Email a copy of 'Free Agent Stock Watch: Zack Cozart' to a friend
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By Jeff Todd | at
Email a copy of 'Free Agent Stock Watch: Zack Cozart' to a friend
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Ace of Spades
He’s the epitome of “solid player” to me. That’s valuable in today’s game. Maybe a 3 year deal worth 30 million?
Joseph12992
“Reds shortstop Zack Cozart has long been an interesting player, with outstanding glovework making him a regular at short despite an often-lagging bat. But he began to show signs of life at the plate in 2015, suggesting the possibility of more. Now, at 31 years of age — with free agency beckoning at season’s end — Cozart is playing like an All-Star.”
When are we gonna talk about how some sort of steroid is back in baseball. Guys are blasting balls outta the bark like it is 1998, dosent seem to be a “cool” topic though. Cozart is most likely not the best example with his one home run, but i figured I would bring it up.
On Cozart though, it will be interesting to see if the reds can get anything for him this season
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
Unfortunately for the Reds most teams seem to be set at shortstop already. The team with the most obvious need at short is my Padres and they are rebuilding just like the Reds so if they are interested in Cozart they won’t trade for him they’ll just wait until the offseason and sign him.
chesteraarthur
Nats could end up being interested. Pick up cozart move turner to cf.
padresfan
Lol
Jeff Todd
His notable change is with his walk rate, not hitting for power.
Generally, for every guy who’s raking unexpectedly, there’s usually one who’s struggling beyond expectations. Tends to even out over the season.
So, I will pass on the invitation to concoct theories about steroids. But we will keep an eye out for actual evidence, as ever.
bkwalker510
A lot of guys have actively worked on changing their swings to hit more fly balls etc
mvottop
Yeah I watch almost all the games and they did a segment on Reds live discussing his change to his stance. This year he has gone to leaving the bat on his shoulders because he saw others having success with it. Also important to note, it seems every year Cozart gets off to a very hot start and then cools off considerably. Still a very solid player who does all the right things.
majorflaw
“When are we gonna talk about how some sort of steroid is back in baseball.”
Perhaps when there is some actual evidence that players are using. Suppositions based on a one month sample size are worthless. There are variations in player performance every single year. Defaming players by presuming PED use based only on their on field performance is disgraceful and should be beneath us.
thegreatcerealfamine
Where’s theres smoke and hoping it went away is being totally naive!
majorflaw
Naive? Lobbing accusations at people without a grain of fact to support them is completely irresponsible.
Where’s the “smoke” here, btw. A player has a hot month and that’s enough for you to openly accuse him of using illegal PEDs? Players have hot and cold streaks every single year. If having a hot month or so is enough for you to justify making an accusation you will find yourself accusing a whole bunch of innocent players. Which is not only disgraceful but would be actionable were you not posting anonymously.
This isn’t 1998. MLB has a testing protocol with penalties for those who fail. Unless a player has failed a drug test it is unfair to accuse him of using. And yes, I do realize that the longest non-lifetime suspension was given to a player who did not fail a drug test.
davidcoonce74
MLB changed the factory they used to manufacture baseballs a couple years ago. There is a theory the balls are more tightly wound now, and there were some amateur studies done that seemed to indicate that. Add to that the new focus by teams and players on launch angle/retooling swings based on statcast data, and I think there’s your culprit. I doubt there’s any sort of undetectable “steroids” involved. MLB has a pretty stringent testing program.
mrkinsm
Those comps are ridiculous. Like usual, he was hot for 2 weeks and has been pathetic the past 2 (11 for his last 50).. He’s a below average hitter, will finish around .250 again this season.
3 years @ ~8M$ per
padresfan
.250 isn’t a below avg hitter
mrkinsm
Not for the Padres perhaps.
mrkinsm
Crawford’s extension began at age 29, Cozart will be 32.
Desmond was not signed as a SS, and he’d averaged 151 games over the previous 5 years, whereas Cozart has averaged 122.
Hardy had a career 96+ OPS entering his extension, Cozart has an 85 and he plays half his games in Great American Small Park.
haustebt
Who would you propose as comps?
ksoze
That’s probably about right 3 year low 20 millions.
Jeff Todd
I made pretty clear I wasn’t suggesting them as apples-to-apples comps for the contracts. Being a good hitter is about quite a bit more than batting average, though. He has 11 hits over his last 54 PA, but is slashing .244/.370/.400 with 9 walks against 12 K.
If Cozart can reach base at a solid clip and continue hitting for good power, he’d be every bit as valuable as a Crawford or Desmond. Doesn’t mean you’d give him the same contract — age and track record weigh in here — but he’d be a pretty appealing player. The Hardy comp is pretty dang close, though. Almost literally the exact same age (at time of hypothetical contract), very similar profile.
mrkinsm
If you believe a .289 OBP player (in 2,500+ PA’s entering the season) has all of a sudden become a good hitter – that’s your prerogative, I would disagree. If he were a player valued at an AAV anywhere near 13+M$ per then the Reds would have found a trade candidate for him this past 8 months. He’s a solid fielding #7 hitter who looks good for a few weeks of the year, and is also a good bet to spend time on the DL as well.
Perhaps some 200M$ club will value that kind of player at that AAV, again I disagree.
angelsfan4life
It should read buyer beware. He is the product of playing half his games in a park, where a pop up goes 400 feet. So Dipsnot in Seattle will give 5 years 100 million. And when it doesn’t work out. He will blame the owner or Mananger, saying he never wanted him.
nicklauth
Have you watched him play ball, or are you just commenting on the stadium?
angelsfan4life
How is Todd Frasier doing away from Cincinnati? While he was in Cincinnati Frasier was a All-star and a MVP candidate. Now he can’t even hit 200.
nicklauth
Since you obviously don’t watch the Reds like I do, here is the difference between Frazier and Zack Cozart. Todd Frazier’s approach was to swing as hard as he could and would swing at some ugly pitches. His whole goal was to swing hard and to lift the ball and to try to get it out. He’s obviously profiles as more of a power hitter. Cozart on the other hand has more of a swing that provides more line drives/ground balls. He’s more of a singles/doubles guy His home runs that he does get are usually line drives that go about 10 rows deep. Two totally different profiles. If Cozart were to get traded his home run totals might shrink but his average would probably be about the same due to his swing and approach at the plate. Line drives and ground balls will still get through where home runs might be catchable balls in other parks.
haustebt
Todd Frazier hit a career high 41 HR last year in a White Sox uniform….
ksoze
He is not a HR hitter, angelsfan beware of own comments, and like stats and stuff.
angelsfan4life
Actually what I was doing was, what almost every fan base does to players who play for the Rockies. It is pretty sad that where someone plays their home games, only matter when they play in Colorado.
thadcastle
It will interesting to see where his market takes him. Could a 3/36 or he could end up taking a one year 5 mil deal. Not a huge market out there but there should be enough teams out there that will take a shot at him.
nicklauth
He’s getting 5 mil right now. I think if he stays at like .285 he could get into the 6-8 mil range per year.. I’ve heard that some profile him as utility piece. Really depends on the suitor and the situation.
thadcastle
All depends on his second half and the suitor. I personally would love to see him used as a middle infielder utility type. Very strong defender with an above average bat.
nicklauth
I’ve never seen him play 2nd. He might have played some in the minors, but I can see him playing it in a pinch at the major league level. I don’t see the Reds playing him in a utility role as it might reduce it value. Not many teams will give up decent prospects for a utility guy, but every once in a while it will happen. IE Ben Zobrist.