Set You Free: Designated DHs
Photo courtesy of nytimes.com
With Baseball’s Winter Meetings two weeks away in Dallas, Texas, it’s perfect timing to dive into the free agent pool. This is the first of a nine-part series entitled Set You Free* that will take a position-by-position look at this offseason’s free agency market. Today, Jesse Behr starts us off with designated hitters.
It was Opening Day, April 1973. Ron Blomberg sat in the visitor’s dugout at Fenway Park in what was likely utter confusion. Blomberg didn’t have a number penciled next to his name on the Yankees lineup card but rather two letters “D-H.” American League owners had voted to in introduce a “designated hitter” to every lineup for a three-year trial run. Blomberg, an underwhelming outfielder by trade, had committed 13 errors at first base for the Bronx Bombers in 1972. He had no position to call home because he wasn’t really cut out to play any position. Knowing that, Blomberg was the perfect test subject for the American League DH.
Blomberg split time at first (41 games) and as a DH (56 games) during the 1973 campaign to hit .329/.375/.481 with 12 HR and 57 RBI. Blomberg’s success didn’t quite branch out past the 1973-1974 seasons, but his infamy did as the first designated hitter in baseball.
Now, the designated hitter is incorporated at every level of the game: whether it be in high school, college, the minors, or the majors. Baseball’s had the reputation that no matter what shape or size you are, anyone can play the game. With the added DH, that reputation gained even further ground. Think about Big Papi David Ortiz, the best DH available, who’s listed at 6-4, 230 lbs. He’s big, he’s slow, and arguably he’s never been in shape. No one pictures Ortiz with a first baseman’s glove or imagines him turning a 3-4-3 double play (and if they do, they’ve got issues). What they think of is an absolutely terrifying hitter who back in 2004 redefined the sport’s definition of “clutch.”
Besides Big Papi (a Type A free agent), there are five players available that are qualified designated hitters:
Johnny Damon, Type B
Jason Kubel, Type B
Vladimir Guerrero, Type B
Hideki Matsui, None
Jorge Posada, None
As I said, Ortiz is undoubtedly the best DH on the market. Last year, Papi accounted for 4.2 WAR with 29 bombs and 111 wRC. Damon (37-years old) put together a solid season in Tampa (.261/.326/.418, 1.5 WAR) while Kubel (29) smacked 21 doubles and hit 12 home runs in only 99 games with the Twins (401 plate appearances). Vlad (37) slugged .416 and drove in 63 runs yet listed as a replacement-level player with 0.0 WAR. The drama that unfolded between Posada and the Yankees has left the veteran catcher teetering on the edge of retirement, even if he hit .259/.348/.466 while platooning against right-handers. Godzilla remains an ageless, DH wonder, even if his OBP did drop from .361 to .321 in 2011.
NESN reports that Wily Mo Pena will sign a two-year deal with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Japan that will give the veteran power hitter a seven-figure annual salary. What would a player like Pena — a “natural” DH — receive in this free agent market? Let’s take a look at values based off of 2011 statistics:
| Player | WAR | Dollars | Salary |
| Ortiz | 4.2 | $18.8 | $12.5 |
| Damon | 1.5 | $6.7 | $5.2 |
| Jason Kubel | 1.1 | $4.7 | $5.2 |
| Matsui | 0.3 | $1.5 | $4.2 |
| Guerrero | 0.0 | -$0.1 | $7.6 |
| Posada | -0.4 | -$2.0 | $13.1 |
There are 14 teams currently in the American League but that does not mean there are only 14 spots available for a designated hitter. There are some teams like the Red Sox or the A’s that have predominantly had one DH, where others have had a type of ‘DH rotation’ in their everyday lineups. This strategy is adopted by multiple AL managers, including the Yankees Joe Girardi, who mixes in all his veterans (A-Rod, Jeter, Andruw Jones) to give those same players a “half-day” of work.
So Let’s Hear It: Regardless of what AL team you work for, what available DH intrigues you the most?
Side Question: If you were GM of the Astros, would you attempt to sign a David Ortiz or Vlad Guerrero to a two-year deal to lockdown the DH spot for 2013?
* Series title based on song of the same name by The Black Keys
Another possibility is Josh Willingham. He can play left field (though not very well according to UZR), and is younger and cheaper than Ortiz. Even though Ortiz posted a .405 wOBA in 2011, I’d be wary of a multi-year deal (which sounds like what it will take to sign him) because of his age (36).
Great point, Carlo. Willingham is a top five free agent batter this offseason, based on his age, value and likely salary. Only reason he wasn’t included in this piece is because he’ll be included in the ‘outfielders’ section in a few days.
To answer my own questions, I’d sign Jason Kubel over the five other available DHs. Oritz is overvalued based on his price (dollars + possible salary). I’m concerned with Damon’s body breaking down (based off the type of player he is), and the other three don’t give me nearly enough value for what they’re going to cost. I like Kubel.
And if I were the Astros GM, I wouldn’t necessarily sign a Ortiz or a Guerrero, however, if (via free agency or trade) I could sign someone to play DH effectively for me in 2013, I’d lock them down to a two-year deal. I hopefully could play that player in the OF or 1B during the 2012 season.
Moneyball in the National League, sheesh. It’s just like Kermit the Frog says, “it ain’t easy being green” nor is it easy to adapt certain Moneyball aspects into the Senior Circuit.
I guess Kermit didn’t say the second part…
OR sign Big Country himself! Low-risk, high-reward maybe? Look at these friggin’ minor league numbers
First, thanks for the shoutout to Ron Blomberg, although some people regard Opening Day ’73 as a “day that will live in infamy.” I agree with JB’s comment that the Astros shouldn’t gamble on Ortiz or Vlad. The idea of signing someone who can do some spot fill-ins at 1B and OF in 2012 makes a lot of sense.
Having mentioned the Astros and 2013, how about a piece and follow-on discussion of the looming specter of everyday interleague play? And will the DH survive realignment or meet its demise after 40 years? Forty years…geez, that doesn’t seem possible.
I, personally, hate the DH being assigned to a non-fielding player. I prefer to use it as a “rest stop” for players unless the bat is so good that it outways that option. Ortiz might be the only one who I would allow to be my full-time DH.
I would much rather sign multiple players like Andruw Jones and Russell Branyan who can both play the field well at their respected positions but need the rest at DH and you can rotate others into DH while they play the field. Hope that made sense.