Mark Teahen is a pretty useful player for a contending team, but is not somebody to build around.
He is a jack of all trades – but master of none. He can play four positions (1B, 3B, RF, LF) adequately while being slightly below average with the bat. His 2006 season (.290/.357/.517) appears to be the exception as his slugging percentage the last three years attests (.410, .402, .408). He strikes out a lot for somebody without power and his plate discipline is in decline.
Still though, I always liked him because he went out and played hard, and even during all the position changes he never complained. He had the unfair burden in KC of being the centerpiece of the Carlos Beltran trade and, except for three months in ’06, never lived up to expectations. It wouldn’t shock me to see him figure things out in Chicago and he’ll be a guy I follow for the rest of his career.
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Jeff Parker writes and edits Royally Speaking, and The 35th Street Review wishes him luck cursing out his favorite team’s new third baseman.
The biggest difference for Teahen iis that we’ll only ask him to hit .270/.330/.450, with 15-20 hr and 60 rbi, batting 6th or 7th. And keep him at 3B in one position for a change. I expect him to live up to those expectations, and it’s a huge upgrade over Nix/Getz duo of ineptitude.
Getz might be something, but I doubt it. And get used to a few absolute bombs from Josh Fields, interspersed between 150+ strike outs.
Now there’s a fun bet for Royals fans to make: who gets to 100 k’s first, Josh Fields or Luke Hochevar?
The first sentence of Mr. Parker’s post is exactly what I think about this.
I appear to be in the minority in Royalville regarding this trade. Apparently Fields is going to hit 40 home runs while Getz plays gold glove defense with 50 stolen bases and a .400 OBP. Garsh, you guys got fleeced.
Getz had the best stolen base percentage in the AL. He may not steal 50, but if he plays the full season 40 is a done deal. Very disappointed that the Sox let him go. This one’s going to come back and bite us.
KC Royals fan here. I like Getz’s potential and Josh Fields’s crappy bat off the bench will be an upgrade over the crappy bats we have on the bench now. But I think Mark Teahen will get a surge in power playing at US Cellular Field too. Good trade for both sides…but we’ll see. Can’t say one side won more than the other here, but Chris Getz I think will help us out more than Mark helps out you guys.