[USML Announce] 2018 Keepers

[Jeffrey Winick]

I was curious how long it would take me to come up with players who will be more valuable 2018 keepers than second baseman Whit Merrifield ($5) and his 19 HR, 34 SB and .288 BA.  It didn't take long.  Looking only at players with contracts of $5 or less, it was easy to find a bunch of guys whom most everyone other than Mark Blocker would prefer to Merrifield in 2018:

The obvious candidates:

Eddie Rosario $1 - 27HR, 78 RBI, 9 SB, .290 BA
Edwin Diaz $5 - 34 Saves, 89 K (Closer)
Gary Sanchez $5 - 33 HR, .278 BA (C)
Jose Ramirez $2 - 29 HR, 17 SB, .318 BA (3B)
Byron Buxton $5 - 16 HR, 29 SB (OF)

The close call candidates:

Trevor Bauer $2 - 196 K's in 176 innings (SP)
Lucas Giolito $4 - 2.38 ERA, 0.949 WHIP (SP)
Tim Anderson $5 - 17 HR, 15 SB (SS)

And that's leaving out three guys who are so obviously better keepers than Merrifield that they couldn't be left out, despite the fact that they're a little more expensive:

Alex Bregman $10 - 19 HR, 17 SB, .284 BA (3B)
Aaron Judge $8 - 52 HR, .284  BA, 128 R (OF)
Rafael Devers $10 (3B) - the sky is the limit

Just to further highlight the absurdity of the Whit Merrifield nonsense, there's even another player on the Bombers that I like every bit as much as Merrifield, but one who plays a position other than the one that is the absolute deepest in the AL:

Andrelton Simmons $3 - 14 HR, 69 RBI, 19 SB, .278 BA

I rest my case.  And I haven't even mentioned Shohei Otani ($5).

Jeff

P.S.  I'm taking all bets on Merrifield's 2018 home run total being 12 or less.

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