Kubel to the Diamondbacks on a 2 yr deal with 3rd option per Rosenthal

[Moonlight J]

I'm puzzled by this. Either he's there to platoon with Goldschmidt or he's taking away playing time from Parra which hurts the team in a big way defensively because Parra is very good in left field.

[Hornsby]

He'll make Parra a 4th OF is my guess. And Kubel is better out there than people think, he'll catch anything he can get to, and make sound decisions. As far as hitting, he's going to be in heaven compared to what he had in Minnesota. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a career year out of him...good deal for the D-Backs IMO.

[Bodhizefa]

He'll make Parra a 4th OF is my guess. And Kubel is better out there than people think, he'll catch anything he can get to, and make sound decisions. As far as hitting, he's going to be in heaven compared to what he had in Minnesota. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a career year out of him...good deal for the D-Backs IMO.

The problem is that he can't get to much of anything, Horns. This is one of the dumbest signings of the off-season as far as I'm concerned. The D-backs had one of the best outfield defenses in all of baseball last year, and now they're willing to sacrifice that for a guy who really isn't even that much better of a hitter than Parra in the first place? Kubel should have been a DH somewhere, and he clearly shouldn't have been signed by an NL team. Dumb move by Towers. I like what he's done for Arizona since he became GM, but this move is a head-scratcher. Maybe I'm overrating Parra's offensive capabilities, but I'd still much rather have Parra than Kubel and his shredded-knee defense playing left for me.

[Hornsby]

The problem is that he can't get to much of anything, Horns. This is one of the dumbest signings of the off-season as far as I'm concerned. The D-backs had one of the best outfield defenses in all of baseball last year, and now they're willing to sacrifice that for a guy who really isn't even that much better of a hitter than Parra in the first place? Kubel should have been a DH somewhere, and he clearly shouldn't have been signed by an NL team. Dumb move by Towers. I like what he's done for Arizona since he became GM, but this move is a head-scratcher. Maybe I'm overrating Parra's offensive capabilities, but I'd still much rather have Parra than Kubel and his shredded-knee defense playing left for me.

You are overrating Parra's offensive abilities, he's a slappy with no power or speed to speak of. Is he a better defensive player than Kubel? Sure...but Kubel will erase any gap between them with his bat. If healthy, he's got 30/100 potential in that park, something Parra could never dream of.

[Bodhizefa]

You are overrating Parra's offensive abilities, he's a slappy with no power or speed to speak of. Is he a better defensive player than Kubel? Sure...but Kubel will erase any gap between them with his bat. If healthy, he's got 30/100 potential in that park, something Parra could never dream of.

I'll be interested to see just how well Kubel can do in Chase vs. Target Field. I think Target Field has one of the least talked-about park effects in baseball at the moment despite it being an oppressive environment for hitters and a boon for pitchers. Still, if Kubel is better than Parra, it's not by THAT much, and certainly not by $15 million over the next two years. I think the D-backs would've been better off spending that money elsewhere.

[Bodhizefa]

The more I think about it, the more Kubel reminds me of Raul Ibanez both offensively and defensively. There's a chance this could work out for the D-backs and Kubel could absolutely crush in their home park. But still, it seems like such a waste of resources considering Parra seems likely to give at least 90% of what Kubel can offer in totale for a pittance of the cost.

[Moonlight J]

Ibanez is a worthy comp.

I agree with Hornsby that Kubel's bat could come alive in Arizona but my goodness, how does a team make the decision to take a terrific defensive player like Parra and replace him with a guy that is a clear downgrade defensively.

Parra has been worth 19.3 fielding runs above average in 394 games. Kubel has been worth -3.1 in 753 games with the last 2 years being negative years. I've put a request in over at espn stats & info to get a graph to compare range of the two as they did with Bourjos & the average centerfielder last year.

[Bodhizefa]

Very solid signing by the D-Backs. Kubel over Parra in the starting lineup is an absolute no brainer. I don't trust UZR at all to rate defense (man, how I wanted to be able to, though), but Kubel is only slightly below average when his knee is okay. Plus, jesus, it's just left field.

However, if you look at something that's actually measurable, like offense, Kubel just crushes Parra. Kubel's OPS+ is 112. Parra's is an embarassing 94. Kubel isn't even 30 years old yet, in case anyone was thinking that this was an old signing.

Hell, it's only 2/$15. Kubel is quite a worthy gamble at that price.

It doesn't even matter about UZR when you're talking about Parra vs. Kubel. Kubel is slow and plodding and Parra is fast and fluid. I don't think there's any comparison there at all. Parra is obviously a much better fielder, and there's legitimate value in that.

[Sour Masher]

OK, sure. Kubel is obviously a much better hitter and there's legitimate and measurable value in that. Parra is a drag on the lineup. If he was a shortstop or a catcher, fine, leave him in the lineup. But, damn, the dude's a left fielder. Get someone who can actually hit to plod around out there.

I agree...defense is an underrated aspect of the game, and Parra's defensive has to be factored in here, but we aren't talking about SS or catcher here. LF is where you put the guy who can't play defense, because a defensive deficit matters less there than any other position. Also, Kubel isn't a complete hack out there, and his reduced range is made up for by good defenders at CF and RF who can help to cover the ground Kubel can't get to that Parra could. I'd take Kubel's bat advantage over Parra's defensve advantage in this case.

[Bodhizefa]

OK, sure. Kubel is obviously a much better hitter and there's legitimate and measurable value in that. Parra is a drag on the lineup. If he was a shortstop or a catcher, fine, leave him in the lineup. But, damn, the dude's a left fielder. Get someone who can actually hit to plod around out there.

I respectfully disagree with that general thought process. Why does a left fielder have to be a good hitter while a shortstop can be a drag at the plate? You find value where you can get it, and Parra has obvious value as a defender that Kubel significantly downgrades for the team. Sure, it's easier to find slick-fielding shortstops who can't hit and good-hitting left fielders who can't field, but to consider those as the only options misses the point of roster construction. We'll see how much of Kubel's bat returns now that he's out of Target Field, but I still don't think it's going to vastly outweigh his lack of defense in comparison to Parra.

[Bodhizefa]

Well, the obvious answer to your question is that shortstops get many more opportunities defensively and that, subjectively, those opportunities tend to be more difficult to defend than those to left field.

All I'm suggesting is that you're pigeonholing your roster construction by suggesting left field should be for sticks and shortstop should be for gloves. If you limit yourself to that line of thinking, you miss out on value. And what the heck does it matter what a shortstop does in this discussion? That's tapdancing around the fact that Parra is very good at defense and Kubel isn't. Value is value, wherever you find it. Just because Kubel hits better doesn't make him a better left fielder.

[Grinch]

This brings up an interesting question, common sense says you can't have a horrible fielding SS, but you can (to some extent) survive with one in a corner OF spot. I guess it comes down to runs created vs runs prevented, but a weighing system for positions would be interesting----especially if you weigh those around him----i.e. a "plodding LF" who has a CF with + range, a SS or 3B with + range around him. And bring in the ballpark factor too-- it would be an interesting work.

[OaklandA's]

One thing Kubel does add to the Diamondbacks is a strong left-handed bat. The team is right-handed heavy, with JUpton, CYoung, PGoldschmidt, RRoberts, and AHill all batting right-handed. If Drew is not healthy when the year starts, the only LHB in the lineup are Parra and Miguel Montero.

I think Parra will still see plenty of ABs with Kubel around. I would still start Parra against LHP ahead of Kubel, and occasionally start Parra in CF over Young against some RHPs.

[gcstomp]

IMO, Bodz has an interesting view. Currently, you tend to plunk your strong hitting/weak fielding guy in lf. You would not do that with a ss, as that would cost you games over the course of the season. (A Gazillion more fielding chances at ss, every one being more difficult than the lf'er type chances). Having a slightly below average fielding lf'er who can potentially hit 30/100 will win way more games for you over the course of the year than having a slappy slick fielder, plus will put fannies in the seats, and expensive souvenier jerseys on backs.

Again, IMO, Good fielding no hit lf'er guys end up working at Jiffy Lube. Good hitting with power slightly below range plodding lf'ers earn fat paychecks. It would take a league wide perception shift, where fielding is rewarded across the board in a different manner, for Parra to be better than Kubel but for now, seems like a good play.

[Moonlight J]

I know you can trash the gold glove, but the Fielding Bible also had Parra very highly graded. Their pitching staff is mostly flyball pitchers as well and while it is "only left field" it matters. Target Field is 340 down the LF line, 377 to the gap, and 404 to center. Chase is 328, 376, and then 412 to center. The gaps is where Young/Parra overlapping cut a lot of balls off. Kubel can't get to those like Parra can and in that park, doubles easily become triples.