The Reds are listening to offers on all of their players, including Billy Hamilton, reports ESPN’s Buster Olney (Insider subscription required and recommended). There is, of course, a distinction to be made between entertaining offers and shopping Hamilton around, but Cincinnati’s openness should pique the interest of a number of clubs looking for a center field upgrade. Hamilton had a breakout year in 2016, slashing .260/.321/.343 with three homers while delivering his third consecutive season with 55-plus stolen bases. Those rate stats are far from elite, but Hamilton is an elite defensive center fielder and far and away the best baserunner in Major League Baseball, so progressing from a sub-.300 OBP to even a roughly league-average mark is significant. Hamilton swiped 58 bags in just 460 plate appearances last year and was caught a mere eight times. He also drew a +15 mark from Defensive Runs Saved and +13 from Ultimate Zone Rating in just 119 games.
As Olney notes, Hamilton is controllable for three more years and may not have much control left by the time the Reds are good again. There’s certainly some logic behind trading him, though the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Zach Buchanan hears they’d need to be “really, really motivated by an offer” to part with Hamilton (Twitter link).
More from Olney…
- Mike Napoli is seeking a three-year contract in free agency, reports Olney later in the above-linked piece. The Indians, meanwhile, prefer to keep their offers to retain Napoli to one year in length. At 35 years of age and in a market stocked with first base/DH types — Mark Trumbo, Edwin Encarnacion, Brandon Moss, Steve Pearce, Mitch Moreland, Adam Lind, Logan Morrison, etc. — it’s tough to see Napoli landing three guaranteed years even after hitting 34 homers. Napoli’s .239/.335/.465 line was solid but not elite. and his baserunning and defense both rated poorly in 2016 as well.
- Also from Olney, execs with other teams tell him that they believe the White Sox “are serious about their intention to trade Chris Sale.” Chicago has told rival clubs they’re willing to trade anyone with fewer than four years of team control remaining, which would mean Jose Quintana, Carlos Rodon, Adam Eaton and Tim Anderson are off the table, but names like Sale, Jose Abreu, Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera and David Robertson are all in play. Sale’s name figures to dominate next week’s Winter Meetings, and the wide range of options available to Chicago GM Rick Hahn should mean the White Sox will be connected to plenty of interesting trade scenarios.
- In a separate column (Insider subscription again required and once again highly recommended), Olney writes about the ongoing struggle in the collective bargaining negotiations, which have a 12:01am ET deadline on Thursday. Per Olney’s report, differing styles of negotiation between new MLBPA head Tony Clark and the team of Commissioner Rob Manfred and chief legal officer Dan Halem have led to a slower pace in talks. And, the owners’ recent concession of dropping the demand for an international draft hasn’t really accelerated talks in the manner they hoped it would. Olney adds even more to the CBA story through a series of three tweets, reporting that the competitive balance tax is the “last big hurdle” for MLB and the MLBPA to clear in negotiations, but there’s growing pessimism about a deal getting done. Agents to whom Olney has spoken are “perplexed” by the impasse and feel the Union needs to communicate to the players more effectively why there could be a work stoppage and how it’d impact them.
I don’t understand what all the trouble is. With the international draft off the table, what are the topics left that are apparently so contentious?
Cbt tax
Even if he hit 50 homers last year, I wouldn’t sign an aging 35 year old to a three year contract that has a history like Napoli. You’re paying to take a chance with a sure fire bet to get 200 k’s and a higher chance at injury. He could get a 2 year offer but not 3. At least not from a contender.
Exactly! Love what Napoli brought to the table year but People get caught up in the run they had and want to open the checkbook for him…it’ll be a contract that cripples the roster (see Hafner) when he’s not performing and they overpaying a broken down guy with a contract they can’t get out from under.
Yeah. I saw three years and I had to laugh.
What’s Abreu worth? Doesn’t he still have three years of control left, I’d think it would take a ton to get him.
If not, then go get him Mets.
Duda would like a word.
I want to see Seattle get Hamilton.
It was NEVER NEVER NEVER about the International draft, as I noted (to much scorn) yesterday. The MLBPA never gave a hoot about international players.
So it was the “cap”, for lack of better terminology…..I’m SHOCKED, SHOCKED the players are concerned with only themselves…..just like I’d be shocked the owners are the same…..
Would live to see the Cardinals go after Hamilton. But the Reds don’t really need more pitching and that’s likely what the Cardinals would have to build a package around.
The Reds had a historically bad pitching staff in 2016. I don’t know why you’d think they wouldn’t be interested in quality pitching. None of the Reds’ pitching prospects have shown much at the highest levels.
For some reason I thought they were happy with their stockpiling of young arms, maybe not.
I imagine the Reds would demand a ton, something like Weaver, Bader, and Alcantara
I would love for the Jays to get Hamilton. Then we only need him and Pillar in the outfield and then we can sign some sluggers to fill out some sort of 6 man infield. Outfield defence still improves and then we don’t have to worry about having too many DH types. I’m sure EE and Morales standing next to each other can play some sort of passable 1B. Boom. GM job here I come. Surely someone will appreciate my innovation and throw me some cash. Hell Dave Stewart got a job
This is now my favorite comment of all time.
Excellent thankyou. I don’t suppose you are in the market for a GM then…?
Wow. I love this
It’s funny because there is some truth to it. They basically could.
I think the blue jays should contact the white sox about a reunion with melky cabrera. Melky if im not mistaken is on his last year of a 3/42 deal which means hes only getting 14m a year. Id say if the white sox eat only about 2-3m of that the blue jays could be interested. Not sure what the white sox would require, but maybe reese mcguire could go back to chicago in return?
If the Reds are listening on everyone, I have to wonder what it would take to get Votto. Still an elite player (with the bat, at least, he was as good as Trout this year), but expensive and signed for another 7 years. No way Cincinnati gives him up for cheap, but they would probably be glad not to be paying him $24 million when he’s 40 years old.
Votto has repeatedly said he has no interest in waiving his no-trade clause. So we can speculate what it would cost, but it’s not happening.
Votto makes no sense, what’s Cinncy got that’s keeping him there. You would think he would want to go to a contender like the Jays, Sox, or Yanks, They all need a firstbasmen along with a lot of other teams. The Reds coud rebuild by trading Votto, Phillips, and Bailey this winter, but they won’t do it. They waited too long in the past and didn’t get good value for the other players they traded.
No one wants Homer Bailey’s contract and Votto said he wants to see the rebuild all the way through and help the younger guys in the clubhouse.
Meh, he’s happy in Cincinnati and comfortable with the Reds. He has a contract that will keep him there until he’s done. I imagine he doesn’t see the appeal of taking the chance on ending up somewhere he’s not as happy and stuck there for the remainder of his career. Not that crazy
People just expect athletes to want to win and staying in Cincinnati is the furthest thing from that. You can stay were u want but it just speaks to your competitive nature by saying no. Having said that I don’t believe a word he says about it. what’s he supposed to say he’d come under so much scrutiny by saying I want out wait and if you’re approached examine your options then. How many times does an athlete with a no trade say that and back out when given that opportunity.
Please Cardinals go after Hamilton!!!
I don’t think billy Hamilton is going anywhere, his value will much higher this time next year
How do you know? Nobody has any idea what his value will be in a year.
Hamilton would fill so many holes for the O’s. He could play center (move Jones to right), be the leadoff hitter they’re looking for, add speed to a lineup that is lacking speed, and a switch hitter so he would be a lefty hitter they’re looking for. But he makes too much sense so Duquette won’t even consider him.
Do they have the pieces to get him though?
I’m sure they do, but what are the Reds looking for in return? Maybe the O’s offer Harvey, Walker, Cleavinger, and maybe one more?
Yeah he’s a hard guy to value
Napoli should go to the Rox he would kill it there for a few more years of what he has left in the tank.
There are enough of these guys to go around, you have EE, Trumbo, Napoli, Moss, Moreland, Pearce, Lind, Beltran, and Morrison. The Sox, Jays, Yanks, Rangers, O’s and Astros will grab these guys. I have EE- Astros, Trumbo- Jays, Napoli-O’s, Pearce- Rangers, Beltran- Yanks,
As much as I’d hate to give away Alex Bregman, a potential top 5 3b for years to come, I wonder if the Astros would consider pulling the trigger on the Chris Sale deal, if Abreu was also a part of it. Obviously that deal would deliver a massive blow to the stros farm system but offering a player like Bregman could be a great conversation starter. Like I said, part of me would be really sad to see such a great young player go with at least another 7 years of control left but we’re talking premier talent at two positions that they’re in desperate need of established talent. If such a monumental deal did happen, then you’d finally be able to move Gurriel back to his comfort zone at the hot corner, while Abreu mans first. Not too mention, the rotation could turn out to be one of the best in the league. I wonder if a package, like AB, AJ Reed, Musgrove, David Paulino, and say Derek Fisher would be enough, close, or even worth it for that matter.
I find it to be very difficult for anyone to predict the actual prospect return in basically any kind of trade prior to it happening. However, before you start yelling at your computer and breaking your keyboard over my trade proposal, consider AB has almost the same number of years of control as Abreu and Sale combined. The rest of the players in the deal aren’t established but all are around 22 years old with cheap contracts and 6+ years left of control with B+ to A+ potential (Fisher probably a B to B-). Bottom line, it would be really difficult for Luhnow to trade off Breggy and friends but imagining a lineup
CF Springer
2B Altuve
SS Correa
1B Abreu
RF Reddick
DH Gattis
C McCann
3B Gurriel
LF (Too many internal possibilities to write out)
and a rotation of
1. Sale
2. Keuchel
3. McCullers
4. McHugh
5. Martes/Morton/Fiers
is really difficult to pass up.
Interesting. Bregman has 6 years of control, but that would still be a fun blockbuster. Still think the Sox would want more, but it’s not that bad of a proposal.
Oh if they threw in Abreau too?
You’re expecting Chris Sale at 3/13per and Jose Abreau 3/13per for Alex Bregman?
Sure. No problem.
Abreu just opted into arbitration he’ll be more than that. (What we dont know yet until he plays it out)But still affordable definitely.
Completely understand that it’d be difficult to give up Bregman, but man, that team would be filthy with Sale at the top of the rotation. And like you said, they have the pieces (Gurriel) where they can work out a deal and not have it hurt their everyday lineup THAT much. Makes a ton of sense.
That being said, I’d imagine it’d be difficult to get both Sale and Abreu in the same trade. I’d have to look into the Astros farm a little more, but Bregman and Reed is a nice start.
Won’t happen. Encarnacion is signing officially within 24 hours. Physical scheduled already.
That offer is light for Sale AND Abreu in my opinion
AB, AJ Reed, Musgrove, David Paulino, and say Derek Fisher
So you are suggesting that Bregman + Reed + Musgrove is enough for Sale?
Paulino and Fisher certainly is not enough for Abreu
A Sale and Abreu package would cost far more than Houston would be willing to offer.
Packaging two players like that, you still need to evaluate what you are getting for each essentially
Reed’s value is down after an awful mlb stretch this year where he hit .164 in 45 games. He still has value, but not as a major piece in a Sale deal.
Musgrove is solid, but very injury prone
Paulino projects to be a reliver, not a starter.
Fisher is a decent prospect, but not as good as Tucker
Acquiring Sale and Abreu would look more like:
Bregman, Martes, Tucker, Reed, Whitley, Paulino, Hernandez and Perez
Abreu could probably net the White Sox a prospect like Martes, plus two more decent prospects in a trade
Sale alone is worth at least 4-5 top prospects
Billy Hamilton gives me a real old school baseball hard on
What would it take realistically for cards to get Hamilton? Bader, weaver, Sosa? Or would it take more than that?
Nothing. The Reds will never trade with StL. Hamilton isn’t going anywhere. I look at the source….Bluster Olney. If Stats Inc. came up with a stat that tracked reporter bs, he’d lead the league.
No where in the article does Onley say that Hamilton is getting traded. The article says “The Reds are listening to offers on all of their players, including — sources say — center fielder Billy Hamilton”. The only mention of the Cardinals in the article is in reference to Hamilton’s steal rate against them.
Don’t call out reporters for BS that doesn’t exist.