Free Agency In Review (Pt.1 Hitters)
Dec 18, 2018 19:27:45 GMT -5
Tigers GM (Alex), Astros GM (Max), and 6 more like this
Post by Bravos James on Dec 18, 2018 19:27:45 GMT -5
The best time of the year. I love free agency. I like free agency more than the actual season, because that was I can criticize better teams than me and not have to hear about roto standings or some dumb shit. Last free agency I did this and some people got really mad at me. I am not always right nor will I argue I am close to that, but last season I was on the nose on some things, giving Wieters a D, Lawrie, Lucroy, Tulo F's, Diaz A+, and very wrong on some things, Giving Ianetta an A, LoMo a B+, Galvis A-, mainly its just content for people to argue about.
CATCHERS:
Welington Castillo Signed 2 years 4.5 Mil per year by Philly
I don't hate this. A short term deal for a pretty solid bat especially at catcher. Sorta a poor man's Yadier Molina when healthy. The James McCann signing scares me a little and he wasn't good at all post PED suspension, but if he plays 110-120 games and does what he normally does he's an above average catcher.
Grade: B-
Mike Zunino Signed 5 years 7.0 Mil per year by Colorado
Were going into year seven of the Mike Zunino experience and he's had precisely one season of being a viable fantasy catcher and he carried a fairly high Babip throughout that season. The optimistic standpoint was hoping that he had improved his vision with 39 walks in 435 Plate appearances in his 2017 season, however he followed this up with 24 walks in 405 Plate appearances last season. Maybe an improved ballpark and lineup upgrade helps him a little and he's closer to a .225/.310/.430 slash with 25 HR's, but that is in the most optimal viewpoint of his results and I think at that point he's closer to being worth what Castillo got over two years compared to what he got over 5.
Grade: D-
Martin Maldonado Signed 2 years 2.0 Mil per year by Colorado
A real life free agent that I don't really see getting a starting job. I don't hate it as a depth signing, but like I don't see the outcome where this turns into something that is really useful. Maybe it's similar to Nick Hundley last year where the incumbent catcher gets hurt and the backup gets a good amount of playing time and is useful, but were talking about a guy with a career .639 OPS, but at just 2 Mil a year its not gonna kill him
Grade: D+
Yan Gomes Signed 3 years 4.4 Mil per year by Texas
Similar to the Castillo one I don't hate it by any means. Gomes is an average catcher and an average catcher is probably worth more than I'd be willing to pay. I think he's likely on the strong side of a platoon with Kurt Suzuki in Washington and is an extremely moveable contract in the season. For what its worth I don't see any argument that says Mike Zunino should be worth two more years and 2.6 More mil per year than Gomes, but that's just me.
Grade: B
Tyler Flowers signed 5 years 1.8 Mil per year by San Fran traded to CWS for Kahnle and Miller
He was very bad last year, however I think his glove keeps him in the lineup as he's one of the elite pitch framers in baseball. In his three seasons in Atlanta his average season has been 88 games 9 HR 40 RBI .260/.360/.411. I think he plays more game because his platoon partner turns from a very good hitter in Kurt Suzuki to a in my opinion cooked Brian McCann and I really like this contract for Michael. However five years is a lot of years for a 32 year old and there's always the chance he just fell off a cliff because he's old for a Cather, but at such a small price it's a fine risk.
Grade: A
Brian McCann signed 2 years 2.4 Mil per year by Los Angeles Angels
I think this is a lot for a backup catcher who seemed pretty much completely cooked last season, but there's always the chance that he rebounds from a rough year last season and Flowers continues his regression and McCann plays 105 games with like 20 HR's and a .750's OPS which would lead this to ending up being a fine contract. Still would've preferred less money, but I definitely understand the upside.
Grade: C+
Yadier Molina signed 2 year 13.5 Mil per year by Minnesota
Basically, I hate the value. I don't think he's worth that much more than any of the other catchers on the market. However, as a final piece to the lineup I love the aggression. Yadi is really good and even if in a vacuum I think that's way too much, it's hard to argue that Yadi is a top 8 catcher in here entering next year and he's only gotten better with age. This grade is pretty much entirely reliant on Patty's pitching staff being good enough to that the 14.5 he could have used on that is inconsequential, which is entirely possible with the moves he's made like the Kyle Hendricks one, in which he gave up nothing of value for a solid #2 SP.
Grade: B-
FIRST BASEMEN:
Logan Morrison signed 2 years 1 Mil per year by Pittsburgh
Sure, why not. I don't see anyway he gets a starting job in the open market after last years debacle of a season that he had in Minnesota, but there was no reason to see it coming when he hit 38 Homers had 85 Rbi's and a .246/.353/.516 slash line just two years ago in his breakout season in Tampa Bay. There's a definite nonzero chance he has a season similar to Matt Adams' a season ago where he entered the season as a clear backup, but thanks to injury and a hot stretch he turns into a fantasy starter
Grade: A-
Adrian Gonzalez signed 1 year 500K by Minnesota
I'm like 99% sure he's entirely washed and would be very surprised to see him getting an MLB contract at this stage in his career, but it's a minimum deal so at it's worst its a 250K very VERY low probablity lottery ticket
Grade: D
Steve Pearce signed 3 years 1.6 Million per year by Toronto
He won't play everyday, but when he plays you can put him in your lineup and he'll be a top 15-ish 1B against lefties. In that lineup this could end up being one of the better values of the offseason.
Grade: A
Jose Abreu signed 5 years 11.5 Million per year by San Diego
I really like this contract. I believe last seasons "struggles" (which is weird to say for a guy with a .798 OPS and 22 HRs in 128 games) had a lot more to do with injuries than skill decline. He rakes and you can pencil him in for a high average and somewhere around 27 HRs 95 RBIs and a solid to very good slash line. Only possible qualm is that maybe by year 4 and 5 age catches up to him as those will be his age 35 and 36 seasons, but for a guy as consistent as they come I like the signing
Grade: A
Miguel Cabrera signed 3 years 5.3 Million per year by Philly
This one has huge upside. Even though he played just 38 games last season, he showed the ability to still be a very good hitter in that limited sample with a .843 OPS. and had 22 Walks to 27 Strikeouts. if he stays healthy this contract ends up a huge value. However he's missed at least 30 games three of the last four years, so the health factor is unlikely to come through completely. With that being said, taking a shot on one of the best hitters of this generation isn't an awful call.
Grade: B-
Matt Adams sign 3 years 2.5 Million per year by Detroit
This feels like a perfectly fine contract. He's worse than Steve Pearce who got just as many years and less money per year, but with Adams resigning in Washington he should get some chances to start with Ryan Zimmermann not exactly being a pillar of health at this point in his career. If he does what he does pre-trade last year in Washington then Alex is getting some good value in the first year of this deal.
Grade: B
Brandon Belt signed 5 years 4 Million per year by Oakland
Brandon Belt is going into his age 31 season, coming off the worst season in his career in which he missed at least more than 25 games for the fourth time in his last five seasons. He was also not good when healthy last season supplying 14 home runs with 46 RBI's and a mediocre .253/.342/.414 slash line. Not that this contract necessarily pays him to do so, but I'm not sure what Belt is going to exactly excel as. Also worth noting is last season he was close to unusable against lefties. In 157 PA's he had 2 HR and a .221/.312/.316 slash line with 15 BB's to 37 strikeouts. Not that Belt is awful, but it's hard to see a way for Paul to extract value out of this contract
Grade: D
SECOND BASEMEN:
Jonathan Villar signed 5 years 7.9 Million per year by Cubs
Villar is getting this contract based on his second half with Baltimore, which is fine, but I think that we could be looking at a similar overvalue for a good second half of baseball based on luck similar to Tim Beckham entering last season. There's a notion that Villar is going to be this huge upside guy with a chance to steal a ton of bases and be a 20-60 guy, which again is entirely possible. However, the problem with that is that if you're gambling on him getting a ton of steals he's going to have to get on base a lot, and for a guy that has a career .325 OBP, that seems like a risky bet. Also let's say that he continues his hot start to his Orioles career, at that point he would be an absolute lock to be moved from the rebuilding Orioles, and at that point his stolen base upside goes down if he's playing for a contender. Just seems like a ton of risk for a guy that has about a season and a half of which he's shown this kind of value in his career.
Grade: F
Neil Walker signed 2 years 1.3 Million per year by Baltimore
I like this deal a lot. Walker really struggled early on last season in New York after basically not having a spring training, but in the second half he was the same Neil Walker he always is with a 400 PA pace of 17 HR 60 RBI .247/.346/.442. Out of the utility infielder class of himself, Josh Harrison, Ian Kinsler, Jedd Gyorko class of production on limited plate appearances Walker's has the best chance of significantly outplaying his value.
Grade: B+
Howie Kendrick Signed 5 years 900K per year by Houston
I sorta like this strategy for teams limited in their cap to go more years on a cheaper contract, even though you know by about year 3 of that contract you're gonna have to waive it because the 450K you're gonna eat isn't gonna kill you. However, I sorta wanna give this a INC because if they sign a second basemen this is probably too much for a pinch hitter coming off one of the worst injuries possible in a torn achilles. However, if they elect to go into the season with a Difo/Kendrick platoon at 2B and you can get a guaranteed 375 PA's with a really good slash line and fine counting numbers than it's an A. I'll go in the middle for now, but I like this use out of Elijah's cap.
Grade: B-
Josh Harrison Signed 3 years 3.8 Million per year by Baltimore
Last season Josh Harrison was legitimately a zero category contributor. In 374 plate appearances he had 8 HR's 37 RBI's 18/68 BB/K .250/.293/.363 slash line and went 3/3 on steals. Where is that helping you. His plate approach has always been below average at best and now he's on the open market going into his age 31 season coming off the worst season of his career. He could turn around, but turning around for a guy who's had better than a .717 OPS once in his last four seasons seems like a low upside play to me.
Grade: F
Brian Dozier Signed 3 years 7.5 Million per year by Colorado
I can see the vision on this one. A career second half player had the worst season of his career, but even in what was an inarguably awful year for Dozier he still had 21 Homeruns 72 RBI 81 Runs and 12 steals. If Dozier can return to his 2013-2017 form than this contract is great and a huge value if Steve were to flip it in a rebuilding year. A lot of Doziers struggles came against lefties, in which he posted a .209 batting average, which wasn't far off from his season long .215 batting average, but just a .313 Slugging compared to a .423 clip against righties. In his career he has a .850 OPS against lefties compared to a .739 OPS against righties, so I think that could be random small sample noise. Overall, I think last year was likely just a bad/unlucky year and Dozier returns to being the very good second basemen he normally is. I also think that where he gets signed is really important, but not so much so as too turn this from a good signing to a bad one.
Grade: B+
Scooter Gennett signed 5 years 13 Million per year by Detroit
One of the most random breakouts of the last two seasons, after being DFA'd in 2016 as a middling bench second basemen by Milwaukee, Gennett has saved his career and been one of the best second basemen in fantasy the last two seasons in Cincinnati. In his two seasons in Cincinnati he's averaged 25 HR's 94 RBI's with a .303/.351/.508 slash. There's not much other than a high babip that says this has been luck based, and the high babip is in correlation with elite hard hit and line drive rates. The only worry I have about this deal is that Gennetts power fades if he signs somewhere other than Cincinnati next offseason, but even then he still seems like a healthy bet to have a great slash line and continue to be one of the best second basemen in here.
Grade: A-
Ian Kinsler signed 2 years 3 Million per year by Tampa Bay
I didn't like this one at the time. I expected Kinsler to sign somewhere as a utility infielder and maybe have 300 PA's, but after this deal in here was done Kinsler signed a 1 year deal in San Diego, which has a clear hole at third base where Kinsler is likely to fill. Kinsler definitely struggled mightily last year, but With the multi eligibility Kinsler will have, and the fact that Kinsler is still a fine bet to go 20 HRs 15 SB with an average slash line, this deal makes perfect sense to me.
Grade: B+
SHORTSTOPS:
Didi Gregorious signed 5 years 20 Million per year by Tampa Bay
I know this year doesn't really matter for Forbz, but Didi is gonna miss half of this season so that is a strike against giving him 20 million. Along with that Didi has had one season in his career where he's been close to this kinda value, and that was last season in which out of Yankee Stadium he had just 8 of his 27 home runs and a .700 OPS. Considering that after this season Didi is going to be a free agent this deal has worst contract in here potential if Didi doesn't resign in New York. Maybe he can flip it to one of the Yankee homers in here midseason, but I don't see anyway that Didi plays up to this.
Grade: F
Troy Tulowitzki signed 2 years 2.1 Million per year by Cleveland
Why not? He's shown no ability to stay healthy in his last couple seasons, playing just 66 games the last two seasons. His last season in which he was healthy, he was quite useful with 24 HR's 79 RBI's and a .254/.318/.443 slash line. I don't think its crazy to think somebody desperate signs him to a deal in which he's a starting shortstop next season and can put up something resembling his 2016 numbers. His most likely outcome is he gets hurt again or ends up in a bench role, but as an upside play for Psychs casino team it makes total sense. It also makes sense for Psych as he adds to his team that looks like its absolutely dominant if we were in 2016 with names like Tulo, Martin Prado, Jay Bruce, Yasmany Tomas, Jung-Ho Kang, and Evan Gattis.
Grade: B
Jordy Mercer signed 1 year 1 million per year by Colorado
I mean this is basically what I said about Josh Harrison except magnified with none of the upside. I can't imagine a single scenario where it's July and Jordy Mercer is a hot commodity in a trade. It's 1 million on 1 year so I can't say it's the worst deal of the offseason, but it's pretty much throwing 1 million away for a glove first bench player.
Grade: F
THIRD BASEMEN
Anthony Rendon signed 5 years 24.5 million per year by Seattle
I think this contract makes sense if Dave believes Rendon can be the final piece to a championship contender. There's no arguing Rendon is a very good baseball player, he brings great production in six of the seven categories and is one of the more consistent players in baseball. In my opinion I think Dave still has very glaring holes at catcher, left field, right field, and in the bullpen, and would have been better off going for a cheaper option at third base and trying to improve at those positions, which he still can with over nine million in cap for the second half of free agency. I just struggle to see how Rendon helps his team as much as he needs too in the immediate future for this deal to make sense.
Grade: D+
Nolan Arenado signed 5 years 29.6 million per year by Pittsburgh signed and traded to St. Louis
I thought the return for Arenado was fairly light in the sign and trade, but for Matt's team he gets the rare big name contract that can play at a value return. Arenado has been one of the best hitters in baseball over the past couple seasons and with another guaranteed season in Colorado he's sure to return massive numbers at the very least for 2019. I do worry about a player that's going to hit the open market with a career 28 HR 88 RBI .263/.318/.469 650 plate appearance pace on the road in his career, but at that point Arenado is a good enough hitter I think he could change his approach to improve those non-coors splits.
Grade: B+
Derek Dietrich signed 3 years 1.5 Million per year by Pittsburgh
Dietrich is another one of the Neil Walker/Ian Kinsler type of player that if they get a lot of plate appearances they'll outplay their contracts and if they end up in bench roles they won't. He's pretty underrated as a pure hitter coming off a season with 16 HRs 45 RBIs and .265/.330/.421 slash line. His plate approach stinks with a 29/140 BB/K last season, and his real life value is likely pretty low considering Miami was forced to non-tender him after not being able to get a return for him in prospects. In the right situation he's a useful player with LF/1B eligibility which is helpful.
Grade: C+
Jedd Gyorko signed 3 years 6 Million per year by Colorado
Gyorko and Dietrich are basically the Spiderman meme where they're pointing at each other, because they're the exact same player. This is each's average season in years they've played at least 100 games
Gyorko: 18 HR 57 RBI 49 Runs 2 SB .247/.311/.427 37/101 BB/K
Dietrich: 12 HR 47 RBI 56 Runs 1 SB .264/.344/.423 32/107 BB/K
The only possible substantial advantage you could give Gyorko is that he's on a team right now, but considering that he's behind Carpenter and Goldschmidt in the corner spots and he was dreadful as a middle infielder last season this contract makes no sense to me.
Grade: F
Cheslor Cuthbert signed 2 years 500K per year by Detroit
He's been awful the last two years, but there's upside he gets playing time for an awful team and has a season similar to 2016 where he was sorta useful. Like going two years instead of one because if he turns into a useful player that extra control for a guy who's only going into his age 26 season could be pretty valuable. Again, he probably sucks, but not really any downside.
Grade: B+
Pablo Sandoval signed 2 years 500K per year by Houston
in 252 Plate appearances last season, Sandoval was surprisingly useful. 9 HR's 40 RBI's and a .248/.310/.417 with 3B/1B eligibility is definitely worth the minimum. Could turn into a pretty huge value if San Francisco puts him in a platoon at third where he can just rake against right handed pitchers as last season his platoon splits were pretty substantive with a .280/.342/.474 slash in 193 PA's against RHP compared to just .145/.203/.236 against LHP. If there's a week period where San Fran plays 7 righties, Sandoval is very likely to be a strong play at first or third base. At the minimum for two years that's exceedingly valuable.
Grade: A+
Wil Myers signed 5 years 10 Million per year by Detroit
There's really nothing for me to say about this other than if he's healthy this is a good contract and if he isn't it isn't. In 2016 and 2017 he was able to stay healthy and averaged a 29 HRs 84 RBI 90 Runs .251/.332/.462 24 SB. That's a really useful unique player as their aren't many guys that can give you that kinda steals upside without killing you in other categories. The problem is Myers has played more than 88 games just twice in his six year career. The 3B/LF eligibility is nice and when he plays he's a really good player, he just has to stay healthy.
Grade: B-
OUTFIELDERS:
Bryce Harper 5 years 41 Million per year by Mets
I don't really get the hate on this one. Harper was very unlucky to have the slash he had last year. He's multi eligible at RF and CF and is one of the elite hitters in baseball. Obviously 41 Million is a lot, but Jack has done a great job creating cap and although Kory is on the comeup, Harper and Bregman leading Jack's lineup is going to be hard to beat and keeps him as the favorite in the NL East. The defending champ made an aggressive move to go for the repeat. I also did not understand why Noah gave up so many assets for cap and then didn't go all in for Harper, considering the need he has for another outfielder.
Grade: A
Aaron Hicks signed 5 years 9.9 Million per year by San Diego
Hicks broke out in 2018. After never hitting more than 15 home runs in a season, he hit 27 to go with 79 RBIs 11 SBs and a .248/.366/.467 slash line. Another Yankee who gets a big contract that will be a real life free agent next season, his home/road splits are less scary than Didi's. I sorta believe he's the player he was in 2018, but five years for a guy going into his age 29 season with one career good season is a bit scary. Even in his breakout last season I'm not sure Hicks was worth 9.9 million so this is a bit too much for me. Although it's entirely possible he improves on these numbers.
Grade: C-
Carlos Gomez signed 2 years 500K per year by Dodgers
Gomez was actually pretty solid in 2017, but fell off a cliff last year and is now hoping for a 4th outfielder gig somewhere. The power and speed isn't where it once is, but maybe there's a Sunday where you need a stolen base and Gomez can come through.
Grade: C
Yasiel Puig signed 5 years 12 Million per year by San Diego
This feels like a lot for a big name who hasn't been worth anywhere close to 12 Mil per year since 2014. He's an average hitter with some steals upside, but the best season in his career saw him hit 28 HR's 74 RBI 72 Runs 263/.346/.487 with 15 steals. Is that really a 12 million dollar a year player. He doesn't play everyday in LA, and maybe a change of scenery turns him into a more consistent player, but I don't really understand max years and 12 Mil a year for a slightly above average outfielder with singular eligibility in RF.
Grade: D
Andrew Mccutchen signed 5 years 7.5 Million per year by Dodgers
I don't understand the logic behind Mccutchen getting less money than Hicks or Puig. He's a bit older going into his age 32 season, but was still a fine option last year and most importantly going to move from one of the worst hitters ballparks in baseball to one of the best. Maybe the 4th and 5th years of this deal will be rough, but considering he's going to perform at a value if he stays healthy for the first three years of this contract makes this one of my favorites of the bigger name contracts.
Grade: A-
Kole Calhoun signed 3 years 4.7 Million per year by Oakland
Am I missing something or was Kole Calhoun one of the worst hitters in all of baseball last season. I get he had a hot month in the middle of the season to save him from being useless, but like were talking about someone who had a .620 OPS in the first half and a .685 OPS in the second half. I guess he could be an average HR, runs, and RBI contributor with the best player in baseball hitting behind him, but if that's all you're getting I don't really understand what you're going for with a contract like this.
Grade: D
Nick Markakis signed 4 years 3 Million per year by Cleveland
In what world should Kole Calhoun be getting 1.7 million more per year than Markakis. Even if you want to consider Markakis's 2018 an anomaly, from 2014-2017 he's been a 10 HR 67 RBI .279/.353/.386 hitter. His plate approach isn't one that would lead towards a steep immediate decline and I guarantee Psych is gonna get a nice return for Markakis at some point this season when somebody needs a corner outfield replacement.
Grade: B+
Hunter Pence signed 2 years 600K per year by Baltimore
Hunter Pence was washed a couple years ago and is now a real life free agent that would be lucky to make a MLB roster. Don't really understand this one at all and what the need was to make it multi year.
Grade: F
Curtis Granderson signed 1 year 500K per year by Washington
I didn't realize, Granderson was legitimately a good player last season. 13 HRs 38 RBI with a .242/.351/.431 slash line is completely fine. He's another real life free agent looking to latch on somewhere as a rotational outfielder, but compared to guys like Gomez or Pence I think there's a much higher chance Granderson actually finds some value in that role.
Grade: A
Adam Jones signed 2 years 7 million per year by Texas
I do not think an MLB team will give Jones a starting job entering 2019. He's a pretty huge negative in the field at this point in his career and his power has significantly diminished as he's gotten older. His plate approach still isn't great with just 24 walks in 613 plate appearances last season. He's multi eligible in RF and CF which is a bit useful, and maybe he can still be a .275 hitter with a .750 OPS and 15 HR, but I don't think that's worth 7 Million a season.
Grade: D-
Leonys Martin signed 3 years 4.5 Million per year by Oakland
I mean Martin had his first useful season of his career last season. He showed himself to be more of a power speed threat than previously in his career with 11 homers and 7 stolen bases in 353 plate appearances, but I don't know like he's probably Clevelands starting center fielder and if he plays better than he did last year then he can get close to approaching being worth this contract, but yeah I'm struggling to find a good thing to say about this contract.
Grade: D
Jon Jay signed 5 years 500K per year by San Francisco
Yeah I mean I thought he was CF eligible and he isn't and that makes this signing stupid on my part. I guess he could be a source of empty batting average and in his time with Kansas City he was useful last year he was fine with a .307/.363/.374 slash, but this is too many years for a 4th outfielder with singular eligiblity
Grade: D
Juan Lagares signed 2 years 500K per year by San Francisco
His glove should keep him in the Mets lineup and if he stays healthy he should be a fine source of occasional steals with the upside of continuing the improvements he showed last year with the bat, but that was just a 30 game sample and was probably more of an anomaly
Grade: C
Michael Brantley signed 4 years 9.4 Million per year by Toronto
This would have been a higher number if it was known he would end up in Houstons loaded lineup. When Brantley stays healthy he rakes, coming off a season where he was truly a seven category contributor, this contract has almost no downside if Brantley stays healthy. However, before last season Brantley has missed a combined 258 games the previous three seasons. Coming off a season in which he was pretty much healthy all season, this contract makes a ton of sense for Sanders team.
Grade: B+
Denard Span signed 5 years 700K per year by Washington
Span is very average at everything, using our player rater he finished right between Joc Pederson and Kike Hernandez last season. He is perfectly competent and as a bat that will likely be flipped by Washingtons rebuilding team, this deal makes sense to me. Definitely would've aimed for less years, but its still a moveable contract.
Grade: C+
Marcell Ozuna signed 5 years 18 Million per year by Colorado
Ozuna is another one of these guys that got a big contract, despite having a large sample of a career, and having one or two seasons being worth this kinda money. Ozuna is still fairly young going into just his age 28 season, so for a guy who's last three seasons has averaged 28 HRs 96 RBIs and a .287/.342/.479 slash there's still a possibility he gets better. Maybe I'm just overrating the importance of 18 million dollars, but if I'm a team like Colorado I think I'd rather go for a guy like Mccutchen and save that amount of cap for literally any semblance of a pitching staff, but there is some upside that Ozuna just goes back to the 2017 version of himself.
Grade: C-
Brett Gardner signed 1 year 2.8 Million per year by Detroit
In an offseason filled with slightly above average players getting incredibly overpaid, I was surprised Alex was able to get Gardner at this price. Although his slash line was bad last year, that may have to do with a career low .272 babip more than a major skill diminishment. He should provide a solid floor as a steals option and when he's in the Yankees lineup with Judge and Stanton he provides a good chance for runs/rbi depending on where he is in the order. Getting him at this price on a 1 year deal is a great move.
Grade: A+
Corey Dickerson signed 3 years 8 Million per year by Oakland traded to Chicago
Corey Dickerson is just a really good MLB hitter. He doesn't excel at any one category other than batting average, but compared to guys like Hicks and Puig, Dickerson is probably the best hitter. Getting him on less money and less years is a really solid move. I don't get Paul trading him to Mike for to 4ths, a 5th, and a 7th, but I still think it's a really good contract for one of the more underrated hitters in baseball.
Grade: A
Robbie Grossman signed 2 years 700K per year by Baltimore
He's a fine source of an average slash line. He needs to get a job somewhere after being non-tendered by Minnesota, but being LF/RF eligible is pretty useful.
Grade: B
Rajai Davis signed 1 year 700K per year by Seattle
Maybe there's a Sunday where Dave needs a steal and Davis comes through with one and he gets a category. He's awful as a hitter, but had 21 steals in just 216 plate appearances last year.
Grade: C
DESIGNATED HITTERS:
Victor Martinez signed 1 year 500K by Miami
He retired.
Grade: F
Evan Gattis signed 3 years 2 Million per year by Cleveland
This is such a good signing. If he signs in the AL and gets an everyday DH job then he's a plug and play at Greg's UTIL spot as a power reliant DH. The average, OBP, and steals are gonna be rough, but he's going to be above average everywhere else. This is another really smart free agent signing by Greg that's gonna result in him getting assets for Gattis midseason.
Grade: A+
Kendrys Morales signed 1 year 1.5 Million per year by Baltimore
Another rebuilder signing someone cheap with upside to move him midseason. Morales struggled out the gate last season, but rebounded and had a perfectly fine 21 home runs with a .769 OPS.
Grade: B
CATCHERS:
Welington Castillo Signed 2 years 4.5 Mil per year by Philly
I don't hate this. A short term deal for a pretty solid bat especially at catcher. Sorta a poor man's Yadier Molina when healthy. The James McCann signing scares me a little and he wasn't good at all post PED suspension, but if he plays 110-120 games and does what he normally does he's an above average catcher.
Grade: B-
Mike Zunino Signed 5 years 7.0 Mil per year by Colorado
Were going into year seven of the Mike Zunino experience and he's had precisely one season of being a viable fantasy catcher and he carried a fairly high Babip throughout that season. The optimistic standpoint was hoping that he had improved his vision with 39 walks in 435 Plate appearances in his 2017 season, however he followed this up with 24 walks in 405 Plate appearances last season. Maybe an improved ballpark and lineup upgrade helps him a little and he's closer to a .225/.310/.430 slash with 25 HR's, but that is in the most optimal viewpoint of his results and I think at that point he's closer to being worth what Castillo got over two years compared to what he got over 5.
Grade: D-
Martin Maldonado Signed 2 years 2.0 Mil per year by Colorado
A real life free agent that I don't really see getting a starting job. I don't hate it as a depth signing, but like I don't see the outcome where this turns into something that is really useful. Maybe it's similar to Nick Hundley last year where the incumbent catcher gets hurt and the backup gets a good amount of playing time and is useful, but were talking about a guy with a career .639 OPS, but at just 2 Mil a year its not gonna kill him
Grade: D+
Yan Gomes Signed 3 years 4.4 Mil per year by Texas
Similar to the Castillo one I don't hate it by any means. Gomes is an average catcher and an average catcher is probably worth more than I'd be willing to pay. I think he's likely on the strong side of a platoon with Kurt Suzuki in Washington and is an extremely moveable contract in the season. For what its worth I don't see any argument that says Mike Zunino should be worth two more years and 2.6 More mil per year than Gomes, but that's just me.
Grade: B
Tyler Flowers signed 5 years 1.8 Mil per year by San Fran traded to CWS for Kahnle and Miller
He was very bad last year, however I think his glove keeps him in the lineup as he's one of the elite pitch framers in baseball. In his three seasons in Atlanta his average season has been 88 games 9 HR 40 RBI .260/.360/.411. I think he plays more game because his platoon partner turns from a very good hitter in Kurt Suzuki to a in my opinion cooked Brian McCann and I really like this contract for Michael. However five years is a lot of years for a 32 year old and there's always the chance he just fell off a cliff because he's old for a Cather, but at such a small price it's a fine risk.
Grade: A
Brian McCann signed 2 years 2.4 Mil per year by Los Angeles Angels
I think this is a lot for a backup catcher who seemed pretty much completely cooked last season, but there's always the chance that he rebounds from a rough year last season and Flowers continues his regression and McCann plays 105 games with like 20 HR's and a .750's OPS which would lead this to ending up being a fine contract. Still would've preferred less money, but I definitely understand the upside.
Grade: C+
Yadier Molina signed 2 year 13.5 Mil per year by Minnesota
Basically, I hate the value. I don't think he's worth that much more than any of the other catchers on the market. However, as a final piece to the lineup I love the aggression. Yadi is really good and even if in a vacuum I think that's way too much, it's hard to argue that Yadi is a top 8 catcher in here entering next year and he's only gotten better with age. This grade is pretty much entirely reliant on Patty's pitching staff being good enough to that the 14.5 he could have used on that is inconsequential, which is entirely possible with the moves he's made like the Kyle Hendricks one, in which he gave up nothing of value for a solid #2 SP.
Grade: B-
FIRST BASEMEN:
Logan Morrison signed 2 years 1 Mil per year by Pittsburgh
Sure, why not. I don't see anyway he gets a starting job in the open market after last years debacle of a season that he had in Minnesota, but there was no reason to see it coming when he hit 38 Homers had 85 Rbi's and a .246/.353/.516 slash line just two years ago in his breakout season in Tampa Bay. There's a definite nonzero chance he has a season similar to Matt Adams' a season ago where he entered the season as a clear backup, but thanks to injury and a hot stretch he turns into a fantasy starter
Grade: A-
Adrian Gonzalez signed 1 year 500K by Minnesota
I'm like 99% sure he's entirely washed and would be very surprised to see him getting an MLB contract at this stage in his career, but it's a minimum deal so at it's worst its a 250K very VERY low probablity lottery ticket
Grade: D
Steve Pearce signed 3 years 1.6 Million per year by Toronto
He won't play everyday, but when he plays you can put him in your lineup and he'll be a top 15-ish 1B against lefties. In that lineup this could end up being one of the better values of the offseason.
Grade: A
Jose Abreu signed 5 years 11.5 Million per year by San Diego
I really like this contract. I believe last seasons "struggles" (which is weird to say for a guy with a .798 OPS and 22 HRs in 128 games) had a lot more to do with injuries than skill decline. He rakes and you can pencil him in for a high average and somewhere around 27 HRs 95 RBIs and a solid to very good slash line. Only possible qualm is that maybe by year 4 and 5 age catches up to him as those will be his age 35 and 36 seasons, but for a guy as consistent as they come I like the signing
Grade: A
Miguel Cabrera signed 3 years 5.3 Million per year by Philly
This one has huge upside. Even though he played just 38 games last season, he showed the ability to still be a very good hitter in that limited sample with a .843 OPS. and had 22 Walks to 27 Strikeouts. if he stays healthy this contract ends up a huge value. However he's missed at least 30 games three of the last four years, so the health factor is unlikely to come through completely. With that being said, taking a shot on one of the best hitters of this generation isn't an awful call.
Grade: B-
Matt Adams sign 3 years 2.5 Million per year by Detroit
This feels like a perfectly fine contract. He's worse than Steve Pearce who got just as many years and less money per year, but with Adams resigning in Washington he should get some chances to start with Ryan Zimmermann not exactly being a pillar of health at this point in his career. If he does what he does pre-trade last year in Washington then Alex is getting some good value in the first year of this deal.
Grade: B
Brandon Belt signed 5 years 4 Million per year by Oakland
Brandon Belt is going into his age 31 season, coming off the worst season in his career in which he missed at least more than 25 games for the fourth time in his last five seasons. He was also not good when healthy last season supplying 14 home runs with 46 RBI's and a mediocre .253/.342/.414 slash line. Not that this contract necessarily pays him to do so, but I'm not sure what Belt is going to exactly excel as. Also worth noting is last season he was close to unusable against lefties. In 157 PA's he had 2 HR and a .221/.312/.316 slash line with 15 BB's to 37 strikeouts. Not that Belt is awful, but it's hard to see a way for Paul to extract value out of this contract
Grade: D
SECOND BASEMEN:
Jonathan Villar signed 5 years 7.9 Million per year by Cubs
Villar is getting this contract based on his second half with Baltimore, which is fine, but I think that we could be looking at a similar overvalue for a good second half of baseball based on luck similar to Tim Beckham entering last season. There's a notion that Villar is going to be this huge upside guy with a chance to steal a ton of bases and be a 20-60 guy, which again is entirely possible. However, the problem with that is that if you're gambling on him getting a ton of steals he's going to have to get on base a lot, and for a guy that has a career .325 OBP, that seems like a risky bet. Also let's say that he continues his hot start to his Orioles career, at that point he would be an absolute lock to be moved from the rebuilding Orioles, and at that point his stolen base upside goes down if he's playing for a contender. Just seems like a ton of risk for a guy that has about a season and a half of which he's shown this kind of value in his career.
Grade: F
Neil Walker signed 2 years 1.3 Million per year by Baltimore
I like this deal a lot. Walker really struggled early on last season in New York after basically not having a spring training, but in the second half he was the same Neil Walker he always is with a 400 PA pace of 17 HR 60 RBI .247/.346/.442. Out of the utility infielder class of himself, Josh Harrison, Ian Kinsler, Jedd Gyorko class of production on limited plate appearances Walker's has the best chance of significantly outplaying his value.
Grade: B+
Howie Kendrick Signed 5 years 900K per year by Houston
I sorta like this strategy for teams limited in their cap to go more years on a cheaper contract, even though you know by about year 3 of that contract you're gonna have to waive it because the 450K you're gonna eat isn't gonna kill you. However, I sorta wanna give this a INC because if they sign a second basemen this is probably too much for a pinch hitter coming off one of the worst injuries possible in a torn achilles. However, if they elect to go into the season with a Difo/Kendrick platoon at 2B and you can get a guaranteed 375 PA's with a really good slash line and fine counting numbers than it's an A. I'll go in the middle for now, but I like this use out of Elijah's cap.
Grade: B-
Josh Harrison Signed 3 years 3.8 Million per year by Baltimore
Last season Josh Harrison was legitimately a zero category contributor. In 374 plate appearances he had 8 HR's 37 RBI's 18/68 BB/K .250/.293/.363 slash line and went 3/3 on steals. Where is that helping you. His plate approach has always been below average at best and now he's on the open market going into his age 31 season coming off the worst season of his career. He could turn around, but turning around for a guy who's had better than a .717 OPS once in his last four seasons seems like a low upside play to me.
Grade: F
Brian Dozier Signed 3 years 7.5 Million per year by Colorado
I can see the vision on this one. A career second half player had the worst season of his career, but even in what was an inarguably awful year for Dozier he still had 21 Homeruns 72 RBI 81 Runs and 12 steals. If Dozier can return to his 2013-2017 form than this contract is great and a huge value if Steve were to flip it in a rebuilding year. A lot of Doziers struggles came against lefties, in which he posted a .209 batting average, which wasn't far off from his season long .215 batting average, but just a .313 Slugging compared to a .423 clip against righties. In his career he has a .850 OPS against lefties compared to a .739 OPS against righties, so I think that could be random small sample noise. Overall, I think last year was likely just a bad/unlucky year and Dozier returns to being the very good second basemen he normally is. I also think that where he gets signed is really important, but not so much so as too turn this from a good signing to a bad one.
Grade: B+
Scooter Gennett signed 5 years 13 Million per year by Detroit
One of the most random breakouts of the last two seasons, after being DFA'd in 2016 as a middling bench second basemen by Milwaukee, Gennett has saved his career and been one of the best second basemen in fantasy the last two seasons in Cincinnati. In his two seasons in Cincinnati he's averaged 25 HR's 94 RBI's with a .303/.351/.508 slash. There's not much other than a high babip that says this has been luck based, and the high babip is in correlation with elite hard hit and line drive rates. The only worry I have about this deal is that Gennetts power fades if he signs somewhere other than Cincinnati next offseason, but even then he still seems like a healthy bet to have a great slash line and continue to be one of the best second basemen in here.
Grade: A-
Ian Kinsler signed 2 years 3 Million per year by Tampa Bay
I didn't like this one at the time. I expected Kinsler to sign somewhere as a utility infielder and maybe have 300 PA's, but after this deal in here was done Kinsler signed a 1 year deal in San Diego, which has a clear hole at third base where Kinsler is likely to fill. Kinsler definitely struggled mightily last year, but With the multi eligibility Kinsler will have, and the fact that Kinsler is still a fine bet to go 20 HRs 15 SB with an average slash line, this deal makes perfect sense to me.
Grade: B+
SHORTSTOPS:
Didi Gregorious signed 5 years 20 Million per year by Tampa Bay
I know this year doesn't really matter for Forbz, but Didi is gonna miss half of this season so that is a strike against giving him 20 million. Along with that Didi has had one season in his career where he's been close to this kinda value, and that was last season in which out of Yankee Stadium he had just 8 of his 27 home runs and a .700 OPS. Considering that after this season Didi is going to be a free agent this deal has worst contract in here potential if Didi doesn't resign in New York. Maybe he can flip it to one of the Yankee homers in here midseason, but I don't see anyway that Didi plays up to this.
Grade: F
Troy Tulowitzki signed 2 years 2.1 Million per year by Cleveland
Why not? He's shown no ability to stay healthy in his last couple seasons, playing just 66 games the last two seasons. His last season in which he was healthy, he was quite useful with 24 HR's 79 RBI's and a .254/.318/.443 slash line. I don't think its crazy to think somebody desperate signs him to a deal in which he's a starting shortstop next season and can put up something resembling his 2016 numbers. His most likely outcome is he gets hurt again or ends up in a bench role, but as an upside play for Psychs casino team it makes total sense. It also makes sense for Psych as he adds to his team that looks like its absolutely dominant if we were in 2016 with names like Tulo, Martin Prado, Jay Bruce, Yasmany Tomas, Jung-Ho Kang, and Evan Gattis.
Grade: B
Jordy Mercer signed 1 year 1 million per year by Colorado
I mean this is basically what I said about Josh Harrison except magnified with none of the upside. I can't imagine a single scenario where it's July and Jordy Mercer is a hot commodity in a trade. It's 1 million on 1 year so I can't say it's the worst deal of the offseason, but it's pretty much throwing 1 million away for a glove first bench player.
Grade: F
THIRD BASEMEN
Anthony Rendon signed 5 years 24.5 million per year by Seattle
I think this contract makes sense if Dave believes Rendon can be the final piece to a championship contender. There's no arguing Rendon is a very good baseball player, he brings great production in six of the seven categories and is one of the more consistent players in baseball. In my opinion I think Dave still has very glaring holes at catcher, left field, right field, and in the bullpen, and would have been better off going for a cheaper option at third base and trying to improve at those positions, which he still can with over nine million in cap for the second half of free agency. I just struggle to see how Rendon helps his team as much as he needs too in the immediate future for this deal to make sense.
Grade: D+
Nolan Arenado signed 5 years 29.6 million per year by Pittsburgh signed and traded to St. Louis
I thought the return for Arenado was fairly light in the sign and trade, but for Matt's team he gets the rare big name contract that can play at a value return. Arenado has been one of the best hitters in baseball over the past couple seasons and with another guaranteed season in Colorado he's sure to return massive numbers at the very least for 2019. I do worry about a player that's going to hit the open market with a career 28 HR 88 RBI .263/.318/.469 650 plate appearance pace on the road in his career, but at that point Arenado is a good enough hitter I think he could change his approach to improve those non-coors splits.
Grade: B+
Derek Dietrich signed 3 years 1.5 Million per year by Pittsburgh
Dietrich is another one of the Neil Walker/Ian Kinsler type of player that if they get a lot of plate appearances they'll outplay their contracts and if they end up in bench roles they won't. He's pretty underrated as a pure hitter coming off a season with 16 HRs 45 RBIs and .265/.330/.421 slash line. His plate approach stinks with a 29/140 BB/K last season, and his real life value is likely pretty low considering Miami was forced to non-tender him after not being able to get a return for him in prospects. In the right situation he's a useful player with LF/1B eligibility which is helpful.
Grade: C+
Jedd Gyorko signed 3 years 6 Million per year by Colorado
Gyorko and Dietrich are basically the Spiderman meme where they're pointing at each other, because they're the exact same player. This is each's average season in years they've played at least 100 games
Gyorko: 18 HR 57 RBI 49 Runs 2 SB .247/.311/.427 37/101 BB/K
Dietrich: 12 HR 47 RBI 56 Runs 1 SB .264/.344/.423 32/107 BB/K
The only possible substantial advantage you could give Gyorko is that he's on a team right now, but considering that he's behind Carpenter and Goldschmidt in the corner spots and he was dreadful as a middle infielder last season this contract makes no sense to me.
Grade: F
Cheslor Cuthbert signed 2 years 500K per year by Detroit
He's been awful the last two years, but there's upside he gets playing time for an awful team and has a season similar to 2016 where he was sorta useful. Like going two years instead of one because if he turns into a useful player that extra control for a guy who's only going into his age 26 season could be pretty valuable. Again, he probably sucks, but not really any downside.
Grade: B+
Pablo Sandoval signed 2 years 500K per year by Houston
in 252 Plate appearances last season, Sandoval was surprisingly useful. 9 HR's 40 RBI's and a .248/.310/.417 with 3B/1B eligibility is definitely worth the minimum. Could turn into a pretty huge value if San Francisco puts him in a platoon at third where he can just rake against right handed pitchers as last season his platoon splits were pretty substantive with a .280/.342/.474 slash in 193 PA's against RHP compared to just .145/.203/.236 against LHP. If there's a week period where San Fran plays 7 righties, Sandoval is very likely to be a strong play at first or third base. At the minimum for two years that's exceedingly valuable.
Grade: A+
Wil Myers signed 5 years 10 Million per year by Detroit
There's really nothing for me to say about this other than if he's healthy this is a good contract and if he isn't it isn't. In 2016 and 2017 he was able to stay healthy and averaged a 29 HRs 84 RBI 90 Runs .251/.332/.462 24 SB. That's a really useful unique player as their aren't many guys that can give you that kinda steals upside without killing you in other categories. The problem is Myers has played more than 88 games just twice in his six year career. The 3B/LF eligibility is nice and when he plays he's a really good player, he just has to stay healthy.
Grade: B-
OUTFIELDERS:
Bryce Harper 5 years 41 Million per year by Mets
I don't really get the hate on this one. Harper was very unlucky to have the slash he had last year. He's multi eligible at RF and CF and is one of the elite hitters in baseball. Obviously 41 Million is a lot, but Jack has done a great job creating cap and although Kory is on the comeup, Harper and Bregman leading Jack's lineup is going to be hard to beat and keeps him as the favorite in the NL East. The defending champ made an aggressive move to go for the repeat. I also did not understand why Noah gave up so many assets for cap and then didn't go all in for Harper, considering the need he has for another outfielder.
Grade: A
Aaron Hicks signed 5 years 9.9 Million per year by San Diego
Hicks broke out in 2018. After never hitting more than 15 home runs in a season, he hit 27 to go with 79 RBIs 11 SBs and a .248/.366/.467 slash line. Another Yankee who gets a big contract that will be a real life free agent next season, his home/road splits are less scary than Didi's. I sorta believe he's the player he was in 2018, but five years for a guy going into his age 29 season with one career good season is a bit scary. Even in his breakout last season I'm not sure Hicks was worth 9.9 million so this is a bit too much for me. Although it's entirely possible he improves on these numbers.
Grade: C-
Carlos Gomez signed 2 years 500K per year by Dodgers
Gomez was actually pretty solid in 2017, but fell off a cliff last year and is now hoping for a 4th outfielder gig somewhere. The power and speed isn't where it once is, but maybe there's a Sunday where you need a stolen base and Gomez can come through.
Grade: C
Yasiel Puig signed 5 years 12 Million per year by San Diego
This feels like a lot for a big name who hasn't been worth anywhere close to 12 Mil per year since 2014. He's an average hitter with some steals upside, but the best season in his career saw him hit 28 HR's 74 RBI 72 Runs 263/.346/.487 with 15 steals. Is that really a 12 million dollar a year player. He doesn't play everyday in LA, and maybe a change of scenery turns him into a more consistent player, but I don't really understand max years and 12 Mil a year for a slightly above average outfielder with singular eligibility in RF.
Grade: D
Andrew Mccutchen signed 5 years 7.5 Million per year by Dodgers
I don't understand the logic behind Mccutchen getting less money than Hicks or Puig. He's a bit older going into his age 32 season, but was still a fine option last year and most importantly going to move from one of the worst hitters ballparks in baseball to one of the best. Maybe the 4th and 5th years of this deal will be rough, but considering he's going to perform at a value if he stays healthy for the first three years of this contract makes this one of my favorites of the bigger name contracts.
Grade: A-
Kole Calhoun signed 3 years 4.7 Million per year by Oakland
Am I missing something or was Kole Calhoun one of the worst hitters in all of baseball last season. I get he had a hot month in the middle of the season to save him from being useless, but like were talking about someone who had a .620 OPS in the first half and a .685 OPS in the second half. I guess he could be an average HR, runs, and RBI contributor with the best player in baseball hitting behind him, but if that's all you're getting I don't really understand what you're going for with a contract like this.
Grade: D
Nick Markakis signed 4 years 3 Million per year by Cleveland
In what world should Kole Calhoun be getting 1.7 million more per year than Markakis. Even if you want to consider Markakis's 2018 an anomaly, from 2014-2017 he's been a 10 HR 67 RBI .279/.353/.386 hitter. His plate approach isn't one that would lead towards a steep immediate decline and I guarantee Psych is gonna get a nice return for Markakis at some point this season when somebody needs a corner outfield replacement.
Grade: B+
Hunter Pence signed 2 years 600K per year by Baltimore
Hunter Pence was washed a couple years ago and is now a real life free agent that would be lucky to make a MLB roster. Don't really understand this one at all and what the need was to make it multi year.
Grade: F
Curtis Granderson signed 1 year 500K per year by Washington
I didn't realize, Granderson was legitimately a good player last season. 13 HRs 38 RBI with a .242/.351/.431 slash line is completely fine. He's another real life free agent looking to latch on somewhere as a rotational outfielder, but compared to guys like Gomez or Pence I think there's a much higher chance Granderson actually finds some value in that role.
Grade: A
Adam Jones signed 2 years 7 million per year by Texas
I do not think an MLB team will give Jones a starting job entering 2019. He's a pretty huge negative in the field at this point in his career and his power has significantly diminished as he's gotten older. His plate approach still isn't great with just 24 walks in 613 plate appearances last season. He's multi eligible in RF and CF which is a bit useful, and maybe he can still be a .275 hitter with a .750 OPS and 15 HR, but I don't think that's worth 7 Million a season.
Grade: D-
Leonys Martin signed 3 years 4.5 Million per year by Oakland
I mean Martin had his first useful season of his career last season. He showed himself to be more of a power speed threat than previously in his career with 11 homers and 7 stolen bases in 353 plate appearances, but I don't know like he's probably Clevelands starting center fielder and if he plays better than he did last year then he can get close to approaching being worth this contract, but yeah I'm struggling to find a good thing to say about this contract.
Grade: D
Jon Jay signed 5 years 500K per year by San Francisco
Yeah I mean I thought he was CF eligible and he isn't and that makes this signing stupid on my part. I guess he could be a source of empty batting average and in his time with Kansas City he was useful last year he was fine with a .307/.363/.374 slash, but this is too many years for a 4th outfielder with singular eligiblity
Grade: D
Juan Lagares signed 2 years 500K per year by San Francisco
His glove should keep him in the Mets lineup and if he stays healthy he should be a fine source of occasional steals with the upside of continuing the improvements he showed last year with the bat, but that was just a 30 game sample and was probably more of an anomaly
Grade: C
Michael Brantley signed 4 years 9.4 Million per year by Toronto
This would have been a higher number if it was known he would end up in Houstons loaded lineup. When Brantley stays healthy he rakes, coming off a season where he was truly a seven category contributor, this contract has almost no downside if Brantley stays healthy. However, before last season Brantley has missed a combined 258 games the previous three seasons. Coming off a season in which he was pretty much healthy all season, this contract makes a ton of sense for Sanders team.
Grade: B+
Denard Span signed 5 years 700K per year by Washington
Span is very average at everything, using our player rater he finished right between Joc Pederson and Kike Hernandez last season. He is perfectly competent and as a bat that will likely be flipped by Washingtons rebuilding team, this deal makes sense to me. Definitely would've aimed for less years, but its still a moveable contract.
Grade: C+
Marcell Ozuna signed 5 years 18 Million per year by Colorado
Ozuna is another one of these guys that got a big contract, despite having a large sample of a career, and having one or two seasons being worth this kinda money. Ozuna is still fairly young going into just his age 28 season, so for a guy who's last three seasons has averaged 28 HRs 96 RBIs and a .287/.342/.479 slash there's still a possibility he gets better. Maybe I'm just overrating the importance of 18 million dollars, but if I'm a team like Colorado I think I'd rather go for a guy like Mccutchen and save that amount of cap for literally any semblance of a pitching staff, but there is some upside that Ozuna just goes back to the 2017 version of himself.
Grade: C-
Brett Gardner signed 1 year 2.8 Million per year by Detroit
In an offseason filled with slightly above average players getting incredibly overpaid, I was surprised Alex was able to get Gardner at this price. Although his slash line was bad last year, that may have to do with a career low .272 babip more than a major skill diminishment. He should provide a solid floor as a steals option and when he's in the Yankees lineup with Judge and Stanton he provides a good chance for runs/rbi depending on where he is in the order. Getting him at this price on a 1 year deal is a great move.
Grade: A+
Corey Dickerson signed 3 years 8 Million per year by Oakland traded to Chicago
Corey Dickerson is just a really good MLB hitter. He doesn't excel at any one category other than batting average, but compared to guys like Hicks and Puig, Dickerson is probably the best hitter. Getting him on less money and less years is a really solid move. I don't get Paul trading him to Mike for to 4ths, a 5th, and a 7th, but I still think it's a really good contract for one of the more underrated hitters in baseball.
Grade: A
Robbie Grossman signed 2 years 700K per year by Baltimore
He's a fine source of an average slash line. He needs to get a job somewhere after being non-tendered by Minnesota, but being LF/RF eligible is pretty useful.
Grade: B
Rajai Davis signed 1 year 700K per year by Seattle
Maybe there's a Sunday where Dave needs a steal and Davis comes through with one and he gets a category. He's awful as a hitter, but had 21 steals in just 216 plate appearances last year.
Grade: C
DESIGNATED HITTERS:
Victor Martinez signed 1 year 500K by Miami
He retired.
Grade: F
Evan Gattis signed 3 years 2 Million per year by Cleveland
This is such a good signing. If he signs in the AL and gets an everyday DH job then he's a plug and play at Greg's UTIL spot as a power reliant DH. The average, OBP, and steals are gonna be rough, but he's going to be above average everywhere else. This is another really smart free agent signing by Greg that's gonna result in him getting assets for Gattis midseason.
Grade: A+
Kendrys Morales signed 1 year 1.5 Million per year by Baltimore
Another rebuilder signing someone cheap with upside to move him midseason. Morales struggled out the gate last season, but rebounded and had a perfectly fine 21 home runs with a .769 OPS.
Grade: B