Thursday, December 21, 2017

Hot Stove Update: Heating Up

The Giants Evan Longoria trade hogged all the headlines yesterday, but there were other significant developments in the Hot Stove League.

The Cleveland Indians found their replacement for Carlos Santana in 1B Yonder Alonso who they signed for 2 years/$16 M.  Alonso had a breakout year in 2017. He does not have to sustain that to earn his keep for the next 2. years, but he'll have to do better than the 2 prior seasons before 2017.

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The Brewers added a rotation piece in Jhoulys Chacin for 2 yrs/$15 M.  Chacin has an effective FB/Changeup combo but walks and hits too many batters.  He will shore up the back end of a rotation and eat innings.

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Zach Britton suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during workouts.  He will likely miss the first half of the 2018 season and is likely now untradeable for the Orioles.

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Most free agent markets start with the top players and work down to the scrubs who have to settle for minor league deals.  While we haven't seen the minor league deals yet, this market seems to be filling in from the bottom up as most of the top 10 FA's are still unsigned as we approach Christmas and New Year's.  We may see some guys taking a lot less money than was predicted here.

6 comments:

  1. Jarrod Dyson has averaged over 100 games per year for the last 6 years and would be a 2-3 WAR swing in CF for about $6M/yr. He's pretty awful against LHP so those would be good days to take off although Hernandez has reverse splits and doesn't hit lefties well although better than Dyson.
    That leaves RF to Parker Slater Williamson et al -- not too intriguing.

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  2. SF signed a minor league 2B Josh Rutledge today - are they collecting a few to try out at spring training because Panik is about to be traded?

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    1. You have to squint hard to see Rutledge as a replacement for Joe Panik. More likely he's being brought in to compete with Kelby for reserve IF role, although I believe Kelby is a better player.

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  3. People starting to chatter about SF trading for Juan Lagares CF from the Mets. They need a 2B, so maybe it's Joe Panik for Juan Lagares? Maybe the Mets throw in Wheeler so SF can have him back in AT&T Park - then Samardjiza is tradeable for salary dump to the Brewers for Domingo Santana RF. Money under the cap for Howie Kendrick 2B and a bullpen piece or two. Keep the line moving, Bobby!

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    1. Yeah, maybe if they throw in Wheeler. Juan Lagares is a good defensive CF, but can't hit his way out of a paper bag. I would hope Joe Panik would bring back a lot more.

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    2. I would think the Mets would make that trade in a New York second but the Giants need more for Panik. And what do they have SF wants? Maybe Conforto! Haha
      Wheeler would be nostalgic -- righting yesterday's wrongs? But he's not the future he was supposed to be.
      Besides, with Arroyo gone, who's at 2nd? Kelby?
      Kendrick has had a fair stick in the past but the hole Lagares plugged in the OF reappears in the IF!

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