Gerrit Cole Officially Named BAMF; Average James Loney Scares Me

Gerrit Cole is a BAMF

Gerrit Cole is officially a BAMF. Check out this Grantland article about Trade Values. Andrew McCutchen made a jump on the list, but it was this part about Cole that made me smile, well until the 2019 part.  Cole should be gone by then if the economics of baseball remains the same.

"But Cole is the bluest and chippiest of the blue-chippers: The no. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft, Cole is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound BAMF who wields four plus pitches and got better as his rookie season wore on. He lit up the league in September, then pitched very well in his first two playoff starts. He’ll probably be the Pirates’ no. 1 starter by July; he’ll definitely be Pittsburgh’s property all the way through 2019."

The direct link feature is down this morning.  Cut and paste people!

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/10080878/mlb-trade-value-rankings-part-2

James Loney is average. FanGraphs thinks that would improve the Bucs.

We like the line-drivishness of Loney, but that’s about really it.  The guy wants a three-year deal?  I want to be stranded on an island surrounded by craft beer.  Loney might help, but I am a commitment phobe.

"Loney against righties has more power (.146 career ISO), makes more contact (11% strikeout rate), and gets on base more (.351 career OBP). Putting his 114 career wRC+ against righties in tandem with Sanchez’ career 145 wRC+ against lefties would make for a tidy arrangement. Loney wasn’t really platooned last year — he faced lefties in 27.8% of his plate appearances, and the league average over the last two years was 29%. According to Chad Young, 47 players were under 20% last year, and Loney was at 21.1% himself in 2012. If you assume that 80% of his plate appearances — or more — will be against righties, you can take the over on his projections. Then add in Gaby Sanchez against lefties for a projected $2.3 million, and you’ll get close to the two wins that make for an average first baseman."

It all sounds so damn good.  Remember the perfect platoon partner scenarios the past _______ seasons with the Pirates?  We do.  Matt Diaz get out of my dreams.

Here is the story from FanGraphs.  Again, apologies for the cut and paste

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/james-loney-the-bucs-sometimes-average-is-an-upgrade/