Whit Merrifield

[PeaveyFury]

Those players won’t be enough to entice Kansas City into gutting their major league team.

 

Because they're focused on winning 60 games instead of 55?

 

I don't think that deal entices KC either, but they also have literally zero reason to hang onto a guy like Whit, as they're terrible and he's unlikely to be a contributing member of their next competitive team a few years down the line. They should be focused on moving him this offseason.

[wntrtxn21]

Not a bad proposal. Taking on Perez’s contract of 2/$28.4 million and Merrifield adds almost $20 million to the payroll. We would have our catching situation figured out, outfield locked up, and if Braun moved to first full time, it could make some sense. If one of SS or 3B was addressed and the rest was put into bringing back Pomeranz and bringing in a starter, I could live with it. I would be comfortable rolling with Shaw in this scenario if SS was addressed.

 

Perez coming off TJ surgery may not be the Perez of old. Even then his OBP since 2014: .289/.280/.288/.297/.274....He does hit some HRs, but Pina gets on base more. Imo he doesn't solve anything and the deal prevents any meaningful pitching solutions. I also don't think KC would even consider the deal since they have turned down some pretty substantial offers for Merrifield alone.

[adambr2]

Not a bad proposal. Taking on Perez’s contract of 2/$28.4 million and Merrifield adds almost $20 million to the payroll. We would have our catching situation figured out, outfield locked up, and if Braun moved to first full time, it could make some sense. If one of SS or 3B was addressed and the rest was put into bringing back Pomeranz and bringing in a starter, I could live with it. I would be comfortable rolling with Shaw in this scenario if SS was addressed.

 

Perez coming off TJ surgery may not be the Perez of old. Even then his OBP since 2014: .289/.280/.288/.297/.274....He does hit some HRs, but Pina gets on base more. Imo he doesn't solve anything and the deal prevents any meaningful pitching solutions. I also don't think KC would even consider the deal since they have turned down some pretty substantial offers for Merrifield alone.

 

Perez has negative value. Not positive. That's why he was in the proposal, even if KC is unlikely to want to sacrifice any of Whit's value to dump him.

[Jopal78]

Those players won’t be enough to entice Kansas City into gutting their major league team.

 

Because they're focused on winning 60 games instead of 55?

 

I don't think that deal entices KC either, but they also have literally zero reason to hang onto a guy like Whit, as they're terrible and he's unlikely to be a contributing member of their next competitive team a few years down the line. They should be focused on moving him this offseason.

 

Like all small market teams, I would imagine they rely on ticket revenue. Moving those two players tells their fans there is zero reason to come to the park, unless the return coming back for those players is awesome. My point was, those players Burnes, Lutz and Feliciano would not be considered an awesome return

[KeithStone53151]

Has anything changed from the Royals public stance that Merrifield is virtually unattainable? Last I heard, they wanted to be completely blown away...otherwise they wanted to keep him.

[RollieTime]

Here is a possible third base option for us. He has a little experience at third with the Royals and we know how unconventional Stearns is. I’m not a huge fan of the trade simulator site, but I think this is pretty close to right. How would you feel about this trade? To get 4 years of Merrifield, it’s going to sting, but I think I would pull the trigger on this.

 

Cain

Merrifield

Yelich

Hiura

Narvaez

Garcia

Braun

Urias

P

[RollieTime]

Here is a possible third base option for us. He has a little experience at third with the Royals and we know how unconventional Stearns is. I’m not a huge fan of the trade simulator site, but I think this is pretty close to right. How would you feel about this trade? To get 4 years of Merrifield, it’s going to sting, but I think I would pull the trigger on this.

 

Cain

Merrifield

Yelich

Hiura

Narvaez

Garcia

Braun

Urias

P

[TJseven7]

If Peralta's worth is that low I'd prefer to keep him.

[TJseven7]

If Peralta's worth is that low I'd prefer to keep him.

[JosephC]

I think the Trade Value's number on Merrifield is way too low. I see where they get the number from but I don't agree with it at all. If some back-calculating is done, their math basically has Merrifield as being about a 7.2 WAR total player over the next four years, and I just think that number is too low based on his history.

 

Steamer put his 2020 WAR at 2.0 which just doesn't seem reasonable. This guy has been, on average, a 4.05 bWAR/fWAR player over the last three seasons. OK, Steamer is more in line with fWAR. In that case, Merrifield has been, on average, a 3.6 fWAR player over the last three seasons. His worst WAR number over the last three seasons is his 2017 fWAR which was 2.8...so we'll start by taking the worst number (from 2017 no less) and subtract 0.8 from that for a guy who will be entering his age 31 season? I'm not buying it. I'd bet the vast majority of MLB front offices would assign Merrifield a higher number.

 

I think the 2020 estimate should start at 3.5 WAR and then drop 0.5 WAR per season after that. If so, his surplus value is +76.35.

 

But on the bottom end, if I'm the Royals, I think the lowest estimate I would put on him would be to start at 3 WAR in 2020 and then drop him 0.5 WAR per season. That would put him at 9 WAR total over the next four seasons and that would put his surplus value at +58.35.

 

If I'm the Royals, I wouldn't consider any return package with a surplus value of less than 58 million for Merrifield.

[JosephC]

I think the Trade Value's number on Merrifield is way too low. I see where they get the number from but I don't agree with it at all. If some back-calculating is done, their math basically has Merrifield as being about a 7.2 WAR total player over the next four years, and I just think that number is too low based on his history.

 

Steamer put his 2020 WAR at 2.0 which just doesn't seem reasonable. This guy has been, on average, a 4.05 bWAR/fWAR player over the last three seasons. OK, Steamer is more in line with fWAR. In that case, Merrifield has been, on average, a 3.6 fWAR player over the last three seasons. His worst WAR number over the last three seasons is his 2017 fWAR which was 2.8...so we'll start by taking the worst number (from 2017 no less) and subtract 0.8 from that for a guy who will be entering his age 31 season? I'm not buying it. I'd bet the vast majority of MLB front offices would assign Merrifield a higher number.

 

I think the 2020 estimate should start at 3.5 WAR and then drop 0.5 WAR per season after that. If so, his surplus value is +76.35.

 

But on the bottom end, if I'm the Royals, I think the lowest estimate I would put on him would be to start at 3 WAR in 2020 and then drop him 0.5 WAR per season. That would put him at 9 WAR total over the next four seasons and that would put his surplus value at +58.35.

 

If I'm the Royals, I wouldn't consider any return package with a surplus value of less than 58 million for Merrifield.

[homer]

Merrifield is 30 already so that may factor into it.

[homer]

Merrifield is 30 already so that may factor into it.

[SRB]

Perez has negative value. Not positive. That's why he was in the proposal, even if KC is unlikely to want to sacrifice any of Whit's value to dump him.

 

In the real world there is no way that the Royals consider Perez to have negative value. I get the projections-based argument that he is overpaid, but this seems like a good illustration of why those projected WAR calculations often do not jibe with reality.

[SRB]

Perez has negative value. Not positive. That's why he was in the proposal, even if KC is unlikely to want to sacrifice any of Whit's value to dump him.

 

In the real world there is no way that the Royals consider Perez to have negative value. I get the projections-based argument that he is overpaid, but this seems like a good illustration of why those projected WAR calculations often do not jibe with reality.

[SRB]

Merrifield has barely played 3B in his career. I'm not sure why we would be targeting him at this point?

[SRB]

Merrifield has barely played 3B in his career. I'm not sure why we would be targeting him at this point?

[Devinep]

Merrifield has barely played 3B in his career. I'm not sure why we would be targeting him at this point?

 

He plays solid D wherever he’s moved so there’s no reason to think he would do the same at 3B.

 

From the Royals perspective, I don’t see why they wouldn’t trade a guy now in his 30s, who will net a good return, when they’re not close to contending. Instead of needing the be overwhelmed, just be whelmed and get some good young players back. That said, I don’t think it’s be the brewers who could provide that.

[Devinep]

Merrifield has barely played 3B in his career. I'm not sure why we would be targeting him at this point?

 

He plays solid D wherever he’s moved so there’s no reason to think he would do the same at 3B.

 

From the Royals perspective, I don’t see why they wouldn’t trade a guy now in his 30s, who will net a good return, when they’re not close to contending. Instead of needing the be overwhelmed, just be whelmed and get some good young players back. That said, I don’t think it’s be the brewers who could provide that.

[SRB]

Merrifield has barely played 3B in his career. I'm not sure why we would be targeting him at this point?

 

He plays solid D wherever he’s moved so there’s no reason to think he would do the same at 3B.

 

Maybe, though they'd have to be pretty sure given what he will cost in a trade.

 

Merrifield also has a so-so arm and when I merely hinted at the possibility that the Brewers front office might have considered a hypothetical attempt at moving Hiura from 2B to 3B it was the most controversial thing I have ever posted on here

[SRB]

Merrifield has barely played 3B in his career. I'm not sure why we would be targeting him at this point?

 

He plays solid D wherever he’s moved so there’s no reason to think he would do the same at 3B.

 

Maybe, though they'd have to be pretty sure given what he will cost in a trade.

 

Merrifield also has a so-so arm and when I merely hinted at the possibility that the Brewers front office might have considered a hypothetical attempt at moving Hiura from 2B to 3B it was the most controversial thing I have ever posted on here

[wntrtxn21]

Merrifield has barely played 3B in his career. I'm not sure why we would be targeting him at this point?

 

He plays solid D wherever he’s moved so there’s no reason to think he would do the same at 3B.

 

From the Royals perspective, I don’t see why they wouldn’t trade a guy now in his 30s, who will net a good return, when they’re not close to contending. Instead of needing the be overwhelmed, just be whelmed and get some good young players back. That said, I don’t think it’s be the brewers who could provide that.

 

You can't assume that he would play well at 3B just because he plays a good 2B and is a decent OF. Ian Kinsler is a great example. He was a pretty darn good 2B and Det. tried to make him a 3B in spring training. He failed miserably and quickly returned to 2B. In 2016 or 2017 KC talked of Merrifield playing third too. He played 6 or 7 games there and then quickly moved back to 2B. In reality not just any infielder can play the hot corner. To count on a career 2B to be your everyday 3B would be folley.

[wntrtxn21]

Merrifield has barely played 3B in his career. I'm not sure why we would be targeting him at this point?

 

He plays solid D wherever he’s moved so there’s no reason to think he would do the same at 3B.

 

From the Royals perspective, I don’t see why they wouldn’t trade a guy now in his 30s, who will net a good return, when they’re not close to contending. Instead of needing the be overwhelmed, just be whelmed and get some good young players back. That said, I don’t think it’s be the brewers who could provide that.

 

You can't assume that he would play well at 3B just because he plays a good 2B and is a decent OF. Ian Kinsler is a great example. He was a pretty darn good 2B and Det. tried to make him a 3B in spring training. He failed miserably and quickly returned to 2B. In 2016 or 2017 KC talked of Merrifield playing third too. He played 6 or 7 games there and then quickly moved back to 2B. In reality not just any infielder can play the hot corner. To count on a career 2B to be your everyday 3B would be folley.

[RollieTime]

I would also say it’s pretty folly to put lumbering guys like Shaw and Moose at 2B when they had little to no experience there either and it seemed to work out fine. Merrifield isn’t exactly a lumbering player. I think he could transition to third pretty flawlessly. He absolutely wouldn’t be any worse than someone like Andujar at third base, who is someone that some people would like to see the Brewers target in a Hader return to play third.

 

He’s a well above average second baseman and above average left fielder and center fielder. We could go with Yelich, Cain, and Garcia in the outfield while having Braun and Merrifield being able to fill in out there, eliminating the need to carry a typical 4th outfielder.

 

OF: Cain, Yelich, Garcia, Merrifield, and Braun

IF: Hiura, Urias, Smoak, Sogard, (Braun and Merrifield again)

C: Narvaez and Pina

 

We would have 11 bats and have 2 open roster spots, one would go to a third base option that you would be comfortable with starting 100 games for you at third (someone like Flores or possibly Todd Frazier) who might start the season on the bench, but find themself in the lineup when Merrifield is moved to cover other positions. Merrifield would be a utility player that gets 150+ starts filling in all over the diamond for someone needing a day off and taking a spot permanently when injuries arise.

 

Trade Gamel and Arcia or stash Arcia in AAA. The outfield is well covered, with first covered with Smoak and Braun. 2B covered with Hiura, Merrifield, and Sogard. SS would be covered by Urias, Sogard, and Merrifield as the emergency SS. 3B would be covered with Flores or Frazier and Merrifield filling in as needed.

 

Merrifield would be the perfect addition to this team on a very team friendly deal that runs through the 2023 season.

[RollieTime]

I would also say it’s pretty folly to put lumbering guys like Shaw and Moose at 2B when they had little to no experience there either and it seemed to work out fine. Merrifield isn’t exactly a lumbering player. I think he could transition to third pretty flawlessly. He absolutely wouldn’t be any worse than someone like Andujar at third base, who is someone that some people would like to see the Brewers target in a Hader return to play third.

 

He’s a well above average second baseman and above average left fielder and center fielder. We could go with Yelich, Cain, and Garcia in the outfield while having Braun and Merrifield being able to fill in out there, eliminating the need to carry a typical 4th outfielder.

 

OF: Cain, Yelich, Garcia, Merrifield, and Braun

IF: Hiura, Urias, Smoak, Sogard, (Braun and Merrifield again)

C: Narvaez and Pina

 

We would have 11 bats and have 2 open roster spots, one would go to a third base option that you would be comfortable with starting 100 games for you at third (someone like Flores or possibly Todd Frazier) who might start the season on the bench, but find themself in the lineup when Merrifield is moved to cover other positions. Merrifield would be a utility player that gets 150+ starts filling in all over the diamond for someone needing a day off and taking a spot permanently when injuries arise.

 

Trade Gamel and Arcia or stash Arcia in AAA. The outfield is well covered, with first covered with Smoak and Braun. 2B covered with Hiura, Merrifield, and Sogard. SS would be covered by Urias, Sogard, and Merrifield as the emergency SS. 3B would be covered with Flores or Frazier and Merrifield filling in as needed.

 

Merrifield would be the perfect addition to this team on a very team friendly deal that runs through the 2023 season.