Expansion Draft

[calsnowskier]

I used to do this back in the Disney days, and quite honestly, no one seemed interested in it but me, but I enjoyed it, so let's do it again.

Using the rules of the 1997 expansion draft (Rays and D-Backs), who would the Giants protect?

1) They can protect 15 players from the entire org.
2) They can lose no more than 3 players (and no less than 2)
3) Once a team loses a player, they are able to protect 3 additional players
4) Anyone drafted in 2014 or 2015 does not need to be protected
5) Anyone signed in 2013 who was 18 or younger does not need to be protected
6) If a player is drafted, the new team is responsible for the remainder of the contract

First, a few of the guys who don't need to be protected...

Beede
Bickford
Garcia
Coonrod
Slater
Cole
Shaw
Suarez
Fox
Martinez
Arroyo
Arenado
Fargas
Edie
Cabrera

Next, the no-brainers...

Bumgarner
Crawford
Duffy
Posey
Panik
Pence

Some players who are "in the mix"...

Tomlinson
Stratton
Mejia
Parker
Williamson
Susac
Crick
Blackburn
Blach
Osich
Kontos
Strickland
Lopez
Casilla
Belt
Blanco
Heston

Pagan, Peavy, Cain and Romo all have big enough contracts that I think make them almost draft-proof. No point in wasting a protection on them. Posey is ALMOST in this class, but being the arguable face of the MLB, he would be grabbed up in a second by any organization.

So my final 15 would be...

Bumgarner
Crawford
Duffy
Posey
Panik
Pence
Tomlinson
Susac
Osich
Strickland
Kontos
Mejia
Belt
Blanco
Blackburn

That means Stratton, Parker, Williamson, Crick, Heston, Lopez, Casilla and Blach are all exposed to the draft. I think Lopez and Casilla would be safe because of their age and contracts and Crick is too much of a question mark. But losing Stratton, Parker, Williamson or Heston could hurt. This is a deep roster and we are trying to win now, so unfortunately, leaving some prospects open in order to protect some of the bully arms (Kontos, Osich and Strickland) is something that needs to be done.

 

[LHG]

Here's my initial 15 protected:
Biagini
Blach
Blackburn
Bumgarner
Crawford
Duffy
Mejia
Osich
Posey
Panik
Pence
Strickland
Susac
Tomlinson
Williamson

By no means would I set this in stone without much more thought. At least five of these guys could be moved for 5 others. The biggest name I left exposed is Belt. Pitching is the lifeblood of the organization and the starting rotation is aging. I'd want to keep the better pitching prospects at the upper end of the organization protected. I may even swap out Biagini with Stratton. An expansion club is going to look for cheap, young guys close to being ready so they would be the first targets.

I do have a really hard time seeing Belt go. I know he would be taken right away. I may yet change my mind on him, but I left him exposed knowing that Posey needs to move to 1st base and it would be a good time to see what the Giants really have in Susac.

Once Belt would get selected, I would pull back Kontos, Stratton (or Biagini) and Blanco. I would then assume that Heston is the 2nd pick from the team. After he got picked, I would pull back Parker, Lopez and Casilla. I doubt anyone else would get picked at that point, unless a team wanted a veteran presence in someone like Peavy or Pagan.

 

[calsnowskier]

I struggled on Belt as well, for the exact reasons you gave. But I protected him because I figure he still has a lot of trade value. However, I think you may be right about starting pitchers. Leaving Kontos off in favor of Stratton is probably a good idea. However, I don't think we need to worry about Biagini or Blach.

 

[LHG]

I struggled on Belt as well, for the exact reasons you gave. But I protected him because I figure he still has a lot of trade value. However, I think you may be right about starting pitchers. Leaving Kontos off in favor of Stratton is probably a good idea. However, I don't think we need to worry about Biagini or Blach.

Considering the roster makeup of this team (the number of free agents, the older guys with big, for them, contracts) it would be an ideal year to go through the draft. Going with your list, who do you think would be picked first from the Giants?

 

[calsnowskier]

Considering the roster makeup of this team (the number of free agents, the older guys with big, for them, contracts) it would be an ideal year to go through the draft. Going with your list, who do you think would be picked first from the Giants?

Assuming going with Stratton in place of Kontos and Chase Johnson (how did we both miss him?) in place of Blanco...

Lopez (he could have trade value for the expansion team)
Biagini
Kontos (he could be their closer)
Williamson (probably ready for graduation to a strong team by mid-season
Parker (same as Williamson)
Agosta (would a good pick, but he may not be MLB-ready enough for a first pick)

Ultimately, I think Williamson would probably be taken.

 

[Robotech]

Man, you guys are nerds.

 

[LHG]

Man, you guys are nerds.

Thus, why we are on this forum.