Brian Dozier: I'll Be A Free Agent
Feb 27 2018 05:48 PM |
John Bonnes
in Report from the Fort 2018
Image courtesy of © Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
It is not clear if there have been any discussions between the Twins and Dozier this offseason. Dozier didn’t want to go into the details, and also wanted to emphasize it is not a distraction.“I don’t want to elaborate too much on this, but I will say: my focus really is just on this year. All that stuff takes care of itself," said Dozier, when asked about possibly his last spring training as a Twin. “But also at the same time, I do know this is it. I mean, this is it. I’ll be a free agent.”
Of course, hitting free agency doesn’t necessarily mean that he won’t be on the Twins next year. It is the organization that he has been with since he was drafted out of the University of Southern Mississippi. So it isn’t safe to assume that this is his last year with the Twins. “I’m not going to say anything is going to happen or anything,” said Dozier. “But I do know: I’m a free agent at the end of the year.”
Ok then. Apparently Brian Dozier will be a free agent.
- Tom Froemming and bighat like this
140 Comments
Every single player on an expiring contract should be saying these things. Simple negotiating tactic.
Good to know Dozier's not an idiot. Of course he should hit free agency. This is his one shot for a huge contract.
TD Exclusive?
I'd like to keep him as a Twin for the foreseeable future. Next winter it's time for the Twins to bid against the big market teams.
Well, then the Twins should give him a qualifying offer.The draft pick they will get will have more value than Dozier for them, especially, since apparently he does not seem to want to be a Twin any longer.Not very smart for him to start talking about this, especially in this environment regarding FA compensation and offers...
A 2nd round pick is more valuable than Dozier? No need to take this personally. He's going to continue playing the best he can for Minnesota so he can cash in as much as possible.
It's up to Minnesota if they want to compete against LA, NY, and Chicago for his services.
Let's please avoid mind-reading.
You are over-rating Dozier.If he were worth anything more, he would had been a Dodger last off- season.An overpaid second baseman is a huge luxury for most teams out there.
Darn tootin.
He's a top 3 2B by most every offensive statistic and WAR out there. And proved his worth by slugging 34 HRs last year after his career year in 2016.
If you compare his 2017 with his 2015, you will find that his numbers were almost identical, other than the ones driven by his BABIP that was about 40 points higher in 2017 than 2015, and about 25 points higher than his career.
To add to that, he will be 31 this season and age-based regression will continue.Already lost a step on the bases (16/23 SB, 69.5% last season) and will not improve.
How many 31 year old players got big money this off-season? He will be older than Jay Bruce was this off-season.Will he get a Jay Bruce type contract? And there should be no argument that Bruce is more valuable than Dozier.
I had to go all the way back to 1996 to find a player (Jacques Jones) that would even be in the conversation as a 2nd rounder as good as Dozier.
Scott Baker and Anthony Swarzak are the only other two whose career WAR was higher than a single season WAR from Dozier.
The Twins have not done well in the 2nd round.
Baddoo, Rortvedt, Miranda and Leach have a chance at changing that, but all are low minors prospects at this point.I'm pretty sure Eades and Melotakis won't even make the Baker/Swarzak list.All other 2nd rounders are out of the system.
Anyway, Vanimal, I think the answer to your question is: Likely not.
Isn't prospect dreaming fun?!!
Edit:My bad ... I missed Jesse Crain (Still half the career WAR of Dozier so far)
There are reasons to not sign Dozier to an extension or a new contract next offseason. His production during the last 5 years are not one of them. He has unarguably been GREAT. The lack of trade value is also meaningless. Very few contending teams needed a 2B last offseason and that drove down his value.
For the record I wouldn't sign Dozier to an extension or a new contract unless the market for him collapses for him. This could happen for similar reasons that FA has been slow this year. Teams don't seem keen on big contracts for aging players. This is justified by how many end up being dead weight for half of the contract.
Well, if the Twins didn't (don't) extend him by the end of March, yes, he'll be gone next year.I see this as good and bad.He's a solid player, but we have some good young players on the way up that cost less and can do more as far as run and hit for AVG. Will we miss him as a lead-off? not that much.
I imagine Dozier will resign with the Twins. He might get a hefty raise to boot.
Your Dozier hatred continues to amuse me.
Jay Bruce: 31 years old, 5806 PA, 20.3 fWAR, 18.9 rWAR
past 3 year WAR total: 4.2 rWAR
Brian Dozier: 31 years old, 3770 PA, 20.8 fWAR, 22.9 rWAR
past 3 year WAR total: 13.4 rWAR
Come on, those numbers aren't even close.
I think it's going to be difficult to replace what Dozier does for the team. Assuming that Gordon takes over at 2B, we'll miss out on 20+ HRs that would have came off of Dozier's bat instead of Gordon.
Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren't for bad luck, Twins'd have no luck at all
Gloom, despair, and agony on me
There's always 2020
QO will be north of $18 mill next off-season. He could just sign that and get a 100% raise.
Exactly this. He has been great and has been a great value.Accept and hope that he will be a great value this year as well.I like teams to plan for the future but there is something to having a great value in the present. When Santana hit his last year I couldn't believe how much people wanted him traded because he would be gone the next year.We had an undeniable ace for 11 mil for one more year.That is a pretty awesome value in and of itself.It was particularly annoying because that was the game 163 with Chicago season and I think it is safe to assume he would have made more than a 1 game difference and who knows how the playoffs might have gone.Enjoy Dozier for what he can give us this year.