2018 Hot Stove League

[mtangelsfan]

4 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

Life is hard for Clayton Kershaw. 

[Stradling]

33 minutes ago, stormngt said:

Before Maldonado it seemed like teams stole on us at will!

Yep and it seems like Albert hits into a double play every game instead of less than once a week.  

[aznhockeyguy]

Wow can't believe Michael Brantley didn't get a QO.  I'd like the Angels sign him and trade Calhoun.  Brantley would be an excellent lead off hitter.

[Troll Daddy]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

Yep and it seems like Albert hits into a double play every game instead of less than once a week.  

AP only grounded into 12 DP’s ... not that alarming. 

[floplag]

14 minutes ago, aznhockeyguy said:

Wow can't believe Michael Brantley didn't get a QO.  I'd like the Angels sign him and trade Calhoun.  Brantley would be an excellent lead off hitter.

This is highly intriguing, left handed, can run 12/15 SB and would easily be our highest OBP not named Trout... only knock is much weaker vs lefties. 

[Troll Daddy]

Brantley is a pipe dream imo

[UndertheHalo]

Brantley would be a nice player to have.  Solidly above average bat.  Can lead off.  Left handed.   Injury concern tho.  I’d be real happy with it. 

[aznhockeyguy]

I don't think Brantley is a pipe dream.  I think something around 2 yr at 25-30 mil would get him, because of his injury concerns. 

[Troll Daddy]

51 minutes ago, aznhockeyguy said:

I don't think Brantley is a pipe dream.  I think something around 2 yr at 25-30 mil would get him, because of his injury concerns. 

It is when you have already invested over $10M for RF ... now you think the Angels should invest another $15M for next season? 

[floplag]

39 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

It is when you have already invested over $10M for RF ... now you think the Angels should invest another $15M for next season? 

Kole could easily move to the 1B option when Pujols DHs ... were not yet sure when Ohtani will be back but opening day is likely a stretch and i for one have no interest in rushing him to ensure long term health

[GrittyVeterans]

3 hours ago, UndertheHalo said:

I think the Kershaw thing is fine, he’s a legacy player for them, so there’s off the field value in him as well.  Still an above average pitcher in the short term most likely.  And who will they replace him with ? Pretty big hole to fill if they lost him.  

Yeah, he was still 4th in jersey sales in MLB this past season. They make money just by him being on the roster. He's probably going to be an expensive 3-4 starter all 3 years of that deal though. He looks pretty hittable now, kind of like King Felix

[tdawg87]

4 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Yeah, he was still 4th in jersey sales in MLB this past season. They make money just by him being on the roster. He's probably going to be an expensive 3-4 starter all 3 years of that deal though. He looks pretty hittable now, kind of like King Felix

Hittable by his standards, sure. He's still a frontline starter. 142 ERA+, 5.38 k/BB ratio. 

 

[GrittyVeterans]

Just now, tdawg87 said:

Hittable by his standards, sure. He's still a frontline starter. 142 ERA+, 5.38 k/BB ratio. 

 

True. I do wonder though if the velocity decline will continue (a la Weaver) or if he will just settle in at what he was at last year for the next few years.

I think if it continues to go down (below 90), he will get bombed pretty hard.

[Stradling]

Also merchandise sales are split amongst the 30 teams.  

[GrittyVeterans]

Just now, Stradling said:

Also merchandise sales are split amongst the 30 teams.  

What do you mean?

[Stradling]

43 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

What do you mean?

I mean I think all teams split equally mlb licensed merchandise sales.  

[GrittyVeterans]

32 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I mean I think all teams split equally mlb licensed merchandise sales.  

I didn’t know that. Interesting 

[Roy Hobbs]

32 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I mean I think all teams split equally mlb licensed merchandise sales.  

I think this true and also the players union gets a cut which it gives an equal share to every player.I remember reading a few years ago tha the team cut was about 12%,that was a few years ago so it could be different now.

[arch stanton]

I think if everyone will just eliminate outfielders and relievers from their free agent thoughts they’ll save themselves some unnecessary anxiety 

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 hours ago, Stradling said:

I mean I think all teams split equally mlb licensed merchandise sales.  

Wait. So all the kinsler angel jerseys we sold put money into the marlins wallet? 

Freakin bullsh*t, man

[Docwaukee]

37 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

I think if everyone will just eliminate outfielders and relievers from their free agent thoughts they’ll save themselves some unnecessary anxiety 

yep.  for sure.  

notably high priced relievers (anything over about 3m per) and any OFer that is likely a starter or over 5 mil per.  

As for the C spot, this is probably one of the better supply years there has been in a long time.  

Tier 1 - Realmuto - a star player with an excellent all around game

Tier 2 - Grandal, Ramos, Suzuki (will be the cheapest due to age)

Tier 3 - Chirinos (another potential super cheap option know to handle pitcher well with a decent obp.  poor framer), Maldy, Hundley, Wieters, Lucroy, McCann, Mesoraco

other guys we could target in trade:

Elias Diaz - backup in PIT.  unlikely to pry him away as he came into his own this year offensively.  The bucs are more likely to trade away Cervelli who could also be a possibility.  
Sal Perez - not a fan personally.  have always thought him to be overrated.  Terrible framer.  low obp.  
Barnhart - terrible framing stats and below avg bat.  probably wouldn't be dirt cheap in trade either
Kevin Plawecki - Mets backup.  not a great framer but grades out well by other metrics.  probably avg to slightly above with the bat for a C. 
James McCann - terrible offensively this year.  decent last year.  poor framer.  very good defender otherwise.  could be a buy low candidate.  
Tyler Flowers - if ATL gets Realmuto, he could be a solid option.  good offense in 2016/17.  ok in 2018.  Good framing metrics.  (Suzuki's are horrible btw).  good defender otherwise
Yan Gomes - solid all around.  kinda pricey.  
Alex Avila - very good with the bat in 2017.  just as awful in 2018.  avg farmer.  good defense.  
Austin Hedges - good framer.  good defense.  improving with the bat.  Only 24 and improving with the bat.  Would cost a ton in trade with 4 years of control left.  

We're gonna get someone new back there or we stand to be the worst in all of baseball if we leave it how it is.  I think we'll end up with someone like Suzuki.  My sleeper want is Diaz for PIT.  

BTW, word has it that the Marlins turned down a package that included Victor Robles for Realmuto last year.  We don't need to try to compete with that.  

 

[TroutField]

1 hour ago, Dochalo said:

yep.  for sure.  

notably high priced relievers (anything over about 3m per) and any OFer that is likely a starter or over 5 mil per.  

As for the C spot, this is probably one of the better supply years there has been in a long time.  

Tier 1 - Realmuto - a star player with an excellent all around game

Tier 2 - Grandal, Ramos, Suzuki (will be the cheapest due to age)

Tier 3 - Chirinos (another potential super cheap option know to handle pitcher well with a decent obp.  poor framer), Maldy, Hundley, Wieters, Lucroy, McCann, Mesoraco

other guys we could target in trade:

Elias Diaz - backup in PIT.  unlikely to pry him away as he came into his own this year offensively.  The bucs are more likely to trade away Cervelli who could also be a possibility.  
Sal Perez - not a fan personally.  have always thought him to be overrated.  Terrible framer.  low obp.  
Barnhart - terrible framing stats and below avg bat.  probably wouldn't be dirt cheap in trade either
Kevin Plawecki - Mets backup.  not a great framer but grades out well by other metrics.  probably avg to slightly above with the bat for a C. 
James McCann - terrible offensively this year.  decent last year.  poor framer.  very good defender otherwise.  could be a buy low candidate.  
Tyler Flowers - if ATL gets Realmuto, he could be a solid option.  good offense in 2016/17.  ok in 2018.  Good framing metrics.  (Suzuki's are horrible btw).  good defender otherwise
Yan Gomes - solid all around.  kinda pricey.  
Alex Avila - very good with the bat in 2017.  just as awful in 2018.  avg farmer.  good defense.  
Austin Hedges - good framer.  good defense.  improving with the bat.  Only 24 and improving with the bat.  Would cost a ton in trade with 4 years of control left.  

We're gonna get someone new back there or we stand to be the worst in all of baseball if we leave it how it is.  I think we'll end up with someone like Suzuki.  My sleeper want is Diaz for PIT.  

BTW, word has it that the Marlins turned down a package that included Victor Robles for Realmuto last year.  We don't need to try to compete with that.  

 

On point as usual, doc. I too have pondered Hedges from SD and Diaz from Pit. Maybe if we took on some payroll we could acquire them for a little less prospect cost. Not sure if either team has many bad contacts though. 

 

Edit- after looking over their rosters neither team has much money invested, let alone bad contracts unless you consider Hosmer or Meyers bad contracts and even then I don’t think that would lessen the prospect cost. Probably a pipe dream. 

[Docwaukee]

16 minutes ago, TroutField said:

On point as usual, doc. I too have pondered Hedges from SD and Diaz from Pit. Maybe if we took on some payroll we could acquire them for a little less prospect cost. Not sure if either team has many bad contacts though. 

Thanks!  don't see SD looking to shed payroll but it would have to include a fair chunk of the Wil Myers money if that were the case.   And they'd still want prospects.  They're also looking for a window to open soon and they likely think Hedges will be a big part of that so it's really a pipe dream.  

The pirates don't have any bad contracts except Cervelli, but they've got a tough road ahead.   Milwaukee and Chicago aren't going anywhere for awhile and the Cards will be there with their strong young pitching if they can start turning over a bunch of the old guys in their lineup.   They also don't have the financial resources to compete.  They've got a lot of solid offensive pieces in Marte, Polanco (monster year coming in 2019), Dickerson, Moran, Bell.  

The Archer acquisition was a mistake in that the outlay was pretty big and Archer is one of the most overrated pitchers I can remember.  They've actually got some solid SP otherwise and some good pen pieces though.  They should have just stayed on track.  They really jumped the gun on trading for Archer.  They've got a good not great farm.  Anyway, my point is that they aren't likely to trade him unless it's for more pitching or a near ready moto bat.  

Honestly, after looking at their team, they could be a sleeper pick in 2019 if they can get that one more player on offense at either 2b or SS to help them.  

[Blarg]

7 hours ago, Dochalo said:

BTW, word has it that the Marlins turned down a package that included Victor Robles for Realmuto last year.  We don't need to try to compete with that. 

That was last year. Carve another year of club control and his prospect package drops. Of course this is the Marlins and they could be jerk and just keep a player that doesn't want to be there. 

[Stradling]

Well the Nationals just gave Trevor Rosenthal $7 million for 2019, and a vesting option of $15 million for 2020.