2019 Rosterbation

[calsnowskier]

Pretty much how I'd see it, as currently configured, with the exception of Slater over Ferguson.

As the roster sits, this is a punt year. Slater has options and Ferguson is a CFer. Ferguson over Slater.

 

[tzill]

As the roster sits, this is a punt year. Slater has options and Ferguson is a CFer. Ferguson over Slater.

I think they both make the roster and one of the LHRs is dealt.

 

[LHG]

Doesn't seem like the best idea but I guess the FO feels that the team needs a bunch of center fielders - Sources: Giants interested in trade for Pillar from Jays

 

[SFGRTB]

Doesn't seem like the best idea but I guess the FO feels that the team needs a bunch of center fielders - Sources: Giants interested in trade for Pillar from Jays

Was for this idea last winter, am very much opposed this one.

The defensive metrics, love them or hate them, all say the same thing. His defense has been steadily declining to a point where last year his bat isn't making his defense worth it. And he'll be 30 years old? Not really liking it that much.

Now his years of cheap control is attractive and he generally hits lefties well, making him an ideal backup for Duggar, but I wouldn't be too interested in giving up much value for him. Would rather see what Ferguson has got.

 

[LHG]

Here is the list of free agent catchers, from youngest to oldest, still available: James McCann (28); Juan Graterol (29); Yasmani Grandal (30); Chris Hermann, Devin Mesoraco, Wilson Ramos (31); Caleb Joseph, Martin Maldonado (32); Jonathan Lucroy, Matt Wieters (33); Jose Lobaton (34); Drew Butera, Nick Hundley, Rene Rivera (35); AJ Ellis (38)

Of these, only Grandal and Ramos are certain to land full time gigs. Mesoraco, Maldonado, Lucroy and Wieters will probably platoon somewhere (and maybe McCann and Joseph). That leaves 7 to 9 catchers available as a backup to Posey. Hundley is probably the best of these options but I don't know how some of these guys grade out defensively and in pitch calling and framing.

The catching market has been hot this past week, with 6 of the 16 snatched up by other teams. The ones left, in order of how I would rate them offensively, are Grandal, Mesoraco, Hundley, Wieters, Rivera, Maldonado, Ellis, Lucroy, Joseph and Butera.
Grandal, obviously, will be starting somewhere. He is head and shoulders above the rest of this group (I'd rate him in the top 10 of free agent hitters this year).
Mesocraco, despite his injuries, I'd put 2nd. However, he has been inconsistent, but so have the rest (or just consistently bad).
Hundley, in my opinion, is a bit of a step down from Mesoraco, considering his age, but a step up from the rest of the group.
Wieters, Rivera, Maldonado, Ellis and Lucroy are all very interchangeable. Considering Wieters and Lucroy's pedigrees, they'll most likely be overpaid by their new employers.
Joseph, and especially Butera, are arguably not worth the defense they bring because their bats are so bad.
I would say that I would be fine with the Giants picking up Mesoraco, Hundley, Rivera, Maldonado or Ellis. Not many other choices, if they feel that they need to pick up a free agent backup. Aramis Garcia would probably be better than just about any of these guys.

 

[LHG]

In contrast to catchers, the outfield free agent market has been very slow. Only 5 of the 31 declared major league free agents have been signed (and just 1 of them to a multi year deal). Of the 26 still available, I'd rank the following as the top 10:
Bryce Harper
Robbie Grossman
AJ Pollock
Avisail Garcia
Marwin Gonzalez
Carlos Gonzalez
Michael Brantley
Nick Markakis
Curtis Granderson
Melky Cabrera

Harper, obviously, is the cream of this crop and almost certainly not coming here.
Grossman and Pollock, offensively, I consider really close together. Pollock does play the more premium defensive position but is two year older than Grossman and has been much more injury prone. Grossman, additionally, is a bit underrated, so his deal will be much smaller (and, thus, have a lot more value to it).
Garcia is just a step behind them but is a bit inconsistent offensively. He is still young, only 27 years old.
Marwin Gonzalez brings a lot of versatility but is 30 years old and can he hit nearly as well outside of Houston?
Carlos Gonzalez had nice rebound year but in Colorado.
Brantley is another injury plagued hitter and will be 32 years old in 2019.
Markakis is getting older (35) and had a bit of an outlier year in 2018.
Granderson is older than everyone else in this bunch (38) and has become a 4th outfielder but produces when he plays
The Melkman isn't the same guy since his Giants stint but this probably because he is playing clean now. I put him just above Adam Jones, as his numbers have looked better than Jones' the past couple seasons.

 

[LHG]

In contrast to catchers, the outfield free agent market has been very slow. Only 5 of the 31 declared major league free agents have been signed (and just 1 of them to a multi year deal). Of the 26 still available, I'd rank the following as the top 10:
Bryce Harper
Robbie Grossman
AJ Pollock
Avisail Garcia
Marwin Gonzalez
Carlos Gonzalez
Michael Brantley
Nick Markakis
Curtis Granderson
Melky Cabrera

Harper, obviously, is the cream of this crop and almost certainly not coming here.
Grossman and Pollock, offensively, I consider really close together. Pollock does play the more premium defensive position but is two year older than Grossman and has been much more injury prone. Grossman, additionally, is a bit underrated, so his deal will be much smaller (and, thus, have a lot more value to it).
Garcia is just a step behind them but is a bit inconsistent offensively. He is still young, only 27 years old.
Marwin Gonzalez brings a lot of versatility but is 30 years old and can he hit nearly as well outside of Houston?
Carlos Gonzalez had nice rebound year but in Colorado.
Brantley is another injury plagued hitter and will be 32 years old in 2019.
Markakis is getting older (35) and had a bit of an outlier year in 2018.
Granderson is older than everyone else in this bunch (38) and has become a 4th outfielder but produces when he plays
The Melkman isn't the same guy since his Giants stint but this probably because he is playing clean now. I put him just above Adam Jones, as his numbers have looked better than Jones' the past couple seasons.

With Brantley off the boards, I'd rank the top 10 remaining outfield free agents as:
Bryce Harper
Robbie Grossman
AJ Pollock
Avisail Garcia
Marwin Gonzalez
Carlos Gonzalez
Nick Markakis
Curtis Granderson
Melky Cabrera
Adam Jones

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

With Brantley off the boards, I'd rank the top 10 remaining outfield free agents as:
Bryce Harper
Robbie Grossman
AJ Pollock
Avisail Garcia
Marwin Gonzalez
Carlos Gonzalez
Nick Markakis
Curtis Granderson
Melky Cabrera
Adam Jones

(If I'm being lazy and you posted this several pages back, my bad . )

Is Grossman over Pollock due to health?

 

[SFGRTB]

(If I'm being lazy and you posted this several pages back, my bad . )

Is Grossman over Pollock due to health?

IDK if I'd rank him over, but I'd consider health, price, age, contract etc.

 

[LHG]

(If I'm being lazy and you posted this several pages back, my bad . )

Is Grossman over Pollock due to health?

Is due to age, health and production over the past three years. Grossman is 2 years younger than Pollock. Pollock has missed 249 games over the past three years (but 150 in 2016). And consider the slash lines between the two in the last 3 years:

2016 - Pollock: .244/.326/.390; Grossman - .280/.386/.443
2017 - Pollock: .266/.330/.471; Grossman - .246/.361/.380
2018 - Pollock: .257/.316/.484; Grossman - .273/.367/.384

Defense is a lot harder to measure objectively, but BBRef's dWAR for Pollock over the last years has been 0.3, 1.0, 0.8. Grossman's has been -2.6, -1.1 and -0.9. Considering that I didn't look at that before, I would slot Grossman below Pollock. However, I think Grossman can be had for about a 4th of Pollock's cost, so I think that they are close, considering the costs.

 

[LHG]

Troy Tulowitzki Hosts Workout For MLB Clubs - Interesting to see that both Zahidi and Bochy were at this showcase. Considering that they are two of the only executives mentioned by name, I'm getting concerned this could get serious. The plus side is, he'd cost the minimum for the Giants.

 

[SFGRTB]

Troy Tulowitzki Hosts Workout For MLB Clubs - Interesting to see that both Zahidi and Bochy were at this showcase. Considering that they are two of the only executives mentioned by name, I'm getting concerned this could get serious. The plus side is, he'd cost the minimum for the Giants.

Apparently both Zaidi and Boch live in the area so they both attended because why not?

I mean shoot, he hit 24 homers last year .... oh 2016. Hmm. Well FWIW he's only had one or two bad defensive seasons, depending on which metric you look at. One was his first season when he played 25 games, the other was 2012 in an injury-ridden season.

His bat, he's only really had two bad years as well, his first and his latest. edit: 2008 was pretty poor too.

 

[stanford the manford]

Troy Tulowitzki Hosts Workout For MLB Clubs - Interesting to see that both Zahidi and Bochy were at this showcase. Considering that they are two of the only executives mentioned by name, I'm getting concerned this could get serious. The plus side is, he'd cost the minimum for the Giants.

Where would he slot it, 3rd?

I guess if you are trying to shed $$ this is a good move, but he clearly isn't part of a rebuild.

 

[MarcoPolo]

COL sure got the best out of THAT contract! All the cheap years, and then traded away ALL of the salary to Toronto just before he tanked. They didn't get much back besides salary relief, but hey ...

 

[LHG]

Where would he slot it, 3rd?

I guess if you are trying to shed $$ this is a good move, but he clearly isn't part of a rebuild.

Either that or 2nd base. I would guess 2nd since Panik is slipping both offensively and defensively and Hanson couldn't provide the offense in the 2nd half to make up for his defensive limitations. However, there have been rumors earlier this offseason that the Giants have looked around for teams to take on Longoria. I doubt that goes anywhere but if they do find a taker, they can slot either Sandoval or Tulowitzki at 3rd base (funny that both options are on another team's salary).

 

[stanford the manford]

Either that or 2nd base. I would guess 2nd since Panik is slipping both offensively and defensively and Hanson couldn't provide the offense in the 2nd half to make up for his defensive limitations. However, there have been rumors earlier this offseason that the Giants have looked around for teams to take on Longoria. I doubt that goes anywhere but if they do find a taker, they can slot either Sandoval or Tulowitzki at 3rd base (funny that both options are on another team's salary).

I guess that would patch a '19 hole and if either Panik or Longo's contract are removed from the books... it's a little more cash.

In the end it's the Sabean/Evans doctrine of hoping a player on the downside of his career works a miracle. I'd feel better if Tulo (or Panda) was strickley an insurance policy for an up-n-comer.

 

[SFGRTB]

I don't see much downside to a Tulo move.

At this point he's not blocking any top prospect. Avelino, if you want to consider him the closest thing to someone Tulo would block, has played just 97 games in AAA and wasn't tearing a hole through it by any means.

As I pointed out above, he's frankly been productive the vast majority of his career on both sides of the ball. Are his foot injuries so bad that he can never run again? Maybe. But if they aren't maybe he's got something in the tank.

 

[calsnowskier]

I don't see much downside to a Tulo move.

At this point he's not blocking any top prospect. Avelino, if you want to consider him the closest thing to someone Tulo would block, has played just 97 games in AAA and wasn't tearing a hole through it by any means.

As I pointed out above, he's frankly been productive the vast majority of his career on both sides of the ball. Are his foot injuries so bad that he can never run again? Maybe. But if they aren't maybe he's got something in the tank.

MAYBE Ryder??? Dude has not looked good in the bigs, but again, he still can’t grow facial hair. He has time and he pretty much shot through the minors without getting a lot of attention.

 

[SFGRTB]

MAYBE Ryder??? Dude has not looked good in the bigs, but again, he still can’t grow facial hair. He has time and he pretty much shot through the minors without getting a lot of attention.

Possibly, but I consider Pablo more the one blocking Ryder as they're both limited to the corners and left-handed (well, Pablo is better from the left side).

 

[LHG]

If the rumor reported here is true, a reason why I don't want Tulowitzki is the idea of Belt being platooned at 1st base with him. If that happens, Zahidi loses some good will with me. Belt is an accomplished defensive 1st baseman. Even though Tulowitzki was good defensively at shortstop, there is bound to be some defensive issues with him at 1st base. And while Belt struggled against lefties in 2018, Tulowitzki actually did the same in 2017. He hit much better than righties that year. Considering that Tulowitzki's best season in his 3 and a half years with Toronto looked a lot like Belt's 2018 season.