Baseball BeatNovember 19, 2007
Breaking News: CWS Trade Jon Garland to the LAA for Orlando Cabrera
By Rich Lederer

As reported by ESPN, the White Sox traded right-hander Jon Garland to the Los Angeles Angels for shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

The 28-year-old Garland, an 18-game winner in 2005 and 2006, was 10-13 with a 4.23 ERA in 32 starts last season. He [was] 92-81 with a 4.41 ERA in 246 games, including 223 starts, over eight major league seasons, all with the White Sox.

Garland was acquired by the White Sox from the Cubs on July 29, 1998, for pitcher Matt Karchner.

Cabrera, 33, batted .301 with 35 doubles, eight home runs, 86 RBIs and a career-high 101 runs with the Angels last year. He had a career-high 192 hits.

He won his second Gold Glove and led AL shortstops in fielding percentage (.983). Cabrera, who has also played with Montreal and Boston during his 11-year career, is a career .273 hitter. He was on the 2004 Red Sox team that won the World Series.

Chicago also receives cash as part of the trade.

The last sentence shocks me as much as the trade. Without knowing how much cash, it's hard to get overly bothered by this tidbit of information. But . . .

  • Jon Garland signed an extension in December 2005 that calls for him to receive $12 million in 2008, the final year of his contract.

  • Orlando Cabrera signed as a free agent in January 2005 and stands to make $9 million in the fourth and final year of his deal.

    I don't understand this trade unless . . .

    1. Arte Moreno caught OC in bed with his wife.

    2. The Angels are on the verge of signing Alex Rodriguez and are planning on playing him at shortstop.

    3. The Halos are about to deal Jered Weaver or Ervin Santana as part of a package to the Marlins for Miguel Cabrera.

    4. The club is going to convert Brandon Wood back to shortstop or hand the position over to Erick Aybar, neither of whom showed last year that they are ready to assume the role on a full-time basis.

    5. L.A. is planning to sign fan-favorite David Eckstein to a short-term contract, allowing minor leaguer Sean Rodriguez to develop further.

    Thoughts?

  • Comments

    I pray to God they're not revisiting the Tejada deal.

    I think you are right about Weaver or Santana or both being moved somewhere. I can't imagine that they don't do at least one more major trade before the season starts.

    Good one, John. Trading for Tejada is a distinct possibility, too. He is signed through 2009 and the Angels might see him as a two-year solution at that position while upgrading their offense (and, at the same time, downgrading their defense). Teams have been interested in Tejada as a third baseman, but he has resisted making that move thus far.

    I would not be in favor of including Nick Adenhart in such a deal. Ervin Santana and Erik Aybar but not Adenhart or Brandon Wood. However, I don't think Baltimore would bite unless the Angels included Adenhart or Wood.

    I find it rather amusing that the Angels get a groundball pitcher by trading their best defensive infielder...

    Maybe the Sox turned down the throw-in contract of Garret Anderson, wanting cash instead?

    Garland's groundball rate declined the past two seasons and he is now below average in this area. He throws strikes and eats innings but is dependent on his defense as a pitcher who has a hard time striking out hitters.

    A left side that includes Tejada or Cabrera will not compare favorably to Uribe and Crede when it comes to making plays. Garland has also had a couple of pretty good fly chasers in Rowand and Podsednik for most of his career in Chicago. His K/100 pitches (one of my favorite tools when evaluating pitchers) has always been near the bottom. Any increase in Garland's walk rate will be met with an ERA in the high-4s or above, even in a more pitcher-friendly home ballpark.

    I'm having a hard time understanding this from the White Sox side as well. With the pitching market the way it is, couldn't they have gotten a couple prospects for Garland instead of a 33 year old shortstop? I think they once again are dillusional about their position in the AL for next year and believe they can be contenders.

    I agree, Mark. The deal makes less sense for the White Sox unless they got a lot of money from the Angels, which would seem unlikely. Kenny Williams obviously thinks OC is a better option than Juan Uribe, whom he just re-signed for $4.5M for 2008, and must believe the team can contend this year. As currently situated, the White Sox are not remotely close to the Indians or Tigers in terms of talent, much less the other wild card contenders from the AL West and East. It's a real head scratcher from both sides and is obvioulsy a prelude to another deal or two.

    Rich,

    How could scenario two even be on the table? A-Rod and the Yanks have agreed to a deal even though it's not finalized. In all likelihood, the Yanks have protected themselves with a signed document between themselves and A-Rod that guarantees a finalized deal within the week. It's certainly not something you would put out of Boras' reach, but I just see about maybe a 1 percent possibility that A-Rod would sign the Angels right now.

    I came up with all five points off the top of my head in a matter of two or three minutes. Number two is almost as facetious as number one so I'm not going to disagree with you that the likelihood of signing A-Rod is extremely remote at this point. But I wouldn't totally rule it out until the ink has dried on the contract he is reportedly finalizing.

    As an Angels fan I like the deal. They sold high and bought low. Maybe they threw away a couple of million, but they can afford that.

    Something else must be coming where they likely ship out a pitcher or 2. My first throught was M. Cabrera, but we'll see.

    Is Cabrera really that good of a SS? I have always thought of him as a very below-average offensive SS, and if nothing else, Garland has been a solid innings-eater to me. I would have thought this was a good move for the Angels.

    I have to agree with the last few posters...though overall confusing I think the Angels made out better. Garland eats innings and will give them solid middle rotation stuff. The Angels pitching coaches have done a terrific job with their staff in general and I see Garland doing well under their tutelage. Cabrera is solid, but nowhere is good as last years figures. As pointed out above, the Angels sold very high with respect to Cabrera. There would definitely seem to be another deal in the works. The Angels really need another power bat in the lineup to contend next year.

    I agree with the buy low sell high point of view from the angles. Oc's 07/06 stats are not really in line with his career AVG.

    Interestingly, while Garland pitches in hitters heaven, his home road stats have been favorable in his last two years
    Home: 3.97, 3.78
    Road: 4.90, 4.76 (BR)

    The Orange County Register is reporting that the Angels are sending "Orlando Cabrera and **$1.5 million** to the Chicago White Sox for right-handed pitcher Jon Garland."

    That means Garland is worth $4.5M more than Cabrera for one season. You could have fooled me.

    Also of note, OC would be a Type A and Garland a Type B free agent if they hit the market today.

    Teams that offer and are refused arbitration to Type A free agents net two first round draft picks (back half of the first round if signed by a team with a pick from #16-#30 plus a supplemental first round or two supplemental first round choices if signed by a team with a pick from #1-#15 because those draft spots are protected).

    Teams that offer and are refused arbitration to Type B free agents net one supplemental first-round draft pick (sandwiched between the regular first round and second round).

    Re: the 4.5MM, it's also exactly what they're paying Uribe.

    why has o.cabrera moved around so much? does he have off field issues that teams get tired of dealing with? a lot of boston media members have alluded to issues; but no one has ever publicly addressed it in any city he has played.

    I'd point out that beyond Wood and Aybar, there's also Maicer Izturis, who while perhaps not Cabrera's equal defensively, is quite competent and his bat is as good or better than Orlando's, as shown the past two seasons. Maicer also costs significantly less than Cabrera does. So the Angels acquired a veteran innings eater for someone that was blocking atleast 3 players who are much less expensive and all three have the potential to be as good or better than Cabrera. It also helps clear the infield glut the Angels have, possibly setting the stage for acquiring Miguel Cabrera. As an Angels fan, I see this as a very positive step.

    Just don't see that this is an answer to the problem. There has to be something else planned. Maybe the Angles see this as away to not lose Howie Kendrick while still being able to acquire that proven power bat. Now E.Santana or Saunders become options in a deal? With no proven everyday MLB SS on the team they better do something.

    This is step one in something else. Ignoring the cash, this is a wash. And I very much doubt the Angels will be pushing one of their young pitchers elsewhere unless the return is Miguel Cabrera.