Around Baseball 2022

[Laika]

All joking aside it's a perfect time to sell on Espinal IMO.

 

He's a slow slap hitter whose value is in his defense and not striking out. But he also has a weak arm so is best suited for 2B. With Whit, Craig Biggio's son, Barger and others on the team he's also completely expendable. Jays should def look to move him.

 

Nah he's good. Viable backup SS who can start in a pinch. 4.5 WAR in 254 career games.

 

These guys don't grow on trees. The A's just paid 32 year old Aledmys Diaz 2/$14M to be significantly worse.

 

You keep Espinal until free agency, he's a glue guy that keeps your entire roster working right. And an amazing insurance policy on the infield.

 

I mean, unless someone wants to overpay for him...

[wilko]

Agreed. And this will be the only time you can use this line during negotiations:

 

Atkins - "Espinal is coming off an All Star season"

 

[Terminator]

Nah he's good. Viable backup SS who can start in a pinch. 4.5 WAR in 254 career games.

 

These guys don't grow on trees. The A's just paid 32 year old Aledmys Diaz 2/$14M to be significantly worse.

 

You keep Espinal until free agency, he's a glue guy that keeps your entire roster working right. And an amazing insurance policy on the infield.

 

I mean, unless someone wants to overpay for him...

 

7 mil a year is damn near free in this market and on a per game basis Espinal barely projects higher than Diaz.

 

And Espinal isn't garbage but we seemingly do grow these guys on trees. The team seems to prefer Merrifield to him and Barger projects better than Espinal too. Otto Lopez projects similarly too and can also handle SS in a pinch. And then there is board favorite Craig Biggio's son.

 

I wouldn't give Espinal away and he is great depth, something the team should constantly strive to have. But if we are hesitant to make FA signings in this market I think he's a guy we could def look to trade.

[L54]

I don’t see a reason to move Espinal. He’s not the profile of player teams overpay for and the there isn’t a competent back up SS otherwise on the roster. Plus he’s cheap and cover 3 IF positions.

[Terminator]

I don’t see a reason to move Espinal. He’s not the profile of player teams overpay for and the there isn’t a competent back up SS otherwise on the roster. Plus he’s cheap and cover 3 IF positions.

 

The Marlins pay out the nose for guys like Espinal and we have several players on the roster that project similarly or better, even at SS.

[wilko]

Athletics catcher Sean Murphy is among the most popular players on the trade market, due both to his general excellence as a well-rounded catcher and to the dearth of high-end catching talent in a market where several teams are looking for upgrades at the position. To this point, he’s been linked to the D-backs, Astros, Cubs, Guardians, Twins, Braves, Rays and Red Sox in the past three to four weeks. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle adds the Giants to list of teams that have called Oakland regarding Murphy, though an upgrade at catcher isn’t currently atop San Francisco’s priority list as they still hope to reel in a top-of-the-market free agent such as Carlos Correa.

 

The Cardinals were considered one of Murphy’s most prominent suitors before yesterday’s five-year agreement with Willson Contreras, and it seems that Oakland’s sky-high asking price on Murphy prompted St. Louis to instead pivot to the free-agent market. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported earlier in the week that the A’s were seeking controllable, MLB-ready players in return for Murphy, and Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch shines some further light on the type of return Oakland is seeking. Per Goold, the Athletics’ ask in talks with the Cardinals included outfielder Lars Nootbaar, third-place Rookie of the Year finisher Brendan Donovan, and a near-MLB pitching prospect such as Gordon Graceffo.

 

It’s a hefty asking price, to be sure, as both Nootbaar and Donovan burst onto the scene in 2022 and staked a claim to regular roles with the Cardinals. Nootbaar finished out the season with a .228/.340/.448 batting line (125 wRC+), and he was particularly effective in the season’s final two months, once he was finally able to settle into an everyday role (as MLBTR’s Anthony Franco explored in September). Nootbaar made the most of his opportunity as the primary right fielder in St. Louis, slashing .246/.371/.492 with 10 homers, 12 doubles and three triples in his final 240 plate appearances. He’s controllable through 2027.

 

Donovan is similarly interesting, even though the manner in which he delivers value is completely different. Also 25, Donovan played all four infield positions and both outfield corners this season, generally delivering quality defense at each spot — hence this year’s Gold Glove Award. He batted .281/.394/.379, showing minimal power but also a keen feel for the strike zone, evidenced by a 12.8% walk rate and an excellent 15% strikeout rate. He’s controlled a year longer than Nootbaar, all the way through the 2028 season. As for Graceffo, he’s currently ranked as baseball’s No. 66 prospect at Baseball America, No. 78 at FanGraphs and No. 79 at MLB.com.

 

Suffice it to say, it’s a massive haul for the A’s to seek and a justifiable one for the Cardinals to walk away from, no matter how excellent Murphy is. Focusing in on the Cardinals aspect is generally a moot point now, though. With Contreras signing on through the 2027 season, St. Louis is no longer in the running.

Still, the asking price from one prominent suitor is instructive when trying to plot out what the A’s could seek from other clubs. Every valuation is different, of course, but teams looking into Murphy could very well need to part with multiple MLB-ready talents who have longer-reaching club control than the remaining three years the A’s hold over Murphy. General manager David Forst said this week that the A’s aren’t necessarily closed off to receiving lower-level players but stressed that adding players who have reached or could reach the Majors in 2023 — whether in a Murphy trade or other transactions — is at the “top of our to-do list” (link via Melissa Lockard of The Athletic).

[L54]

The Marlins pay out the nose for guys like Espinal and we have several players on the roster that project similarly or better, even at SS.

 

How many .100 ISO Blue Jays do you expect the Marlins to trade for?

[Terminator]

How many .100 ISO Blue Jays do you expect the Marlins to trade for?

 

Good point but one of them isn't on the team anymore and the other is going to start the year in the minors. Their infield is a mess right now and I think Espinal is cute enough that Kim might pull the trigger one more time.

[Laika]

Steamer is pretty bullish on both Barger and Otto Lopez.

 

113 wRC+ and 102 wRC+

 

I dunno if either of them is a true shortstop but they probably at least provide 2B/3B/LF coverage.

 

With Moreno... nice as hell to have three depth guys with those types of offensive projections on the strength of no or almost no major league data.

[Stangstag]

His name is Santiago and it's Miami.

 

A perfect match, really?

 

That's extremely racist, Espinal is not Cuban. Miami doesn't want him.

[Laika]

That's extremely racist, Espinal is not Cuban. Miami doesn't want him.

 

it's not racist, his name is Santiago he can assimilate

[Terminator]

Steamer is pretty bullish on both Barger and Otto Lopez.

 

113 wRC+ and 102 wRC+

 

I dunno if either of them is a true shortstop but they probably at least provide 2B/3B/LF coverage.

 

With Moreno... nice as hell to have three depth guys with those types of offensive projections on the strength of no or almost no major league data.

 

From what little I've been able to gather on their defense, Barger has a "plus-plus arm" (according to a 2019 fangraphs article) which will help but Lopez does not which hurts.

[Jimcanuck]

From what little I've been able to gather on their defense, Barger has a "plus-plus arm" (according to a 2019 fangraphs article) which will help but Lopez does not which hurts.

 

Yes, Barger is considered better suited for 3B due to his arm but can play average'ish SS. This is based on a BA report from last week.

 

edit - its from MLB.com

 

Barger’s arm has been his best tool since his senior year of high school, and while he plays a solid shortstop, he profiles best at third base, where he can really put his throwing to good use. He also has some experience at second base, helping his cause as a potential power-heavy utility infielder if he can’t nail down an everyday spot at third.

[Brownie19]

That's extremely racist, Espinal is not Cuban. Miami doesn't want him.

 

This is a top "Meme of the Year" candidate for the 2022 BJMB Award night.

[Stangstag]

Yes, Barger is considered better suited for 3B due to his arm but can play average'ish SS. This is based on a BA report from last week.

 

edit - its from MLB.com

 

Barger’s arm has been his best tool since his senior year of high school, and while he plays a solid shortstop, he profiles best at third base, where he can really put his throwing to good use. He also has some experience at second base, helping his cause as a potential power-heavy utility infielder if he can’t nail down an everyday spot at third.

 

Would be nice to give him a look this year and see if that bat will play. He would be great at 3rd to replace Chapman

[Laika]

Danny Jansen for Sal Frelick? Maybe?

[Terminator]

Danny Jansen for Sal Frelick? Maybe?

 

I'd be game for that.

[wilko]

Danny Jansen for Sal Frelick? Maybe?

 

Yes plz.

[glory]

Danny Jansen for Sal Frelick? Maybe?

 

If the Brewers would do it, then that would be a nice little deal. A LHH CF who can field, run, and hit (based on his prospects page) is exactly what the Jays need. Not much power from the looks of it, but offensive profile looks pretty safe otherwise. Would save the team some money to improve the rotation and add another bat as well. Little risky going with a CF with no MLB experience, and at the same time expecting Moreno to do things as well, so only reason the Jays may not do it is they'd want a more established player, but from a team building and asset standpoint, it's the type of deal the Jays need.

[glory]

I don’t see a reason to move Espinal. He’s not the profile of player teams overpay for and the there isn’t a competent back up SS otherwise on the roster. Plus he’s cheap and cover 3 IF positions.

 

Agreed. Contending teams need players like Espinal. Essentially a 2 WAR backup who can cover multiple positions (including SS which no one else on the roster can do at the moment), hit LHP, and won't complain about being a bench player. As long as he's cheap, he's a good guy to have around. That doesn't mean you don't trade him if the return warrants it, but chances are he'll have more value to the team than he'd have in a trade anyway.

[Ehjays]

Danny Jansen for Sal Frelick? Maybe?

 

Brewers keeps coming up as a trade candidate, and we have dealt with them before, I think both sides were happy with the deal.

 

 

----------------------------

 

Brewers Interested In Catching Upgrades

By Darragh McDonald | December 8, 2022 at 3:24pm CDT

 

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold says that the club is looking to improve behind the plate, per Curt Hugg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. When asked if they were more likely to pursue trades or free agents in that department, Arnold said it’s “hard to handicap.”

 

The Brewers used a fairly even time split behind the plate in 2022, with Victor Caratini getting 73 starts and Omar Narvaez getting 80. That’s becoming more standard practice around the league, as few teams want to wear down their best catchers by having them crouching behind the plate every day for years and years. Caratini is still on the roster but Narvaez reached free agency at the end of the 2022 season.

 

The club already made one move to bolster their depth at the position this offseason, acquiring Payton Henry from the Marlins. However, Henry only has 20 MLB games under his belt so far and didn’t play much in the minors this year either due to thumb surgery. He still has options and so it’s fairly sensible for the club to look for a second major league catcher to pair with Caratini and bump Henry down the depth chart and into the minors.

 

In terms of the free agent market, the top option is now off the board with Willson Contreras agreeing to a deal with the Cardinals for $87.5MM over five years. The Brewers were never really going to be shopping in that aisle, since they’ve been actually trying to trim costs around the edges of their payroll this winter. Their trade of Kolten Wong was a cash-neutral deal, but the Brewers have moved Hunter Renfroe and his projected $11.2MM arbitration salary and let Brent Suter and Brad Boxberger depart for some modest savings. Their payroll for 2023 currently sits at $116MM, per Roster Resource, about $16MM shy of last year’s $132MM Opening Day figure, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

 

The Brewers might want to dedicate some resources to other parts of their roster, such as their outfield or bullpen, but there should be room for a catching addition if that’s their priority. The top free agent remaining is generally considered to be Christian Vazquez, but he seems to have wide interest, having been connected to the Twins, Red Sox, Padres, Diamondbacks, Guardians, Giants and Cubs in recent weeks.

 

If the Brewers don’t want to go hard on Vazquez, the other options in free agency include bringing back Narvaez, as well as glove-first options like Roberto Perez, Tucker Barnhart and Austin Hedges. There’s also slugger Gary Sanchez, as well as wild card Mike Zunino who missed most of 2022 due to surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. None of those options would break the bank but they’re also all imperfect in one way or another.

 

If they opt for the trade route, the most prominent candidates in that department are Sean Murphy of the A’s and Danny Jansen of the Blue Jays. Both are projected for modest arbitration salaries, with Murphy at $3.5MM and Jansen at $3.7MM. The greater cost would likely be what is required to send the other way in a trade. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has been writing about the catching market recently and had one executive describe the asking prices in those discussions as high “like the moon.” The A’s apparently asked for outfielder Lars Nootbaar, infielder Brendan Donovan and Gordon Graceffo in their Murphy talks. The Jays also wanted Nootbaar in the Jansen dealings and also discussed Ryan Helsley, per Goold.

 

Those lunar asking prices were what caused the Cardinals to turn their backs on the trade market and just spend the money required to land Contreras, though there was also the draft pick compensation since Contreras rejected a qualifying offer. The Brewers generally aren’t shy about making deals, having traded away Wong, Renfroe and Josh Hader just in the past few months.

 

However, meeting Oakland or Toronto on their level would likely require further subtracting from their major league roster or dipping into a farm system that isn’t especially well regarded. FanGraphs currently considers their system to be 16th, with Baseball America placing them 13th and MLB Pipeline 19th. Those are obviously middle-of-the-pack placements, but many of their top prospects seem to be in the club’s plans for 2023.

 

The Wong trade, for instance, was something they could consider because of the possibility of Brice Turang stepping up and taking over the second base job. Renfroe was perhaps deemed expendable because of outfield prospects like Sal Frelick and Garrett Mitchell. If the club is hoping for those players to step in and help at the major league level in 2023, that will make them reluctant to include them in trades. The system’s top prospect is generally considered to be Jackson Chourio, who is still not close to the majors but generally considered to be pretty close to untouchable since he’s shot up prospect lists and considered to be one of the best youngsters in the world. If that’s how things are viewed within the Milwaukee front office, they might also find it difficult to line up on a deal.

[mellowgold]

If the Brewers would do it, then that would be a nice little deal. A LHH CF who can field, run, and hit (based on his prospects page) is exactly what the Jays need. Not much power from the looks of it, but offensive profile looks pretty safe otherwise. Would save the team some money to improve the rotation and add another bat as well. Little risky going with a CF with no MLB experience, and at the same time expecting Moreno to do things as well, so only reason the Jays may not do it is they'd want a more established player, but from a team building and asset standpoint, it's the type of deal the Jays need.

 

Is Frelick ready for MLB?

[Jimcanuck]

Is Frelick ready for MLB?

 

From what i have read, yes. Could be a 2023 version of Stephen Kwan.

 

I heard you want in on dynasty baseball. Have a team for you.

[Ehjays]

Here is another trade partner: (And they say they are further along in trade talks than before the meetings.)

 

 

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2022/12/08/dbacks-outfielders-drawing-heavy-interest-as-meetings-conclude/69710968007/

 

D-Backs’ outfielders drawing heavy interest as meetings conclude

 

SAN DIEGO — As Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings wound down on Wednesday evening, the Diamondbacks were still holding their full stable of talented, young outfielders. A trade, club officials said, was not close. But it did appear closer than at the beginning of the meetings.

 

General Manager Mike Hazen said talks surrounding his outfielders advanced this week to the point that specific — and intriguing — names had surfaced.

 

“We have enough specificity around some of these (discussions),” Hazen said, “that I feel like we’ll have some decisions to say yes or no.”

 

There appears to be no shortage of interested parties when it comes to outfielders Daulton Varsho, Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy.

 

According to sources, perhaps a third of baseball’s 30 teams have checked in on at least one of the Diamondbacks' outfielders, with two new clubs reaching out for the first time on Tuesday. Sources say the interested teams include the Astros, Athletics, Blue Jays, Brewers, Marlins, Reds, White Sox and Yankees, among others.

 

As for what the Diamondbacks could get in return, a number of possibilities remain in play. Talks are said to involve players at a variety of positions, with second base, third base, shortstop and catcher looking most likely. The club is focused primarily on right-handed hitters.

 

The Diamondbacks are said to have high asks on their players. They are not looking to take back prospects but rather to acquire either an established big leaguer or a major league-ready player who will serve as an upgrade or plug a hole. Hazen said the Diamondbacks are talking about deals that include just one player coming back and those that include multiple players.

 

Sep 12, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) catches a fly ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning at Chase Field.

“We have some things we’re still working on that I feel like we’re going to be in a position to make decisions on,” Hazen said. “There haven’t been any trades made (at the meetings). That doesn’t surprise me with the activity in the free-agent market.”

 

Hazen said he expects that as free agents continue to come off the board, more attention will be paid to the free-agent market. The name that could most impact the Diamondbacks’ situation is that of Brandon Nimmo, the best center fielder on the open market.

[Captain_Obvious]

I'd be game for that.

 

Finally something we agree on as a return for Jansen.

[Ron tokama]

Stuart Fairchild would be a great get in a Danny Jansen trade maybe Jansen plus Doughty would get it done.

[FantasyNewb]

Jansen + Espinal for Grisham + Kim. Save the money that was going to be allotted to Nimmo and get Rodon.

[Captain_Obvious]

Jansen + Espinal for Grisham + Kim. Save the money that was going to be allotted to Nimmo and get Rodon.

 

Jesus Christ. Why don't we add Bo and Manoah too?

[Captain_Obvious]

stuart fairchild would be a great get in a danny jansen trade maybe jansen plus doughty would get it done.

 

lol

[FantasyNewb]

Jesus Christ. Why don't we add Bo and Manoah too?

 

People have been arguing for a Jansen Grisham swap. Kim had close to 4 WAR last year.