Starlin Castro

[ewitkows]

Marlins infielder Starlin Castro would prefer not to suit up for his new organization, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). He recently landed in Miami in the blockbuster swap that sent superstar Giancarlo Stanton to the Yankees.

 

It’s not difficult to see why Castro would prefer to find a new home. The Marlins are clearly in a rebuilding stance, with several top veterans already having been dealt and a few more still on the block. Castro is already guaranteed to earn at a healthy clip for the next two seasons — $10MM and $11MM apiece followed by a $1MM buyout on a 2020 option — and he’d surely prefer to draw his salary while playing for a contender.

 

We have the money and it we picked up most of it we wouldn't have to give up a big prospect . He had a solid slash line last year 300/338/454 with 16 HR. I'm not sure how he grades defensively but this might not be a bad option for the next 2 years.

[Warning Track Power]

I would rather sign Walker for the next 2 years than bring in Castro. The past 3 years (162 game average):

-Walker: .272/.344/.790 23 HR, 76 RBI, 61 BB, 118 K

-Castro: .277/.310/.728 19 HR, 79 RBI, 27 BB, 119 K

 

This team needs the OBP of a Walker more than another free swinger like Castro.

[ewitkows]

If Walker wanted a 2 year deal he'd already have signed with someone. He's holding out for a 3-4 year deal.

[JohnBriggs12]

I would rather sign Walker for the next 2 years than bring in Castro. The past 3 years (162 game average):

-Walker: .272/.344/.790 23 HR, 76 RBI, 61 BB, 118 K

-Castro: .277/.310/.728 19 HR, 79 RBI, 27 BB, 119 K

 

This team needs the OBP of a Walker more than another free swinger like Castro.

 

Castro had a .374 OBP and an .836 OPS vs. LHP in 2017. For his career, his OBP vs. LHP is a respectable .341. Walker doesn't hit lefties well at all. Besides as it stands now, Walker isn't a Brewer so compare Castro's OBP to Perez. I've also been a Perez guy, but Castro is the better player. If they could get Walker for a 2 year deal for around what Castro would cost, fine. but I'd send them Perez and a prospect outside of the Brewer top 25 for Castro and that would offset a couple million per year. Sit Castro against some tough RHP and play Sogard. He also can slide over to SS if need be. Walker can't.

[Warning Track Power]

Maybe...but even if true, I would rather take my chances with a Villar turnaround than spend the prospect capital necessary to acquire Castro. Even in his down 2017, Villar's OBP was .293. Castro's career OBP is .320 and was .296 in 2015 and .300 in 2016.

 

OBP is going to be a huge thing moving forward for me with the Brewers given the high strikeout totals of Santana, Thames, Broxton, Brinson, Phillips and Shaw.

[JohnBriggs12]

Maybe...but even if true, I would rather take my chances with a Villar turnaround than spend the prospect capital necessary to acquire Castro. Even in his down 2017, Villar's OBP was .293. Castro's career OBP is .320 and was .296 in 2015 and .300 in 2016.

 

OBP is going to be a huge thing moving forward for me with the Brewers given the high strikeout totals of Santana, Thames, Broxton, Brinson, Phillips and Shaw.

 

What prospect capital? Castro's market isn't great. He's a salary dump. They'd take a Hernan Perez to be their everyday 2B (and potential flip candidate) and a lottery ticket type or two low level guy.

[bill hAll Star]

Maybe...but even if true, I would rather take my chances with a Villar turnaround than spend the prospect capital necessary to acquire Castro. Even in his down 2017, Villar's OBP was .293. Castro's career OBP is .320 and was .296 in 2015 and .300 in 2016.

 

OBP is going to be a huge thing moving forward for me with the Brewers given the high strikeout totals of Santana, Thames, Broxton, Brinson, Phillips and Shaw.

 

What prospect capital? Castro's market isn't great. He's a salary dump. They'd take a Hernan Perez to be their everyday 2B (and potential flip candidate) and a lottery ticket type or two low level guy.

 

The Marlins have said they're now pretty happy with where their payroll is. I agree that Castro still ends up in the "salary dump" range of things in the end and that the Marlins may eventually do this, but they can hold out for something of value unless Castro becomes a serious clubhouse issue.

[pacopete4]

No thanks. I'd rather take my chances with Villar coming back to form.

[Warning Track Power]

Maybe...but even if true, I would rather take my chances with a Villar turnaround than spend the prospect capital necessary to acquire Castro. Even in his down 2017, Villar's OBP was .293. Castro's career OBP is .320 and was .296 in 2015 and .300 in 2016.

 

OBP is going to be a huge thing moving forward for me with the Brewers given the high strikeout totals of Santana, Thames, Broxton, Brinson, Phillips and Shaw.

 

What prospect capital? Castro's market isn't great. He's a salary dump. They'd take a Hernan Perez to be their everyday 2B (and potential flip candidate) and a lottery ticket type or two low level guy.

This is all assumption about his market and cost. With Villar on the roster and Walker still available, I would much rather explore those options than make a trade that arguably doesn't improve upon some combination of Villar/Perez/Sogard.

[KeithStone53151]

I'm in general agreement with the consensus. We have a solid floor type in Sogard that can play 2b everyday and be decent if Villar is awful. We have the upside in Villar if he can return to 2016 form. There's no sense in looking to make a move at 2b unless the player can approach Villar's upside. Walker can, Castro not so much.

[jerichoholicninja]

Would prefer Castro to Villar, Perez, or Sogard everyday at 2B. That said, I hope Walker is playing there in 2018.

[HighHeat19]

They send us Castro and Braxton Garrett for Kodi Medieros and we eat ALL the salary.

[brewcrewdue80]

No. There's something not right about him. Clubhouse cancer. The Cubs moved him as a winning team. The Yankees now moved him as a winning team. Didnt want to continue winning with him in their clubhouse. If you cant roll with Villar/Sogard/Perez and have to give someone else a shot, Walker is the winning choice. Traded to the Mets as a rental/resigned. Brewers now on that same spot having interest. At some point these FAs will come down on their requests, or be like? Who was it a few years back? Signed midway in to season for less money.

[jerichoholicninja]

No. There's something not right about him. Clubhouse cancer. The Cubs moved him as a winning team. The Yankees now moved him as a winning team. Didnt want to continue winning with him in their clubhouse. If you cant roll with Villar/Sogard/Perez and have to give someone else a shot, Walker is the winning choice. Traded to the Mets as a rental/resigned. Brewers now on that same spot having interest. At some point these FAs will come down on their requests, or be like? Who was it a few years back? Signed midway in to season for less money.

 

The Yankees moved him because of money and Torres and the Cubs moved him because of Addison Russell. His space out moments on the field were well documented in Chicago but he just spent two years in New York and I never heard a word about them. If they happened in New York they would have been a huge deal. Also, never heard anything about him being a clubhouse cancer.

[Boomer5]

Didn't we have excess 2B a year ago?

[jerichoholicninja]

Didn't we have excess 2B a year ago?

 

Excess bodies, yes. Talent, no.

[brewcrewdue80]

No. There's something not right about him. Clubhouse cancer. The Cubs moved him as a winning team. The Yankees now moved him as a winning team. Didnt want to continue winning with him in their clubhouse. If you cant roll with Villar/Sogard/Perez and have to give someone else a shot, Walker is the winning choice. Traded to the Mets as a rental/resigned. Brewers now on that same spot having interest. At some point these FAs will come down on their requests, or be like? Who was it a few years back? Signed midway in to season for less money.

 

The Yankees moved him because of money and Torres and the Cubs moved him because of Addison Russell. His space out moments on the field were well documented in Chicago but he just spent two years in New York and I never heard a word about them. If they happened in New York they would have been a huge deal. Also, never heard anything about him being a clubhouse cancer.

 

But the Cubs chose Javier Baez over Castro to play 2b. As to the Yankees, they were in bad shaped heading in to '16 at 2b and a failed 1st year by Didi Gregarious post Jeter at SS. Castro at least gave them an option had Didi fallen flat to his potential and just been a AAAA player. Whatever MLB has done to the baseball certainly saved Didi as he's 20 and 25HRs the last two seasons when never hitting over 9 at any season prior, minors or majors.

 

 

Edit add: I will say this, based on the returns Castro has brought, He's probably worth an Aaron Wilkerson...or Yovani Gallardo in trade. That's it, Eric Sogard to clear up the 2b logjam.

[monty57]

Castro seems like a relatively safe bet to give you 1-2 WAR. Villar could "find it" and do better than that, or he could give you negative value as he has in three of his five MLB seasons. We say Villar is young, but he turns 27 in May and is actually only one year younger than Castro. I know there's talent in Villar, but with his poor defense he needs to hit well to provide positive value, so I think at this point he should start as a utility guy and fight to earn a starting spot back. He can do too much damage to the team if he's simply given the job and it turns out 2016 was a fluke.

 

I'm not sold on Castro, but the Brewers should at least "kick the tires." If they can get him for close to nothing if they pick up the salary, it'd be tempting. With two years and an option on his contract, he could bridge the gap nicely to the talented guys currently in the low minors.

 

I guess my take on things is that Villar could "find it" and be the better player over the next couple of seasons, but Castro is less likely to sink the ship than Villar.

 

I really wish we could send Villar to AAA to work out the kinks, but if he had those options we probably never would have got him from the Astros.