It appears that closer Mark Melancon will be the only major pickup the Giants make this offseason. The club has all but reached its payroll limit as a result of adding Melancon on a four-year, $62MM deal Monday, and it’s unlikely to make any significant dollar-for-dollar trades, general manager Bobby Evans told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I don’t think there’s anything more to ask of ownership,” Evans said. “It’s more what I can do with what we have.” The Giants logged opening-day payrolls upward of $172MM in the previous two seasons, and Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource estimates they’ll start 2017 at $183MM-plus.
More free agency-related news:
- The Dodgers made an attempt to sign closer Aroldis Chapman, but they didn’t come particularly close to succeeding, tweets FanRag’s Jon Heyman. It doesn’t seem as if Chapman was actually receptive to playing in Los Angeles, as the agreement he reached with the Yankees late Wednesday includes the ability to block trades to all West Coast teams.
- Free agent catcher Matt Wieters might not sign until late in the offseason, in part because the market is slow for catchers, agent Scott Boras informed Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun on Wednesday. As he’s known to do, Boras talked up his client, saying, “Look, he threw out over 35 percent of his runners. When Matt Wieters is behind the plate, the Orioles are in the playoffs. He’s won Gold Gloves … and his ERA of the pitching staff is one run lower than when other catchers catch. I think Baltimore has a real commodity there. He’s performed at high levels there.” Wieters – who’s coming off a poor year from both offensive and pitch–framing standpoints – remains a possibility for the catcher-needy Orioles, according to both Boras and O’s general manager Dan Duquette. The 30-year-old Wieters has been a member of the Baltimore organization since it drafted him fifth overall in 2007.
- Corner infielder/designated hitter Pedro Alvarez, another Baltimore free agent and Boras client, has drawn interest from “a number of teams,” the agent told Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com. Interestingly, in an effort to improve his earning power, Alvarez could try to market himself as a part-time outfielder. “Pedro is actually going to start playing the outfield, as well,” Boras said. “He’s obviously working at first base and we’re going to try and get his defensive acumen more in the field as his career goes forward.” The big-bodied Alvarez has struggled at first and third during his career (and played DH almost exclusively in 2016), so it’s difficult to imagine him faring well in the grass.
I get why he wouldnt want to come to LA i live close to it and hate it lol. Now hoping we can at least get Jansen but its not the end of the world if we lose him as we would get a pick.
You got your pick.
I guess Chap is an East Coast kind of guy lol
Actually Chap is smart money wise. While NY has high taxes, nothing beats CA. Players not coming to Ca end up saving millions on a big contract. That’s why CA teams end up paying more on contracts, as directed by their agents.
It wasn’t about taxes in this case though. Chapman’s family lives on the east coast.
That’s not necessarily true, many athletes make money on endorsement deals from companies outside of California that is taxed in the company’s home state or the player’s home state. It’s not all about money necessarily. Chapman realistically could have been against the Gun and Domestic Violence laws, pun intended, or easily because his family is in the East Coast. It could also be because of the proximity to his home country as well, not saying he is itching to go back to Cuba but with the possibility of a more softer Cuba, he might just consider it.
If the dodgers lose out on KJ why wouldn’t the front office risk signing Ziegler, Uehara, Boone Logan, Papelbon, Holland, or even Romo to cheaper contracts and taking minor risks on them instead of overpaying or depleting their farm?
Yeah kinda strange NTC to have in their but each to their own right, good on him!
And what team will be silly enough to run Alvarez out to the OF? Haha
Manny Ramirez played left field. Can he really that much worse?
This is true
I want Boras to pitch me to prospective employers. Love him or hate him, dude can sell.
If Jansen signs with the Marlins I think Robertson goes to LA. I wonder what Hahn could get for him.
To be honest, I think Hahn would be happy for someone to take on the rest of Robertson’s contract. His WHIP was nice in ’15 but his numbers aren’t really impressive in my opinion. Especially that of a closer. That being said, he would probably put up better numbers in the NL.
This is my favorite time of year…when Boras emerges to discuss the Hall of Fame qualities of his guys, and why delays in signing are all about letting the market mature for a talent of this magnitude.
My favorite is when a mystery team is bidding on his guys.
Haha every year
Wait for Harper
If Alvarez is the LF, does that mean Trumbo moves to CF?
Lmao el toro in the outfield would be so funny and dreadful to watch
Big Alvarez fan… but my god.. thought him playing in the OF would only happen in MLB the Show Franchise mode when u draft too many 1B/DH but still want to start him… this can go for any videogame like the classic MVP 2005 for ps2
I was hoping my 2nd fav team- the Red Sox could sign el toro to DH but Moreland prob ended that idea?? It would be awesome to see Alvarez reunited with price and playing on his favorite team growing up
MVP 2005 is the pinnacle of baseball games as far as I’m concerned.
Someone brought up the God of all baseball video games, amazing.
I still would like to see the braves go after Wieters. I think he’s a good fit and honestly a difference maker. With our current roster, he could be the difference for competing for a playoff spot, and not.
I get that SF is at their self imposed limit but they need DEPTH. If Crawford, Belt, Posey, Cueto or Mass Bum go down. Any one of them. There’s nobody really capable of giving anything near their production. If Span doesn’t play, who hits leadoff (maybe Nunez) and plays center?
SF have two outfielders and the williamson/Parker idea is a risk (that I hope works). But for goodness sake. LA had so much OF depth that they could send a player like Puig to the minors and were in no rush to bring him back up.
I know SFs payroll is high but they have money. They see out every game. They got a post season bump and they invest way outside of baseball for even more revenue.
Arghhhh. Get some depth will ya??
The problem is the luxury tax. The new, and more stricter, rules regarding the luxury tax makes it hard for GMs to convince their owners to go above it. Selling out every game, a post season bump, and other revenue sources can’t do much to help a team stay under the luxury tax.
We have Connor for third, we have adrianza for 2nd, short and first, we have tomlinson for second third and short, we have 5 outfielders with more on the way. I understand that the Giants problem was not with the offense in the playoffs, it was the pen. As of right now, I see an excess in the bullpen with Hunter, Law, MM, Bryan Morris, Kontos, and Cain form the right and Smith, Oshich, and Okert from the left. The only moves I could see happening is a trade with the royals for Dyson, which would cost us either Hunter or Law, maybe Kontos or a similar move with another team. Also, don’t count out FA yet, as the Giants usually play their cards close to the chest and I have read reports that state the Giants will approach and surpass the Luxury tax year. II think they are just waiting for the market to develop and for the players they would be willing to trade to gain more value on the market.
The liberal land of California wouldn’t take kindly to Chapman’s 105 MPH fist thrown in the direction of his woman’s face
You want to know what I HATE about Major League Baseball?
Scott Boras
Giants,problem is not their pitching they do not score enough runs,Parker,Williamson not the answer in left field,they talk to much about pitching,get a left fielder with some pop!!