The Astros have checked in on top free agent hitter Hanley Ramirez, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal notes that with Carlos Correa, Colin Moran, and Rio Ruiz in the Astros’ pipeline for the left side of their infield, it’s unclear whether the Astros would be willing to meet Ramirez’s demands for a large contract.
In Zach Links’ profile of Ramirez for MLBTR four days ago, he projected a six-year, $132MM deal. In recent predictions, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports and an anonymous GM predicted five-year deals for Ramirez worth $105MM and $90MM, respectively, while an agent went with six years and $122MM. ESPN’s Jim Bowden takes the low end at just four years and $76MM. Clearly, there’s a wide range on Ramirez’s next contract.
Ramirez could make sense for the Astros, who project to have less than $40MM committed for 2015 even after paying their arbitration eligible players. Correa, Moran, and Ruiz have a 2016 estimated time of arrival, but not all prospects pan out on a schedule, and Ramirez recently expressed a willingness to play “wherever there’s a need,” according to Heyman. The Astros’ first-round draft pick is protected, so they would have to forfeit the competitive balance round pick they acquired from the Marlins in the summer trade that netted them Moran if they were to sign Ramirez.
Hanley certainly would be a significant upgrade over Matt Dominguez and he could transition to DH later in his career to make room for Correa/Moran/Ruiz none of whom have played more than 28 games at the AA level.
His signing would certainly be a sign the ‘stros are feeling they are closer to contending, in the same way but on a larger scale of the Mets signing of Cuddyer suggests.
Given his age im not sure Hanley himself would want to go to a team that is probably 2/3 years away still from real contention but still, its an intriguing one.
I think this would be a great move. It would get the fans riled up. It would turn our lackluster offense around. It would provide a great DH/3B who could transition to first when Singleton fizzles away completely. I say DO IT.
Why don’t the Mets consider Hanley Ramirez as well?
It would save them trading some of their prized pitchers to the Rockies and then fill out their outfield with CarGo.
They have a full outfield of Cuddyer/Largaras/Grandy. They have 2 wholes, SS and the bench. I like Hanley, but his defense isn’t great. I’d rather have the Mets get Cabrera or Drew honestly.
Ramirez is a really bad SS and the Mets have David Wright locked in at 3B already. Mets need a SS.
If Hanley’s willing to change positions, 2B isn’t exactly locked down and in two years (if not sooner, who knows) Cuddyer will be gone so LF is open.
Id say there is a 5% chance at best that Mets-Rox Tulo trade happens.
Because Hanley can’t play shortstop and the Mets don’t have a DH slot.
Their outfield is full, unless they plan to trade Grandy or immediately trade Cuddyer somehow.
They couldn’t move Grandy, and aren’t allowed to trade Cuddyer.
I figured. I was mainly explaining to the OP that CarGo isn’t coming to NY because it wouldn’t make any sense.
Go to the Cubs!
Are you kidding? They already have 19 shortstops/3B.
An Astros lineup with Hanley could score a decent amount of runs. Would love to see a mid-tier starting pitcher as well as a couple mid-level bullpen arms added too.
1. Altuve 2B
2. Fowler CF
3. Hanley SS (until Correa then switch to 3B)
4. Springer CF
5. Carter DH
6. Castro C
7. Dominguez 3B (until booted by a Hanley position change)
8. Singleton 1B
9. Grossman/Presley/Marisnick LF
Villar is a better hitter than Dominguez and a better defensive SS than Ramirez, why wouldn’t the Astros just start Ramirez at 3B?
Villar made many, many mental mistakes at SS last year. A big part of his demotion. Dominguez is regarded as a very solid defensive 3B. Also he has a bit more power than Villar. I’m a fan of Villar and still believe he could be an everyday player if he puts it together. Neither player had a good season last year, so really it depends on what direction Lunhow and Co. want to go.
I think the future of Hanley would be 1B. I think he should start at 3rd next season and transition to 1B in a year or two.
You don’t want to jerk your highest paid player all over the field, but if he’d play both SS and 3rd (and maybe even some LF) and you could do this:
1 Altuve 2B
2 Fowler CF
3 Springer RF
4 Hanley SS/3B/LF
5 Carter DH
6 Castro (if he’s still around) C
7 Singleton 1B
8-9 Platoon Dominguez/Grossman/Villar/Marisnick/Presley at whatever 2 positions you’re still missing.
1 Altuve 2B
2 Springer RF
3 Hanley 3B
4 Carter DH
5 Singleton 1B
6 Fowler CF
7 Stassi/Conger C
8 Platoon Grossman/Marisnick LF
9 Platoon Petit/Villar SS
That lineup scores a lot of runs. The catcher position can be moved to the 8 hole depending on who’s hitting. Springer hitting before Hanley would become a BEAST in the 2 hole. Carter could provide enought protection for Hanley to allow him to be awesome. Singleton could, with the pressure off, grow into that hole in his swing. Fowler would be another leadoff man in the 6 hole- meaning we should not have 2 3up 3 down innings in a row all that often.
I would LOVE Springer at #2 in the order
The question becomes for Hanley if he wants to go to another team to be the face of the franchise when he didn’t really embrace that role in Miami
Altuve is the face of the astros. No one is taking that away from him at this point.
Astros would actually be an interesting fit. I think they clearly need a lot more pitching to even be close to contending, but he would add a bit of balance to their strikeout-heavy lineup. I don’t think they should start investing in 6-7 year deals at top of the market value, but a 4-5 year deal could be good for them.
If Hanley went to Houston, would the Dodgers get the first round pick from the Astros or a second round? If first round is the case, then I hope he goes to Houston or Boston!
The Astros first two picks are protected (2nd overall because they didn’t sign Aiken, and the 5th overall, I think 5th anyways, due to the top 11 picks protected). The Dodgers would recieve the sandwich pick in between the first and second rounds, which is the first pick (31st overall) of the competitive balance round. Astros recieved that pick in the trade with Miami in July.
They do not receive the pick that the Astros lose. Can we get a post on how this works, Tim? It would seem much easier to have it linked than to explain it every thread.
Yes, sorry the Dodgers would not receive the Astros comp pick, that is just the draft pick the Astro would lose if they signed a free agent who was given a QO. The Dodgers would get a pick in between the first and second round, unless they resign him…sorry about the mixup
That means that Houston would not lose a draft pick? I just finished reading an article on how the top 11 picks are protected, so if any of those top 10 teams were to sign a FA that rejected a QO they would not lose a draft pick? Please elaborate…
That is correct, the first 11 picks are protected so the Astros or any of the 10 teams behind them would not lose their pick. If I’m not mistaken, the team whose FA rejected the QO would still get a compensatory pick between the first and second rounds.
But do those top 10 teams lose a pick?
Yes, their next pick after their pick in the top 11
These teams still lose a pick, they just lose their next, nonprotected pick. See the Indians in the 2012/2013 offseason.
Everyone who gets a comp pick, gets it between the first round, and the comp round A, in order from worst record to best (see the reverse standings).
They will get a pick between the first and second round no matter who he signs with. Unless he stays with the Dodgers, of course.
If he stayed a FA past a certain date then anyone can sign him without loosing a pick.
It’s in the article. Houston’s first is protected. They’d give up their next pick, which in their case isn’t a second rounder. It’s a compensatory pick which takes place between the first and second rounds.
That still is NOT the pick the Dodgers would get. Houston would lose that pick, yes. But you do not get the puck the other team gives up, anymore. The Dodgers will get a compensation round pick no matter who signs him.