Free Agent Preferences

[phillychuck]

If you could acquire any of the following players at little to no cost in talent (but comparable high cost in long-term dollars!), in what order would you rank the value of acquiring them? (player, year acquiring, age)

Giancarlo Stanton (2018) age 28
Manny Machado (2019) age 26
Clayton Kershaw (2019) age 31
Shohei Otani (2018) age 23
Bryce Harper (2019) age 26

[phillychuck]

My ranking

1. Otani (upside pick)
2. Machado (fits perfectly)
3. Harper (MVP)
4. Stanton (I dig the long ball)
5. Kershaw (based on age and pitcher injury risk)

[tom81]

My ranking is heavily weighted to who is available this year as I think upgrading this year is important to both be competative this year and to make us a more attractive destination next year and beyound.

1. Shohei Otani (2018) age 23 - He fits the position of greatest need, starting pitcher, and will have the smallest cost over then next 6 years.

2. Giancarlo Stanton (2018) age 28 - He is available this year and is an upgrade over Altherr/Williams. Hopefully we could keep both and platoon them and use them to give Herrera and Stanton days off.

3. Manny Machado (2019) age 26 - He would be my #2 if he was available this year. I anticipate he may be available at the trade deadline this year and we may have a need at 3B so I grade him higher than Kershaw or Harper.

Too hard to choose between these two right now as we don't know what we will need next year.
4.5 Clayton Kershaw (2019) age 31 -
4.5 Bryce Harper (2019) age 26

[flyers19rw]

1. Machado- As PC wrote, he's the perfect fit.
2. Harper-Future Yankee. It was his H.S. dream. NY has the money and will create the opportunity for him there.
3. Stanton-If the Phillies can't land Machado, he's the back up acquisition.
4. Kershaw-Don't like his physical problems. Bad backs and pitchers aren't a good combination.
5. Otani-The Japanese baseball is different than the one used in the U.S. A tad smaller and lighter. That makes a difference with the performance of these pitchers when they come across the Ocean. Tanaka and Darvish both have had arm problems since coming here. Could be the difference in the balls?

[donaldorc]

1. Machado (Like Philliechuck says: fits perfectly)
2. Otani (we need a pitcher!)
3. Stanton (the guy is awesome)
4. Kershaw (If I have to)
   xxxxxx Harper (don't want him at any cost)

[LoneStarPhan]

Machado is the ideal pick up for the Phillies, but I don't see it happening at this time.

Looking at what is possible now, I don't see much hope. I don't see the Phillies as being able to get Otani although he certainly would be a fine pick up. A deal for Stanton is not our of the question, but with that contract (length as well as dollars), I would not want to see them give up top of the line prospects.

My best guess is that this off season sees them making more pick ups like they did last off season rather than moving it up a notch in talent level.

[Lucky_Beagle]

Machado--fits team needs
Otani--only if team is sure he will succeed in US
Kershaw--need pitching, injury risk may scare me away
Stanton--only because he is available a year earlier than Harper, if not him this year then Harper
Harper --maybe he will be a bargin compared to the others?

Is it possible to have more than 1 of them on the same team? Will the Yankees be able to sign 2 of them?

[bkox]

Harper-Future Yankee. It was his H.S. dream. NY has the money and will create the opportunity for him there.

Harper and Kris Bryant are very good friends and have talked about being on the same team together. I put the Cubs at the lead of the Bryant sweepstakes

[zambonir]

Yeah, that is out there, but can the money work, especially if they need another pitcher?

How the Cubs could pair Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant in 2019

Listen, if the Phillies could actually get Harper, bring it on, though obviously everyone prefers Machado plus the Trout fantasy.

It's crazy that there are two superstar free agents who are basically the same age as this year's AL ROTY.