Carlos Santana to the Royals???

[MadThinker88]

2 year deal worth $17M

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/12/royals-to-sign-carlos-santana.html

[bensheeps]

This was one that I was hoping the Brewers would be in on (although maybe not for that price)

[wibadgers23]

Oh crap! Was hoping for Santana.

[MadThinker88]

John Sherman (Royals owner) was a minority owner in CLE for a number of years & he got to see impact of Carlos Santana upclose in 2016,2017 & 2019 along with the lack of Santana in 2018.

 

I suspect that played a role in KC making the signing.

[reillymcshane]

I like Santana, but I'm just wary of another older player (he'll be 35 in April) coming off a poor year who really profiles as a DH.

 

The hard thing is looking at his 2019 production and see how good he was that year - .281, .911 OPS, 34 HR. But that's sandwiched between a mediocre and bad year.

 

If the club had signed him I would have been excited for the possibilities - but that's life.

 

A 2-year deal is a pretty good get for Santana. I was thinking he'd get a year with an option. Good for him.

[Brewers Numbers]

Also new owner trying to show he's not the same as the last.

 

I also wonder if the spectre of Braun deciding to play and wanting to come back isn't a factor.

[Eye Black]

It’s very early in the offseason (obviously), but if you ranked the Central division teams (AL and NL) in terms of [positive] moves/acquisitions made thus far the Royals are currently near the top.

 

He’s 35 in April, but Santana’s ability to switch hit and post high OBPs should continue to make him a valuable hitter. Seems like a good signing for the cost/commitment.

[Madhawk23]

This KC strategy is a bit perplexing to me? Seemed to me that they'd be in full rebuild mode for at least another year or two, but then they go out and make two of the bigger F/A signings in the first couple of weeks here in Mike Minor and Carlos Santana. Is this strictly just a situation where the owner is wanting to

"show" the fans that they are trying to be competitive again, or does their front office really feel as if they were just a few players away this past season from competing? Just seems a bit odd to me.

 

And, I do wonder if they might put a serious damper on our attempts to sign guys this winter to cheap 1-year deals, as they seem to have no problem thus far throwing out these 2-year deals to both Minor and Santana.

[Jaylyn]

This KC strategy is a bit perplexing to me? Seemed to me that they'd be in full rebuild mode for at least another year or two, but then they go out and make two of the bigger F/A signings in the first couple of weeks here in Mike Minor and Carlos Santana. Is this strictly just a situation where the owner is wanting to

"show" the fans that they are trying to be competitive again, or does their front office really feel as if they were just a few players away this past season from competing? Just seems a bit odd to me.

 

And, I do wonder if they might put a serious damper on our attempts to sign guys this winter to cheap 1-year deals, as they seem to have no problem thus far throwing out these 2-year deals to both Minor and Santana.

I would say it's a bridge the gap move. Both Minor and Santana are good deals for the Royals, IMO. I am concerned that this may portend another "spaghetti against the wall approach" from DS this offseason?

[Madhawk23]

This KC strategy is a bit perplexing to me? Seemed to me that they'd be in full rebuild mode for at least another year or two, but then they go out and make two of the bigger F/A signings in the first couple of weeks here in Mike Minor and Carlos Santana. Is this strictly just a situation where the owner is wanting to

"show" the fans that they are trying to be competitive again, or does their front office really feel as if they were just a few players away this past season from competing? Just seems a bit odd to me.

 

And, I do wonder if they might put a serious damper on our attempts to sign guys this winter to cheap 1-year deals, as they seem to have no problem thus far throwing out these 2-year deals to both Minor and Santana.

I would say it's a bridge the gap move. Both Minor and Santana are good deals for the Royals, IMO. I am concerned that this may portend another "spaghetti against the wall approach" from DS this offseason?

 

Yeah, that's my concerns as well. I feel like they are going to steal away all of this mid-level guys now that we were probably planning on offering 1 year deals to. Instead, they all are going to sign for these 2-year deals that KC is out there offering. Not a fan of this strategy by them! Ha.

[Austin Tatious]

My guess is the Brewers didn’t want to spend even that much. They are headed to TJMAX looking for bargains.

[Brewers Numbers]

From Alec Lewis:

Asked Royals GM Dayton Moore about the club's aggressiveness this offseason. Here was his response:

 

[patrickgpe]

for the record and what its worth, MLBtraderumors predicted Santana to the brewers 1 yr / 6MM.

 

Still think its a reasonable contract. Its early in free agency and I will sure the brewers will wait for prices to come down as they did last year.

[TURBO]

The burden of being a Brewers fan...

[monty57]

From Alec Lewis:

Asked Royals GM Dayton Moore about the club's aggressiveness this offseason. Here was his response:

 

 

Everyone has a different take on Covid. Any team that wants to take the risk that there will be a full season next year with fans in the stands will be able to find some good deals this offseason. However, if they're wrong the owner will have to be willing to eat tens of millions of dollars.

 

One thing that might go into consideration is that if baseball OK's fans in the stands, some of the states may put their own restrictions on attendance. I'd guess that Missouri will be far more open to having fans in the stands than somewhere like New York, Illinois, or California. Wisconsin would probably be another one that could add some restrictions.

[pacopete4]

Santana has to make the Royals WS favorites.

[StearnsFTW]

The burden of being a Brewers fan...

 

 

Watching other teams overpay for FAs?

 

I'm good with that. I wouldn't be thrilled if the Brewers gave Carlos Santana $15MM for 2 years to play 1b.

 

At least the Royals can DH him and then watch Jorge Soler attempt to play the OF.

[JohnBriggs12]

I always thought C.J. Cron was the realistic Brewer target. A Cron/Vogelbach platoon is potentially potent.

[umphrey]

I was hoping he would be cheaper. I haven’t checked the potential budget recently but I think those numbers would have been a deep cut for us. I’m hoping for Cron though and I think he is realistic.

[monty57]

Cron career vs lefties: .273 avg / .324 OBP / .494 SLG / .818 OPS / 119 wRC+ / .344 wOBA

 

That could be a good platoon option with Vogelbach, but having two guys who can only play first base would limit our flexibility.

 

I had thought that Santana could be a good option if the price was right, but I don't know how much money the Brewers have, and I still think third base is our biggest area of need.

[wntrtxn21]

I was hoping he would be cheaper. I haven’t checked the potential budget recently but I think those numbers would have been a deep cut for us. I’m hoping for Cron though and I think he is realistic.

 

It would depend on how much of a cut Cron was willing to take. He made over $6M last year and is coming off severe knee surgery. I imagine his price would have to be around $2M. This all assumes the Brewers don't aquire a full time 1B in 2021.

[brewmann04]

seems like these type of players are getting paid more that the crew can afford.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

seems like these type of players are getting paid more that the crew can afford.

 

We don't know what the crew can afford.

[brewerfan82]

2018-20 vs. RHP:

 

2018-20 vs. LHP:

 

Works for me!

[PeaveyFury]

I believe Cron has become a solid defensive 1B as well, so he'd make sense for the logical close-and-late defensive substitution if they do use Vogelbach there too.