The ice surrounding the Hot Stove melted just a bit today as Wade Davis reportedly agreed to terms with the Colorado Rockies on a 3 year/$52 M contract. The deal includes a vesting player option for a 4'th season at $15 M that kicks in with 30 games finished in 2020. If it does not vest, the option is mutual with a $1 M buyout. One would think the buyout would be in play if the option does not vest. The $17.33 AAV of this deal is a record for relief pitchers. Davis had a QO from the Cubs, so the Rockies also lose their 3'rd highest pick(2'nd rounder) in the 2018 draft. The Cubs receive an additional draft pick at the end of Competitive Balance Round B.
Davis gives the Rockies, who obviously think they have a window of opportunity here, an elite closer, but comes with some risk. If you look closely at his Fangraphs stat page, Davis average FB velocity has declined just a tad over the past 2 seasons while his BB/9 has been trending up. That could be a harbinger of trouble for a pitcher entering his age 32 season.
While this signing my represent a breakthrough in the stalled offseason, we should note that the reliever market has been brisk all along and Davis continues the trend of surprisingly large contracts for relievers while other positions continue to languish.
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I'll add that I had Wade Davis pegged to be one of my two keeper pitchers for my fantasy baseball team. He probably still will be, but I tend try to stay away from Rockies pitchers for obvious.
ReplyDeleteRumor is Giants going after Carlos Gonzalez im all for it will they really are. What do you think Doc
ReplyDeletePlease no! The guy a Coors Field Creation. In his career -- 132 HR at home. 83 on the road. Put him in AT&T... I think we'd be making a big mistake by spending what little room we have under the CBT by signing a guy with dubious power and poor defensive metrics.
DeleteI’m with Moses here. Poor fielder with history of injuries, now over 32, LH batter with severe weakness in 2017 against LH pitching, marked offensive split in his career in favor of Coors as against away parks. Obviously the Giants need to decide if they have enough confidence in Reynolds, Quinn, and other OF prospects below Duggar, Slater, Parker, and Williamson (those they’ve had or will have a good look at soon) to go for shorter- or longer-term solutions in the OF. That decision is germane to Gonzalez’s age and length of contract, maybe also his injury history as mentioned in Alex Chamberlain’s Fangraphs appraisal of him about ten days ago.
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