Jon Lieber

by blove121 on Feb 15, 2007 4:36 PM EST

The Phillies are once again reported to be shopping Jon Lieber for bullpen help. Would there be any interest by the Cardinals? Better question: would it be a good idea for the Cards to have an interest?

In Lieber, I see a guy with solid groundball tendencies, who walks very few batters. His career stats compare favorably to Jeff Suppan (although he is 36). The last three seasons he has averaged ~175 innings, with an ERA in the mid-4.00s.

Lieber makes a relatively modest (for an established veteran pitcher with a career winning record) $7.5M this season. To offset some of that salary, the Cardinals could include Looper in the package of relievers. Lieber would then, conveniently, end the Braden-Looper-as-starting-pitcher experiment before it even began. Depending on what the Phils are looking for, Johnson or Kinney would probably make up the other part of the deal.

Lieber isn't going to be a No. 2 starter, but he's a better middle-to-bottom-of-the-rotation option than what they have.

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wait

lieber is an interesting option but at this point i would wait a few weeks to see how looper, franklin, cate, narveson, etc. are doing.

by dmb60614 on Feb 15, 2007 5:49 PM EST reply actions

there's no way

I'd include Johnson or Kinney in a trade for Lieber. Why should we believe that Lieber would be considerably better than Franklin or Looper as an SP. I would consider trading Looper for Lieber, however. To me, Lieber is a better option than say, Pavano (even if the Yanks pick up a large amount of the $$$$), because he's a free agent at the end of the year, whereas Pavano has 2 years left on his contract. But I wouldn't trade our best RH setup man or our best LH reliever for Lieber. He's not worth it.

by chuckb on Feb 15, 2007 5:50 PM EST reply actions

He's also got a really, really, really big truck

$211,000 BTW for any of you looking to buy a new truck

by stevenucla on Feb 15, 2007 6:07 PM EST reply actions

Holy Shit

That's a hell of a truck.

I agree, give the kids a shot before deciding if you have to trade for him.

by Baseball addict on Feb 15, 2007 6:08 PM EST up reply actions

the bigger the truck ...

...the lower k/9 ratio?

Lieber's numbers suggest a guy whose best years are in the past. I can't see that he'd be enough of an upgrade to warrant the salary and whatever we'd have to give up.

by DCGreg on Feb 15, 2007 9:27 PM EST up reply actions

Probably

5 parking spaces at Busch as well.

by stevenucla on Feb 16, 2007 12:08 PM EST up reply actions

Looper

I would feel much more comfortable with him in the rotation that Looper.

http://whiteyball.wordpress.com

by whiteyball on Feb 15, 2007 6:50 PM EST reply actions

i am not a lieber fan

but he is a guy that can give you some good innings. now looper might be ok as a starter but i really dont think he will. if looper is anywhere from ok-good the cardinals will run away with the central. duncan has many projects this year. i still believe the cardinals will win the central but i think some roster adjustments will have to be made. but i also believe walt will make the moves to put the team in place for a chance to repeat

SWH

by BRINGBACKWILSON on Feb 15, 2007 11:00 PM EST reply actions