The Hot Stove League is open and with a flurry of activity though no major acquisitions just yet. The biggest news for the Giants was a couple of Qualifying Offers to Carlos Rodon LHP and Joc Pederson OF. The Rodon offer was a foregone conclusion. It's also foregone that he will decline it and go into free agencyw where he is expected to land a very large contract. 5 years/$125 M seems to be the starting point for Rodon contract speculation. The tea leaves seem to be saying it won't be the Giants paying him.
The Joc Pederson offer seems to have caught a lot of people by surprise but if you are a reader of When the Giants Come to Town, you were fully prepped. Now the attention shifts to Joc and whether he will accept. IMO, he is the best lefthanded bat on the market and may have a multi-year offer on the table large enough to make him decline, but the $19.6 M for 1 year seems significantly bigger than the AAV in any multi-year deal he would get. He has until November 15 to decide.
The second big news of the day is the Giants declined Evan Longoria 3B's $13 M club option for 2023, will pay him the $5 M buyout and he's also a free agent. Based on FZ's comments it does not seem like a smaller deal to bring Longoria back is going to happen. FZ cited David Villar 3B's breakout and J. D. Davis 3B as well as the minor league success of Casey Schmitt 3B as reasons for declining Longo's option.
FZ also indicated that the Giants intend to tender a contract to arbitration-eligible Lamonte Wade Jr. OF. FZ believes injuries held him back and his secondary stats look good for a bounceback season in 2023.
There was some shuffling of the deck at the bottom of the 40-man roster. The Giants outrighted Austin Dean OF, Bryce Johnson OF, Taylor Jones IF, Zack Littell RHP and Ford Proctor UT to AAA Sacramento. Andrew Vasquez LHP and Luis Ortiz RHP were claimed off waiver by the Phillies. Most of those roster spots were filled by players coming of the 60-day IL: Sam Delaplane RHP, Anthony DeSclafani RHP, Mauricio Llovera RHP, Sam Long LHP, Gregory Santos RHP, Donovan Walton IF, Colton Welker IF and Alex Wood LHP.
The Churn was still active with three waiver claims: Meibrys Viloria C and Drew Strotman RHP from the Rangers and Dom Nunez C from the Rockies. Viloria and Nunez are both lefty, but light hitting with MLB experience. Strotman compiled a 6.32 ERA in 52.2 IP for two minor league teams last season. He has both a high K and high BB rate. All 3 of these pickups seem to be fodder for The Churn.
Lastly the Giants selected Isan Diaz IF from AAA Sacramento to the 40 man roster, presumably to keep him out of minor league free agency.
The Giants 40 man roster is now full and will have to be trimmed further before the deadline to protect prospects from the Rule 5 Draft.
Joc: 1/$19.65 or, say, 3/30 with, maybe, an opt-out – which is better?
ReplyDeleteGotta suspect the Giants would give him the latter, too, wouldn't you?
Methinks he'll be a Giant, one way a'tother – they obviously want him...
I wouldn't be surprised at something like settling on something like 2/28 or 3/36. I don't think another team would do that AND give up a pick.
ReplyDeleteVery pleased (and surprised) with trade that brought in J.D. Davis. Excited about Villar’s power, and not surprised he won PCL MVP. Together, and as you mentioned, should give Flores more rest next year and provide pop at 3B. The Wisely trade features a left-handed bat at 2B in event LaStella is terrible, as Wisely can hit and cover SS. Just needs a little more seasoning at Sac. Diaz is another LHH 2B, hopefully not a AAA guy, thus Wisely provides another potential option.
ReplyDeleteI see the Giants needs/priorities: #1 or #2 SP, SS, CF. Then, lesser costs for LHH 1B that can play defense, 2 stout relievers.
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