Giants Get a Steal with Nori Aoki

I like the deal initially and if Fan Graphs likes it, I like it even more. This should give the lineup a little more diversity and with McGahee, it should be a more disciplined, albeit less power-laden lineup, Plus, you get a little Pagan injury insurance at the top of the order.

You have basically replaced Sandoval and Morse with McGahee and Aoki. OK, who replaces the HR power you just lost? Posey, Pence and Belt likely will need to contribute 5 or more additional HR's each over last years output. Very doable if all three stay healthy.

I still think one more move is in the future and necessary for the Giants. As much as I would like that move to be Moncada, that would not help the title defense effort at all. Another pitcher? If the price of Shields comes down a bit, maybe. But with what Scherzer just signed for, I doubt there will be much of a Shields discount. If anything, Shields price tag to the Scherzer also-rans just went up a bit.

from Fan Graphs:
Giants Get a Steal with Nori Aoki:

With a $4 million base salary in 2015, it seems likely the second year option is probably around $7 million, and then some incentives could push it to the $12.5 million figure if he played really well. But even if he absolutely maxes out, that’s still less than what the crowd estimated, half of what I guessed, and only a fraction of it is guaranteed.

At this price, this is probably going to go down as one of the better free agent signings of the winter. Aoki isn’t any kind of star, but he’s a perfectly acceptable corner outfielder. He doesn’t have a platoon split issue, so he can play everyday.

He’s a good enough defender to not need to be subbed out for a late game replacement. And yet the Giants are basically paying him like a bench player.

Heyman notes that Aoki took less money to play for the Giants, so perhaps there’s some World Series discount in here, but this is still a huge bargain. In a market where worse players are signing for $20 million and costing their teams a first round pick, Aoki for $5 million is kind of amazing.

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P.S. Good to see the Giants brass appears to agree with my assessment of the deal.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/giants/2015/01/20/bochy-sabean-talk-lack-power-lineup-changes-comes-next/

BTW, the Cubs got the other guy I thought would be a good fit, for the same reasons as Aoki, in Dexter Fowler. Fowler would have cost a prospect or two while Aoki only costs payroll space.

BTWII, I keep hearing that the Giants may need to add a guy like Ryan Vogelsong. Last time I checked, Ryan Vogelsong was still available. SIGN VOGIE!!! You cheap bastards!!!