MLB Christmas Returns: Free Agents Teams Wish They Kept the Receipt For
Every MLB off-season us fans witness teams make blunders on free agent flops. This off-season shall be no different as several teams will certainly rethink their decisions.
The 2017 MLB off-season wasn’t as deep talent wise as previous years, but still held some key superstars in the mix. Between trades and signings several MLB teams drastically improved their chances for 2017. Other teams, such as the Dodges, have remained relatively quiet, instead opting to maintain their talents. Regardless of what routes teams decided to take, this off-season has somewhat shifted the landscape of MLB.
First, there was the Chris Sale trade. The White Sox got infinitely better in their farm system and the Red Sox solidified themselves as the favorites for the AL Pennant. Then, Edwin Encarnacion finally found a suitor in Cleveland, reigniting the defending AL champs’ World Series chances. Other big moves, such as Yoenis Cespedes cashing out in New York or Dexter Fowler joining rival St. Louis, also make a significant impact for next season. Teams such as the Rockies solidified their offense, and teams such as the Braves seem ready to win now.
Even with all of these high impact moves there were still moves that will leave teams scratching their heads. Sure, they may seem great now, but in the near future teams will likely be regretting these moves. Whether it be huge contracts, or just signing a mediocre player, these moves will not pan out for the respective clubs. This will leave teams wishing they had a second chance, a chance to go back in time and fix their mistakes. Of course, with the Christmas season coming to a close this will be festive. Therefore, these teams will certainly wish they asked for that coveted gift receipt that could give them a second chance.
Houston Astros: Josh Reddick
The Houston Astros have gone all out this off-season to bolster their offense. Houston added Brian McCann, Josh Reddick, Carlos Beltran, and Nori Aoki all within two months. Honestly, the moves don’t seem very wise as they are bringing in mostly old veterans who won’t be good for much longer. This won’t work in the long run for Houston–just look at the Yankees before this youth movement. Out of all of this moves however, I think the Astros will regret signing Josh Reddick more than the rest.
First of all, the Astros signed Reddick to a 4 year, $52 million dollar contract. That contract was the eighth-largest signed this off-season and the tenth largest in terms of annual salary. No disrespect to Reddick, but I don’t think he is worth twice as much as Wilson Ramos. Reddick has been a solid player over his eight year career, but his numbers in Los Angeles should be staggering. Sure, it is hard to transition into a pitcher-friendly ball park on a whole new club, but it wasn’t the same Josh Reddick.
Reddick slashed .258/.307/.335 in his time in Los Angeles. While that certainly isn’t the worst, with low power numbers and only nine RBI in 47 games it is not worth $52 million dollars. Nothing about Reddick suggests that he is worth the money that the Houston Astros gave him. What makes this deal worse than say the Beltran one is the Astros are stuck with him. Sure, they could trade him, but with no team option they effectively are taking a gamble. Like with Carlos Gomez this gamble will not pay out for the Astros.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Rich Hill
Being a Dodger fan, I like Rich Hill as much as the next guy. The left-hander is a true journey-man, and has mastered the little league style of pitching with only two pitches and ten arm slots. His performance in the NLCS against the Cubs was masterful, and he definitely can provide something different to the table for a full season in Los Angeles. With Los Angeles stressing advanced statistics such as spin rate, Hill will be a great fit into Andrew Friedman’s system. That is why it hurts me to say that the Dodgers ultimately missed the mark in bringing back Rich Hill.
Rich Hill is 36 years old, which is fairly old in baseball terms. Hill has had a weird twelve-year career, and until recently hasn’t shown any signs of being a big contributor. Hill also is very injury prone, his Dodger debut was delayed multiple times over a blister on his throwing hand. He seems to have every red flag in the book, age, injuries, and inconsistency. Yet the Dodgers still signed Hill to a three-year, 48 million dollar deal with no club option. Hill would have been a great acquisition for a year, or if they included a club option. However with his track record the amount of money being dished out simply doesn’t make sense.
Sure, it is very possible that Hill proves me wrong and shows us that everything gets better with age. However, his ceiling seems to be one season of being solid. After 2017 I cannot see Hill thriving in Los Angeles. Hitters will learn his style, and his inconsistencies will ultimately catch up to him. As much as I love Rich Hill, the Dodgers are going to wish they can return him in 2018.
Colorado Rockies: Ian Desmond
As much respect as I have for Ian Desmond, it is hard to see the Rockies avoid regret in this deal. Desmond had a career year in 2016, and unlike other inclusions on this list he will likely thrive in the near future. Especially in Coors Field, the most hitter-friendly park in baseball, Desmond will continue to thrive at the plate. His five-year, $70 million dollar deal is a bit pricey, but hits in mark in Desmond’s value. With all these upsides the deal still seems flawed for Colorado, and this will ultimately cause the regret.
The Rockies already had a phenomenal offense. Sure it helps that they play in Colorado, but they were still stellar. With D.J. LeMahieu, Carlos Gonzalez, Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, and Charlie Blackmon the Rockies seem set. The biggest downfall to the Rockies has been their horrible pitching. Most of the blame can be pointed to Colorado playing at Coors Field for half the season, but that does not mean you don’t improve mediocrity. This is where the Desmond deal misses the mark. They paid a lot of money to play a guy at first that has no experience there when the same funds could have been spent on an area of more need.
Next: The Keys For the Dodgers to Win it All in 2017
Like I’ve argued with the Chris Sale deal, this only pads an area of strength. The Rockies, and the Red Sox, could have benefited more from improving an area of need. Yoan Moncada could have filled in the only gap in Boston, third base, and the Rockies could have targeted arms. Yeah this deal opens up the option of trading away a bat for pitching, but if that can’t be done then the Rockies are left with all bats and no arms. This could ultimately cause regret in Colorado as they cannot defend their own strength, offense.