MLBTR Top 50 Free Agent Predictions

[Frank_Thomas]

Not very sure of his prediction but says Sox will sign the 15th overall FA, Salty.

 

15.  Jarrod Saltalamacchia - White Sox.  Salty had the best overall year of any free agent catcher, and he won't turn 29 until May.  He's a switch-hitter with good power.  Drawbacks include a poor line against southpaws and lots of strikeouts.  Saltalamacchia was benched by the Red Sox in the World Series in favor of David Ross.  If Salty fell out of favor enough to avoid a qualifying offer, it will be to his advantage in the marketplace and could allow him to top my predicted four-year, $36MM deal.  I don't love the White Sox prediction, so other possibilities include the Yankees, Blue Jays, Rangers, Phillies, and, to think outside the box, the Angels and Marlins.

 

 

Other interesting predictions:

 

- Choo to DET

- Grandy to NYM

- AJP to NYY

- Tanaka to LAD

- C. Young to Cubs

- J. Johnson to K.C.

 

Link to check out the rest:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/11/2014...dictions-1.html

[Chicago White Sox]

I think "favorites" is pretty misleading. The guy is predicting the Sox will sign Salty, but even acknowledges he doesn't like that prediction very much. It's simply just a guess based on positional need.

[Balta1701]

I think "favorites" is pretty misleading. The guy is predicting the Sox will sign Salty, but even acknowledges he doesn't like that prediction very much. It's simply just a guess based on positional need.

If you guess based on a combination of that and how much money teams have to spend, you'll at least have a decent number of correct guesses. Makes sense.

[Dick Allen]

If the White Sox spend that much on Salty, it will soon be regrettable.

[caulfield12]

Not very sure of his prediction but says Sox will sign the 15th overall FA, Salty.

 

15. Jarrod Saltalamacchia - White Sox. Salty had the best overall year of any free agent catcher, and he won't turn 29 until May. He's a switch-hitter with good power. Drawbacks include a poor line against southpaws and lots of strikeouts. Saltalamacchia was benched by the Red Sox in the World Series in favor of David Ross. If Salty fell out of favor enough to avoid a qualifying offer, it will be to his advantage in the marketplace and could allow him to top my predicted four-year, $36MM deal. I don't love the White Sox prediction, so other possibilities include the Yankees, Blue Jays, Rangers, Phillies, and, to think outside the box, the Angels and Marlins.

 

 

Other interesting predictions:

 

- Choo to DET

- Grandy to NYM

- AJP to NYY

- Tanaka to LAD

- C. Young to Cubs

- J. Johnson to K.C.

 

Link to check out the rest:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/11/2014...dictions-1.html

 

 

 

So the Dodgers are going to have a rotation of Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Tanaka and Josh Beckett?

[Balta1701]

So the Dodgers are going to have a rotation of Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Tanaka and Josh Beckett?

Is Beckett still under contract? If so I could certianly believe that, although I'd expect they'd still try to improve on their 5th starter depth somehow.

[LittleHurt05]

Is Beckett still under contract? If so I could certianly believe that, although I'd expect they'd still try to improve on their 5th starter depth somehow.

 

He is for $15.75 mil. Billingsley is also due $12 million in 2014, although I have no idea what his injury status is.

[witesoxfan]

If the White Sox spend that much on Salty, it will soon be regrettable.

 

4 years, $36 million is really not that big of a contract.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

4 years, $36 million is really not that big of a contract.

I understand what you're saying. It just seems like so much because we all make so little comparatively. It seems like any 2 WAR gets a lot of players $10M/yr after arbitration years pass.

[2nd_city_saint787]

Since I don't know where to put this.....Rock kinda teased that the Sox may be interested in David Dejusus...He was just resigned.

 

It's too bad Avisail didn't look that good in CF because Matt Joyce may be non tendered and he could be a good mid-tier addition.

[NorthSideSox72]

Salty was my prediction as well in one of the roster threads a few weeks back. I think he makes a lot of sense for the Sox. I am just not sure they will win a money battle for him.

 

[witesoxfan]

Salty was my prediction as well in one of the roster threads a few weeks back. I think he makes a lot of sense for the Sox. I am just not sure they will win a money battle for him.

 

I think you try to get him for about $7-8 mill a year and you max your offer at 4/$40 and say take it or leave it at that point. There's no way I'm offering more than that and if he can get it, then good for him.

[NorthSideSox72]

In terms of position and being a switch hitter, Salty really is a good fit. It just worries me that after last year he really has shown no consistency in terms of AVG & OBP. If a healthy Tyler Flowers is given the same opportunity Salty was in 2011 and 2012 would there really be much of a difference between the two offensively? Besides the fact that Salty kills RHP I don't think there is.

 

Again, the fit is there, but whether Saltalamachiia is actually going to be a strong contributor is a huge a question mark.

Him killing RHP is pretty huge. He can be your starter, give him a day off here and there against lefties and run Flowers or Phegley out there as your backup and vs-lefty guy where they will be stronger anyway. His value goes beyond what he can do in a full season. It also buys you a few years to try to raise a catcher within your system.

 

But I agree with wite, you decide what max deal you'd give (4/36 seems near the top end), and if he can get more somewhere else... pass.

 

 

 

[Dick Allen]

Salty has red flags. He can't hit right handed. His OBP and batting average were significantly higher this year than the past 3 previous seasons. You would have to think a regression is likely. It's not the type of player I think the White Sox want to commit decent money towards for 4 years, if that is what it takes to get him.

 

If you are going to spend money don't spend it on someone who is going to lead your fanbase into fire the hitting coach mode.

Edited November 4, 2013 by Dick Allen

[Balta1701]

Salty has red flags. He can't hit right handed. His OBP and batting average were significantly higher this year than the past 3 previous seasons. You would have to think a regression is likely. It's not the type of player I think the White Sox want to commit decent money towards for 4 years, if that is what it takes to get him.

I think I lean this way as well but I'm not privy to insider scouting reports. If Hahn is sitting there being told by every scout that Salty finally figured it out and might darn well get even better next year, and the same people are saying that Phegley and Flowers are complete lost causes and if you run them out there they'll be lucky to hit .200...what do you do?

 

If the Sox don't think either of the guys they have are legit starting catchers...I can't say they'd be wrong based on what they showed at the big league level last year. I'd like them to get shots because I want to see us successfully develop some hitters, but if the organization thinks these guys can't cut it...they have no one obviously coming up in the next year+ who can fill the catcher's spot. That would leave this position a gaping hole unless a FA deal was made or Ricky pulled off a trade.

[witesoxfan]

Saltalamacchia's BABIP was extraordinarily high this year, but his line drive rate was also at 28.6%. His Steamer projection for next year is at 238/.306/.425/.731 which wouldn't be surprising either. A lot of the value you do get from him is from his defense, and he is a very good defender.

 

Like I said, I would take him at 4/$40 and not a cent more than that.

[Dick Allen]

I think I lean this way as well but I'm not privy to insider scouting reports. If Hahn is sitting there being told by every scout that Salty finally figured it out and might darn well get even better next year, and the same people are saying that Phegley and Flowers are complete lost causes and if you run them out there they'll be lucky to hit .200...what do you do?

 

If the Sox don't think either of the guys they have are legit starting catchers...I can't say they'd be wrong based on what they showed at the big league level last year. I'd like them to get shots because I want to see us successfully develop some hitters, but if the organization thinks these guys can't cut it...they have no one obviously coming up in the next year+ who can fill the catcher's spot. That would leave this position a gaping hole unless a FA deal was made or Ricky pulled off a trade.

Hopefully he's listening to someone other than those who talked to him about Keppinger. There are a lot of hit and misses, especially with catchers. I think the Sox are better off going after a guy like Soto if he's available and sticking with Flowers and/or Phegley and continuing their search for an everyday catcher, than locking themselves into Salty for several years.

[2nd_city_saint787]

Worth noting that he changed his approach this season so the results could be legit.

Saltalamacchia and hitting coach Greg Colbrunn have been focusing on hitting to the middle of the field, rather than the switch-hitter pulling the ball.

 

“It’s enabled him to keep the bat in the zone longer and he’s got better plate coverage,” Farrell said. “More consistent plate coverage.”

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/06/...eMVI/story.html

[Balta1701]

Hopefully he's listening to someone other than those who talked to him about Keppinger. There are a lot of hit and misses, especially with catchers. I think the Sox are better off going after a guy like Soto if he's available and sticking with Flowers and/or Phegley and continuing their search for an everyday catcher, than locking themselves into Salty for several years.

I get this perspective just fine...but if they're signing a backup he absolutely must be able to hit left-handed. There's literally no reason to sign a right-handed backup catcher...we might well already have 2.

[LittleHurt05]

Since the catch-all was brutally executed, I guess I will post this in here. Salty was NOT offered a qualifying offer.

[Baron]

Since the catch-all was brutally executed, I guess I will post this in here. Salty was NOT offered a qualifying offer.

 

Yep just seals the deal for me on him and Granderson(received a QO). Salty makes plenty of sense and now you dont have to give up a draft pick.

[ILMOU]

Yep just seals the deal for me on him and Granderson(received a QO). Salty makes plenty of sense and now you dont have to give up a draft pick.

 

Time to increase the team's salinity. We can platoon him if we want, and he'll still get 130 games in our heavily right handed (other than Sox) division, no problem.

[nickofypres]

Does free agency start at midnight? Or is it an arbitrary start time like 6AM ET, or whatever?

[Dick Allen]

Does free agency start at midnight? Or is it an arbitrary start time like 6AM ET, or whatever?

I think it starts at 11 pm tonight, but it isn't like the NFL where the big names sign quickly before teams run out of cap space.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Does free agency start at midnight? Or is it an arbitrary start time like 6AM ET, or whatever?

Midnight eastern time.