[JetsIn06]

The 1958-59 Offseason

FA roll (0-3): 2
Trade roll (0-3): 3

Carryover from last season: N/A
Profit ($31.5M): +1 to both
Worst record penalty: N/A
Win World Series: N/A

Total:

45+ rated FA: 3
Trades: 4

We have just one pending FA, C Jamie Brown, the elite defender who can't hit his weight. He slashed .180/.218/.284 this year and STILL finished with a positive WAR. But even at just $1.5M, it's not a great value. We decline his option.

Arbitration

But that's it the only player set to leave. We're able to keep most of this core together if we want to, but if we do we're projected to lose about $13M. We have a fourteen player arbitration class, with many of them due for a raise, but just two are heading into their final year; RP Greg Ramson, a Portland draftee who's been a steady but unspectacular reliever over the last six seasons, and C Yasutaka Yamashiro, who we signed as a free agent prior to 1954. Yamashiro is defensively gifted, which makes up lower than desired offensive output. That said, he does have a strong eye, which has kept him relatively productive with an 87 wRC+ over his five seasons here. Now in his final year of team control, Yamashiro is estimated to receive around $13M, but without another catcher on the roster I don't want to be stuck using one of my FA adds on one. We'll pay the $13M for this season, but will need to start thinking about a long-term replacement.

OF Jim Clatt is the other relatively expensive player. I'm always worried about him and his 4 contact rating, but he's been great. He's due for a big raise, though, going from $5M to an estimated $10.2m in 1959. The defense is great in RF, and the power is definitely working for him with 138 HRs over the last four seasons. That said, we have quite a few outfielders and Clatt is going to get to the $18M-$20M range in free agency and we're just not likely to do that. That makes Clatt a piece we're willing to move, and we find a buyer in Boston who will send us SP Cortez Soto and RP Luis Briseno in return. Soto has four years of control left, but struggled in 1958 with a 5.41 ERA over 33 starts. I like his stuff though, and I think his flyball tendency will work in our park. Briseno spent his first full year in the majors this past season, and still has five years of control left with all three options. The stuff looks good but the 16.4 K% feels like for the skills he has. At just 23, there's room to grow.

Total:

45+ rated FA: 3
Trades: 3

Free Agency

At the start of FA, we make a move to lock up SP Adam Dunshee, our 26-year-old rotation piece to a five-year deal worth $60M. This buys out two of his free agent years at $15M a piece, with team options on them as well. After moving to the pen in 1957, he returned to the mound last year and made 31 starts with a 3.48 ERA.

Total:

45+ rated FA: 2
Trades: 3

We still need a backup catcher, so we make an offer to C Lance Premo, a 37-year-old who was once a 20 HR a year guy, but is not more of an on-base threat. The output is still above league average with a 112 wRC+, and the defense will work.

He signs in the new year, and we'll likely stand pat here going into the season with a bunch of available trades and a FA allowance that can roll over into next season.


Total:

45+ rated FA: 1
Trades: 3