Post by rog on Mar 19, 2019 15:20:11 GMT -5
Mike Trout at 12/$425 is a tremendous signing for the Angels. Yes, at over $35 million per season including years well past his prime, that's a fine deal. Trout is likely going to wind up his career as one of the top 10 players of all time. He's already done enough for the Hall of Fame.
Bryce Harper's 13/$330 works out to about $10 million per season cheaper, but thus far in his career Bryce has been only half the player Trout has. It's possible Bryce's poor fielding last season was influenced by the horrible injury he suffered against the Giants in late 2017, but he wasn't very good in 2016 or 2017 either.
I mentioned when Harper signed that I would gladly go half a billion for Trout. That the Angels signed him for $75 million less makes the deal a steal.
The very best players are still getting their money. But those who are very good to good to middle class are having a much harder time getting paid. Right now the bargains are in the middle class. Which won't make trading the Giants' high-priced, older talent any easier.
The Giants get a break with regard to Joey Bart. By waiting until mid-April of next season to bring him up, they can lock him up through the 2026 season. By the time he could become a free agent, his catcher's body will have taken a beating, meaning he should be able to be retained for less money. Or maybe the Giants wrap him up much earlier.
They waited a little too long on Buster, but they did a fine job with Madison Bumgarner in that regard.
The Giants need their young prospects to be good, and they need to wrap them up early -- ideally with tradeable contracts. I believe the Giants' acquisition and development of players will improve, and I believe their salary management will take a big step forward to accompany it.
The first thing they've got to do a better job of is something the old regime may already have begun with Bart, Heliot Ramos and Marco Luciano -- draft and sign good HITTERS. If they fall a little short in drafting pitchers, they can sign those guys on the free agent market. It's a plus that the Giants' top three prospects are all HITTERS. On the other hand, this winter they seem to have had more luck with acquiring good, young PITCHERS than hitters. But at least the young pitchers may help make it easier to trade some from their group of veteran southpaws. Left-handed pitching is VERY valuable, and the Giants have it.
Bryce Harper's 13/$330 works out to about $10 million per season cheaper, but thus far in his career Bryce has been only half the player Trout has. It's possible Bryce's poor fielding last season was influenced by the horrible injury he suffered against the Giants in late 2017, but he wasn't very good in 2016 or 2017 either.
I mentioned when Harper signed that I would gladly go half a billion for Trout. That the Angels signed him for $75 million less makes the deal a steal.
The very best players are still getting their money. But those who are very good to good to middle class are having a much harder time getting paid. Right now the bargains are in the middle class. Which won't make trading the Giants' high-priced, older talent any easier.
The Giants get a break with regard to Joey Bart. By waiting until mid-April of next season to bring him up, they can lock him up through the 2026 season. By the time he could become a free agent, his catcher's body will have taken a beating, meaning he should be able to be retained for less money. Or maybe the Giants wrap him up much earlier.
They waited a little too long on Buster, but they did a fine job with Madison Bumgarner in that regard.
The Giants need their young prospects to be good, and they need to wrap them up early -- ideally with tradeable contracts. I believe the Giants' acquisition and development of players will improve, and I believe their salary management will take a big step forward to accompany it.
The first thing they've got to do a better job of is something the old regime may already have begun with Bart, Heliot Ramos and Marco Luciano -- draft and sign good HITTERS. If they fall a little short in drafting pitchers, they can sign those guys on the free agent market. It's a plus that the Giants' top three prospects are all HITTERS. On the other hand, this winter they seem to have had more luck with acquiring good, young PITCHERS than hitters. But at least the young pitchers may help make it easier to trade some from their group of veteran southpaws. Left-handed pitching is VERY valuable, and the Giants have it.