Nationals Acquire Tyler Clippard

by NFA Brian on Dec 4, 2007 12:15 AM EST

At the bottom of Barry Svrluga's article on the Elijah Dukes deal

A source with knowledge of the situation said the Nationals traded reliever Jonathan Albaladejo to the New York Yankees in exchange for right-hander Tyler Clippard, pending physical examinations of both players. The 22-year-old, who went 3-1 with a 6.33 ERA filling in for the Yankees this year, has a 3.52 ERA over five minor league seasons. He should immediately be a contender for Washington's rotation. Bowden did not return messages seeking comment on the deal.

Albaladejo was picked up by the Nationals after the Pirates released him from the minor leagues in 2007.

Why would the Yankees do that?

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because the Yankees know....

....something that a lot of Yankees fans have been in denial over for a long time: Tyler Clippard ain't worth s--t. though i guess his first taste of the big leagues got a few people to change their tunes.

now comes the fun part, where all of Clippard's once-supportive Yankee slowly switch camps and start pointing out all his weaknesses, and saying that there's no way he'll ever amount to anything.

by bleedjaxblue on Dec 4, 2007 12:03 AM EST reply actions

+1

Yes I do remember lol... I've seen a lot of these old yankee fans saying that Clippard is in the same class as Hughes before last season.

by Darce on Dec 4, 2007 12:06 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah Tyler Clippard is garbade.

By the way, can anybody tell about this Jonathan Albaladejo guy?

by NYYLover1000 on Dec 4, 2007 12:10 AM EST up reply actions

Albaladejo

26-year old RHRP. He battled trouble with his weight and consistency that led the Pirates to release him this season. He pitched well for the Nationals in his time. Low 90s FB.

by NFA Brian on Dec 4, 2007 12:14 AM EST up reply actions

Just turned 25 a month ago,

not 26.

by VladiHondo on Dec 4, 2007 8:45 AM EST up reply actions

if i remember right

hes pretty tall and throws hard with decent command. i saw him 3-5 times down the stretch against the mets and he impressed me, though anyone who took the mound was dominating the mets by that point so its tough to say...

but i remember saying to myself after watching him that it seemed like the nats had an endless pipeline of useful relievers

by Rob Castellano on Dec 4, 2007 9:35 AM EST up reply actions

Couldn't disagree more

I rate him a tiny bit higher than a piece of shit or garbage...lol. Perhaps a good back end starter or maybe even as good as a guy like Jerrod Washburn if things break right?

Gotta defend my boy Clip here. As you know I am a Seattle guy and the farthest thing from a Yankee fan but, I never quite understood the anger towards Clippard on here. I gather it's mostly because he was a Yankee. He is what he is... a big, goofy looking kid with real good command of an average fastball and, real good feel for his breaking pitches which he showed in his brief stint in the big leagues. I was impressed with him at least. As to what happened to him after he was sent doen...I don't know but, I doubt he has forgot how to pitch and i haven't heard anything about a severe injury.

I do know that if the Nats acquired him for next to nothing he is already one of the Nats more talented starters. I wouldn't be surprised if he didnt have a pretty decent career. In either case I'm real glad to see him go to a place where he'll have a real chance to develop. If it's true.

Freakin' awesome trade for the Nats just like the Dukes deal.

by casejud on Dec 4, 2007 1:29 AM EST up reply actions

it's a fine trade

and i think Clippard could be a major-league starter, near the back of the rotation.

but the fact that that's even a question makes you laugh when you consider how ardently many pushed for him to be a top-100 prospect.

by bleedjaxblue on Dec 4, 2007 1:33 AM EST up reply actions

Clip

The anger directed towards Clippard was a direct response to the ridiculous projections offered by some Yankees fans. I have no problem with Yankee prospects, it's just that some of the fan base thinks that every one of their guys is going to be a stud at the ML level. That in turn leads to some pretty aggressive criticism of certain players in attempting to tear to shreds the ignorant Yankee posters (not all, just some).

by nyr2k2 on Dec 4, 2007 8:45 AM EST up reply actions

40-man

I don't know why they'd give up on Clippard so easily but maybe it's because they wanted to clear some more room off the 40-man roster. Instead of cutting him, they just got something back for him.

by Stephcaflowne on Dec 4, 2007 12:05 AM EST reply actions

Well Hey

I definitely didn't have him as one of the Yanks top pitching prospects, and anyone can quote me on that. At best, I thought he could be a #5 starter. He really just doesn't have the stuff to pitch consistently starting and he just fades in the 5th and 6th inning. Right now, I think the best move would be to the bullpen, where he can go out and try max effort every time. As I recall, he hit the wall usually in the 5th in his starts (except for that surprising start versus the Mets on primetime, never saw that one). However, the Nats will probably keep him in the rotation as a back of the end starter and hope they catch lighting in the bottle. Clippard really didn't fit into the Yanks rotation for the future, so it is better to get something for him then releasing him outright. The Nats are really making all these little moves, and I wonder whether it amounts to much in the strong NL East.

by T for Jose Tabatha on Dec 4, 2007 12:32 AM EST up reply actions

Personally,

I think the Yanks traded for the kid bc Albaladejo is just plain fun to say.

Curtis Granderson fan

by jrose643 on Dec 4, 2007 12:06 AM EST reply actions

Clipp

Not going to be a stud, but could be steady #4 type in the NL.

Like what the Nats are doing right now...

by doublestix on Dec 4, 2007 12:22 AM EST reply actions

Agree

I agree with this. Bowden clearly has a plan to pick up "dull old toys," and he's executing it.

Reminds me a little of Dayton Moore's off-season last year, at least the dumpster-diving part. The WASH talent evaluators ultimately will have to be right or else this won't work, but I must say, There's Something About Jim. Maybe he's gotten older and wiser, or maybe he's just listening to different folks, but the last two years (other than that odd DUI/battery thing) have been good for Bowden.

by Yakker on Dec 4, 2007 2:19 AM EST up reply actions

there's no pressure

to be right. The players we've given up cost us virtually nothing (or were poor bets to improve greatly). If even one of the players we've acquired the last few days pans out, then we've gained overall.

by vaclipper on Dec 4, 2007 6:19 AM EST up reply actions

Which the same could be said of last years' plan..

of signing all of those minor league FA's and picking Flores in the Rule 5 draft and sticking with him. They are building depth in their system which they can turn around and use in trades. If they can continue to draft like they did last year, they will soon be in great shape.

by jfish26101 on Dec 4, 2007 7:01 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah

Well, the guys making the talent calls better be right, or they're gonna be looking for work soon, but I agree with your point. This is cheap (potential) talent acquired by a team that's got very little to lose.

My only point was, in comparing the approach to what KC has done in the last 12 months, that the strategy will only work if at least some of these players pan out.

by Yakker on Dec 4, 2007 1:15 PM EST up reply actions

The key difference with the new Bowden

and the old, is now he has a good supporting cast and he has adult supervision (Kasten).

by VladiHondo on Dec 4, 2007 8:43 AM EST up reply actions

Excellent point

And not a coincidence, IMO.

by Yakker on Dec 4, 2007 1:16 PM EST up reply actions

Clip

showed the ability to pitch well in his first few ML starts. i dont really know what happened, but he totally lost his command. if he gets it back he possibly become a #3 guy - but more likely a 4 or 5.

by Travis G on Dec 4, 2007 12:30 AM EST reply actions

Abad-

whatever has an insanely low bb rate.
http://thebaseballcube.com/players/A/Jonathan-Albaladejo.shtml

that's the only thing about his stats that jump out.

by Travis G on Dec 4, 2007 12:31 AM EST reply actions

fwiw

Alba la day ho

is how you would pronounce it.

with the stress on day

by pedrophile on Dec 4, 2007 12:44 AM EST up reply actions

Brendon

Ayanbadejo says hello

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.

by WayneCampbell05 on Dec 4, 2007 12:50 AM EST up reply actions

funny

I left the Alba together and split the rest phonetically. Just realized how it could be interpreted, lol.

I didn't get the Ayanbadejo reference.

by pedrophile on Dec 4, 2007 12:54 AM EST up reply actions

Meh

It sounded a little like the Bears' special teams coverage ace and it tickled my funny bone a bit. I like your explanation better ....

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.

by WayneCampbell05 on Dec 4, 2007 12:56 AM EST up reply actions

go Ravens?

lol

by pedrophile on Dec 4, 2007 1:01 AM EST up reply actions

Jeter will be reminded of Jessica Alba

With the start of this guy's last name. Sorry I had to bring it up but it's funny.

by Bravesin07 on Dec 4, 2007 12:34 AM EST reply actions

Funny?

To you, maybe.

by Flynn Blake on Dec 4, 2007 12:35 AM EST up reply actions

ROTFL

Not.

by SenorGato88 on Dec 4, 2007 10:49 AM EST up reply actions

Not just you...

Good lord - Hide the women and children.

"A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day." - Calvin

by RVachon on Dec 4, 2007 1:38 AM EST reply actions

Bowden

These recent moves by Nats have Mike Rizzo (Assistant GM & VP, Baseball Operations) written all over them. He left the AZ D'backs mid year 2006 and was their scouting director beginning in 1999 and is mostly responsible for the talent rich system they have at the moment.

by azmorty on Dec 4, 2007 8:46 AM EST reply actions

Interesting

I'm sure there's plenty of credit to go around, but IIRC, it looks like the Kearns/Lopez deal in mid-2006 and the Snelling deal that offseason started the ball rolling.

by Yakker on Dec 4, 2007 1:20 PM EST up reply actions

Easy answer

Clippard's not cracking the yankees rotation any time in the near future (he's no better than their number 5 pitching prospect in the high minors, behind Joba, Hughes, Kennedy and Horne) and he doesn't have the arm to be worth anything in the pen.

by Locke000 on Dec 4, 2007 10:22 AM EST reply actions

Two things...

I really like what the Nationals are doing right now. I am not a big Clippard fan, but they definitely have the right idea. Pick up players that have shown promise but who have fallen out of favor. I would bet against Clippard becoming anything real useful, but its not like they gave up anything of value to gamble. He certainly had no future with the Yankees. Same with Dukes and Milledge. They both have a ton of upside and were acquired for a bargin. If they keep adding here and there and end up hitting big on a couple gambles, combine that with improved drafting/player development and they could have a competitive team in a couple years.
I remember when so many Yankees fans were ga-ga over Clippard, and I think they are doing it to some extent with Kennedy now too. I think Kennedy is a bit better than Clippard, but not by as much as most people think at this point. Both have back of the rotation stuff, but seem to get the most out of it. Kennedy's stuff is a little better I believe, but still not special. If anything about Kennedy is hanging up the Santana deal, the Yankees are making a mistake.

by grozzy on Dec 4, 2007 10:22 AM EST reply actions

Agreed...

...that it would be foolish of the Yankees to walk away from Santana if Kennedy is the sticking point. I like Kennedy, but I'd much rather have the certainty of what Santana brings than the potential scenario of Kennedy not amounting to anything.

by nyr2k2 on Dec 4, 2007 10:33 AM EST up reply actions