rog
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Post by rog on Dec 8, 2017 13:13:55 GMT -5
The Miami Marlins made a big trade today -- and it involved Shohei Ohtani, not Giancarlo Stanton.
The Marlins gave the Seattle Mariners Dee Gordon and $1 million in international bonus money in return for three modest Mariners minor leaguers. The $1 million in spending money is how Ohtani indirectly entered the picture.
With around $3.5 million, the Mariners are now among the top two in bonus money. (The Giants, along with three other teams, are capped out at $300K. For Ohtani, it isn't all about the money, although it certainly can't hurt the Mariners to have extra to spend.)
I would say the move shows just how serious the Mariners are about Ohtani. Not, of course, that the other six teams in the running aren't.
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Post by klaiggeb on Dec 8, 2017 13:33:46 GMT -5
They might be serious about him, Rog, but Ohtani was pretty adamant about NOT going somewhere where they had HAD a big Japanese star because he DIDN'T want to tarnish, (and I suspect, compete with), that name.
Down here, they are 'pushing' that San Diego is the front runner 'because' he'll 'grow' with them into a winner.
I'm not sure I'm buying that.
Why would Ohtani want to come to a franchise where he'd have to play for a bad team in the "hopes" that in 3 years it'll be good?
I wouldn't do that.
I still think a better location for him is an American League team where he can DH almost every day.
Like the Angels, since he wants to be on the west coast.
boly
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rog
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Post by rog on Dec 8, 2017 14:36:31 GMT -5
I think Ohtani's thinking is tough to discern. I would think the questions he asked the major league teams to answer would provide the best clue. I believe he did ask what a team was doing to be successful. You might want to watch this interview: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3zoZaZsEu8He concludes the interview by stating that he will play hard and that he feels his career will best be measured by what the fans think of him when he retires. He hopes to inspire fans with his play. |
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rog
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Post by rog on Dec 8, 2017 14:37:47 GMT -5
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Post by klaiggeb on Dec 8, 2017 15:02:32 GMT -5
It was early on in the process, Rog.
No way I still have the link.
But I 'think' it was on NBC Bay Area.
boly
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rog
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Post by rog on Dec 8, 2017 17:31:45 GMT -5
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rog
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Post by rog on Dec 8, 2017 17:40:38 GMT -5
If the Giants get the news on Giancarlo Stanton, either way, by this weekend as they expect, they'll know where they stand and where they might go. If not Stanton, Martinez? McCutchen? They need to go in multiple directions anyway.
Apparently they're looking to shore up the bullpen, which means they should address the bullpen, third base, center field and right field. They have indicated they'll address left field internally, and they might well place Arroyo at third base. That would still leave at least three holes.
If the Giants are successful in landing Stanton, that would reduce the holes to three or two.
One thing concerning Martinez: I am worried about taking on Stanton because of the short opt-out compared to the long commitment. Martinez may try to negotiate an opt-out too, although his contract should be far shorter than Stanton's remaining 10 seasons. And likely for about half the money as well.
I thought the way teams were waiting this off-season, it might signal a stop to the cost of contracts, but while Tyler Chatwood may well be worth the money, his contract was for far more than originally expected.
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Post by klaiggeb on Dec 9, 2017 10:45:21 GMT -5
That's one of the ones I read, Rog, but NOT the one to which I was specifically referring.
But thanks for finding this one.
boly
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Post by klaiggeb on Dec 9, 2017 10:46:03 GMT -5
Martinez can't play defense very well, Rog, which concerns me.
I'd rather have Bruce, to be honest.
boly
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rog
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Post by rog on Dec 9, 2017 22:17:53 GMT -5
I'm getting more and more impressed by Frazier. Unlike Martinez, who would lose a lot of homers to AT&T Park, which coupled with his poor defense as you mention, likely would make him a poor fit. But Frazier pulls his long balls (of which there have been just over 100 the past three seasons) and wouldn't likely be affected much. Go to Fan Graphs, then search for Todd Frazier, then just a little way down go to "Spray Chart."
Mark mentioned Martinez's hitting long balls to right field, where many might hit the Willie Mays Wall, and you brought up his poor fielding. To see just how bad it is, again go to Fan Graphs, then J.D. Martinez, then near the bottom of the page is fielding. Look at Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). In J.D.'s case they're defensive runs lost.
You may remember being concerned about Giancarlo Stanton's fielding. As explained earlier, that wouldn't have been a problem -- but as you point out, J.D.'s truly is.
Here's a thought. Right fielder Kole Calhoun may be expendable from the Angels, now that they have Trout, Upton and Ohtani. He slumped last season, he is a good not great hitter and (more concerning for me) he hits left-handed, and he might be affected by the wall. But he's an above-average fielder with average speed or just above it who might be had on the cheap.
Probably Calhoun isn't the guy, but he's the type the Giants should be looking for -- a player who has become overlooked and thus might come cheaply in terms of players and salary.
One negative I just found about Frazier is that it appears he could well-defensed with some form of an overshift. I'd want to see video of how teams play him and then form a reasonable adaptation of where the outfield might play at AT&T.
My initial enthusiasm for Frazier has waned a bit. I'm still intrigued, but my price ceiling is a little lower. He's projected to go for 3/$33. At that price he's likely OK.
Even if they had gotten BOTH Stanton and Ohtani, I think the Giants would have been boxed in a bit. With Ohtani in the fold, they may well have traded Samardzina, which might have filled one or two holes.
Last season the Giants' outfield and third base were somewhat historically bad. They can pick up wins by merely fortifying these positions with average MLB starting players. It might be more beneficial to address their many needs rather than blowing the budget on one player.
I thought Stanton was too risky, although I would have LOVED to have Ohtani, who likely will become a star pitcher and might become much more. But it's time to move on to Plans B, C and D. The Giants were very aggressive with Stanton and Ohtani, so I expect them to aggressively go after their fallback plans.
With or without Stanton and Ohtani, they were going to need to spend quite a bit of money this off-season.
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