Denard Span hasn’t been in the news much this free agent season, but the market is “picking up” for the corner outfielder, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter).
The financial commitment will certainly be low for whoever signs him, and Span has already collected a $4MM buyout from the Mariners. He turns 35-years-old later this week, but the gray-bearded veteran may have more to give. The lefty batsman remained productive at the plate with the Rays and Mariners last season – a .261/.341/.419 batting line, good for 1.5 fWAR. There’s not much power in his game – but there never was – and he maintains a good approach at the plate with the ability to put the bat on the ball. He walked at a 10.2% rate last year while only striking out 15.8% of the time. The .158 ISO doesn’t make him a commodity in the corner, but a 112 wRC+ suggests there’s still a place for Span somewhere in the league.
The biggest falloff in Span’s game has come on the defensive end. He doesn’t have the speed to cover center anymore, his arm doesn’t play particularly well in right, and defensive metrics haven’t cared for his performance in left field either (-1 DRS, -4.9 UZR). He still runs okay, swiping nine bags last year, but there is certainly a limit to his usefulness.
Heyman names the Tigers, Mets, Marlins, Indians and White Sox as potential suitors. Over an 11-year career, Span has hit .281/.347/.398, numbers that actually fall below his 2018 output, while still placing him about five percent better than your average hitter throughout his career.
Bench player for Boston likely…
He won’t get a major league offer much less a guaranteed spot on the reigning champs bench
Why?
Denard Span: the distance between a man’s testicles.
You win the internet, congrats
LOL….that’s good stuff
Was going to make a joke about him blasting his mom with a line drive but I re-read the article and it was a pretty scary situation. So, yeah, good luck to him!
the denard market is too intense for me, man
Farhan signs him to a minors deal, Bochy starts him 140 times in center field.
….really think he’ll miss 22 games?????…..
Honestly though, he was one of our most consistent hitters in 2016 and 2017, and we had almost no other solid outfield options that year. We should have brought Pagan back..
Span was a terrible Giant.
“He had one of the toughest parks to play CF.”
Spam was not a terrible giant. Even made appearances around the city for fundraising, despite being “hated” and only just signing there. Hit .270 and managed 23 bombs in 2 years while playing half of his games in the worst hitters park. His defense was atrocious, but it was the Giants fault for expecting him to be able to play CF daily. They didn’t have a solid platoon partner for him, Gorkys was awful in 2017.
Obviously that hot air comes from your past personal life,Let it go man lol
Where’d pagan play the year the giants should have brought him back?
Fourth outfielder. He would have been more productive than Gorkys Hernandez.
You missed the point of my question.
I think the team that is going to sign Span is the WhiteSox.
They could sure use him….that’s one ugly looking outfield! At least they have Eloy on the way, but man it’s bad news bears otherwise
For around 2M or so, Span’s a decent pickup for just about anybody. Decent OBP, some speed, a little versatility, solid fundamentals, and, if the reports are true, a plus-plus in the clubhouse. About the definition of a 4th OF for teams who have that spot still left on their roster.
think Denard Span’s market ends in forced retirement.
Im kidding! If Tigers, Mets, Marlins, Indians, WhitSox are suitors; Indians or bust? (Clearest path to playoffs)
Please, no.
You are the worst.
Cleveland should be in on Span.
He’s better than anyone else they have in that OF, but that would require the FO to actually address a need which is against Tribe policy.
I rather see Allen get regular ABs
This guy is clutch, someone needs his stable bat in their lineup.
Yes and yes, he’s a productive fourth outfielder, hits 10+ bombs and at least .270 every year.
Span is one of those guys who will hang around forever and ever. Always seems to be in the Majors, but always in some sort of weird spot
I’d rather have the Montgomery Biscuits 4th outfielder then Denard .
Please just stop posting. You’ve made it obvious multiple times that you’re a dodgers fan trolling under a giants username, just leave please.
For about 5M, Indians could probably do a Span/Adam Jones platoon in LF. Likely would outperform a lot of LFs…….and, if there’s a gun to your head, they’re both CFers…..
Not a bad way to spend your money…..
There’s a very high probability that this idea would result in the absolute worst defense for a OF platoon in all of MLB.
At some point teams are going to realize that a platoon at most positions will outperform any one superstar. Give me a guy who hits well against lefties and one who dominates righties and let’s do this.
Had a 1.9 WAR last season and still unsigned? Free agency is so weird nowadays.
Is it really that shocking? 1.9 War is barely starter numbers and with his declining defensive value even that doesn’t look sustainable.
He is one of MLB’s most wanted offenders when it comes to wasting time between pitches
He’d be a good backup plan for a team who misses out on Harper.