Russell Martin

[TruffleShuffle]

i like Martin, but his value isn't likely to be much more than Castillo's going forward, at least enough to justify his paycheck.

 

Castillo had a bad year and was still a 2.2 WAR player.

 

the 2.2 WAR doesn't include his pitch framing, which pretty much everyone agrees is terrible.

[sneakypower]

statcorner deemed him -24 runs last year, and basically the 2nd-worst framer in the game

http://www.statcorner.com/CatcherReport.php

[Fro]

statcorner deemed him -24 runs last year, and basically the 2nd-worst framer in the game

http://www.statcorner.com/CatcherReport.php

 

Here's the Baseball Prospectus numbers

 

Castillo does a little better but he was still -10.0 runs and Martin was +19.3 runs in 2014

 

Working theory is 10 runs ~= 1 win, for reference.

[CubsWin]

he does yoga? make that 5/80

And he can walk on his hands, like, really well, so it should probably be 5/85.

[Vinestal]

i like Martin, but his value isn't likely to be much more than Castillo's going forward, at least enough to justify his paycheck.

 

Castillo had a bad year and was still a 2.2 WAR player.

Gotta disagree with that. I really doubt Castillo is likely to come near Martin's offensive numbers next year never mind that Martin is a much better catcher all around than Castillo is ever likely to be. Everyone was ready for 2014 to be Castillos big offensive breakthrough season. Sadly I think he is what he was this year offensively. I cringe at giving Martin 4 or more years as much as anyone but he's a much better player than Castillo for at least 2 more years. He's not likely to be worth his contract in year 3 and 4 but that's just the way it goes with free agency if you want to sign guys you have to over extend more years than is reasonable. I'm ok if they go 4 years but I'd rather they didn't go 5 and I'm not going to be disappointed if they don't sign him at all, maybe we find a guy we can trade for to platoon with Castillo.

[mul21]

I'd probably rather give him 3/50 than 4/60 if the price is going to be as high as it seems.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'd probably rather give him 3/50 than 4/60 if the price is going to be as high as it seems.

 

You don't think he'll be worth 1/10 in 2018?

[Guest]

I'd probably rather give him 3/50 than 4/60 if the price is going to be as high as it seems.

 

If you can get an extra year for $10M, why wouldn't you?

 

Especially when that means you're spreading out the money more and presumably paying more of it in the future.

[Guest]

statcorner deemed him -24 runs last year, and basically the 2nd-worst framer in the game

http://www.statcorner.com/CatcherReport.php

 

i don't really care.

 

i'd rather have Scherzer and Lester than Lester and Martin, if it comes down to it.

[mul21]

I'd probably rather give him 3/50 than 4/60 if the price is going to be as high as it seems.

 

You don't think he'll be worth 1/10 in 2018?

 

No. He'll be a 35 year old catcher and there haven't been a lot of those guys worth $5M, let alone $10M. I think, and it's certainly just my opinion, that he'll have 2 good years on this next contract and be kind of bad after that.

[Guest]

you don't really have to be very good to be worth $10M, let alone $5M.

 

even if you're bad at $5M it's more like ugh i cant believe we gave henry blanco 5M, but whatever.

[Guest]

statcorner deemed him -24 runs last year, and basically the 2nd-worst framer in the game

http://www.statcorner.com/CatcherReport.php

 

i don't really care.

 

i'd rather have Scherzer and Lester than Lester and Martin, if it comes down to it.

 

I'd rather have Lester (or Scherzer), Martin and McCarthy/Liriano/someoneelseinthistier

[Guest]

heh. just noticed that the steamer projection that has martin as a 3.2 win player next year is for 98 games. not bad.

 

that's with a pretty modest .277 babip and no accounting for any pitch framing related contribution.

[SouthSideRyan]

I can't remember is Steamer garbage or not?

[sneakypower]

steamer is alright, oliver is garbage

[Neuby]

Without even touching the farm clubs Theo has some attractive trade pieces and role players to deal. Adding Martin instead of wasting resources on a guy like Montero is a great plan when you can get serious value in return for Castillo.

 

Castillo

Wood

Wada

Valbuena

Wright

Rugganio

Coghlan

Sweeney

Olt

Lake

[SouthSideRyan]

I think Castillo and Valbuena are the only guys in your list with any trade value

[jersey cubs fan]

I think Castillo and Valbuena are the only guys in your list with any trade value

I don't know man.

 

 

Olt and Lake?

[chopsx9]

I think Castillo is going to be better this year

 

Why?

 

 

Now I am saying better than he was last year - because I think he is still developing; he has shown flashes of being a very solid player offensively; catcher's can take a bit to develop. I just think his game is ready to solidify - I certainly could be wrong.

[Sammy Sofa]

Fair enough.

[Guest]

PHOENIX -- Russell Martin, extremely popular on the free-agent market after his big year, will officially reject the Pirates qualifying offer for 2015 by Monday's deadline -- no surprise considering word is, he has already got four-year possibilities and might even get five.

 

The one-year qualifying offer, which is $15.3 million this year, has yet to be accepted by any free agents. Martin, off a big season, never seemed likely to accept the one-year offer.

 

The Cubs' meeting with Martin is said to have gone very well, the incumbent Pirates are very much interested in retaining him, with the Dodgers, Martin's original team, thought to be in play as well. The Jays reportedly have interest, and word is the Mariners are among other teams with interest.

 

Chicago is expected to be a big player on this free agent market and seems to be a serious threat to steal Martin after starting their winter by locking up marquee manager Joe Maddon, with more big moves thought to be in store. The Dodgers tried to keep Martin when he was signed away a few years ago by the Yankees, and new Dodgers baseball president Andrew Friedman is said to have been a big fan for a while, thanks no doubt to the many facets of the game at which Martin excels.

 

He is adept at things that don't show up in the box score such as pitch framing and leadership. But he put himself in excellent position for his free agency with a big year in which he threw out 39 percent of would-be base-runners and was one of only a handful of players with a .400-plus on-base percentage and at least 400 plate appearances (his was .402). He also hit .290, which is 79 points higher than he hit the last time he became a free agent.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24793707/martin-eyed-by-cubs-dodgers-bucs-and-others-to-decline-1-year-bid

[Agony and Ivy]

The Pirates just traded LH reliever Justin Wilson for Yankees C Francisco Cervelli. I think this is a sneaky good move by Pittsburgh.

[Guest]

http://chicagosuntimes.com/sports/cubs-inching-closer-to-landing-russell-martin/

 

If he's right about the Dodgers not being as interested as reported, hopefully that helps keep the price down.

[Tryptamine]

So worried this is going to turn into a 5/80 type deal. I just get the feeling that Theo wants this guy no matter what.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

So worried this is going to turn into a 5/80 type deal. I just get the feeling that Theo wants this guy no matter what.

 

I'm worried that we're going to decide everyone is too expensive and just sit on a ton of empty payroll like last offseason. I'm not a huge Martin fan, but he's not nothing.