harmony

FanGraphs Depth Charts, Steamer, ZiPS and Marcel project the following 2018 batting averages, on-base percentages and OPS for Blake Swihart: FG: .235/.296/.649 S: .242/.304/.672 Z: .228/.288/.726 M: .265/.333/.743 2017 AL average: .256/.324/.753

Impressive. Where do you find that information?

By my count Blake Swihart has appeared at catcher in only five* of his 13 Spring Training games so far this year (with five games as designated hitter, two games at first base and one game in left field). * counting the February 22 game against Northeastern University. Swihart has caught only four games against MLB foes.

I suspect Marcel, Steamer and ZiPS have more sophisticated methods of reaching their projections than a forum poster does. Still, the range of the Marcel, Steamer and ZiPS projections is interesting.

Marcel, Steamer and ZiPS have these 2018 projections for Blake Swihart: M: 211 PA, .265/.333/.413/.746 S: 81 PA, .242/.304/.368/.672 Z: 307 PA, .228/.288/.338/.626 Steamer and ZiPS project ISO (isolated power) of .126 and .110, respectively, for Swihart, who has an MLB career ISO of .113. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/swihabl01.shtml https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=13176&position=C

On this forum about 14 months ago I compared Blake Swihart with Jarrod Saltalmacchia (and Mike Zunino). Early scouting reports on Swihart and Saltalamacchia were similar in terms of hitting tool and overall athleticism. Swihart and Saltalmacchia had similarly disappointing age 25 seasons, Swihart in 2017 and Saltalamacchia in 2010. In their age 25 seasons, each spent considerable time in the minors after gaining at least 100 games of MLB experience in previous years. It should be interesting to see whether Swihart can top Saltalamacchia's season high of 3.5 fWAR in 2013 or Saltalamacchia's career fWAR of 8.9.

It should be interesting to see how Blake Swihart's career compares with that of Jarrod Saltalamacchia, another switch-hitting catcher who once was a top-ranked prospect.

A blogger offers his opinion on the top five starting rotations in baseball: https://thekzonenews.com/2018/03/09/top-5-starting-pitching-rotations-heading-into-2018/

I disagree with this Seattle blogger who proposed a trade of Rusney Castillo to the Mariners, but ... https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2017/10/25/16487712/mariners-red-sox-potential-trade-2018-bullpen-outfield

The Red Sox signed righthand-hitting Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo to a seven-year, $72.5 million contract in 2014 three-and-a-half months before the Arizona Diamondbacks signed righthand-hitting Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas to a six-year, $68.5 million contract. Castillo, who is three years older than Tomas, has posted 1.7 bWAR and 1.4 fWAR in 99 MLB games while Tomas has posted a negative 2.2 bWAR and a negative 1.4 fWAR in 305 MLB games. Neither contract has worked out but I would take Castillo and his glove over Tomas and his defensive liabilities.

Rough start for Jalen Beeks against against a lineup of the Twins' top hitters.

In terms of leadership skills, J.D. Martinez reminds me a tad of Adrian Gonzalez, another talented hitter. In the three years before joining the Red Sox, Gonzalez had posted an OPS of .910 and an OPS+ of 151 in 452 games. In the past three years Martinez has posted an OPS of .943 and an OPS+ of 148 in only 397 games. Gonzalez, who joined the Red Sox when he was about 22 months younger than Martinez's current age, had a stellar first season in Boston, posting an fWAR of 6.1, a bWAR of 6.9, an OPS of .957 and and OPS+ of 155. During that 2011 season Gonzalez signed a seven-year extension through his 36th birthday with an AAV of $22 million ... the same AAV that Martinez has in his five-year contract through his 35th birthday.

I've already been reminded that I took the field against the Red Sox in the J.D. Martinez sweepstakes this offseason.

Let's revisit the issue in one year, two years and three years.

Close call but I would be happier as a Padre fan with the Eric Hosmer signing because his physical apparently did not require nearly a week of contract negotiations to cover injury concerns. Again, I hope the contracts work out for all sides.

J.D. Martinez and Eric Hosmer represent similar value in relation to their respective contracts. Or not. No one should care about my opinion. Martinez is a better fit for the Red Sox because of the perceived need for a big bat while Hosmer is a better fit for the Padres because of his age, health and reported leadership skills. Hosmer is no stranger to joining a downtrodden franchise. The Royals had averaged 97.4 losses a season in the seven years before Hosmer's arrival and suffered 91 and 90 losses in Hosmer's first two seasons in Kansas City. The Royals have since made to trips to the World Series, winning the title in 2015. Perhaps Hosmer can lead a similar renaissance in San Diego. Or not. I hope Martinez and Hosmer live up to their contracts but I'll be pulling for Hosmer because the Padres are my favorite National League team.

J.D. Martinez and Eric Hosmer are not equal in terms of OPS but a narrow focus on OPS is not particularly helpful in assessing overall value. It's interesting that FanGraphs managing editor Dave Cameron listed Hosmer as the No. 1 free agent landmine: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-2018-free-agent-landmines/ ... before Cameron took a job in the San Diego Padres analytics department: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-one-i-never-thought-i-would-write/

J.D. Martinez and Eric Hosmer present a wide range of potential outcomes, including the possibility that Hosmer will outproduce Martinez. Perhaps not highly likely, but within the realm of possibility. We'll have a better idea in three years or so. Martinez has been hyped as the primary Red Sox target since before the onset of the offseason. Hosmer has been the offseason's piñata because, as stated at MLB Trade Rumors, "Every year one free agent is particularly polarizing, and this winter it’s Hosmer." https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/11/2017-18-top-50-mlb-free-agents-with-predictions.html Nevertheless, MLB Trade Rumors projected Martinez and Hosmer with similar contracts. Their ultimate contracts are hard to compare but one could contend that Hosmer got the better deal, perhaps because Hosmer has played in 478 games over the last three seasons while Martinez has played in only 397 games over that period. Many long-term contracts represent poor investments but I hope Martinez works out for the Red Sox and Hosmer for the Padres.

Steamer, last year's most accurate of the widely available projections, projects 2018 WAR of 2.4 in 624 plate appearances for Eric Hosmer and 2.4 in 544 plate appearances for J.D. Martinez: https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3516&position=1B https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=6184&position=OF Other services give the 30-year-old Martinez a substantial edge over the 28-year-old Hosmer in projected 2018 WAR but each player's nine-figure contract carries significant risks.

I would not have signed Eric Hosmer to an eight-year, $144 million contract, but this board's Hosmer hate is over the top. The Padres sought leadership for a young club with long-range potential. BTW, Hosmer stroked a three-run homer today ... I hope to see Hosmer play on Thursday against the Cubs.

I doubt it as well.

For what it's worth, FanGraphs projects these combined WAR totals for each division: AL East: 200.0 AL Central: 146.5 AL West: 192.2 NL East: 157.3 NL Central: 185.9 NL West: 181.9 https://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=ALL&teamid=3 Perhaps this is the year that the AL East will live up to the annual refrain that it's the toughest division in baseball. Or not.

Will the AL East represent the American League in the World Series for only the second time in nine seasons? Could happen.

A starting pitcher who ranks 35th in American League with 147 innings and posts the league average ERA of 4.54 could be considered an average starter. A starting pitcher who tosses 200 innings with a 4.30 ERA is an above-average starter. Your book sucks. Or not. https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/split.cgi?t=p&lg=AL&year=2017