We took a look this morning at what National League teams have done to improve their weakest position (as per bWAR) from the past season, and now let’s turn our attention to the 15 American League clubs….
Angels (Third base, -0.1 bWAR): Unfortunately for the Halos, this was a close competition to decide their least-productive position, as they received an even 0.0 bWAR from first base and only 0.1 bWAR from their right fielders. L.A. will be counting on a healthy season from Zack Cozart to upgrade the hot corner, though if the Angels were able to land Josh Harrison, Cozart could be shifted to second base while Harrison plays third, with sophomore infielder David Fletcher backing up both positions. In right field, the Angels are hoping Kole Calhoun can bounce back from a rough season, though there has been some speculation that the team could try to unload Calhoun to free up some payroll space. Justin Bour was signed to play first base in at least a timeshare with Albert Pujols, though given how Pujols has struggled in recent years, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the future Hall-of-Famer supplanted by Bour and DH Shohei Ohtani (once Ohtani returns from Tommy John surgery) entirely.
Astros (Left field, 1.3 bWAR): Michael Brantley is coming to Houston after signing a two-year, $32MM deal, giving the Astros perhaps an overload of left-handed outfielders, though Brantley should provide some solid pop in the lineup. The Astros’ second-weakest area was their 1.4 bWAR from their designated hitters, though Brantley is likely to help in that regard as well, as his injury history will probably mean that he gets the occasional partial-rest day as the DH. Houston has continued to be linked to such first base/DH options as Edwin Encarnacion or the Cardinals’ Jose Martinez, so the DH spot could still receive some more attention.
Athletics (Catcher, -0.5 bWAR): Even after signing Chris Herrmann to pair with Josh Phegley, Oakland continues to be on the lookout for a more stable everyday backstop. A reunion with Jonathan Lucroy won’t be happening now that Lucroy has signed with the Angels. Assuming Yasmani Grandal is too expensive for the A’s, there isn’t much in the way of a clear upgrade from a hitting perspective left on the free agent catching market, though Martin Maldonado provides a nice defensive boost. I’d guess that a trade is more likely if the A’s are to land another regular catcher.
Blue Jays (Left field, 0.2 bWAR): Teoscar Hernandez saw the bulk of the left field playing time last season, hitting .239/.302/.468 for a 107 wRC+ over 523 PA, but also looking completely out of his element defensively. While the rebuilding Jays are likely to give Hernandez another shot to prove he can handle the position, he won’t have a very long leash, as Billy McKinney, Anthony Alford, and Dwight Smith Jr. are all on hand to soak up playing time and perhaps relegate Hernandez to future DH duty. Toronto also received only 0.4 bWAR at both second base and third base last season, though the team hopes that uber-prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will soon provide a major splash at the hot corner. Brandon Drury will handle third base until Guerrero arrives, and then slide over to second base in a timeshare or perhaps an everyday role if Devon Travis doesn’t improve on a rough 2018 campaign.
Indians (Right field, 0.5 bWAR): Cleveland has spent much of its offseason focus on cutting payroll and overhauling its first base/DH situation, leaving a lot of work still to be done on the Tribe’s biggest weakness, its shaky outfield. Brantley, Rajai Davis, and Lonnie Chisenhall have all signed elsewhere, while Cleveland’s only additions have been Jordan Luplow, minor league signings Trayce Thompson and Brandon Barnes, and first baseman Jake Bauers, who could see a bit of time as a corner outfielder. The Indians have looked to add young outfielders in trade talks about their starting pitching, with names like the Dodgers’ Alex Verdugo or the Reds’ Nick Senzel or Taylor Trammell popping up on the Tribe’s radar, though it remains to be seen if Cleveland still feels the financial need to move Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer.
Mariners (First base, 0.1 bWAR): Technically, Seattle has added Edwin Encarnacion to handle first, though the M’s are widely expected to flip Encarnacion elsewhere as part of their stunning roster overhaul. With the Mariners firmly in rebuild mode for at least 2019, they might choose to just rely on internal options for first base, like giving another shot to Ryon Healy and/or Dan Vogelbach. Jay Bruce is also on hand to play some first base, if he isn’t also traded before Opening Day.
Orioles (First base, -2.5 bWAR): Baltimore already cleaned house on many of its veterans at the last trade deadline, though Chris Davis (and the $92MM remaining on his contract) is all but immovable in the wake of Davis’ horrific 2018 season. There’s nothing the O’s can really do here except hope that Davis can regain some of his old form. If the O’s are able to trade Mark Trumbo in the last year of his contract, you could see Trey Mancini gets moved to first base and Davis shifted into DH duty, as the rebuilding Orioles obviously want to prioritize Mancini’s development and may want to get him to a more defensively-friendly position than left field.
Rangers (Center field, 0.2 bWAR): Roster Resource currently has Joey Gallo slated as the Texas center fielder, as a nod to the Rangers’ acquisition of Patrick Wisdom for third base and the team’s glut of left-handed hitting first base/DH/corner outfield options. While Gallo’s versatility is a nice weapon for the Rangers to utilize, and he has acquitted himself well defensively over 100 career innings in center field, nobody sees him as a regular answer at the position. Delino DeShields has the glove and the baserunning for center, though his hitting cratered last season and he had trouble staying healthy last year. The Rangers could add a low-cost veteran outfielder into the mix, simply because Gallo and DeShields are both imperfect enough fits to work as a proper timeshare, though Texas might first have to deal another first baseman/corner outfielder to find another everyday spot for Gallo’s bat.
Rays (First base, 1.4 bWAR): Just when you thought Jake Bauers was the first baseman of the future, the Rays dealt him to the Cleveland as part of a three-team swap that saw Yandy Diaz come back to Tampa Bay. Diaz’s positional versatility makes him a better fit with the Rays’ desire to mix and match around the diamond, which leaves Ji-Man Choi as the top choice at either first base or DH, with Diaz, Matt Duffy, Joey Wendle, Brandon Lowe, or perhaps prospect Nathaniel Lowe all rotating through the other position as matchups dictate. There continue to be whispers that the Rays could acquire a more potent bat for its first base/DH mix, however, so stay tune. Right field (1.6 bWAR) and catcher (1.7 bWAR) were also relative weak spots for Tampa, though the team hopes that Austin Meadows can step into regular outfield duty now that Mallex Smith has been dealt, and Mike Zunino was acquired in the Smith trade to address the Rays’ longstanding need behind the plate.
Red Sox (Catcher, -1.4 bWAR): Boston is reportedly still getting some calls about its catchers, even though the trio of Christian Vazquez, Sandy Leon, and Blake Swihart provided sub-replacement level production for the team in its World Series season. Vazquez and Leon can at least hang their hats on good defense and game-calling ability, while Swihart isn’t too far removed from being a top prospect, even if his ultimate future might not be behind the plate. The Red Sox seem satisfied with their mix at least from a defensive standpoint, though I’m surprised that the Sox have rarely been mentioned as candidates to acquire a new catcher, whether it’s a big name like J.T. Realmuto or even just a regular who can provide at least average production. It’s worth noting that Boston also received negative bWAR totals at third base (-0.4) and second base (-0.2). The Sox will count on improvement from Rafael Devers for the former, and will be hoping that Dustin Pedroia can return healthy next season, with Brock Holt and Eduardo Nunez on hand as infield backups.
Royals (Relief pitching, -3.0 bWAR): The old “Law Firm” bullpen of the 2015 World Series run was a distant memory for the 2018 Royals, who endured some brutal relief pitching among the team’s many struggles last season. The Royals haven’t done anything to really address their pen thus far, and in fact have added more inexperience in the form of Rule 5 Draft pickups Chris Ellis and Sam McWilliams. Expect K.C. to pursue the usual rebuilding-team strategy of signing a couple of inexpensive veteran arms, who can ideally help stabilize the pen in the first few months of the season and then be flipped at the trade deadline.
Tigers (DH, -0.9 bWAR): Now that Victor Martinez has retired, the Tigers can get a bit more flexibility from their DH spot by giving Miguel Cabrera some regular rest days away from first base, or the team could give some rest to defensively-challenged bats like Christin Stewart or Nick Castellanos (assuming Castellanos isn’t traded, of course). Detroit also received just -0.5 bWAR at catcher last season, and has since parted ways with longtime backstop James McCann. Greyson Greiner and John Hicks now comprise the catching corps, and while veteran Bobby Wilson was signed for depth, the Tigers are likely to add at least one more experienced backstop going into Spring Training. Interestingly, the Tigers asked the Dodgers about catching prospect Keibert Ruiz as part of trade talks involving Castellanos, though L.A. balked at the request.
Twins (First base, 0.8 bWAR): C.J. Cron‘s 30-homer career year with the Rays last season earned him nothing more than a trip to DFA limbo, leading Minnesota to claim the veteran to step in as Joe Mauer‘s replacement. Cron doesn’t bring much to the table apart from decent hitting numbers, though even duplicating his 2.0 bWAR 2018 season would be a solid upgrade for the Twins, especially at his arbitration-avoiding $4.8MM salary.
White Sox (Left field, -0.5 bWAR): Chicago was regarded as something of a sleeping giant this offseason, though their most notable acquisitions (Yonder Alonso, Alex Colome and Ivan Nova) have been more of the modest variety than any true game-changers. It could be that they’re waiting to see how things stand as one of three apparent finalists for Manny Machado, though the Sox are reportedly wary of spending the kind of gigantic money it will take to land Machado or Bryce Harper. The White Sox were linked to Brantley before he signed with Houston, and they have at least some level of interest in Harper, indicating that the team is taking steps to remake its poor outfield production. Chicago outfielders combined for just a cumulative -0.3 bWAR last season, the second-lowest total of any outfield in baseball. Avisail Garcia has already been non-tendered, leaving the Sox with a current combination of Nicky Delmonico, Adam Engel, Daniel Palka, and Leury Garcia that is still begging for an upgrade. There haven’t yet been any reports connecting the White Sox to A.J. Pollock, the top non-Harper outfielder in free agency, though Pollock makes sense for Chicago on paper.
Yankees (First base, 0.6 bWAR): Late-season folk hero Luke Voit and former top prospect Greg Bird are slated for first base duty next season, though it seems like everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop with Machado. If Machado does end up in New York, it could lead to Miguel Andujar being traded, unless the Yankees see more value in keeping Andujar and simply installing him at first base. Given Andujar’s defensive shortcomings as a third base, a move across the diamond might not be a bad idea even if Machado signs elsewhere. Didi Gregorius‘ injury absence has created a lot of moving parts within the Yankees’ infield, as New York could shift Gleyber Torres to play shortstop and then require a second baseman, Andujar could be traded or change positions, Machado could sign, etc. With all this uncertainty and several trade possibilities to consider, I’d be a little surprised if Voit or Bird is the Opening Day first baseman, though the Yankees could address other needs and stand pat at first base, if for no other reason than to give Voit a longer look.
The A’s have no weaknesses, this is stupid. Best fans, best ballpark, best uniforms. 2019 belongs to Oakland.
Lol
Billy Beane, is that you?
Bert Campinaris, Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers. a great group indeed. but you dobt have them loke. no vida blye and ni reggie. 80 games tops doot
I always wondered if Ron Cey saw how favorably WAR shows him historically, with a much higher career WAR (53.8/55.6) than many in the HOF, such as Vlad Guerrero, Enos Slaughter, Jim Rice, Orlando Cepeda etc etc etc. I wondered if Cey would ever lose his mind over that, and judging by the quality of your posts on here, you really did.
its all in good fun. Cey was unfortunately played at same time Mike Schmidt did . that being said Cey was excellent and a local fave alobg with Garvey AND Dusty
Cey was good but certainly no HOFer. Sabermetrics are good for fantasy but don’t belong in a HOF discussion. The game in the 70s was not played with WAR in mind. People, get back to real baseball. Moving the runner over, taking a pitch when the runner has the base stolen (or swinging like Bettintendi did to protect Betts), etc. The game is played on the field and one should not compare Ron Cry to Jim Rice or Cha Cha. Cry should be compared with Schmidt, Brett, Nettles and other 3Bmen. Quality bat during his time but not an HOFer. Defense was as I recall ok but not nearly on the level of Rodriguez with the tigers or those above (not counting Robinson in his time).
WAR is a counting stat though.
Campy, Rudi, Fingers, Blue, Reggie, Hunter, and Tenace (and Cry for the Dodgers) were all fun to watch back in the day.
indeed
Ugh missed the spell correct that swapped cry for Cey.
Me too on my post…
you should have re-spelled all the words in your post
Cry worked too
Oakland has the best ballpark.
That’s like saying KMart has the best restrooms.
Oakland has the best ballpark.
That’s like saying a certain dive bar has the best ashtrays.
Ashtrays are best used as weapons.. that’s why never see heavy ones at bars… Ahh the old days…
LOL KMart is still a thing?
All the KMarts near me have disappeared
I predict… Circuit City, Blockbuster, fate
They were the first ball park with a good sound system. Made it fun to hear in an empty early 80s park. Too bad it’s basically the same almost 40 years later.
That being said, Maldonado makes too much sense if the A’s are going to go bargain bin hunting again for SPs like they apparently are, then let Hermann and Phegley battle it out or even carry all 3. Maldonado can help save runs from potential bargain bin SP crappy-ness.
This is the best troll ever. Can we promote him?
Is that how you spell “toke”? Could that be a factor in your perspective?
SMH Why do I feel you are not even a A’s fan. You can’t be if you think Pheagly is anything more than a back up platoon catcher. My guess you are a troll pretending to be a A’s fan.
You can’t even spell Phegley’s name either, so ease off on the “whos a fan” line
Best ballpark?!? They are still using the Coliseum in 2019.
Credit where it’s due:
Best uniforms in the AL West
Happy new year everyone!! Go Yankees!!
Cozart is a much better fielder than harrison and I’d think if they landed him HE’D be at second and cozart would try to bounce back. Cozart was a gold glove at ss.
exactly
Not saying he’s a bad fielder, but when did Cozart win the GG?
above avg is good enough usually. cant have a team with 9 gold gloves on it now can you?
While Grandal is probably not ever going to go to Oakland, I do wonder if SD is a match with a trade for Hedges, who is kind of like the catcher version of Profar in that he took some strides and was very good at the plate away from Petco and in the 2nd half last year. He might be blocking Murphy, but with 4 years of control, the A’s could always flip him if Murphy forces the issue.
What would SD need from OAK in that potential deal? What say you, MLBTR?
Oakland doesnt really have anything the padres would want, least nothing Oakland would be willing to part with. Padres would want to make hedges part of a deal to aim for puk, whom the A’s may not deal.
The only real need is 3B and the padres could look to acquire nick senzel for Francisco Mejia Logan Allen and another piece like Jacob Nix. Gives the reds a C and 2 mlb ready pitchers in exchange for the padres getting their 3B of the future. Which would mean padres keep hedges.
But Mateo and neuse who be of some interest to the padres for hedges but not enough to make them not look into acquiring senzel.
Mateo and Neuse for Hedges sounds like good value for both sides to me.
SD isn’t getting a top 50 prospect for Hedges, he doesn’t have enough value yet despite trending upwards in some areas of his game.
“Padres would want to make hedges part of a deal to aim for puk”
Pretty sure they implied it be hedges and other pieces going to Oakland for Puk. Not just hedges for Puk straight up.
Which SD has plenty of what Oakland could use. Hedges Yates Nix would all be of interest to Oakland to compete in 2019.
Right right, I get it now. I seriously doubt the A’s would sell low on Puk though, who is in the 2019 plans. Honestly he’s three 7+ IP starts in a row away from the bigs.
I do like them matching up in a bigger trade, and I still think the Hedges for Mateo+Neuse package is fair value because Hedges previous output is so underwhelming but both those prospects have MLB regular ceilings.
I see some of these trade proposals and have to shake my head. The Padres already have pitching prospects as good as Puk in their system in Gore, Paddack, and Morejon at the very least. Why would they trade Hedges plus others for something they already have in spades?
I can see the Pods offering either Gore or Morejon, along with Luis Urias, to the Yankees in hoping of landing Miguel Andujar
Hedges is arguably the best defensive catcher in baseball. Gun for an arm, at the top of charts for pitch framing, blocks the ball in the dirt with the best, his game calling is elite. If he can hit .230 with a .400+ SLG and .700 OPS he is worth as much as Grandal and is cheaper. Send him to the O’s along with one of your extra OF for Cobb and Mountcastle. The O’s will probably even kick in $5 million a year to offset Cobb’s salary.
I see some of these trade proposals and have to shake my head.
Catching is and area that seems harder to measure with just WAR.
The Red Sox are sitting pretty with Vasquez, Leon and Swihart.
Leon and Vasquez not only each called a great game but they were great defensively blocking pitches in the dirt, throwing out runners, backing up plays, positioning the defense and tagging out runners at home.
I see no need for change at the catching position for Boston in 2019.
I see Swihart gaining more and more responsibilities and playing multiple positions.
Since he’s a lock for the Hall of Fame, what position do you see Swihart going in as?……
Seriously though, you’re right….scary as it may seem, I expect to see improvements from Boegarts and Porcello (free agent years), from JD (possible opt-out) and Benetendi and Devers (natural maturation). Oh, and that guy Mookie will be trying to blow away the arbitration record. They could definitely be better this year than last.
And you KNOW that DD ain’t done yet……
It goes to show how really great a couple of the guys on the Sox were to be able to carry those insufficient performance positions such as catcher and third and second base as noted in the article above.
Seriously, JD Martinez was huge for them. So was Mookie and a couple of pitchers.
To win the World Series with three out of the 10 spots below average was quite an accomplishment. Nice job by quora, and the defense was stellar. Jackie Bradley and Center, actually the whole Outfield is outstanding. Couple great pickups at the deadline as well.
Agreed. I’m a yanks fan but the Red Sox should absolutely look at upgrading at catcher. That duo or trio or whatever you wanna call it you can tout how to sensibly minded they are but in the end Even I can see they Need a different option there.
Ya, I wouldn’t consider three mediocre players at the same position “sitting pretty”. Leon and Vasquez would each be a good defensive backup, but I think the organization would certainly prefer to get some kind of sustained offense from that position. Also you have to consider that using three roster spots for one position is not ideal. Obviously you cannot have an all star at every position, so I doubt they upgrade given their salary issues.
Who thinks that Oakland can win AL West in 2019?
No way they can top the Astros unless Houston gets tons of injuries. But the A’s are certainly in play for a WC spot in ’19.
2020 and beyond when the A’s have Puk and Luzardo in the rotation (not to mention Kaprelian) is when they might take out the stros.
stros or halos
Not me, they lost a lot in Lucroy, Lowrie, and the starting pitching.
Astros should win again. Oakland might make it close. The Angels will be watching the playoffs on tv again.
I think that if oakland can get out of the gate early they will win the west. Head to heads with the astros will decide it. As good as the Astros have been they have a look some pieces they need to replace this year. Important pieces and as we all know nothing is written in stone.
And btw, i really dont like the oakland a’s…..but they have a real chance to win the west
Reminder of how bizarre it was for the Sox to have won 108 games while getting no production out of three positions. The number of days I looked at the box score and the bottom four in the lineup all had sub-.700 OPS’s, usually including at least one sub-.600 and sometimes a sub-.500, was incredible. All hail Mookie and J.D., I guess.
Most of the AL sucked last year.
Halos riddled with injuries for a few years in a row. literally heartbreaking. pitching and 3rd base. i personally consider purching and catching the weak links right now. of course i cannot guarantee cozart returns to 2017 form but i have hopes. i also think calhoun WILL bounce back. i think Halos should give Fletcher the keystone this year full time. Lets see what he can do. i wouldnt mind getting Maldo back BUT willing to pay Grandal fir 4 yrs at 12million per yr. We also need a lefty bullpen piece and a strong righty starter….which appears to be a lofty wish
Addressing all of that is pretty lofty to me. I can see Grandal if he is willing to settle OR another SP (handedness doesn’t matter) but not a C,SP, & RP. With Cozart/Fletcher/Rengifo/Ward all at or near ready to contribute adding another INF doesn’t make much sense unless it’s a total steal. I hope we stay in touch with Yaz & Keuchel and pounce if the price comes within our range. Fully expect Drew Pomeranz and some other bargain bin fodder though
ill take the starter and grandal if pissible
The Angels signed Jonathan Lucroy
I don’t think signing Lucroy for $3.5m removes them from the list of Grandal suitors. Luc can slide into a backup role and Yaz could conceivably log some time at 1B, which would be handy if Bour doesn’t work out.
goid idea
he be grandals back up
I’ve been saying the Yankees should move andujar to first since last season. Finally other people are realizing it’s a good idea.
Wow, you’re a prophet! Can you get me the lottery numbers please?
Nice jab.
Why not just make Andujar the DH when Didi comes back if they sign Machado? Play Stanton in the outfield….he’s actually a good one. Then you get to keep all the great bats in the lineup.
Nothing indicates Andujar could play first.
He owns a gloves. Id start there
Yankees: Re-signed Sabathia, Happ and traded for Paxton.
Their weakest position is SP, lol. First Base is Voit’s to lose, unless you’re Begamin, you think Bird is a failed prospect.
You’re preaching to the choir x.
Voit had a 1,095 OPS in 150 PAs for NY. He’s in the lineup on opening day. Could be at DH (depends on who plays left field for the Yanks), but most likely at 1B.
He makes it as starting first baseman or doesn’t make it. The Yankees don’t have the roster room for him as a backup. There are only three bench spots and one of those is backup catcher.
They Yanks carried two first baseman last year.
If you can show me how they can do it, I’m listening.
This is the complete synopsis of the Detroit Tigers’ plan…
1.bp.blogspot.com/-TxVSiNeHxkM/XCupjAdyKjI/AAAAAAA…
LF will soon be a prominent strength of the White Sox. Eloy Jimenez is ready to assume the position at some point in April while also becoming a fixture in the middle of their batting order. He is a strong candidate for the 2019 AL ROY award along with favorite Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays. It was a mistake to not include him among the White Sox options for the coming season.
Yeah how they missed the consensus top 3 position player prospect the White Sox will plug in at LF in mid-April is beyond me. No need for an upgrade there. RF and CF are different stories though as the other OF prospects won’t be making any noise in the majors until likely at least 2020. The commentary in the article focuses on some possibilities there, at least.
Yes. Hopefully Luis Robert can stay healthy all year and put his name atop the CF mix some time in 2020. Of course, if the White Sox are successful in their bid to land free agent SS/3B Manny Machado this month that might also open up an OF spot for either Tim Anderson or Yoan Moncada, the latter who might not figure prominently at 2B with Nick Madrigal in line to become their core player at the position as soon as 2020..
Elroy Jimenez, the next Yoan Moncado. White Sox just haven’t had their prospects work out like they hoped.
Aren’t you talking about the next Yoan Moncada or maybe Byron Buxton, or maybe it was Lewis Brinson. I will believe Eloy Jimenez can play when he shows he isn’t another hype job like the players mentioned.
I wonder if Cashman could get Logan Allen and Chris Paddock for Andujar? If so, he could sign Machado and find a fill in until Didi comes back. I still like moving Miggy to first, outfield, or DH and let Stanton play more in leftfield. Unless they sign both Machado and Harper.
Andujar in the outfield..lmfao
Id rather dh andujar and sign manny. Lets see if manny can help him shore up his 3b skills, if possible. And as much as I read posters say you can’t learn 3rd base now, Adrian Bell tre certainly improved. I’m all for M signing Manny as long as we don’t trade and andujar. The bat plays.
Beltre had incredible range and his defense was above average from the start. Andujar was the worst Yankee 3B ever. Only two guys have ever had a season as bad at 3B and neither of them was a 3B the following season. Andujar would have been the DH for the Yankees last season if not for Stanton playing there.
I wonder if the NL will get the DH in time for the 2019 season. Otherwise, there is no reason for the Padres to trade for Andujar. He won’t play 3B in 2019. 1B or DH only for him.
Another reason to trade Justin Smoak; give Teoscar Hernandez some DH at bats. Morales playing some 1B and hitting adequate helps the Jays ability to deal him at the deadline if a team needs a DH/1B stick. Also opens doors for young OFs to gain more playing time if Teoscar can DH against lefties (Tellez 1B against RH).
The AL central teams better start loading up as the Indians won’t be looking good 2-3 years from now
I don’t see Cleveland looking that good now.
Great to see the Royals have done absolutely nothing to address their horrific pitching
There is nothing they can realistically do to improve it unless they up heir budget. All better options are either too expensive for them or involve trades and the royals farm is pretty bare at the moment
that’s how we roll
2019 is another year of development for the Royals. Future SPs are in the low to mid-minors. Dayton can cobble together a bullpen once Royals are competing again. Whit to Yankees? Salvy to Red Sox? Whit in particular deserves a chance at a ring. Several NL teams should be checking in on Merrifield as well. He is at his peak now, while Royals are struggling to win 70+ games. Move him for prospects!
The Tigers need to move Castellanos with Greene to the Dodgers. Throw in Boyd and one of Faedo/Perez/Burrows. The Dodgers are set to win, but they need more long-term pitching with Hill and Ryu on 1-year deals making almost $40M. Boyd easily slides in as the #3 behind Kershaw and Buehler. I keep thinking about ways to make it work.
BOTH Verdugo and Ruiz, along with Pedro Baez and Rich Hill, for Castellanos, Boyd, Burrows, Greene, and Greiner.
Burrows doesn’t have to be on the 40-man roster. Greiner takes the 3rd C role. Greene is a significant bullpen improvement over Baez, who is traded for his 40-man roster spot more than anything. Slots in behind Jansen with Kelly. Boyd takes Hill’s spot in the rotation and gives them 4 years of control at a HUGE savings. Castellanos fills one OF spot. Burrows moves to the rotation in 2020, into that 3/4 slot, with Ryu moving on.
Feel like this makes the Dodgers an exceptionally dangerous post season team. Tigers give up a lot but makes 2020 and 2021 much better.
Boyd doesnt have 4 years of control. Or did I miss him signing an extension?
He made Super Two, but that means four years of arbitration still. His 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th years are all team-controlled. No extension needed, necessarily.
the weakest link for the angels at this time is the pen we can ‘use’ another starter, 3b upgrade and kole’s replacement but those secondary to the late inning lh stopper and a closer.
Without checking, I would have thought that the Mets addressing their black hole at C would have made the list.
The Sox showed D behind the plate is still much more valuable at least in the DH AL than a catcher with just a bat. That said, I can see a Vazquez to the Rockies trade. He had one solid AB season and would benefit from hitting in CO.
Please name a hitter that would NOT benefit from playing in CO.
Vasquez would not. You still have to hit the ball in coors.
Anthony Alford isn’t a major league hitter. He had one good month last season and was horrible the rest of the season. He’s the opposite of Teoscar Hernandez. Alford is good defensively, but not offensively. Hernandez has potential offensively, but is bad on defense. I see McKinney getting a lot of starts in left field for the Jays.
Alford probably plays AAA, as he should. But McKinney also had 1 good month and should be a concern. He may be destined as a 4th OF with some pop which is fine.
But you are right about Alford. For a highly touted prospect he has done nothing to warrant it except for being a great athlete.
I agree McKinney is still a concern, but he at least showed some promise on his late recall last season. Alford has been touted highly for years & has shown nothing. I’d rather see Jonathan Davis on the roster right now than Alford
I expect the Tigers to sign a cheap LH bat to help at DH/1B. Logan Morrison on a spring training invite might work.