Shortstops won't come cheap

Shortstops won't come cheap

Yankees will sign Judge and hated Bogaerts

Atlanta's Dansby Swanson reacts during a game last season. (Photo: AFP)
Atlanta's Dansby Swanson reacts during a game last season. (Photo: AFP)

If you're an MLB ballclub in need of a superlative shortstop, now is the time to buy one -- if you can afford it.

The MLB free agency period is now in full swing with a plethora of hard hitting, slick fielding shortstops heading the list of talent up for grabs this winter.

But they won't come cheap.

The potent list includes ex-Los Angeles Dodger Trea Turner (21 HR, 100 RBI, .298 batting average in 2022); Xander Bogaerts (.307, third-best in American League), formerly of the Boston Red Sox; Dansby Swanson (25 HR, 96 RBI), from the Atlanta Braves; and Carlos Correa, who last season toiled for the Minnesota Twins, hitting .291 with 22 homers.

The foursome should be in high demand this winter.

Whether any of the group will re-sign with their old ballclub may come down to whether their former teams want to break the bank and go over the luxury tax of US$223 million.

For well-heeled, high roller clubs in desperate need of a shortstop, money is no object in filling their middle infield needs.

For them the cap is a mere nuisance, like a fly to be swatted.

The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies all fall into this category.

The suddenly thrifty and rebuilding Boston Red Sox do not.

Wiggins World would put the chance of the Dodgers and Atlanta retaining their current free agent shortstops at about 50-50.

The Braves, to WW's eyes, have the best chance at keeping their shortstop.

Chances are Swanson, realising the glut of shortstops on the market, will settle for a big Braves deal, but not as large as he might be able to land in other free agent years.

WW sees the Phillies going all out to sign Turner to fill their glaring hole at shortstop.

For the Yankees, who made due with light-hitting Isiah Kiner-Falefa at short last season, it's a matter of how far over the cap they are willing to go.

As much as they need a SS, the Bronx Bombers' top priority is re-signing free agent outfielder Aaron Judge, who last season broke the Yankees and American League record for home runs in a season with 62.

Judge should break the bank somewhere but it may not be with the Yankees.

As much as Judge talks of his ties to and love of the Yanks, there is also the pull of his home area San Francisco Giants, with whom he had a recent sit-down with.

Or even the West Coast's other big spender, the Los Angeles Dodgers, who could use the long ball punch Aaron could provide.

WW has a hunch the Yanks will ink Judge and then tie up former hated Red Sox rival Bogaerts, cost be damned, to a long term deal.

Here, too, the Bogaerts deal may have even been bigger in other off-seasons.

Where Correa, who opted out of last winter's free agent deal with the Minnesota Twins, will sign is a big question mark.

His slightly off, injury-riddled season (by his standards) could cause him to fall to one of the clubs that couldn't afford to ink one of the other more pricey three free agent shortstops.

One need only look at how much moolah the Texas Rangers shelled out last off-season for TWO free agent shortstops to gauge which dollar vicinity this years' SS crop will fall into.

Last winter the Texas Rangers inked ex-Dodger Corey Seager for US$325 million over 10 years to be their shortstop.

The Rangers also opened their wallets wide to the tune of $175 million for seven years to sign Marcus Simeon, formerly of the Toronto Blue Jays, and then switched him to second base.

This off-season's group of four will likely demand that the bidding begin with at least as much dough as last year's pair of shortstops made.

And though the deals may not be for as much money as the players could have made in other years, they should all top the previous marks for a free agent shortstop signing.


Contact Wiggins World at davwigg@gmail.com

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