Huntington Calls Shapiro

[Jpup]

Taking stock and naming names

August 3, 2009 1:05 PM

Posted by Steve Buffum

In my mind's eye, I imagine Mark Shapiro calling his friend Neal Huntington in Pittsburgh trying to make sense of this past week.

Shapiro: Neal, how are you doing?
Huntington: Not bad, Mark. Not particularly good, but, ya know, not bad.
Shapiro: Yes, yes. Yes. Look, Neal, I need a favor.
Huntington: Right, well, let's see, I'll trade you Steve Pearce, Garrett Jones, Zack Duke, Joel Hanrahan, John Perrotto, KDKA, six pierogi, and Robert Morris University for Luis Valbuena, Matt LaPorta, Jess Todd, Justin Masterson, Hector Rondon, Alex White to be named later, Terry Pluto, WKNR, the Lake Erie Monsters, and Case Western Reserve.
Shapiro: No, no, this isn't about a trade, this is, wait, I have Matt LaPorta?
Huntington: Sure.
Shapiro: Really?
Huntington: Hitting pretty well in Columbus, actually. Not as well as Trevor Crowe was, though.
Shapiro: I have Matt LaPorta? Why the heck isn't he in Cleveland then?
Huntington: Well, that's a pretty good question.
Shapiro: Look, no, the reason I called is -- I can't keep track of who plays for my team.
Huntington: It can be a bit confusing. Have you tried Excel?
Shapiro: Yes, of course: Excel, Oracle, Access, I've tried them all, but they just keep getting out of synch. I mean, look: this version says I still have Carl Pavano.
Huntington: Well, yeah, you DO still have Carl Pavano.
Shapiro: No, it says right here: "Pavano's incentives close to kicking in, of no value to a team out of contention, make sure to trade him in July."
Huntington: Well, I wondered about that.
Shapiro: And, of course, the best way to do that was to showcase him twice against really poor offenses, and luckily, we faced Seattle twice in two weekends. Held them to 13 runs in 7 games! It was genius, I tell you. Two Pavano starts against the M's and.
Huntington: Uhm, Pavano didn't start in EITHER Seattle series, did he?
Shapiro: Wait, let me check my notes here. I'm sure we wouldn't have messed that up.
Huntington: He did throw a heckuva game recently, maybe you can still get a nibble.
Shapiro: Okay, look, how do you keep track of all the guys you have flying around?
Huntington: Well, I've stopped using names, for one thing.
Shapiro: What?
Huntington: Yeah, it's a trick I picked up from President Bush. I give them all nicknames and it sort of works out. You know, like when we traded Lippy, Napalm, Biscuit, and Fader for all those other guys.
Shapiro: Lip. I'm not sure that really addresses my issue here, Neal.
Huntington: Suit yourself. I'm not all that attached to these guys.
Shapiro: They are the foundation of your future, you know.
Huntington: Well, kind of. They're more like the foundation of the foundation of the future.
Shapiro: I see.
Huntington: But look, Mark, I think you did a pretty good job building up a collection there.
Shapiro: Well, I appreciate that, Neal.
Huntington: Sure, Mark.
Shapiro: It means a lot coming from you.
Huntington: No problem.
Shapiro: But Neal?
Huntington: Yeah?
Shapiro: Who the heck did I end up with?
Huntington: Well, I mean, I wasn't really targeting the kinds of guys you got, Mark. I couldn't really say.
Shapiro: Damn.
Huntington: Yeah, I mean, I didn't need a catcher, so I wasn't really targeting the guy from Philadelphia.
Shapiro: Well, we don't really need a catcher, either, Neal. We've got Santana, and we like Toregas in a backup sort of way, and we have Shoppach and Gimenez already.
Huntington: Then why did you trade for Lou Marson?
Shapiro: We traded for Lou Marson? That seems a bit silly.
Huntington: Well, I figured since you were trading Victor Martinez.
Shapiro: That really stunk.
Huntington: Yeah, that stunk.
Shapiro: It couldn't be helped.
Huntington: No, it couldn't be helped.
Shapiro: But Marson? Are you sure we traded for Marson?
Huntington: I'm pretty sure, Mark.
Shapiro: This isn't going exactly the way I planned it.
Huntington: Well, I mean, we were never in the running for a Marson or Donald or anyone like that. We don't really have what you call "saleable assets" like you did. I mean, there's Chunky and Flat Top and Rocquefort.
Shapiro: Donald, yeah, he would have been an interesting player, but we already have a pretty young middle infield set up.
Huntington: Mark?
Shapiro: Don't tell me.
Huntington: Yep.
Shapiro: Great Odin's ear hair!
Huntington: Now, you did mean to get the pitchers, right?
Shapiro: Oh, yes. I feel very good about the pitchers. Why, I even got a pitcher for Ryan Garko I like very much. Huge fellow.
Huntington: Yeah, that guy's big. I made my own move with Brian in the pitching department.
Shapiro: I felt a little bad doing that.
Huntington: Not me. Tim Alderson is going to be one of our best pitchers very soon.
Shapiro: You got Tim Alderson? Gad, what did you have to move for him? I didn't even consider asking for Alderson for Ryan Garko. I mean, Garko's a nice player, but you got Tim Alderson?
Huntington: Yep. For, uhm, Freddy Sanchez.
Shapiro: Freddy. Sanchez?
Huntington: Yep.
Shapiro: Isn't he hurt?
Huntington: Technically, yes.
Shapiro: And old?
Huntington: On the old side? I would have to say, yes.
Shapiro: And not very good?
Huntington: I mentioned this was Brian Sabean, right?
Shapiro: It didn't even occur to me to ask for Tim Alderson.
Huntington: You just stocked your farm system with a full third of every gigantic pitcher in minor-league baseball, Mark. I'm afraid you get precious little sympathy from me on the subject of pitching. Have you seen the back end of my rotation?
Shapiro: I do not want to talk about the back end of rotations, since the back end of my rotation is now the front end of my rotation.
Huntington: Hang on, I have another call.
Jocketty: Hey, whizz kid, didn't see that one comin', did you?
Huntington: No, Walt, I gotta admit, Scott Rolen caught me completely off guard.
Walt Jocketty: Who else is on the line?
Shapiro: It's Mark Shapiro, Mr. Jocketty.
Jocketty: Yeah, another whippersnapper. How you like them apples, Hotshot?
Shapiro: Well, I have to say, it never occurred to me to trade for Rolen there, Mr. Jocketty.
Jocketty: That's right, Homeslice. You don't know what it's like to depend on an erratic young third baseman.
Shapiro: Actually, I'm pretty darn familiar with that there, Mr. Jocketty.
Jocketty: Have you ever seen Edwin Encarnacion play defense?
Huntington: Not yet, no.
Shapiro: Actually, I pretty much see it every day.
Jocketty: Well, now I've got the position locked up with All-Star talent, boy-ee. Do you even know who's playing third for you next season?
Shapiro: Truthfully, no.
Huntington: Me either.
Jocketty: That's right.
Huntington: But I'm pretty sure I won't be making eleven mill next season.
Jocketty: Well, that's just.
Shapiro: Or have a history of back problems.
Jocketty: That's kind of over.
Shapiro: Or be 35.
Jocketty: Age is just a number.
Huntington: For a last-place team.
Jocketty: (click)
Huntington: Was it something I said?
Shapiro: I still don't understand how I ended up with Lou Marson, Jason Donald, Jhonny Peralta, and Carl Pavano still on the damn roster.
Huntington: It's a process, Mark. Embrace the process.
Shapiro: So, you don't know who's still on my team, either?
Huntington: Not really, no. But Mark?
Shapiro: Yeah?
Huntington: Have you considered nametags?

[BuckeyeRedleg]

We would be lucky to have either as the Reds GM.

[Big Klu]

We would be lucky to have either as the Reds GM.

The folks up north would agree with you, as they are ready to grab the torches and pitchforks and run Shapiro out of town on a rail.

[NJReds]

They traded Pavano to the Twins today.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

The folks up north would agree with you, as they are ready to grab the torches and pitchforks and run Shapiro out of town on a rail.

They're spoiled.

[LincolnparkRed]

They're spoiled.

They have been to the playoffs, it's been since my freshman year of college that the Reds have(no the one game playoff in 1999 doesn't count).

[traderumor]

We would be lucky to have either as the Reds GM.

Sorry, but Shapiro was so yesterday. The Colon trade, a masterpiece though it was, although it was done on the unlevel playing field of the Montreal debacle, has now fizzled into what, Grady Sizemore? He had a perfect storm playoff run one season.

Huntington has done nothing but continued the brand of Pirates baseball we have come to know and love, keeping us out of the basement. Either of those clowns would be lateral moves, at best.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Sorry, but Shapiro was so yesterday. The Colon trade, a masterpiece though it was, although it was done on the unlevel playing field of the Montreal debacle, has now fizzled into what, Grady Sizemore? He had a perfect storm playoff run one season.

Huntington has done nothing but continued the brand of Pirates baseball we have come to know and love, keeping us out of the basement. Either of those clowns would be lateral moves, at best.

Does that mean you think Jocketty is a clown?

[traderumor]

Does that mean you think Jocketty is a clown?

No, not for his entire body of work. All I am saying is that their track record is big shoes and a funny nose, while Jocketty has done nothing to make last year's dreadful squad any better this year, thus no love for the job he's done with the Reds. But his track record is he knows what he is doing, but for some reason hasn't done it with the Reds, so hiring a clown from another organization would equate to the job WJ has done with the Reds

[RedEye]

Sorry, but Shapiro was so yesterday. The Colon trade, a masterpiece though it was, although it was done on the unlevel playing field of the Montreal debacle, has now fizzled into what, Grady Sizemore? He had a perfect storm playoff run one season.

Huntington has done nothing but continued the brand of Pirates baseball we have come to know and love, keeping us out of the basement. Either of those clowns would be lateral moves, at best.

Huntington's only been around a short time. We should at least wait until players like Alvarez and McCutchen have been around a few years before deeming him incomptent. So far, he's just been cleaning out a lot of chaff and reorienting a very talent-poor roster.

As for Shapiro, I couldn't disagree more. The Indians have been one of the best-run franchises in MLB over the past decade IMO. It's a little early to judge the return on Lee at this point, of course, but it is safe today that, Brandon Phillips misstep or not, the Indians are still reaping the benefits of his one master stroke. That's not all he's done, and I have every confidence that he has a savvy plan to rebuild that roster one more time. I think I'd put money on them returning to the playoffs before the Reds do.

[traderumor]

Huntington's only been around a short time. We should at least wait until players like Alvarez and McCutchen have been around a few years before deeming him incomptent. So far, he's just been cleaning out a lot of chaff and reorienting a very talent-poor roster.

As for Shapiro, I couldn't disagree more. The Indians have been one of the best-run franchises in MLB over the past decade IMO. It's a little early to judge the return on Lee at this point, of course, but it is safe today that, Brandon Phillips misstep or not, the Indians are still reaping the benefits of his one master stroke. That's not all he's done, and I have every confidence that he has a savvy plan to rebuild that roster one more time. I think I'd put money on them returning to the playoffs before the Reds do.

Huntington has been doing what Pittsburgh has been doing. Wait for what? We know the results, its the same model they've been losing with.

Shapiro-2 winning seasons, 4 losing seasons (5 after this year), one break even. And he hasn't even been around for a decade, he took over for Hart after the 2001 season. I am not sure by what standard that qualifies as a "best-run franchise"?

[RedEye]

Huntington has been doing what Pittsburgh has been doing. Wait for what? We know the results, its the same model they've been losing with.

Shapiro-2 winning seasons, 4 losing seasons (5 after this year), one break even. And he hasn't even been around for a decade, he took over for Hart after the 2001 season. I am not sure by what standard that qualifies as a "best-run franchise"?

I guess I'm just willing to suspend judgment on Huntington until he has a few years under his belt. The Pirates aren't a franchise that can be turned around overnight, especially with that payroll. I've liked Huntington's approach in a lot of interviews, but I agree with you that we have yet to see results. Sadly, this is the plight of many small market teams these days, but I think the current Pirates brain trust at least has a shot of managing their limited resources more wisely.

In Cleveland, I think Shapiro's results prove that winning and losing aren't always the final measure of how well a GM performs his job. There are some things a GM can't control. Almost every year, the Tribe has a smartly constructed roster with wisely allocated money. Yes, several of those years have been derailed by freakish injuries to key players (last year Hafner and V-Mart, this year Sizemore, etc.) but overall I like his body of work and think he understands the current business climate of MLB. I would replace Jocketty with Shapiro in a heartbeat.

[M2]

I'm with traderumor, Huntington's been little more than a punchline as a GM and Shapiro's the architect of a five-year plan that only had a one year payoff. Talk about underwhelming and unimpressive.

[RedEye]

I'm with traderumor, Huntington's been little more than a punchline as a GM and Shapiro's the architect of a five-year plan that only had a one year payoff. Talk about underwhelming and unimpressive.

How long has Huntington been on the job? Eleven months? If RedsZone can give Krivsky and Walt a few years to prove themselves, I would think we could do the same for this guy--especially given the small market constraints of his position. Heck, he's still getting rid of the dreck he inherited.

For the Reds, one playoff appearance in five years would look darn good. I also think those so-called "poor" results for the Indians were actually a function of some bad luck, since that roster was capable of much, much more. I'm pretty confident that Shapiro will build another window of good opportunity for that franchise if given the chance.

[traderumor]

How long has Huntington been on the job? Eleven months? If RedsZone can give Krivsky and Walt a few years to prove themselves, I would think we could do the same for this guy--especially given the small market constraints of his position. Heck, he's still getting rid of the dreck he inherited.

For the Reds, one playoff appearance in five years would look darn good. I also think those so-called "poor" results for the Indians were actually a function of some bad luck, since that roster was capable of much, much more. I'm pretty confident that Shapiro will build another window of good opportunity for that franchise if given the chance.

In that case, your standards are very low for what defines a "best run franchise." I think the standard setters right now are the Boston Red Sox, who have both home grown and smartly traded themselves into playing championship baseball year after year. Cleveland is nowhere in the vicinity when you start to think of LAA, LAD, NYY, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, St. Louis...those are the teams I think of as the starting point with "best run franchises" in the current era. I would add Minnesota, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Texas, all as having better organizations right now than the Indians, and there are probably others, but its time for lunch