The elephant in the room here is whether Michael Conforto will opt out of the second year of his 2-year contract. If he does, RF becomes an obvious position for upgrade through free agency or trade. If he stays, then it becomes more difficult and we have to hope a year of mostly playing sharpened him up to get back to what he was in......2020? Yikes!
MLB:
Michael Conforto: .239/.334/.384, 15 HR, 4 SB, 11.3 BB%, 22.6 K%, 470 PA, fWAR= 1.1. Conforto's line was almost identical to his 2021 line which is not particularly comforting to those who are hoping for a bounceback season. He has a player option on the second and final year of his contract for $18 M. Will he exercise it? By the end of the season Conforto's body language was as bad as it comes. Playing baseball for the Giants appeared to be the last thing in the world he wanted to do. Is that the reason the word among the scribes is he could opt out of his contract and become a free agent? Will naming Bob Melvin make a difference in that decision? In reviewing his 2021-2023 record, it's hard to see any team out there giving him a multi-year contract and he almost certainly won't get $18 M in AAV. Seems like a no-brainer for him to exercise his option and stay for 2024. If he does, the Giants have to hope he's healthier and happier and gets at least part of the way back to his pre-2021 production as it will take an opportunity for a position upgrade off the table.
Mike Yastrzemski: See CF and LF. FZ just named acquiring a "true center fielder" one of his top 3 offseason priorities. YtY could slide over to RF if Conforto leaves or he could move down to 4'th OF which is where he should be on a good team.
Luis Matos: See CF. Ideally, Matos comes to camp 10-15 lbs of muscle heavier and those warning track drives start carrying over walls. If so, he could be a RF option if Conforto leaves and if the upgrade is a true CF.
Heliot Ramos: FZ expressed remorse at not giving Heliot more of a look last season. Hard to see how that happens in 2024 if FZ is serious about upgrading the OF in the offseason.
AAA:
None.
AA:
None. Victor Bericoto has played some RF but I don't think there is any reason to think he has the speed to cover Triples Alley in Oracle Park.
A+:
None. Grant McCray and Carter Howell could slide over from CF.
A:
Bryce Eldridge: ACL: .294/.393/.647, 5 HR, 14.8 BB%, 26.2 K%, 61 PA. A: .293/.406/.379, 1 HR, 1 SB, 15.9 BB%, 26.1 K%, 69 PA. Eldridge had a power outage after a late season promotion to San Jose, but overall his first pro lines look very encouraging for the future. Drafted as a 2-way player, he did not pitch after being drafted due to predraft workload. He should start out 2024 back in SJ working on both sides of the plate. He appears to have the bat and arm for RF. Does he have the footspeed to cover Triples Alley?
Conforto's D is bad on Fangraphs and worse on B-R – isn't he a good candidate for DH against RHP starters and a PH against a RH reliever?
ReplyDeleteFWIW, among the 11 Giants with the most IP last year, only 2 were LH: Manaea and Wood and neither was particularly effective.
We will cover DH next. Yes, Conforto could be Joc Pederson's replacement as LH DH but then there is a certain free agent DH on the market the Giants may be in play for......
DeleteThe opt-out date is before the FA negotiation date BUT what are your odds on "a certain free agent DH" signing with SF? Fortunately, his Agent isn't the dreaded one...
DeleteI would say the odds went up since Melvin came on board as manager.
Deletehim and YY?
DeleteThat would be a great offseason!
DeleteGoogle on Eldridge: He's 6-foot-7, throws a 96-mile-per-hour fastball with ease and can hit any pitch out of the park from the plate.
ReplyDeleteHe turned 19 yo 9 days ago.
With Stripling deciding to stay, what do the Giants want from Conforto and Manaea?
ReplyDeleteFinancially, if they both leave, the Giants would have an extra $23MM in 2024 to spend on "Big Names" but no advantage after that, which plays into Owner Johnson's remarks that going over once is no big deal.
If Manea can carry forward his 2023 finish, he's a good deal @ $15MM.
If Conforto's not "great" 2023 was because he was out more than a year, $18MM isn't necessarily high. That he finished with a very poor September after a very good August could be attributed to fatigue which plays positive for him in 2024.
The Giant would definitely have more money to spend if both opt out but they will also need more players if the youth doesn't develop quickly enough.
Taking what Johnson said in it's most favorable light, they are better off if they stay because there's probably enough money to dangle in front of the 3 Western Pacific players to sign 2 of them.
Too wishful?