So I have the following C/DH types:
Tsubasa Wang,
Dick Weaver,
Jim Stokes, and
Rickey Steele (also
Ernie Lee, but he's likely to be waived if I can get my hands on another pitcher). As of right now I'm starting Tsubasa Wang at catcher and Stokes at DH vR, Steele DH vL. My question is whether I should instead be using Weaver as catcher vR and Wang as the DH. I'd have a very hard time benching Steele in favor of Weaver, and Weaver can't play every day anymore anyway. So the first question is whether you'd start Weaver or Stokes vR, and the second (if Weaver), is how much he can decline before the answer switches.
Right now I'm actually leaning towards Weaver, but that's based on the hitting Stokes has done since coming to Chicago, which has disappointed me. I thought after his first season that he had hit below his ratings and should improve for his 2nd season. Instead, he was much worse. Maybe it's because his eye is not on par with a lot of other power hitters, but his splits and contact should be more than adequate for him to turn 95 power into some serious slugging. With those ratings and playing home games in Wrigley I never would have expected a .429 SLG season out of him.
The other question is whether you'd trade Stokes for a good reliever or solid back-of-the-rotation starter if an opportunity presents itself. Or more precisely, if it seems likely I can get that kind of return. I could really use another useful arm. I have
Edgardo Torres who can come up and DH next year after Weaver rides off into the sunset; he's not great for a DH, but for at least his cheap seasons he's an adequate bat. And I suppose if Weaver ages too dramatically this season and Stokes isn't around I can call him up for the playoffs.
And one final thing. How do the better owners feel about the decision to resign Weaver for $1.2 million? I didn't necessarily need him, but he still looked to me like a good enough player that it was hard to turn him down at that price. But now I'm looking at him and wondering exactly why, with that now-horrible arm, I thought I wanted him back. He's not a bad backup catcher, and he'll be an adequate starter against righties if I decide to go that route, but there could well have been a similar FA who would have signed for less.