Thoughts on a Figgins to Atlanta trade.

[clarknova]

There has been some banter floating around about a possible trade between Seattle and Atlanta for Chone Figgins since the trading deadline when it was revealed (purposely released?) that either Seattle had approached Atlanta or that Atlanta had inquired to Seattle about Figgins' availability (depending on the source). Now that Chipper Jones has a torn ACL and is out for at least the rest of this season, that scuttlebutt (love to get the word origin on that one) has picked back up. Figgins would obviously have to pass through wavers for any trade to take place, but due to his performance and contract, I hardly think that would be a problem especially considering that the main team that could get involved in a block would be Philly and they've got Utley at 2nd and Polanco at 3rd. I can't see them risking absorbing that contract.
Figgins has not done much to endear himself to fans in Seattle this year with his poor first half and his defiant, self important attitude. I wonder what everyone would think about moving Figgins now. It would, of course, depend on the return, but at this point with Figgins improving at the plate, and on the base paths how would you feel about trading him and what would you need to see in return for him that would satisfy you? I'm operating under the assumption that Atlanta takes on all of Figgins' contract. Bear in mind that the probability that he goes to Atlanta and goes right back to doing what he's been doing for about the last 6 straight seasons is pretty high.
Personally, I'm not so sure it's a good time. I think and hope that he will continue to play to the level we're used to seeing, and if he does that, he's really a steal at $9 million per. I think that he can't do much more to deflate his value, so if we go into next year and he stinks it up again we can look to get something for him before July 31st, 2011. I'm no more excited than anyone else by his first half play, but I'm not sure I'm ready to wash my hands of him after 4 months.

[phredmojo]

he's a punk and a cancer. the sooner he is gone the better

[TellItToTheDA]

Don't even think about it. The way he's upped his performance since the all-star break, and how he's starting to near the numbers we expected him to produce, shows that he is becoming the player we thought we signed in December. A punk? You know, I'd be pretty pissed off too if everyone else on the team was loafing around, and I was made the example. You don't single out a player like that. Also, if you get rid of Figgins, you do nothing more than open up another hole that needs to be filled in the offseason. We have enough needs, and I don't think we need to make another one for ourselves. Getting rid of him would be a giant mistake at this point.

[socalmsfan]

Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with the DA on this one, we have all offseason to shop him if it comes to that.

[JosephC]

I say shop him if we can get what we paid (or nearly), minus the draft pick we gave up. He is a cancer IMO and that money can be better spent. Anyone who has a flare up like that is potential trouble, whether they are being made an example of or not. Sure, he's been good as of late, but when he was bad, he was putrid.

[Igoe4Mariners]

Keep him unless we can get some big-time prospects for him. He has really turned it on lately and hopefully he can carry it over into the next year.

[TellItToTheDA]

http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2010/08/13/digesting-chipper-jones-news-what-now/?cxntfid=blogs_atlanta_braves_blog


Some outside waiver trade possibilities floating around include Chone Figgins and Ty Wigginton. I have a hard time imagining the Braves taking on the $28 million Figgins has left on his deal through 2013, even if the Mariners offer cash in return and/or offer to take Kenshin Kawakami. Kawakami has only got one year left on his deal, not three plus a vesting option for 2014.

As esteemed colleague Mark Bradley pointed out so succinctly today, Wigginton is hitting .260 for Baltimore, Figgins .253 for Seattle, and Infante is hitting .330.

Granted Figgins has been super hot in August (hitting .405, 15-for-37) and he’s stolen 30 bases this season, but let’s not forget the waves he made with recently-fired Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu when Wakamatsu pulled Figgins from a game this year for not backing up a throw. Their dugout confrontation was noticed by many folks around baseball, including Cox.

[clarknova]

It surprises me that Chone Figgins turned out to be such a polarizing figure. Who would have figured? I suppose on one hand I understand that he felt that he was unduly blamed for the teams woes on the field, but at the same time- regardless of that, he acted immaturely. He showed a massive lack of hustle, and where as some of the other guys (Lopez in particular) did as well, at the end of the day each player is responsible for their own actions. Figgins lagged it, and he acted self righteous when he was humping the Mendoza line and was knocked down in the order like he couldn't understand why. That's not to mention the dugout debacle that so many guys are to blame for. So, for me- yeah, Donkey was called out. Lopez wasn't (that we know of), but I also look at it like this: I don't think, no, I KNOW that Lopez is not a part of the M's long term future. Figgins is (was). It is much more important to get him on the right track. I'm sorry, but if Donkey's attitude is, "if I suck right now, the best thing to do is to let me suck for as long as it takes regardless of the repercussions on the field relating to wins and losses or I'm going to talk mass shit and cause problems..." That's Milton Bradley territory. Unfortunately I just can't respect that level of entitlement. Not even from Griffey. Take it like a man. Or, at least throw your fits away from microphones and cameras.
That being said, I still hope for Figgins to do his thing. The guys hitting close to .400 in the last 15 days. The problem with him is that, as DA said- if you get rid of him it creates another hole to fill. I would add that if you keep playing him and he doesn't improve long term then he IS another hole. There are only so many spots on the roster, and we need hitters badly. If he doesn't hit and he takes up a spot, then keeping him could be worse than cutting him loose. THAT being said, 4 months is not long enough, and have a look around at the possibilities at 3rd base to replace him. Beltre isn't coming back. Without a viable option there, and don't kid yourself- Lopez is not a viable 3rd baseman middle of the order bat on ANY championship caliber team, we don't have a ton of options that are better than Figgins.

I would also like to add that since Dave Cameron's speculation about a trade for starting pitching with Atlanta has basically become a rumor- I totally disagree with the trade idea. I would point to TellItToTheDA's latest blog post on Marinerreport as my reasoning: http://marinersreport.com/?p=41
Read that. Read that, and tell me we need to trade bats for starting pitching. I'm aware that a lot of these guys aren't ready for the bigs quite yet- my point is that we're not ready for a run at the world series either and I just see it as Figgins now > Atlanta's 6th starting pitcher. Say what you want about Jack, but that guy and his team can find starting pitching. I just shudder at the thought of building up our rotation at the cost of depleting the worst offense in baseball. Offensively we rank below the Pirates and Astros who have to hit a pitcher every time through the order.

It seems as though in addition to Dave Cameron, Geoff Baker has now chimed in to support the idea. I totally disagree with both. It sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face to me.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/marinersblog/2012614310_mariners_should_seriously_cons.html

[JosephC]

What I don't agree with Baker is this quote:


To keep this Ichiro-Figgins arrangement going forward is sheer lunacy, unless this team wants to take payroll well over $100 million.