Free Agents - Winter 2017-2018

[Centerfield]

A few superstars, then the list tails off:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/08/2017-18-mlb-free-agent-power-rankings-5.html

It will be interesting to see how aggressive the Mets are. I doubt they would be in on the high-end market, so no Yu or Martinez.

Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas could fill needs, but I wonder if they are in decline. Plus Moustakas doesn't get on base.

Wade Davis and Greg Holland available for the back end of the bullpen. It's like the 2015 KC Royals are having a clearance sale.

[Ceetar]

I'd like them to sign Darvish.

[smg58]

I think you have to be in on Moustakas -- his low OBP and apparently declining defense may limit what I'm willing to spend, but our need at third is very large and he can mash. Any and all pitchers have to be considered as well. Greg Holland intrigues me, a lot. I've got no problem with spending to bring in an ace starter, either.

[Centerfield]

The Mets have over $50 million coming off the books, and that's not counting possibly declining the option on Cabrera.

Plenty of money to bring in at least one impact player, be it starter or position player, AND supplement the back end of the bullpen.

[Lefty Specialist]

Bleh. Not much there I like. And overpaying for free-agent pitchers blows up at least as often as it works.

[Edgy MD]

Moustakas Moustakas. He's a guy having a good power year in a year of exploding power. Doesn't walk, doesn't hit for average, has bad knees, and I hear he doesn't tip well. I wouldn't kick him off the bus, but let's not get all Jonathan Lucroy over the guy.

[Centerfield]

What's disheartening is that the Nats aren't going to lose anyone critical to their success. In fact, though Werth has put up good numbers, it's more important to Washington to clear his salary.

It sucks. These guys are going to be good for a while.

[Ceetar]

Centerfield wrote: What's disheartening is that the Nats aren't going to lose anyone critical to their success. In fact, though Werth has put up good numbers, it's more important to Washington to clear his salary. It sucks. These guys are going to be good for a while.

meh. Gio is significantly overperforming.
Tanner Roark is not good.
Stephen Strasberg is good, but always injured.
NO ONE has thrown more innings than Max Scherzer over the last 5 season. He's great, but there are some signs of some fatigue there.

But even if Scherzer doesn't break, one pitcher does not a rotation make.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, the other side of that coin is that the Nats are going to be stuck with the same players even as they decline, and won't have $50 million coming off the books.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I looked up Mike Moustakas. He's represented by Scott Boras. Currently on a two-year contract that paid a total of $14.3 million. His current numbers are .274/.304/.552 and his OPS is .857. 427 plate appearances with 32 homers, 16 doubles and only 18 walks! Before this year his previous high in homers was 22 in 2015. He only played 27 games in 2016, but in his other seasons he's had between 500 and 614 plate appearances.

[Edgy MD]

Isn't that kind of looking like fool's gold to you?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I know I advocated for Moustakas in a previous post in another thread, but that was entirely based on his 32 homers. This is the first time I've taken a closer look. So no, the post above wasn't intended to be an argument in favor of Moustakas, just an impartial relating of what I just learned about him.

Given what we're seeing about the market for one-dimensional sluggers being depressed, Moustakas is likely not going to be a $20-million-per-year player. If he can be had cheaply enough, then I still think he's worth considering. But I see now that I don't want him to be the centerpiece of the Mets offseason.

I would, however, like to see them bring in a veteran infielder to go along with Rosario and Smith, someone who will provide more than we would expect from Cabrera or Reyes. That guy doesn't have to be Moustakas.

[Edgy MD]

I think one of the better arguments for Moose is that with Granderson, Bruce, Duda, Walker, and Cabrera all (likely) gone, the Mets will be significantly less lefthanded, but man, I don't want any more thou-shalt-not-walk batters.

[Frayed Knot]

Taking Moustakas over the last three seasons (2015-17) normalized to a full 162 game season = an impressive 'average' season of 56 doubles + 36 HRs with a .276/.327/.504 slash line
Now you figure than few actually play 162 games so cut those 2B and HR figures back 10 or 20% if you want. But that 51 point gap between his BA & OBA, while definitely below par (65-70
is about the norm), isn't horrible. It's higher than Murphy's (46) over that same span for instance - iow, something you can live with if you think the rest of the package is good enough.