Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
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
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
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Re: Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
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.
dt
Re: Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
He has 65 Career HRs in almost 4000 PAs. That is 11 per season assuming 650 PA season. Hard Pass.
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Re: Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
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.
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.
Re: Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
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 $7MSeattle or Bust wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 6:25 pmSign 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.
dt
Re: Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
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.
Re: Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
Yeah I shouldn't have said hard pass and I wouldn't be pissed if we signed him but Bellinger is better.Big_Maple wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 8:23 pmRespectfully, 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.
dt
Re: Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
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....
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Re: Early look at MLB and Japanese FAs
Maybe we could get Jung and Bellinger for about the same money as just Ohtani...Or sign Jung and trade for Alonso...
dt