Last year, five big shortstops were available on the market: Carlos Correa, Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Javiez Baez and Trevor Story.
What’s interesting is that in 2022 no guy has played a single game in the playoffs. The Twins (Correa), Rangers (Semien, Seager), Tigers (Baez) and Red Sox (Story) were all left out of the playoff portrait. And this, despite the presence of 12 clubs in the playoffs instead of 10.
There was a tendency to sign with clubs that will (maybe) eventually be good.
But despite everything, they were adequately replaced in their old formation. Excluding the Cubs (who elected to trade Baez before the deadline), teams that lost a shortstop after the 2021 season often did well in the 2022 season.
- The Astros won the World Series with Jeremy Pena.
- The Blue Jays made the playoffs with Bo Bichette (Semien spent the 2021 season at second base).
- The Dodgers made the playoffs with Trea Turner.
- The Mets made the playoffs with Francisco Lindor (Baez finished the 2021 season at second base).
And the Rockies… we don’t have to talk about that. But basically, Trevor Story should have been traded at the deadline by Colorado.
The tendency was therefore to see a guy go from a good team to a less good one. The only exception? Story, who couldn’t predict the Sox’s collapse.
But this year, the four stars of the market have mostly chosen to go in the opposite direction, or not necessarily go with a very bad team.
It started with Trea Turner, who left the Dodgers to join the ranks of the Phillies, who had just made it to the World Series. Then, Xander Bogaerts left Boston to go with an exciting formation, that of the Padres.
Carlos Correa, he stalled by moving from the Twins to the Giants, two clubs that just missed the playoffs. That said, the Giants have the means to go further in the future.
Dansby Swanson, signing in Chicago, went to a worse team. She could be good in the future, but right now the Braves are way better. They never met its price, that being said.
What explains this trend? I have a feeling that due to the lower class next year in free-as-air shortstops, the good teams had no choice but to go. all in this season.
Brandon Crawford, Nick Ahmed, Gio Urshela, Amed Rosario, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Miguel Rojas will be the “headliners” next year.
This is not the sea to drink.
Clubs that need shortstop help can’t really rely on big options right now. That’s why Swanson, as the last pawn, had good options on the table because a lot of clubs are in trouble.
The Red Sox could hope to see Story take over, but many people seem to doubt his ability to hold the fort at the #6 position. I like the Braves option with Vaughn Grissom, but otherwise it’s not great for clubs that lost their shortstop this winter.
Many young people could be entitled to their chance during the 2023 season through MLB. Unless Brandon Crawford becomes a target?
- There are still good sticks on the market.
- Brandon Drury is in demand.
- John Axford wants to return to the game.
