During the 2023 MLB season, 212 players at different positions will be at bat at least 400 times. From that group, he had 35 players become free agents at one point in the offseason.
From Shohei Ohtani’s crazy story to Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman having to settle for lower-than-expected contracts, there were some flashy big-name players who got a lot of attention as the stove burned. . Whether productive contributors like Kevin Kiermaier and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. stay put or veterans Joc Pederson and Carlos Santana find new opportunities in their late 30s, the mid-tier players found short-term contracts. Even players in that 35-man group who had a bad time last season have been signed to make a comeback, led by former batting champion Tim Anderson.
Only one player out of 35 hasn’t signed a contract since becoming a free agent a few months ago, and that’s Brandon Belt.after a long time san francisco giants The first baseman was primarily a DH on a one-year contract through 2023. toronto blue jaysBut after helping secure a wild card spot last year, they opted to replace him with another former All-Star, Justin Turner. That’s fair enough. However, all 29 other MLB teams have also decided not to sign Belt, a situation that continues as the 2024 calendar moves into May.
The average baseball fan hears Belt’s name and thinks, “He played a key role on the Giants’ championship teams in the early 2010s, but that was long enough ago that he probably isn’t that good anymore.” ” you may think.
But oddly enough, this guy can still mash. In 2023, Belt hit .254/.369/.490 with 23 doubles and 19 home runs in 404 at-bats (PA). Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+), a popular metric from FanGraphs, measures a player’s total offensive power compared to league average while also adjusting for perk effects. Last year, Berto missed periods in June and September with hamstring inflammation and back spasms, which is not unusual for the league’s many players in their mid-30s, but overall he posted a 138 wRC+ in 103 games. That means he was 38 percent better than the average hitter.
Remember how 212 different players reached PA 400 in 2024? Just 14 had a higher wRC+ than the beltAnd out of 35 free agents, only the world-class Ohtani beat him.
If you’re a fan of even more geeky stats, Belt also finished above the 90th percentile in barrel rate, sweet spot percentage, chase rate, and walk rate. baseball savant.He can put teams together and send them out on any field, even against highly touted starters. zach wheeler, Kyle Bradishand Logan Gilbert.
It would be disingenuous to say that Belt was the 15th best hitter in baseball, and we’re not pretending to be that way. Belt’s high wRC+ was a byproduct of how the Blue Jays used him in 2023. As a platoon-splitting left-handed hitter, this guy lives to crush the hopes and dreams of his right-handers (of course they make up a huge number of MLB pitchers). As a result, 90.3 percent of his trips to the batter’s box were against right-handed hitters. If he was considered a more complete player at this stage in his career, he could have gotten enough at-bats on the mound with southpaws to bring his wRC+ down.
However, this also means that Belt’s wRC+ against right-handers only is even more sensational. In fact, he clubbed all 19 of his home runs, posting a 146 wRC+ in 365 PA on the mound right-handed. This is about the same as Bryce Harper’s 144 wRC+ in 375 PA.
Yes, Belt is a limited platoon bat due to his position, and he turned 36 on April 20th. No one is arguing that he receives a multi-year contract, or even the $13 million the Jays gave Turner (39, mind you) as a DH replacement.
If the belt does not fit anything But after the way he destroyed a population that will account for 74.7 percent of Major League pitchers in 2023? It’s weird, and it’s not like he’s ever been anything. Beloved Also the clubhouse leader.Andrew Bagley The Athletic A month ago, I spoke with several of Berto’s former teammates, who were still unsigned on Opening Day, and they were similarly perplexed. In another podcast appearance with Sportsnet’s JD Bankis on March 29, Berto admitted:confusedEspecially since 2022 was the worst for him, but back then he had no problem finding a job.
Last offseason? Crickets.
“Honestly, I’ve rarely received a call from a team beyond the ‘I’m interested’ stage. I’m checking in right now.” I’d appreciate your answer. However, that is not the case. ” — Brandon Belt
Going back to the 35 free agents who received regular time last year, some accepted minor league contracts or simply invitations to spring training. Belt wanted a guaranteed contract, but that shouldn’t have been considered unreasonable considering the sheer damage he did to most pitchers last year. He had a better year than anyone else who settled on a non-guaranteed contract. However, he was the only team to make such an offer, and it was rejected because it was too incentive-packed.
The person closest to the belt is Tommy Pham, also 36. He was Belt’s lead DH. arizona diamondbacks Then, in an unexpected run to the National League pennant in 2023, he hit a hit to center field. Despite having a productive year as a free agent, Pham found himself not on the team on opening day.he accepted a minor league contract white socks But it was just a technical issue, as he missed spring training due to a free agent stall and needed a few games to adjust. Pham is guaranteed to earn at least $3 million this year.
So why can’t Belt even get something like that?of tampa bay rays In particular, he has a goal of competing again in 2024. Absolutely terrible DH production Until now.Triston Casas and Trevor Story will play in Boston’s 60-day IL, Masanao Yoshida DH You may need thumb surgery; Just like with the Rays, Belt could definitely help the team Red Sox To survive in the highly competitive American League East region. And this, of course, refers only to a second-team team where the White Sox did what they did with Pham and signed Belt with the goal of making him a lottery pick at the trade deadline. A few million dollars isn’t a bad bet given his performance in 2023.
It would be a great shame if Berto’s incredible 13-year career ended before he actually ran out of gas. He still wants to play and he deserves to play.
