FanPost: Offseason Needs: Shortstop

[Hans Herrera]

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[Guest MB]

Very good break down! But I would caution that 100 wRC+ is league average, which is quite different from replacement level, especially at SS.

 

"Both ended the season with an wRC+ just above replacement level, 103 for Jon and 101 for Hampson."

 

I'd imagine a replacement level SS would average somewhere between 60 to 80 wRC+, depending on their defense.

[Ely Sussman]

As highlighted in my own article, Edman is my realistic best-case scenario at SS for this offseason.

 

I was toying around with Gavin Lux as an outside-the-box idea. He was preparing to be the Dodgers SS entering this year before getting injured. But I'm not confident enough in his bat to make him a high priority.

[Guest]

Over the last two or three off seasons, I have had such high hopes for trades with either Baltimore or St. Louis, but nothing really happened.

 

Despite having lost all faith, I still see Edman is a legitimate trade target, and a very realistic one.

 

But I think I see a good chance netting Perdomo if the Marlins are open to trade Garrett or Cabrera or Rogers.

[Guest Alex Stepanyk]

Trading Cabrera, Rogers or Garrett is a bad idea. We need pitchers especially with Sandy out next season.

[Guest]

Thank you for the time and thought you dedicated to the article. I think the free-agent players you listed, and the trade possibilities are reasonable. These are fun to discuss as we enter the true off-season and hot stove months. Should I be in charge, I would eschew any FAs and use the upcoming season to determine the roles for Amaya, Edwards, Johnston, and Myers. If not now, when? It appears that none of these players truly need to be or should be in the minor leagues. At this point, playing them or trading them are the choices, not only for team needs and evaluation, but for their career paths. The upcoming year requires some retrenching due to the sunk costs on the books and Alcantara's lost salary. Added to these costs are the potentially strong increases due to the arb-eligible players. Let's not make middling deals for the sake of deals and allow our new brain trust to break from the patchwork ways of the past. If we acknowledge that the organizational strategy and condition of the farm system require a long-term approach, let's start now. This includes talking our lumps and making hard decisions. Ely Sussman's strategy is remain in win-now mode, largely because he believes the fan base will not tolerate a regression. I understand this and it is a valid insight. However, I view the two strategies as being in opposition and, crucially, the win-now bent is untenable.

[Guest]

When the Marlins acquired Chisholm for Gallen, there was no question that he was viewed as the SS of the future. He has not been given an adequate look at the position in my opinion.

 

I'd like to see Jazz at SS, Edwards at 2b, and Arraez and Johnston playing first base and DH next season. I can kind of see Gary Sanchez signed as the replacement for Stallings. Adam Duvall would be a low-cost option for the OF as a replacement for Soler that can actually play defense.

 

If Cabrera and Rogers can approach their potential, the team would be a middling contender for a wild card spot.

[Guest]

You have a point. Referring to the wRC+ list mentioned, you can distribute players in basically three categories:

 

Below average if the wRC+ is 100 (16)

 

Berti and Hampson are still just above average, and Rosario would qualify as replacement level.

[Guest]

I agree with you in many, many things. I would like a younger team on the field, and give Amaya and Johnston the first option to crack the roster and take over SS and 1B.

 

That said, I think that shouldn’t hurt the team’s chances to compete for a postseason spot next season. The SS didn’t produce at all, and almost anyone would be an improvement, so why not try the youngsters?

 

I also believe Johnston can provide 15-ish HRs and a .750-800 OPS, that is not far from what the position produced the whole last season.

 

Johnston can mimic Bell’s production, and some improvements from Jazz (mostly staying healthy), DLC and Sánchez can cover some of Soler’s production. Thus, the Marlins are not that far from being the same team they had this season, and a lot younger.

 

Fortes-Johnston-Arráez-Burger-Amaya-DLC-Jazz-Sánchez…

 

From that lineup, the only player close to be a Free Agent is Arráez and none of them is even 29 years old. Good

[Guest]

I think we should trade SP, this is a deep market in FA, and we have 3 LHP, teams would prefer them, so then let's go sign us Gray, Madea, or Rodriguez, all should sign less than 100 mm and gives us veteran insurance if Sandy isn't himself