From Tom Verducci’s story at SI today about turnaround teams, clip this out, and give it to Angry Yinzers this winter when free agent discussion heats up:
5. Did the turnaround team (past five years only) spend big bucks on free agents?
Yes: 2
No: 8
The analysis: Only two of the past 10 turnaround teams made the playoffs immediately after signing one of the 10 biggest free agents that applicable winter (ranked by total dollars of the contract): the 2010 Reds, who signed Aroldis Chapman, and the 2007 Cubs, who signed Alfonso Soriano.
Arizona (18th) and Milwaukee (26th) ranked nowhere near the biggest free agent spenders last winter. The Diamondbacks’ biggest purchase was closer J.J. Putz, who took a below-market deal to pitch in Arizona ($10 million for two years). Towers chose to spread small sums around veteran role players with “character” who could improve the clubhouse ethos: Henry Blanco, Xavier Nady, Willie Bloomquist, Geoff Blum, Melvin Mora and Aaron Heilman.
Melvin spent only $5.6 million on the free agent market and shopped for veterans with a similar profile as did Towers: Craig Counsell, Sean Green, Mark Kotsay, Will Nieves and Takashi Saito.
Seriously, frame this. Because it’s going to come up in the next five months.
Thanks to apk for sending it along.
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