MLBTR’s thoughts and best wishes are with Giancarlo Stanton as he recovers from a frightening incident in which he was struck in the face by a fastball from Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers last night. Stanton has been diagnosed with a laceration and facial fractures, and appears to be done for the season, though the Marlins have said that surgery likely won’t be required. The NL MVP candidate tweeted this morning a heartfelt thanks to baseball fans for the support he has received and, more importantly, announced that he is feeling much better. As Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets, Stanton is still eyeing a comeback this season, which would be a remarkable return.
As we all wish Stanton a speedy recovery, here’s more on the Marlins’ franchise player and the rest of the NL East…
- Dave Cameron of Fangraphs examines what a potential Giancarlo Stanton extension would look like for the Marlins, exploring two different options. Firstly, Cameron outlines a shorter extension that buys out his prime years (ages 27-32) but leaves him a chance at one more significant free agent deal. His second hypothesis is for a Joey Votto-style extension that buys out 10 free agent years on top of his remaining two arbitration years (which Cameron pegs at $30-35MM). Based on WAR/$ and factoring in for some slight inflation, Cameron pegs the shorter deal at $240MM over eight years, though he notes that Stanton would likely feel the need to top Miguel Cabrera’s $248MM guarantee. The 10-year extension could fetch a $270MM guarantee, which, when paired with the remaining $30-35MM would amount to a 12-year deal worth $300MM+, in Cameron’s estimation.
- While he’s tired of hearing that Daniel Murphy is “more valuable to the Mets than to other clubs,” Matthew Cerrone of SNY’s MetsBlog is beginning to believe it’s true after speaking with six talent evaluators from other clubs. Four officials told him that Murphy would likely be viewed as a super-utility option, while one said that he could see a contending team making a push for him, but more as a secondary option than a primary target. Ultimately, with Dilson Herrera still just 20 years old, Cerrone feels that an extension is probably the best course of action for the Mets. I examined a potential Murphy extension earlier this summer, theorizing that a four-year deal in the $45-48MM range might make sense.
- MLB.com’s Mark Bowman has previously examined the possibility of an Evan Gattis trade to clear room for Christian Bethancourt to serve as the team’s everyday catcher, and he recently got the opinion of several Braves players and coaches on the possibility of Bethancourt starting in the future. Gerald Laird called Bethancourt “the catcher of the future” noting that while it’s understandable to want to keep Gattis’ bat in the lineup, “you can’t sit this kid.” Freddie Freeman praised Bethancourt’s improving approach, while hitting coach Greg Walker and manager Fredi Gonzalez both gave him rave reviews as well. Of course, with the lineup struggling to score as it is, the Braves may want to keep Gattis and place him in the outfield rather than dangle him on the trade market.
I’ve thought Murphy is more valuable to the Mets, for awhile now. The question becomes what to do with him when THIS contract is up. I think they will try and trade him this winter, and won’t get any deals they like and will keep him. Then it becomes a question of whether to let him walk and let Herrera take over, or extend him and trade Herrera when he’s ready.
I’m not sure how the Mets will answer that question, TBH. That said, Mets fans LOVE Murphy, he’s one of the few guys on the team who does hit, and Herrera doesn’t seem to be ready right now.
Personally, I think they let Murphy walk when the contract is up, because they will not find value in trading Herrera either, but neither option would surprise me.
The Mets are not paying Murphy. Don’t judge Herrera on 80 at bats. He will hit and is miles ahead of Murphy defensively.
Murphy is worth more to the Mets than to other clubs. He’s a good hitter, but that’s it and that isn’t worth the premium that the Mets want. Sandy asks for too much in trades which is why he wins when he deals with desperate teams, but it also explains why Colon is still on the team.
Ahh, I take it you’ve never seen Murphy play. It’s understandable I guess
Being at the game it was extremely heartbreaking to watch Stanton go down. I never thought I’d have to watch such a gruesome injury at a baseball game. You could see how both teams were rattled and very emotional after it happened.
I hope he can make a speedy recovery and return to his greatness. I also hope both teams can put this horrible experience behind them and just play baseball in the future.
Also please keep Mike Fiers in your thoughts as he goes through this emotional time.
So the theory on Daniel Murphy is that the Mets (whose owners don´t have 2 dimes to rub together) should sign a guy that many other teams consider a super-utility player (in spite of his very questionable defense) to a 4 year extension for northward of $45 million? When they have 3 potential replacements in Flores, Herrera, and Reynolds? Brilliant strategy (sarcasm font). I get that Murphy can hit for average. But he´s a one-dimensional player who will be entering his decline phase soon. If they can´t trade him this offseason, then they should try at the 2015 trade deadline. If nobody bites then, maybe that tells you his true value and they should let him walk after 2015.
Lol dude have you watched Flores? He’s even worse defensively and doesn’t seem to be able to hit well at the MLB level. Herrera is 20 and has proven he’s not ready yet and really, Reynolds? The guys good but he’s tearing it up in Vegas which most guys do. I’ll take the proven guy who could potentially get 200 hits next year. 4yrs/45 million the way contracts are now? I’d do it in a heart beat.
I´m not thinking so much about 2015, but about 2016-2018. Personally I think the best move will be to let Murphy play 2B next year, at least until the trading deadline. That allows Herrera and Reynolds to develop and be further evaluated. If both guys fall flat on their faces, then consider extending Murphy. But I think the Mets will try to trade him this winter for financial reasons.
That said, 4yrs/45million for this cash-strapped team may prevent them from doing more important things, like signing or trading for more offensive firepower or extending their young pitchers. And it´s too much for Murphy´s one-dimensional game anyway.
Jack, as a fellow Mets fan you know they are not paying Murphy. This team needs a big power hitter. Murphy is not that. He is terrible defensively. Cannot run the bases properly. Don’t judge Herrera on 80 at bats. Defensively he is miles away ahead of Murphy. You might think I’m crazy but I think he can hit 15 hr a year.
Trust me I watch them every night I know how bad MURPH is defensively. Also I’m not judging Herrerra . I think he’ll be great. I definitely agree with the 15 hr a year idea. But he’s not ready. He’s just been overmatched at the plate and in the field. Yes we need a power hitter but we can’t get rid of maybe our best hitter in general. We’re not getting a power bat with $45 million. Might as well use it on Murph
LF Gattis, CF Heyward, RF J. Upton.
But Gattis defense in the outfield is horrendous. Worse than behind the plate. I think they’re better off trading him for a legit outfielder.
Sulking on the bench: B.J. Upton
You know what Braves should do with BJ? Swallow most of his salary and somehow trade him to the Rockies. His defense will be welcomed, and he’ll probably hit league average at Coors.
pun intended
Is Gattis really considered a bona fide corner outfielder?
Methinks those “talent evaluators” at other clubs are protesting too much. Murphy’s got a 119 OPS+ this year as a second baseman. You got your Pedroia’s and Cano’s and Utley’s and such, but you can’t tell me there aren’t 15 teams out there who wouldn’t love to have Murphy as their starting 2B.
Exactly. People who say Murphy is a one-dimensional player are not looking at his power numbers this year haha
Murphy looks to be a solid 3 win player for the next couple of years. That pegs his value at $18-$20M/season for maybe the next two years with a drop off down to $12-15M/season in years 3 and 4. A 4/$45 seems like a pretty safe bet for the Mets.
If trading Gattis to an AL team nets a top position prospect or several solid position prospects, I think it’d be a good move for the Braves.
I’d take that too (especially if they got a legit CF prospect). Once you get past Peraza and Bethancourt, the only position player in their entire minor league system worth spit is Braxton Davidson and he’s still 3-4 full years away. The Braves literally have nothing outside of those 3.
It’s nice that Freeman has noticed the improvements in Bethancourt’s swing… Too bad he couldn’t notice the pick-off throw to 1B that lead to the winning runs scoring for the Nationals. 🙁
No offense to G Stanton…but, Cabrera has 11 consecutive years of 100+ RBI’s…is a career .320 hitter…and has nearly 400 HR’s…to go along with back to back MVP awards…and Stanton wants to top his 248 Million…good luck!! I do wish a speedy recovery to Giancarlo…the best young hitter in baseball…
Mike Trout might disagree with that “best young hitter” statement…
Stanton has been every bit as good as Cabrera was through the same age. On top of that, going forward I would think you would have a pretty hard time finding someone who thinks Cabrera at 33-40 will be better than Stanton at 25-32 over the next 8 years. Paying for future production over past production is a much better strategy to running your team.
You aren’t buying Cabrera’s PAST. You are buying his future. And his future, like 99.9% of other baseball players futures, is most likely going to be much worse than his past. I’d take ages 27-32 Stanton all day over years 35-40 of Cabrera.
And yes, Mike Trout does disagree with you about best young hitter. Trout is younger (by nearly 2 years), and has posted superior offensive numbers EVERY season (using wRC+ as an example):
2012 – 167 – Trout / 156 – Stanton
2013 – 177 – Trout / 134 – Stanton
2014 – 163 – Trout / 158 – Stanton
In terms of overall package … in 478 games, Trout has been worth over 28 WAR. Stanton has played in 634 games and been worth nearly 20 WAR.
Stanton is a heck of a ballplayer. But he is not the best young hitter in baseball.
No argument that Trout, Stanton & McCutchen might be the best three young hitters today…but, how do you judge players when Trout is surrounded by Calhoun, Pujols and Kendrick and LAA leads the league with 700+ runs scored this year…while Miami stinks and has scored less that 600 runs? This year Trouts strikeouts are already a career high and his SB’s, BB’s, AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS are all career lows!! And you said you don’t want to pay for a players past success…but for future greatness? PS McCutchen’s last three years are tough to beat…and he easily has the best BB to K ratio of them all…:)
He’s top 10 in the league in hits…. Pretty sure any team would want that out of their second baseman.
They do, and they’ve been offering a B and C level prospect for 1.5 years of him (allegedly) which tells you how badly they want him (not that much).
How many times has Stanton been struck in the face now? One was his own guy (Fernandez) and now this. Any more?
That’s one habit he needs to quit.
An extension with Dilson Herrera makes no sense, especially since he’s only had a few at-bats to prove he’s worth extending, let alone playing everyday. This is why I don’t read Metsblog…