Fangraphs Trade Value...

[TheHurl]

One of my favourite features each year, the Fangraphs Trade Value top 50 is going on right now. 50 through 31 is already posted.

 

#50 Austin Jackson (OF)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

26 302 10.3 % 20.5 % .280 .355 .403 .336 110 -0.8 4.7 2.0

Under Team Control Through 2015: Arbitration

 

While Jackson hasn’t been as good as he was a year ago, he’s still an extremely athletic 26-year-old with a pretty strong performance record. Whether he can consistently hit for enough power to be a true star remains to be seen, but his contact rate improvements have made that less of a necessity. He’s already a very good player, but there remains additional upside beyond what he’s done this season.

 

The two years of team control are the big stickler here, and why he just snuck onto the list. Any team trading for Jackson would get his age-27 and age-28 seasons at a legitimate discount, given that he doesn’t do the types of things that pay huge money in arbitration, and would have be acquiring the right to try and sign him long term. Without that kind of security, though, Jackson’s value is somewhat limited, but his relatively low HR/SB totals could make a multi-year deal with Jackson possible at a reasonable price.

 

Unless Detroit gets him to sign that kind of deal, though, this is likely Jackson’s last appearance on the Trade Value list. He’s getting closer to the point where he’d be an extended rental, and with Scott Boras as his agent, don’t expect him to pass on free agency once it gets within spitting distance. For now, though, Jackson’s combination of low salary and high performance earn him the final spot on this year’s list.

 

 

#49 Justin Verlander (P)

Age IP K/9 BB/9 GB% ERA FIP xFIP RA9-WAR WAR

30 126.0 8.93 3.21 42.3 % 3.50 3.23 3.64 2.6 3.0

Under Team Control Through 2019: $20 million in ’14, $28 million through ’19

 

This was one of the most difficult ratings of the entire list. The “What’s Wrong With Justin Verlander” narrative seems to be growing, despite the fact that his 3.23 FIP says that he’s just fine. Still, Verlander doesn’t look quite as dominant as he did the last few years, and he is a 30-year-old pitcher with a lot of mileage on his arm and a huge price tag for a long time. Odds are good that the end of his current contract is going to be a bad deal.

 

However, we cannot just overlook Verlander’s remarkable amount of present value. Even at $20 million next year, he’ll be significantly underpaid, and the value of a legitimate #1 starter remains extremely high given that those players just don’t make it to free agency anymore. There are a lot of teams who wouldn’t be able to carry Verlander’s salary, but there are enough high revenue clubs that could to start a bidding war if the Tigers decided to make him available.

 

Long term contracts for pitchers generally work out poorly, and Justin Verlander might be showing signs of decline. However, even during his “struggles”, he’s still among the game’s best hurlers, and his value over the next few years outweighs the potential albatross nature of his deal at the back end. With money flowing into the game, teams can afford to pay the best players in the game, and Verlander remains a difference maker.

 

 

#48 Adrian Beltre (3B)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

34 399 5.5 % 10.5 % .316 .358 .543 .386 140 0.7 -1.9 3.3

Under Team Control Through 2016: $17 million, $18 million, $16 million voidable option

 

It’s easy to still think of Beltre as a glove first third baseman who also hits sometimes, but since the start of the 2010 season, he has a 139 wRC+, good for 12th best in all of baseball. That’s a better mark that Giancarlo Stanton has put up during the same stretch, if you want some context. Beltre has developed into one of the best hitters in the sport, but it hasn’t come at the cost of the rest of his value. As an all around player, Beltre has few peers, combining MVP level offense with stellar defense at third base.

 

If he was younger or cheaper, he’d probably be in the top 10, but this ranking reflects the reality that he is 34-years-old and due either $35 million over the next two seasons or $51 million over the next three. For his level of production, the price is still a huge steal, but there aren’t a lot of players that can maintain +6 WAR paces into their mid-30s, and Beltre should probably be expected to slow down in the not too distant future.

 

However, the contract isn’t so expensive or so long that it would prohibit a team from acquiring a true star who would represent a monstrous upgrade in the present. Beltre might not have as much long term value as everyone else on this list, but his short term value is immense, and would require a significant bidding war to get him from the Rangers.

 

 

#47 David Price (P)

Age IP K/9 BB/9 GB% ERA FIP xFIP RA9-WAR WAR

27 80.0 7.54 1.58 48.1 % 3.94 3.45 3.37 0.5 1.5

Under Team Control Through 2015: Arbitration

 

Last year, Justin Upton was the guy on the list that we all knew was going to get traded, testing the market for his skills. This year, Price is that guy, as he’s very likely to be moved this winter, as his arbitration payout will price him out of the Rays budget. So, we’re going to find out in a few months exactly what Price’s trade value actually is.

 

My guess is that the price is going to be extremely high. Price’s mid-season DL stint hurt him somewhat, and his rapidly escalating arbitration payouts thanks to Super Two status have already made him expensive, but for a risk averse team that wants a #1 starter and doesn’t want to commit a couple hundred million to get one, Price might be a very enticing option.

 

At probably something in the neighborhood of $35 million in arbitration payouts before he hits free agency, Price isn’t low cost, but he’s easily capable of providing a lot of value beyond those salaries before he hits the open market. The question will be how whether a team is willing to bet big on a premium arm who both spent time on the DL and showed significant velocity loss. How he pitches in the second half may go a long way to establishing his trade value, but we don’t have the luxury of knowing how that’s going to turn out at this point.

 

So, for now, Price slots in towards the bottom of the list. There are red flags here, but there’s also a ton of upside. The trade market for him should be fascinating.

 

 

#46 Desmond Jennings (OF)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

26 399 9.0 % 18.3 % .267 .335 .449 .341 119 -2.3 3.8 2.7

Under Team Control Through 2017: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

Jennings might be the quietest star player in baseball. After spending his first few years playing next to B.J. Upton, he’s now taken over center field full time, and he continues to progress as a hitter at the same time. While he falls into the category of guys with somewhat mixed offensive track records, he’s over 1,000 plate appearances of above average offense and hasn’t yet turned 27-years-old.

 

The contract is a significant part of his value as well. He’s still got another year of league minimum play, as the Rays kept him in the minors long enough that he should avoid Super Two status, and then he has three arbitration years to go before he gets to free agency. That leaves Jennings with four low cost seasons, coming from ages 27-30, as a terrific athlete who is showing real offensive promise.

 

There’s enough variance in his game that he could go either direction on this list. The upside is there for him to turn into Andrew McCutchen Lite and be among the most valuable players in the game. If the power disappears again, he might end up in the pile of +3 WAR players just on the outside looking in. But, the speed and defense aren’t going anywhere any time soon, and Jennings athleticism gives him enough of a boost to get him onto the back end of the list. Where he’ll be in a year depends on how much of his current power he can sustain.

[TheHurl]

#45 Edwin Encarnacion (3B)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

30 399 11.5 % 11.3 % .264 .353 .532 .380 140 -1.2 1.4 2.7

Under Team Control Through 2016: $9 million, $10 million, $10 million option

 

Encarnacion’s breakout 2012 season has carried over into 2013, as the Blue Jays first baseman has proven himself as one of the game’s premier power hitters, and has actually even lowered his strikeout rate again this season. Encarnacion’s combination of power and contact are extremely rare, and serve to make him a highly valuable player even though he’s a defensive liability who doesn’t do much besides hit.

 

There are other good sluggers who won’t be on this list, though. Encarnacion is here primarily because of the Blue Jays decision to lock him up last summer. That contract has turned out to be a fantastic decision, and even after this season, the Blue Jays will still control his rights for three more years at a total cost of $29 million. Guys who signed similar contracts as free agents last winter: Cody Ross, Jeremy Guthrie, Jonathan Broxton. Yeah, I think Encarnacion is underpaid.

 

His skillset isn’t one that generally ages that well, and his success record is still on the shorter side, but Encarnacion is an elite slugger in his prime signed to an absurdly team friendly deal. He might not be a household name, but there aren’t many players in baseball providing this kind of power at a reasonable cost.

 

 

#44 Anthony Rendon (2B)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

23 177 7.3 % 18.1 % .301 .352 .460 .354 127 -1.3 0.5 1.1

Under Team Control Through 2019: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

On upside, Rendon could probably be in the top ten. So far, he’s showing signs that he can make a successful conversion to second base, and his bat could be really special relative to other second baseman. The Nationals control his rights for six more seasons after this one, including several at the league minimum. He’s a quality performer with the chance to become a star.

 

But, at the same time, the track record is just too short to promote him any higher. The injury questions that haunted him in college followed him to the minors, and he’ll need to play 150 games for several years in a row before we know whether he can actually hold up to that kind of schedule. Moving him to second base might exacerbate his health issues, so there’s an argument to be made that the value added from the position change could also be a detriment long term.

 

Rendon is a big risk/big reward guy, and that’s why he’s near the bottom of the list. In a year, he’ll probably either be much higher or not on the list, depending on how his first full year as a big leaguer goes. If he stays at second base and avoids the DL, he might just end up in the top 10, but that’s hardly a given, and the unpredictability limits his trade value, despite the obvious upside.

 

 

#43 Jason Heyward (OF)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

23 289 10.4 % 17.0 % .227 .324 .371 .312 98 9.3 0.6 1.6

Under Team Control Through 2015: Arbitration

 

Last year, I put Heyward at #9, as he reminded everyone of the player he could be, and again looked like a star in the making. He’s followed up a fantastic all around season by once again losing his power stroke, and while he’s just 23, the inconsistency is doing a number on his value. There’s only so long that teams will keep paying for potential, and his dwindling years of team control exacerbate the problem.

 

Despite his youth, the Braves only control Heyward’s rights for two more seasons after this one. He may very well bounce back and once again show that he can be a franchise building block, but by the time he put his inconsistency behind him, he’d be a free agent. Right now, Heyward finds himself in the slightly awkward position where both his present value and his future value have been diminished.

 

All that said, we’re still talking about a 23-year-old who already has accumulated +15 WAR in his career, and projects as a +4 win player going forward. Guys who can hit Major League pitching their early twenties often go on to become superstars. Heyward’s defense and baserunning give him a high floor even if the bat never does develop the way it looked like it might have earlier on, and if it does, then he’s got a shot at being one of the most complete players in the sport. But there’s just so many ifs here. Heyward would be a popular trade choice, but he probably wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice, either for winning now or winning later.

 

 

#42 Jean Segura (SS)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

23 397 4.3 % 12.1 % .325 .363 .487 .367 134 -2.4 0.8 3.2

Under Team Control Through 2018: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

I will openly admit to having some hesitation about this rating. Segura’s first half bears some pretty strong resemblances to what Alcides Escobar did in the first half last year, earning his way onto the bottom of the list before he decided to remind us that he’s kind of a terrible hitter. Segura has more power than Escobar, but his defensive reputation isn’t as strong, and it wouldn’t be that surprising if he fell apart in the second half, making this ranking look silly in retrospect.

 

But, if you haven’t looked around at the current crop of shortstops lately, it’s not a very pretty sight. There just aren’t that many guys who can play the position and provide significant offensive value, and while Segura’s track record basically boils down to two good months at this point, he looks like the rare young shortstop who can hit.

 

And, as with all players with his experience level, the price is right. He’s got two more league minimum years before he gets to arbitration, and the Brewers control his rights for five more seasons after one. If Segura establishes himself as one of the better hitting shortstops in baseball, he’s going to be absurdly valuable based on his production and cost. It’s not a sure thing, but given the lack of quality offensive shortstops in baseball right now, there’d be a long line to take a shot at Segura if the Brewers put him on the block.

 

 

#41 Jeff Samardzija (P)

Age IP K/9 BB/9 GB% ERA FIP xFIP RA9-WAR WAR

28 124.0 9.29 3.19 47.4 % 4.06 3.62 3.38 1.1 1.9

Under Team Control Through 2015: Arbitration

 

By ERA, Jeff Samardzija has been pretty average this year, and hasn’t really established himself as a true front line pitcher. By metrics other than ERA, Samardzija is one of the best power pitchers in baseball. If the Cubs decided to sell on Samardzija, there would certainly be some teams scared off by the runs he’s allowed, but there’d be a long line ready to make him their future ace as well.

 

Samardzija’s a bit older than most of the guys without long track records of success, but his football background gives him a bit of a pass, and age isn’t as important for pitchers as it is for hitters. Samardzija’s been very good since his fastball started sitting in the mid-90s, and he’s posted identical 3.38 xFIPs over the last two years. There are a lot of reasons for optimism about his future.

 

Like Price, he’s an arbitration eligible pitcher only under control for two more years after this season. Unlike Price, though, his arbitration payouts are fairly modest, and his inflated ERA may just help them stay that way. Samardzija’s lack of accolades should help keep an extension cost out of the stratosphere, and acquiring him now in order to buy out his free agent years at a discount wouldn’t be a bad strategy. Of course, that’s also why the Cubs won’t trade him.

[TheHurl]

#40 Allen Craig (1B/OF)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

28 381 5.5 % 16.8 % .333 .378 .494 .378 145 0.1 -5.7 2.1

Under Team Control Through 2018: $3 million, $6 million, $9 million, $11 million, $13 million option

 

Allen Craig is perhaps one of the least exciting good players on the list. He just turned 28, so he’s not exactly brimming with youth. From a tools perspective, he’s somewhat lacking, and will never be mistaken for an Olympic athlete. He’s a first baseman who occasionally plays the outfield, and isn’t all that great at either spot. He’s not a good baserunner, and he has a history of health problems.

 

But Allen Craig can really hit. In just over 1,200 big league plate appearances, he has a career .310/.357/.508 mark, good for a 138 wRC+. While you could make a case that he falls into the underpowered corner profile, given that a lot of his extra base hits are doubles and not home runs, Craig makes up for the lack of dingers by hitting for a very high average. He’s not a pure slugger, but the game is low on guys who can hit .300 and while slugging .500, and Craig is one of the best at this kind of combination.

 

What puts him in the Top 50, however, is his contract. Because he was a late bloomer, the Cardinals basically controlled his entire prime, and then bought out his arbitration years in order to get an option on a free agent year at a discounted price. If they end up picking the option, the remainder of his contract will work out to $41 million over five years; if they don’t, it’s $28 million for four.

 

Getting this kind of offensive production at that price, through his prime years, makes Craig a very valuable piece. While he might not be the most thrilling player in the league, he is one of the most productive, and his low salary would make him a fit for every team in the league.

 

 

#39 Carlos Santana ©

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

27 361 14.7 % 17.7 % .275 .382 .466 .367 137 -10.1 -2.8 1.7

Under Team Control Through 2017: $4 million, $6 million, $9 million, $12 million option

 

There’s a decent argument to be made that Carlos Santana should not be considered a catcher, for the purposes of a list like this. Whether it’s controlling the running game, blocking pitches in the dirt, or pitch framing, Santana regularly rates as one of the worst defenders in the sport, and he’s only getting older. There’s a point at which a catcher is giving back on defense all of the value he gets from position scarcity, and Santana is probably pretty close to that point.

 

But here’s the good news; even if he’s not viewed as a catcher, Santana is still good enough to be a legitimate building block. At age-27, Santana’s finally showing what kind of hitter he can be when he posts a relatively normal BABIP. For his career, even with a lower than average BABIP, he’s got a 125 wRC+, and that’s while spending most of his games crouched behind the plate. History shows a pretty significant offensive penalty for players who catch, and moving Santana to first base mostly full time may very well allow him to sustain numbers even better than he’s posted so far.

 

And, like with Craig, the contract is a large part of his value. Including the team option, the Indians control his rights for four more years at a grand total of $30 million; if something goes wrong and they end up declining the option, they’re only on the hook for $18 million over three years. Santana is just now entering his prime, is making the kind of salary you generally expect from a part-time role player, and is already one of the best switch-hitters in baseball. He has the bat to move off catcher and still be highly productive, and at his price, is one of the best return on investments in the sport.

 

 

#38 Wil Myers (OF)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

22 112 5.4 % 25.9 % .288 .321 .413 .316 103 0.9 0.9 0.5

Under Team Control Through 2019: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

The fact that Wil Myers was traded, with other prospects, for James Shields and Wade Davis a few months back could be taken as a sign that this is too aggressive of a ranking for a kid with no real Major League track record and some legitimate concern about his future contact rates. If he develops into the next Jay Bruce, is it worth putting him this high when I left off the original Jay Bruce?

 

I think it is, because we can’t overlook the tremendous value that a player provides during his first few seasons in the big leagues. Wil Myers, right now, is probably something close to a Major League average player, and he’s making the league minimum. He’ll make something close to that next year too, and the year after that, and the year after that, since the Rays kept him in the minors long enough to avoid Super Two qualification. And then he’ll have three more years of team control at arbitration prices.

 

6+ years of a player, three of them at about as a low of a price as you can pay to fill a roster spot. Myers doesn’t have to be a star in order to justify this ranking, as the quantity of production he’s going to provide for such a low cost has significant value in and of itself. Teams pay a lot of money for average players, and having a stock of pre-arb players like Myers is how the Rays continue to win on small payrolls.

 

And of course, Myers might very well develop into a very good player. He swings and misses a lot, but he also has a lot of power, and that combination can add up to a lot of value as long as he doesn’t swing and miss so often that it cancels out the power. Toss in some defensive ability and there’s certainly All-Star potential. If he lives up to it, he’ll move up the list in a hurry. If he doesn’t, though, that’s okay, because just having a solid contributor making nothing for multiple years has a lot of value in and of itself.

 

 

#37 Anthony Rizzo (1B)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

23 396 10.4 % 17.9 % .241 .328 .441 .333 108 5.6 0.4 1.5

Under Team Control Through 2021: $1M, $5M, $5M, $7M, $7M, $11M, $15M option, $15M option

 

So far, Anthony Rizzo has not been a particularly great Major League player. He’s a slow-footed first baseman with a career wRC+ of 103 in nearly 1,000 plate appearances, and he hasn’t taken a step forward yet this year. However, there is a lot of reason for optimism.

 

For starters, there’s the fact that he’s just 23. He got to the big leagues young, and has held his own despite the fact that his peers were still toiling away in the minors. He’s also shown some serious power, as 42% of his career hits have gone for extra bases, and that has risen to 50% this year. The doubles haven’t yet turned into home runs, but given his age, there are plenty of reasons to think that they will.

 

Both ZIPS and Steamer project him to improve in the second half, and he’s basically a small power spike and a slightly higher BABIP away from being one of the better hitters in baseball. Given normal development, Rizzo looks to be on course to turn into an offensive force. It’s not a guarantee, of course, but he’s showing all the signs of being an offensive machine, and it may happen in the very near future.

 

If it does, the Cubs won’t have to worry about his price soaring, because they preemptively locked him up to a seven year contract that gave them two team options, so even after this season, they’ll control his rights for eight more years. If they pick up his options, their total cost will be somewhere around $65 million depending on incentives; if they don’t, they’re only out $40 million, and still would have gotten seven years of production for that money.

 

The upside here is enormous. If Rizzo becomes a franchise first baseman, the Cubs will have massive cost savings, and there’s not that much downside as long as he stays healthy. It’s a lot of projection and not as much present value, but for a team looking long term, Rizzo is one of the game’s best values.

 

 

#36 Salvador Perez ©

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

23 299 3.7 % 12.7 % .284 .314 .396 .311 93 1.3 -1.2 1.4

Under Team Control Through 2019: $2M, $2M, $2M, $4M option, $5M option, $6M option

 

Perez is in the midst of his worst offensive season, as his power has regressed back closer to where it was in the minor leagues, and since he’s an extremely aggressive hitter, he needs to drive the ball to be successful. However, Perez is not the kind of player who has to hit to be an asset.

 

Perez is, by most accounts, an excellent defensive catcher. He has a very strong arm, is far more agile than most behind the plate, and comparisons to Yadier Molina have been made. That’s unfair to the kid, but certainly, it speaks to his skills as a receiver. Unlike with many other young catchers, we’re not counting down the days until Perez moves to an easier position to save his knees. He’s almost certainly going to be a catcher for the duration of his career.

 

And because the Royals signed him so early in his career, most of that career will likely be spent in Kansas City. The salaries are significantly deflated because the Royals locked him up so early into his career, but the real value lies in the three team options. If he develops into a true two-way force behind the plate, the Royals will have him at backup catcher prices during his most productive years. If his career gets sidetracked by injuries or the bat stagnates, the Royals aren’t committed to paying him any real money.

 

He’s perhaps the lowest risk player on this list, simply because of the prices he’s agreed to play for over the next six years. If he develops, he’s a massive steal. If he doesn’t, then he’s still a very useful big leaguer making hardly any money. His floor is exceptionally high, and while his ceiling might be debatable, he’s similar to Myers in that he doesn’t really have to improve to be a big time asset. If he does hit, this ranking is way too low.

[TheHurl]

#35 Jose Bautista (3B/OF)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

32 390 13.1 % 17.7 % .254 .351 .493 .365 129 5.6 0.8 3.0

Under Team Control Through 2016: $14 million, $14 million, $14 million option

 

$14 million for a player of Bautista’s quality is a serious bargain. That said, his isolated slugging percentages for the past four years: .357, .306, .286, .239. Now 32, it’s probably unrealistic to expect Bautista to resume dominating the sport like he did a couple of years ago. He’s still a tremendous hitter, one of the best right-handed sluggers in the game, but he doesn’t appear to be other worldly anymore.

 

So, Bautista would be a short term value play for contenders looking to put themselves over the top. I’m not sure sure it’s a given that his 2016 option gets picked up, depending on how he ages over the next couple of years, so it’s probably best to look at this as 2/28 with the possibility of being 3/42. You’re getting elite performance for a few years at a significant discount, but there’s not a lot of long term value.

 

Still, if the Blue Jays did decide to blow things up and put Bautista on the block, the bidding war would get intense. He still projects as a +4 to +5 WAR player, and even mid market teams could afford his salary, giving them a shot at a legitimate star in order to make a deep playoff run. Toronto seems likely to hang onto him, but he’d be a fascinating trade chip if they did decide to get a little younger.

 

 

#34 Ian Desmond (SS)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

27 389 6.4 % 22.6 % .281 .328 .486 .349 122 3.9 2.8 3.5

Under Team Control Through 2015: Arbitration

 

Since the start of last season, Desmond has racked up +8.4 WAR, nearly three wins more than the next best shortstop; only Robinson Cano and Mike Trout have larger leads over their closest competition during that span. His error problem has basically disappeared, allowing him to solidify himself as a true shortstop, and he’s settled in as a 125 wRC+ hitter thanks to his power. His approach at the plate could use some work, but really, that’s nitpicking at a position where there aren’t any perfect players.

 

The downside here is the contract status, and Desmond is headed for his second round of arbitration and will be a free agent after the next two years are up. Given his recent success and the lack of quality shortstops, he’s in line for a significant payday. But, he’s just 27 now, so anyone acquiring him might still have time to get him signed to a long term deal that keeps him away from his mid-30s, and his spotty performance earlier might prove to keep his price reasonable. Still, without that kind of long term control, it’s difficult to place him any higher than this.

 

But during the next two years and change that the Nationals hold his rights, Desmond seems likely to be one of baseball’s most valuable pieces. A durable shortstop who can hit, and whose salaries are held down by the arbitration process, is a big time building block.

 

 

#33 Carlos Gomez (OF)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

27 362 4.4 % 23.2 % .296 .338 .534 .371 136 12.3 4.0 4.6

Under Team Control Through 2016: $7 million, $8 million, $9 million

 

And the best decision of the year goes to Doug Melvin, for deciding to buy Gomez’s first three free agent seasons for a grand total of $24 million. Had the Brewers let him hit free agency after this kind of age-27 breakout, he’d have been looking for a $100 million deal and maybe more. Instead, they now control one of the game’s more dynamic center fielders for the price of a decent platoon player.

 

It should be noted that Gomez almost certainly won’t keep up his current level of production. His .354 BABIP is 51 points higher than his own career average prior to 2013, and while he’s an excellent defensive outfielder, he’s not going to keep running a UZR that grades him out as +20 runs better than the average center fielder. Regression is coming.

 

But even a regressed version of Carlos Gomez is still pretty terrific. ZIPS and Steamer project him as a roughly a +4 WAR player going forward, and he’s entering the years that often result in peak performance. Like Desmond, he doesn’t draw walks but does everything else well, resulting in a fantastic player even if he gets there in an unconventional manner. Toss in a contract extension that looks like one of Scott Boras’ rare misses, and Gomez is a terrific asset for the Brewers.

 

 

#32 Shelby Miller (P)

Age IP K/9 BB/9 GB% ERA FIP xFIP RA9-WAR WAR

22 104.2 9.63 2.49 36.7 % 2.92 3.08 3.39 2.4 2.0

Under Team Control Through 2018: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

A year ago, Shelby Miller was battling a long ball problem in Triple-A, but what he’s done in the big leagues since then has put to rest any questions about his status as one of the game’s best young pitchers. He’s only got 118 innings under his belt as a Major Leaguer, but there’s nothing to quibble with: he throws hard, has a knockout curveball, pounds the strike zone, and misses bats in the process. If you want to pick nits, you could complain about his lack of a third pitch, except his curveball works just fine as an out-pitch against both RHBs and LHBs, so there’s no large platoon split to worry about.

 

That he’s this low essentially reflects the risks associated with pitchers in general, and some lingering question about whether he’d be able to succeed at the same level without Yadier Molina. While no one that I’ve talked to has come right out and said that they devalue pitchers after they leave St. Louis, I have had several friends in the game mention that they think a lot of the STL pitchers benefit tremendously from Molina’s work. If a team really believes that Molina is a driving force behind that pitching staff’s success, they might be somewhat less willing to pay a premium to experiment with how well that pitcher would do throwing to another catcher.

 

But, of course, Miller was a very good prospect coming up through the minors, and Molina wasn’t him catching him then. I doubt he’d fall apart simply because he changed teams, and there would certainly be a line of teams that would love to see him prove this theory wrong on their squads. But, if you’re wondering why a 22-year-old who is dominating Major League hitters and comes with five more years of team control is this low, that’s basically the reason. Pitchers break, the track record is short, and the Molina factor might hurt his trade value a little bit.

 

Thankfully, though, he probably doesn’t have to worry about what he’d do throwing to someone else, because I don’t see any scenario where the Cardinals give him up.

 

 

#31 Starling Marte (OF)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

24 401 3.5 % 22.2 % .291 .342 .462 .349 125 8.9 5.4 3.6

Under Team Control Through 2018: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

It’s not entirely fair to call Marte a young Carlos Gomez, but beyond Gomez’s six additional home runs, their 2013 lines look much the same. Marte opened a lot of eyes with his fantastic early season play, and give his combination of athleticism and broad base of skills, he can regress and still be a terrific player.

 

As with Gomez, there are concerns about his approach at the plate, and whether pitchers will start exploiting his swing-at-everything plan. Like with Gomez, a lot of his 2013 value is tied up in defensive metrics and a probably unsustainable high BABIP. I don’t want to belabor the comparison, but they are very similar types of players having the same type of season. Only with Marte, you get two additional years of team control, both at near minimum salaries.

 

In some ways, I think I’m underselling his value by placing him here, but on the other hand, teams have shown that they’re not as willing to pay for speed-and-defense in the corners. Marte could certainly handle a move to center field, but his defensive value isn’t going to be as appreciated while he’s playing next to Andrew McCutchen, and the things he does well aren’t quite as sexy as launching balls into the upper deck. Like many young players with this set of skills, Marte’s actual value is likely higher than his trade value.

 

But there are enough teams out there who would love to make Marte their center fielder that Pittsburgh would have no shortage of suitors if they decided to make him available. Which they won’t, because he’s one of the primary reasons the Pirates are finally good.

[TheHurl]

Interesting to see Bautista drop to here. While we know this has nothing to do with what someone will actually bring in a trade, it should make those people who are saying "We'd need more than just Profar for Joey Bats" think that maybe it's not enough for Profar as I think his name will still come up.

[TheHurl]

Looks like Lawrie falls off the list.

 

yeah you'd have to think so. I'm intrigued to know where they put Chris Davis.

[Caper]

I think EE should be higher. I don't think his defense is as bad as people think. He was largely fine when put at 3rd this year. I feel when he was at his worst, he was fighting mental demons, terrified failure would send him out of the league. He is 100x more confident right now. He's still below average defender, but he is not terrible.

[Arkadium]

I think EE should be higher. I don't think his defense is as bad as people think. He was largely fine when put at 3rd this year. I feel when he was at his worst, he was fighting mental demons, terrified failure would send him out of the league. He is 100x more confident right now. He's still below average defender, but he is not terrible.

 

I agree wholeheartily. Also EE is NOT a defensive liability at 1B. No he's not below average.

[John_Havok]

yeah you'd have to think so. I'm intrigued to know where they put Chris Davis.

 

They also put out an honourable mention list, Lawrie's on the list for infielders who might or might not hit

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2013-trade-value-just-missed-the-cut/

[fatcowxlive]

Interesting to see Bautista drop to here. While we know this has nothing to do with what someone will actually bring in a trade, it should make those people who are saying "We'd need more than just Profar for Joey Bats" think that maybe it's not enough for Profar as I think his name will still come up.

 

Is it too late to get a Mark Texeria-like trade for Bautista? I still would like to hang on to him, but I think for the best of the franchise, he'd bring a lot in return for the team :/

[fatcowxlive]

Teams don't make the Mark Teixeira trade anymore. They'd get a top 10 prospect and a B prospect.

 

Two years ago the Mat Latos trade happened?

 

But I get your point, aging offensive players get one big prospect (ala Beltran for Wheeler dumn trade)

[eastcoastjaysfan]

yeah you'd have to think so. I'm intrigued to know where they put Chris Davis.

 

Only two more years of arb eligibility left and he's due for an enormous raise. Top 20 maybe? Definitely not top 10.

 

What are the largest arb raises in history? Davis is making 3.3 this year I believe..... Gotta believe he'll be making close to 10 next year. Bautista went from 2.4 to 8 after 2010.

 

Ryan Howard went from 800K to 10M in 2008. Prince Fielder from from 670K to 7M

[TheHurl]

Guessing the top 5:

 

Trout

Harper

Harvey

Stanton

Machado

 

Cutch was number 3 last year, I see no reason why he'd drop below Harvey, Stanton or Machado. I'm guessing it will be:

 

Trout

Harper

Cutch

Machado

Longoria,

 

They tend not to include pitchers too high (Strasburg was the highest at 8 last year), I'd expect that Kipnis jumps up from 25 to top 10. Posey has a big long contract but he should be top 10. Probably Harvey, Strasburg and Stanton end up at 6, 7, 8.

[Angrioter]

#30 Matt Moore (P)

Age IP K/9 BB/9 GB% ERA FIP xFIP RA9-WAR WAR

24 107.1 9.06 4.61 38.0 % 3.44 3.67 4.26 2.2 1.7

Under Team Control Through 2019: $1M, $3M, $5M, $7M option, $9M option, $10M option

 

Moore hasn’t had a big breakthrough yet, as his command still comes and goes, making him more of a good pitcher than a great one. Perhaps most disconcerting is the velocity loss, as he’s sitting closer to 92 than the 94 he was at a year ago, though it hasn’t yet made him worse. Still, you’d like to see improvement in command in order to offset the normal degradation in stuff, and Moore’s command hasn’t yet improved.

 

But, that contract is still so friendly that Moore would be a highly coveted asset in trade. In a worst case scenario where he gets injured or falls apart, they’d be out just $13 million after three years, having paid the buyouts on all of his options. More likely, those are all exercised, and he ends up earning $35 million over the next six years.

 

Soon enough, though, Moore is going to have to start throwing strikes. As the stuff erodes, it will get harder and harder to compensate for all the walks, and the cheap years are going to start disappearing sooner than later. Moore is at a spot where he’s either going to become the ace that he was projected as, or he’s going to settle in as a quality starter on a solid contract, but not one that teams are willing to try and build around. Where he goes from here remains to be seen.

 

 

#29 Xander Bogaerts (SS)

Age PA H 2B HR BB SO SB AVG OBP SLG wOBA

20 378 95 12 13 50 72 7 .294 .390 .489 .396

Under Team Control For Six Years: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

Despite not yet reaching the big leagues, Bogaerts is already one of the most coveted players in the game. With most prospects, you can point to some kind of glaring hole that would keep them from producing in the Majors, but Bogaerts doesn’t really have that. His defense at shortstop has improved, and it’s no longer a given he’ll have to move to third base. He has more present power than you’d expect from a 20-year-old middle infielder. He doesn’t chase pitches out of the strike zone, and will take a walk when it is offered to him. He’s hit at every level despite being much younger than his peers.

 

Major League teams covet cost controlled franchise players more than anything else, and that’s exactly what Bogerts projects to be, and fairly soon. He’s a prospect in the sense that he doesn’t have a big league track record yet, but it’s not clear that he needs much more time in the minors, and his combination of offensive skills and ability to play defense are likely to make him a quality player in the very near future, with MVP upside as he continues to develop.

 

The Red Sox aren’t going to trade him, but he’s the kind of chip that would open the door to acquiring the best players in the game. Expect Boston to keep him and make the foundation of their future instead.

 

 

#28 Byron Buxton (OF)

Age PA H 2B HR BB SO SB AVG OBP SLG wOBA

19 392 112 17 9 49 69 35 .333 .416 .530 .427

Under Team Control For Six Years: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

While my own biases would probably lead to a preference of Bogaerts over Buxton, consensus within the prospect community and team officials is that Buxton is the #1 prospect in the sport, with his crazy athleticism making up for the fact that he’s a couple of years away from contributing at the big league level. His utter domination of the Midwest League showed that he was more advanced than expected after being drafted out of high school, and while he’s got a long ways to go, there’s no question that he has superstar potential.

 

There’s probably a bit more risk here than with Bogaerts, though. Not just in proximity to the big leagues, as more problems can become apparent as he rises through the system, but there’s a pretty long line of super toolsy center field prospects who never amounted to much. Center field is becoming something of an offensive position, and the offensive bar is higher at this up-the-middle spot than any of the other three. Having the physical skills to handle center field is great, but Buxton’s going to have to hit to live up to the hype, and projecting how well a guy like this will hit when he’s a 19-year-old in A-ball is difficult.

 

But, the upside is simply too high to ignore. If he hits, he’s in the conversation for best player in the game, and he hasn’t given any reason to think that he won’t hit, at least not yet. He’s a very high risk/high reward asset for this high on the list, but the reward is high enough to justify it.

 

 

#27 Jason Kipnis (2B)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

26 374 12.0 % 22.2 % .301 .383 .514 .385 149 -4.6 1.9 3.4

Under Team Control Through 2017: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

Kipnis’ next extra base hit will make his 2013 total equal to his 2012 total. The power surge has taken his game up a notch, and was really the missing ingredient in his overall package of skills. If he can keep driving the ball the way he has been, he’ll settle in as a perennial All-Star.

 

And yet, he’s two spots lower on this list than he was a year ago. How does a player fall on the trade value list while having a breakout year? This is the nature of depreciating years of team control. Since last year’s list, he’s lost one year of league minimum control, and so the Indians have essentially banked a huge premium in his performance over the last year. That’s value that was transferred from Kipnis to the team, and can’t be acquired by another team. Even as players improve, their trade value diminishes as they march closer towards free agency.

 

Really, just holding his ground is a pretty big accomplishment, as most of the players around him on last year’s list found themselves much lower or off the list entirely this year. If the Indians would have been able to lock him up over the winter, taking advantage of his poor second half to get him at a discount, he might have ended up much higher.

 

He’s still a highly valuable player, of course, and is one of the main reasons the Indians are hanging around in the playoff race. He’s just going to cost a lot more to lock up now than he would have a few months ago.

 

 

#26 Jurickson Profar (2B)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

20 155 7.7 % 19.4 % .235 .309 .346 .293 76 -1.7 -1.1 -0.2

Under Team Control Through 2019: Pre-Arb, Arbitration

 

Because of the instant success from some other recent prospects, it seems like Profar is already being treated as a disappointment for posting a 74 wRC+ in his first 172 plate appearances. Reminder: he’s 20, and a shortstop. It is unusual for a player this age to step right in and be a good big leaguer right away. We’ve been spoiled by Trout, Harper, and Machado. What they’re doing is historically unique. Not playing at that level before you can drink does not make you a bust.

 

Now, there’s an argument to be made that Profar’s more of a high floor prospect than a super high ceiling guy. In some ways, he’s kind of exactly the opposite of what we expect a 20-year-old infielder to look like. He’s a disciplined hitter who controls the strike zone pretty well, but probably isn’t going to turn into a serious power bat. He’s more of a walks-and-doubles prospect than a dingers guy, but because he can play shortstop, walks-and-doubles are more acceptable for his position.

 

I know some teams aren’t in love with him due to the lack of superstar upside, but Profar still projects as a quality two way player, and with some patience, he could be one of the game’s better shortstops within the next few years. Of course, the enduring question is whether that future will come in Texas, as they gave Elvis Andrus a lot of money to hold down the fort in Arlington for the foreseeable future.

 

Because of that, Profar may have more value to other teams than he does the Rangers, and it wouldn’t be terribly shocking to see him get traded this winter. But Texas won’t let him go cheap. He’s still a terrific young talent, and one of the most valuable trade chips in the sport.

[Angrioter]

#25 Dustin Pedroia (2B)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

29 432 11.8 % 11.3 % .316 .396 .436 .365 126 5.0 0.5 3.7

Under Team Control Through 2015: $10M, $11M option

 

Yeah, it’s only two years of team control, and Pedroia will turn 30 next year, but he’s also an elite player making a relative pittance for the next two seasons. Even as his power has diminished, Pedroia continues to maintain his performance, and his 126 wRC+ this year is actually higher than his career average. With just six home runs and a .120 ISO, you might think Pedroia is in decline, but he’s on pace to have basically the exact same season he had in 2008, when he was named AL MVP.

 

With the lack of long term value, I considered ranking Pedoria a little lower, but looking around baseball, there just aren’t many legitimate stars that could fit into any teams payroll and come without any real downside. Pedroia at 2/21 might be the safest bet of any player in the sport. This is the closest thing baseball has to a risk free contract.

 

The skillset might make him an under-the-radar star, but Major League teams know how consistently great Dustin Pedroia has been. The biggest knock might be how he would do away from Fenway, as he has mastered using The Green Monster to his benefit, and the big wall wouldn’t go with him in a trade. However, you can’t just take a player’s road stats and assume that’s how he would do in any new home environment. Players make adjustments, and if you take the Monster away from Pedroia, he’d swing differently in his new ballpark.

 

Of course, he’s not going to have to, because the Red Sox aren’t trading him. They know what they have, and they’re not giving it up.

 

 

#24 Yasiel Puig (OF)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

22 161 4.3 % 22.4 % .391 .422 .616 .444 193 0.7 -1.5 2.1

Under Team Control Through 2019: $2M, $5M, $6M, $7M or Arb, $8M or Arb, Arb

 

From the start, I’ll say that I have no real conviction about Puig’s placement here. I could make a compelling case that he doesn’t belong on the list. I could also make a compelling case that he belongs in the top 10. There are teams that would go bananas trying to acquire him right now, and there are teams that would show little interest. Puig’s value is not cut-and-dried.

 

Since arriving in the big leagues, he’s been remarkably good, but he’s succeeding in a way that simply isn’t sustainable. His contact rate is worrisome, and his approach at the plate is exploitable. Take away the .472 BABIP, and what’s left is the skillset of a low OBP slugger. That may very well be what he is for the rest of the season.

 

But, as we acknowledge the coming regression, let’s not overlook the fact that he’s a 22-year-old who was forced to take over a year off from competitive baseball. In terms of development, most players with Puig’s background would probably be in A-ball. It’s okay that he’s not polished; it would be a miracle if he was. The physical skills are carrying him, but that’s true of pretty much every kid this age. And Puig’s physical skills look pretty special.

 

Complicating factors is the contract he signed with the Dodgers. It was widely reported as a seven year, $42 million deal, but that’s probably not what it’s going to end up as. That was basically the guaranteed floor, but the deal also allows Puig to opt out of the negotiated salaries and choose arbitration if he so desires. Depending on how well he performs, the 2017/2018 salaries could easily go up, though there’s no ability for the Dodgers to renegotiate those numbers down if he doesn’t perform well.

 

So, while Puig comes with six more years of team control, they are considerably more expensive than other rookies called up this season. His three pre-arb years will cost $12 million in total, and he’s setup for higher arbitration salaries than players coming into the system making six figures. There’s definitely clear downside here, as he comes with a real cost if the regression comes and he never adjusts. But, Puig is also a 22-year-old who is already showing MLB power and is under team control through most of the rest of the decade. He is both very risky but also very valuable.

 

Combining the risk and rewards, I ended up with him here, but if you think he should be 20 spots higher or lower, I won’t argue with you. This is a tough nut to crack.

 

 

#23 Adam Wainwright (P)

Age IP K/9 BB/9 GB% ERA FIP xFIP RA9-WAR WAR

31 146.2 7.98 0.92 47.9 % 2.45 2.23 2.75 4.4 4.6

Under Team Control Through 2018: $19.5M per year

 

When people talk about the best pitchers in baseball, they usually mention Verlander, Kershaw, or Felix, but Adam Wainwright belongs in that conversation, especially now that he’s just decided to stop walking opposing hitters. And Wainwright comes with one significant advantage over those three: he costs a lot less.

 

The Cardinals were able to get Wainwright signed to deal that will him just under $20 million per year for the next five years, while Felix and Verlander both got $25 million per year and an extra year, while Kershaw is apparently asking for an extension that tops them all. With Wainwright, you get ace production at a price less than what the aces are signing for, and while $5 million per year might not sound like a big deal, it adds up, as does the extra guaranteed year at the end.

 

There’s a reason Wainwright took a little less than those guys, though: Injuries. Major League teams have gotten bitten by expensive pitchers breaking down, and they’ve compensated by paying heavily for durability. There’s a significant premium placed on pitchers with clean health track records, and Wainwright has had several extended DL stints, including missing the 2011 season. It doesn’t seem to have had any lasting impact, but it’s in the file, and that would drive his price down a bit relative to those who haven’t broken down before.

 

He’s also going to be 32 when the contract kicks in, so while age doesn’t matter as much for pitchers, he is heading for the part of his career where we expect decline to accelerate. Thankfully for the Cardinals, Wainwright is so good that he can still be a valuable piece even when the stuff starts slowing down, and St. Louis has him at a price that he can justify even if he takes a step back.

 

 

#22 Felix Hernandez (P)

Age IP K/9 BB/9 GB% ERA FIP xFIP RA9-WAR WAR

27 138.2 9.09 1.69 49.9 % 2.53 2.66 2.71 4.5 4.1

Under Team Control Through 2019: $22M, $24M, $25M, $26M, $26M, $27M

 

Over the last year and a half, there has been a lot of talk about Hernandez’s velocity decline, as his top-end fastball has basically disappeared and he now sits in the low-90s, occasionally hitting 95 or 96. However, even with his fastball eroding, Felix is actually getting better.

 

He’s currently posting both the highest strikeout rate and lowest walk rate of his career, and he’s settling in around that Roy Halladay sweetspot of just enough groundballs to stay efficient, but enough strikeouts to completely dominate. The idea that he was benefiting heavily from Safeco Field has been challenged, as he’s shown no ill effects from the fences being moved in and the park playing more neutral than it has since it opened.

 

And he’s still just 27. While he’s been around for nearly a full decade and has almost 1,800 innings pitched in his career, he’s not that much older that a lot of the young kids on this list. Even with six pretty expensive years left on his contract, the deal expires after his age-33 season. And while big expensive contracts for pitchers come with a lot of risk, Felix’s deal somewhat mitigates those risks by adding a conditional option year to the end.

 

If Hernandez spends 130 consecutive days on the DL due to surgery on his right elbow — basically, if he has Tommy John surgery — then a $1 million option for the 2020 season activates, and the Mariners would control his rights for one more season to make up for the year lost due to injury. Replacing a prime year with an age-34 season isn’t an exactly even swap, but it offsets some of the risks that are natural to pitchers.

 

The contract isn’t cheap by any stretch, but it’s a good deal for an elite franchise pitcher in the prime of his career.

 

 

#21 David Wright (3B)

Age PA BB% K% AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ Fld BsR WAR

30 399 12.3 % 17.0 % .304 .396 .507 .389 154 3.1 4.8 4.9

Under Team Control Through 2020: $20M through 2018, $15M, $12M

 

Wright has rebounded from a mid-20s slump to emerge as one of the best players in the game, and the Mets were able to give him an extension that rewards him for his play without turning the deal into an albatross. While the $11 million he’s getting this year is likely to be the most valuable part of the contract, paying $20 million per year for Wright’s age 31-35 seasons is easily justifiable, and by the time he gets to 36, the salaries will be decreasing. You don’t see a lot of middle-loaded contracts like this, but it does serve to preserve some of Wright’s trade value as the contract goes along, rather than absorbing all of the value up front and leaving him overpaid at the end.

 

Really, the only thing keeping Wright this low is his age. We’re getting to the part of the list where the players ahead of him are also excellent and signed to reasonable or bargain contracts, but most of them are just younger. It’s not a knock against Wright himself, and there’s really nothing to complain about, as he hits, he fields, he runs, and he stays healthy. His mediocre 2011 season is mostly in the rear view mirror at this point, and he’s really a player with very few flaws.

 

He’s just headed for the part of his career where that is unlikely to remain true. How long he can hold off Father Time will determine whether or not he ends up in Cooperstown.

[Dr. Dinger]

Miggy, Davis, Bumgarner, and Buxton are my Top 4 for sure, but after that it's a toss up between Craig, Shields, Matt Carpenter, Zimmerman, and maybe Ryu.

[Angrioter]

Miggy, Davis, Bumgarner, and Buxton are my Top 4 for sure, but after that it's a toss up between Craig, Shields, Matt Carpenter, Zimmerman, and maybe Ryu.

 

#28 Byron Buxton

 

What about Freeman or Goldy?

[Angrioter]

Freeman doesn't hit for enough power to be a star, he made the Honorable Mentions. You have to fit the profile to be highly-regarded as a first baseman. I assume Goldy is still to come?

 

Below .200 ISO guy but he's good.

[The Cats Ass]

Rizzo, Carlos Gomez, Puig, Kershaw would be my top 4. For my #5 I guess it would be one of these guys, Appel, E. Cabrera, Lawrie, ?

[Dr. Dinger]

#28 Byron Buxton

 

What about Freeman or Goldy?

 

I don't own those guys in DDL. Not a huge believer in Freeman, I think he's an Overbay (in his prime) type. Goldy is a f***ing stud and needs to be Top 15.

[Dr. Dinger]

Cheers Darrell. Matt Carpenter doesn't get a lot of respect, but he's pacing all second sackers with a 151 wRC+ and has 15 more runs than Pedroia. That is f***ing studly.

[Angrioter]

[Dr. Dinger]

Matt Smoral doesn't belong anywhere near this thread.

[Dr. Dinger]

Remember when we scoffed at the suggestion that Lawrie might have 'only' an "Allen Craig type bat"? That was a dark chapter.

 

But I've moved on and embraced the awesomeness that is the Cardinal Way. Best franchise in baseball.

[Angrioter]

The Cards just pump out stud after stud. It really is unbelievable.

 

Who's next?

Adams?

[Dr. Dinger]

Adams, Taveras, Wong, Wacha, Martinez, take your pick. Watch Marco Gonzales turn out to be the best arm in the '13 Draft too.

[Arkadium]

Yeah. That was a black mark on the forum collectively. First we scoffed when we thought he was saying Craig was as good as Lawrie. Then we scoffed when he explained that he meant their bats were on pat. Embarrassing.

 

Lawrie went full retard this year didn't he?

[Dr. Dinger]

The only redeeming thing there is that hardonfan92 was almost as wrong as us; Craig is a vastly superior hitter.

[Dr. Dinger]

It pains me to say this, but Allen Craig is an RBI machine. This is what Pat Tabler wet dreams are made of.

[Angrioter]

Yeah. That was a black mark on the forum collectively. First we scoffed when we thought he was saying Craig was as good as Lawrie. Then we scoffed when he explained that he meant their bats were on par. Embarrassing.

 

Rasmus Could saves our honor lol