Nate Eovaldi's scintillating postseason run paid off big time for him as the Red Sox agreed to pay him $68 M over the next 4 seasons to pitch for them. Eovaldi's has always had a huge upside, but has battled a series of injuries throughout his career including 3 elbow surgeries. Although the stuff is undeniable, his numbers have not always reflected that. His highest K/9 in his MLB career was last season at 8.19 which is good, but not what you would expect from a triple digit flame thrower. He ERA of 3.81 was only the second time it's been under 4.00. So yeah, Nate Eovaldi has the stuff to be an ace but he's also a guy with a history of 3 elbow surgeries who throws extremely hard with an extremely violent delivery. What are the chances that a guy with that profile stays healthy for 1 full season let alone 4?
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2B Jonathan Schoop signed a 1 year contract with the Minnesota Twins for $7.5 M. That's more than I thought he would get after being non-tendered by the BrewCrew, but he can provide big time power from a MI position so it may work out great for the Twins and for Schoop who will be a FA again next season.
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The Astros signed C Robinson Chirinos to a 1 year $5.75 M contract. Chirinos batted just .222 last season but OPS'd .757 with 18 HR's. He is said to be not a good pitch framer and took some blame for the Rangers pitching struggles last season. Maybe the Astros figure they can teach him how to frame pitches?
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I shudder to think what Harper and Machado will get!
ReplyDeletePollock wants $80M/5, Brantley wants $60M/3, and neither of them knows what a full season is, averaging, respectively, 81 and 79 games per year for the last 3 years.
Any GM who gives Pollock or Brantley a straight contract without incentives for games played should ask Bobby Evans how he likes retirement!
I agree on Brantley. My belief is that Pollock's injuries are quite a bit less likely to be recurrent and debilitating than Brantley's.
DeleteAnd Belt?
DeleteAre his injuries quite a bit less likely to be recurrent and debilitating than Pollock?
Injury history is NOT necessarily predictive, but very much a red flag.
If Pollock is willing to "bet" he'll play, sign him for whatever it takes but don't guarantee more than 2/3's of his contract.
Brantley? Half.
Do you think Belt's emergency appendectomy is going to come back to haunt him?
DeleteOther than that, the one thing I would worry about Belt and injuries going forward is how he stands right on top of the plate which may make him more susceptible to HBP injuries. Belt has had a lot of injuries over the years but none that I would necessarily consider recurrent and debilitating, much like AJ Pollock.
Wow! Four years for someone who has been hurt way more than healthy. Huge gamble on Eovaldi by the Red Sox. This is more likely to turn out to be an awful signing than a productive one.
ReplyDeleteThis is odd, I agree with your analysis of these guys and their contracts.
ReplyDeleteIf you were thinking about Chico (CA) this week, for housing you'd want to be a seller.
ReplyDeleteIf you were looking at stocks this week, with a little bravado, you might well be a buyer.
Observing the FA contracts lately, it's a seller's market.
Go with Warren Buffet: buy low and sell high.
That may not work in baseball because it's always going to be a seller's market. Good players are in short supply and the demand is great. When has that ever changed?
DeleteThere seems to be a distinct difference between 2017-18 off season and this one. At least so far.
DeleteYou're right about truly "good" players, because they are in short supply they should get the best contracts. Seems (to me) this is a HOT market, hotter than usual and past "off-years" are being discounted.
SF isn't in it. Zaidi?