Who's this years Edwin Encarnacion ?

[Kelly Gruber]

You can try to sign LaRoche, you can spend money for a guy like Swisher. You could probably gamble on Eric Chavez as the DH, and you could always use him at 3B to give Lawrie a day off as well (or just DH him). Hafner would be intriuging in a more favourable park, as he posted a 119 wRC+. He'll miss some time with injuries but he'd be a very good fit. Probably wouldn't cost much. Morneau is a good trade option. I don't know what's the deal with Wilson Betemit (whether he's a FA or not) but he's been pretty good against RHP.

So that's what, 5-6 options over trade or free agency who would upgrade the team over Lind.

LaRoche and Swisher are going to demand huge contracts, Laroche is looking at 4 years by all accounts and wants to be close to home. Swisher is not going to DH anywhere. These two are not reasonable

Chavez is 34 and a huge injury risk. So is Morneau, not to mention the contract and the fact that the Twins have no power without him and likely have no interest in moving him... Chavez likely signs back in New York anyway. These two are slightly more reasonable, but still would have most of the posters here up in arms.

I'll just pretend you didn't say Wilson Betemit...

None of those guys are reasonable in reality. And your next list gets into players that are pricey to acquire, we're top 5 in payroll and have surrendered nearly a dozen prospects in the last year. What more are you expecting from AA?

Again, I don't like Lind any more than everyone else, but if you look at things objectively, it's not a stretch to say get used to it.

[PeterH]

the yankees need to sign chavez as a stop-gap at third. drew wont sign as a part-time and their depth chart is not looking too good right now

[Twitchy]

LaRoche and Swisher are going to demand huge contracts, Laroche is looking at 4 years by all accounts and wants to be close to home. Swisher is not going to DH anywhere. These two are not reasonable

LaRoche can demand 4 years all he likes but every day he waits his options shrink. He potentially lost a suitor in the Nats when they got Span, for instance.

And who said anything about Swisher DHing? He could play 1B vs RHP, and could also play the OF if need be.

Chavez is 34 and a huge injury risk. So is Morneau, not to mention the contract and the fact that the Twins have no power without him and likely have no interest in moving him...

Chavez is a cheap option, and while he is an injury risk that's lowered as the DH. Didn't Morneau manage a 900 OPS vs RHP? If you could get him then that's absolutely worth the risk.

Chavez likely signs back in New York anyway. These two are slightly more reasonable, but still would have most of the posters here up in arms.

Did you miss the let's get Morneau post? Most people would be in favour of that.

I'll just pretend you didn't say Wilson Betemit...

And why's that? He had an 859 OPS vs RHP this year, an 865 OPS vs RHP last year, and 873 the year before. He's got a career 824 OPS. Is the problem that he's too effective vs RHP? I'm not understanding why you wouldn't want Betemit. He's a cheap, under the radar pick up, and exactly what the team needs.

If you want to go by wRC+, Betemit is 133, 129, 137 vs RHP the past 3 years. Lind is 116, 105 and 121 vs RHP over that time. It's a fairly significant upgrade from Betemit to Lind. Let's put it in perspective here - Lind's best year since 2010 vs RHP wasn't even as good as Betemit's worst year during that stretch.

He's with the O's for 1.75M and has a club option for the following year. The fact he saw his AB's drop in August/September show they don't value him that highly. He's a perfect buy low candidate.

None of those guys are reasonable in reality. And your next list gets into players that are pricey to acquire, we're top 5 in payroll and have surrendered nearly a dozen prospects in the last year. What more are you expecting from AA?

Andy Dirks is too expensive? Really? Matt Carpenter is too expensive? He's making the major league minimum. Wilson Betemit isn't a reasonable option? You're really reaching here.

What I expect him to do, quite frankly, is build a major league roster capable of contending, and winning in the post season. I'm not a fan of putting a handicap on first base simply because it's easy to settle with using Lind, who is a below average option.

Again, I don't like Lind any more than everyone else, but if you look at things objectively, it's not a stretch to say get used to it.

It seems to me that you're wilfully ignoring any option that displaces Lind. I just looked at things pretty objectively and found a bunch of options that would be an upgrade. Not to mention the fact that for your sake, I ignored every worthwhile right handed bat in the game.

The fact is Lind is very replaceable.

[Kelly Gruber]

I just don't share the view that Wilson Betemit and Andy Dirks are so much better than Lind that it's worth surrendering assets for when our line-up is not an issue... But to each is own...

[2009mvp]

I just don't share the view that Wilson Betemit and Andy Dirks are so much better than Lind that it's worth surrendering assets for when our line-up is not an issue... But to each is own...

Says who? There are enough flaws in there that I'd still be terrified of having to rely on Lind.

[2009mvp]

It's weird that Betemit has the same stink on him that EE had. Betemit's absolutely destroyed right handed pitching for a long time now, EE was an above average bat every year of his career save one and yet both were (are, in Betemit's case) considered trash simply because they were forced to play a position they're incapable of fielding. Really weird.

[Kelly Gruber]

Says who? There are enough flaws in there that I'd still be terrified of having to rely on Lind.

Well they Jays finished in the top half of the league last year in runs with a depleted line up. About the same as the Giants, who if you recall won the WS. And have now added Reyes and Cabrera to the mix. They had no trouble scoring runs before injuries went crazy and will score enough runs with their current line-up too.

There are more important areas to shore up before we worry about blowing assets on an Adam Lind upgrade...

[2009mvp]

What 'enough runs' is depends entirely on how good you are at preventing runs, which is why those comparisons stink. Right now the lineup goes 5 deep with Rasmus, Lind, Arencibia, and Izturis behind those first 5 being sub-league average hitters. With a pitching staff that will ideally be very good, not great, and a defense that will be good, not great, this team will clearly need to be elite offensively to compete. Right now it ain't that.

[Kelly Gruber]

^ You just made my point for me by pointing out all the other holes we need to fill before worrying about a Lind upgrade...

[2009mvp]

Sure you could upgrade elsewhere, but then we come back to you correctly pointing out the issues they'll have financially and with surrendering more talent. DH is the easiest position to upgrade at, especially considering that Lind is the worst of those players.

[Twitchy]

I just don't share the view that Wilson Betemit and Andy Dirks are so much better than Lind that it's worth surrendering assets for when our line-up is not an issue... But to each is own...

So you're of the opinion that a guy who is a 130 wRC+ or better bat against RHP isn't an upgrade to this team? Based on what, exactly? Your gut feeling? It's pretty clear when you look at the numbers against RHP, Betemit is a fantastic option, and significantly better than Lind. And if it doesn't take much to get him, then it's a no brainer to try and get him.

This team isn't good enough to just throw away runs at 1B with Lind. Settling with Lind simply isn't an option. You're right the team has other holes, but the biggest one on the team is Lind.

[Kelly Gruber]

So you're of the opinion that a guy who is a 130 wRC+ or better bat against RHP isn't an upgrade to this team? Based on what, exactly? Your gut feeling? It's pretty clear when you look at the numbers against RHP, Betemit is a fantastic option, and significantly better than Lind. And if it doesn't take much to get him, then it's a no brainer to try and get him.

This team isn't good enough to just throw away runs at 1B with Lind. Settling with Lind simply isn't an option. You're right the team has other holes, but the biggest one on the team is Lind.

I don't need numbers to know that Wilson Betemit is nothing special. I've watched him, he's not athletic, his defence sucks and has no power. There's a reason he's bounced 7 organizations... I really don't see him as a better DH option than Lind.

[2009mvp]

What the hell does athleticism and defense have to do with DHing?

[Kelly Gruber]

What the hell does athleticism and defense have to do with DHing?

So you want an unathletic, no defence player with no power to DH? Seems like a good use of roster space... Maybe we can dump Davis or Bonifacio in order to make a spot for the useless Betemit. Suspiciously similar to your complaints about Lind no?

You guys are right, lets go get Wilson Betemit...

[2009mvp]

My complaint about Lind is that he can't hit. Period. Betemit can.