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<p class="MsoNormal">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:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The obvious candidates:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eddie Rosario $1 – 27HR, 78 RBI, 9 SB, .290 BA<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Edwin Diaz $5 – 34 Saves, 89 K (Closer)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Gary Sanchez $5 – 33 HR, .278 BA (C)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jose Ramirez $2 – 29 HR, 17 SB, .318 BA (3B)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Byron Buxton $5 – 16 HR, 29 SB (OF)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The close call candidates:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Trevor Bauer $2 – 196 K’s in 176 innings (SP) <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lucas Giolito $4 – 2.38 ERA, 0.949 WHIP (SP)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tim Anderson $5 – 17 HR, 15 SB (SS)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Alex Bregman $10 – 19 HR, 17 SB, .284 BA (3B)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Aaron Judge $8 – 52 HR, .284 BA, 128 R (OF)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rafael Devers $10 (3B) – the sky is the limit<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Andrelton Simmons $3 – 14 HR, 69 RBI, 19 SB, .278 BA<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I rest my case. And I haven’t even mentioned Shohei Otani ($5).
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">P.S. I’m taking all bets on Merrifield’s 2018 home run total being 12 or less.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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