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Grading The Deal: Cabrera Traded To White Sox For Garland

Authored by Christopher Reina - 19th November, 2007 - 2:07 pm

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In a win-win deal, White Sox' GM Ken Williams was able to turn a 4.41 career ERA starting pitcher into one of the best all-around shortstops in all of baseball on Monday when he dealt Jon Garland to the Angels for Orlando Cabrera and cash. But what is perplexing is that the White Sox just re-signed Juan Uribe to a one-year, $4.5 million contract. He is now very expendabl, and the November 8th signing could end up looking like an old-fashioned NBA sign-and-trade.

The White Sox might have won the 2005 World Series behind the strength of their starting pitching, but in 2007 they were dead last in runs scored in the AL with 693.

Cabrera, who is already 33-years-old, is in the middle of the shortstop pack as a hitter (.292/.340/.400 over the last two seasons) but is a very sure-handed defensive player and is coming off what was probably his finest season in his 11-year career. In 2007, Cabrera had a line of .301/.345/.397 and was responsible for 11% of the Angels? runs scored, second only to Vladimir Guerrero?s 13%.

He was productive in key situations, posting an .891 OPS with two outs and runners in scoring positions.

Cabrera also won his second Gold Glove in 2007, posting a .983 fielding percentage while manning a more steady than spectacular shortstop.

He is entering the final year of his deal and will make $9 million.

Grade for White Sox: B

This was the first move executed by new Angels? GM Tony Reagins, and the addition of the 28-year-old Garland appears to be a precursor to a larger move (i.e. Miguel Cabrera). The Angels already had a very deep rotation with John Lackey, Jered Weaver, Kelvim Escobar, Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders. One of those young pitchers will almost surely be traded as the Angels make a move for an impact bat.

Cabrera was also expendable because of the presence of Erick Aybar and Brandon Wood (who has been converted to a third baseman). One of these two players would surely be included in a Miguel Cabrera trade.

Garland has been a steady innings-eater starter, with just one season (2005) that would make him amongst the top pitchers in the game. In that season, when he was 6th in Cy Young voting, Garland had a 3.50 ERA and a 1.172 WHIP.

He has averaged 207 innings over the past six seasons while walking 2.74 batters per nine innings.

Garland has an excellent October record, giving up just four earned runs over 16 innings in his two postseason starts in 2005. The Angels witnessed this first hand in Game 3 at Angel Stadium when he threw a four-hit shutout with his only two runs allowed coming, ironicly enough, on a two-run Orlando Cabrera homerun in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Playoffs excluded, Garland has a 4.94 career ERA at Angel Stadium over 47.1 innings, but he has a 3.60 ERA at Safeco and a 3.86 ERA at the Oakland Coliseum.

Grade for Angels: A- (if they acquire Miguel Cabrera)

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