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December 06, 2006
Jorge Cantu
From Ken Rosenthal -
The Devil Rays are getting significant trade interest in second baseman Jorge Cantu, who missed six weeks with a broken left foot early in the season and never regained full mobility.
If the Rays traded Cantu, they could play unsigned Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura at second and go with either B.J. Upton or Ty Wigginton at third.
Cantu, 24, had 28 homers, 117 RBIs and an .808 on-base/slugging percentage in 2005, but declined to 14 homer, 62 RBIs and a .699 OPS last season.
Cantu was pretty open this summer on how he just got down on himself. Maybe his numbers in 2006 where just the product of an injury leading to a slump. Sort of like Lou Piniella in 1975?
How about New York trading for Cantu to be the Yankees first baseman in 2007?
Yes, he's a bit of a hacker. But, the Yankees reportedly are willing to play a free-swinger at first because having "the incredibly patient Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu allows them to take a less patient hitter if he can provide the needed pop that they lack from the right side."
Plus, Cantu can also provide some back-up insurance around the entire infield - in a pinch.
The question is: What would it take to get the D-Rays to trade Cantu, even coming off a down year, to the Yankees? Tampa will probably ask for the moon. But, would they take someone like Jeff Marquez? If you're the Yankees, is that price too high?
I don't have the answers to this one. But, I'm digging the question for the moment, nonetheless.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at December 6, 2006 12:32 PM
Comments
If they're willing to take a less patient hitter, they may as well use some combination of Guiel, Wilson & Phillips @ 1b.
Posted by: Raf ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at December 6, 2006 02:04 PM
Yankees asked about Wiggington and the price was too high. I'm guessing the price is too high on Cantu. Though I think he makes perfect sense (we wouldn't have to see him blast Wang anymore, either).
The Devil Rays still have no idea how to run their baseball team. They always expect to get everything they want and accept nothing less, and when they do make a deal they never get good pitching back (except in the Kazmir deal, which probably corrupted them and made them think everyone was as dumb as Steve Phillips).
Posted by: baileywalk at December 6, 2006 02:11 PM
Steve Phillips didnt make that deal. That deal happened long after Phillips was fired, around the time he became the fake GM for ESPN Sportscenter. LOL
Posted by: DonnieDosTresBaseball at December 6, 2006 08:53 PM
Not surprisingly, the guy who did pull the deal(Jim Duquette) is now also running a horriblly runned team (O's)
Posted by: Yu Hsing Chen at December 6, 2006 10:30 PM