The Giants are keeping around one of their impending free agents, announcing agreement with infielder Wilmer Flores on a multi-year deal. The contract reportedly pays Flores $6.5MM in each of the next two seasons and contains a player/club option for 2025. That season, Flores will first have to decide on a $3.5MM player option; if he declines, the team can keep him in the fold by triggering an $8.5MM club option. Between his salaries over the next two seasons and the value of the player option, Flores is technically guaranteed $16.5MM over three years.
Flores, 31, played six seasons with the Mets and one with the Diamondbacks to begin his career. Prior to the 2020 season, he signed with the Giants on a two-year deal with a $6.25MM guarantee. That came in the form of a $3MM salary in 2020 and 2021, with a $250K buyout $3.5MM club option for 2022.
Although he’s never been an All-Star, Flores has been steadily above-average at the plate for years and that’s been true of his time in San Fran as well. In 2020, he hit 12 home runs in the shortened season and produced a batting line of .268/.315/.515. That production was 19% above league average, as evidenced by his 119 wRC+. He followed that up with 18 homers in 2021 and a line of .262/.335/.447, 112 wRC+. The Giants made the easy call of exercising their option for 2022 and were rewarded with another solid Flores season. He’s added another 18 homers already this year, with an overall slash line of .235/.319/.414, wRC+ of 107. This is the seventh consecutive season in which Flores has registered a wRC+ between 102 and 119. Instead of returning to the open market, he will stick in San Francisco for another couple seasons.
He has produced that consistently solid work at the plate while also giving the Giants defensive versatility, something they clearly value highly in players. In all three of his seasons with the Giants, he has bounced between first base, second base and third base as needed. That’s been especially important for a club that features some older or injury-prone regulars like Evan Longoria, Brandon Belt and Tommy La Stella. Going forward, La Stella has one more year on his contract but he hasn’t played much defense this year, taking the field for just 66 innings so far. It’s also possible Longoria and Belt won’t be around next year. Belt is heading to free agency after this year and faces an uncertain road ahead, having just undergone surgery on his oft-injured knee. Longoria could be retained for next year via a $13MM club option with a $5MM buyout, though he told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he has at least given some thought to retirement.
Given the uncertainty surrounding those infielders, it makes sense to lock up a reliable and versatile contributor like Flores. He can now be penciled into an infield mix that includes La Stella, rookie David Villar, Thairo Estrada, Brandon Crawford, J.D. Davis, with LaMonte Wade Jr. perhaps playing some first base or returning to strictly outfield work. Crawford and La Stella are both slated to become free agents after 2023, which will further thin out this group for the second year of Flores’ deal.
The Giants ran an Opening Day payroll of $155MM here in 2022, according to Cot’s Contracts. Flores’ deal pushes the team’s 2023 payroll commitments to around $95MM, in the estimation of Jason Martinez of Roster Resource. That doesn’t include arbitration raises for players like Mike Yastrzemski or Logan Webb, but it does include Carlos Rodón’s $22.5MM. As long as Rodón finishes the season healthy, he will exercise the opt out on his deal and return to free agency in search of a larger payday.
It’s been a disappointing season for the Giants, as they followed up their 107-win campaign in 2021 with a 67-73 record so far in 2022. It figures to be a very interesting offseason, as the club will head into the winter with many holes that need to be filled but lots of payroll space available for addressing them. Anthony DeSclafani is the only player under contract for 2024 and the slate is completely clean beyond that, giving the Giants the ability to make a sizable commitment, or commitments, before Spring Training. But for now, they’ve retained one of their most stable and dependable guys to bolster their infield mix, giving them one less thing to worry about over the winter.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported the Giants and Flores were in agreement on a two-year deal with an option for 2025. Daniel Álvarez-Montes of ElExtrabase was first to report the matching $6.5MM salaries over the next two seasons.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
It’s a shame he wasn’t the return the Mets got instead of Ruf. Ruf has not panned out the way the Mets were hoping.
imagine the ovation he would get if he ever came back to NY WOW!
Fred Flintstone will be happy since he lost his job at the factory-go Wilmer!
What a shocker that a guy hitting .210 wasn’t gonna hit. Eppler fell flat on his face at the deadline. No DH, no thirdbasemen, and especially no bullpen help. Dudes a clown and the Mets are only in first place because they out spent everyone else this year. Theres a reason why the Angel did nothing while he was the GM every year. Flores would of been a great DH addition. He can hit lefties and righties. Again, Eppler should of gotten the can once the deadline had passed
They had a hard enough time finding Eppler to take the job. Good Luck filling the position if you start making your Top guy a disposable position.
The Mets will be an attractive destination for FO personnel.
Cohen will pay you well and give you resources. It’s going to be a tough job given their payroll commitments but Stearns already has the NY connection. He’s been doing it well on a tight budget in MIL.
When you literally get publicy turned down by what? Almost 2 dozen GM candidates and have to settle for Billy Eppler, all the money in the world doesn’t make you an “attractive destination”
That was last offseason. The Mets are winning their division right now. Cohen let’s the baseball people do baseball.
I bet a bunch of those guys wish they reconsidered. A bad job today can be a good job next year in baseball.
all the money in the world doesn’t make you an “attractive destination”
====================================
I don’t know why it wouldn’t. Cohen is rich, so maybe he wants a little too much input. OTOH, Eppler got to spend $86M in new money, in addition to the $200M they already had under contract. Had they hired me, I’d be a .600 GM.
I have no idea why anyone would turn down this position.
Mets are in first place. First place. With a new owner and a top payroll. In NY. Nothing unattractive about the job there. That lazy narrative is dead and only pulled out of the grave by folks addicted to “LOL Mets”.
Bro stfu with your stupidity. They are I’m 1st cause they are a great team not cause of what they spent. Scherzer has missed 7 weeks this year amd he was the expenditure. They paid canha ottavino escobar a combined 24 mill. Yes they didn’t get anyone but who did you want them to get? Contreras is hurt now
.210 is the new .410
@LFGMets Yeah I don’t think you understand at the end of the day it’s up to the players to perform to levels within their ability.
@dugmet thats like a Pirates fan complaining about how their team is in last place every year and then you come in and say “its not the owner or Gm’s fault, its up to the players to play to the best of their ability”. The Mets got guys that have been consistently Da’d throughout their careers for one reason or another. Don’t you think it made more sense for the Mets to go after someone thats proven (Ex: Rasiel Iglesias, Wilson Contreras) over players that are either batting in the low .200 (Ruf and Vogelbach) or signing with a different team every year (Givens). The guys the Mets got are performing to the best of their ability, they are just not any good. You might take the cake for the most moronic comment I have ever read on MLBTradeRumors
The Angles, Padres and Bluejays have spent a lot in free agency and that hasn’t translated to division leads. I don’t think outbidding everyone else is “the only reason they are in first place”
And if Baty doesnt get hurt, he would he their 3rd basemen right? I wouldn’t want my GM handing out a big contract to a free agent who plays the same position as my top hitting prospect
I get the point you’re making but there are obviously reasons that Ruf was available and Wilmer wasn’t.
Yep. Obviously the Giants wanted Wilmer for the future given the extension they gave out.
Giants are an interesting case. Obviously the core is really old and going away but it worked out last season and they were able to find gems and rework guys.
Really don’t know what to make of the direction for 2023 though. They could add aggressively or pare back and try to do the same strategy as 2020, or go into a mini rebuild/retool.
RE-signing Wilmer was a no brainer, He’s the glue the Giants need as they let Belt and Longo fade into the past, DFA LaStella (or make him a small part of a trade). They should try like hell to re-sign Rodon but he’ll probably want to test the market, though I wouldn’t be surprised if after that he came back to a deal.
As bad as this season has been for Giant fans, this offseason should be fun.
That’s a nice payday for Wilmer. He was smart to take it.
Now that they’ve revealed the price, I think this was a win-win for both Wilmer and the Giants. His versatility, steady bat and veteran presence will be so valuable to a club that will have a lot of new faces next year.
Thanks for JD Davis lol
You took the words right out of my mouth. Good for Wilmer though! Other than his average being a little on the low side this season, the Giants got a great player at a fairly low cost.
Yes, and the average has only tumbled recently. Prior to the past three weeks, Wilmer was hitting between .250 and .265. All I know is that when he is at the plate, I’m confident that he’s a smart hitter. And we (the Giants) don’t have too many of those.
Early start to Hot Stove
Happy for Wilmer. He’s put together a nice ten year career. Good bench guy and good team player.
Was hoping Flores made his way back to Flushing, but good for him to secure his next contract early.
best wishes to Wilmer!! Get every dime you can..
Next time a Giants fanboy tries to tell me how great Farhan is, I’m going to think about how he coveted and told Kapler to hit Flores around the top of the order while being the most average, ordinary player in the game – there’s dozens upon dozens of this guy in the minors. What a stupid signing. This will not lead to a Giants title.
It must be such a brutal life for you to have a compulsive need to be right (even despite facts to the contrary) and to methodically drain all joy from every room.
Take a vacation! Go find an activity that will recharge your empathy. These message boards obviously do not bring you pleasure…and no, schadenfreude does not really count.
Hey Asfuk (aka Marty the Moron), do me a favor and research all of the 9 figure players who’ve had crap seasons that don’t match their 9 figures. MAJOR leaguers. Don’t waste your time looking in the minor leagues. Value, not found with Castellanos, Bryant, Suzuki. Value. Dictionary between Useless and worthless.
Wait a minute… AsFaninUK is MartyMcRae, the Warriors homer? Wow, everything makes sense all of a sudden.
I think so.
7 successive years of above average production. Yep. Dozens upon dozens of those guys floating around in the minors.
Good job, Wilmer. Good to see you are coming back.,
Signing the most average player in the game to a less than average salary sounds like a pretty nice move to me.
Wilmer has been nothing but consistent since he’s been with the Giants. There is no reason to let him go. He’s not a top of the order player, but then neither is Joc. You can only play the cards you have
Loved Wilmer as a Met.
Mets didnt love Wilmer. Shame.
Different ownership. Steve Cohen knows what he meant to the fan base and would have brought him back if the Giants were willing to make the deal. At the time, the Giants had a glimmer of a playoff hope and probably thought Wilmer helped their cause more than Ruf.
I wonder if he cried over this extension?
@fisher40## Yeah, all the way to the bank
It’s tough guys like you that ruin the comments section. Let it go. The guy cried. You ever cried?
He is a steady, established bench bat but you would have to expect a decline as he ages further. Anything more than 8mil (4 per season) and I think there will be regrets.
He’ll be 31+ then 32+ (birth date 8/7) over the next 2 seasons. He may decline during those 2 years, but I think saying “you would have to expect a decline” during that time, really overstates it. There’s also a decent chance of little to no appreciable decline for him, during those 2 years.
It’s only a two year contract. 6.5 million/year I think is a good deal for the Giants.
Good extension…solid platoon guy. Now go out and sign some heavy hitters, and resign Rodon with another. Maybe verlander?
Verlander makes sense especially if the Giants can keep Rodon. Verlander is going to command ~$45M AAV for 3 years. Rodon is going to take $200 M though which the front office is less willing to pay a pitcher. Too many people in ownership remember the Barry Zito deal.
With Webb , that is an elite top 3 that can help attract other top free agents.
The Zito deal, the Cueto deal, the Samardzija deal……
They gave Samardzija his deal for being the worst pitcher in the league the previous season, and Zito and Cueto were coming off mediocre seasons of decline. Signing a guy who actually pitched well to a big contract is a different proposition, which might not work out but sure has a lot better chance.
But one thing is certain: nobody is giving Verlander a 3 year deal unless the last two years are cheap or team/vesting options.
Zito was coming off of a 16 win season with an ERA under 4.00 and led the AL in starts.
Cueto was coming off a solid postseason which included a 2 hit complete game in the World Series.
Samardzija was overpaid, that is absolutely true.
IMO Zito was in decline. In 2006, his last season in Oakland, he had the highest WHIP of his career, the 2nd most H/9, the 2nd most HR/9, the most BB/9 since his 1st short season, his 2nd worst SO/9, and the worst SO/W ratio in his career. It’s certainly debatable.
Agree about Cueto.
Samardzija appeared to be overpaid, but not in comparison to similar FA pitchers in 2016. Mike Leake and Jordan Zimmermann had similar numbers heading into free-agency. Zimmermann signed for more money than Samardzija, and was infinitely worse.
Leake’s deal was similar, 4 years with a buyout worth $80m. Samardzija 5/$90M. The production was 97 ERA+ for both, and 7.5 bWAR for Samardzija, and 5.2 bWAR for Leake.
Zito was coming off of a 16 win season with an ERA under 4.00
============================
Zito was awful. He was dependable, but that was all. His FIP in his last year at Oakland was 4.89. His FIP in his 1st year at SF was 4.82, exactly what one would expect. His FIP in his last three years with Oakland was 4.57. His FIP for his SF career was 4.61, which is probably slightly better than one should expect. He was awful in his last 15 starts in 2016.
Basically, he had a 2.4 bWAR with SF, for $119M, and that was more or less exactly what SF should’ve expected.
2012 postseason though. He earned about 25mil right there lol
Verlander is never going to come to the Giants and am not sure that would even be a wise decision – they could use that $45m to get a much younger pitcher that would be longer lasting that is already on move up.
Yea why focus on the 2023 World Series when you can get the 2028 World Series
Verlander isn’t leaving Houston. He loves carving up the Mariners too much.
Well, all I can say is let’s hope the front office is patient. The team is having a bunch of payroll space free up, so plug in some young, star studded players and let the youth fill the gaps.
I think Verlander is not going anywhere and if he does, it’ll be to an established contender with great hitting. He’s got an outside shot at 300 wins and I don’t think he’ll jeopardize that by going to a non-playoff team.
Unless the Giants added a few pieces *before* signing Verlander. Then I could see it.
Y’all complaining about Zito, Cueto and Smardge and all I can think is the last 3 “big” name pitchers my Brewers signed were Suppan, Lohse and Garza.
I think the bigger need was a lefty for the pen. Joely gets worse as the season goes along. And sure, Wilmer would had added mote flexibility to the infield, but I will save my judgment on Eppler until after the season. Coulda shoulda woulda sounds a little hasty now, and as I said before, a little like you are BVW in disguise as LFGMets.
Peterson will probably move to a bullpen role for the playoffs. There’s also another lefty about ready to return that has flown under the radar, Joey Lucchesi.
Really happy the Giants did this. The guy has been steady eddie for them, playing all over the infield and coming up with big hits. And he’s just a guy you like to root for.
Please, don’t ever call it “San Fran” lol
It rhymes though
Darragh McDonald — You should know better than to call San Francisco “San Fran.” It’s almost as bad as “Frisco,” which is a town in Coiorado.
it’s almost as bad as saying “Cali”
Good guy to have on the team, very versatile player. 2 years sounds about right. Wonder if he’s going to be next year’s primary 1B after Belt leaves.
Good signing but Giants issue is they need to get YOUNGER – Wilmer is a quality bat which they need as well. I like the improvements with Bart – next season I hope to see him progress out of the gate
That’s why they need to turn the page on Longoria….. no way to pay him $13m … let him take the $5m buyout.
They may very well turn the page, as you suggest. But yes – it’s an $8M decision.
They will buy him out and Longoria himself has hinted at retiring after this season.
Yawn……..who?!
Wilmer Flores. Understated, humble guy that has performed above his pay grade.
I get that you are probably not overly familiar with that type of player.
I honestly like this deal a lot. Wilmer is a very solid player to have in the mix as long as you aren’t relying on him every single game
Nobody (except auslanders and East Coast/Midwest sports media people) says “San Fran”.
Frisco,Frisco,Frisco
So anyone here think that Joc is coming back next year?
Apparently they’ve had discussions about it, so on the surface at least, there does appear to be some level of mutual interest. But there’s been no agreement yet, so who knows? For the moment, maybe they’re too far apart on terms.
Goobie, that is basically all I have heard as well. So yeah I think they are probably too far apart on terms. I definitely feel like Joc has other willing suitors out there.
Dear Farhan, get everything Billy Beane taught you out of your brain. He hasn’t won Jack dick. Now, go hire some actual athletes. Thank you.
you mad bro
Davis – 1B
Estrada – 2B
Crawford – SS
Flores – 3B
Pederson – OF
Ramos – OF
Pomares – OF
Bart – C
Mercedes – DH
La Stella – BN
Gonzalez – BN
——- BN
——- BN
——- BN
Ramos and Pomares are having the best go in the minors, they’d be the two I’d keep around, and the Giants would do well to trade a couple of their other position player prospects for a SP, potentially a trade for Trevor Rogers or Braxton Garrett from the Marlins.
They need a backup catcher who can hit, they should committ to Yermin keep him on the active roster — if they can sign Joc on a deal similar to Flores, they will have done well, Belt and Longoria may be the best options at the corners and they are likely willing to resign at a value,
I’d look for value in the middle infield too because the Semien and Seager deals wrecked the market and Marco Luciano, the Giants top prospect, is a SS. No point in adding a big ticket player in the middle infield until the pitching staff is ready to win.
Trading for an MLB ready controllable SP would be a nice move if they could swing it, and it looks like Kyle Harrison will move into the rotation possibly next season. Another season to get a look at Webb, Junis, Desclafani, Cobb and Wood as all are in the books at a good value, and make a play for an Ace in ’24 unless you decide to sign Rodon long term which will cost but may be the best FA contract on the market even at 5 years / 150M-160M
but I’d say the Giants best moves are trading for a controllable SP, signing Joc, signing Rodon, signing Yermin, signing Belt and Longoria if he don’t retire, and waiting to make a big FA splash on the offense until the rotation settles in with Rodon as the staff Ace.
How many games does that starting lineup win? Yikes.
The Giants should commit to an almost 30 year old career minor leaguer who has had one (1) good month in the Majors?
Giants need to add a slugger. Everyone thinks it could be Aaron Judge but i don’t see him leaving the Yankees. JD Martinez could be interesting if the Giants are willing to commit to a full-time DH. Maybe a trade for Rhys Hoskins if the price is right.
Who is everyone?
Joey Bart has a great swing — Yermin puts a little Pete Rose in his stance from time to time, but he’d do well to watch Mike Trout, their swings are very similar, but Trout keeps his shoulders square and Yermin loads up and is a little loose, but Yermin can improve, he is a small adjustment away in his approach. He needs the everyday at bats in the MLB and he can make a breakthrough, so I believe anyways, because he has a great short swing and he has a good eye for the ball.
Luciano is years away, and they say he may not stick at SS. They need to go out and get another middle infielder to bridge the gap
Yuck. Mercedes belongs in the toilet not on an MLB roster. I stopped reading after that lol
Rewarding the best player on the team, nothing wrong with that! Love this guy, he brings so much to the team. Always in the younger Spanish speaking players ears giving advice. Solid bat, seems like a real glue guy for the clubhouse. Wish nothing but success for Wilmer he’s been a great giant I’m happy to have him around a little longer!
Thank you. It’s hard not to love Wilmer. Especially as a Mets fan. Wish nothing but success for him.
Wilmer is a clutch hitter who can play multiple positions. There is not a fastball that can get by him. He is also one of the most lighthearted players of all time and is a great mentor to the young Latin players. For example, he’s made a big difference in the career trajectory of Thairo Estrada by taking him under his wing. I think Wilmer would’ve gotten at least 2/13 on the open market. Nice signing for both him and the Giants.
The Wilmer Flores I know is a pitcher, and a pretty good one. He plays for the Tigers AA Erie. Get used to the name because next year, there will be two Wilmer Flores’.
He’s Wilmer’s much younger brother. The Giant’s Wilmer predicts his brother will be a great major league pitcher.
This is my brother Daryl, and this is my other brother Daryl.
He got rocked in his last start, but he’s been exceptional all year.
Juan1 or Juan2?
A good deal for the Giants. he is a Ham and Egger plus. He would move up to Good if he was not platooned so much. Just my opinion from brewer Land!
Not sure why you think Flores is platooned a lot. He’s one of the few that isn’t. He’s been in all but 8 of the Giants games this season, and has 523 PAs.
Thank you for correcting me! Your manager does platoon a lot. If he plays Him more, he is doing the right thing!
It’s not surprising to think Giants players all get platooned. That is Kapler’s MO after all. Flores is one of the few exceptions in that regard.
Solid signing. Flores is a good utility player to have around. Won’t kill you too badly on defense and he’s gonna draw a fair amount of walks and hit dingers. Giants are building a floor with him. Hopefully for their fans’ sake they make some more noise in the offseason and get a big bat.
Strange move from a well-run team. Wilmer has had two years of significant decline culminating in a 2022 seasonal line of .235/.319/.414 and a weak OPS+ of 104 from primarily a corner guy—he hasn’t been this bad since 2015.
He can easily be replacement level next season, and worse than that in 2024. A very un-Giants-like way to spend $16.5m.
He’s not really seen as a “primarily a corner guy” by the team, though. He’s a utility guy first, who can fill in at 1st, 2nd, or 3rd and provide solid defense at each position. If the team does follow through on their word to enhance the roster, they will almost certainly acquire a 1b or 3b, and have Wilmer fill in from time to time.
So if he maintains his status as a slightly above league average bat with pop and can fill in at any of the three positions as a bottom of the roster type of player, $16.5m is a bargain.
Does he provide solid defense? That’s not my recollection of Wilmer.
Solid is probably going too far, but it’s rarely out and out bad. Great attitude and work ethic, stays healthy and has pop. Good signing as long as this is for a guy they don’t expect to get 550 at bats next year
Sure he’s a solid player, underrated by WAR in my opinion. And definitely a very likable guy, will always be a fan favorite and a positive clubhouse presence.
@disadvantage It really, really isn’t. A corner guy with below average defense who can only pretend to play 2B isn’t a utility player, he’s a liability at ages 31-33.
Flores projects to be worth nothing next season: 0.0 WAR. Being replacement level around the diamond is not a plus, particularly not at 4/5ths the seasonal cost of guys who got Cy votes last year. Startling, really, from Zaidi. You could add two Tyler Andersons for this.
It also strongly suggests the Giants won’t be aiming to seriously contend in 2023-2024, but rather that they like Flores with younger players. Otherwise, you never bring back a guy like this for what remains real money, even in MLB.
@JackStrawb – You clearly don’t like the contract, and that’s fine, but at least be in good faith about it. Nobody compares the $16.5m of a 3-year deal to the 1/$21m out of a multiyear deal north of $100m in earnest. It’s weird math and only done as cherry-picking to try to prove a point. The $5.5m/yr average – or even $6.5m over the next two years if you want to go with the bigger number – do not preclude the Giants from making any bigger moves, and hardly breaks the bank. They’re clearly spending $6.5m next year on a middle/bottom of the roster guy, not taking that money from a higher-end player as you are suggesting.
Since you’re comparing Wilmer to Tyler Anderson, who had a career 4.62 ERA during the offseason and is obviously vastly outperforming the $8m he was signed to when looked at as a mid/back-end starter, would you rather the Giants have used that $16.5m to sign somebody like Zach Davies this offseason, then, with a somewhat similar pedigree? The Giants have been pretty successful snagging guys like Anderson who they buy-low on, like DeSclafani, Gausman, and Rodon. And, if you do like Davies, the Giants can probably sign him too and have plenty of money left over.
ZIPS has Wilmer firmly in the 1.5 WAR range for the next two years. I’ve found nowhere pegging him at 0.0 WAR. So I’m not sure where you came up with that number. To be honest, with the context of how you’ve bent other numbers, it sounds pretty made up. You’re also acting like Wilmer’s defense is catastrophic. He’s certainly taken a step back this year, but that’s also likely due in part to his over usage. When used properly, his defense is fine when used in small doses and he provides a slightly above-average bat with pop. You can certainly do a lot worse than having a guy like that on your bench.
Unless you want to sign Andrelton Simmons, who is a defensive whiz, but can’t hit his way out of a paper bag, which I’m sure is fine, too.
Wilmer is about as plug and play as it gets. Similar to Kike Hernandez extension, a bit extra money so that the club retains bargaining rights. Very serviceable player indeed.
This is for the RS fans who thought $10M for Kiki was too much. Real players get paid real money.
Giants know his value. That’s why Ruf was traded to the Mets and not Flores.
SF Giants have a lack of defense in 2022 and will be worse in 2023 unless they do a lot of trades. The giants are old and slow and getting worse 2023 is the outlier. They need a completely new infield and most of their outfield. their minor league players is very thin
Extending this clown who owns a 235 average with only 20 games left in the season? I really hope the Giants aka Weenies keep making deals like this to keep them in the cellar where they belong.
@DiehardFriarsFanFromThe619
The Padres are the Brooklyn Nets of MLB.
@DiehardFriarsFanFromThe619
“Giants aka Weenies”.
– GOOD ONE!!!
Okay, now that we have gotten past that stroke of brilliance.
“Extending this clown who owns a 235 average”
– Batting average isn’t everything, but just so we’re clear, you’re rooting for at team with a centerfielder that is hitting below the Mendoza line, a left fielder hitting .240, an “All Star” second baseman hitting .243 and their blockbuster has brought back two players that are hitting .206 and .213 since being acquired. You’re also filling in for a superstar (if you can still call him that) shortstop with a guy hitting .248. So maybe the Padres could use a guy like Wilmer?
Anyway, Wilmer’s value isn’t his batting average, but rather his ability to play multiple positions, hit for some pop, and start multiple games per week but isn’t seen as a starter. So, if their 1b needs a break or they want a platoon advantage? Wilmer can fill in. If 3b is down with an injury? Wilmer can fill in.
By contrast, the Padres did not have a player like that in the outfield that could reliably hit and field decently (heck, again, their starting centerfielder can’t even do one of those things), so they had to go out and get Nomar Mazara which actually went better than expected, but not by much. So think of Wilmer as insurance against having to desperately go out and a player like Mazara, knowing they will be a weak link on the team because they have no better options.
The Giants will go after Aaron Judge this winter.
SF will go after yo mama
@Hexbreaker That would be wildly foolish. They’ve just admitted with the Flores signing that they won’t be contending, just playing out the string on bad deals to old players until that’s done, so why pay Judge $37m a year for 8 years when they’re just wasting his first couple of seasons?
“They’ve just admitted with the Flores signing that they won’t be contending,”
Oh, really? Not according to Farhan:
nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/aaron-judge-free-agen…
Signing Judge would be “wildy foolish”???
They currently have only 8 players on the 2023 payroll….. do the math.
Flores is a versatile player with good power from the right side who’s seldom injured and provides solid defense at 1B, 2B, and 3B. He’s also well-liked and respected in and around the game. Every team needs at least one player like him who they can count on to play multiple positions. The Dodgers have Taylor, the Mets have McNeil, and I’d bet neither team would part with either of those two players. Whether Flores is in their class isn’t the point. He fills an important role for the Giants, and if they didn’t keep him there are plenty of other teams that recognize his value and would gladly sign him.
“Solid defense.”
You know this is *Wilmer* Flores we’re talking about, yeah? Ever actually look at his numbers—we do count, well, everything these days. We even write it down.
@JackStrawb: Not sure what you’re trying to say with that comment. Flores is everything I’ve mentioned. There’s good reason the Giants are keeping him. They and other teams recognize his versatility and value. The Mets tried prying him away for J.D. Davis during the trading period, to which the Giants said “No thanks … how about we give you Darin Ruf instead?” To which the Mets replied “Sure,” Not every player is a star. Teams need role players like Flores and Davis. And the fact that the Giants pretty much stink this season certainly isn’t the fault of Flores, who’s been one of their more reliable and productive players.
“No baseball no cry” R. Marlee