Matt Holliday and Jason Bay got the attention and, eventually, the money. But many unheralded signings have turned into great ones. Halfway through the 2010 season, it's time to take a look at how some hitters are doing and determine the answer to the following question:
Which one of the hitters signed last winter has had the biggest impact so far this year?
Click here to take the survey and here to view the results.
How could you possibly make an argument that it’s not Vlad, and by a huge margin at that?
Because he and Beltre have similar numbers, and Beltre has value with the glove.
Vlad and Marlon Byrd
Def Vlad, its like he took a time machine b ack to the year 2000
I had to pick Vlad, but honorable mention goes to Johnny Gomes. Especially if cost of the contract was a factor ($800K for 1 year of Gomes).
Olivo should be in this poll also.
Absolutely, it’s a crime that he isn’t. Best catcher by WAR standards in MLB.
How about value as well? He signed for roughly nothing.
Beltre, and it’s not even close. He’s hitting like a mad man and is incredible on defense. He’s propped the Red Sox up. Vlad provides 0 defensive, too.
Read the question. Which “hitter” signed last winter…
YOU read the question. It says nothing about being strictly about offensive production.
Even if it did, great offensive production from a 3B > great offensive production from a DH. Not to mention that Vlad has a 150+ point drop in OPS away from Arlington
the question is “Which one of the hitters signed last winter has had the biggest impact so far this year?”
not
“Which one of the defenders signed last winter has had the biggest impact so far this year?”
or even
“Which one of the position players signed last winter has had the biggest impact so far this year?”
Vlad is beyond the best “hitter” signed and that’s even including big $ guys bay and Holliday.
and to add to it, it also doesn’t say…
“Which one of the “defenders/positional players” signed last winter has had the biggest impact “on the road” so far this year?”
Beltre is leading the American League in errors this year.
And yet has the best UZR of AL third basemen…
Yes, he’s very solid on the small handful of plays he actually does make.
How could it be anyone but Troy Glaus? He has helped turn the Braves into playoff contenders.
I like Troy a whole lot, but Vlad has also helped make Texas a playoff contender. I picked Vlad because his stats are above the others.
don’t kid yourself, its all about “Mr. World Series Good Luck Charm” Eric Hinske
I voted Vlad, but I considered Aubrey Huff. Raise your hand if you saw his season coming.
Seriously, we all laughed at the Huff signing from over in Colorado.
Whoops.
Yeah. I thought of the signing as another one of those “he was a really good hitter ten years ago” so we need him here. Whoops, indeed.
Good for him.
I think it’s a lot closer between Vlad and Beltre than people think.
Vlad: .328/.372/.560
Beltre: .340/.377/.542
Add to that Vlad’s numbers are being inflated by hitting in Arlington whereas Beltre’s numbers are actually better away from Fenway. Their away numbers:
Vlad: .285/.338/.504
Beltre: .368/.400/.618
Starting the petition to add Miguel Olivo, who is getting snubbed yet again.
I have to say Beltre, as a Red Sox fan. Fact is, dude has done far beyond what has been expected of him. He is batting in the high .3s, hitting the homers. And most important, he is driving in RISP like crazy. Highest average with 2 strikes, also in the high .3s. He has been amazing and I’m going to miss him when he signs a big contract somewhere else.
I think it’s a toss up between Huff, Vlad, and Glaus. All have made such great impacts on their respective clubs that it’s hard to pick between them. Also, if the Cubs weren’t having such a bad season, Marlon Byrd would be right at the top of the list.
It’s Vlad, but I am still surprised/happy over Huff. He has been our big bat since Pablo can’t get his head out of his A$$!!!
It is Jonny Gomes far and away. The ? is what was the best free agent signing not who of the signings is having the best year. Vlad is having a better year than Gomes, but for the $$ Gomes was a much better signing. It’s not even really close.
It is Jonny Gomes far and away. The ? is what was the best free agent signing not who of the signings is having the best year. Vlad is having a better year than Gomes, but for the $$ Gomes was a much better signing. It’s not even really close.
I voted Vlad but as a Jays fan I’ve come to appreciate what John Buck has done. When signed in the winter I figured he’d be another placeholder catcher i.e. Gregg Zaun. But his bat has been tremendous and although he is below average (some would say bad) at throwing out runners he calls a good game behind the plate and has helped the staff grow leaps and bounds this year. Not as good as the Gomes deal but at 2 mil for the season they got him at pretty good price for the production he has given.
Byrd most likely, but gotta also like what Huff is bringing to SF. If he were in a hitter’s park like the Citizen’s Bank, he’d probably have about 5 more homers making him one of the top home run producer’s in the league.
I’m from CIN, and I hated the Gomes signing at the time, but he seems like the “best FA signing”. CIN had a HUGE hole in LF (with Nix / Dickerson as their next best options) going into the Spring and have gotten 29 XBH, 56 RBI, and an .825 OPS from a guy that nobody else wanted for $800k. I’m still not convinced it’s going to hold up for the entire season, and the Reds are statistically near the top of the NL in offense, so his impacti is diminished, but for production vs cost I think Gomes wins.
Vlad has been good for Texas but Huff has been fantastic in AT&T 11 of his 15 jacks were in AT&T including 2 splash hits he’s been awesome all around even switching positions numerous I can’t complain about him at all. I feel bad for the Mets though cuz Bay is not turning out to be the power bat he was supposed to be I’m happy the Giants didn’t sign him. Holliday turned out to be a good investment for the Cards also but Huff and Vlad were the best signings this year.
i think vlad contends as the best “free agent signing” as well as whose been the best hitter based on his Wins Above Angels statistic. the swing from him changing teams has to count for somethin