Shortstop 2015

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm not a Castrophile either.

[Edgy MD]

I'm not sure baseball culture remembers what a good shortstop looks like. Folks may have unreasonable demands based on what can realistically be gotten.

[Frayed Knot]

* Tough to call Addison Russell 'untouchable' - especially seeing as how he's already been touched (so to speak) and is now on a team that has several options at SS.
The price for him will be really steep, but I'm betting Theo & co will listen.

* Castro is certainly far from perfect, but nobody is and there are a number of positive things about him too.

[Lefty Specialist]

Castro's style of play isn't exactly celebrated in Chicago. They'd eat him alive in New York. He's a great talent, but he has too many brain farts and lazy plays.

[Frayed Knot]

All true - Keith in particular got on him pretty good during a telecast this year for his bouts of lackadaisical play, particularly on defense. But he's also young and young players sometimes grow out of such habits.
On the flip side he doesn't turn 25 until next spring, has a knowable and hardly outrageous contract set for the next five seasons ($44 mil/5 or $59/6), and already has 5 seasons mostly full seasons under his belt where he averaged just under 50 XBHs/per.

[Vic Sage]

yeah, you've got to consider a 25-year old SS with a decent glove, a good bat and a relatively affordable contract. Maybe he's a turkey, but i'd buy a slice of that for a $1.

[Edgy MD]

I think the price will be considerably higher.

[Guest d'Kong76]

And they may have turkey taste, but I'm told a bologna
(only $0.38/slice) budget.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Well, if you're going to plop down the premium-salumeria money-- and elbow aside 29 other jostling deli-shoppers-- for a fine Cuban, this is the one you want, isn't it?

He�s a plus-plus runner with above average raw power from both sides of the plate and the tools/skills to stick in the infield, possibly at shortstop. Moncada is the quick-twitch type with big bat speed that clubs covet and his track record of hitting at big tournaments and in Cuba�s professional leagues is excellent considering his age.

In 2012-13, Moncada made his Serie Nacional debut for Cienfuegos, where he was teammates with White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu and Dodgers shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena. Moncada performed well for a 17-year-old, hitting .283/.414/.348 in 172 plate appearances with 13 stolen bases in 18 attempts. Moncada also made his mark at the league�s all-star game, where Cuba holds certain skill competitions in addition to a home run derby. Among the events are races to first base and around the bases. At the 2012-13 all-star game, Moncada won both races, beating Castillo, a 70 runner on the 20-80 scale, and Guillermo Heredia, a 60 runner who started in center field in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

He just established residency in Guatemala/was granted free agency; the showcase is on November 12.

[Edgy MD]

Sounds like a lot of X-factors involved in recruiting that guy.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: Sounds like a lot of X-factors involved in recruiting that guy.

Quite a few. I'd still do it though, from a Mets standpoint.

As I understand it..

It would likely mean they can't sign any of these impact/top international free agents in 2015/2016 though. At least if I'm understanding these draft pool rule/posts correctly. The drawback to that seems to be that you can blow the budget to sign guys all at once, but then you're penalized, and most of the IFA guys are 7/2 so if you sign Moncada you miss out on this year and over-paying for more than 1 impact type guy.

AND the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox can still be in on Moncada because they're already over the limit and banned from 2015-2016 guys for more than $300,000. They're already penalized and therefore have nothing to lose (besides the money) to sign Moncada.

[Edgy MD]

Those rules are amazing. How do fans tolerate it?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Again, though... as a 19-year-old who's already held his own and then some for two years in the f*cking Serie Nacional (and dominated-- DOMINATED-- any and all lower levels at which he played), AND has projectable tools? If you don't blow the bank/take a budget-penalty for this guy-- at a position of need for the organization, no less-- well... why roll the dice on anyone, right?

[Ceetar]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Again, though... as a 19-year-old who's already held his own and then some for two years in the f*cking Serie Nacional (and dominated-- DOMINATED-- any and all lower levels at which he played), AND has projectable tools? If you don't blow the bank/take a budget-penalty for this guy-- at a position of need for the organization, no less-- well... why roll the dice on anyone, right?

well, 'projectable tools' perhaps is up for debate? Maybe it's over-stated. maybe he won't be able to be a SS for long, as sometimes happens as guys get bigger. And you're still competing against 29 other teams, 3 of which don't also have the drawback of losing out on the next two crops of IFA by overpaying for him. Maybe there's another SS worth it on 7/2 that you can sign AND also sign a half dozen other guys that have projectable tools. maybe that's more worth it?

Edgy MD wrote: Those rules are amazing. How do fans tolerate it?

fans? I'd imagine the percentage of baseball fans that know the rules for international free agents, much less to that degree, is well less than 1%.

[Edgy MD]

I don't know all the rules. But I know the existence of the rules. And I know the spirit of the rules. And I know that they are anti-competitive and awful for baseball and the men and boys who play it.

The nonsense that they get away with in NFL and NBA is far more offensive.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: I don't know all the rules. But I know the existence of the rules. And I know the spirit of the rules. And I know that they are anti-competitive and awful for baseball and the men and boys who play it. The nonsense that they get away with in NFL and NBA is far more offensive.

the pinnacle is the NCAA of course.

[ashie62]

Soccer also.

[ashie62]

Alexi Ramirez?

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/5292/alexei-ramirez

[Edgy MD]

Ashie62 wrote: Soccer also.

MLS is a nightmare. You might as well tell the players that they have to play for free and be thankful for the exposure it gives them

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: Alexi Ramirez?

Upside:
- More pop (52 XBHs), more speed, and MUCH more glove than anything we've got right now.
- One year deal plus an option is the right amount of commitment
- plays everyday: 155+ games for five seasons running

Downside:
- Just turned 33
- even with a partial bounce-back this year the power is waning [17 HRs/yr for first 4 seasons; 10/per for 2012-14] and that's before you bring the stadium/league switch into consideration
- he's going to make more outs that what we've got now: .302 OBA for most recent three seasons

[Lefty Specialist]

Upside: He's not Ruben Tejada.

[Edgy MD]

He was certainly the better player last season, but there's a lot he could learn from Ruben Tejada.

I mean, not Tejada was supposed to be the virtue that redeemed Stephen Drew

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Speaking of Drew.

I think he could be an intriguing buy-low candidate. Obviously we were smart not to have employed him last year but maybe this year he comes at 2/15 or something like that. In my pretend fantasy GM league, he signed for 1/$2 million.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Speaking of Drew. I think he could be an intriguing buy-low candidate. Obviously we were smart not to have employed him last year but maybe this year he comes at 2/15 or something like that. In my pretend fantasy GM league, he signed for 1/$2 million.

maybe he's more motivated now, maybe with a real Spring Training and prep and all that he's decent?

2/15 is almost 'take a flyer' territory.

edit: Not almost. That's basically what Chris Young's flyer was last year, with a lot more options to play the position.

[Lefty Specialist]

$2 million is 'take a flyer' territory. They signed Marlon Byrd for less.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, Chris Young was a commitment. Jose Valverde was a flyer. Bobby Abreu and Taylor Teagarden.

[Centerfield]

Candidates:

Starlin Castro:
Looks like a good player. But he is expensive. He doesn't walk, and his biggest asset is his power. Replace Wrigley with Citi and that probably negates a big chunk of it. Even at Wrigley, his career OPS is low .700's. Earlier reports were that the Cubs wanted Wheeler.

Alexei Ramirez:
Like Stephen Drew last year, is bound to fall back to earth a bit. Another guy who doesn't walk. Even with his good year last year, barely scraped over .700 OPS. Plus he's old.

Troy Tulowitzki:
Hurt. Older. Expensive. Will cost a boatload of prospects. But clearly the best player here.

Hanley Ramirez:
Great player, but getting older. Will only cost money and a 2nd round draft pick, now that we have signed Cuddyer. But his best days are likely behind him.

I think with the SS options, the key here is avoiding the wrong trade. I would hate to deal young pitching for a marginal increase in offense from the SS position.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I still think they will eventually end up with a guy like Gregorius, who could come in helps-me-helps-you kinda trade. Move Flores to 2B with Hererra in AAA (and LJ Mazzilli in AA!!!) if he flops. Cannot lose.

[Centerfield]

What would Gregorious cost in a trade?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I dunno. Montero? Leathersich?

One young guy who might be pretty good but not getting a shot immediately for another.