Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins
Penny got 3 million three years removed from being an AS starter. By no means was a Brinks truck backed up to his house.
WRT Snell: I don't think it's fair to say a guy that decided to retire in ST didn't get a fair shake. If he didn't get a fair shake, or if he wanted to try somewhere else, he could have done it. The guy was always a headcase.
FWIW, the only "high upside" guy Jocketty ever hit on was Carpenter. Williams, Suppan, and the ilk were #4 starters who were helped by transcendent offenses.
The difference between Jocketty and Mozeliak wasn't really their attempt to acquire the talent, it's when to know to let go of those players.
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Penny got $8 million from the Cards (I believe it was $7.5 in salary and another $500K buyout).
Williams, for a couple seasons, was more of a #2 starter. Not in the mold of Carpenter last year (i.e. an elite #2) but more of your average #2. Oh wait, he didn't strike guys out. I forgot that means he just got lucky a lot...
But there were also moves like the trade for Kile (panned by most) or the trade for Stotts (overlooked by all). Getting Stephenson for nothing then getting a couple solid seasons from him. His FA signing of Bottenfield. Hell, even things like trading for Sterling Hitchcock. He gave nothing for Sterling then wasn't so stupid as to extend him for 2 seasons afterward. Hitchcock's performance was actually very similar to Westbrook's and under very similar circumstances. Jocketty knew better than to hitch a wagon to him. He extracted value from him then discarded him.
Jocketty's great strength wasn't plucking aces from the ashes. Carpenter's story is one that happens once a decade. No, his value was extracting value from the valueless. It was knowing when to cash out on players that have served their purpose. Nor was he perfect - Kip Wells and Brett Tomko were on his watch. But his aggregate record was quite stellar. He saved us millions every season not by getting Chris Carpenter for $5 million, but by getting Kyle Lohse for $1 million.
Mozeliak is more like Carl Peterson - if he 'discovered' you or otherwise acquired you and you've been even moderately productive for him, he's going to pay you lavishly and hamstring his team.