Since the Houston Astros were crowned champions for the 2022 season, the next big step in major league baseball in preparation for the 2023 season is the free agent market. This time of year is always exciting for baseball fans, as it allows fans to play living room GM and see if their predictions come true.
This winter, a subject holds my attention more precisely. I’m wondering how much big market bands, often synonymous with big budget bands, will spend to improve?
Ken Rosenthal also looked into the subject, in an always very interesting paper from The Athletic. Broadly speaking, young people could dictate the market, in spite of themselves.
young people growing
Obviously, players such as Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo will seek the jackpot for their next contract. They are exceptional players!
On the other hand, there is reason to wonder whether the teams will have more confidence in their young shoots in the minor league subsidiaries, and this, before the granting of big contracts for tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars. on a veteran in his early thirties, whose best years are often behind!
The best example to illustrate this is the case of the Houston Astros and their shortstop, Jeremy Pena. With the loss of Carlos Correa to Minnesota, the Astros could have easily acquired an experienced shortstop in the free agent market. However, they knew they had in their ranks a player capable of performing the task at a much lower cost. They bet and won their bet. Pena proved to be a key part of his team’s championship, taking home the Championship Series and World Series MVP titles along the way.
Who knows if teams like the Dodgers, the Red Sox or the Yankees will not also think that they have the next Jeremy Pena?
Once in series, anything can happen
Another consideration is expanding the frames for the number of playoff-qualifying teams. As Marc Bergevin, former general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, said so well: the goal is to get into the series, because once in the series, anything can happen!
We will see this winter if this philosophy will be applied by the upper echelons of spending clubs, clubs whose presence in the series is almost already assured before starting the season! Perhaps with six teams in the playoffs in each league, clubs will be more predominant in spending during the regular season and at the trade deadline, if they see that “this year may be the right one!” »
All we have to do is wait a little longer and continue to play living room generating director until then!
