See the 2017 MLB Free Agent Tracker for the all the player movement updates.
CESPEDES RE-SIGNS WITH METS
Yoenis Cespedes signed a 4-year deal for $110 million with the Mets.
"This is the third time that we have acquired Yoenis in the last 18 months. And it appears the two legal separations have only strengthened the marriage," general manager Sandy Alderson said. "The last two years, give or take, in Mets history have been about winning. And it has been clear that when Yoenis Cespedes plays for the Mets, the Mets win."
Cespedes has a .282/.348/.554 slash line in 189 games with the Mets. With him in the starting lineup the Mets are 106-74, with him out they have gone 18-23.
The 31 year old Cespedes will be paid $27.5 million the next four seasons on average (the average value matches the yearly salary of the deal that Alex Rodriguez signed). That makes him the second highest paid hitter, per season, in big league history with only Miguel Cabrera making more ($31 million a year).
Is Cespedes worth it? I’m going to obviously say no.
Is he worth an early round selection in fantasy? A more pertinent question.
The last two seasons Yoenis hit 66 homers with 191 RBI and 172 runs scored with 10 steals.
The last two seasons Matt Kemp has hit 58 homers with 208 RBI and 169 runs scored with 13 steals.
Why is Cespedes a fantasy superstar but folks turn their nose up at Kemp and think he’s blah?
Ask yourself that before you spend an early selection on Cespedes.
Hell, Jay Bruce has 59 homers, 186 RBI and 146 runs scored with 13 steals the last two years.
Again, ask yourself if Cespedes is worth an early round selection in 2017?
Finally, Cespedes appeared in just 132 games last season, the third time in five seasons he’s appeared in 135 or fewer games. For his career in the big leagues his average effort includes just 141 games played. That means he misses more than 20 games each year.
Again, ask yourself if Cespedes is worth an early round selection in 2017?
By the way...
Reports suggest that Jay Bruce or Curtis Granderson will be dealt at some point though the team fully intends to keep Michael Conforto and Juan Lagares heading into next season.
ATHLETICS ADD JOYCE
Matt Joyce got the Athletics to give him 2-years, $11 million.
How?
Joyce is a 32 year old platoon hitter, but to be fair, that’s like catnip to a cat for the Athletics who don’t like to play anyone daily as they continually mix and match their lineup.
Joyce posted a .866 OPS last season with the Pirates as he hit 13 homers with 10 doubles in 231 at-bats. That’s rockstar stuff. But he’s not that guy, not close. Joyce failed to post a .770 OPS in any season from 2012-15 and he cannot hit lefties at all with a .185/.265/.310 line. However, he can hit righties fairly well with a .803 OPS (.252/.353/.449). That’s playable. Of course, the only time you’re really gonna be starting Jones is in DFS or in an AL-only league, or in a very deep mixed league with the ability to swap players in and out of your lineup daily.
CUBS MOVING ON FROM FOWLER?
The Cubs signed Jon Jay to a 1-year, $8 million deal.
It sounds like the Cubs plan on playing Jay and Albert Almora will handle center field with the club planning on Ben Zobrist and Kyle Schwarber being used at the corners (Schwarber seems likely to play some Winter Ball to get some more at-bats under his belt). This signing likely means that Dexter Fowler will not be back with the Cubs in 2017.
Jay will be 32 on Opening Day next year, and in each of the last two seasons injuries have limited him to less than 95 games played. A “professional hitter,” Jay hasn’t hit eight homers in a season in five years. He has stolen a total of eight bases in three years. He’s hit .284 with a .706 OPS against lefties in his career and the numbers are .288 and .746 against righties. He’s solid, but nothing more.
Almora is a 22 year old youngster. In 117 plate appearances with the Cubs last season he hit .277 with a .763 OPS. He hit .303 last season with 10 steals in 80 games at Triple-A, but he lacks elite speed or power. In fact, dare I say, his game right now profiles very similar to that of Jay? He doesn’t draw many walks, and power is unlikely to develop, but he has a nice line drive swing and is an impressive defensive outfielder.
LOOKING FOR A HOME
Joaquin Benoit is 39 years old and ended last season hurt, but he wants to pitch again in 2017. Someone will give him a shot without question. Here are his numbers the last four seasons: 2.15 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 17 victories, 38 saves, 71 holds and 252 strikeouts in 234.2 innings. The man can still get batters out.
Trevor Cahill relieved in 2016 but is telling teams he can start. He can’t. The last time he made more than three starts in a season was 2014 when he went 3-12 with a 5.61 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. The last time he threw 150 big league innings in a season was back in 2012. Someone might give him a shot to start, but why not just stick to the pen where you had a 2.74 ERA and 1.28 WHIP last season over 50 outings Cahill? Ah yes, money.
Reports suggest that Mike Dunn wants a big deal after seeing Brett Cecil get a massive 4-year, $30 million deal from the Cardinals. Dunn, another lefty reliever, owns a 3.54 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 9.97 strikeouts per nine. He’s kinda just a guy but lefties have a mere .287 wOBA against him in his career.
Daniel Hudson has had many an arm issue over the years, including multiple Tommy John surgeries. The soon to be 30 year old righty did strike out 58 batters over 60.1 innings last season, but he also walked a six year worst 3.28 batters per nine, posted a 5.22 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. His arm is better than the results he offers.
Ray Flowers can be heard Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, 8 PM EDT, Wednesday 7 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 9 PM EDT PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).