Travis Shaw?

[sportsfan8703]

Should we have interest in Travis Shaw?

The Royals just signed Franco to a 1/3 deal.  They went with Franco over Shaw. It would seem that Shaw’s price tag would be somewhere between a milb deal w/ST invite to 1/3. That’s not unreasonable even in our rebuild status. 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/shawtr01.shtml

Pros:

-He hit a combined 63 HR in the 17’-18’ seasons.

-Can play 3B, and some 2B.  

-He’d have one season of arbitration left for 2021 if he sticks on the big league team all year.

-LH.  He’d fit nicely between Hays and Mancini, in the #2 spot in the order.

-Potential trade chip in July

Cons:

-He potentially costs more than the league min.

-He had a Davis-esque season at the plate last year.

-Could mess up the #1 pick in 2021. 

Edited December 20, 2019 by sportsfan8703

[Roll Tide]

So far me ....I'd want to have an idea of the reason for the nose dive. Were there injuries? Did he stop using PEDS? I'm mean the nose dive is drastic.

Id only be comfortable with a minor league contract with a spring invite. With assurances to him that if he hits he will make the team and if he doesn't and wants his release he'll get it. 

If you got the 2017 version that would be a pretty decent player. But the question is ...Will he be valuable at the deadline if he did have a bounce back. If the answer is only marginally it's not worth taking at bats from other guys that you are hoping to develop. Plus we have Hanser for 2B and Ruiz for 3B.

On putting him near the top of the order between Hays and Mancini, The only version of him that works for me is the guy that hit .270ish in 2017. Otherwise he a bottom third at best player.

[Luke-OH]

I was just being curious, but it is a really strange drop off in production. Doesn’t fit the injury or PED narrative mentioned.

His drop off is almost entirely contact rate related. He actually swung more at balls in the zone in 2019 and swung less at balls out of the zone, but still made contact >10% less often. There were less barrels are well, per Statcast but that’s probably tied directly to whatever caused his vast contact issues. Exit velocity is the same, so it’s not likely a physical issue. He was pitched similarly. It’s like he lost hand eye coordination. Weird.

[sportsfan8703]

Shaw could benefit from knowing that he’s going to be in the lineup everyday at either 2B or 3B. If need be we could get by some games with,

2B: Shaw

SS: Alberto

3B: Ruiz

Before anyone harps on that defensive alignment, realize that we’re going to lose 100+ games next year. No matter what we do. 

IMO Ruiz could use a little competition.  Other than Alberto playing 3B, we our only 3B prospect was in HS this time last year.  Ruiz is below average on his arm strength from his foul line side.  He’s not a quick twitch athlete either. Plus he’s not some young whipper snapper, the guy has had some chances.  Ruiz is an decent option for us, but my no means does he have 3B locked down.

 

[wildbillhiccup]

I honestly think we would have been better off signing Franco if we were going to go this route. He's cheaper and I'm not sure Shaw's much better. Shaw REALLY struggled last year. Like the rest of you I can't put my finger on why, but the drop off in 2019 is really alarming. Can he actually be a permanent fixture at 2B? The Brewers seemed to have a habit of trying to put round pegs in square holes with their infielders. Schoop at SS...Moustakas at 2B, etc. 

[Scalious]

Franco would have higher upside. So in a "nothing to lose" aspect. I'd like it.

Travis Shaw would just have much better odds of turning out respectable.  You are taking Franco in the hopes of making a swing change that can improve his quality on contact. Where you are simply just hoping Travis Shaw will bounce back on his own with only slight adjustments.

[wildbillhiccup]

1 minute ago, Scalious said:

Franco would have higher upside. So in a "nothing to lose" aspect. I'd like it.

Travis Shaw would just have much better odds of turning out respectable.  You are taking Franco in the hopes of making a swing change that can improve his quality on contact. Where you are simply just hoping Travis Shaw will bounce back on his own with only slight adjustments.

Agreed, I just found it interesting that the general consensus is that Shaw will get a bigger deal. They seem very comparable to me...

[orioles119]

I'd give him 1/4 with an option and incentives and roll with him at 2B for the duration.

[weams]

2 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

 

Cons:

-He potentially costs more than the league min.

 

Yes. Anyone who does is really not part of it. 

 

[orioles119]

2 hours ago, weams said:

Yes. Anyone who does is really not part of it. 

 

Travis Shaw is his own thing....

[MurphDogg]

I would have much preferred signing Franco who might have actually trade value if he bounces back, due to his youth.

[sportsfan8703]

3 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

I was just being curious, but it is a really strange drop off in production. Doesn’t fit the injury or PED narrative mentioned.

His drop off is almost entirely contact rate related. He actually swung more at balls in the zone in 2019 and swung less at balls out of the zone, but still made contact >10% less often. There were less barrels are well, per Statcast but that’s probably tied directly to whatever caused his vast contact issues. Exit velocity is the same, so it’s not likely a physical issue. He was pitched similarly. It’s like he lost hand eye coordination. Weird.

Shaw had a wrist injury early in the season and then raked in the minors.  

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=shaw--002tra

Seems like he just couldn't get in a groove after the injury, a stint in AAA, and then sporadic playing time once he did get back to the MLB.  

[TGO]

6 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

I was just being curious, but it is a really strange drop off in production. Doesn’t fit the injury or PED narrative mentioned.

His drop off is almost entirely contact rate related. He actually swung more at balls in the zone in 2019 and swung less at balls out of the zone, but still made contact >10% less often. There were less barrels are well, per Statcast but that’s probably tied directly to whatever caused his vast contact issues. Exit velocity is the same, so it’s not likely a physical issue. He was pitched similarly. It’s like he lost hand eye coordination. Weird.

Is there any indication he was messing with his launch angle? He hit plenty of HRs the two years prior, though, so I don't know why he'd try that.

[Luke-OH]

1 hour ago, TGO said:

Is there any indication he was messing with his launch angle? He hit plenty of HRs the two years prior, though, so I don't know why he'd try that.

 

4 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Shaw had a wrist injury early in the season and then raked in the minors.  

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=shaw--002tra

Seems like he just couldn't get in a groove after the injury, a stint in AAA, and then sporadic playing time once he did get back to the MLB.  

Maybe the wrist injury caused an altered bat path, which led to the contact issues. I don’t know, but I don’t think it was just not getting in a groove. When your K rate jumps 15% from the previous year, that’s not small sample size or a slump.

[Number5]

Time for glasses, maybe?