Yasiel Puig

[BrewCrewBlueDevil]

I know, I know....... Puig would hit at the top of the order, could play RF with Yelich moving to LF on Braun's rest days, and may be able to be had for two years and twenty million dollars. He is Ozuna or Castellanos with and extra five million per year in salary.

[adambr2]

Really not interested in Puig. It doesn't have anything to do with him personally. I just don't think he's very good anymore.

[SRB]

I actually am a big fan of Puig's persona, but as a player it is weird how his reputation still seems defined by his huge production out of the gate in 2013-2014. Over the last five years he's been a below average corner OF with poor defense. His overall value is not that far from Ben Gamel.

[packer822]

I saw him play 3 games against the yankees in the Bronx in august......guys do not run on him.....and when he needed to drive in a run he did.....with him in right....cain in center and yellie going to left with braunie going to 1st......that would be nice.....I would be all for it....he may be a knucklehead but he is a guy I would want in the dugout in September and October...I think being with cain ..yellie and braunie he would have fun and produce

[reillymcshane]

I'll give my two cents on Puig.

 

We all know he's a bit off kilter at times. Just gotta live with that.

 

That aside, he has several attractive qualities:

 

1. Turns 29 this month, so as long as a contract is for now more than 2 or 3 years, you're getting him before he goes into a traditional decline phase.

 

2. His price won't be massive. Predictions are on Fangraphs have him at 3 years/$39M. At mlbtraderumors.com he's at 1-year/$8 million. 3 years/$39M gets a bit rich for me, but if it's a couple of million less, then it's not a huge outlay in dollars.

 

3. He fits in defensively really well - as Yelich simply plays LF most of the time. Also, his defense has generally been rated as solid. Nothing special, but at least average. It's not like you have to mess with Braun or Thames in the OF. Puig is a decent defender.

 

4. Puig is pretty much a known quantity. He's going to hit around . 265 (last three years - .267, .267, .263) and get you 25 or so HR (last three years - 24, 23, 28). Probably get you around an .800 OPS.

 

5. Puig doesn't have big splits as a batter, so he's not a liability on either side of the plate. Interestingly, in his career, he's hit right handers better than lefties - even though he's right handed. OPS vs righties is .845, OPS vs lefties is .762. Last year it was .783 vs righties and .791 vs lefties.

 

I know people will scream 'club house cancer' and stuff like that. Perhaps it is true, but it's the club's job to determine how the guy will affect the team's chemistry. And the guy is 29 - not 23. People can grow up. Even if they still do some stupid things.

 

In the end, if the dollars and years are reasonable, Puig would be a good fit. You'd have to figure out how to get ABs for all the OFs, but if that can be managed, it is an interesting idea. Again, assuming the club feels he'd be okay in the clubhouse.

[Warning Track Power]

As a player, Puig would make sense as someone who could fill the Ryan Braun-sized hole after this season.

 

As a personality, Puig could be this team's iteration of Nyjer Morgan. As a fan, my patience would run thin if that routine reached the levels of annoying that came with the Tony Plush routine.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

As a player, Puig would make sense as someone who could fill the Ryan Braun-sized hole after this season.

 

As a personality, Puig could be this team's iteration of Nyjer Morgan. As a fan, my patience would run thin if that routine reached the levels of annoying that came with the Tony Plush routine.

 

Important to note that one fan's "annoying" is another fan's "fun and endearing". I love the oversized personality stuff that players like Morgan and Gomez brought if they are helping the team win games.

[Warning Track Power]

As a player, Puig would make sense as someone who could fill the Ryan Braun-sized hole after this season.

 

As a personality, Puig could be this team's iteration of Nyjer Morgan. As a fan, my patience would run thin if that routine reached the levels of annoying that came with the Tony Plush routine.

 

Important to note that one fan's "annoying" is another fan's "fun and endearing". I love the oversized personality stuff that players like Morgan and Gomez brought if they are helping the team win games.

Totally understood and knew what the response would be when I posted it. It's also a dichotomy I have as a fan as well. Whereas, I found Gomez lighthearted and generally harmless given how he played hard all the time, I found Morgan's to be annoying and forced. Living in Southern California at the height of Puig's powers, he comes across as a blend of the two.