This article was written by Kevin Frandsen, host of The Audible on KNBR 1050
Winter Meetings start Monday and agents, scouts, management, player personnel will all be setting a plan for the next 1-3 years in just a week’s time.
Arbitration deals, free agent meetings/signings, minor league opportunities and endorsement dollars are on the table. The initial talks are key here even if they don’t lead to contracts being signed immediately.
For myself, a few Winter Meetings were spent talking on the phone with my agent Damon Lapa of All Bases Covered Sports Management. These conversations circled around contract negotiations and Damon always kept me in the know, helped or assisted in my anxiety, and most of all he fought for my best interests. If there was one thing I could count on throughout my twelve year professional career, it was Damon ALWAYS having my back and that’s something I’ll never forget.
With that being said, let’s get down to the business of these Winter Meetings and how they can affect the home team. Your San Francisco Giants have a lengthy holiday shopping list and outfield help is right near the top. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) set the luxury tax for 2017 at $195 million, so the Giants having roughly $40 million to spend this offseason. Knowing their clubhouse and how management operates, here’s a few moves I think they could make.
With Yoenis Cespedes signing on Wednesday for four-years, $110M, I think as a Giants fan you should be relieved. Here’s why: Last offseason, Zack Greinke signed with the Diamondbacks for $34.4 million a year. The Giants were able to get two starters for $28.3 million in Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija with those contracts jumping to $43 million this year.
In my mind those deals were a wash and the Giants ended up with two dynamic starters. For the $27.5 million per year Cespedes would’ve cost, let’s think like the Giants and focus our attention on acquiring cost effective, athletic, versatile, clubhouse presence guys.
AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS:
Ian Desmond: I am biased on this one because he might be my favorite teammate in all my years of organized baseball. Ian’s thoughtful, unreal in the clubhouse, and, oh yeah … he’s pretty damn good at baseball. He played his first six years in the big leagues at the elite position of shortstop and was a three-time Silver Slugger winner – pretty impressive. Then he signed to play the outfield in Texas and was an All-Star left fielder last year. The athleticism and versatility boxes are both checked. Desmond has hit 20 or more home runs in four of the last five years and has amassed 20 or more SBs in five of six years! Another upside to this signing is the fact he has averaged well over 150 games a year.
- POTENTIAL SALARY: $16 million per year
Brandon Moss: Another great clubhouse guy with power credentials who could play first base in a pinch. Yes, he is left handed and strikes out a lot. However, the left-handed power he provides is far greater than the group of lefties currently on the Giants roster. A total contract circling around a number of three-years for $33 million would be a just a tick over just one year’s investment with Cespedes.
- POTENTIAL SALARY: $10 million per year
Mark Trumbo: A staple of successful Giants teams of late has been airtight defense. Signing Trumbo may be a downgrade defensively, but they’d be getting a 30 home run guy. He’ll garner at least $30 million per year guaranteed, but they may see value and want to take the chance. Trumbo is a buddy of mine and is very smart, a native Californian, and driven to WIN.
- POTENTIAL SALARY: $19 million per year
Carlos Gomez: What about taking a flier on one of the most athletic guys in the game? He’s a loose cannon/wild card type but certainly worth consideration.
- POTENTIAL SALARY: $11 million per year
POSSIBLE TRADES:
JD Martinez: In left field the Giants have talked about the possibility of trading for a Martinez, which may sound genius. But look at JD’s contract status and you see a guy on one year of arbitration left before free agency. The ONLY way the Giants make this trade and give up “valuable” prospects is if they are guaranteed to sign him to an extension before he were to hit free agency. Martinez has hit 83 homers over the last three seasons in a non hitter park. With free agents signing for record dollars, wouldn’t he want to test the market?
- CURRENT CONTRACT: $11.75 million through 2017 (UFA)
Andrew McCutchen: Trade rumors like JD Martinez will always pop up throughout the offseason, but how about the idea of Andrew McCutchen in centerfield for your SF Giants? First off, he’s a tremendous dude. A high character guy that’ll fit in perfectly here in San Francisco. Secondly, the star power he has would be on display in one of MLB’s biggest markets. Cutch is 30 years old, and personally I’m not turned off by his “down year” in 2016. I’ll take his down years over most MLB veteran’s career bests. Signed through 2017 with a club option, couldn’t you imagine a Tyler Beede led package with the ability to sign McCutchen to a 2+ year extension? Plus, when “his time” is up in centerfield he’s a dynamic athlete who will be a great fit at one of the corner spots.
- CURRENT CONTRACT: $28.7 million through 2018 (UFA)
Kevin Kiermaier: Tampa has recently scouted the San Francisco farm system (Matt Moore/Matt Duffy trade) and I’m guessing the Rays would want at least a pair of other Giants farmhands for the likes of a Kiermaier. Last year after breaking his wrist in one of his many ridiculous diving catches, this 26 year old hit 12 home runs and had 21 stolen bases while becoming an elite defensive centerfielder. I wouldn’t give up the world for him but I would definitely be considering a move like this, especially with 3-4 years of arbitration. Young, controllable, athletic as can be…Could you imagine this guy roaming the friendly confines of AT&T Park?? The thought of having a Gold Glover at catcher, second, short, and center is a dream, but maybe one to consider.
- CURRENT CONTRACT: 3 years Arbitration Eligible
**Kevin Frandsen Hosts “The Audible” Every Weekday from 6:00a-9:00a on KNBR 1050AM**