Around Baseball 2023

[jaysblue]

MLBTR's Top 50 was dropped...

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/2023-24-top-50-free-agents-with-predictions.html

 

They're dumn.

 

Come up with your own Top 50 mate and post it on here! Can't wait to read it!

[MikeM3]

Bellinger might get 12 years from the Rockies you never know

[connorp]

Some of them are out to lunch but it's mostly fine

 

The Bellinger one is wild

 

The Jordan Montgomery money is insane to me but I dunno

 

Bellinger is getting $200m+ bro. Not sure what’s wild about it. I’m not saying I’d want to pay him that, but he’s getting it

[Spanky__99]

Come up with your own Top 50 mate and post it on here! Can't wait to read it!

 

Why? What's your issue man, hit your head, post your listing here? Hurrrrrr...

[RobinThicc]

Fully expecting the Giants to sign Chapman and Bellinger once they miss out on Ohtani

[jaysblue]

Why? What's your issue man, hit your head, post your listing here? Hurrrrrr...

 

Post it meat!

[connorp]

Why? What's your issue man, hit your head, post your listing here? Hurrrrrr...

 

You say the list is dumb, then when someone says post yours, you just call them dumb and then just parrot what they told you. Send me your email, mate. I’m going to draw a diagram of an ass and an elbow, and I’m going to explain the difference and map them out for you

[hanton]

Rare exchange between a reporter and a GM, Cashman (questioning the Yankees player development)

 

[jaysblue]

[Stangstag]

Rare exchange between a reporter and a GM, Cashman (questioning the Yankees player development)

 

 

Lol nice. I feel like he’s mostly right other than he glosses over the fact that Donaldson is s*** and Peraza should have been playing over him.

 

That entire trade was a disaster. Donaldson and IKF both stank and Cashman refused to let go of either. Playing IKF in CF loll

[Laika]

Awkward.

 

What Cashman probably wanted to say is something like "we aren't interested in giving a starting role to a player like Peraza who was a fringe-average hitter in AAA"

[Laika]

Cody Bellinger has to be the scariest big ticket free agent since Javier Baez

 

- demonstrated replacement level downside

- xwOBA in 2023 forty points worse than his wOBA

- 2023 career lows in average EV, hard hit rate, and barrel rate

- troubling injury history

[Stangstag]

Cody Bellinger has to be the scariest big ticket free agent since Javier Baez

 

- demonstrated replacement level downside

- xwOBA in 2023 forty points worse than his wOBA

- 2023 career lows in average EV, hard hit rate, and barrel rate

- troubling injury history

 

Typical Angels signing

[BTS]

Typical Angels signing

 

lol, it really is

[Laika]

The White Sox head into the offseason looking to turn things around under a new general manager after a disastrous 2023 campaign. Chris Getz, promoted from his prior post as assistant GM after the summer dismissal of Rick Hahn and Kenny Williams, met with reporters yesterday at the GM Meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz. and discussed his team’s outlook. While the rookie baseball ops leader emphasized that there are winning pieces on the roster, he also acknowledged that on the whole, “I don’t like our team,” adding that it’s “not a well-rounded club” — a blunt recognition that broad changes are needed (link via Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times).

 

While Getz didn’t delve into specifics as to how those changes would be realized, he took an open-minded approach when asked about trade possibilities, conceding that there “are no untouchables” on his roster. That’ll surely lead to a frenzy of fan speculation regarding talents like Dylan Cease and particularly Luis Robert Jr., although Getz also noted that he won’t be “proactive” in exploring Robert trade scenarios and called the center fielder the type of player a team should build around.

 

The general tone of Getz’s comments, plus Robert’s talent and extremely appealing contract — he’s signed through 2025 at a total of $29.5MM guaranteed, plus club options for the 2026-27 seasons — will lead to ample interest. Still just 26 years old, Robert is fresh off a .264/.315/.542 showing in 145 games and 595 plate appearances with the South Siders. He popped 38 homers, swiped 20 bases and played standout defense in center field. It’s an MVP-caliber package of tools, and the fact that he’d earn a total of $67.5MM through 2027 if both his club options are exercised creates considerable surplus value for both the Sox or potential trade partners.

[Laika]

I could get behind a big trade for Robert but it wouldn't be comfortable.

 

Tiedemann + Orelvis + Arjun Nimmala might even fall short.

[Jays24]

You say the list is dumb, then when someone says post yours, you just call them dumb and then just parrot what they told you. Send me your email, mate. I’m going to draw a diagram of an ass and an elbow, and I’m going to explain the difference and map them out for you

 

Dude is the biggest troll on this board man. Makes no sense how hes allowed to behave like this constantly.

 

Instead of posting his own thoughts, he attacks others constantly. Simple case of someone who thinks they're smarter than they actually are but is easily a dumbass lol.

[Jays24]

I could get behind a big trade for Robert but it wouldn't be comfortable.

 

Tiedemann + Orelvis + Arjun Nimmala might even fall short.

 

Now that's a player you trade a guy like Gabriel Moreno for.

[connorp]

I could get behind a big trade for Robert but it wouldn't be comfortable.

 

Tiedemann + Orelvis + Arjun Nimmala might even fall short.

 

If you were a Sox fan, you wouldn’t be happy with that. No might about it

[connorp]

Now that's a player you trade a guy like Gabriel Moreno for.

 

Yep. Got too caught up in that Corner OF defensive WAR

[Olerud363]

If you were a Sox fan, you wouldnÂ’t be happy with that. No might about it

 

Roberts has a 30-175 bb/k ratio and an injury history. They get a pitcher with best prospect in baseball stuff (but not health), a prospect with as much power and exit velocity as anyone in minor league baseball, who had a great last 4 months of the season and a Fernando Tatis style wild card...

 

These star for 3 prospects trades are tough to really figure out... Sometimes it's like they'd ask for Jackson Holliday and other top 10 prospects, probably not get them, then move on to a 3-1 with guys with high ceilings.

[Orgfiller]

Now that's a player you trade a guy like Gabriel Moreno for.

 

Varsho and Robert Jr. have equal amounts of 5 fWAR seasons and project for a < 0.5 WAR difference.

[Laika]

sir

[MikeM3]

Robert has too many ways he can decline.

[Stangstag]

Varsho and Robert Jr. have equal amounts of 5 fWAR seasons and project for a < 0.5 WAR difference.

 

Wow now that’s a cherry pick, and I still like Varsho

[Terminator]

I could get behind a big trade for Robert but it wouldn't be comfortable.

 

Tiedemann + Orelvis + Arjun Nimmala might even fall short.

 

I wonder if adding guys with negative value like Benitendi and/or Moncada could help facilitate something

[Laika]

Robert has too many ways he can decline.

 

I wouldn't want him after 30 years old but he's 26. Not really concerned about the K rate right now.

[L54]

Robert Jr is pretty much Adolis Garcia in CF. Risky profile but if he stops chasing more than everyone else in baseball there might be another gear

[Brownie19]

Robert Jr is pretty much Adolis Garcia in CF. Risky profile but if he stops chasing more than everyone else in baseball there might be another gear

 

That's a good way to put it. Plate discipline can be taught and can change as players mature and gain experience. But there's no guarantee. Sometimes there are negative consequences of trying to be more discipline (we may have seen that with Bo to some extent). Undiscipline hitters also seem to decline faster when their physical skills (bat speed, flexibility, etc.) start to erode. Discipline hitters are often better at knowing what pitches they can handle (given new physical limitations) and which ones they can't.

 

That said, Robert is still young enough that you probably don't need to worry too much about a physical decline and there's certainly potential to get even more out of him. As is, I'm not sure Robert is on the same level as someone like Soto, Betts, etc. - where you're willing to give up all your top farm system guys to acquire. I think his value is inflated because of the contract he's signed and the potentially excess value is provides. Then again, I didn't think Yelich was either and he went on to post B2B 7+ WAR seasons.

[G-Snarls]

Cody Bellinger has to be the scariest big ticket free agent since Javier Baez

 

- demonstrated replacement level downside

- xwOBA in 2023 forty points worse than his wOBA

- 2023 career lows in average EV, hard hit rate, and barrel rate

- troubling injury history

 

And he's predicted to get >200M