Trevor Bauer RHP, the consensus top ranked free agent of the season, signed with the Dodgers, because of course he did. In the process, Bauer becomes the highest paid player in the game for the next two years and breaks the $40 M/yr barrier. Overall the deal is for 3 yr/$102 M but with $40 M due in 2021, $45 M in 2022 and just $17 M due in 2023 with a player opt out. The latter number was likely determined as some type of CBT chicanery in that it is exactly half of the 3 year AAV of the contract.
You may recall Bauer as a successful college pitcher for UCLA with an unorthodox delivery that some compared to Tim Lincecum. He was drafted #3 overall by the D'Backs in 2011 and broke into MLB in 2012. He was traded that winter to the Indians in a 3-team deal which sent Didi Gregorius SS to the D'Backs. Bauer's first full season in the major leagues was 2014. His ERA ranged from 4.18 to 4.55 over the next 4 seasons. He broke out in 2018 with a 2.21 ERA over 175 innings but then fell back to 4.48 over 213 IP with 2 teams in 2019. The 2020 shortened season saw him throw down a 1.73 ERA in 73 IP with a 12.33 K/9 and a 2.10 BB/9. His career MLB pitching line is 75-64, 3.90, 1190 IP, 10.81 K/9, 3.11 BB/9.
$34 M/yr seems like a lot to pay for a guy with just two really good seasons out of 7, let alone $40 M and $45 M, but Bauer gives the already loaded Dodgers another frontline SP who might be an ace. It also allows them to bring Dustin May RHP and Tony Gonsolin RHP out of the bullpen which bolsters another relatively weak spot for them.
Bauer does not come without controversy. Ben Clemons wrote up a scathing take for Fangraphs calling out Bauer for his bullying behavior on social media and openly speculated that his dramatic jump in spin rates for the 2020 season was due to use of a foreign substance. That's all OK with Giants fans who love to hate the Dodgers. Now we have one more reason, or two or three, to hate them even more!
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In other Hot Stove news, Marcell Ozuna OF re-signed with the Braves for 4 yr/$65 M. That's probably more than the Giants would or should offer, so good for him.
The A's replaced Marcus Semien SS by trading Kris Davis DH to the Rangers for Elvis Andrus SS in a 5-player trade. It's a bit tough to see why the A's didn't just re-sign Semien if they were willing to make this trade.
Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I don't need the Bauer signing to hate the Dodgers even more, lol! This shouldn't affect FZ and Scott Harris's plans to rebuild the roster anyway making good incremental moves. They'll have the 2021 season to continue to evaluate the roster and identify young players in their farm system who can help the team in 2022. The 2021 season should be interesting, the team should be competitive, the farm system should be interesting to follow, and FZ should have the payroll/roster flexibility to bring in good players to improve the roster next off-season.
ReplyDeleteI like the moves the Giants have made this offseason but one little thing puzzles me. There are closers still available at reasonable prices but FZ doesn't seem interested. The Twins recently signed a good closer Colume for 1 yr $5 mil. Then again this FO doesn't like to leak info on players they're interested in, thinking back to Harper.
Read a comment that maybe part of the reason the Padres traded for several starting pitchers is they see Dilison Lamat as a big injury risk. That would be a shame if he gets hurt again since he's a talented pitcher who can help the Pads knock off the Dodgers!
Just one guy's opinion, but after watching the Dodgers and the Padres add important/impactful/expensive pieces to rosters that were already far superior to that of the Giants, it's pretty hard to imagine the the Giants having a shot at the playoffs unless the field is expanded again this year. But, I look at the team the Giants are going to put on the field and I see a team that is going to be entertaining, and a team that will be a real pain in the a$$ for their opponents.
ReplyDeleteNot exactly a perfect outlook for the 2021 season, but I think I will want to keep the radio and/or TV on just in case the Giants grind out a win.
it should be a ton of fun for Giants hitters to face Kershaw, Buehler, Darvish, Snell, Bauer et al possibly multiple times assuming mlb plays something close to a full schedule.
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