Scanning the ol' Baseball America minor league transactions blog, we see that the Mariners have signed Chris Shelton, the 28 year old first baseman known for his dynamite April in 2006 and rugged good looks. He's not on the 40-man roster, but being a righty, at this point he's the odds-on favorite to win out as the platoon partner for Russ Branyan. Which isn't anything extraordinary, but considering the two combined would cost ~$2m and could provide about as much offense as Carlos Delgado, it's pretty solid.
Since hitting nine homers in his first 51 at bats back in 2006, Shelton's only hit 37 in his last 1282 between AAA and the Majors. He's not known for possessing the kind of power that allowed him to make a name for himself a few years ago. He does have a line drive swing, though, and isn't totally clueless when it comes to understanding the strike zone. He's also helped by the fact that hanging around and hitting against lefties is a really easy job. So if Shelton does indeed go on to platoon with Branyan, he should be all right. And if he doesn't, or isn't, then whatever. No harm, no foul. It's just another neat little move that offers zero more commitment than necessary. A fellow could get used to this.
0 recs | 80 comments
I've wanted Chris Shelton for a lonnngggg time
also Hooray! Zduriencik finally picked up a non-Brewer!
Corco - December 8, 2008
I agree about Chris Shelton
Edgar for Pres - December 8, 2008
This is the cheap F.A.T. talent platoon I have dreamed of.
JI - December 8, 2008
I can't wrap my head around it yet
My brain for some reason refuses to believe that we possibly could have filled a giant hole on our roster with a cheap free agent and a minor league deal. My brain is still waiting for them to flip Felix for Prince Fielder to fill the hole
Corco - December 8, 2008
I'm not sure what team we're following any more
but I like it.
pdb - December 8, 2008
Flagged for redundancy
JI - December 8, 2008
Not exactly
since Bavasi would also pick up FAT — but when he did that, it never seemed to be cheap
.
The Ancient Mariner - December 8, 2008
He's saying FAT talent is redundant.
(like PIN number, ATM machine, etc.)
Teej - December 8, 2008
Yeah, but I couldn't resist. :)
The Ancient Mariner - December 8, 2008
Oops!
I was reading too fast. Belated rec. I laughed on the second go-round.
Teej - December 8, 2008
Ooooooh, FAT Talent, like Carlos Silva
oh wait, “Talent” being the key word here. Sorry, got ahead of myself :D
chrisisasavage - December 8, 2008
umm
Shelton’s splits There wasn’t more of a lefty killer out there?
Matthew - December 8, 2008
Sexson!
EnglishMariner - December 8, 2008
Minor league career .987 OPS vs LH
.846 vs RH in roughly as many at bats
So I’m not sure
Corco - December 8, 2008
Reverse platoons aren't real.
I would condescendingly link an article but LL/USSM doesn’t have this in the FAQ. >:-\
JI - December 8, 2008
Reverse platoons in righthanders probably aren't real.
Graham MacAree - December 8, 2008
Assuming there are enough at bats to draw a conclusion from his career splits
Ichiro basically is even against both sides.
What other lefty would have a reverse platoon?
JI - December 8, 2008
Brad Wilkerson?
Jed MC - December 8, 2008
Slightly, better numbers, but his BABIP is also 25 points higher
JI - December 8, 2008
Kotchman
Bearskin Rugburn - December 8, 2008
He's worse against lefties
JI - December 8, 2008
whoops that was only last year
i thought for some reason he had a history of reverse platoon-mency-ness-ism
Bearskin Rugburn - December 8, 2008
Jamie Moyer
Reverse platoons are extremely rare, but do exist. For hitters, I’d say vanishingly rare. But Jamie Moyer’s pitching splits over such a long period of time lend credence to the notion that they can exist.
Be skeptical of any reverse splits you see, but with enough data you can say, “Okay, I’ll buy that.” Of course, about the time you get enough data, the player’s career might well be over.
And Chris Shelton’s limited numbers do not qualify.
robbbbbb - December 8, 2008
There are common in pitchers, not hitters.
JI - December 8, 2008
they
JI - December 8, 2008
I never claimed he had a reverse platoon split.
I’m just pointing out that he hasn’t had much success against LHP in the big leagues.
Matthew - December 8, 2008
I should make my jokes less subtle.
JI - December 8, 2008
He's been a better hitter
against RHP than LHP over his career. I’m guessing this is fake, right?
Edgar for Pres - December 8, 2008
Correct, it's meaningless
Jeff Sullivan - December 8, 2008
I love signings that are welcomed with a "Whatever" by the average fan.
I am starting to get a little hopeful that GMZ will get value in trades now too.
Sec 108 - December 8, 2008
My guess
GMZ is stocking up on cheap replacement level bats to have decent options for 1B/DH. I think next on the list is a good glove/reasonable bat OF.
eponymous_coward - December 8, 2008
He already got some minor league scrubs that are good glove/shitty bat
Edgar for Pres - December 8, 2008
This made me spew my water in laughter while I was at work and got many strange looks
Looking at the Winter Meetings blog on ESPN.com. I have to pick on Steve Phillips
"The Braves are anxious to get the A.J. Burnett deal resolved. In addition to adding a starter, they’re also in the market for a left fielder. They’ve identified free agent Raul Ibanez as the best fit because he hits for power and plays solid defense. Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu, both free agents, don’t interest the Braves as much because their defense is suspect. "
How can Phillips defend that statement. Who actually thinks he’s a good defender?
Scrupio - December 8, 2008
He used to have a reputation for having a solid arm
but otherwise..uh..
Corco - December 8, 2008
Steve Phillips thought the Mariners were going to be a juggernaut last year.
JI - December 8, 2008
Why do people care what Steve Philips thinks?
I often wonder about how certain people get into the punditry despite egregious professional failure.
Bearskin Rugburn - December 8, 2008
I am not all that convinced that Steve Phillips actually watches baseball.
Benne - December 8, 2008
Wait he's saying the Braves believe this, not that Steve Phillips believes this
Graham MacAree - December 8, 2008
Schuerholz screwed his team by becoming its team president.
JLC - December 8, 2008
...and Justin Leone's a Yankee
ConorGlassey - December 8, 2008
Justin Leone cost the Mariners Albert Pujols.
JI - December 8, 2008
but netted us Lookout Landing
Corco - December 8, 2008
I'm sure it would have eventually happened
Maybe Broussard for First?
Scrupio - December 8, 2008
Why would we need Ben Broussard if we had Pujols
Corco - December 8, 2008
Glove on a stick for LF?
BrianL - December 8, 2008
The blogosphere didn't being correctly valuing defense until late 2005 after LL started
It understood that going from Cameron → Ibanez was bad for defense, but didn’t understand quite how bad
Corco - December 8, 2008
I wish I could go back in time and be angrier
Jeff Sullivan - December 8, 2008
I like to think the shock in San Francisco made up for it.
But I feel bad that I didn’t more highly value Cameron while he was here. That’s part of why losing Beltre feels so rotten. I learned my lesson! Why must you continue punishing me!?!
Matthew - December 8, 2008
not just rugged good looks. TV Star good looks.
msb - December 8, 2008
I'm still hesitant on the ole 1B platoon because I remember how the Broussard/Perez combo was supposed to be dynamite...
And yes…I’ll probably get banned lifetime banned by Jeff for even bring up Ben and failure in the same thought.
SethGrandpa - December 8, 2008
Broussard/Perez cost Cabrera/Choo.
Branyan/Shelton cost nothing aside from their salaries, which are peanuts.
Aaron Campeau - December 8, 2008
This.
For the first time in years I have optimism that our GM gets it.
Big Jared - December 8, 2008
We'd look so much better with those two players >:(
Fuck you Bill
JI - December 8, 2008
I can't believe Bavasi gave away a first ballot hall of famer like that.
joof - December 8, 2008
Regardless of how hilarious Mariners Revolution is
Cabrera is going to turn out to be a nice player, and Choo is a good COF as long as he’s cheap. We we’re so desperate for guys the last few years.
JI - December 8, 2008
Ben didn't fail when it mattered
Jeff Sullivan - December 8, 2008
True
SethGrandpa - December 8, 2008
Mariners and Brewers have thus far made the cheapest talent aquisitions this offseason.
Very impressed with both organizations right now. Especially with the way the Brewers have essentially restocked their bullpen for nothing.
JLC - December 8, 2008
Yankees/Sox trade?
That was pretty amazing. Anyhow, M’s should be measured by a different standard than everyone else because who they pick up to play next year doesn’t much matter. I’m reserving judgement on GMZ until I see what he gets in return for Putz and Beltre. But so far so good in terms of not hurting future years at the cost of fielding a reasonable lineup.
Bearskin Rugburn - December 8, 2008
Yeah, that trade was pretty good. I was moreso looking at teams picking up replacement level/slightly above replacement level talent via free agency.
Also, I’m finding myself surprisingly excited about this year’s Rule 5 draft. I’m expecting us to pick up some really great, unknown talent, probably a near MLB ready reliever to slot as our future closer.
JLC - December 8, 2008
I also expect to win a million dollars in the next 5 minutes
Holy shit I’m being blinded by unrelenting optimism. Must keep pessimism alive……..must keep pessimism alive…..
JLC - December 8, 2008
Big whup about the Brewers
restocking the bullpen for nothing – it isn’t very hard – Bavasi – as retarded as he was about making deals/contract signings was able to put together a decent(for the most part) bullpen for cheap.
MissoulaMarinerFan - December 8, 2008
It isn't easy either.
Bavasi was actually good at that. It might have been the only thing he was good at, but credit where it’s due.
Aaron Campeau - December 8, 2008
By the way
for those of you who’re impressed by Shelton’s AAA numbers last year, they’re inflated by a crazy BABIP.
Jeff Sullivan - December 8, 2008
I knew this was a terrible signing!
JI - December 8, 2008
ISO = .230 still looks nice
Edgar for Pres - December 8, 2008
Indeed it does
but he also didn’t do shit with the Rangers, and his 2007 wasn’t very good.
Jeff Sullivan - December 8, 2008
I agree
I’m just saying that his AAA numbers were pretty good even if you regress his BABIP a little. I just want a little hope Jeff.
Edgar for Pres - December 8, 2008
I'm pretty happy that we got Shelton
I just would’ve been happier about it a few years ago. Like with Branyan!
Jeff Sullivan - December 8, 2008
I like Zduriencik's response to the signing
Per Baker:
Seems more like a “give it a try” signing. Could be something. Could turn out to be nothing. No big loss, and no one would be attached to him (No “veterans must play through their struggles” mentality here, thankfully).
ThundaPC - December 8, 2008
The Shelton signing reminds me of Greg Norton
Might be interesting but likely won’t be anything special.
Edgar for Pres - December 8, 2008
Total waste of playing with numbers
2006-2008 ML numbers
Ab h 2b hr bb so avg obp slg ops
147 36 7 3 20 45 .245 .343 .367 .710
462 108 22 36 72 164 .234 .336 .519 .855
609 144 29 39 92 209 .236 .388 .476 .864
Shelton is the first row against lefties.
Branyan is the second row against righties.
The third line is a combo of the first two.
I am just messing around with numbers. Still, it is exciting to, maybe, have a first baseman with an OPS of .850~ish.
mark sobba - December 8, 2008
Wait...how does the OPS increase to .864 when combining two OPSs of .710 and .855?
SethGrandpa - December 8, 2008
I added the raw numbers together and then caluated the avg/obp/slg/ops
Which I totally could have done wrong.
mark sobba - December 8, 2008
You messed up the OBP
Going by your numbers, it would be .337, not .388.
DKCecil - December 8, 2008
Damn it.
See this is why I don’t try to do this kind of thing.
mark sobba - December 8, 2008
Pretty sure it's impossible for the final number to be higher than either number.
Teej - December 8, 2008
It's best just to link your data
because the formatting never lines up
JI - December 8, 2008
If the M's ever face RA Dickey, make sure Shelton's in the lineup.
Inkara1 - December 8, 2008
This smells of a
reclamation project
chrisisasavage - December 9, 2008
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