Free Agent Poll: DJ LeMahieu

I borrowed an idea from Lone Star Ball. It isn’t the first time I’ve stolen from them. The idea is to go through some of the top free agents, use the contract FanGraphs suggests they will get and have a poll asking if we would like to sign him for that amount.

DJ LeMahieu sits #6 on FanGraphs list and #7 on Keith Law’s list.

Craig Edwards figures he will get a 3-year contract worth $31 million. That’s $10.33 million a year.

DJ won the AL batting crown this year, hitting .364, and he won it in the NL in 2016 batting .348. He had a couple of down years in between. He also takes walks (.421 OBP this year, leading the league) and has some power (10 home runs this year).

He played second, third and first base this year and has 3 Gold Gloves at second base. I don’t know why you would take someone who can win a Gold Glove up the middle and give him innings at corners spots, but that’s baseball.

DJ had a -1.0 UZR/150 this year at second base. Last year he was a 13.2 and the year before 12.5. I’m going to write this year off for sample size. He’s 32 now, so you could expect a little decline in the defense, but going from big positive to a negative in one season seems a little much.

We could use a good glove up the middle. A good glove that also can get on base 40% of the time? I’m good with the idea.

Some of his newfound power is a Yankee Stadium thing. Keith Law says that 75% of his home runs for the Yankees happened at Yankee Stadium and most of those to right field, and many of those were wall scrappers.

Generally, he hits the ball on the ground and hits the ball hard (remind you of anyone?) and doesn’t strikeout.

But, even if the power disappears, I’d be happy with the OBP. And the glove.

On the downside, he did get a Qualifying Offer, which means the Jays would lose a draft pick for signing him. There are several free agents out there without the QO issue. There is another question, it the QO is $18.9 million, would he take a 3-year deal for $30 million?