HallofFrank’s Offseason Plan: Go for Bryce
PREAMBLE
Bryce Harper.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS
- Jose Abreu, $16M – tender
- Avisail Garcia, $8M – non-tender
- Yolmer Sanchez, $4.7M – tender
- Carlos Rodon, $3.7M – tender
- Matt Davidson, $2.4M – tender
- Leury Garcia, $1.9M – tender
- Danny Farquhar, $1.4M – non-tender
CLUB OPTIONS
- Nate Jones, $4.65 million/$1.25M buyout – decline
- James Shields, $16 million/$2M buyout – decline
OTHER IMPENDING FREE AGENTS
Try to retain, or let go?
- Miguel Gonzalez (made $4.75 million in 2018) – let go
FREE AGENTS
No. 1: Bryce Harper (nine years, $350 million; player option after 5th year, team option after 7th). Got to be in on Harper or Machado. I like Machado, but I think Harper is going to be the better player over the next 10 years. I like the left handed bat in the middle of the order, and I think he ages better than Machado.
No. 2: Nathan Eovaldi (four years, $55 million). To add some sort of stability to the starting rotation. I’d like to add a guy who’s not over 30, and Eovaldi fits the bill.
No. 3: Mike Moustakas (two years, $14 million). Get a third basemen for a couple of years to see if someone emerges in the system during that time.
TRADES
No. 1: Trade Blake Rutherford, Carson Fulmer for Clint Frazier. Yanks have logjam in OF in Majors, White Sox have logjam in OF in Minors. I’m sure the Yanks will look for an impact player for Frazier, but I don’t think they will find it. White Sox get a young guy who could be a stud hitter, Yanks put some more talent in the system and take a chance that Fulmer excels with a change of scenery.
SUMMARY
Go broke for Manny or Bryce. I’m taking Bryce – I think he’ll be the better player over the next 10 years. He’s a cornerstone to build around, and a forceful left handed bat. I’m also holding onto Abreu, unless I’m just bowled over with an offer, which I don’t expect to happen. I like going after Clint Frazier, whose stock is down some and no real path to playing time for the Yanks. He adds OF depth, plus fits the timeline well. The goal remains 2020 for making a playoff run, but after adding Eloy, Bryce, Moose, and Eovaldi, even incremental jumps from the young guys could make this a surprise team in 2019.
I dig the Frazier idea, though I’m not sure that package makes sense for them. Good idea!
I looked into trading for Frazier, but I’m not seeing the logjam some people are claiming is there. They have Judge locked in for RF, and Hicks is still under control for one more season in CF. They could play Stanton in LF, I suppose, but he’s primarily been a DH (which kept him healthy) and I can’t imagine they’ll pick up Brett Gardner’s option. That leaves Frazier as the next man up, as doesn’t it?