We’ve yet to hear much of anything this winter regarding Kole Calhoun — a reflection both of the primacy of starting pitching on the market and the devaluation of the long ball around the league. The veteran corner outfielder has waited his turn as teams chase higher-priority targets.
Now, it seems some attention is beginning to turn to Calhoun and other possible targets. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets that the Blue Jays, Reds, Brewers, and Marlins all have some level of interest in the 32-year-old.
Calhoun was paid a $1MM buyout by the Angels when his long-time team decided not to pick up his $14MM option. He popped 33 home runs in 2019 and has long been respected as a hard-nosed grinder with a quality glove, but his nice season wasn’t enough to warrant that level of pay even on a one-year deal.
While Calhoun has at times produced well-above-average offensive numbers, his context-adjusted output wasn’t exceptionally productive in 2019. Over 552 plate appearances, he maintained a .232/.325/.467 batting line, good for a 108 wRC+. That was an improvement on his average-ish 2017 and awful 2018 showings with the bat, but hardly an otherworldly effort. Calhoun walked at a career-best 11.1% rate but also went down on strikes at a personal-worst 25.6% clip.
The initial list of potential pursuers doesn’t seem to portend a bidding war. The Fish are biting this year, but don’t seem likely to go wild. They’re also looking at quite a few other options, as are the Reds. The Blue Jays and Brewers both make sense but don’t seem likely to spend past their internal valuations for a player such as Calhoun. Of course, it’s certainly possible that other clubs are in the picture or could join it depending upon outcomes with other segments of the market.
Would Brewer fans prefer Calhoun to bringing back Thames? What would be the difference in the salary offers?
Does he play 1B?
Braun can be shifted to be the primary 1B. Could potentially bring Thames back to platoon with him. Braun could also spell Calhoun in the OF.
I just read the brewers don’t envision Braun playing much, if any 1B. They tried it in 2018, and I think Braun hated it and let them know it.
It makes more sense imo to bring Thames back as a platoon 1b, with a cheap right handed option, and use Braun/Gamel/Taylor to split time in lf.
Just give more roids to Braun. He performs much better using them.
Gosh, another played out Braun steroids joke. Did you write this one yourself or did you copy and paste it from somewhere?
*IF* There is any real possibility of moving Braun to 1st (again, I don’t think it’s likely, but its just my opinion), Calhoun might make sense if they’re also considering moving Yelich to LF.
The dude made up a story about his drug tester hating jews to get out of a suspension and won an MVP over Matt Kemp. The steroids jokes are kind of karma, get some thicker skin if you can’t handle someone criticizing someone that you haven’t even met.
1. It wasn’t the tester, it was the person transporting the sample to the lab.
2. It was 8 years ago.
3. The handler has let it go.
4. I sincerely doubt Braun is reading mlbtraderumors, so how are the played out comments karma?
5. I’m pretty sure the majority of brewer/Braun fans agree what he did in denying the use, and playing the blame/deflect game was wrong. But again, it’s been 8 years.
6. A grand total of ONE failed test. It’s not like he used for years and broke season or career HR records… 7. I wonder how people who are still hung up on this handle cheaters/liars/criminals they actually know on a personal level. Like, if your wife or gf so much as hugged another man 8 years ago, did you immediately dump her, and are you still bringing it up now?
He has. A very little I think.
baseball-reference.com/players/c/calhoko01.shtml?u…
A few innings but you’d want him in right. Great instincts, cannon arm.
He wouldn’t be a big target at 1st..
No he plays gold glove rf
Yes he’s able to play 1B but hasn’t for a couple years.
wouldnt ve surprised if he is overpaid as well. crazy contracts going out this offseason.
Does anyone else think that the diamondbacks would be a good fit?
that’s who I had in the contest. he went to ASU.
That’s where I thought he’d end up because of his ASU days. Would be awesome. Kole’s a gamer. Sure not a big splash that every fan is seemingly looking for, but he’s a solid ball player.
ASU, Yavapai, and born and raised in AZ
Still would rather have Puig for the Reds.
Yep…
Puig was in a contract year last year. He was obviously going to be on his best behavior. I enjoyed his time here in Cincinnati but it doesn’t seem like ownership is as interested in bringing him back as some of our fans are. We have too many fans who would rather have a fan favorite than a player who may be better for the team.
if that was his best behaviour…
What was the matter with Puig’s behavior last year? He hustled on every play and was a quality teammate.
I think Calhoun’s defense is better than Puig. Calhoun is level headed and a great addition to the clubhouse, where Puig is a knuckle headed and not a leader in the clubhouse.
Yeah, but he fights with the (butt) Pirates, so that’s fun.
i dont think anyone is paying Puig to be a leader anyway.
He’s not worth the headache. Ask the Dodgers who benched him because he refused to show up to practice on time.
All I know, is the Braves better stay far away from this train wreck
I doubt they look his way. They are trying to win games, not plug holes
Hard to call him a train wreck. Especially not knowing what his price tag will be. 2.3WAR last year isn’t terrible and he’s a lefty with some pop.
Bravesfan – If you’re referring to Kole Calhoun as a train wreck, how many Angels games have you watched? My guess is few to none. You won’t find a better defender.
Rangers to get Calhoun and trade Choo to Anaheim in the process.
only in yo’r wet dreams!
nemolee – trade Choo to Anaheim for what in return?
Blue Jays have to cut 2 OFs. Why would Calhoun make sense at this point? If they can unload a couple, Calhoun becomes a maybe. Jays only true CF is Jonathan Davis and he’s not going to be a starter. Calhoun is not a CF.
Calhoun would be a good fit in Boston if they can unload some salary. Possibly the White Sox.
“Blue Jays have to cut 2 OFs. Why would Calhoun make sense at this point?”
_
Do not understand by now how Mark Shapiro plays the media?
His teams are supposedly in on 40 players (check out all the Jays rumors published here the past month). All of whom other teams are underestimating. Local fans think something good is about to happen, while other teams are making transactions. At some point he makes a few moves, explaining that either free agents he liked proved too costly according to his analytic staff, or that the FO’s of players he rally liked in trade were asking too much in return.
When the smoke clears about 6-8 weeks into the new season it becomes clear that he’s lost some players, got some new players, and the team pretty much looks the same as the previous year.
“Do not understand by now how Mark Shapiro plays the media?”
–
Yes. Understood over 4 years ago. Your comment is spot-on.
No mention of Kole being an elite defender with an accurate cannon for an arm.
Write your own articles
that’s a fact.
0 DRS. Doesn’t sound elite.
Is Ryan Braun going to the Brewers full time 1B next season?
Almost no chance he’s full-time. He’s barely even full-time in LF nowadays.
I’m not sure what you’re saying here. 1B is a less physically demanding position….
Regardless of position, Braun still needs 1-2 days off a week
i was thinking Milwaukee could use another outfielder.
They need to fill 3rd and 1st before outfield. They’re set. Yeli Cain Braun Gamel
I’m not sure why the Crew would target Calhoun after they just got rid of a similar and younger player in Grisham. I don’t know where he would fit in the Brewers picture.
no kidding
I’ve seen Calhoun as a strong candidate to fill MIAs RF job all offseason. Curious to see if it happens.
Good player…Good guy…bummed he was a casualty of the Angels budget…would have rather they trade away Upton
Whoever signs him will enjoy watching him play the field. Always all out, diving, jumping, and with a great arm. Big smile like a guy realizing he’s playing a game.
His offense is incredibly streaky, though, abs that can get frustrating. But he never takes a slump out onto the field with him.
Calhoun is the kind of OF that is right up the Tribe’s alley as long as he’s willing to sign for a year at around $3M. They’ll wait for his market to form and disintegrate before making an offer.
Have you seen the money being thrown around so far this offseason? I don’t think he’s settling for $3M.
Whoever gets Calhoun will be spending about $6 million more than he is worth. Mediocre player.
The Giants are the obvious fit. Inexpensive veteran outfielder who they can trade at the deadline if he produces in the first half of 2020.
This is the RF platoon bat a well run White Sox team would’ve acquired.
But they preferred to cross their fingers on Mazara magically producing his first 1+ fWAR season.
Mazara is way younger and has the always tantalizing “potential” word attached to him. Whether or not he realizes his potential is TBD.
White Sox got a better player than Calhoun. They need to work on pitching.
Calhoun is better than Mazara both offensively and defensively, by a wide shot defensively.
In what world is Mazara better than Calhoun?
Both are .800+ OPS platoon RF’s vs. RHP. But Calhoun also plays passable D and has plate discipline.
Mazara has more upside.
Actually key Sox, they both are not good MLB players. CWS minor league system is pretty much bone dry now, with Robert and Madrigal on the AAAA doorstep. Vaughn likely the only player with some decent trade value.
He’s had 2000+ plate appearances and been a butcher in RF for 4 years. The upside never came and the Sox can’t develop players.
lefty bat for the A’s?
Honestly what do the Jays need with another corner outfielder who a little pop and strikes out way to much and clogs the bases. We pretty much already have 6 hitters in our line up with that sad offensive talent
I love the number of corner OFs that can hit HRs this offseason. The Marlins will have a nice bridge player leading to the prospects.
Angels fan. sure going to miss that Cannon of his throwing guys out.
Any Angels fan knows the value Calhoun brings, especially on defense. He will be a fan favorite wherever he signs. No one plays defense harder than Kole. He’s made adjustments at the plate that are starting to show progress from his down year in 2018.
I’m not sure why the Reds would seek out a guy that’s not as good as people that have
If Aquino doesn’t pan out in RF, what is the plan for the Reds? (Crickets chirping). None of the other OFrs on the MLB roster are RFrs.
Aquino’s minor league numbers suggest he could struggle in 2020. Calhoun’s not a bad option to have.
I agree.. If Reds don’t go for Castellanos or the like no point in bringing on someone new. Aquino needs a real chance to show his potential. Go all in on Castellanos and trade one or two surplus outfielders for a decent starter or reliever.
The Cardinals need to take a look. If they aren’t going to get a big addition he could platoon with Martinez in left. They can use other outfield options in trades.