Dodgers: The Case for Re-Signing Manny Machado
The off-season rumor mill was rocked with a tweet by Buster Olney about the White Sox offer to Manny Machado.
The White Sox offer to Machado is for $175 million, over seven years. In some ways, their approach is like Boston's w/ J.D. Martinez last winter — the Red Sox offered $100 million and waited for two months. If CWS offer emerges as best, a big ? is: Would Machado/NYY re-engage?
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 16, 2019
Dodgers Nation then wanted someone to write an article about making the case for re-signing Machado. I volunteered as I have previously advocated for re-signing him. We then wanted to get some fan input so we put out a poll.
Given that the $ cost for Manny Machado has gone down, what are your thoughts about the Dodgers trying to sign him?
— Tim Rogers 2080 ??subscriber: (@TimRogers2080) January 16, 2019
As the poll indicates, 66% of those who voted don’t want Manny for various reasons. I was actually surprised that the “Johnny Hustle” selection wasn’t higher. I’m sure some of the “$ should go elsewhere” want to sign Bryce Harper instead.
After that poll was posted, Manny Machado’s agent, Dan Lozano came out with a statement that the information was false. Who knows the truth but his statement is below.
https://twitter.com/TBrownYahoo/status/1085658688587673601
Why The Urgency To Spend?
I am positive that there is a three year window left for baseball. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) ends after the 2021 season and then baseball will probably come to a long halt. After that, we do not know when baseball back. Corey Seager (along with Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen) is also eligible for free agency after the 2021 season and his agent is Scott Boras. Now is the time! The Dodgers can talk all they want about “revolutionizing the fan experience” but most of us want a World Series Championship.
Inside LA #Dodgers' plan to revolutionize the fan experience: 'This is a show business' https://t.co/t4iDbVMoZ8
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 16, 2019
Why Not Harper Instead?
Personally, I am all aboard getting Bryce Harper as he is a generational talent. However, everything has a price attached to it and if Machado can be signed for something like 7 years/$200M, then it has to be considered compared to a 10/$350M contract or more for Harper. I believe the Dodgers should sign either Machado or Harper, depending on what is, ultimately, the best value.
2018 DODGERS PLAYER REVIEWS: MANNY MACHADOWhere Does Machado Play?
There are two positional options for Machado; shortstop and third base. If Corey Seager does not make a full recovery from Tommy John surgery then Seager goes to first base and Machado plays short. Seager is an elite hitter and he needs to be in the lineup. Maybe Seager could play second but that would also depend on his recovery from his injury.
The other option, if Seager can play shortstop, is for Machado to play third base. That moves Justin Turner to first base. No, I do not believe Turner would be an option at second base. In both of these cases, what happens to Max Muncy? Start playing him in left field in spring training and he could be ready for opening day. That would necessitate moving Joc Pederson or Alex Verdugo. I’d prefer trading Pederson as he doesn’t hit left handed pitchers and is limited to left field. With Machado in the lineup and Pederson is out then the lineup is much more balanced and in less need of platooning.
Essentially, it’s a good problem to have.
What About Johnny Hustle?
During his time with the Dodgers, Machado had hustle and cheap shot issues. Both of these are worth talking about. In terms of the hustle issue, he has had surgery on both knees. Many other players coast it up the line on infield grounders for various reasons so there is some inconsistency in picking on just Machado. However, the ball he hit in game 3 of the World Series that should have been a double was an awful look.
https://youtu.be/Pay4erkux5k
There were also the cheap shots during the NLCS against the Brewers.
https://youtu.be/y5VoBcO0258
To be honest I think the man is either a knucklehead or just has periodic brain fades. It will be interesting to see his final contract versus the expectations. I think the Dodgers can handle these issues but it can be an excuse to pay him less.
Final Thoughts
Some talk about Manny Machado as a top 5 player in baseball but I put him in the top 25. He will be overpaid by someone (so will Harper), but the market will dictate that they get paid handsomely. Signing Machado could give us a lineup like this:
- Taylor
- Seager
- Turner
- Machado
- Bellinger
- Muncy
- Verdugo
- Martin/Barnes
Notice there doesn’t seem to be an immediate need to platoon. Machado brings excellent defense at third and good defense at short. For the right price I want Machado back with the Dodgers.
2019 COULD BE A DEFINING YEAR FOR KIKÉ HERNÁNDEZ
Good summary, but pay the extra $ and years for Harper. Machado’s stats are horribly inflated, as is his ego, by playing half his games in the O’s very friendly hitter’s park. Away from Camden Yards Manny has slashed .271/.319/.442/.761 which is very comparable to Chris Taylor’s career slash line of .262/.331/.435/.766. Harper’s career slash line: .279/.388/.512/.900; AND, he has a lifetime .900 OPS with RISP and .858 with 2 outs and RISP; in 2018 his RISP OPS was .982; 1.234 with 2 outs! How does he do against LH pitching? Career OPS right at .800. Spend the money and years on Harper, then use Pederson and/or Taylor/Verdugo to further strengthen the roster. Harper is definitely worth the money!
Harper is not the right play. He is wildly inconsistent on production. If you think Harper’s ego is as big if not bigger than Machado then it’s time to check your racial biases my friend. Harper constantly curses out umps, breaks bats, and acts like he constantly puts together Trout-like numbers. Funny though how minorities acting that way gets blown up but when white folk (like Chris Sale and Madison Bumgarner) “disrespect the game” it is simply the fiery spirit of competition.
signing would put 4 left handed bats in the lineup. We experienced this situation a short time ago and we remember the outcome. I still don’t know why Puig was traded. Kemp was no big loss. There are times when I JUST DONT FOLLOW THE DODGER’s thinking. Over 30 years and counting since their last championship season. Wake up, damn it.
doesn’t matter whether they are LH or RH as long as they can hit RH and LH pitching. Puig? The guy who has demonstrated that he cannot hit LH pitching — he might as well be a LH bat.
Don. Over 3,000,000 fans every year, season tickets sold out, Time Warner $8,000,000,000., marketing of Dodgers name/products through the roof. “Who needs a World Series?” (Guggenheim)
How about no Harper and no manny. Sign pollock trade for kluber and work on kimbrel for a cheaper price. Spend that money in multiple spots. Not one headache
I agree one 100% with this comment
Check Pollock’s road splits; less than average hitter away from Chase Field. And, if Dodgers sign him it forfeits its second pick in next June’s draft plus $500K of International spending pool. Just say no to Pollock. Kluber, the guy for which the Indians want a “Chris Sale type return?” No thanks. Kimbrel? Why waste money when Dodgers already have Jansen, Kelly, Baez, Floro, et al? Again, no thanks.
SoCal, to a point I can understand the ‘NO’ on Machado and or Pollock. My concern is simply to at least try and balance the lineup a bit with at least another solid RHB. And if it would cut down on this urge to platoon, then great.
Why does it have to be RH as long as a LH hitter can hit both RH and LH pitching? Puig is a RH hitter but horrible last season against LH pitching.
Because a good many of the LHP have not shown they can hit LHP but to a point most are not given a chance to do so. Having another RHB still will perhaps keep the opponents from throwing a LHP at us when they see that the lineup has mostly LHB in it.
Resign Machado
This wish conversation article just makes no practical sense…………sorry………you are assuming Seager will not recover, people recover from TJ surgery with arm strength improvement all the time now….OR you are assuming Seager would play first????…..OR you are assuming JT will move to first……OR you are assuming Machado will be WILLING to play third (NO WAY, he has made it very clear he does not want to play third)…..OR you are assuming Muncy can play left (that would get ugly quick)…..OR you are assuming Bellinger does not want to play first….AND you are assuming Dave Roberts will stop platooning everyone. Machado being here again means someone is traded AND……….there are so many if’s in this scenario with Seager’s return it’s ridiculous……he (Manny) just does not fit here with Seager healthy now, never mind the money….and then there is his on field persona that was a black mark when he was here…….for him to come back here someone would have to leave…….I personally do not want to see any of these guys leaving. JT, Bellinger, Seager……these are people who love being DODGERS!
Muncy in left? Good lord, that would be a disaster. Worse than schwarber in left. No way muncy would be ready to play left by opening day after a spring training in left field. It would take much longer for muncy to feel comfortable out there.
THERE IS NO CASE FOR SIGNING MACHADO OR HARPER.
Neither figure to be wearing Dodger Blue this year.
I think the dodgers should sign no one that is not on the scrap heap, trade away a decent player or two, increase ticket price and talk about fan experience! Wait that is what they are doing…… maybe someone needs to explain to the mr Friedman he isn’t in Tampa anymore. Dodger fans want to win, think more like Yankees or Red Sox. Dodger fans don’t say we won the division 6 years in a row, they don’t say they won 2 straight nlcs. They do say we have not won a World Series in 30 years. My thought, we treat the team the way they treat us! You don’t want to spend any money, nor do. I won’t buy a hat, t shirt, dodger dog or ticket until you show me you are here going for a World Series. Your goal is to be the best, not just make money!
Just say NO to Machado. I think he’s a potential club house problem and a player that believes he the greatest thing since sliced bread. I can’t remember any teammate going on record that he be resigned. The Dodgers didn’t win the WS with him at a bargain price, why do you think the can win paying him 30mil a year? Let some other team do it but not the Dodgers.
In addition, you write like Muncy is an established star and not just a possible one year flash (see C.Taylor and A. Barns). You also speculate that they could put Muncy in left field for spring training and poof, he’d be ready for the regular season. It’s just not that easy, ask the Red Sox about moving Handley Ramirez to left field. Yes HR is older but the point is, it doesn’t always work. Next is Seager at 1st or second? Who said he wants to do that? I know, you play where they tell you to play but what if he agrees to play either position but really doesn’t want to? Then when his control years end (2021?) he bolts to play SS somewhere else. This would be about the same time Machado opts out of his contract (because you know he will) so the Dodgers would be without a viable SS. I guess they could move Bellinger to short during spring training and poof, he’d be ready for the season.
I think sign Harper and go after bumgarner and the Cleve piture
Totally agree with Machado signing. I’d see Muncy getting traded in that scenario though. He has incredibly high value right now, and if you could flip him to a AL team you could get a decent prospect return and or more salary relief by attaching some bigger contract with trade.
(Love what Muncy brought last year, but his defense is suspect at best)