Top 11 Best FA signings of the 2017-18 offseason
Jun 7, 2018 23:57:00 GMT -5
Padres GM (Noah), Twins GM (Pat), and 1 more like this
Post by Bravos James on Jun 7, 2018 23:57:00 GMT -5
This is based both on current value and how it seems it will age
11) CF Jon Jay: 1 year $700K St.Louis Cardinals
Starting off the list is one of the more mundane signings of the offseason, a move that seemed like nothing more than a depth signing at the time, Jay has quietly been very productive for Matt's team. The 33 year old outfielder has hit .307 with a .737 OPS, 3 SB, 28 Runs, and 18 RBI. Compared to more pricey depth CF's like Jarrod Dyson (OAK 2 years 1.5M) and Cameron Maybin (MIN 2 years 1.6M) Jay has been a solid consistent contributor for Matt's club and will look to continue his quiet production after being traded from the Royals to the Diamondbacks earlier this week for two pitching prospects.
10) RP Joe Kelly 3 years $1M Los Angeles Dodgers
The hardthrowing right-hander is in the midst of a career year, as he's turned himself into the top holds option for the Boston Red Sox with 11 holds and 2 saves to go along with a 0.95 WHIP in 28 innings. Jake used Kelly's hot start to flip him along with Brad Ziegler and Shane Carle to land rookie starter Caleb Smith. Kelly looks like he'll have a chance to be Boston's closer of the future with Craig Kimbrel's impending free agency and if that's the case Kelly's contract would certainly jump up this list.
9) SP CC Sabathia 1 year $3.5M Washington Nationals
Bryan pulled the massively overpay before anyone makes an offer move on a couple guys this offseason, but the one who's shown the most value so far has been Sabathia. The numbers won't pop off the board, but a 3.59 ERA and 44:15 BB/K Ratio in 57.2 IP will definitely play. Along with great win potential pitching for one of the best lineups in baseball, it seemed like a weird sell low trading him for a struggling Ian Kinsler, but I guess you could point to a 4.73 FIP for regression, but late in his career Sabathia has repeatedly outperformed his FIP, and the other peripherals point to this being legit for Sabathia. He's not the ace he once was, but he's extremely solid as a #4 with big wins potential.
8) C Kurt Suzuki 2 years $1M Baltimore Orioles
Last year the catching combination of Kurt Suzuki and Tyler Flowers combined for over 30 Homers and a .275 average and despite never showing any sign of 20 homer upside before last season, Jeff took a shot on Suzuki being that guy and paired him up with Flowers and Suzuki has lived up to that contract. Seven homers and a .802 OPS is going to be more than enough especially at catcher, to go along with an extremely solid 10:17 BB/K ratio through 169 PA's, Suzuki has been worth more than that contract already this season.
7) RP Jared Hughes 2 years $500K Oakland Athletics
Jared Hughes was signed for substantially less money than Tony Watson, Joe Kelly, Tommy Hunter, Pedro Strop, Addison Reed, Joe Smith, Luke Gregerson, and Andrew Miller and has arguably been better in his role than any of those pitchers. In all likelihood guys like Reed, Strop, and Kelly outperform him by seasons end, but Hughes has more than earned his minimum salary for the next two years. In 29 appearances so far this season Hughes has a 1.08 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP with 24 strikeouts in 32.1 IP, and has picked up 3 saves in instances when closer Raisel Iglesias has been unavailable, with the Reds likely sellers this July, Hughes has a chance to add more value to his contract as either the reds closer if the aforementioned Iglesias gets moved, or as a setup man for a better team to create more holds oppurtunities.
6) SS/2B/3B Asdrubal Cabrera 2 years $6.6M Houston Astros
5) 2B/SS Jed Lowrie 3 years $2.2M Oakland Athletics
These guys are very similar, both are off to great starts, and were underpaid in free agency because they're not flashy, and the whole is consistently much better than the sum of their parts. Lowrie was coming off a season in which he broke the A's single season doubles record and hit for a solid average, but got less money in here than Brandon Phillips, meanwhile Cabrera is off to an even better start, and was coming off the same 15 HR 60 R/RBI .280 season he's had since 2010. These guys are the definition of set it and forget it guys, with Lowrie being slightly above purely because he's making 1/3rd of the money per year Cabrera is.
4) CL Brandon Morrow 5 years $4.9M Cleveland Indians
Psych's FA moves have quietly paid off, turning Jaime Garcia into a catcher with potential in Max Stassi. Bartolo Colon has been solid in his role. Tommy Hunter has picked up some holds in Philly's bullpen, but this one has been by far the best. After a failed start to his career as a starter, Morrow has turned himself into one of the best relievers in baseball, and has continued that in his first year of closing games with the Cubs going 14/15 in S/O and delivering great ratios with a 1.74 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. It makes tons of sense for Psych to deal the 33 year old closer, but with the current pricetag on Morrow, he may just keep him and enjoy stealing some cats with one of the best closers in baseball.
3) C Yasmani Grandal 4 years $4.5M San Diego Padres
There was concern about Austin Barnes taking away at bats from the 29 year old catcher, but Grandal has done a good job putting those to rest with a .804 OPS and 61 R/RBI in 58 games which is just great production from the fantasy wasteland known as catcher. Him getting less money than Jonathan Lucroy made no sense at the time and makes even less now. Grandal has a chance to add more value to that contract this offseason with him impending free agency.
2) RF JD Martinez 5 years $17M Houston Astros Sign & Trade to the San Francisco Giants
It's hard to be a value at 17M, but Martinez is one of the top ten hitters in baseball and has legitimate fifty homer potential and hits in one of the best lineups in baseball. He got less money than Andrew Miller and Mike Moustakas.
1) CF Lorenzo Cain 5 years $7.6M Arizona Diamondbacks
A true seven category contributor. Cain was a bargain while everyone was focused on the JD Martinez bidding, Hemmons stole one of the best outfielders in baseball. Cain is currently on a 18-30 pace with a .282 AVG and a .821 OPS. Over the course of their deals Cain will make close to $50M less than JD, which was a good value in itself. Cain is a steady presence in a very good lineup and will find himself there for the next five years in real life and in here for Hemmons' Diamondbacks.
HM: Manny Machado, Devin Mesoraco, Yonder Alonso, Bartolo Colon, Jaime Garcia, Mike Fiers
11) CF Jon Jay: 1 year $700K St.Louis Cardinals
Starting off the list is one of the more mundane signings of the offseason, a move that seemed like nothing more than a depth signing at the time, Jay has quietly been very productive for Matt's team. The 33 year old outfielder has hit .307 with a .737 OPS, 3 SB, 28 Runs, and 18 RBI. Compared to more pricey depth CF's like Jarrod Dyson (OAK 2 years 1.5M) and Cameron Maybin (MIN 2 years 1.6M) Jay has been a solid consistent contributor for Matt's club and will look to continue his quiet production after being traded from the Royals to the Diamondbacks earlier this week for two pitching prospects.
10) RP Joe Kelly 3 years $1M Los Angeles Dodgers
The hardthrowing right-hander is in the midst of a career year, as he's turned himself into the top holds option for the Boston Red Sox with 11 holds and 2 saves to go along with a 0.95 WHIP in 28 innings. Jake used Kelly's hot start to flip him along with Brad Ziegler and Shane Carle to land rookie starter Caleb Smith. Kelly looks like he'll have a chance to be Boston's closer of the future with Craig Kimbrel's impending free agency and if that's the case Kelly's contract would certainly jump up this list.
9) SP CC Sabathia 1 year $3.5M Washington Nationals
Bryan pulled the massively overpay before anyone makes an offer move on a couple guys this offseason, but the one who's shown the most value so far has been Sabathia. The numbers won't pop off the board, but a 3.59 ERA and 44:15 BB/K Ratio in 57.2 IP will definitely play. Along with great win potential pitching for one of the best lineups in baseball, it seemed like a weird sell low trading him for a struggling Ian Kinsler, but I guess you could point to a 4.73 FIP for regression, but late in his career Sabathia has repeatedly outperformed his FIP, and the other peripherals point to this being legit for Sabathia. He's not the ace he once was, but he's extremely solid as a #4 with big wins potential.
8) C Kurt Suzuki 2 years $1M Baltimore Orioles
Last year the catching combination of Kurt Suzuki and Tyler Flowers combined for over 30 Homers and a .275 average and despite never showing any sign of 20 homer upside before last season, Jeff took a shot on Suzuki being that guy and paired him up with Flowers and Suzuki has lived up to that contract. Seven homers and a .802 OPS is going to be more than enough especially at catcher, to go along with an extremely solid 10:17 BB/K ratio through 169 PA's, Suzuki has been worth more than that contract already this season.
7) RP Jared Hughes 2 years $500K Oakland Athletics
Jared Hughes was signed for substantially less money than Tony Watson, Joe Kelly, Tommy Hunter, Pedro Strop, Addison Reed, Joe Smith, Luke Gregerson, and Andrew Miller and has arguably been better in his role than any of those pitchers. In all likelihood guys like Reed, Strop, and Kelly outperform him by seasons end, but Hughes has more than earned his minimum salary for the next two years. In 29 appearances so far this season Hughes has a 1.08 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP with 24 strikeouts in 32.1 IP, and has picked up 3 saves in instances when closer Raisel Iglesias has been unavailable, with the Reds likely sellers this July, Hughes has a chance to add more value to his contract as either the reds closer if the aforementioned Iglesias gets moved, or as a setup man for a better team to create more holds oppurtunities.
6) SS/2B/3B Asdrubal Cabrera 2 years $6.6M Houston Astros
5) 2B/SS Jed Lowrie 3 years $2.2M Oakland Athletics
These guys are very similar, both are off to great starts, and were underpaid in free agency because they're not flashy, and the whole is consistently much better than the sum of their parts. Lowrie was coming off a season in which he broke the A's single season doubles record and hit for a solid average, but got less money in here than Brandon Phillips, meanwhile Cabrera is off to an even better start, and was coming off the same 15 HR 60 R/RBI .280 season he's had since 2010. These guys are the definition of set it and forget it guys, with Lowrie being slightly above purely because he's making 1/3rd of the money per year Cabrera is.
4) CL Brandon Morrow 5 years $4.9M Cleveland Indians
Psych's FA moves have quietly paid off, turning Jaime Garcia into a catcher with potential in Max Stassi. Bartolo Colon has been solid in his role. Tommy Hunter has picked up some holds in Philly's bullpen, but this one has been by far the best. After a failed start to his career as a starter, Morrow has turned himself into one of the best relievers in baseball, and has continued that in his first year of closing games with the Cubs going 14/15 in S/O and delivering great ratios with a 1.74 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. It makes tons of sense for Psych to deal the 33 year old closer, but with the current pricetag on Morrow, he may just keep him and enjoy stealing some cats with one of the best closers in baseball.
3) C Yasmani Grandal 4 years $4.5M San Diego Padres
There was concern about Austin Barnes taking away at bats from the 29 year old catcher, but Grandal has done a good job putting those to rest with a .804 OPS and 61 R/RBI in 58 games which is just great production from the fantasy wasteland known as catcher. Him getting less money than Jonathan Lucroy made no sense at the time and makes even less now. Grandal has a chance to add more value to that contract this offseason with him impending free agency.
2) RF JD Martinez 5 years $17M Houston Astros Sign & Trade to the San Francisco Giants
It's hard to be a value at 17M, but Martinez is one of the top ten hitters in baseball and has legitimate fifty homer potential and hits in one of the best lineups in baseball. He got less money than Andrew Miller and Mike Moustakas.
1) CF Lorenzo Cain 5 years $7.6M Arizona Diamondbacks
A true seven category contributor. Cain was a bargain while everyone was focused on the JD Martinez bidding, Hemmons stole one of the best outfielders in baseball. Cain is currently on a 18-30 pace with a .282 AVG and a .821 OPS. Over the course of their deals Cain will make close to $50M less than JD, which was a good value in itself. Cain is a steady presence in a very good lineup and will find himself there for the next five years in real life and in here for Hemmons' Diamondbacks.
HM: Manny Machado, Devin Mesoraco, Yonder Alonso, Bartolo Colon, Jaime Garcia, Mike Fiers