Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Martin Prado Should Be The New Kelly Johnson


The other day my colleague and good friend Bryan Van Dusen brought up the possibility of the New York Yankees trading for a Martin Prado to replace Brian Roberts on the club. While I agree that Prado would be a good acquisition I think Bryan was off just a little. Prado should replace Kelly Johnson, not Roberts, and here is why. It is worth mentioning, before we get too deep into this, that Prado is signed through the 2016 season at $11 million annually for the rest of this season and 2015-2016.

The first reason for not wanting Prado to replace Roberts is this is a typical Yankees move signing a veteran guy long term to block a prospect like Rob Refsnyder. The second reason is I do not believe Alex Rodriguez can be effective in 2015 after basically sitting out for two consecutive seasons late into his 30's. The third reason is Kelly Johnson needs to go and go now. Roberts plays adequate defense and is a switch hitter, if worse came to worse for Roberts he could be a pretty damn good bench guy for the Yankees. Johnson is basically a bench guy for the Yankees and is not having a great time at it.

Johnson was brought in because of his versatility and potential for pop and RBI's at the bottom of the order. Johnson has played 810 games at second base, 133 games in left field, 43 games at third base, and 27 games at first base in his career making him a good guy to have around. Prado on the other hand has played 374 games at third base, 252 games in left field and one game in right field, 245 games at second base,  56 games at first base, and 16 games as a shortstop. Losing the versatility of Johnson is not only replaced but improved upon if you add Mr. Prado.

Johnson was brought in to hit home runs and drive runners in. In 2014 Johnson is hitting .222 with four home runs and 16 RBI's and has not exactly instilled fear in opposing pitchers. While Prado has not been great he has been better lately and has a .274 average with three home runs and 34 RBI's on a much worse Arizona Diamondbacks team. Prado also only has 44 strikeouts in 318 plate appearances where Johnson has 40 K's in 160 plate appearances, or once every four at bats.

Johnson's left handed swing may have been made for Yankee Stadium but Prado's right handed swing balances out the lineup and makes the team better. Get it done Cash and DFA Johnson now.

23 comments:

  1. Perez Prado vs Martin Prado....who's the bargain ? Perez !
    Two questions.
    Where did this Martin Prado thing start ? It is no where else.
    Bigger question, before you guys turn your guns this way...What will this non-impact player cost in players ?

    A better deal, is the dead Prado.....

    Dámaso Pérez Prado (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpeɾes ˈpɾaðo]; December 11, 1916 – September 14, 1989) was a Cuban bandleader, musician (singer, organist and pianist), and composer. He is often referred to as the King of the Mambo.[1][2] Pérez was his surname, thus Dámaso Pérez, his true name, became known by the paternal and maternal surnames Pérez Prado.

    The Mombo King...can he pitch ?

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  2. Sounds like good advice to me, Daniel!

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  3. We aren't here trying to be like everyone else, we're us :) Just because the rest of the media hasn't seen that Prado improves the team doesn't make it any less true. The pitching has been stable and we're still losing, a bat would help.

    I mentioned in the article that Prado would cost us a couple guys you have never heard of unless you really look at the minor leagues every day. No Gary Sanchez, no O'Brien, No Judge, No Jagielo or Clarkin or anyone like that.

    Maybe Shane Greene, maybe Kyle Roller (unfortunately). etc. Replaceable 25 years old-ish "prospects" that could be in Arizona in a year or two, if not this season.

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  4. It's amazing how in love Yankees fans get with their prospects. You'd think guys like Roller were the second coming of Mike Trout.

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  5. No one has said Roller was the second coming of Trout and no one is really stroking him the way former prospects like Jesus Montero, Jose Tabata, and Austin Jackson were. Nobody is stroking anyone.

    If you disagree that Kyle Roller wouldn't be a better backup first basemen than Kelly Johnson then you're wrong and I forgive you for it :)

    If you disagree that all the other guys I mention regularly wouldn't be upgrades over Kelly (notice I haven't mentioned replacing Roberts or Ichiro and want him, even if it's in a bench/part time role) then I just have to respectfully disagree.

    It is also amazing that the last two times we relied heavily on prospects, and I mean by choice not by baptism of fire like 2013, we produced Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Robinson Cano, Brett Gardner, Ivan Nova, David Robertson, and a plethora of other good players that are not household names. That's not mentioning the boatload of former Yankees we traded away too soon.

    I know you're not a prospects guy and I am so we will never truly see eye to eye, and honestly probably never meet in the middle, on the subject but you cannot totally dismiss prospects like you seem to do sometimes. Especially when everyone around baseball wants to emulate the Tampa Bay Rays and St. Louis Cardinals for doing the same damn thing.

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    1. I said that in reference to the idea of trading prospects for MLB-ready help. Some fans fall in love with any and all prospects, and don't want to trade them for anything. No matter how much it makes sense.

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    2. That is something I can get behind and agree with.

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  6. MARTIN PRADO....after this, I throw my shovel into the grave.
    One least question :
    If one acquires, this very talented, Martin Prado...for Shane Greene. And, with Prado signed through
    2016 for 11 million annually....( here it comes )...What do you do next year when Alex Rodriquez,
    who is owed 66 million, makes his return ?
    Who is better Kyle Roller, or Peter O'Brien ?

    There, I've thrown the shovel down the in the grave !
    I can always climb down there, and fetch it again, if need be.

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  7. Prado can play 2B, 1B, SS, LF, RF, and 3B so why limit to just "what are you going to do with Alex Rodriguez? Especially when Alfonso Soriano, LF/RF is a Free agent. Especially when Brian Roberts and Kelly Johnson are free agents.

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  8. Bob Dylan...at times would use the phrase..." renegade priests ", when he was making a point
    in a song. Keep my shovel. Renegade priests can not make me go back down there after it.

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  9. So you ask a question, bury your shovel, and then refuse to answer mine. That doesn't seem fair but ok.

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    1. My shovel...from the grave, is in my hands.
      At the moment listening to...'Bad Company' ....are you too young to know them ?

      Answer your question ? I can not. This whole Prado thing, lives only here.
      This is a southern thing. Red clay, and back woods girls.
      Lynyrd Skynard music, cold beer, and a warm friend. ( Female )

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  10. The Prado fire is spreading, seen on Pinstripe Alley now

    http://www.pinstripealley.com/yankees-rumors-offseason-hot-stove/2014/6/25/5841900/mlb-trade-rumors-yankees-diamondbacks-firesale-mccarthy-prado

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  11. ELLIJAY....five bucks it never happens. I belong to PayPal, so it will be easy for you to pay up.

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  12. PINSTRIPEALLEY ????
    They are not even on your list of favorite blogs ! Why not include Yankee Fans Unite ?
    Your sources are scrapping the bottom. Only you, and six other people are into this
    Prado thing. And, Perez Prado is already dead.

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  13. Pinstripe Alley is one of the biggest and best Yankees blogs there is.... They aren't on the list because they didn't respond to the email to do a link exchange. If our link is not on their site their link is not on our site.

    And who would bet on the Yankees actually doing something to help the team? That's a fools bet, especially when there are much older and over the hill salary dumps we can acquire like Alex Rios.

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  14. You know you can disagree with someone without derailing the whole thread, discussion, and though process right? You're kind of being a dick about it when no one currently here has reciprocated that animosity towards you.

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  15. Dan Burch :
    Never intended my words / humor....to construe me as a dick.
    On bland nights, I will always mix in spice, as I tug at another's cuffs. It is sometimes called
    a different point of view.
    Animosity ? Never used that card. That's not what was done here.

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  16. My apologies then, you know how words can be misconstrued and such and don't always come across as humor. Truly sorry. Maybe i'm on my period this week, lol.

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  17. Dan Burch :
    There are no apologies required, when men speak to men, as men. Paged turned.
    That is what sets your site different, from the one I arrived from.
    I was banned .. 'for life'.. three times at YFU...for just questioning, simple daily postings.
    Why three times, how could that be ?....that will cost you a beer.

    You have never asked..." If it was so bad at YFU, why did you stay, and not leave ?
    I stayed for Tommy, and Ken. Sort of like, no man is left behind. If you can understand.
    Just thought I would connect the dots for you.

    No need to ever apologize to me. Just return the fire, I sent over to your side.........patrick.

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  18. Now that is the way it is done! Good going guys.

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    Replies
    1. Kenneth....Yes, that is the way it is done. Stay well................patrick.

      Delete

Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)