The Giants made a move yesterday that should raise some eybrows. Eric Haase, will come to spring training on a minor league deal with an agreed upon salary of $1.6 M if he makes the Opening Day active roster. He has an opt-out at the end of spring training. Haase is a hit-first catcher whose best season was 2021 when he hit 22 HR's for the Tigers and seemed poised to become one of the better catchers in MLB. Alas, his stats tailed off after that big season and he was outrighted to AAA by the Brewers in the middle of last season and elected free agency after the season ended.
Eric Haase C. DOB: 12/18/1992. B-R, T-R. 5' 10", 204 lbs. Arbitration Eligible 2027, Free Agent 2028.
The 2 HR's project to 15 over 600 PA's. As you can see, power is his only game as he doesn't walk much and strikes out at a frightful rate, although his AAA ratios were much better. Although Fangraphs has him rated as replacement level on defense, he is generally rated as a defensive liability.
The reason why this move should raise eyebrows is the Giants now have two catchers coming to camp who they will lose if they don't make the team: Daniel Susac and Haase. I get that it adds depth and options but as a fan I was just getting excited about the possibility of Susac's long term upside and now the odds of him even being in the organization on Opening Day just went dramatically down. In my memory, the majority of these hybrid minor league deals with MLB deals contingent on making the team generally result in the player making the team. Will Tony Vitello opt for veteran savvy or long term ceiling?
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Just a brief note about the Alex Bregman signing. The deal is for 5 yr/$175 M with no opt outs. The deal us a year or two shorter than what Bregman was hoping for but at a higher than predicted AAV. Where this move potentially impacts the Giants is it ups the pressure on the Cubs to trade Nico Hoerner who could be a nice upgrade for the Giants at 2B.
Doc, you are bang on the "head scratching" comment regarding Haase.
ReplyDeleteSaw that MLB Rumours and did the side by side review on Baseball Reference with Susac. I immediately said Buster WTF!
What are you doing man?
Dont like the signing nor the contract detail.
Haase 34 Vs Susac 24 ages???
Susac to me should be Bailey's backup/ionjury cover.
Really categorize this is a really poor "baseball" decision.
Richard in Winnipeg
I don't like using projections to settle debates but here are the Steamer Projections for both players: Susac- .231/.281/.361. Haase- .211/.269/.343.
DeleteI see Haase as an insurance signing, in which case Huff or Stassi would have been younger options. Definitely a head scratcher.
ReplyDeleteI hope it's still Susac's job to lose barring injury or looking completely lost in spring training.
DeleteCubs sign Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175MM contract.
ReplyDeletePirates sign Ryan O'Hearn to a two-year $29 million contract.
Reds sign Brady Singer to $12.75 million, 1-year contract
Orioles sign Taylor Ward to $12.715 1-year contract
Brewers sign Andrew Vaughn to a $7.65 million, 1-year contract.
Reds sign Gavin Lux to $5.525 1-year contract
Brewers sign Brice Turang to $4.15 million, 1-year contract
Giants sign Eric Haase to $1.6 M if he makes the Opening Day active roster.
I'm not doing cartwheels if the Giants sign any of those deals and you didn't include the Houser and Mahle contracts which look pretty good next to Brady Singer's.
DeleteTo Buster's credit, Houser and Mahle are OK signings, yes, but not what a lot of Giant fans wanted – nor would Singer have been.
DeleteHouser, Mahle, Haase, Santos, Hentges, and Foley are all reasonable Brebbia Aisle signings, but don't the rabid fans want red meat?
There are just 30 days until pitchers and catchers start reporting to camp, plenty of time to pick up a difference-maker – will Ownership (including Buster) overpay to make the team measurably better in 2026?
If not, won't we see a repeat of 2025 with a chance of squeaking into the 6th playoff spot and a slimmer chance of ousting the NL's best teams?
I don't agree with your Singer take and I don't want to see them overpay for another 5 or 6 year contract to age in unison with the ones they already have. If they can overpay for a 1 -3 year deal or make a trade for say Nico Hoerner, I'm all for it.
DeleteHoerner is from the Bay Area and I have heard on a podcast not long ago purchased a house in Cow Hollow. Just sayin’.
ReplyDeleteFor someone whose reputation is for leadership and mentoring (as well as playing ability) Bregman seems terribly mercenary.
ReplyDeleteDoc, bottom line on Susac, he has great upside potential and is only 24.
ReplyDeleteI repeat myself, sorry.
The signing to me has nothing close to being an insurance policy!!
He is a liability behind the plate and his best before date came and went.
Hello Tom Murphy wherever you are!
Richard in Winnipeg
I had the same Tom Murphy flashback when I saw the signing.
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