Wow! Yasmani Grandal, who turned down a QO from the Dodgers for $17.9 M and a reported 4 yr/$60 M deal from the Mets, saw his market come crashing down and he settled for a 1 yr/$18.25 M deal with the Brewers. Grandal was widely considered the top catcher on the FA market and the second best available after TJ Realmuto. He's had a stellar run as the Dodgers main catcher for 4 years. A near-meltdown in the 2018 postseason may have depressed his value a bit but 4 yr/$60 M seemed about right. It's possible Grandal just wanted out of LA where he was booed mercilessly in the postseason and just wasn't diggin' the Mets win-now plan and preferred to take less money to play for a team he knew for sure was contending, but he sure did leave a large pot of guaranteed money on the table and ended up taking essentially the same deal he turned down from LA.
This is a huge upgrade at catcher for the Brewers who have to be ecstatic about their chances of going all the way to the World Series in 2019.
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This has been a weird offseason in which some teams seem to overpay for players while other players are signing for way less than projected. I guess if you are desperate for starting pitching, you'll overpay but this one is a surprise. The Rangers reportedly signed Shelby Miller to a guaranteed major league deal for $2 M with incentives that could bring the total value up to $5 M. Wow! I really thought Miller would likely have to accept a minor league deal or no more than a MLB minimum deal. I like Miller for comeback candidate but his record for both poor health and poor performance the last 2 seasons would not seem to justify that much guaranteed money.
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The White Sox signed OF Jon Jay and RHP Kelvin Herrera. Jay gets a 1 yr/$4 M contract while Herrera gets a 2 yr/$17 M deal with a $10 M team option for 2021 with a $1 M buyout giving him a total of $18 M in guaranteed money. Jay give the ChiSox a solid bench/platoon option in the OF while Herrera teams up with Alex Colome for a dramatically upgraded bullpen.
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With the Brewers signing Grandal, does it make it more likely that they will trade for Bumgarner?
ReplyDeleteWhoever is his agent should be fired!
ReplyDeleteThe White Sox have signed both Jon Jay and Yonder Alonzo who both train with Manny Machado in the off season. We'll see if this helps the White Sox land Machado. Grandal is a huge upgrade for them at catcher. We'll see if they are motivated enough to spend another $12 million to trade for Madbum since they are a small market team.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they will give the Giants better prospects if the Giants cover Bumgarner's salary.
ReplyDeleteUh no!
DeleteWhy not? Giants gave away Jason Bahr to Texas so they didn't have to pay Jackson and Gerrin. According to ESPN, Brewers "stretched" their budget to sign Grandal. I remember a few years ago, Sabean mentioned if you want the other team to cover a traded player's salary, then a better prospect is required. The Giants avoided the luxury tax threshold and it doesn't seem like they are going to sign an expensive free agent. Might as well make use of the extra "cap space" and acquire prospects.
DeleteThe Giants $12 M is already a bargain for Bumgarner. Giants are not going to feel the need to pay is salary to get another team to give them good prospects.
DeleteIn fact, if the Giants intend to compete in 2019, they shouldn't trade Bumgarner at all. A 1 year/$12 M contract for an ace pitcher is about as good as it gets in terms of low risk value.
DeleteWhite Sox have a very small payroll and have supported winners in the past (close to 3 million after WS year).
ReplyDeleteIt's a big jump from 100 losses but with Machado (if) and a stud SP, they could compete well in the AL Central. But, getting past the big boys will be tough.
The WS have some stud prospects, Giants have some stud pitchers with 1 & 2 year control plus Joe Panik (who WS don't need) -- enough to get Sox to the top?
Value is what it's all about. $12M is peanuts for a guy that can put you over the top, especially if he's got WS creds.
ReplyDeleteThe question isn't the 12 mill, it's what you're willing to give up to complete your rotation with a stud -- Bumgarner's injuries are both "freaks" and they interfered with his performance after rehab (essentially starting over with ST).
He, Smith, Watson, and even Dyson have value for a contender, their downside is rolling the dice to win now, not their salaries.
The idea of the Giants covering MadBum's salary is not so crazy. In the world of big market "haves" and small market "have not's" the Giants and the Brewers are each clear on the category into which they fall. With the signing of Grandal, the Brewers are showing a real commitment to charge through the championship window that is now open to them. But, they have budgetary limits.
ReplyDeleteGive the Giants a better package of players, and receive financial help in return. Money is not a problem for the Giants, and they don't seem to be bumping up against the tax. The Brewers need money, the Giants need players. The Brewers are going for it and the Giants are seemingly recognizing the seriousness of their roster issues.
I don't think it's crazy at all to give what you have (money) to get what you lack (talent). Just one man's opinion, but the truly crazy thing would be for the Giants to believe they can contend with the roster they have.
Las Vegas odds projects win totals for 2019:
DeleteThe Giants pick 6th in the 2020 June draft
https://www.thelines.com/caesars-first-sportsbook-to-release-2019-mlb-season-win-totals/
Exactly.
DeleteGiants are NOT competing this year. Whether they can get more for Bumgarner now or at the deadline - in addition to Dyson, etc. can still be argued..
And without a commitment to make tough decisions now to upgrade the roster, top to bottom, the Giants will be picking in the top five in 2020, as well.
DeleteThe Giants current roster is not a contender, but with the right additions, I believe it could be.
DeleteOh, and the Giants are not going to pay Bumgarner to pitch for another team.
DeleteI don't think your idea of covering part of Madbums salary is crazy, but the issue might be the Brewers could be reluctant to trade away their best prospects anyway for 1 year of Madbum, although Madbum is not just any pitchet.
ReplyDeleteFree Agency 2019 largest contracts affirmed so far (Friday): there have been 14 contracts of $12MM AAV (or more) by 14 different teams, 4 of them for a single year, 2 over $20MM/yr, and 1 over $100MM total.
ReplyDeleteThe Giants with their sole $585K signing of Pat Vendittee ranks as the 65th largest.
The BIG boys haven’t weighed in, but will there be that sure-thing $300MM deal?
This is changing by the moment, but only 70 Major League contracts have been given to FAs.
It may be picking up as mid-January approaches and Spring Training isn’t so far away.
Was the BIG DEAL killed by Chris Davis?
Is there a “good” $100MM deal anymore?
Will there be more than 3 this year?
Is anyone worth $300M? Was Barry Bonds qorth $300MM after he was 26? He played another 2116 games in 16 seasons, $14,177 per game (home and away). Did he put 1,000 butts in seats per game by himself, just to see him play?
Is Harper or Machado "better" than Bonds?
Will either still slash .276/.480/.565/1.045 at age 42? But Bonds didn't deliver the "ring" -- did too much of the payroll go to him and he couldn't do it by himself (almost though in 2002 when he had Shinjo! and others, Kent+)?
Will Harper have the pre-2010 SF draftees there for all 3 -- Posey, Belt, Crawford, Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Sandoval, Romo?
As Zaidi waits for "value" will there be some left by the time he can get one?
Is there enough talent in the system to warrant buying "the next Barry Bonds" to put among them?