sk7326

There was limited $$ flexibility - so really it came down to Otani's choice. I can't blame Dombrowski for Otani liking Seattle better. If I were him, I'd probably do the same thing.

I think it was clear Dombrowski did not want to block Devers - and any 3B solution had to be a short term one. Of course they all stunk - and the trade market stunk, and Devers had that magnificent season the farm, so there you go. Dombrowski definitely looked at the farm and quickly said Devers and Benintendi were the guys to keep and have treated them as such.

Vasquez should make the next step to full starter - remember it took him a while to emerge last year, so I am not sure how much to hold the pitcher splits against him. He clearly hits well enough to not be a drag - I mean he is a mediocre hitter, but good enough for the defense to play. And he did improve at the plate over the season. But a .270 hitter who doesn't give away at-bats with his framing and arm is clearly a good starting C.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/21709815/mlb-officials-keeping-close-watch-foul-play-shohei-ohtani-pursuit The way baseball has tried to basically keep his salary down has more or less forced this eventuality

His scouting is a great fastball, plus-plus slider and splitter ...

It is probably going to be an AL team - so he could hit a couple of times a week. Also in the land of 13 man pitching staffs - having a potentially "much better than you'd expect" pinch runner/hitter is pretty valuable. The Red Sox should do their best - and will ... but this is one of those cases where I don't really think money is going to matter much. Otani will be wildly underpaid for a couple of years regardless ... Olney speculated a team like Minnesota could be a dark horse - with basically no payroll commitments after FY20, they could sign Darvish ans Otani as a package.

The deal would certainly raise many eyebrows among the other owners. BTW: The way Jeter handled the Conine stuff and how apparently he has not talked to Stanton at all ... ARod doesn't seem so bad.

Kluber was magnificent. Sale sputtered down the stretch - I do think Farrell's options were limited here though. The non-Sale parts of the rotation had flaws in performance and/or bulk which forced a lot of bullpen usage.

Fortunately, there is a little less hard livin' with Martinez at his age.

I think Santana might be the one to get squeezed Encarnacion-style. It could get to 4 years, but it might end up being 3. Santana is the high floor option of the two. Hosmer you are making a bet that the light came on for a 27 year old who has always been a darling of the scouting/prospect community. It's a risk - but a defensible one.

It makes sense. I am not sure they have enough to win a bidding war for Stanton - depends on the value their ability to simply absorb the contract has to the Marlins. (I don't think the Marlins are just going to dump Stanton, but being clear of the contract in its entirety is at least somewhat helpful) Carlos Santana is the high floor option. His age and precedent seem to indicate that the market might not give him more than 3 years when things shake down - and I think he can hold his value for 2-3 years. Good on-base skills, decent 1st baseman, good not great power. Martinez profiles as the sort of guy who can go down hill very quickly - shaky athlete, no defensive value at all. But gosh he can hit. Hosmer is the high ceiling risky bet. Youngest of the major FAs, had a terrific season last year - but it is not typical of his career to date which has been very inconsistent. That said, the light suddenly coming on for a 27 year old is hardly unprecedented.

President of Baseball Operations ... i'm kidding - although there is a way that would actually make sense

Well whether a no-trade means "I am not going there" or "pay me" - that is the question.

Indeed - and teams use BOTH ... there are matters of degree, and matters of specifics ... but it is a combination. And the two views are also kind of answering different things anyway.

Manny was comically bad and Stanton is average-ish defensively. Now I do expect Stanton's numbers to suck defensively in LF if he played for Boston, because Boston seems to do that to left fielders.

Because he is good - and because cost controlled starters are innately valuable

Depends on obviously Jeter's desires and the quality and quantity of offers. I don't think he is simply given away to a team that can take the entire contract. BUT, the ability to eat the whole contract is something very few teams have, and thus should have innate value as a bargaining chip.

oh if Martinez is doing anything but DHing (maybe 1B) it is a bad idea

Since it's Sunday morning ... using bWAR 2010s managers 2011: Tony LaRussa -0.7 WAR 2012,2014: Bruce Bochy 2.4 WAR 2013: John Farrell 7.4 WAR 2015: Ned Yost -3.7 WAR 2016: Joe Maddon (no ML) 2017: AJ Hinch 0.1 WAR 2000s 2000: Joe Torre 57.6 WAR 2001: Bob Brenly 12.7 WAR 2002: Mike Scioscia 26.0 WAR 2003: Jack McKeon (no ML) 2004, 2007: Terry Francona -2.9 WAR 2005: Ozzie Guillen 20.9 WAR 2008: Charlie Manuel -2.3 WAR 2009: Joe Girardi 5.7 WAR 1990s: 1990: Lou Piniella 12.5 WAR 1991: Tom Kelly -0.5 WAR 1992, 1993: Cito Gaston -0.8 WAR 1995: Bobby Cox 0.9 WAR 1997: Jim Leyland (no ML) 1980s 1980: Dallas Green 2.2 WAR 1981: Tommy Lasorda -1.3 WAR 1982: Whitey Herzog 2.9 WAR 1983: Joe Altobelli -0.9 WAR 1984: Sparky Anderson -1.2 WAR 1985: Dick Howser 9.6 WAR 1986: Davey Johnson 27.5 WAR 1970s: 1970: Earl Weaver (no ML) 1971: Danny Murtaugh 6.4 WAR 1972, 1973: Dick Williams 3.4 WAR 1974: Al Dark 43.0 WAR 1977: Billy Martin 3.0 WAR 1978: Bob Lemon 48.8 WAR 1979: Chuck Tanner -0.2 WAR 1960s 1961-1962: Ralph Houk 0.1 WAR 1963: Walter Alston 0.0 WAR 1964: Johnny Keane (no ML) 1966: Hank Bauer 26.6 WAR 1967: Red Schoendienst 42.3 WAR 1968: Mayo Smith -0.7 WAR 1969: Gil Hodges 45.0 WAR ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So looking at since 1960, the nominees for this are Joe Torre 57.6 WAR Bob Lemon 48.8 WAR Gil Hodges 45.0 WAR Al Dark 43.0 WAR Red Schoendinst 42.3 WAR Obviously WAR is a starting point - then consider peakiness of career and such ...

Gil Hodges?

I think it is a fair measurement if you normalize for plate appearances. But of course that is part of the problem. At the same time, one of those long absences was a true freak accident.

42 HRs would have helped given the team's advanced on-base skills. Could a Stanton-Betts-Benintendi OF be an improvement total packagewise over Benintendi-Bradley-Betts? Sure.

Oh it is. You have to be comfortable with his injury history. Since one of those injuries was getting hit in the face - it might not be a huh-yooge deal. The way the market seems to be shaping up - he is gettable. There is basically a sliding scale of prospect quality vs taking on money ... where the Red Sox can possibly find a sweet spot. They probably don't have the prospect heft to make the Marlins take a lot of the contract. But if they take the contract - that might not matter.

I think moreover it is hard for great players to be great head coaches - because for them the sport is not that hard ... which makes it hard to relate to players who have to struggle more.

I know - John Henry might have to settle for eating tunafish straight out of the can because of the impact.