One player you want. Cull the free agent list, and name your guy.
It’s a rosterbation sensation!
Nick Johnson is my guy, and I know it might not be especially rational. If Nick Johnson were a regular reader, he would probably raise his eyebrows at the suggestion that the Giants should spend a lot of money on an oft-injured, 30-year-old who plays a position at which the Giants have a decent option.
Per Rotoworld: Nick Johnson is going on the 60-day DL after raising, then straining, his eyebrows. The condition, incredulitis, is believed to be chronic.
But I’m an on-base percentage slut. Can’t get enough. Guy’s gotta have it. Mmmmm, on-base percentage: you got what I need. Mmm.
Johnson had a fantastic on-base percentage last year. He always does when he’s in the lineup. He isn’t much of a power guy – heck, he only had eight home runs last year, which is Ishikawa territory – but that’s easy to ignore when he’s putting up sweet, sweet on-base percentages. Mmmmm. And as weird as it sounds, I still think Johnson is learning how to hit. Sure, he’s 30 already, and he’s been around for eight seasons, but he’s only been healthy for, oh, 12 games or so.
"Gee, Grant," you say, "isn’t it a bad idea to sign over-30 guys who rarely stay healthy?" To which I respond, "lalalalalalalalala" with my fingers in my ears. On-base percentage, you punishing-yet-fair dominatrix: what are you about to get me into?
I don’t mind Ryan Garko on a roster, but with an organization that has Jesus Guzman, I’m not sure that there’s a good reason to pay Garko what he’s going to get in arbitration. He doesn’t run, and he doesn’t field, which is all pretty discouraging for a .280/.350/.470 guy (in the best-case scenario, even). FanGraphs says the difference between Garko and Johnson has been anywhere between one to four wins, depending on the season you pick. That’s pretty substantial, especially for a team with only one hitter who is a decent bet to be above average next season.
I’ll probably delete this post in three years, when Johnson is in the last year of a 3/$24M deal that provided his team with a total of 200 combined plate appearances. For now, though, Johnson is the only name-brand free agent in whom I have any interest.
I have a problem.
Your one guy, if you please. Don't do that thing where you post the whole lineup after your 156 moves are made. One guy, dang it.