Dunn for Lidge?

[Royals Fan]

Rotoworld has an article for the Houston paper about Brad Lidge being on the trade market with Adam Dunn mentioned as one of the canadiate that Lidge could be dealt for


Lidge deal likeliest if GM to leave mark


By JOHN P. LOPEZ
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Finally free to stretch his offseason imagination, Astros general manager Tim Purpura is finding the winter stove so hot he should be wearing oven mitts.

After deciding against offering Roger Clemens arbitration, the Astros must do something big — for the sake of the team and as a signal to fans that they'll be doing more chasing of championships than resting on laurels in 2006.

It would seem they have done exactly that, entering into discussions with more than one club in hopes of bolstering the outfield with a significant offensive presence.

Just how significant is the question.

The Astros won't confirm such talks, but baseball scouts and executives love to toss out rumors and reports of these things as much as anyone. The trade possibility being mentioned that makes sense, would add punch to the lineup and could keep the Astros churning forward without crippling one part of the team to bolster another involves closer Brad Lidge.

Lidge clearly is the asset that would return the most on the market. The club has had discussions about acquiring Kevin Mench of the Texas Rangers, Juan Encarnacion of the Florida Marlins and Rondell White of the Detroit Tigers, but any offer involving Lidge might command a more significant return.

On the outside looking in for the majority of his first year on the job, Purpura suddenly finds himself with a great bargaining chip — and the toughest decision of his tenure as general manager.

He has the means and motivation to make something happen. How big a gamble is he willing to take?


Pondering the possibilities
Some potential acquisitions would make more sense than others.

Baltimore Orioles slugging shortstop Miguel Tejada, for example, has made it clear that he would like to be traded because he believes the Orioles are not committed to winning. You're thinking that a Lidge-Adam Everett package for Tejada would answer all your dreams.

But hold on. Just because a player says he wants to be traded doesn't mean the club will stumble all over itself trying to fulfill his wish. The Orioles have gone to great lengths to build the team around Tejada. They're not going to start over now.

And as nice a homecoming as it would be to deal for Cincinnati Reds slugger Adam Dunn, who lives in nearby Porter, the Reds for now have no intention of making that deal. Why would they, particularly after trading Sean Casey?

Manny Ramirez? Lots of talent, but an outrageous salary is only one headache Ramirez would bring with him from Boston, even to the Astros' congenial and low-maintenance clubhouse. Don't expect Ken Griffey Jr., either.

That sort of narrows the list of possibilities, doesn't it?

The Philadelphia Phillies just lost closer Billy Wagner to the New York Mets and have a superstar in Bobby Abreu (24 home runs, 102 RBIs last year) who would fit perfectly in the Astros' lineup.

It would be a tough call for Purpura to deal Lidge, who grew up with Purpura in a sense, rising from the minor leagues to a position smack in the middle of a National League pennant run. But as Astros manager Phil Garner has said, "If it doesn't hurt, then it's probably not a good deal."

The Astros strongly believe Chad Qualls and/or Dan Wheeler could fill the closer's role. If the Abreu deal does not materialize and the deal is for an outfielder a notch below Abreu — such as White — Qualls or Wheeler likely would be involved.

Either way, the club is going to lose some premium relief pitching. But that it can withstand. Starting pitching? Brandon Backe and Roy Oswalt are close to untouchable, given the Clemens decision.


The time is now
The 1-2-3 punch of Oswalt, Andy Pettitte and Backe isn't the Big Three of a year ago, of course, but the Astros like the chances of prospects Fernando Nieve and Jason Hirsh stepping into major-league roles.

Teams involved in talks with the Astros also have inquired about Chris Burke, Willy Taveras, Jason Lane, Everett and Backe. While none of those players is untouchable, Garner has made it clear each has a significant upside.

This is the winter of Purpura's professional life. He threw himself into the fire of the hot stove thanks to the decision on Clemens. How he emerges will set the course for 2006 and establish Purpura's most significant mark on the makeup of this team.

Purpura has watched, learned and been a part of the biggest two-year run in Astros history. The only way he appeases fans' hunger and helps the run continue is if he gets in the game.

Let's make a deal.

[VI_RedsFan]

Sorry, but I don't like the idea of trading Dunn for a closer, even if its Lidge. If I trade Dunn, I trade him for a bonafide #1 or #2 SP, or maybe some prospects if the package is right.

[Jpup]

Sorry, Lidge didn't make my list.

Mark Prior
Johan Santana
Alex Rodriguez
Albert Pujols
Roy Oswalt
Dontrelle Willis
Jake Peavy(maybe)

That's it. That's the list.

[Mario-Rijo]

Hey Jpup, you forgot Rich Harden!

[pedro]

Trading Dunn for any reliever would be a bad idea.

[WMR]

Just curious: What are their respective win-shares?

[tts1stros]

Um....did you even read that article? Lopez said:

Originally Posted by Lopez

And as nice a homecoming as it would be to deal for Cincinnati Reds slugger Adam Dunn, who lives in nearby Porter, the Reds for now have no intention of making that deal. Why would they, particularly after trading Sean Casey?

That doesn't sound to me like he's saying Dunn was "mentioned as one of the canadiate that Lidge could be dealt for". Not in the least.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by pedro

Trading Dunn for any reliever would be a bad idea.

the definition of stupidity

[RedsBaron]

Originally Posted by flyer85

the definition of stupidity

What scares me is that is DanO's M.O.

[NewEraReds]

Originally Posted by juniorfan91

Sorry, but I don't like the idea of trading Dunn for a closer, even if its Lidge. If I trade Dunn, I trade him for a bonafide #1 or #2 SP, or maybe some prospects if the package is right.

agree 100%. closer would be the LAST!!!!!!!!! guy i would trade a dunn type player for. and why would houston do it. who do they have to take his place

[tts1stros]

Wait a minute guys....no one said the Reds are even considering trading Dunn for a closer. Not in that article, not anywhere.

It's all in your imagination. Not happening. There's no reason to bash it because it was never suggested. (Why not bash "Dunn for Jose Canseco talk" while you're at it?)

[NewEraReds]

Originally Posted by tts1stros

Wait a minute guys....no one said the Reds are even considering trading Dunn for a closer. Not in that article, not anywhere.

It's all in your imagination. Not happening. There's no reason to bash it because it was never suggested. (Why not bash "Dunn for Jose Canseco talk" while you're at it?)

we arent bashing it. we are just saying you do not trade a guy like dunn for a closer. go back to your cow

[Unassisted]

Originally Posted by tts1stros

Wait a minute guys....no one said the Reds are even considering trading Dunn for a closer. Not in that article, not anywhere.

It's all in your imagination. Not happening. There's no reason to bash it because it was never suggested. (Why not bash "Dunn for Jose Canseco talk" while you're at it?)

The reasons for the lack of reason are complicated.

I saw this article this morning and declined to post it since I knew it would get blown out of proportion here. The writer set up that trade as a straw man and proceeded to blow it over with his own argument.

First off, there are posters on this board who believe that the screwier a sportswriter believes a trade idea is, the more likely Reds GM Dan O'Brien is to like it. Trading Dunn for Lidge straight up would be pretty screwy, which makes it scary, too.

There's also an underlying fear that Dunn will eventually end up "going home" to Houston. Now that Casey "went home" to Pittsburgh last week, the notion of Dunn "going home" to Houston took on new life. Whether he's taken in the night by a Purpura ninja squad or handed a fat FA contract in a few years, it's a seemingly pathological fear that many posters here have. It surfaces almost reflexively in posts, as if there is no denying the inevitability of it.

Sometimes, I figure folks have their "So Long, Adam" posts sitting in Word documents on their computers ready to post.

Maybe the former UT quarterback who grew up outside Houston will triumphantly return there someday and those well-crafted tributes will see the light of day. It's hardly inevitable, and as for a December 2005 1-for-1 trade for Brad Lidge, as the sportswriter said... " it ain't happening."

[tts1stros]

Originally Posted by NewEraReds

we arent bashing it. we are just saying you do not trade a guy like dunn for a closer. go back to your cow

I know...and I'm just saying no one SAID you trade a guy like Dunn for a closer.

[tts1stros]

Originally Posted by Unassisted

The reasons for the lack of reason are complicated.

First off, there are posters on this board who believe that the screwier a sportswriter believes a trade idea is, the more likely Reds GM Dan O'Brien is to like it. Trading Dunn for Lidge straight up would be pretty screwy, which makes it scary, too.

Yeah; in my brief time here, I see one theme that keeps coming up: when the Reds trade one of their 4 prized outfielders, their beloved GM is going to get something below market value.

Originally Posted by Unassisted

There's also an underlying fear that Dunn will eventually end up "going home" to Houston. Now that Casey "went home" to Pittsburgh last week, the notion of Dunn "going home" to Houston took on new life. Whether he's taken in the night by a Purpura ninja squad or handed a fat FA contract in a few years, it's a seemingly pathological fear that many posters here have. It surfaces almost reflexively in posts, as if there is no denying the inevitability of it.

Hmm, ok, I suppose that has some validity. I suppose one player being traded to his hometown can spook people when their most valuable commodity has stated he'd like to play for his, too.

I still don't see how you can read that article and get from it that the Reds are considering trading Dunn for Lidge, but maybe it's just emotions running high on the topic of trading Dunn (doubly so when it's to Houston).