Jon Heyman covers World Series news, a profile of Andrew Miller’s career and development into a relief ace and some hot stove items in his latest two columns for FanRag Sports…
- Prior to tearing his ACL, Wilson Ramos was aiming at a $100MM contract in free agency. It’s an eye-popping number, as Joe Mauer ($184MM from the Twins) and Buster Posey ($167MM) are the only catchers to crack the nine-figure threshold. Both of those deals were extensions rather than free agent contracts, and both Mauer and Posey had more consistent track records than Ramos. It’s quite common for a player and his representatives to aim high with an initial asking price, of course, especially when that player is the top free agent at his position. Injury notwithstanding, Ramos is still expected to receive significant interest, to the point that he is still looking for four or five years on the open market.
- The Mets will indeed tender a contract to first baseman Lucas Duda. MLBTR projects Duda to earn $6.7MM in arbitration this winter, following a rough year that saw Duda spend much of the season on the DL due to a stress fracture in his lower back. He hit just .229/.302/.412 with seven homers over 172 PA in 2016, though given the first baseman’s strong production in previous seasons, the Mets are surely counting on a bounce-back next year when Duda is healthy.
- “Nothing’s close” on a reunion between the Mets and Bartolo Colon, though the team has interest in bringing the veteran back and “no one would be surprised” if the two sides work out another contract.
- “It would be an upset” if the Diamondbacks hire anyone other than Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo as their new manager, Heyman writes. Lovullo has been widely connected to the Arizona job from virtually the moment former Boston GM Mike Hazen took over as the D’Backs’ new general manager. Hazen does plan to interview between 5-7 candidates as part of a managerial search, and as of last Tuesday, the D’Backs hadn’t yet asked the Sox for permission to speak with Lovullo.
- One executive suggests Dexter Fowler should accept the Cubs’ qualifying offer, though Heyman believes the center fielder can top the one-year, $17.2MM offer in free agency. I agree with Heyman; while the QO limited Fowler’s market last winter, his outstanding season for the NL champions should easily net him a nice multi-year deal this offseason.
- Assuming Fowler leaves, Heyman notes that the Cubs face an “interesting” outfield situation with Kyle Schwarber, Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward all best suited to playing the corners. It should be noted that Chicago faced a similar scenario last winter prior to Fowler’s unexpected return, as the Cubs had Schwarber and Jorge Soler lined up for the corner outfield spots and Heyward was going to play center. Heyward has posted excellent defensive metrics over his brief (404 innings) time as a center fielder during his career, though since Heyward is arguably the best defensive right fielder in the game, any lessening of his value could be a problem given how badly Heyward fell off at the plate this year. The versatile Zobrist is now locked into outfield duty with Javier Baez’s emergence at second while Soler and Albert Almora are also in the outfield mix, so the Cubs are fully stocked with outfield options.
- The Blue Jays have parted ways with scout Ed Lynch. Best known as the Cubs’ GM from 1994 to 2000, Lynch had been working as a scout for the Jays since 2010.
Heyward will bounce back but he’ll never be worth that contract. The Cubs best scenario is Fowler re-signing for 4 years, Schwarber in left and Heyward in right and trading Zobrist. He has positive value at any position and could bring back a nice piece. If anybody showed any interest in Soler I’d give him up for a bag of balls. He has zero plate discipline.
Not trading Zobrist. He took less to sign with the Cubs. Soler is as good as gone. Heyward will be fine and moved to CF.
Can’t trade zobrist till yr 3. No trade clause
The Cubs can easily afford keeping Zobrist around as a Brock-Holt type utility man. If Schwarber, Baez or Heyward need a day off, he can play their positions. If Fowler (assuming he will re-sign as in your scenario) needs a day off, Heyward can slide to center field while Zobrist plays in right field. Heck, he could even play second if the cubs are willing to shift Baez over to shortstop if Russell needs some rest. Combine that with injuries and interleague play and Zobrist, although not in the projected opening day lineup, could easily start ~130 games per season. That type of player is invaluable for a contending team like the Cubs.
The Cubs are on another planet right now with spending and really don’t have any obvious holes (maybe bullpen next year) so they can certainly afford to keep him. My point I guess is that the FA market is terrible and somebody would overpay to get Zobrist.
I think Zobrist has no trade clause through 2018. He’ll probably lead off next year with Schwarbs batting cleanup.
2019 and signed through 2020
Good luck trading Zobrist. First 3 of 4 yr contract he has full no trade clause. Understand player contracts before commenting on who should be traded.
Because no one in the history of sports has ever been traded with a no trade clause. Lighten up Francis.
Miller has been Hall of Fame good since coming to NY. Why he’ll don that Yankee cap in the Hall
Not if he wins a World Series and makes a couple more deep playoff runs with the Indians
I’d bet he doesn’t end the contract with the Indians. He’s been worth every part of that deal. As otherworldly as he’s been, you at least have to see what teams would be willing to offer. (ex, If Boston was willing to part with Bradley, or if Mets dangled Conforto) Before anyone says that’d be an overpay, clearly the market for elite relievers dictactes that as trades of Kimbrel, Miller, Chapman, etc. have shown in recent years along with the contracts Chapman, Jensen, and Melancon expect to command.
If I was the Indians and I got offered JBJ or Conforto I would hang up immediately.
Miller is just such a beast.
So the Mets will have a ton of low average, decent power left handed bats that they keep floating on the team but aren’t anxious to sign Cespedes. Another decade in the cellar, boys.
On what planet is this team heading for a decade in the cellar? That is delusional.
As far as Duda goes, his last two healthy seasons he finished in the top 10 NL OPS, lol at that being “average”.
The other teams in the East are going to get better, I only see the Nats in the playoffs next year unless the pitching breaks right for the Mets. Duda, Bruce, and Cespedes are streaky power hitters you can’t win consistently with that.
Cespedes has an OPS of .903 as a Met, if that is “streaky” then sign me up. And he did it this year playing on one leg for the second half. Bruce is going to be gone next year. People who say Duda is streaky should check his splits… He’s just a good hitter, period. Him missing almost the entire season was a killer for them.
The Mets grabbed a wild card spot with their entire team on the DL at some point, they got slaughtered by injuries. If they stay even vaguely healthy they win 90+ easy next year.
Mets fans predict they’ll either be in the cellar for a decade, or they’ll win 90 easy next year.
If their starting pitchers stay healthy, they could platoon Kevin James and Tim Tebow in LF and make a playoff push in 2017,
I would love to see solar come to Toronto if the price is right to replace joeybats, he may be able to turn it around with a change of scenery, and we would be a upgrade over upton
Jr prob
Not saying he’s good like Joey just saying we will have a hole in Rf he can fill
Soler seems destined to have one MVP-type year and then struggle to stay off the DL like Carlos Quentin.
The Cubs have enough system depth, and a need in the pitching area, that a trade seems kind of assumed. I wonder what and when it will be.
Perhaps they will open negotiations with the Rays for Jake Odorizzi.
Soler or Almora will be included in that deal and a pitching prospect.
The Rays previously asked that Baez be included in a deal for Ordozzi…..but the Cubs hang up every time that question gets asked. Good for them.
Baez hasn’t really even “figured it our yet”…………that kid is going to re-define the phrase “Super Utility Player”……..(if he can just keep his head from screwing it up…..lol). Baez has immense talent/power for a middle infielder. Plate discipline will be the Key……
I wonder if there isn’t some diminished return to leaving Heyward in RF where he may be testing the upper limits of what contribution a player can make at the position. Fangraphs positional adjustments place a baseline value on an average CF at +2.5 runs per full season, RF at -7.5 runs. His well sampled performance in RF produces a +18.9 UZR/150, his not as well sampled CF work goes for +19.2 UZR/150. If you combine those figures with the positional adjustments you see that even if UZR/150 has overrated Heyward’s CF work by +10 runs you’re still breaking even. I’d have no problem putting him in CF if I were the Cubs.
I see Schwarber in LF, Fowler in CF, and Heyward in RF, with Zobrist as a utility man. Almora is the alternative to signing Fowler, and Soler is traded.
Bryant’s days at 3B are probably numbered. They’ve always said that he’ll need to move off there eventually, and play OF. If Fowler accepts the QO and stays one more year, then Bryant’s move to the OF is delayed. Baez can play 3B, Zobrist 2B………………..Candelario is another year away, I think.
Defensively, Schwarber is a liability in LF. Putting Heyward in CF (or Fowler) would help him out…….but you can’t have Schwarber – Heyward – Soler in the OF. If Schwarber can play a little 1B (like Contreras has)……He’d give them more flexibility with the lineup, and “keeping guys fresh”………….
Eventually, we will probably see Bryant – Almora – Heyward, with Schwarbs as a 4th OF, 2nd Catcher, Backup 1B, DH type……
Either way, they need to trade Soler………He has a strange clause in his contract. Once he is arbitration eligible (based on his service time), he can Opt-Out of his contract…….. renegotiate his deal, or go to arbitration. If he has a big year in 2017, he will probably Opt-Out.
Soler can not opt out. He can only opt in to arbitration
@slider32 Zobrist is a starter not a splinter.
Cubs getting spanked. If Indians had Carrasco, Salazar and Brantley….would have been sweep.
Unlike many, I don’t hate the idea of Almora at CF. It’s hard to know what he’ll become offensively, but with Almora and Heyward at CF and RF would make for a lot of frustration on the part of opposing hitters.
And you could do a lot worse at the 7-8 spots in the lineup, especially when some combination of Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber, Baez, Zobrist, Contreras, Russell, and Soler is going to make up 1-6.
Normally, I wouldn’t be for overpaying for a reliever. But do to the Cubs lack of other needs, I could be all for going all in for one or even both of Chapman and Jansen.
They just don’t make these kinds of guys anymore. Trevor Hoffmann, Mariano Riveras, and Jonathan Papelbons are a dying breed, and instead, we see a lot of Trevor Rosenthals, Carlos Marmols, and Heath Bells who rise and fall in 3-5 years time. Chapman and Jansen have been going strong for long enough that I think they’re built to last.