 8 shutout against Tampa?
yagottagotomo1 wrote:
His obesity makes him a fat bastard.
I’m off the Joba train, irrespective of how he pitches from start to start. Call me consistent like that.
I will give you credit, though: you’re defending Joba the way I defend A-Rod. I hate when people bash A-Rod because he’s my favorite player so I hear where you’re coming from. I just can’t help myself, I’m beyond sick of Joba.
Steve Lombardi wrote:
Career BB/9
JV: 4.94
CG: 4.27
FWIW, Joba’s BB/9 has been trending upwards, he currently sports a 4.44 BB/9 on the season (Gaudin’s @ 4.78 on the year)
Marc Rzepczynski, who the Yanks faced earlier in the year is sporting a 4.81 BB/9…
Anyway, too much is being made of this. Gaudin’s another arm out of the pen that may or may not start. Don’t think he can be much worse than, say, David Weathers…
Well, that’s your prerogative, I guess. He has not been efficient, and that makes him unfit to be a top 2 starter at this point, but he is just 23. He lead the rotation in ERA and is 8-2 in his first full season as a starter, so I’ll take it. I have a feeling that at some point in the next season or two, you might be clmibing back on to the Joba train.
I have a feeling that at some point in the next season or two, you might be clmibing back on to the Joba train.
——–
I can respect his talent (he’s got that in abundance and I fully acknowledge that) but his personality is grating (to me) and nothing (literally nothing) annoys me more than seeing pitchers staked to huge leads who then proceed to walk the ballpark. Inefficient is being kind…
Incidentally, he may lead the team in ERA (3.73) but his FIP is a full run higher (4.76). Sabathia’s got the team-leading FIP at 3.74.
As to my re-joining the Joba train at some point in the future, I suppose I’ll “never say never” but it’ll take a lot for me to get there. The funny thing is that I was a huge, huge fan of his before this season, and not just as a bullpen arm. Maybe an off-season will help but right now, I’m absolutely sick of looking at him or hearing about him. Right now, the sight or sound of his name makes me fu*king sick.
Tell us how you really feel, MJ
clintfsu813 wrote:
Just did!
MJ wrote:
FWIW, 2009 FIP
Joba: 4.76
Chad: 3.68
Sergio: 4.52
[...] didn’t we? Then again, those in support of the Yankees recent acquistion of Chad Gaudin are quick to say things like it’s better than nothing and why not try it and then ditch it if it doesn’t [...]