It’s been speculated that Hanley Ramirez’s desire to play shortstop will temper the demand for his services on the open market due to his sub-par work at the position, but Jon Heyman of CBS Sports hears that Ramirez is now telling clubs he’s willing to play third base or “wherever there’s a need.”
Just yesterday, ESPN’s Buster Olney speculated that opening up to the possibility of playing elsewhere on the diamond would likely enhance interest in Ramirez. If he’s open to playing third base or even left field, Ramirez’s suitors could indeed grow, although Ramirez has never played a professional game in the outfield in the minors or Majors, so clubs may be hesitant to drop him into that role with no prior experience.
Still, even a willingness to play third base off the bat will be food for Ramirez and could open his market to include the Giants and Red Sox, while a team like the Mariners could show more interest if they’re willing to bet on the fact that he can play a competent corner outfield. Heyman reports that the Red Sox have indeed been in contact with Ramirez, even if they’re currently more focused on Pablo Sandoval.
Earlier this week, ESPN’s Keith Law ranked Ramirez third among free agents, noting that he could still potentially play an above-average third base if he was willing to make the switch.
jljr222
This seemed like a no-brainer for Ramirez. It gives him more options and potentially more suitors who evaluate him differently. He’ll still have the health knock which will knock down his value, but if he waits until Sandoval and Headly sign…he will cash in on someones desperation. (Just hopefully not the Yankees)
Yankeeboy11
They need offense so I’m not gonna be surprised if they end up signing him
Marc
Yankees already branded Headley as their guy. Ramirez would be a fallback if they can’t afford Headley, which is highly unlikely.
Rally Weimaraner
If they can’t afford Headley they certainly can’t afford Hanley.
jljr222
Here is my fear. I think that SF will sign Sandoval and the Red Sox will immediately turn to Headly. I feel like he would sign there easily and leave the Yankees with nothing but Ramirez to fallback on. Granted they could put Prado at 3rd, but that’s my fear.
Marc
Red Sox would need to be willing to outbid NYY for Headley. I don’t see that. I see the Red Sox still needing a 3B after Sandoval and Headley resign with their teams. I think they’ll pursue the trade market for a 3B over trying Hanley there – saying you’ll play 3B is different than actually doing it, especially as a subpar defensive SS that is now acquiring the label of “injury prone”.
EDIT: Sox will drive up the price on both Sandoval and Headley though.
Draven Moss
Yep, but I think the Sox’ll go after Hanley before going hard on the trade market. The price for a good 3rd basemen right now is sky high, and the Sox might as well just go after Hanley, not having to give up any prospects. Obviously, I’d say Hanley would be their 3rd option, as they need a lefty bat preferably, but I wouldn’t rule it out. Maybe he’ll sign at a discount to play with his buddy, Big Papi.
slider32
Sometimes the last choice in this case is the best choice
1
Flash Gordon
Is their really a decent third base option out there on the free agent market? I’m thinking hard and nothing all that worthwhile comes to mind.
Marc
Decent? Yes, there’s Headley and Sandoval. Worth what they’ll respectively receive? No, there are no decent third base options on the free agent market.
Flash Gordon
My mistake. I meant “trade market” not free agent market. I just couldn’t really think of an upgrade at third a team would be willing to trade. Especially a left handed hitting one. Luis Valubena I suppose. Maybe Lonnie Chisenhall. Neither seem that great to me.
Marc
No 3B readily available – the team losing a quality 3B will surely have to be blown away with an offer. Not quite to the same degree, but currently 3B are kind of like QB in the NFL – very few elite ones, a handful of mediocre ones, and a lot of teams looking for one.
LazerTown
I love if they signed Hanley, but it all depend on the contract.
Scott Berlin
Same here but I’m more worried about the years then the AAV.
LazerTown
It’s all a balancing act. I care more about total price than aav or years, but if you get him that extra year for not much more is even better. Hanley in 6-7 years won’t be as good, but bat will still play.
Yankeeboy11
Would he play 2nd better than SS?
Mackster248
I would imagine yes. His throwing strength is the issue most of the time. So even if he moved to 3rd I would be worried.
Cantor33
Honestly, would probably be equally as mediocre there. He’d probably be best served as a LF.
Hugh Langin
I would imagine that any SS would play any position better if given ample time to learn it; exceptions to C/P.
Rally Weimaraner
Hanley might find better offers as a corner outfielder than a 3B even. His offensive production is good for a corner outfilder and playing a less demanding position would help keep him off the DL.
Scott Berlin
Yeah there aren’t too many good OF with good offense, plenty of infielders though. I think Headley is going to have alot more interest then Hanley even though he’s publicly said that he’s play 3rd now.
disadvantage 2
This is exciting news for the 2012 Marlins.
Scott Berlin
He didn’t say it openly but I think he’s hinting at DH’ing if need be, of course he won’t admit he’s not much of a fielder.
Rally Weimaraner
DH is an unnecessary jump. Hanley is a bad SS but that is the most demanding defensive position. He could be a passable 3B or corner outfielder.
Scott Berlin
It was really more of a joke making poking fun at his fielding. He seems to have the arm strength to play 3rd. As much as he’s seeking or able to get in AAV, it wouldnt be worthwhile for a team to have him play full time DH or even get alot of at bats there in the first few years of his new contract.
Joe Johnson
Welcome too New York Hanley 🙂 5 year 118mil
Robertson99
I hope not. Injury prone, and below average fielder. Yanks have enough players over 30 on the DL each year. Sure his bat is attractive, but it’s not like he’s some offensive powerhouse.
Ace McCloud®
If he’s open to a pay cut we’d love him in Oakland.
PileOfSandwich 2
Don’t speak for all of us, buddy.
Rally Weimaraner
At Oakland prices Im sure he’s welcome everywhere
Hugh Langin
I wonder how plausible it is that HanRam takes a 1 year deal. If he could stay healthy and establish himself as an average to better defender at 3B he could set himself up for a much larger contract next year.
Steve Adams
Zero percent. No player wants a one-year deal, let alone a 31-year-old that is still perceived as a star and will likely top $100MM anyhow.
MaineSox
Adrian Belre
Marc
I doubt he’d personally want to risk it. Take the 3 or 4 year at a lower AAV and just show up to Spring Training for years 3 and 4, if he really drops off that much. Unless you want to give him 1 year, 30MM.
Steve Adams
He wouldn’t take 1/30 or a 3-4 year deal. That’s vastly underselling his value.
Rally Weimaraner
Just as a thought experiment, what about 1/50?
Marc
Since it’s all guaranteed, I’d say he’d take it. Only from there, where do you set your value next year in free agency?
Rally Weimaraner
Honestly I think a player would still take 5/100 over 1/50. Sure an AAV of 50MM is insane but double the guarantied money, even over 5 times as long, is really hard to pass up.
Baseball is a career where one wrong step can take you from star to bust. If you don’t believe one step can do it just look at 2010 Kendrys Morales.
Marc
Not at age 31. You can make 50MM over 4 years at 32 as an offensive SS.
Scott Berlin
But you feel Robertson should take the qualifying offer over testing the market?
Rally Weimaraner
Yes I don’t think Robertson will get any good multi-year offers on the market with draft pick compensation attached. The market for relievers and position players is very different. Its just a bad time to be a top shelf free agent reliever.
Jonathan Papelbon passed threw waivers unclaimed in August with 2/26 remaining on his contract after posting an arguably better 2014 season than Robertson.
Scott Berlin
That’s true the draff pick compensation could hurt but that may also make a team give him a year or so extra on a contract (whether they be options or guaranteed). It wouldn’t be to business savvy to give up a draft pick up for a 3 year signing unless it was a more impactful player then a relief arm. But the Dodgers and Detroit might value him more then a late draft pick. For the teams that are losing out by signing someone with a QO, they (like the Yankees last offseason) might sign more guys after loosing their first pick. Like if someone were to sign one of “the big 3 pitchers” they might go out and get a guy like him just because they already lost their only decent draft pick, once you loose that you might as well be all in.
Flash Gordon
Kendry didn’t step, he hopped……….kind of
Melvin Mendoza, Jr.
Not sure about that. Dropping a few million in AAV for a longer-term deal is one thing, but a $30 million AAV cut? He’d be making half the long term deal in a fifth of the time. It is kind of counterproductive to do that if it’s that much.
LazerTown
They would take the one year in that case. players can get insurance, something that allowed Scherzer to turn down the 144 offer. No team would offer that much for one year of him, when they can have him for 4 more at double.
Rally Weimaraner
I know no team will offer him 1/50. Hence why I said thought experiment. The entire point of a thought experiment is to perform an experiment which would be utterly impossible to perform in the real world in order to test the validity of a general conclusion.
In this case I wanted to test Steve’s conclusion that players will always take the longer, lower AAV deal.
Steve Adams
It’s still a one-year deal. Having the highest AAV ever — and at a record that wouldn’t be broken for who knows how long — would be nice, but he’d still be sacrificing more than twice that much and risking a severe injury that prevents him from ever seeing that missed money.
LazerTown
I think he would take $50MM.
He doesn’t need to sacrifice it. Scherzer took out an insurance policy to hedge the bet when he turned down the 144MM offer. That massive of an aav would be more than enough to cover the insurance for that.
Marc
Not sure where he’s going to get 5+ years and $100MM+ though. I think a 4 year / 80MMish deal sounds about right. I guess it depends on where he’s playing too though (position and team).
Steve Adams
The top free agents get paid. You can say you don’t know where Scherzer’s going to get a seven-year deal, but odds are he’s going to end up getting one. No one knew where Cano would get 9-10 years last year with New York only willing to go seven. If Hanley settles for 4/80, I’ll be flat out shocked, and he’ll probably go get himself a new agent.
LazerTown
If Hanley will sign for $80MM/4 that would be an instant sign. That is a bargain for what he is.
Steve Adams
Right. Teams we’re not even considering right now would be in on him at that price. The Twins, Padres, D’Backs, Blue Jays, etc.
eddie monterrubio
Hanley likely to end up with an AL team that can bump him over to DH over the backend of the contract (when big papi retires). He’ll end up in Boston.
Draven Moss
Maybe Boston, but it’s much more likely they get Panda or Headley first. They need a lefty bat so, they’ll target these guys first. Then, if they’re unsuccessful, I’d say we’ll see Hanley in Red. Maybe to finish his career where it started.
eddie monterrubio
how many chances will headley get to actually produce? He had one good season in SD and hasn’t done anything since. Headley is someone you settle for after the market is dry, not someone you target.
Draven Moss
Well, the guy is inline for a contract of about 4 years, ~60 million dollars. The thing is, he plays excellent defense at third, making up a lot of his value. Also, while not elite, his offence is atleast average, and had a resurgence when he was traded to the Yankees. The thing is, while he might not be the best 3rd basemen of the FA Class, he is definately in the top 3, and with the contract he is going to get compared to Hanley and Pablo, he’ll more than likely outperform them on a value basis.
MaineSox
He’s been a 3.5+ WAR player 4 of the last 5 years, and is projected for 4 WAR next year. Yeah, he’s clearly no good.
MaineSox
The supposed “need” for a left handed bat is way overblown. They need good hitters, preferably ones who can hit righties, and all of their main hitters already hit righties well, as does Hanley (career 129 wRC+ off of righties). They don’t need a lefty hitter.
Draven Moss
I suppose not, but I think it’d be nice. Also, I’m all for the team having a righty-dominant line-up, it’s better suited for Fenway Park anyways, with the Green Monster in left. Also, I personally wouldn’t mind the Red Sox going after Hanley, as long as the price is alright. The thing is, would the Red Sox be better off going after Pablo or Hanley? One’s a lefty bat who would help balance out the line-up, while the other is a better offensive threat who will cost more. Personally, I would go to about ~17.5 million AAV for Pablo with the total years being 4-5. Any more than that and I’d rather go after Hanley, or Headley (though I’m not sure how well he’d contribute to the line-up).
MaineSox
At even money I’d take Hanley every time. Even if Hanley gets more I might still take him depending on how much more. Plus, Sandoval is looking for 5-6 years and closer to $20M per year.
Draven Moss
What Sandoval is looking for is ludicrous. I think he’ll be able to secure a 6 year deal, but for 20 million AAV? No way, more like the 17-18 million range. Now on a 4 year deal, I could possibly see it, but for a longer term contract, it seems unrealistic. I don’t think any team would give him that kind of money for 6 six years. If so, the Red Sox better be out and sign Hanley to Zach Links’ prediction of 6 years, 132 million.
i'm me ..
Hanley to the A’s. he can play some SS and DH.
Puig Power
It’s a trap!
Douglas Rau
I’m not sure I would want an untested outfielder in a field as big as
Safeco if I’m the Mariners. Yeah, HanRam is a good hitter but how many runs
will he give back during the course of a season by not getting to balls
that other outfielders would get to?
LazerTown
Depends on the price. His bat is just that good.
Rally Weimaraner
Not as many as he will cost them by playing SS
Douglas Rau
Would the Yankees rather have HanRam at third rather than Headley? On one hand, HanRam’s bat is better which is one of the Yankees’ biggest needs this off-season but on the other hand, Headley is a much better bet to stay healthy, is a better defensive player and actually has experience at both corner infield positions. Also, given their recent performances, Ramirez will probably command more money than Headley.
Rally Weimaraner
Headley. Better defense, no draft pick attached, better health record and smaller commitment required. Plus NYY still needs an actual SS for 2015.
Douglas Rau
Yeah, I guess when you weigh all of it together, it’s an easy choice. Still, would be nice to add HanRam’s bat to the line-up but oh well. Not worth the money and not likely to age well.
Runtime
Toronto to play 2B?
M.Kit
I could see the Yankees (given the uncertainty at 3B/SS), but if I’m Boston, I’d still prefer Panda over Ramirez in terms of 3B
slider32
Cashman is set on Headley, Hanley wants too much money for the Yanks or Sox at this point I have him signing with the Mariners .
JeffyM
I still think he ends up with the Yankees playing SS next year, and then moving to 3B in 2016 when they sign Ian Desmond as a free agent.
dezpoo
I think it really depends on where Pablo signs first and what people are willing to give him. I guess we won’t find out until after the Winter’s meetings.
NRD1138 2
He is open to position change.. to get his contract, then he will grouse about having to move, or being at a different position