Around Baseball 2020

[Olerud363]

wow a significant move.

 

Both top 15 prospects for Washington.

 

Outside of 2019 Josh Bell has hit and fielded like Vlad Guerrero JR.

 

Why would anybody want a 27 year old that hits like 21 year old Vlad Guerrero Jr without the potential of being still 21 and the high end pedigree and prospect rating?

[Laika]

Outside of 2019 Josh Bell has hit and fielded like Vlad Guerrero JR.

 

Why would anybody want a 27 year old that hits like 21 year old Vlad Guerrero Jr without the potential of being still 21 and the high end pedigree and prospect rating?

 

Bell has warts. He doesn't project to be great because of those warts. BUT he is capable being a truly great hitter and he has two years of control.

 

For the Nats, he's a clear upgrade on on their 1B depth chart. Have you even heard of Jake Noll?

[Spanky99]

Damn, Pirates did well, imo. Woohoo... Buccos!

[Spanky99]

Nats are kinda dumb. Give them a catcher for Kieboom.

 

Yes please!

[G-Snarls]

 

https://theathletic.com/2269820/2020/12/18/jt-realmuto-mets-david-dahl-joey-gallo/?amp#click=https://t.co/QPZYxkdPmT

[Spanky99]

 

https://theathletic.com/2269820/2020/12/18/jt-realmuto-mets-david-dahl-joey-gallo/?amp#click=https://t.co/QPZYxkdPmT

 

Blurb, I said as much when the Mets signed McCaan, although that shocked me...

 

By Ken Rosenthal Dec 18, 2020 104

Not to spoil James McCann’s arrival in New York, but some executives and agents believe the Mets blew it by not signing J.T. Realmuto and that Realmuto blew it by not signing with the Mets.

 

Free agency ebbs and flows, and sometimes a team and player operate on different timelines, preventing them from lining up. That seems to be what happened with the Mets and Realmuto. The Mets wanted to move more quickly than Realmuto, and when it became apparent an agreement could not be reached, they struck a four-year, $40.6 million deal with McCann instead.

 

Realmuto is believed to be seeking a guarantee approximately three times that amount, and the Mets were the team most likely to offer that money. For the Mets, too, the match seemed perfect. Some rival execs view Realmuto as the best at his position by the widest margin of any player in the game.

 

That point is debatable. McCann, 30, is nine months older than Realmuto, and his track record is not as long, considering the Tigers non-tendered him after the 2018 season. But the difference in fWAR between Realmuto and McCann the past two seasons (7.4 to 3.8) is not as great as the difference between, say, free-agent outfielders George Springer and Jackie Bradley Jr. (8.4 and 2.8).

 

As McCann said himself in his introductory news conference on Wednesday, no metric captures the full value of a catcher, measuring how they communicate with pitchers and call games. But McCann is considered strong in those areas, so the dropoff from Realmuto to him in the pitcher-catcher dynamic probably is not significant, if it exists at all.

 

The bigger question, perhaps, is whether Realmuto and his agents at CAA should have pursued an agreement with the Mets more aggressively, knowing that under new owner Steve Cohen, the team loomed as the player’s most fervent suitor. By extension, losing the Mets as a bidder hurts Realmuto’s market. Once the team sought to go at a quicker pace, his best play might have been to follow suit.

 

Realmuto, though, is a singular talent who figures to get his money, even if his market at the moment is not clear. The Angels, Astros, Blue Jays and Nationals are among the many clubs that would benefit from his addition. If he somehow ends up with a deal that is less than he and the rest of the industry expected, then the second-guessing can begin.

[Spanky99]

Law: Six MLB players who impressed in the 2020 mini-season

 

The truncated 2020 season isn’t ideal for drawing big conclusions about players whose performances changed significantly in either direction from previous years, since 60 games isn’t even half of the sample we’d get in a full season. Some players did change in ways they’ll carry forward into 2021, though, so it’s worth at least talking about some of the guys who did impress with what they did on the field in 2020.

 

Jesse Winker, OF, Reds, age 27

 

Winker had been a top 100 prospect for me and someone I ranked as a potential high-impact rookie going into 2018 — just generally a guy I thought would get on base at a high rate between his exceptional plate discipline and contact-oriented swing, but maybe without much power. He did some of that in 2018, but a shoulder injury ended his season after 89 games, followed by some regression at the plate in 2019. His 2020 was a much more impressive breakout, with exit velocity, hard-hit rate and Barrel rate all in the top 12 percent of major-league hitters, all of those career highs. He still swung and missed more often than you’d like against lefties in just 41 plate appearances, but not enough to make him a platoon guy.

 

Jeimer Candelario, 3B, Tigers, age 27

 

Candelario came to Detroit in 2017, but the 2020 season was an across-the-board breakout for him, with a .369 OBP that ranked 12th in the American League. He’s always been a high-contact hitter, but the quality of his contact went up significantly in 2020, and his launch angle came down into a better range for line-drive power. His flyball rate dropped from 39 percent to 34 percent, and his line-drive rate went up from 23 percent to 26 percent. The .372 BABIP isn’t sustainable, but I think he’s capable of a .330-.340 BABIP on a regular basis.

 

Teoscar Hernández, OF, Blue Jays, age 28

 

I was a year early on this train, calling him a breakout candidate for 2019. (I don’t usually repeat breakout picks, because if I did, Rickie Weeks would probably still be on my list next year.) He made a bit more contact in 2020 than in previous years, dropping his strikeout rate to a still-high 30 percent, but the biggest difference was just far more high-quality contact – he was fifth in the majors in Barrels per plate appearance, sixth in Barrels per batted ball, seventh in average exit velocity. Hernández is probably going to be volatile going forward, given his high swing-and-miss rates — he whiffed just about as often as Joey Gallo last season — but when this much of your contact is high-quality, you’re going to be valuable.

 

Dinelson Lamet, RHP, Padres, age 28

 

Lamet was dominant for the Padres in 2020, his first full-ish season back from Tommy John surgery. The real surprise in Lamet’s 2020 was how good he was against left-handed hitters, since they had given him trouble prior to this past season and he doesn’t have a third pitch that would be typical for right-handers to use against lefties. He threw 19 changeups in 2019, but Statcast recorded none from him in 2020; he gets left-handed batters out with his slider, throwing it more than his fastball, and recording 80 percent of his whiffs against lefties with it. It’s unusual, and 12 starts is still a small sample, but if his slider is actually an out pitch against lefties, he could be a No. 1 starter.

 

Dylan Bundy, RHP, Angels, age 28

 

I’d given up on Bundy working out as a starter because of his long history of injuries, which followed years of very heavy usage in high school and with the Orioles. He missed all of 2013 and most of 2014 and 2015 with elbow and shoulder problems. He came back well in 2016, but the Orioles worked him mercilessly in 2017, and he wasn’t the same after that year. He’s lost his fastball — I saw him hitting 97 in 2011, when he threw the most dominant start I have ever seen from a high school pitcher — averaging a career-low 90.2 in 2020, but succeeded by throwing the pitch less than ever, with 58 percent of his pitches of the offspeed variety. He threw more strikes and kept the ball in the park better than he ever had before (unsurprising, since batters teed off on his four-seamer in 2019 and 2018), which he’s credited to years of learning to better locate his various weapons. We may never see the version of Bundy the Orioles thought they were drafting in 2011, with multiple plus weapons, including a devastating cutter; but this is more than anyone could have expected from him a year or two ago. If he can stay healthy, it should be sustainable.

 

Tyler Matzek, LHP, Atlanta, age 30

 

Can we talk about the sheer improbability of Tyler Matzek’s 2020 season? The 11th overall pick in 2009 — and one of the most talented high school lefties I’ve ever seen in person — ran into trouble immediately in pro baseball, between serious trouble throwing strikes and some attempts to change his delivery, walking one in six batters in his first two years and never getting his walk rate below 10 percent before developing the yips in 2015. He walked 77 guys in 62 1/3 innings in 2015-16, left the team at one point due to anxiety, and was released after the 2016 season. He didn’t pitch anywhere in 2017, went to Indy ball in 2018 and 2019, and latched on with Atlanta in the summer of 2019, nearly three full years after his last pitch in affiliated baseball. He made Atlanta’s Opening Day roster in 2020 and was good, really good, throwing harder than he had in years and punching out more than a third of batters faced with a walk rate of just 8 percent. For anyone to come back from as far away from the majors as Matzek was to become a top-10 reliever in the National League is improbably wonderful.

[Spanky99]

Can someone share, please...

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/20-for-2020s-picking-baseballs-biggest-stars-over-the-next-10-years/?fbclid=IwAR0DBeVwKRAmSptrQSuHCNjJBTtOekFBjcaF3_W5CzAL0IzVdE416L76sXU

[Jimcanuck]

Merry Christmas Spanky! Article is from Jan 7, 2020, before Adell's struggles. I'd have Eloy in there, myself.

 

Age 19

 

Wander Franco, SS, Rays

 

Franco enters the decade as a teenager in the minors, but that doesn’t mean he’s far away from making a major league impact. Both he and Julio Rodriguez are 2017 international free agent signees out of the Dominican Republic who rank as No. 1 prospects in their organizations.

 

Franco ascended to the status of No. 1 prospect in the game after the graduations of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr. and Eloy Jimenez in 2019. He embraced the expectations of top billing by hitting .327 at a pair of Class A stops. He should bat near the top of the Rays’ order for the better part of the 2020s.

 

Julio Rodriguez, OF, Mariners

 

Rodriguez has shot up prospect lists in the past year, going from Dominican Summer League MVP in 2018 to high Class A Modesto late in 2019. Rodriguez matches prodigious physical talent with the “it” factor that draws teammates to him and foretells of future stardom.

 

Age 20

 

Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt

 

The only amateur to rank among our 20 Stars for the ’20s, Rocker has the physicality of a major league ace and the power repertoire to match. His big-game reputation is rapidly catching up, which makes the college sophomore the prohibitive favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft.

 

Rocker won Freshman of the Year honors at Vanderbilt in 2019, when he helped pitch the Commodores to their second national title of the 2010s. He went 4-0, 0.96 with 44 strikeouts and five walks in 28 innings at the NCAA Tournament and turned in perhaps the most dominating pitching performance in college baseball history.

 

With Vanderbilt facing elimination in super regionals, Rocker fired a 19-strikeout no-hitter against Duke to send his team to the College World Series. That he won Most Outstanding Player honors in Omaha almost seemed like an afterthought.

 

While Rocker is looking at a big league ETA of late 2023 at the earliest, it sure looks like the wait will be worth it for the team that drafts him.

 

Age 21

 

Jo Adell, OF, Angels

 

Adell is the top position prospect in baseball not named Wander Franco, and the right fielder saw Triple-A for a month at the end of 2019 as he prepares to join Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and Shohei Ohtani in the heart of the Angels’ lineup.

 

MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Padres

 

Gore is the high-kicking, bat-missing lefthander from rural North Carolina who ranks as the top pitching prospect in baseball. That he is one of just three pitchers to appear in this feature indicates how highly we think of him. Gore and shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. are the headlining players in the Padres’ rebuild and first-division aspirations.

 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Blue Jays

 

Guerrero is also a product of the insanely talented 2015 international signing class. He made his long awaited big league debut in 2019 after entering the season ranked as the No. 1 prospect in baseball. He was crowned Minor League Player of the Year in 2018 after flirting with .400 at the upper levels. Better days lie ahead for Guerrero following a so-so rookie season.

 

Juan Soto, OF, Nationals

 

Both Soto and Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. are 21-year-olds on a crash course with superstardom. Both players signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2015 and are profiled up top in our 20 Stars for the ’20s opener.

 

Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, Padres

 

Tatis placed third in a loaded National League Rookie of the Year field in 2019 despite playing just 84 games. In that time he blasted 22 homer and stole 16 bases, showing a potent combination of power and speed—not to mention a contagious flair for the game.

 

Age 22

 

Ronald Acuña Jr., OF, Braves

 

Acuña already has black ink on his résumé after leading the National League in stolen bases and runs scored in 2019. His Braves teams haven’t yet broken through in October, but with Acuña leading a young core that also includes Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Mike Soroka and others, it seems like only a matter of time before they do.

 

Bo Bichette, SS, Blue Jays

 

Bichette quietly turned in a .930 OPS in 2019 that stands as the second highest ever for a rookie shortstop with at least 200 plate appearances. Feel to hit, power, some speed—Bichette has all the ingredients to develop into one of the preeminent shortstops in baseball during the 2020s. He and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are poised to lead a resurgent Toronto club back into contention.

 

Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles

 

Timing is everything in baseball. Case in point: The Orioles parlayed a 115-loss season in 2018 into Rutschman as the No. 1 overall pick in 2019.

 

The former Oregon State star is a potential franchise catcher who can hit, hit for power, defend and throw. The switch-hitter ranked as one of the best draft prospects of the 2010s, having won Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2018 College World Series.

 

Baltimore can only hope that Rutschman keys a franchise turnaround similar to the one experienced by their beltway rivals in Washington, spurred by the Nationals’ fortunate timing. They drafted Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper No. 1 overall in successive drafts.

 

Age 23

 

Yordan Alvarez, OF, Astros

 

At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Alvarez looks like he means business at the plate. In 2019, he carried through on that implied threat. Alvarez belted 50 home runs and drove in 149 runs between Triple-A Round Rock and Houston. His 173 OPS+ in the majors was the highest ever for a rookie in the integration era with at least 350 plate appearances. That is the sort of production that makes one more forgiving of Alvarez’s apparent allergy to defense.

 

Rafael Devers, 3B, Red Sox

 

Devers is a hitting prodigy who reached the majors at age 20 but took a few seasons to fully blossom. After hitting .311 with 32 homers and a major league-leading 90 extra-base hits and 359 total bases in 2019, he has arrived.

 

Devers looks as shaky at third base as he looks confident in the batter’s box. Even if he moves across the diamond to first base, he still has franchise hitter potential with a bat in his hands.

 

Gleyber Torres, SS, Yankees

 

Torres popped 38 home runs in 2019 yet flies somewhat under the radar given all the firepower in the Yankees’ lineup. But in reality he has two seasons as a starting middle infielder under his belt before turning 23. He might have even more big league time had he not missed half of 2017 after having Tommy John surgery.

 

Regardless, Torres is poised to become the Yankees’ next great shortstop, the position he is expected to occupy full time beginning in 2020 now that Didi Gregorius has departed.

 

Age 24

 

Cody Bellinger, OF, Dodgers

 

Bellinger is one of those stealthy five-tool players who can seemingly do anything he puts his mind to. Before turning 24 years old, Bellinger had already won a Rookie of the Year trophy, made two all-star teams in three seasons, smacked 111 career home runs and played for two Dodgers pennant winners. He added an exclamation point by winning the 2019 National League MVP award.

 

Bellinger focused on first base as a prospect and reached the majors with that as his primary position in 2017. He developed into a Gold Glove right fielder in 2019 with outstanding range and the best outfield arm in the NL.

 

Bellinger’s offensive development is even more impressive. His home run output keeps growing while his strikeout rate keeps shrinking. In 2019 he lowered his strikeout rate by 10 percentage points compared with his rookie season.

 

Age 25

 

Walker Buehler, RHP, Dodgers

 

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The Dodgers’ player development system keeps cranking out impact players

 

Buehler missed a development year to Tommy John surgery but still reached the majors in 2017, two years after being drafted. He ascended to near-ace status of the Dodgers’ veteran pitching staff during the 2018 season. He left no doubt about his standing that October—or the next October.

 

The Dodgers gave Buehler the ball twice in elimination games, first in Game 7 of the 2018 NL Championship Series and again in Game 5 of the 2019 NL Division Series. He allowed two runs in 11.1 innings in those starts. Big-game Buehler also fired seven shutout innings against an epic Red Sox lineup in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series.

 

Age 26

 

Alex Bregman, 3B, Astros

 

A competitive fire drives Bregman to disprove his doubters—and he heard as many doubts on his way up as perhaps any superstar.

 

Drafted No. 2 overall in 2015, Bregman was in the big leagues a year later. In 2017 he was a key contributor to a World Series champion—then he kicked things into gear. Bregman finished fifth in the American League MVP race in 2018 and then second in 2019, when his furious finish nearly allowed him to overtake MVP Mike Trout.

 

Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians

 

Lindor is a Gold Glove shortstop who has batted leadoff twice as often as he has hit in any other lineup spot. But don’t mistake him for a table-settler. Lindor already has three 30-homer seasons, which is more than all but three shortstops in history. What the others—Miguel Tejada, Ernie Banks and Alex Rodriguez—have in common is that each won at least one MVP award. Look for Lindor to join that club.

 

Age 27

 

Mookie Betts, OF, Red Sox

 

Players with well-rounded skill sets tend to age the best. Betts checks all the boxes in that regard. The 2018 American League MVP has four all-star nods, four Gold Gloves in right field, three Silver Sluggers, a 30 home run-30 stolen base season, plus two others at the 20-20 benchmark.

 

Betts is still in his prime seasons and nobody would be surprised to see him duplicate his MVP form. After all, he will spend the first half of the 2020s in the age 27 to 31 sweet spot—and he will spend the 2020 season playing for his next contract as free agency looms.

 

Age 28

 

Mike Trout, OF, Angels

 

Trout racked up nearly 73 wins above replacement through age 27 to obliterate Ty Cobb’s previous record of 69 WAR, as measured by Baseball-Reference.com.

 

With three American League MVP awards—including one in 2019—and four runner-up finishes—including in his Rookie of the Year season of 2012—Trout is one of the most decorated players in history when it comes to MVP balloting. He has led the AL in OPS for three straight seasons, in on-base percentage for four and park-adjusted OPS+ for five.

 

Trout’s metronomic consistency is something to behold, and it should keep him ticking well into the 2020s. Now it’s up to the Angels to surround him with fellow championship players.

[Spanky99]

Thanks JimmyC, Merry Christmas... just never read it before. And FB fooled me with an ad.

[Laika]

[Jays24]

 

You'd have to think free agent signings would have to happen before this date since we're a major player in the market. If we end up with Kim, it will clearly have implications as to who we'd go after.

Edited December 25, 2020 by Jays24

[Spanky99]

You'd have to think free agent signings would have to happen before this date since we're a major player in the market. If we end up with Kim, it will clearly have other implications as to who we'd want afterwards.

 

I expect to start seeing some movement by Monday and from there on, we'll see next Friday with Kim.

[Laika]

You'd have to think free agent signings would have to happen before this date since we're a major player in the market. If we end up with Kim, it will clearly have other implications as to who we'd want afterwards.

 

Not sure if Kim will be the first domino but you're right that Toronto and the Mets are driving a lot of this offseason. Lots of players/agents are probably waiting on them, holding out hope that they will pony up the big money

[Spanky99]

Not sure if Kim will be the first domino but you're right that Toronto and the Mets are driving a lot of this offseason. Lots of players/agents are probably waiting on them, holding out hope that they will pony up the big money

 

Did you read that Bowden listing of top FA's yet? lol... he has Toronto getting Kim only.

[Laika]

Did you read that Bowden listing of top FA's yet? lol... he has Toronto getting Kim only.

 

Bowden is a poser. He knows less than nothing.

[Spanky99]

Bowden is a poser. He knows less than nothing.

 

He gets raked across the coals in the comments, a couple guys made him reply.

[Spanky99]

I guess I should post it for those in the dark...

 

Jim Bowden’s holiday matchmaking for the top 40 remaining MLB free agents

 

 

By Jim Bowden Dec 24, 2020 140

Happy Holidays, everyone! It’s been a really disappointing offseason so far in terms of player movement and rule changes, but I can’t say it’s unexpected. There have been only a few top free-agent signings to date. The shortlist is basically just Charlie Morton inking with the Atlanta Braves; James McCann signing with the New York Mets and Carlos Santana landing a new deal with the Kansas City Royals.

 

Players have certainly gotten the message from teams that the pandemic has caused such significant losses that there is a strong market crash for most free agents. The top-tier free agents like J.T. Realmuto, Trevor Bauer and George Springer will still get paid big, but most of the free-agent class may have to brace themselves for seriously reduced salaries.

 

Still, the game’s best free agents will eventually sign. So I thought in honor of the holidays, I’d play matchmaker and gift each player with their best fit.

 

J.T. Realmuto, C

Philadelphia Phillies

 

This signing will take at least another month until his representatives realize they’re not getting anything close to $200 million. That being said, he’ll still end up being the highest-paid catcher in baseball history after he signs. His best fit is a return to Philadelphia, especially after the Mets decided not to wait for him, signing James McCann instead.

 

Trevor Bauer, RHP

Los Angeles Angels

 

No team needs an ace more than the Angels and if we’re ever going to get to see Mike Trout in the playoffs, they better begin concentrating all of their efforts on the top of their starting rotation, and Bauer would be a great start.

 

George Springer, CF

New York Mets

 

Springer is from the northeast and went to college at the University of Connecticut, which makes the Mets a nice geographic fit. There’s not a better baseball fit, either. The Mets desperately need an upgrade in center field and another power bat to help support Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto in their lineup.

 

DJ LeMahieu, 2B

New York Yankees

 

Yankees GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone have made it clear that LeMahieu is their top offseason priority. I can’t imagine there is another team that’s going to outbid the Bronx Bombers for his services. His leadership, professional approach and work ethic are an incredible value-add for the Yankees organization.

 

Marcell Ozuna, LF/DH

Atlanta Braves

 

The only way the Braves bring back Ozuna is if Major League Baseball and the Players’ Union come to their senses and implement the universal DH permanently. The Braves are a serious World Series contender with or without Ozuna, but he would certainly improve their October chances.

 

Liam Hendriks, Closer

Los Angeles Dodgers

 

The time has come for the Dodgers to officially have Kenley Jansen pass the torch to the next closer — and instead of passing it in-house, it makes more sense for them to go out and ink arguably the best closer in the sport right now in Hendriks. That would allow Jansen, Brusdar Graterol and Víctor González to take care of the 6th through 8th innings.

 

Nelson Cruz, DH

Minnesota Twins

 

The Twins have made bringing Cruz back one of their offseason priorities, and a reunion seems likely. There just aren’t a lot of American League teams that are looking for a full-time DH. Cruz will probably wait the market out, just in case the universal DH is implemented and he can open up his services to National League clubs.

 

Masahiro Tanaka, RHP

New York Yankees

 

Tanaka is the second-best starting pitcher left on the free-agent market, behind only Bauer, and I’m expecting him to end up with either the Yankees, Angels or Mets. However, this signing might be a while, because it’s going to take time for him to digest the significant pay cut he’s going to have to take from the $22-23 million annual salary he’s been earning.

 

Michael Brantley, LF/DH

Chicago White Sox

 

The White Sox could really use another left-handed bat like Brantley to better balance their lineup, and just as importantly, their young players would benefit from his mentorship. Brantley’s professional approach at the plate, in the dugout and in the clubhouse provides an elite example for the young talent the White Sox have on their roster. Brantley and Eloy Jiménez could share left field and the DH spot.

 

Justin Turner, 3B

Los Angeles Dodgers

 

If the Dodgers can’t land Nolan Arenado in a trade with the Colorado Rockies, then bringing back Turner on a two-year contract would still be a solid choice. Turner will probably start to decline in 2021 due to age, but he’s still good enough to contribute on both sides of the ball as part of the deep Dodgers lineup. However, this is a spot where the Dodgers should try to get younger in the future.

 

Didi Gregorius, SS

Cincinnati Reds

 

The Reds have made shortstop an offseason priority, and they’ve long wanted a reunion with Gregorius. They saved enough money with the Raisel Iglesias trade with the Angels and the non-tender of Archie Bradley to afford making a serious run at Didi. Gregorius would fit nicely in this underrated lineup, which includes Eugenio Suárez, Mike Moustakas and Nick Castellanos.

 

Brad Hand, LHP

Philadelphia Phillies

 

I’m still shocked that no team decided to claim Hand on waivers when he was sitting on the wire for just one-year, $10 million. The Phillies have to make their bullpen a priority and Hand’s ability to close or set-up fits nicely with their needs.

 

Marcus Semien, SS

Philadelphia Phillies

 

Semien had a down year in 2020, but showed in the postseason that it was probably just because of the strange, truncated season the game was forced to endure. The Athletics want to bring Semien back, but the Phillies’ small ballpark might be a better fit for him if he wants to sign a short-term deal to prove to suitors that his subpar year was a fluke and rebuild his value for next offseason.

 

Kyle Schwarber, LF/DH

Tampa Bay Rays

 

Schwarber has averaged over 30 home runs per year since 2017, with a career on-base percentage of .336. I’ve always felt his best role would be as a designated hitter, although he’s certainly worked hard enough to be adequate defensively in left field. The Rays need another bat and I like him in their DH spot.

 

Andrelton Simmons, SS

Oakland Athletics

 

If the A’s can’t bring Semien back and can’t lure Gregorius in free agency, then Simmons would be a solid fallback option. Simmons is still arguably the best overall defensive shortstop in the game, and can you imagine him and third baseman Matt Chapman on the same left side of the infield? They might have to give out two Platinum Glove Awards if that happens.

 

Trevor Rosenthal, Closer

Houston Astros

 

The Padres traded for Rosenthal from the Royals at the trade deadline last year and in nine appearances he didn’t give up a run, pitching 10 innings and allowing just 3 hits with 17 strikeouts and 1 walk. He’s completely healthy and dominant once again. The Astros’ main offseason goal is to acquire a closer, and Rosenthal fills that need.

 

Adam Wainwright, RHP

St.Louis Cardinals

 

Wainwright proved last year that he’s not done, and a lot of contending clubs would like his arm in the middle of their rotation and his leadership in the clubhouse. His preference is to return to the Cardinals — now we just have to see if St. Louis is willing to make him a fair offer.

 

Jake Odorizzi, RHP

New York Mets

 

Odorizzi has been a solid starter over the last five years and had his best season in 2019, when he went 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA with 178 punchouts in 159 innings. He had an injury-plagued 2020, dealing with a back strain, blister problems and a chest contusion he suffered on a line drive back to the box. If he’s healthy in 2021, he could end up being one of the better undervalued signings of the offseason.

 

Eddie Rosario, LF

Boston Red Sox

 

Rosario is just a year removed from hitting .276 with 28 doubles, 32 home runs and 109 runs batted in with the Minnesota Twins. He has a strong relationship with Sox manager Alex Cora and I think he’d fit great in left field as they could move Andrew Benintendi to center field, keep Alex Verdugo in right field and then utilize recently signed Hunter Renfroe as their fourth outfielder.

 

Taijuan Walker, RHP

Detroit Tigers

 

The Tigers would like to add a veteran starter to their bevy of young pitching prospects. Walker is finally healthy and continuing to develop. His strong make-up and high baseball IQ would be helpful to the Tigers’ young players. He’s still a high-risk, high-reward type signing, and a low base salary with incentives based on innings pitched would be the wisest contract structure for him, based on his lengthy injury history.

 

Kolten Wong, 2B

Boston Red Sox

 

Wong has won back-to-back National League Gold Glove Awards, and his flashy leather would be a welcome addition to the Red Sox infield. The left-handed hitter provides 10-home run type power and his 20-stolen base potential would be utilized well by Sox manager Alex Cora.

 

Jackie Bradley Jr., CF

Philadelphia Phillies

 

The Phillies desperately need a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder to help their pitching staff, and incoming president Dave Dombrowski was a huge Bradley supporter when both were winning a world championship in Boston. Dombrowski also has a great relationship with Bradley’s agent Scott Boras, which will help in the negotiations.

 

Yadier Molina, C

St. Louis Cardinals

 

I really wanted to put Molina with the Yankees, but after they tendered Gary Sánchez I just can’t see them being able to trade him, which probably takes them out of the Molina sweepstakes. I also think the future Hall of Fame catcher should finish his career in a Redbirds uniform. The Cardinals have to face the reality that they’re going to have to overpay Molina because of his age and decline, but it’s worth it considering the whole package he brings to the ballpark. There has not been a better game caller in this generation of catchers.

 

Kirby Yates, Closer

San Diego Padres

 

2020 was a nightmare season for Yates, and it ended prematurely with right elbow surgery to remove bone chips. In 2019, he was perhaps the best closer in the NL, posting a league-leading 41 saves to go along with a 1.19 ERA. Can he bounce back and dominate again? Only medicals and time will tell, but it’ll be worth the gamble, and a return to San Diego makes the most sense here.

 

James Paxton, LHP

New York Yankees

 

Paxton had a great year in 2019 with the Yankees when he went 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA in 29 starts. However, once again injuries caught up to him and he only made five starts this past year, going 1-1 with a 6.64 ERA. If healthy, he’s a No. 2 starter. But can he get healthy? He has unfinished business in New York, which is why I’m returning him to the Yanks.

 

José Quintana, LHP

San Diego Padres

 

Quintana’s ERA went from 3.74 to 4.03 to 4.68 from 2017-19. This past year, he cut his finger and only pitched 10 innings. He’s still only 32 years old, though, and I won’t be surprised if he’s a Comeback Player of the Year candidate in 2021. This looks like an A.J. Preller special, just like with his previous signing of Garrett Richards.

 

Alex Colomé, Closer

New York Mets

 

The Mets shouldn’t stop building up their bullpen, and Colomé would give them further depth. The Mets have the financial wherewithal now, and should flex their muscles and checkbook and keep adding as much pitching as possible.

 

Mark Melancon, RHP

Atlanta Braves

 

Much of baseball was surprised when the Braves traded for Melancon, but he rewarded Atlanta by putting a 2.78 ERA, despite a rapidly dropping strikeout rate. He’s found a home with the Braves and would be making a mistake if he signs elsewhere.

 

Ha-Seong Kim, SS

Toronto Blue Jays

 

There is a lot of disagreement from major-league clubs around whether he’s a second baseman or shortstop, but either way, he’s an everyday hitter. This past year he slashed .306/.397/.523 with 30 home runs, stealing 23 of 25 bases in the KBO. The Blue Jays are loaded up the middle but they’d like to keep adding depth to help them make future trades.

 

Nomar Mazara, OF

Miami Marlins

 

Mazara has hit 19-20 home runs in four of his first five years in the major leagues and is still just 25 years old. I think it would make sense for the Marlins to bring him into camp and let him compete with Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison and Magneuris Sierra for the right field position as they wait for their top prospect J.J. Bleday to develop.

 

Archie Bradley, RHP

Los Angeles Angels

 

Bradley put up an impressive 2.95 ERA between the Diamondbacks and Reds last year in 16 appearances and 18 1/3 innings pitched. The Angels have had a strong start to their offseason under rookie GM Perry Minasian, including the acquisition of Bradley’s former teammate with the Reds, Raisel Iglesias. They can’t stop there, and I think Bradley would flourish playing under the positivity of manager Joe Maddon.

 

Shane Greene, RHP

Seattle Mariners

 

Greene put up a 2.60 ERA in 28 appearances in 2020, although his strikeout rate decreased for the third consecutive year. The Mariners continue to try and improve their bullpen and have enough resources to land Greene. His postseason experience will help influence the young Mariners’ arms.

 

Blake Treinen, RHP

Washington Nationals

 

In July 2017, the Nationals traded him along with Jesús Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse to the Oakland Athletics for relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madsen. Three and a half years later, a return to the Nationals bullpen makes sense for both parties.

 

Joc Pederson, LF

Los Angeles Angels

 

The Dodgers and Angels had actually agreed to a move at the trade deadline that would have sent Pederson to the Angels, but the trade was nixed by owner Arte Moreno when delays stood in the way of the closing of the transaction. The good news is now they can just sign him in free agency. His left-handed bat would fit perfectly as a fourth outfielder and back-up designated hitter on days that Shohei Ohtani pitches. He’d also help keep Justin Upton’s legs fresh by playing once or twice a week in left field.

 

César Hernández, 2B

Cleveland Indians

 

Hernández has a career slash line of .277/.352/.384 over his eight-year career, and led the American League with 20 doubles last year. The Red Sox, Athletics and Indians are all great fits for him, but I like him best in Northeast Ohio.

 

Tommy La Stella, 2B

Oakland Athletics

 

The A’s traded for La Stella at the trade deadline for a reason and love what he provides. They felt he was solid as their everyday second baseman, but also like his versatility.

 

Enrique Hernández, 2B

Boston Red Sox

 

Hernández can play second base, third base, center field and left field and provides serious pop against fastballs. He’s hard-nosed, a gamer and any other cliché you like throwing at great bench players. I’d love to see him play half his games at Fenway Park.

 

Jonathan Villar, 2B

San Francisco Giants

 

Villar hit 24 home runs and stole 40 bases in 2019 when he played the full 162-game schedule with the Baltimore Orioles. This past year was a nightmare for him, as he hit just .232 with 2 home runs and 16 runs batted in for the Marlins and Blue Jays combined. The Giants are looking for versatility and Villar can play second base, shortstop and center field.

 

Yasiel Puig, RF

Miami Marlins

 

Puig had a difficult time dealing with free agency last offseason, and when he finally got an offer from the Atlanta Braves, he tested positive for COVID-19 and the deal fell apart. The Marlins are expected to let Monte Harrison, Lewis Brinson and Magneuris Sierra compete for their right field position as they wait for J.J. Bleday to develop. But let’s be realistic: it’s a stretch to think either Harrison or Brinson are going to hit enough, despite their elite athleticism, speed and raw power, and as much as I love Sierra, he’s more of a fourth-outfielder type. So bringing Puig in on a one-year deal, on a low base salary with incentives, makes sense to me. There is a large Cuban-American population in South Florida, and Puig’s passion and energy could turn him into an easy fan favorite. His good relationship with manager Don Mattingly could influence getting a short-term deal done.

 

Adam Duvall, OF

Atlanta Braves

 

Duvall was third in the NL with 16 home runs last year and the Braves had no choice but to non-tender with an arbitration system that would have grossly overpaid him. Duvall is a solid left fielder with dynamic power, but his career .293 on-base percentage can’t be ignored. Still, he was a great fit as an extra outfielder with Atlanta, and a return makes sense if they can agree on a reasonable contract that takes into account his entire game and not just his power.

 

Just awful... lol

[Jimcanuck]

People pay to read that s***?

[Spanky99]

People pay to read that s***?

 

There's plenty of good writers @ the Athletic, especially if you like numerous sports.

[Dr. Dinger]

There's plenty of good writers @ the Athletic, especially if you like numerous sports.

 

Correct. Bowden in particular is an embarrassment, but the Athletic has poached a lot of the elite sports journalists over the last few years and is well worth the extremely cheap sub. Great content and numerous podcasts.

[Spanky99]

Correct. Bowden in particular is an embarrassment, but the Athletic has poached a lot of the elite sports journalists over the last few years and is well worth the extremely cheap sub. Great content and numerous podcasts.

 

Especially when they're giving that deal for a buck a month for half a year.

[Laika]

Jim Bowden gets clicks from guys like Carlos Danger, no doubt.

[Jimcanuck]

Jim Bowden gets clicks from guys like Carlos Danger, no doubt.

 

Everyone gets clicks from Carlos, that promiscuous bugger.

[G-Snarls]

Infielder Adeiny Hechavarría has agreed to a deal with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, the team announced yesterday (h/t to the Japan Times). It’s a one-year deal worth a reported $970,000.

[G-Snarls]

Hmmmm

 

More major leaguers and borderline major leaguers signing in Japan and Korea than usual it seems

[Grant77]

Rangers have signed Kohei Arihara.

[Laika]

Rangers were also rumoured to be in on Sugano. Probably good that they landed Arihara with that in mind. The other known Arihara suitors were the Red Sox and Padres... they are probably competing for Sugano with the Jays and maybe the Mets

[glory]

 

So he got Shun money. Curious to see what Sugano ends up getting.

[Spanky99]

Gregory "McGlass" Polanco broke his wrist playing winter ball.