Scott Podsednik Will Explore Free-Agency
By Zach Links [October 4 at 1:30pm CST]
Scott Podsednik wants to return to the White Sox next season but will test the market, reports Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Podsednik says that he will look for counsel from his representation as he is new to the process.

Posting .306/.355/.415 in 583 plate appearances with Chicago in 2009, Podsednik proved to be one of the best minor league deals of the year. After logging significant time at both left and center field, Podsednik is sure to garner some attention this winter.

Fangraphs estimates the Texas native's 2009 value to be $7.2 million. It's difficult to ascertain what Scotty Pods will fetch on the open market as he will turn 34 in March.

How much would you fork over to sign Podsednik? Would a team in need of a solid lead-off bat overpay for his services? Your thoughts in the comments

_________________
“Be Who You Are and Say What You Feel Because Those Who Mind Don't Matter and Those Who Matter Don't Mind.” ~ Dr. Suess


Nice Guys Finish Last

Thank you,and have a nice day !

I would be shocked if he received 5 million, but who knows.

I would place the value of his services at about 3 million and no more than 2 years.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Is it even possible to put a price on grindiness?

_________________

he could get $4-5 mil from a real shitty team. royals, pirates...that kind of thing.

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

SAN FRANCISCO -- Aaron Rowand wanted some long-term stability for his family. The San Francisco Giants wanted the same thing in center field.


Rowand agreed to a $60 million, five-year contract with the Giants on Wednesday, giving the club a Gold Glove winner without having to trade either of its top young pitchers: Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum

I would guess that he will get at least 5 million and it may very well be from a contender. His real value, is that he's a true leadoff hitter and those are tough to find.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

Not to be a wise-ass, but why do you think this?

Pods had a .353 OBP this year, which ranks him 39th in the AL and 80th in MLB.

537 AB's he had 39 BB's. 74 k's

8th in the AL in SB with 30. 4th in Caught stealing 13. (for sake of comparison Ellsbury had 70/12, Crawford 60/16).

Scored 75 runs.

again, the questions are, why do you think he's a true leadoff hitter and why do you think these numbers are hard to find..

_________________

and 57th in OPS

59th in slugging.

_________________

Agreed - I don't think a contending team is likely to sign him. If it isn't the White Sox, it's going to be some other mid-level team hoping that last year wasn't a fluke.

Forget On Base plus slugging or just slugging percentages. Leadoff hitters with power are rare and thats not what a leadoff hitter really needs to offer. A true leadoff hitter has to get on base and be a legitimate threat to steal, as well as actually stealing bases. Podsednik has value, in that he hit .304 and stole 30 bases, with 163 hits in just 132 games, several games in which he did not even play the whole game, but was inserted to pinch hit or pinch run. Yeah, I know that he was caught stealing too many times. But a guy with a .304 average that causes the defense problems with his base stealing threat and who steals 30 bases, will get 5 million. He is not a top tier player, but he is a valuable piece.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

I agree, him hitting .300 definitely has value, just not as a starting OF in the AL. He did start 128 of those 132 games.

I think most of us agree the most important function of a lead-off hitter is scoring runs and to do that you need to be on base. Pods being ranked 39th in OBP in just the AL alone sorta speaks for itself. If a player wants to get by by being a slap hitter that's fine with me, but you also need to be able to play D and/or be great on the bases. Pods D and his baserunning get rated as a D+ in my book.

So at the end of the day, imo, you have a .300 hitter with no power, who can't run very well (30 SB is not a lot, 17 guys did it), can't play D AT ALL, has NO arm, gets picked off constantly and gets caught stealing constantly.

In my baseball world that's the definition of NL 4th or 5th OF / pinch hitter / pinch runner. (not that there's anything wrong with that)

I congratulate pods on hitting for a high average this year, I was very surprised, but thats about it. Hit .300 for first time since rookie year in 03.

Let's also keep in mind he hit .253 and .243 in 2008 & 2007.

Hard to disagree with potential new contract tho, thinking 1 year around $3.5 with mutual option in yr 2 around $5MM.

_________________

It was a better year than most would have expected with the .304 average and 75 runs scored in just 132 games. You say 30 Stolen bases is no big deal, because 17 guys reached that number? 17 guys, in all of baseball....thats not that many and again, the threat of him stealing, means that the #2 hitter should get more fastballs to hit, which is a really good thing as well. He is NOT a CF. I watched him enough with the Brewers to know that was not going to go well. He has a poor arm, that is true too. But the average and the steals may well get him to the 5 million range. If the Sox could get him for 3.5 I think they will sign him. Losing Dye opens a spot and with Carlos Quentin's health, you know there is a solid chance that he's going to miss some time again too.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

I did a quick look at his value in terms of AL leadoff hitters when Bernstein was questioning his value. I think I had him at 7 out of the 14 AL leadoff hitters. That was when he was in a slump and hitting around .290. After raising the average, maybe he is in the top 5.

He isn't elite, he is old, and he has MANY deficiencies in his game. I'd like him to be back on this team, but you and I are of the same mindset on his value.

by the way, I'd be suprised if Figgens got 7 million per year and he is better than Pods...but neither of them are game changers anymore

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

However, Figgins makes more sense, because on the defensive side, he is a better player. Of course, that would mean moving Beckham (previously aka-ROY, but not so much lately) to either SS or 2B, with 2B being more likely. That means Getz is either moved or made a utility player. Podsednik on the other hand, could just be stuck in LF, with Quentin taking over for Dye in RF. If they did move Beckham to 2B, it would give them a great arm there for turning DP's. It will be an interesting offseason.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

Figgens can play the OF. Rios in LF, Figgens in CF and Quentin in RF

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Figgins in LF, Rios in CF, Quentin in RF.

kinda fun to look at old threads sometimes.

now that we know he got 1 year - $1.75 million and a team option for year 2, $7 mil seems a little crazy. Some had him at over $5 mill. I predicted 1 year at $3.5 mill


http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/01/r ... elder.html

_________________