Timm's Two Cents

We can talk all day about Ned's off season "moves," but most of us would end up with a stomach ache.  Or a headache.  Or both.

Better grab the Advil. And the Mylanta.

Of the myriad of misfit acquisitions made this winter, none boggles my mind more than Mark Ellis.  Last year, Ned was pulverized for signing Juan Uribe to a 3-year $21 million deal.  At the time, I thought the deal made some sense.  Heck, he had just hit 24 home runs and drove in 85 runs for the Giants.  Sure, it was a career year that I didn't expect him to duplicate, but he certainly seemed capable of hitting 15-20 homers in 2012, right?  OK, so that deal hasn't gone as hoped, but the contract itself was at least reasonable in my mind.  Especially for Ned Colletti.

But what, exactly, has Mark Ellis done to deserve the Juan Uribe treatment?  The answer: not much.  Ellis signed for a mere $2.5 million for 2012 plus some performance bonuses. Even that seems a bit high for a solid glove man who hit seven home runs while batting .248 with a .288 on-base percentage last season. The real problem with the Mark Ellis deal is the second year.  Ellis is on board for 2013 at $5.25 million.  Most of us will be ecstatic (not to mention surprised) if he clubs 15 homers and bats .275 at that rate.  And maybe that's what Ned Colletti hopes he is getting.

Only problem is, Mark Ellis has only hit 15 or more homers once in his career.  You have to go back to 2007 when he hit 19 homers - his career high.  I suppose Ned believes that, at age 34 (and age 35), he still has that kind of pop in his bat.  For his sake, I hope he's right.

Then again, maybe I don't hope for that.  Don't forget that the Dodgers hold an option for 2014 at $5.75 million with a $1 million buyout.  I seriously doubt that Ned will still be employed by the Dodgers beyond this season, but can't you just see him picking up that option if Ellis hits, say 10 home runs in 2013?  Ugh, indeed. And who's to say that the new GM won't do the same?

With all of this, I simply ask:  what's the point of signing Mark Ellis?  If it was a $1 million flyer to be a utility guy off of the bench, fine.  But to sign him for nearly $9 million for two years and declare him your starting second baseman...I don't get it.  At least Juan Uribe had his career year prior to his signing.  And 24 homers is nothing to sneeze it.  But Ned's new second baseman is so far removed from any significant offensive output, I just don't see the value here.

Heck, maybe I'm wrong about Mark Ellis.

Nah.