Major League Baseball is roughly a week and a half away from pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training, yet over 100 players remain without contracts. Even most of the premier players in this year’s free agent class haven’t found contracts to their liking, so it’s no surprise that plenty of mid- to lower-tier veterans also remain unsigned. Among them is first baseman Logan Morrison, who, despite enjoying a career year with the Rays in 2017, has only drawn scant interest this winter. While MLBTR projected a three-year, $36MM payday for Morrison entering free agency, that may prove to be rather optimistic.
Not only does free agents’ earning power tend to drop as the spring gets closer, but Morrison has seen several teams address first base needs as he has continued to sit on the market. Any of the Phillies (Carlos Santana), Mariners (Ryon Healy), Red Sox (Mitch Moreland), Indians (Yonder Alonso) or Mets (Adrian Gonzalez, Jay Bruce) could have conceivably picked up Morrison this winter, but each has already acquired at least one established first baseman. Of those teams, the only potential suitor for Morrison could be the BoSox, who are still in the market for a slugger to man the designated hitter spot. However, they’ve been locked on the best offensive player available – J.D. Martinez – all winter. Perhaps Morrison will enter the picture for Boston if it doesn’t sign Martinez, but it would be a surprise at this point if JDM went elsewhere.
Regardless of whether it’s the Red Sox or someone else, Morrison seems quite capable of helping a team. Sure, the 30-year-old’s career has been unremarkable thus far (5.6 fWAR in 3,354 plate appearances with Miami, Seattle and Tampa Bay), but Morrison seems to have found another gear in recent years.
Since the second half of 2016, when he slashed .244/.352/.526 over an admittedly small number of plate appearances (91), Morrison has been one of baseball’s most formidable hitters. He proved himself on a much grander scale last year, parlaying a personal-best walk rate (13.5 percent, compared to a 10.5 percent lifetime mark) and a career-high fly ball rate (46.2 percent, up from 37.5 percent) into a .246/.353/.516 line in 601 PAs. That output led to a 3.3 fWAR and a robust 130 wRC+, which ranked 30th among big league regulars, while he finished tied for seventh in home runs (38) and 10th in isolated power (.270).
Morrison’s 2017 production seemingly wasn’t just smoke and mirrors. According to Statcast, he ranked 26th in barrels per PA and 32nd in balls hit at least 95 mph. Thanks in part to his hard-hitting ability, Morrison ended the year with a .365 expected weighted on-base average that fell right in line with his real wOBA (.363). That xwOBA number placed 26th in the majors, tying him with superstar Kris Bryant and another Windy City standout, Jose Abreu. Adding to the intrigue, Morrison’s success came despite playing half his season at one of the majors’ least friendly venues for left-handed batters, according to Baseball Prospectus. And while many lefty hitters tend to fare poorly against same-handed pitchers, that hasn’t really been the case with Morrison. He posted an above-average 109 wRC+ versus southpaws in 2017 and has compiled a playable mark (95) during his career.
All of the above suggests Morrison may quietly be one of the game’s top offensive threats nowadays, yet finding an obvious landing spot for him at this late juncture of the offseason is difficult. Given that their first basemen ranked second to last in the majors in fWAR (minus-0.3) last season, the Rockies may be the best match for Morrison, and transitioning from the cavernous Tropicana Field to the hitter’s paradise known as Coors Field would seemingly be a boon for him. However, at last check, Colorado hadn’t even considered Morrison. The club could instead turn the keys at first over to prospect Ryan McMahon and/or re-sign bargain free agent Mark Reynolds.
Meanwhile, other first base bottom feeders from 2017 – Seattle, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Boston, San Diego, New York (AL), Miami and Texas – have a.) upgraded there this offseason, b.) will continue to ride with their starters from last year or c.) are seemingly only going to spend a notable amount if it’s for much-hyped free agent Eric Hosmer (the Padres). Hosmer’s only MLB employer to date, Kansas City, could certainly use a first baseman if he does depart. Interestingly, Morrison is a KC native who has said he’d love to play there. There hasn’t been any reported interest on the Royals’ side, however, and considering they’re in a rebuild, that might not change even if Hosmer exits.
Should nothing materialize at first, where St. Louis could also be an option if its interest in Hosmer is any indication, Morrison may be able to catch on somewhere as a primary DH. Again, though, obvious fits aren’t easy to find. On paper, he’d be a significant improvement over the Angels’ Albert Pujols, but both the future Hall of Famer’s massive contract and the presence of ballyhooed pitcher/DH Shohei Ohtani seem to stand in the way of a signing. DH appears to be spoken for among almost all other AL teams, too, with the Yankees looking likely to rotate the position among multiple players and the Mariners (Nelson Cruz), Indians (Edwin Encarnacion), Athletics (Khris Davis), Blue Jays (Kendrys Morales), Rangers (Shin-Soo Choo), Astros (Evan Gattis), Tigers (Victor Martinez) and Orioles (Mark Trumbo) having prominent veterans on hand.
It’s less clear what the Rays, Royals, Twins and White Sox will do at the position, on the other hand. As terrific as Morrison was for Tampa Bay last season, there hasn’t been any buzz about a reunion, in part because the Rays entered the offseason in payroll-cutting mode. The Royals, as mentioned, are in a rebuild, and that could point them to a young, in-house option (Jorge Soler). The Twins could stand to upgrade at DH over the Robbie Grossman/Kennys Vargas/Eduardo Escobar trio, though they’re understandably more focused on bettering their pitching. Plus, if they do add a position player, it might make more sense to find a third base option, thus protecting against a possible suspension for Miguel Sano and/or allowing the big-bodied Sano to spend more time at DH.
Chicago, which is making progress in its own rebuild, actually could make sense as a destination for Morrison. The ChiSox probably won’t push for a playoff spot in 2018, but the same could be said of the Phillies, who still splurged on Santana and had to give up a draft pick and international bonus pool money in the process. Unlike Santana (and Hosmer, for that matter), signing Morrison wouldn’t cost anyone a pick or international money because he didn’t receive a qualifying offer after the season.
While Morrison did all he could to boost his stock during a platform year, it still hasn’t led to an offseason payday during what has been an especially cold winter for major league free agents. The calendar says he’s going to sign soon, though, and if Morrison’s recent work is any indication, the team that lands him just might be adding a reasonably priced offensive force at a time when they’re not typically on the market.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Can LoMo play 3rd?
I believe he throws Left Handed so probably not.
No
no thanks.
Cards should sign him and move carp back to to third!
I thought about that too but Carp isn’t the best fielder. I think he was best at 2b, you could put Carp back at 2b, Gyrko at 3b, Morrison at 1B, and platoon Wong or trade Wong in a package for Colome
Why would the Rays want Colome? Keep Colome, sign LoMo and move Miller to 2nd.
You mean Wong and they have no use for him but they do have his brother.
Except the Rays wouldn’t like Wong’s price tag. They’re cheap.
They’d probably rather have Valera or Alvarez in a package with an SP (Hudson or Fernandez?)
Wongs contract is nothing..,especially for an All-star second baseman
Lol, a “potential all-star second baseman”
Wong an all star? LMAO where did you get that from
I agree and have been saying this for a month…..LOL
Hosmer at 7/140?
or LoMo at 3/33?
That’s an EASY decision for me.
LoMo would be the LH Thumper that they need to balance the lineup and protect Ozuna.
Hosmer just doesn’t have the same “authority”. He’s a good hitter, but hits too many GB’s.
What’s amazing is the players complaining there contract offers aren’t big enough. Hosmer has a fricken 7 YEAR OFFER!!! The players are killing this sport and I guess a lot of them were maybe too young to remember how deadly that last strike was. If not for the juicers and the home run race who knows where we’d be right now
Are teams finally no longer paying players off for cheating? What I mean, did the players juice with the agreement that the owners would pay them off but not acknowledge it publicly? But now that they are not juicing, regular pay is the plan. Maybe that is why A-Rod got that last ridiculous extension?
I love a good conspiracy theory. That, however, was not a good one.
If only a few teams were in on it (Cubs, Cards, Rangers and finally the Yankees) then maybe that is all that was needed to get the fans back.
Great comparison. The Hosmer contract is going to be Jason Heyward ugly before the ink dries.
I agree, they haven’t had a decent true 1b since Albert.
Once Hosmer signs, Lo-Mo can go to the Royals, Rockies, cards, or Pads.
Why would he go to the padres? It’s hosmer or nothing
I just wish someone would take a chance on ANY free agent this offseason
Josh Bell is considered a 1B bottom feeder?
I couldn’t believe it either.
Yeah, that was a bit much.
I had to reread that myself then I noticed they actually doubled down on the comment and included Bour from Miami.
Because 26 homers, 90 RBI’s, a 800 ops, and 6 drs says bottom feeder.
Their teams are lol
No doubt but no need for Morrison unless he can play acceptable OF.
Teams overall might not be good, but at first base, The Pirates are set for years to come.
His season last year would have been good enough to win ROY most years.
I’ll gladly keep this bottom feeder.
Could he get hid in the outfield for a few games a month in this point in his career?
Probably, but he’s not good out there. He’s also had injury issues in his career that would likely be more of an issue playing OF instead of 1B or DH.
White Sox should swoop. At this point they might be able to get a deal done for 1yr guaranteed and 1 option year. Flip him at the deadline for a prospect or two and get a big bat in the meantime to support the young pitching staff and take the pressure off the young lineup guys.
Yup. Rox have McMahon and need money for mid season acquisitions. Good fit for ChiSox.
If nobody wants him now after a good season, why would they trade prospects for him at the deadline?
maybe their 1b gets injured, underperforms, or one of the padres or royals wants a hitter to fill the gap left by not landing hosmer
Yes, because a player no one wants currently, is going to have just a ton of trade value at the deadline.
Now the hot stove is just getting sad.
If Morrison gets three years and $26M, he’ll be good. Like most of the FA’s, the asks have to come down to reality.
He’s potentially the biggest bargain waiting to happen this off season imo. Even if he reverts back to scrubby Morrison he won’t cost much at this point so he is low risk
White Sox need to spend ’18 cycling through Gillaspie, Davidson and Delmonico to see if one can stick.
Morrison only makes sense if they trade Abreu. Which, unfortunately, does not look likely.
Abreu will get moved mid-season. As this article highlights there is not a big market for 1b right now. Mid season someone will want his bat and give up way too much for Abreu.
Mariners should have went after LoMo and they would still have Pagan. LoMo’s bat woke up but in my opinion his glove at first is excellent. He covers foul territory like an NFL tight end.
Then they would’ve had a third straight year with a first base platoon, and still no long term answer at first.
rays
He’s been moderately productive throughout his career leading up to this past season. I’ve always thought of him as being too selective and a guy with real potential for a much higher average. If he only hit .270, his OBP would soar to around .400. With his power numbers, that’s near what most media people consider elite territory. No wait, if 3 years and 36M is projected for a guy that hits in the .240’s, he must already be elite. Eh? Meh.
Mets should get this guy if it can be for less than three years, already have Bruce, Cespedes, and Wright locked up so long so don’t see them adding another commitment more than two years.
A real team would recognize value…but the Mets is not one of them.
The Mets need Lynn/Cobb, Frazier, and a mid-tier RP arm, but they’ll likely overspend on Nunez to avoid having to pay for a mid-tier starter.
Morrison shouldn’t feel bad. Ted Williams in his prime couldn’t find work in this market.
LoMo played some outfield a few years ago but he’s probably best suited at 1b. It makes most sense for him to sign with Cardinals or Rockies at this point.
Memo to agents and their clients… there is no crying in baseball.
Moreland is undoubtedly a better defensive option at first and comes at a lower price tag than LoMo, but first base is where I expected Boston to add the much needed power via FA with someone like LoMo or going after Abreu in a trade.
Guys like Morrison haven’t fared great in free agency last couple years. I think CO is the best fit for him though I’d rather they re-sign the Sheriff. I’d take him as an Oriole over Chris Davis or sign him to play DH and ship Trumbo out. Trumbo is a good player but does terrible when he has to DH only but Davis is better first baseman.
Whichever team is lucky enough to NOT land Hosmer for an 8 figure, 7 year deal will ultimately end up being much happier with Morrison and his contract.
If LoMo can still play the OF, I would sign him and he could platoon with Mancini in LF!!!!
Mancini will play every day, as he should. They only way Morrison works is if they can somehow unload Trumbo.
I’d rather have Eduardo Nunez then Morrison as he would fill in the utility role whereas the Orioles cannot afford to sacrifice any more outfield defense. Nunez will be cheaper while hitting for. 70 more points on average, similar OBP, and higher slugging %.
Would love him in K.C. instead of Hosmer, and use extra funds for Moose or starting pitching. Even get rid of Kelvin, even for a low ranking minor leaguer to free up more money for a decent 4th outfielder or another option to fill out rotation!
I would like to see the Royals sign him, but Dayton Moore’s obsession with Hosmer is paramount in everything we do this offseason. I’d even be fine with a rookie or Cuthbert/Dozier playing first if we’re starting an actual rebuild. LoMo would be a savvy signing and a nice bridge for a few years though.
I know your frustration as I sat two years ago and watched the Orioles outbid themselves to keep Chris Davis. I was in favor of bringing him back but at about 70 million less. Even worse for KC is the Padres driving up the price. Teams like KC and Baltimore just don’t have the resources to make 170 million dollar mistakes. Hope KC can avoid what the O’s could not.
This highlights how incredibly stupid the MacPhail/Klentak signing of Carlos Santana for $20mil per year was without even considering Rhys Hoskins being forced into LF.
im not wild about the santana signing, but how does Logan Morrison not signing mean the Phillies were stupid. If you are talking about the dollars, thats pointless because its a 3 year deal and the Phils are so far from any luxury tax implications. they could have given him 30 mil for all i care.
they like Santana alot more than Morrison, for various reasons so they went and got him. im. just not loving Hoskins in left.
They won a WS with the Bull in LF.
Guy the other day drove off a cliff and survived, even walked away from the accident though no one can understand how he wasn’t killed.
Does that sound like a plan to you? You ready to drive off that cliff because that guy did it?
That’s a horrible analogy. It would be like going on a road trip while not wearing your seatbelt the whole way. It you do everything else correctly, you can easily make it safely to your destination, but obviously something could potentially go very wrong.
You never saw Greg Luzinski or Rhys Hoskins play LF.
I’m saying the man didn’t “plan” to drive off the cliff and survive.
“If you are talking about the dollars, thats pointless”
You’d rather give that $20 million per year to Carlos Santana than Yu Darvish?
Actually, yeah.
Trade u Dan Duquette for Macphail?
That’s where MacPhail came from, Baltimore. MacPhail hired Matt Klentak as his INTERN at Baltimore. They went through this charade of interviewing GM candidates and then MacPhail announces his Baltimore intern Klentak as the GM.
He’s totally going to SD or KC, depending on where Hosmer lands.
Once Hosmer is foolishly overpaid by the Royals, San Diego will come in and get quite the bargain.
I think Reynolds and Duda re-sign with their respective teams.
He’s better than Healy
STl doesn’t need someone that strikeouts that much 150k’s per season (25% of their AB’s). 3years not worth it….. Unless its a pillow contract no way…..
Perhaps all articles should share this title
Angels should Trade albert and send all but 30 million on that deal to the cards. Then sign logan morrison to 3/33. Left handed bat would slot perfectly behind j-up, and ahead of ohtani
He’s a DH and worth nothing. Just takes up a roster spot. And has a full no trade.
Problem is baseball has decided that they can move anyone to first base kinda like money all. I honestly thought the cards would have converted Yadi to firstbase.
“Baseball” is losing its ‘craft.” Now it’s mostly just “hitting” and “pitching.” Who cares if someone is good at 1B? Doesn’t seem to matter to anyone anymore. “Ah, just stick him at 1B, no harm done.”
1/6m and see how many teams get interested.
Trade Cron and sign for a 2/12. Perfect offseason for Eppler.
I agree that someone should take a chance on him. That someone is the Kansas City Royals IMO.
i’d like to see him with the Cub. spell Rizzo at 1st for some off days, pinch hit off the bench. Zobrist is getting up there in age. 36. yes he was the World Series MVP in 2016, But his production plummeted last year.
The Pittsburg Diamonds could use him on their Semi-Pro team
Morrison has played a lot of OF in his career. I know the stats don’t grade him very well out there, predominantly in LF. Would a team like the Pirates be willing to play him in RF? Just as importantly, would Morrison be interested in playing OF? Seems like a “bargain” signing if someone can find a spot for him.
I’m betting that Morrison’s numbers as a DH put to shame Trumbos numbers as a DH.