Contract Crowdsourcing 2011-12: First Base and DH
We continue our contract crowdsourcing today with a pretty excellent first-base class. Matt Klaassen provided a summary this afternoon of the top-end first-base free agents available this offseason.
In response to some helpful comments, I’ve split the list of free agents up, so that it’s not necessary to vote for every one of them before submitting your form (although more responses will always be better).
Furthermore, I’ve added some alternate questions for a few of the players below — inviting speculation as to whether, for example, Albert Pujols will be a Cardinal in 2012 (and after), or whether Derrek Lee will be referred to over and again as a “veteran presence.”
Forms after the jump.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
The Ortiz one was kinda hard for me because I think he gets considerably more per year if he stays in Boston, but I’m not so sure that he’ll stay it this point.
I think Ortiz would get a higher AAV and fewer years (2 instead of 3) from Boston, if they’re interested. Though I don’t think they’ll be serious suitors for a host of reasons (the clubhouse gossip/nonsense, youth, roster flexibility, Ryan Lavarnway, ‘selling high’ on him and collecting the draft picks).
You think Boston wants to pay him “considerably more” than anyone else but he leaves anyway?
Said 3/45 for ortiz. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yanks overpaid to get him.
$45 million a year seems a bit high, even for the Yankees.
3 years AND 45 M seems to high.
That’s giving him high duration and annual salary, IMO.
If he wants 3 years, he better be closer to 30M.
The Yankess have DHs lined up for the next 6 years.
The Yankee’s have zero need for a lumbering DH.
The Yankees bargained hard with Derek Jeter to pay him that (they eventually upped their offer a bit), their captain, icon and most marketable player. They have not paid more than that to Mariano Rivera, their most respected icon. The chances of them paying that to a DH is next to none.
As a Sox fan, Ortiz in pinstripes would be a tough pill to swallow. But it would go down a lot easier if the Yanks paid him 3/45.
I could see Ortiz going somewhere else. Even though he hit well, this year could not have been fun for him either.
The Red Sox had two basic options in responding to the collapse – bring back the manager, GM and most of the players and 2012 becomes a year to redeem their collective reputations OR blow up as much as possible and put 2011 as far in the rear view mirror as possible. With the firing of Francona and allowing Theo to leave, the Sox have made their choice known and I hope they follow through with as many player changes as possible.
Even though Ortiz was among the least of the problems in the clubhouse, the baseball reason for letting him go is so that the Sox can slide Youkilis to DH – a full year at 3B is not his highest and best use. It would also help clear the way for Middlebrooks to make the big club (or if he is not ready, a one-year free agent would work as a stopgap).
I suspect that the Yankees will pass and install Jesus Montero as a full-time DH and backup catcher – the kid is a beast.
Ortiz to A’s. book it.
The received wisdom is that the Sox want to do what the Yanks do. Provide flexibility for their veterans by eschewing the full-time DH. I don’t think they will do that, however, because I just don’t see the value. Lets say you get 20% more Youk (less inuries) in return for a lot more Lavarnaway and some backup 3B. 1.2*youk + 0.5*Lav + 0.5*Lowrie < 1.0*Youk + 1.0* Ortiz.
Side note: need to stop pampering Youkilis. If he can't take it at 3B even though he has the skills, he needs to condition until he can. Its called doing your job.
1.2*youk + 0.5*Lav + 0.5*Lowrie < 1.0*Youk + 1.0* Ortiz. I agree.
However, the left side of the equation is actually
1.2*youk + .5*Lav + .5*Lowrie + $10-12M+ draft picks
Certainly a more debatable proposition.
I wouldn't go so far as to say that moving down the defensive spectrum as a player gets older is pampering. The problem is that the Sox traded for one of the best offensive and defensive 1B's at a position that Youk has shown he can play and which older 3B's often slide to. I like the Gonzales trade but this is a minor drawback of it.
Unless we are willing to toss out UZR #’s (which can be kind of sketchy for 1B); a guy with a career UZR/150 of 2.6 is not one of the best defensive first basemen.
Though I guess when people repeat the narrative enough it tends to stick.
Joe, last 3 seasons:
+33 Total Zone
+18.0 UZR
+18 BIS/DRS
Hey, you forgot to ask “for how long and how much will Ryan Howard sign — oh, wait, f*ck!
Indeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed.
Pujols – Cards
Fielder – Cubs
Ortiz – O’s
Pena – A’s
Lee – Padres
Thome – Retired
You heard it here first.
Fielder is about to be a Mariner
Anybody thinks Washington will be a player in the Fielder/Pujols sweepstakes?
They clearly still have money burning a hole in their pocket as evidenced by the fact that they reportedly went after both Crawford and Lee even after they landed Werth.
No. Unless you expect the Nats to eat LaRoche’s contract and resign themselves to Michael Morse being a permanent left fielder, they are better off with finding either another corner OF (playing Werth in CF and dealing LaRoche midyear if Harper is ready) or finding the mystery lead off CF (white whale) Rizzo (Ahab) has been searching for for several years.
My hunch has been Prince to Toronto for a l’il while now. Depending how the Brewers playoff dice shake out I could also see Mark A writing a BIG OL’ check.
If Fielder goes to Toronto, he plays DH everyday with Lind at 1B? It makes the offense that much more potent, but will they invest the money in it?
Fielder D>Lind D
Would TOR really do this?
I keep looking at TOR as being an interesting conversation piece for both Fielder and Pujols (Pujols and Bautista as 3-4 hitters, wow), but then I look at their pitchers.
Even if we prorate their performance into full seasons for the 5 pitchers that made the most starts and you’re getting 9 WAR for a starting staff.
Somebody has to pitch for this team.
Any chance Edwin Jackson lands there? A 3.5+ WAR pitcher that’s experienced his highest BABIP in 4 years.
TOR is, by far, the most interesting “experiment” (for lack of better word) that’s going on in baseball. At some point, they have to do something about the pitching.
Anybody else think Washington will be a player in the Fielder/Pujols sweepstakes?
They clearly still have money burning a hole in their pocket as evidenced by the fact that they reportedly went after both Crawford and Lee even after they landed Werth.
no, and nobody thought so the first time you posted it, either
fielder to the dodgers