MLB Keeper League

The very fun gentlemen in ESPN’s MLB division recently held a futures draft. The premise was, of current MLB players, who would you start your team with for the next 10 years. Not 2 years, or 6 years, but 10 years of time. So, some older players would likely be left off of that list. Players like Roy Halladay and Albert Pujols, while still incredibly talented players, would not be picked in this draft because they will be over 40 in ten years.

I am going to do a little switch on this idea, so that I am not directly copying. My idea is, from each team, which player would a general manager KEEP for the next 10 years to be the cornerstone of their franchise. The GM gets to keep this player for a league average salary, and they must sign a 10 year contract. Just to clarify, prospects don’t count. Players must be on the Major League roster as of today.

American League

·      Baltimore Orioles: Matt Wieters, C, 26 yrs old

The Orioles just gave Adam Jones a 6 year deal, but Matt Wieters is one of the best defensive AND offensive catchers in baseball. He has an absolute cannon for an arm, is really learning how to hit, and he plays a premium position. They gotta keep this guy, even when he argues with umpires.

·      Boston Red Sox: Will Middlebrooks, 3B, 23

I am sure that Bostonians would hate to admit it, but their team is getting old. Elsbury and Pedroia, the two most attractive current options, are both 28 years old. 38 year old 2B and CF are not terribly attractive to anyone. Middlebrooks has shown the ability to hit for both power and average in his current (and short) major league tenure. He should be replacing Youkilis permanently this year.

·      New York Yankees: Ivan Nova, SP, 25

Ok, here is our first really awful decision. According to the rules that I made, Michael Pineda does not qualify for this draft, as he hasn’t seen the field for the pinstripes this year. That leaves us with…Ivan Nova or Robinson Cano. Cano is 29, and the best 2B is baseball, Nova is 25 and the 2^nd best pitcher on the staff…for 10 years I suppose you have to pick Nova and hope he becomes a #1 starting pitcher.

·      Tampa Bay Rays: Matt Moore, SP, 22

As a GM, you always do everything in your power to keep left handed pitchers who throw 97 MPH with plus breaking pitches. You just do. Moore has had some early struggles in his rookie year, but he has the demeanor and the stuff of a future ace.

·      Toronto Blue Jays: Brett Lawrie, 3B, 22

Lawrie already ranks in the top 5 defensive third basemen in baseball, and there is really no reason to think that his offense won’t catch up to his defense. As long as he can keep from going Latrell Sprewell on some unsuspecting umpire, Lawrie should be a perennial All Star for many of these 10 years.

·      Chicago White Sox: Chris Sale, SP, 23

Like I said with the Rays, you don’t let top lefty pitching go. The side arm fireballer is a fantastic strikeout pitcher already, and he will gain some veteran wiles pitching with veterans like Jake Peavy. I considered Dyan Viciedo for this position, but you can find outfielder who do what he does. There are simply not a ton of Chris Sales around.

·      Cleveland Indians: Carlos Santana, C, 26

Santana has had a history of injury problems, but he is a fantastic offensive player who is learning to manage a pitching staff. The Indians do not have a ton of other options for this spot, although Asdrubal Cabrera is also only 26. Cabrera may not be able to sustain his offensive output from a year ago, while Santana has been consistent.

·      Detroit Tigers: Justin Verlander, SP, 29

You say, “But he is 29 years old!” I say, imagine if he lost 4-5 miles off of his fastball by the time he is 39. That seems likely. You know what that means? It means that he is still throwing 91-92 and can throw 95 MPH gas when he wants to. I think Verlander is going to be the greatest pitcher of our generation. He is just a freak of nature, and worth keeping till he turns into Jamie Moyer.

·      Kansas City Royals: Mike Moustakas, 3B 23 OR Eric Hosmer, 1B, 22

I couldn’t help it. Both of these players project to be at or near the top of their position for the next 10 years, and both are solid young men who just want to play baseball. I really think you can’t go wrong with either pick. Lucky Royals (don’t hear that very often)

·      Minnesota Twins: Denard Span, CF, 28

Yikes. All of this teams talent is 29 or older. Ben Rever could turn into a serviceable outfielder, but he is not franchise material. Since the Twins are required by law to make a 10 year franchise pick, they pick Span, or some crappy young pitcher.

·      Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout, CF, 20

At least some of these picks are easy. In 3 years, Trout could be the best player in baseball. In 10 years, he could be most of the way to a Hall of Fame career. Obviously, no one knows what the future holds, but Trout is a cornerstone of this franchise for forever. I could see them giving him a 10 year contract in real life (If that was still possible)

·      Oakland Athletics: Josh Reddick, RF, 25

Reddick reminds me of Jason Worth, and its not just the hair either. He has a sweet stroke, hits for power and average, and plays a capable right field. He may not be worth 200 million dollars, but Josh Reddick is the kind of player you want to keep around for a long time.

·      Seattle Mariners: Jesus Montero, C, 22

In a year or so, the Mariners will want to spend this pick on pitching, as their minor league system runneth over with quality arms. But for now, Jesus Montero is the pick. If he can ever bring his catching skills up to big league average, he will be an incredibly valuable player. He is showing strong offensive skills already.

·      Texas Rangers: Neftali Feliz, SP/RP, 24

Hamilton is 31, and Japanese pitchers have a tendency to break down, so Darvish is out. Elvis Andrus is a good pick here, but the Rangers have the best SS prospect in the game ready to take over for him. Feliz has a fantastic arm, has shown the ability to work effectively from any pitching role, and is only 24 years old. Good.

National League

·      Atlanta Braves: Freddie Freeman, 1B, 22

This was another difficult choice, since Jason Heyward is the same age. However, I see the same power potential in both, and Freeman should hit for a higher average and is less susceptible to damage in the infield. Since he got his sweet new specs, I expect Freeman to be good to go for the next decade.

·      Miami Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton, RF, 22

No brainer. I give 5-1 odds that Stanton kills someone with a line drive (or a cut off throw) before his career is over. He is simply huge. Stanton is really showing that he can hit for monstrous power AND a good average. He is incredibly valuable to this franchise.

·      New York Mets: Ruben Tejada, SS, 22

Tejada has had the injury bug this year, but if the Mets lock him up soon, they could get a 32% discount! We all know how much the Mets ownership wants to save money. But seriously, Tejada was playing at a high level before he went down, and should keep producing when he comes back.

·      Philadelphia Phillies: Cole Hamels, SP, 28

To make a long story short, name one other person under 30 on the roster who is worth keeping…Kinda tough to do. Hamels is a fantastic pitcher, and although he may break down in 10 years, he is the best option from this teams current roster.

·      Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper, CF, 19

Harder decision than you might think. Out of all teams in major league baseball, the Royals are the only team who come close to the same amount of young talent that the Nationals have. Harper, Strasburg, Zimmerman, Desmond, and Gonzales could all still be valuable contributors to this team in 10 years. However, Harper will barely have reached his peak in 10 years, and that is amazing. Keep him!

·      Chicago Cubs: Starlin Castro, SS, 22

Lots of 22 year olds on this list. Castro could hit .345 someday, and he can steal bases too. He won’t hit 25 homers, and may have 20 errors a year, but he is young and talented, and the Cubs need to build up a team around him.

·      Cincinnati Reds: Johnny Cueto, SP, 26

Another difficult choice. Jay Bruce has been inconsistent, but he is a really talented outfielder. Aroldis Chapman is super cool, but his a relief pitcher, and Johnny Queto is the oldest of the 3, but he is pitching fantastically, so we go with Cueto.

·      Houston Astros: Jose Altuve, 2B, 22

The Astros aren’t an old team, but man do they need some talent! Since they must choose from among the young and horrible, they will go with the Mighty Mouse, the littlest engince that could, Jose Altuve. He is only 5’5”, but he plays with passion and abandon, which the Astros also need.

·      Milwaukee Brewers: Ryan Braun, LF, 28

They already gave him the contract, so why not honor it? Braun is one of the most talented hitters in baseball, and he will continue to put up 30 HR + 100 RBI + .300 ave for the next 10 years. As long as he never get convicted of steroid use.

·      Pittsburgh Pirates: Andrew McCutchen, CF, 25

The Pirates, like the Mariners, have a lot of pitchers in the pipeline. Currently, they only have one certified star on their team, and they will keep him. McCutchen is one of the more exciting players in the league, and he plays a fantastic center field while hitting for average and growing power.

·      St. Louis Cardinals: Jaime Garcia, SP, 25

Garcia has been a fantastic pitcher for the Cardinals since he first stepped foot on the mound. He is crafty and doesn’t get flustered. Matt Adams, their current 1^st baseman, is another player that the Cards would like to keep around, but they have to pick, so they pick the pitcher.

·      Arizona Diamondbacks: Justin Upton, RF, 24

Upton has flashed MVP type potential, although he is having a down year this year. He can absolutely smash the cover off the ball, and he is a speed threat when everything is clicking. Upton should stay in Arizona for his whole career.

·      Colorado Rockies: Carlos Gonzales, CF, 26

Car-Go is having an MVP season this year. He plays defense, hits the everliving mess out of the baseball, and he is the kind of player who gets the rest of the team excited. Tulowitzki is a year older, and more injury prone, so the Rockies are going to choose Gonzales

·      Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw, SP, 24

He is three years younger than Matt Kemp, has a very sustainable pitching motion, and it dominating the league for the 3^rd year in a row. You really cannot find anyone who doesn’t put Kershaw in the top 5-10 pitchers in the league, and he isn’t going to fall down that list in the next decade.

·      San Diego Padres: Cameron Maybin, CF, 25

The Padres join the group of teams who want to pick from another teams roster. But, since that isn’t allowable, they will pick Cameron Maybin. The mercurial center fielder has worlds of talent, but he has had trouble bringing that talent to the field on a consistent basis. Here’s hoping he can figure that out.

·      San Francisco Giants: Buster Posey, C, 25

Posey is back from an incredibly gruesome leg injury, and he is better than ever. He is proving to be the kind of backstop that can affect both the offense and the defense in a positive and lasting way. If he can stay off of the DL, Posey will captain this team for a long time.

Okay, there is the list. The GM phonecalls and nights spent sleepless were all worth it! Now, you people who read this blog that are baseball people, tell me if I have screwed your team over, or if you think I have made the right choice.