Odds and Ends: Kuo, Doumit
Posted by Pat Gallen, Sun, October 23, 2011 03:52 PM | Comments: 19
Analysis, News, Opinion, Posts
-As MLBTradeRumors.com pointed out yesterday, Hong-Chih Kuo is likely to be a non-tender candidate after a rough year with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Phillies should be on this guy this offseason. Phillies fans should remember Kuo for his relief abilities against them in the 2008 and 2009 playoffs. In seven appearances between the two series, he allowed just four hits.
From 2008-2010, Kuo was one of the finest situational lefties in baseball. Over 170 innings during those three years, Kuo posted a minisucule 1.95 ERA, and in 2010 had a ridiculous 0.74 WHIP. In ’10, he fanned 73 batters in 60 innings (11.0 K/9) and walked just 18 (2.7 BB/9). Lefties were held to an unfathomable .095 average and .111 with 28 strikeouts in 69 plate appearances.
This past season was a different story for Kuo, who dealt with anxiety issues and also spent time on the disabled list with a back strain. His ERA ballooned from 1.20 in 2010 to 9.00 in 2011. It was a phenomenally bad turnaround; much the same as Brad Lidge, who was perfect in 2008 and then historically awful in 2009.
If he’s non-tendered by L.A., he’s a perfect buy-low candidate. It’s unlikely the Dodgers will offer him salary arbitration after he made $2.75 million in ’11, so look for him to show up on the open market. This is the sort of lefty reliever the Phillies need to make a play on. Perhaps a change of scenery will do Kuo good; although Philadelphia isn’t the greatest place in the world to attempt a comeback under the bright lights and the scrutiny of the fans, especially for a mentally-weakened relief pitcher. I still can’t help but think he’d make a perfect one-two lefty combination with Antonio Bastardo.
In all of his ugliness in ’11, he still fanned 36 batters in 27 innings, meaning his swing-and-miss stuff is still there somewhere.
Would the Phillies be wise to give this guy more than $1 million on a guaranteed deal to bolster the bullpen?
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-Ryan Doumit is another name to keep an eye on. He was supposed to be one of the cornerstones of the Pirate franchise, but it never turned out the way both sides envisioned.
After back surgery kept him out four months this past season, Doumit did return to catch 60 games (77 overall) and hit. 303 with eight homers and 30 RBI. The Phillies will be in the market for a backup catcher, and while it’s unclear whether Doumit would accept such a job, the Phillies need to bolster their bench.
Doumit can also play the corner outfield positions and first base, making him a multidimensional player that is necessary with the likely absence of Ryan Howard early on in the season. He’s a lefty hitter, so he’d be a perfect bench bat – much more potent than Brian Schneider.
However, there are other teams looking for a starting catcher, so I’d say the chances aren’t great that Doumit end up with the Phillies. And the door hasn’t been closed for him to go back to Pittsburgh. But he’s certainly a name to keep an eye on.
Posts: 0 Jeff Dowder
Doumit can hit, but he’s a big liability defensively. A reliever with a history of anxiety issues isn’t exactly a good match either. If he’s having problems playing in a low-pressure city like L.A., playing in Philly could prove to be disastrous.
Posted: 04:04 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
Meh, another guy with a potential upside you know how they work out see Baez and company. We would love to see Doumit here,I dont think it will happen though someone like him will be a perfect fit for us.
Posted: 04:04 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
I would imagine if Doumit came here his primary role would be back up catcher then pinch hitter and injury replacement for Howard until he gets back and possibly occasional sub with Mayberry. Im not sure how bad he is defensively but we put up with Raul and Gload at first assuming he is at least as good as they are we can take him for his bat.
Posted: 04:07 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 1429 Pat Gallen
No offense to Danys Baez, but Kuo was roughly 100x better than Baez ever was. Kuo was about as dominant as you can get for 3 years running.
Posted: 04:15 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 0 Lewis
It would be nice to get both but that might not happen. if we just get kuo it would be great then we could keep J-Roll.
Posted: 04:23 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 31 Gavin
I’d go for Kuo and if there’s money left maybe for Doumit. But does anyone know what kind of contract Doumit will probably get?
Posted: 05:11 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 770 betasigmadeltashag
There a problem if your back up catcher Spelling guys in the field on a somewhat reguar basis, you still need another guy who can catch. I guess if he starts at 1B say, you can ;move him to catcher if need be, but then you are not really giving that regular guy any rest. Which is another problem planning on PH a backup catcher, you always need a catcher on the bench.
Do not know enough about Kuo problems to say if he would be a good pick up, but if you can get him for a minor league deal then it does not hurt so much if he can handle Philly.
Posted: 05:38 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 2533 Chuck A.
Pat…. “No offense to Danys Baez” ??? Sorry, but I don’t care if I DO offend him. He sucked about as bad as anyone could while he was here. I drank the Koolaid, too, and thought he was a good signing two years ago. But it wasn’t meant to be. And I think Kuo is definitely worth a look.
Posted: 05:44 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 3474 Lefty
The Phils desperately need another LHP in the pen, I think Kuo is great suggestion.
Kuo is also a Charlie favorite just like Danys was. I would think he would urge Ruben to go after him, but will Ruben have doubts because of Charlie’s urging to get Baez? Baez clearly did not work out to be as dependable as he was in 2001 for Charlie in Cleveland.
Doumit will be 31 in June, I would think he would not yet entertain an offer of a back up type role, but who knows.
Posted: 06:36 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 0 George
The Phils have bigger positional needs to worry about for now. After the results with Madson, Rollins, filling left field, and worrying what to do with Oswalt, not to mention the injured Ryan Howard, I don’t see them putting much effort in early to fill the bench and bullpen.
And while both these guys might be good, both are coming off injuries. Kuo might never be the pitcher he was in 2009 and 2010 if his anxiety issues creep back. Doumit might prove too expensive or unwilling to be a sub.
Posted: 07:36 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 0 George
“After the results” should read “Until the results are known…”
Posted: 07:39 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 0 badlukk13
Please, God, no to Doumit… that dude has the eyes of Satan, and it scares the s#!t out of me every time his picture goes up on the video board! No joke, they’re straight-up black… its like he’s got giant pupils and nothing else #creepy
Posted: 08:03 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 2533 Chuck A.
That’s a great reason not to sign someone. Maybe Ruben should hire you to be a special assistant or a consultant.
Posted: 08:34 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 1934 Brooks
Not too shabby for Holland tonight, good comeback.
I’d like to see Cruz open up like he did in the ALCS, he has like 6 hrs alread in Post Season.
Good win series tied at 2-2. King Albert struck out in the top of the 9th, 2 men on base.
Naftali Perez can be wicked
Posted: 11:28 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
Beta good inpoint indeed i miss that i guess. If he does indeed pinch hit we will be out of catchers unless the Phils will carry 3 and i doubt that. As far as his filling in i think we can work around that once Howard is back he will play 90% of the games. Mayberry will presumably get LF and other than the occasional rest game he wouldnt play much LF much. We can even work around the 1st aspect. Since he could essentially fill the role of Gload and we could call up Kratz to be the official back up catcher. He might be too pricey though since he is coming a decent year and the Pirtates might just resign him.
Posted: 11:31 PM on October 23, 2011
Posts: 1053 Manny
Doumit would be nice, especially to give Chooch even more rest.
Kuo would be a great signing! Buy low, huge upside.
Posted: 10:19 AM on October 24, 2011
Posts: 0 Don M
Gotta think that Kuo is going to get a pretty big contract, and that all the high payroll teams would be interested in him… as LH-strikeout pitcher late in the game is pretty damn clutch
Posted: 10:36 AM on October 24, 2011
Posts: 1053 Manny
I highly doubt it would more than a 2-year deal. I think we could get him for a Baez type of deal.. 2 years/6 million..
Posted: 11:38 AM on October 24, 2011
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