Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Great Scott! Really? But Robertson had 15 WINS!!!!!

Mark Shapiro did not make too many poor trades during his tenure as GM of the Indians.  But, in 2004, Shapiro made a trade that is hard to comprehend and you don't have to be a stat geek sabermetrician to understand why.  On March 31, 2004, Shapiro sent Luke Scott, then a 26 year old AA player to the Houston Astros for 26 year old left-handed starter Jeriome Robertson.

Luke Scott was drafted out of Oklahoma State in the 9th round of the 2001 draft.  Scott put together 3 solid season in the Tribe's farms system compiling a slash line of .287/.388/.555 with 27 home runs and 97 RBI in his final season with the Tribe (2003).  A look deeper into Scott's minor league numbers suggest that he wasn't held back at any level by the Tribe, so the fact that he was 26 years old shouldn't of been held against him, right?

YearAgeTmLgLevAffGPAABRHHRBBSOBAOBPSLGOPS
2002242 Teams2 LgsA-A+CLE9738433450831537105.249.336.479.815
200224ColumbusSALLACLE49198171284472158.257.345.515.860
200224KinstonCARLA+CLE48186163223981647.239.326.442.768
2003252 Teams2 LgsA+-AACLE11747442458117203899.276.342.486.828
200325KinstonCARLA+CLE672722413767132762.278.360.498.858
200325AkronELAACLE50202183215071137.273.317.470.787
2004262 Teams2 LgsA+-AAHOU129540449901292774101.287.388.555.942
200426SalemCARLA+HOU66287241456784158.278.376.469.845
200426Round RockTLAAHOU632532084562193343.298.401.6541.055
200527Round RockPCLAAAHOU10344939869114314396.286.363.603.966
200628Round RockPCLAAAHOU873813186395205266.299.400.541.941
200931DelmarvaSALLABAL26413120.750.8331.5002.333
201032OriolesGULFRkBAL311912021.222.364.222.586
7 Seasons53822451936332543114248468.280.367.535.902
A+ (3 seasons)1817456451041732984167.268.358.473.831
A (2 seasons)51204175294782358.269.360.537.897
AA (2 seasons)11345539166112264480.286.364.568.931
AAA (2 seasons)1908307161322095195162.292.380.575.955
Rk (1 season)311912021.222.364.222.586
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2010.

Robertson was coming off a season where he was credited with 15 wins against 9 losses.  The rest of his stat line screamed "DO NOT TOUCH".  He had an ERA of 5.10,  5.5 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, a WHIP of 1.519, and an ERA+ of 86.  Robertson would barely average slightly over 5 innings (160 IP/31 starts) during the 2003 season.  Is there really any other reason to dig deeper into Robertson numbers to suggest that trading for Robertson would be a big mistake? 

YearAge 5TmLgWLW-L%ERAGGSIPHERHRBBSOWHIPH/9HR/9BB/9SO/9SO/BB
200225HOUNL02.0006.521119.21374561.86212.13.74.75.61.20
200326HOUNL159.6255.103231160.2180912364991.51910.11.33.65.51.55
200427CLEAL11.50012.218014.022195962.21414.13.25.83.90.67
3 Seasons1612.5715.715132184.121511732781111.59010.51.63.85.41.42
162 Game Avg.1310.5715.714226151176962664911.59010.51.63.85.41.42
HOU (2 yrs)1511.5775.184332170.11939827691051.53810.21.43.65.51.52
CLE (1 yr)11.50012.218014.022195962.21414.13.25.83.90.67
NL (2 yrs)1511.5775.184332170.11939827691051.53810.21.43.65.51.52
AL (1 yr)11.50012.218014.022195962.21414.13.25.83.90.67
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2010.

Robertson would make start the 2004 season in the Tribe's bullpen but would return to Buffalo (Tribe's AAA) team after one appearance in April.  Robertson would struggle in 12 starts in Buffalo going 4-5 with a 7.27 ERA, 3.9 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, and a 1.756 WHIP.  Robertson would return to the Tribe and work out of the bullpen going 1-1 with a 12.21 ERA, 3.9 K/9, 5.8 BB/9, and a WHIP of 2.214.

The Luke Scott for Jeriome Robertson deal may go down as Mark Shapiro's worst deal.  It is a trade that makes me give pause to the notion that a guy who is old for his level of the minor leagues, may in fact, not be all the fault of the player.  It may be the fault of the organization for not pushing a college draft pick up through the system a little more rapidly.

Sadly, Jeriome Robertson was killed in a motorcylce accident on May 29, 2010.

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