2017/18 Hot Stove Thread

[harmony]

Santana is a true switch hitter- equally good vs both hands.

He won't get mega years or mega bucks, so he seems like the safest choice. Signing him might also leave enough money for one more significant signing or acquisition or two mediocre ones.

Maybe...

Santana
2 from: Cobb, Dyson or Shaw (or the like)

As Giancarlo Stanton, J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas become too expensive for many teams the demand (and cost) for Carlos Santana should go up.

I suspect Santana will top the three years and $45 million projected at MLB Trade Rumors:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/...edictions.html

A player such as Santana who most agree is undervalued is no longer undervalued.

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2018...0-free-agents/

Three years ago Victor Martinez, another switch-hitting converted catcher, got four years and $68 million just shy of his 36th birthday after posting 14.4 fWAR the five previous seasons. Santana, who turns 32 in April, has posted 15.0 fWAR over the past five years.

[notin]

As Giancarlo Stanton, J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas become too expensive for many teams the demand (and cost) for Carlos Santana should go up.

I suspect Santana will top the three years and $45 million projected at MLB Trade Rumors:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/...edictions.html

A player such as Santana who most agree is undervalued is no longer undervalued.

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2018...0-free-agents/

Three years ago Victor Martinez, another switch-hitting converted catcher, got four years and $68 million just shy of his 36th birthday after posting 14.4 fWAR the five previous seasons. Santana, who turns 32 in April, has posted 15.0 fWAR over the past five years.

The MLBTR prediction for Santan did seem light, although his competition also includes Logan Morrison (3.6 fWAR in the past 3 years), Yonder Alonso (3.0 fWAR the past 3 years), Jay Bruce (3.8 fWAR the past three years) and Lucas Duda (4.2 fWAR the past 3 years) which does leave his suitors with alternatives.

I still think he gets 5 years, and is a good move for that span.

Then again, how many years did Edwin Encarnacion (12.0 fWAR over 3 years prior to free agency) get?

[Larry Cook]

Someone is going to over spend for Santana, normally i’d say that is desperate dave’s M.O., but I think desperate Dave is putting all his chips on Martinez.

Ps: I still think desperate Dave should be going all in on ohtani instead.

[moonslav59]

Someone is going to over spend for Santana, normally i’d say that is desperate dave’s M.O., but I think desperate Dave is putting all his chips on Martinez.

Ps: I still think desperate Dave should be going all in on ohtani instead.

All in means a very limited offer. Other teams have more to offer.

[jacksonianmarch]

DD has an interview yesterday that made it sound less like he’s putting his hat in the ring for Stanton, Hosmer, or Martinez and more that he’d be looking to add smaller pieces.

[Bellhorn04]

JD Martinez' asking price is $210mill over 7 years.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Boras has been out of the limelight for a while - he wants to remind everyone he's still the king of the asshole agents.

[SoxnCycles]

Unless Price returns to form next year.

Hosmer is the unexciting option for people who don't believe in the cliff. If you like Martinez, his peak years will be better than Hosmer, but he will be into decline by the time the Sox key players are all ready for free agency. Hosmer will be the better player 3 to 4 years down the line. Martinez better immediately, but not for as long...

Does anyone really expect his elbow to hold up for an entire season?

[SoxnCycles]

The real downside to Hosmer is how many times he gets auto-corrected to "Hoser"

Stupid Canadian phones...

[Bellhorn04]

Does anyone really expect his elbow to hold up for an entire season?

It's the offseason man, it's supposed to be a time of optimism.

Besides, don't you think our crack medical team knows what it's doing?

[SoxnCycles]

It's the offseason man, it's supposed to be a time of optimism.

Besides, don't you think our crack medical team knows what it's doing?

You're right, I'm sure the medical staff and Mr "My Elbow Heals Itself" have it all under control.

[mvp 78]

When Price met with Andrews and Neal ElAttrache on Thursday, they both expressed shock at the relatively strong state of the elbow.

"[Andrews and ElAttrache] expected it to be a lot worse than what it was," Price said. "That was both of them. They said it multiple times; we expected this to be a lot worse than what it really is.”

Price said that the two experts' explanation for the improvement was simply that his elbow is special.

“They were like, ‘Your elbow is extremely unique. It’s found a way to kind of heal itself,'" Price said. "It’s pretty neat, bionic elbow,”

Perhaps it is that bionic elbow that allowed Price to lead baseball in innings pitched last year.

It is such a great elbow. Bigly elbow.

[harmony]

The MLBTR prediction for Santan did seem light, although his competition also includes Logan Morrison (3.6 fWAR in the past 3 years), Yonder Alonso (3.0 fWAR the past 3 years), Jay Bruce (3.8 fWAR the past three years) and Lucas Duda (4.2 fWAR the past 3 years) which does leave his suitors with alternatives.

I still think he gets 5 years, and is a good move for that span.

Then again, how many years did Edwin Encarnacion (12.0 fWAR over 3 years prior to free agency) get?

For another comp, here are Carlos Santana and Victor Martinez (at the time Martinez signed a four-year, $50 million contract with Detroit in November 2010 a month before his 32nd birthday):

CS 1116 G, 4782 PA, .249/.365/.445/.810, OPS+ 121
VM 1004 G, 4224 PA, .300/.369/.469/.838, OPS+ 121

Santana, who turns 32 in April, and Martinez are switch-hitters who came up as catchers with the Cleveland Indians before converting to first basemen/designated hitters.

In November 2014 Martinez signed a four-year, $68 million extension with the Tigers.

Santana this year ranked seventh among first basemen in the Fielding Bible voting, two slots behind Mitch Moreland:

http://www.fieldingbible.com/complete-votetally.asp

[Nick]

$210M/7 yrs for mediocre defensive player? I'm not sure I'm ready to pay $30M per year for DH. Ugh.

[moonslav59]

When Price met with Andrews and Neal ElAttrache on Thursday, they both expressed shock at the relatively strong state of the elbow.

"[Andrews and ElAttrache] expected it to be a lot worse than what it was," Price said. "That was both of them. They said it multiple times; we expected this to be a lot worse than what it really is.”

Price said that the two experts' explanation for the improvement was simply that his elbow is special.

“They were like, ‘Your elbow is extremely unique. It’s found a way to kind of heal itself,'" Price said. "It’s pretty neat, bionic elbow,”

Perhaps it is that bionic elbow that allowed Price to lead baseball in innings pitched last year.

It is such a great elbow. Bigly elbow.

I hope he can put together a special season.

[moonslav59]

$210M/7 yrs for mediocre defensive player? I'm not sure I'm ready to pay $30M per year for DH. Ugh.

Yes. Even Papi didn't make half of that.