JotCast | 2022 Top 50 Free Agents Chat

2022 Top 50 Free Agents Chat - 11/8/2021

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Ben Clemens

2:46

It's not even a little crazy

They won't do it, but they're in a position where a few players would make a lot of difference in a tough NLE

Wild Thing Vaughn

2:47

Which free agent do you think provides the best value relative to the contract you would offer?

Ben Clemens

2:47

Interesting way of looking at this

Hm.... Chris Taylor

He could make 4/15 look like a real bargain

2:48

I'm not sure he will, but he's a sweet spot of 'can be really good when on' and 'not projected for THAT much money'

Marry me Ben

2:48

The Angels seem to have a narrow window of contention with Trout, Rendon, Ohtani healthy and Pujols contract off the books. Who do you think the Angels should try to sign to compete for a playoff spot?

Ben Clemens

2:48

I disagree with their window being narrow, I think they should try to compete at least until Trout is 35 or so. I'd be in the market for starting pitching, basically

Dan

2:49

Assuming the players are getting a larger percentage of the revenue after the CBA I'd really like to see some of that targeted to players who resign with their old team but I can't think of a way to do this that doesn't require a baseball dictator to manage the transition.

Ben Clemens

2:49

Could be a Bird Rule kinda thing, in the NBA you get special dispensation to ignore caps and so on when re-signing your own players

Maybe they could have some of the luxury tax money diverted into a pool that pays players who re-sign with their team a 10% bonus? I dunno

2:49

Verlander intrigues me so much, mainly because I think he's a guy worth betting on, but I don't feel like it's been talked about enough that he's trying to do something that's truly unprecedented. From what I could find on some basic Stathead searches, NO ONE (at least in the last 60 years) has come back from two lost seasons at age 37 and 38 and come back at age 39.

Ben Clemens

2:50

Yeah, it's a really strange case. That's why I think he's really likely to accept the QO -- the Astros definitely have an information edge on other teams, so I think other teams will be hesitant to compete with them

Kiermaier's Piercing Green Eyes

2:50

You've referenced never started Gloomhaven a few times before. If it's anything around being intimidated, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion has a really nice onboarding process and often goes for <$30 at Target with their sales and Circle offers. Plus the classes and battle goals can then be used as an expansion for the original Gloomhaven.

Ben Clemens

2:51

Ooh, board games in the free agency chat, I'm into it

I have heard that as well

also, there's a computer game version now that is getting glowing reviews

Rick

2:51

Nats have approx $90M commited for '22 and clear needs at either SS/3B and a big bat in the OF (plus 1-2 SP). Do they make 1-2 splash signings or strictly stay in the bargain bin/1 year flip zone?

Ben Clemens

2:52

I think they're going to straddle that line. I think they probably won't sign anyone in my top ten, but that they will sign some pitcher to a long-ish term deal and maybe try for a few mid-range hitters on multi-year deals as well

Cole

2:52

Curious to know what you would have projected Mike Zunino to get in free agency if the Rays had turned down his option

Ben Clemens

2:52

Close to Gomes, low eight figures basically

Or high seven

James

2:53

Jim Crane seemed fairly confident the Verlander would decline the QO. Is there any sort of communication between players and teams indicating their intentions before offers go out?

Ben Clemens

2:53

Yes, there is

2:54

But it's not binding or anything, and I just think Verlander will have a hard time passing that up

Jeremy

2:54

Well, since my previous Phillies-related suggestion wasn't even a little crazy, I also think they should sign Yan Gomes to back up Realmuto, and sign Iglesias and Jansen to shore up the bullpen. Now is it a little crazy?

Ben Clemens

2:54

Still not crazy to want it, no

Will they do it? Of course not

Just some guy

2:54

Jaws of the Lion is great. The digital version of Gloomhaven is also great.

Dan

2:54

Why does everyone think you left E-Rod off the list? lol

Ben Clemens

2:54

Maybe they don't know his name, I don't know

2:55

I'm pretty sure that we are the outlet that ranked him highest, which is what's extra strange

Rat Racoon

2:55

Such a weird dynamic that you have 3 slam dunk HOF pitchers (Kershaw, Scherzer, Verlander, and probably a 4th with Grienke) and that there's a non-zero chance that all 4 take 1 year deals (I know Scherzer almost definitely won't)

Ben Clemens

2:55

Yeah they all seem to be aging out at such similar paces

I do think the other three could all take one year deals

I'd love the Cards to sign Greinke and see if there's more in the tank

And the other two are such injury risks that one year makes the most sense

Slew

2:56

Re: Verlander (And forgive me if this is uncouth), but isn't he one of the guys said to have benefited disproportionally from the sticky stuff? And if so, doesn't that make him an enormously risky proposition?

Ben Clemens

2:56

I haven't really heard that suggestion aside from some tinfoil hat Trevor Bauer nonsense, but basically, I don't think tihs is a huge worry? The idea that some pitchers will just stop being good b/c they can't put sticky stuff on their fingers doesn't seem to bear out with what happened to anyone in the real world

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