Some Thoughts On Juan Rivera
by Eric Stephen on Nov 2, 2011 7:59 PM PDT
in Los Angeles Dodgers Roster
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One year ago the Dodgers signed a 33-year old player who hit .288/.350/.491 (a 122 OPS+) with 12 home runs in 237 plate appearances to a one-year contract worth $1 million. The right-handed hitter was not expected to play every day, but at least provide pop off the bench and hit left-handed pitching while playing occasionally in left field and perhaps first base.
This year the Dodgers have are about to sign a 33-year old right-hander, who hit .258/.319/.382 (a 91 OPS+) with 11 home runs in 521 plate appearances to a one-year contract (plus an option year). The price? $4 million, guaranteed, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
That is what the Dodgers are going to pay Juan Rivera to return to Los Angeles, hoping his second-half production will continue going forward. Or at the very least outproduce what Marcus Thames provided in 2011 (.197/.243/.333 with two home runs in 36 games).
Rivera was dumped by the Toronto Blue Jays at the All-Star break last year, and the Dodgers picked him up off the scrap heap, acquiring him for cash.
Rivera performed reasonably well for the Dodgers, hitting .274/.333/.406, but he made his money in run-scoring situations. Rivera hit .344/.405/.484 in 79 plate appearances with runners in scoring position, and drove in 46 runs in his 62 games as a Dodger, finishing ninth in the National League in RBI after the All-Star break. As a Dodger, Rivera came to the plate with a runner on third base and less than two outs 22 times, and he got the runner home 18 times, an astonishing 81.8% (the National League average in that situation was 49.9% in 2011).
Rivera's overall numbers were rather ordinary, but he was Ruthian compared to what the Dodgers got out of first base and left field in the 92 games before the break:
- 2011 Dodgers first basemen, prior to All-Star break: .263/.308/.322 with four home runs
- 2011 Dodgers left fielders, prior to All-Star break: .231/.305/.313 with two home runs
The Dodgers had a need for anyone who wasn't an automatic out at two positions, and Rivera provided that. But to expect much more than thought seems unwise. Here are Rivera's last four seasons:
| Year | Team | G | PA | BA/OBP/SLG | OPS | OPS+ | wOBA | wRC+ |
| 2008 | Ana | 89 | 280 | .246/.282/.438 | .720 | 86 | .306 | 83 |
| 2009 | Ana | 138 | 572 | .287/.332/.478 | .810 | 111 | .348 | 110 |
| 2010 | Ana | 124 | 455 | .252/.312/.409 | .721 | 99 | .314 | 94 |
| 2011 | Tor/LA | 132 | 521 | .258/.319/.382 | .701 | 91 | .308 | 96 |
| Thanks to Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs | ||||||||
Rivera during that span has hit .284/.338/.501 against left-handed pitching, so at the very least Rivera would make an interesting platoon partner at first base or one of the corner outfield spots. But it's unlikely that the Dodgers guaranteed Rivera $4 million to sit on the bench.
*****
In other news earlier today, in case you missed it, the Dodgers added outfielder / first baseman Scott Van Slyke and outfielder Alfredo Silverio to the 40-man roster. Both were with the Double A Chattanooga Lookouts all season.
There are now 32 players on the Dodgers' 40-man roster, 33 once Rivera officially signs.
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Van Slyke/Silverio
Any thoughts if these will be the only Rule 5 moves this year? If so, the Dodgers are risking the loss of Griff.
hopefully not
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 8:10 PM PDT up reply actions
We missed out on Santana so...
Id like to see a home grown catcher like Griff Make it on this club some day.
"Next year, we're definitely going to make the playoffs."
-MVP
More moves will likely be made by November 19
I think (but am not certain) that both Van Slyke and Silverio could have been six-year minor league free agents, and the timetable for that is different (i.e. they could have become free agents this week).
From Today's SI
“In the first 106 World Series, 105 teams stood one strike away from the championship and eventually won it. The only exception was the 1986 Red Sox. In the 107th World Series, Washington’s Rangers became the ‘86 Red Sox’ fraternal twin.”
So only twice in WS history has a team been one strike away and then gone on to lose to series.
only way Loney goes
is if the Dodgers sign Fielder or Pujols
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 8:15 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm guessing he'll split time with rivera
and will play against lefties at 1st
Watch me all in flames, on a butterfly I ride
Mid 30's September heroes.
for the last 3 or 4 years the Dodgers have picked a nick-knack off the heep who has had an amazing offensive burst sometime in the second half. I can’t even remember their names which is a positive as the Dodgers give these guys a lot of money to come back and they fall on their butts the next year. I bet this is Rivera’s fate and I hope it is the last stupid mistake the McCourt/Colletti regime will make. We will get a new GM, won’t we! The Dodgers are a large market team, and should be able to acquire good young free agents if the need one.
so
Free Agents can start talking to other teams tomorrow right?
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
(watches clock)
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions
i say again
i wouldn’t mind kicking the tires on Sizemore
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
not too hard
don’t want to hurt him :)
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 8:42 PM PDT up reply actions
if I hadn't said it
you would’ve right?
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 8:44 PM PDT up reply actions
yeah
that was a hanging slider rather than 93 down the middle
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions
I have no problem
with 1 year $4M for Rivera.
This post was brought to you by…
#Depth
#Gangbusters
#SlightOverpays
and the letter R.
by Xeifrank on Nov 2, 2011 8:54 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
FOUR!! FOUR MILLION DOLLARS!!!
AH AH AH AH AH AH!!!!!
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 8:56 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I wonder if the amount of overpay for Rivera is the difference between paying Jamey Carroll or Aaron Miles to be a backup IF in 2012.
Follow @DavidYoungTBLA
- The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Fantasy QB start
Mike, on your question earlier about Cutler/Freeman/Flacco — I’d lean towards Freeman at New Orleans. I’m mostly basing this on the likely high volume of pass attempts for TB. He also has some success against the Saints (SSS):
69/110 (62.7%), 5 TD, 0 INT in three starts
this quote cracked me up, had to share. about the approval process for the auction
‘’Baseball can choose to have their approval process move like molasses in winter or like Castor oil through a baby,’’ said Marc Ganis, president of Sportscorp, a Chicago-based consulting firm.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
They also have to do the examinations/investigations for approval for all the bidders before the auction starts, rather than just do one for the winner.
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- The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
My guess is that Colletti is hoping Rivera is the OF/1b of 2010 Aaron Miles: doesn’t technically have a starting job but ends up playing 136 games. Only difference is that they’re paying him a lot more than 2010 Aaron Miles. I was so for bringing Rivera back, but not for this price and not with this (supposed) role.
I don't think Miles
was ever meant to play that many games
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 9:05 PM PDT up reply actions
Right
that was a worst case scenario – significant injury time to all three of Furcal, Blake and Uribe.
Follow @DavidYoungTBLA
- The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
should I start
Matt Ryan or Ryan Fitzpatrick? They’re both projected to get the same amount of points.
while I don't think Fielder or Pujols will
anyone think some of the other FAs sign before the Winter Meetings?
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
The Humma Take
I don’t mind the Rivera signing, but I wrote off the 2012 season before a single game was played in 2010.
It is a move as uninspiring as it is unsurprising as it is unobjectionable.
magnae clunes mihi placent, nec possum de hac re mentiri.
quis enim, consortes mei, non fateatur
LOL
masnRoch
If Ned Colletti wants out of LA, #orioles would certainly be interested in talking to him.
As LOL as this is………….
…………if Colletti does go, do the Dodgers promote DeJon Watson, who, it seems, is such an inspiring candidate that the Orioles have passed on him?
magnae clunes mihi placent, nec possum de hac re mentiri.
quis enim, consortes mei, non fateatur
I think only Silverwidow would assume anyone else knows GM candidates by picture ;P
TBLA 2011 Postseason Prediction Champion
Ned Colletti does have a lot of experience
working for shitty owner, which will help him in Baltimore, apparently.
Follow @DavidYoungTBLA
- The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Chevy Volt commercials
make me not want to own a Chevy Volt. Having to explain your car would get annoying.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
Whenever I feel this way, I think back to the GM exec who appeared on the Colbert Report, oh, two or three or four or five years ago, who said — I’ll paraphrase — “I’m not sure what kind of pinko commie douchebag would want to buy an electric car, but apparently that person exists, so go figure, and we’ll sell that douchebag a car.”
That appearance alone made me want to buy a Volt.
magnae clunes mihi placent, nec possum de hac re mentiri.
quis enim, consortes mei, non fateatur
I found the interview, if you care, which you probably don’t.
magnae clunes mihi placent, nec possum de hac re mentiri.
quis enim, consortes mei, non fateatur
by Humma Kavula on Nov 2, 2011 10:04 PM PDT up reply actions
I’ve only watched the first 2 minutes of that so far…
Did the GM exec really say he wish he was in charge of the world economy and he’d do a better job? This guy was there running the company before the bailout of GM?
The law in question is this: never let the facts get in the way of a good joke.
You are not in violation of the law, in that, as far as I can tell, you are not making a joke, but noting an irony.
magnae clunes mihi placent, nec possum de hac re mentiri.
quis enim, consortes mei, non fateatur
by Humma Kavula on Nov 2, 2011 10:21 PM PDT up reply actions
There is a lot less activity here tonight than there was last night.
magnae clunes mihi placent, nec possum de hac re mentiri.
quis enim, consortes mei, non fateatur
reflects activity concerning the Dodgers for the day
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 9:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Props to nolander for accurately predicting the demise of Chris Johnson. Holy cripes does he suck now.
I didn't think it would be this bad
but he really seems to have stopped caring. He really doesn’t even look like he is trying
Watch me all in flames, on a butterfly I ride
dude is straight up DUMB and a dick
obviously only cared about getting paid
Watch me all in flames, on a butterfly I ride
He took advantage of a system that would cast him aside at the first possibility. He’s a hero.
Minor League Central @mlcentral @andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Nov 2, 2011 10:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Can't blame him for trying to get paid
RB’s have a short shelf life…
Of course, you can’t blame the fans either for shitting on him now that he got paid…
First of all, nobody's ever thought that. Ever.
I can blame him for having completely unreasonable demands as to what he should be paid
and then to show up and be complete shit on top of it? Yeah, I’m not going to sing the guys praises, sorry.
Watch me all in flames, on a butterfly I ride
I’ve watched enough (all?) of the games to know the line is who is to blame for a majority of his problems. No RB could run behind our offensive line. On almost every play they are getting pushed 3 to 5 yards back into the backfield.
watching him run directly into the defender
when he does get into space does not scream effort to me
Watch me all in flames, on a butterfly I ride
Try getting hit in the backfield on 95% of your plays and see how much effort you put into it.
I’m not saying he has no fault. He has dropped a number of screens (which would open up the field more) and has had some piss poor routes at other times, but he’s the last guy I blame. First is the offensive line and second is Palmer and his crappy excuse for a run offense. You should know all about Palmer’s crappy run schemes from his time in Houston.
less then 3 yards a carry
is turrible. Unless you are saying that the Titans line is by far the worst run blocking team in the NFL, its not all just them.
Watch me all in flames, on a butterfly I ride
Fear from 1998
Can’t decide if the Dave Stewart comment regarding new ownership and signing Kemp long term is posturing or if he wants to take Kemp to free agency. I don’t know how Ned can work out a long term contract for Kemp without new ownership in place, which I question can be done before 2012 season. We lost Piazza this way.
If O’Malley has the inside track I would love to have him have a personal conversation with Kemp saying he would be part of his long term Dodger plans. Realize this could boost up Kemp’s price.
sounded like fairly standard agent speak. though they are definitely open to an extension.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 10:14 PM PDT up reply actions
Ha, just got around to seeing this
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=19850991&topic_id=&c_id=la&tcid=vpp_copy_19850991&v=3
"Next year, we're definitely going to make the playoffs."
-MVP
by funkyjam on Nov 2, 2011 10:16 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
jerry sands is not particularly funny
but it was amusing for awhile
Watch me all in flames, on a butterfly I ride
Dave Cameron’s offseason plan.
Minor League Central @mlcentral @andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Nov 2, 2011 6:12 PM PDT reply actions
I wish Rubby was healthy..
http://www.ussmariner.com/2011/11/02/daves-201-off-season-plan/
tl;dr Add up the WARs, unless it helps the Mariners.
Minor League Central @mlcentral @andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Nov 2, 2011 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions
ESPN article
giving “odds” on potential Dodgers owners.
Dennis Gilbert was given the best odds at 4-1
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 10:30 PM PDT reply actions
I know he’s just being the normal idiot that he is, but… hell no.
@dodgerscribe:
Just heard Donald Trump tell @gretawire on Fox News that he “might” have interest in buying Dodgers.
he’s less likely than Cuban IMO
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions
I suppose we all wonder if Selig was really born in America.
"It takes a special fan to root for a last place moribund bankrupt franchise."
by Little Blue Bicycle on Nov 3, 2011 6:28 AM PDT up reply actions
The fourth paragraph
of Bill Dwyre’s brown-nosing piece on Bud Selig and the Dodgers in the LAT:
To many in this generation of sports critics who have a pair of pajamas, a laptop and a basement to type from,Bill, please kindly go fuck yourself.
Follow @DavidYoungTBLA
- The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
only toast I think Dodger fans are raising to Selig is
“Thanks for fixing your mistake, jerk.”
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Nov 2, 2011 11:20 PM PDT up reply actions
I’m getting the feeling a lot of our free agents will be back if we are going to overpay this much for Rivera’s stretch here like we did after Barajas. So I think the midget militia will be back, and Broxton will come back on a one year incentive-laden deal. This is going to be our off season.
Also, am I the only one who finds Nick Swardson to be painfully not funny?
(actually, i think this one's a camera angle deal)
@TElciram
by Taylor Maricle on Nov 3, 2011 1:21 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm ambivalent on O'Malley's overture
talk about fixing a mistake…I have a bad taste in my mouth from not only the sale to FUX, but also the last few years of his regime when Claire and Lasorda made some fucking terrible decisions. He can come back with an investment group and hire someone with VISION and a fresh approach (read analytically-minded) and make me happy, but not if he brings back a dinosaur brigade.
Overqualified in an underqualified world since 2008.
When it became apparent in 1986 that Virginia Tech was going to fire Bill Dooley as AD and head football coach, he took early revenge by constructing a season that contained three home games and road trips to national powers. It cost many million dollars of university money for his replacements to fix it. Maybe Rivera is Ned’s more benign equivalent.
"It takes a special fan to root for a last place moribund bankrupt franchise."
by Little Blue Bicycle on Nov 3, 2011 6:18 AM PDT reply actions
Morosi says
The deal is worth a guaranteed $4.5 million
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
New post
in case you haven’t seen it already.
http://www.truebluela.com/2011/11/3/2533197/2011-dodgers-40-man-roster-addition-rule-5-draft-preview
Follow @DavidYoungTBLA
- The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
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