Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs

[D-train]

These dopes have bought into the "We have and Abundance of Starting pitching depth" next season. We do not so trading one for a hitter would mean having to sign a FA pitcher that likely isn't as good as the guy we traded because they will try to go cheap.

We have discussed Ohtani ad nauseum so I am not guying to rehash him here.

My #1 Target is Bellinger.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... co01.shtml

Pros:

1. Offers the versatility that Jerry loves. Can play 1B and all 3 OF positions. We need all but CF.
2. Having a very good season with a .316 BA and .903 OPS 4.0 bWAR
3. Only going to be 28 yo

Cons:
1. Most inconsistent MLB player in history with BA ranging from .165 to .316, OPS from .542 to 1.035 and WAR from -1.7 to 8.6.
2. Going to cost well over $150M and probably closer to $250 over 5-7 seasons.

They do a good job looking at the Japanese guys though.

https://sodomojo.com/posts/could-the-ma ... ha7ketec09

[D-train]

Scratch that. Sodomojo are incompetent clowns. .898 is not his SLG% it is his OPS. Why would anyone want him over Bellinger who has a higher OPS facing MLB pitching.

Since Lee debuted in 2017 as an 18-year-old, he’s displayed elite bat-to-ball skills, garnered more walks than strikeouts (383-304), and routinely used his 70-grade speed to notch doubles. His seven-year slash line is an astounding .340/.407/.898. Adding Lee to an already potent lineup would help mitigate the strikeouts and look awfully nice in the two-hole next to J.P. Crawford.

[D-train]

He has 65 Career HRs in almost 4000 PAs. That is 11 per season assuming 650 PA season. Hard Pass.

[Seattle or Bust]

Sign Ohtani... trade for Alonso.

1. JP SS
2. Julio CF
3. Ohtani DH
4. Alonso 1B
5. Cal C
6. Kelenic LF
7. Geno 3B
8. Canzone/Moore RF
9. Rojas/Bliss 2B

Sets up some nice right vs left platoons at the bottom of the lineup.

Despite his power, Alonso isn't a high strikeout guy. He has suffered from terrible BABIP luck at Citi Field (.182). He's always struggled there. If he can hit .250 he's a .250/.350/.520 hitter w. 40+ homer pop. He'd be a huge bat to add over France.

I don't love the high strikeout rates from 5-7 in the lineup but I can't really see a way to circumvent that. Geno is cheap and will hang close to 3 fWAR depite a down year w. the bat. Hopefully as Cal and Kelenic mature they can cut the K rates down just a little bit.

[D-train]

Sign Ohtani... trade for Alonso.

1. JP SS
2. Julio CF
3. Ohtani DH
4. Alonso 1B
5. Cal C
6. Kelenic LF
7. Geno 3B
8. Canzone/Moore RF
9. Rojas/Bliss 2B

Sets up some nice right vs left platoons at the bottom of the lineup.

Despite his power, Alonso isn't a high strikeout guy. He has suffered from terrible BABIP luck at Citi Field (.182). He's always struggled there. If he can hit .250 he's a .250/.350/.520 hitter w. 40+ homer pop. He'd be a huge bat to add over France.

I don't love the high strikeout rates from 5-7 in the lineup but I can't really see a way to circumvent that. Geno is cheap and will hang close to 3 fWAR depite a down year w. the bat. Hopefully as Cal and Kelenic mature they can cut the K rates down just a little bit.

Yes, Bellinger assumes we aren't signing Ohtani which I don't think we will. Of course we probably won't sign Bellinger either because he will also require more than $7M

[Big_Maple]

He has 65 Career HRs in almost 4000 PAs. That is 11 per season assuming 650 PA season. Hard Pass.

Respectfully, I think you place too much emphasis on the long ball.

I made a plug for this guy a while ago on another thread, and I will make it again, here. This guy is exactly what we need. He has incredible plate discipline, and rarely strikes out. He gets on base a ton and draws walks like crazy. He puts the ball in play, and his speed turns singles into doubles. He's a rally starter and a playmaker, and I think he would be perfect in the middle of the lineup.

I am reminded of players who made an impact without hitting homeruns - players like Ichiro, or Ozzie Smith or Pete Rose. I am not saying this guy is hall of fame caliber. I am saying that there's a place for guys who can mash, and a place for guys who can create traffic on the base paths. J.P. Crawford only has 15 HRs this year (still the best of his career), but he gets on base a lot, so he has 85 runs but only 53 RBIs. Luis Arreaz only has 7 homers, but he's batting .350 with an OPS of .843 For context, the only player this year with a higher OPS that Arraez is Julio at .849

Oh - and Jung-hoo has a few gold gloves and a League MVP to boot.

So yeah - I wouldn't be crushed if they went out and got a new 1B and DH who could mash baseballs. But I think this guy has a ton to offer this team. If we can't get Ohtani (which we almost certainly won't with an owner who refuses to live in Unicorn Land), then this guy would be a good get - just for different reasons.

[D-train]

He has 65 Career HRs in almost 4000 PAs. That is 11 per season assuming 650 PA season. Hard Pass.

Respectfully, I think you place too much emphasis on the long ball.

I made a plug for this guy a while ago on another thread, and I will make it again, here. This guy is exactly what we need. He has incredible plate discipline, and rarely strikes out. He gets on base a ton and draws walks like crazy. He puts the ball in play, and his speed turns singles into doubles. He's a rally starter and a playmaker, and I think he would be perfect in the middle of the lineup.

I am reminded of players who made an impact without hitting homeruns - players like Ichiro, or Ozzie Smith or Pete Rose. I am not saying this guy is hall of fame caliber. I am saying that there's a place for guys who can mash, and a place for guys who can create traffic on the base paths. J.P. Crawford only has 15 HRs this year (still the best of his career), but he gets on base a lot, so he has 85 runs but only 53 RBIs. Luis Arreaz only has 7 homers, but he's batting .350 with an OPS of .843 For context, the only player this year with a higher OPS that Arraez is Julio at .849

Oh - and Jung-hoo has a few gold gloves and a League MVP to boot.

So yeah - I wouldn't be crushed if they went out and got a new 1B and DH who could mash baseballs. But I think this guy has a ton to offer this team. If we can't get Ohtani (which we almost certainly won't with an owner who refuses to live in Unicorn Land), then this guy would be a good get - just for different reasons.

Yeah I shouldn't have said hard pass and I wouldn't be pissed if we signed him but Bellinger is better.

[D-train]

I really wonder why we didn't go after Yoshida or Suzuki. Almost a quarter century with a Japanese player and now two straight without one....

[D-train]

Maybe we could get Jung and Bellinger for about the same money as just Ohtani...Or sign Jung and trade for Alonso...

[Big_Maple]

Yeah I shouldn't have said hard pass and I wouldn't be pissed if we signed him but Bellinger is better.

On that, we are in agreement! Either would be good.

Ohtani would be the shit's bananas.