He has plus plus speed and a very good arm, so potential to be a very good defensive CF (he gets dinged for not getting good jumps on the ball) and a good base runner. He has struck out a lot in the upper minors and he hasn’t tapped into his average to above average raw power; that combined with injuries is why he’s been DFA. But at 24 he’s still young enough to develop a bit. He’s not an elite prospect by any means, but he’s a player with potential at a need position. He’s more likely to be an everyday CF than Jose Siri, and arguably has more major league value than Taylor Jones (and old 1B prospect who hasn’t put up elite slash lines in the minors either) and Nivaldo Rodriguez (a fungible relief arm).
And yet the team that can stash him on a 40-man... DFA him...Before Redfish responds, he has to be put on the 40-Man if claimed. If he isn't claimed...it is basically every team saying guys like Taylor Jones have more value. Not sure if he will be claimed or not based on defense, but his stat line suggests his power is going to be difficult to get to like Marisnick's.
He is out of options, so he can’t be stashed on the 40 man; that makes his value evaluation different than guys like Jones. I’m not saying Basabe is some great prospect. My original comment was that if Click doesn’t have other CF plans in the works that based on what I know (which pales in comparison to what the teams know) he might be a good option to claim and see what he can do in ST. The thread devolved from there because somebody responded “he sucks because his minor league slash line sucked”.
The Giants have 1 OF on their 40-man that could make the Astros 40-man. Maybe 2 if one squints hard enough. They have room to stash a defense first CF on the active roster as a 5th OF. Stat line is probably as informative as him being DFA while using up options with only getting a sip of coffee. If he does go unclaimed, it will mean every team does not think his defense is capable of making the majors by itself.
Looking at our current 40 man roster, I wouldn't give up anyone for Basabe. Nivaldo Rodriguez has put up solid numbers in his 4 years in the minors. 2.40 ERA and a 1.056 WHIP with a k/9 nearing 10. So I don't want to throw him away yet based on 5 appearances in MLB. He started with 2 good appearances then 2 bad ones. Then finished the year in Arlington going 4 innings and giving up 2 runs. So very mixed results. We need arms and I would like to see him in spring training again. It's hard to get a read looking at Basabe's numbers. He's never even been in AAA but was back in A ball in 2019. He was good in A ball but struggled pretty bad in AA that year. Then was traded to the Giants for cash considerations. He played in 9 games in MLB for the Giants but hit like Dustin Garneau. So the other guy being talked about removing for Basabe would be Taylor Jones. At least Jones has put up numbers in AAA. He had an 889 OPS in a full season in AAA and hit 22 HRs. I don't love our depth at 1B after Yuli with Toro and Diaz. Toro was awful last year and Diaz can't stay on the field. If we get another CFer I'd rather it be Marisnick or Pillar that are more of a known quantity. We have our flyer in Souza.
Though, I don't even think he has enough service time to opt for free agency so it is active 26-man for him or bust regarding the Astros.
Nothing I have said contradicts that comment. If he goes unclaimed, great. I made no predictions about whether or not he would get claimed. Also, if Houston does claim him they could probably pass him through waivers and he couldn’t elect FA.
I would rather have Marisnick or Pillar too. You guys are reading way too much into my original comment.
Except for the implication that stat line sucks comment doesn't have merit. The stat line suggests his defense is going to have to carry him. The DFA says the defense only can't carry him. On not making predictions about whether he gets claimed or not, why are supporting acquiring a guy that the only way he makes it to the Astros is through being claimed (or Giants outright waive him which is unlikely if he is worth being in the Astros Organization) if you aren't making predictions about him being claimed? By supporting him in an Astros Offseason Thread, it gives the impression that you there is a chance Astros claim him or that he gets outright released and then the Astros acquire him.
I've heard Jones described as a platoon bat often. Not sure if he's major league quality or not (though being called a platoon bat for a bat first, righthanded prospect isn't good), but I don't think Dusty is pulling Tucker, Brantley, Alvarez for him. Highly doubt he ever does anything for the Astros unless Yuli is replaced with a LHB with platoon issues.
You're must be right!! After all, he plays CF. So, let's ignore his slash line. Let's ignore that he has had 7 years to show that 'potential' you are so high on. Let's ignore everything and go ahead and DFA somebody on our 40 man roster, who actually does have options. All this for a guy who cannot even make the Giants' roster, a team desperately looking for outfielders. Tell me again why the thread devolved! If you are going to DFA somebody, make it for somebody better than this
I'm not pulling out the pom poms for Taylor Jones. I'm just talking about in this case with Basabe vs Jones. Too many MLB centerfielders still on the market for cheap compared to throwing away a guy on our 40 man roster for Basabe that hasn't shown much of anything at any level really.
Noted: Luis Alexander Basabe, touchy subject, handle with care. I never said ignore the stats, I said they aren’t everything. I never implied the stats don’t have any merit. Both of you guys are stretching just to be contrarian. That’s cool.
I didn't mean to imply that. I'll only meant to imply that Jones is going to have a tough time getting plate appearances against LHPs for the Astros and the perception by some is that if he has a role in the majors, it will be against LHPs. How is saying "are stretching just to be contrarian" different than what you are claiming we are doing? Why do you think Basabe has enough chance of being an Astro to defend so much? My position is that Basabe is highly unlikely to be an Astro based on his stats and his status of DFA, lack of options, and lack of service time. Once it was brought to light that he was out of options and service time would allow the Giants to keep him if he has any value, I thought this discussion would end.
Your position that Basabe is unlikely to be an Astro does not contradict my position that Basabe might be an interesting flyer. You’ve had to stretch my comments and read things into them that weren’t there in order to fabricate the contradiction so that there’s further argument/discussion. One other thing, you are incorrect about only 1 of SF OF being able to make Houstons 40 man; by projections, Yaz, Dubon, Dickerson, and Slater would all make Houston’s currently projected 26 man roster either as the starting CF or backup to Straw. And Lamont Wade would likely be stashed ahead of McCormick or Jones on their 40 man. If y’all are accusing me of running with the “Basabe might have value” narrative based solely on my own unsubstantiated opinion, that’s fine. But I would offer that Basabe is #18 on MLB.com’s most recent list of Giants prospects, so it’s not just me. Go read their write up of him to see why I think he might make an interesting no (or extremely low) cost acquisition: https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2020/giants/luis-alexander-basabe-642772
On those that I've disagreements over Baez and Castro, I apologize for the times that I was rude. I still don't think those deals are that big a deal, though the Baez deal does annoy me.
It isn't a huge deal in the wider picture. It is being discussed because we have a limited track record with Click. They are more like paper cuts, they are annoying but that is likely the end of it.
I apologize for thinking your comments that were intended to suggest Basabe would make an interesting flyer contradicts my position. I don't understand how it doesn't contradict (this is not meant to be an insult). If there is a distinction for you, that is fine. All my comments were intended purely to explain why I think Basabe won't and shouldn't be an Astro, and were not just to be a contrarian. On Giants OF projections, I'm wrong as I was thinking about 26-man (I was not thinking about stashing prospects) and even then I am probably wrong. On a per PA projection, only Slater (not counting Yaz) has a higher projection than Souza and it isn't by much (1.3 vs 1.1 fWAR).
