Dexter Fowler

[Farewell Friends]

Whatever you think of the dude, and I understand that there are fair criticisms, he is absolutely 100% a baseball person.

He didn't draft Bryant and Schwarber or trade for Rizzo, Hendricks, Russell and Arrieta. Let's just agree the guy is a [expletive] owner and be done with it.

[Jocephus]

Dexter Fowler Should Age Well, Regardless of the Defense

by Craig Edwards - November 18, 2016

Of course, even if the pre-Chicago version of Fowler is the real one, he actually still profiles as a decent player. He has a fantastic walk rate, has exhibited average power as a major leaguer, makes good contact — and, since leaving hitter-friendly Coors Field, has managed to produce a 121 wRC+, well above league average. Dexter Fowler the Hitter and Dexter Fowler the Fielder present two different points from which to begin an analysis of his future value. Let’s take a look at both.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/dexter-f ... e-defense/

[mul21]

Some of you are WAY over-valuing Fowler...

4 years, $80M? Are you insane? For what? He's not good defensively, he doesn't hit for a high average, he doesn't steal many bases, and he'll be 31 in March. So you're giving him $20M/yr based SOLELY on the fact that he walks a lot. That's all he does well.

I'm not saying he sucks, and I'm not even saying that I wouldn't take him...but not at $20M/yr!

Josh Reddick has played about 1.5 seasons fewer than Fowler and his career WAR is only 4 less than Fowler. That's roughly 2.5 WAR per year. I get that, trust me. But what you apparently aren't considering is that Fowler has played 90% of his career in 2 of the best offensive parks in baseball, while Reddick has played in 2 neutral-ish parks for his entire career. And while that may not account for all of that difference, I feel like it should apply to at least 2 of that 4 WAR.

Either way, my point is this. They aren't THAT different from each other in the end. They are both very similar levels of talent overall, one just has better defense and the other has better On Base skills. Reddick just got $13M/yr, and some on here are wanting to give Fowler $20+M/yr.

That's my point. Fowler isn't $7M/yr better than Reddick. Not even close. If someone wants to overpay for him, let them. There's a reason he only got $8M last year in free agency. So by that logic, Reddick should have only earned $1M last year.

You want Fowler, great. Try to sign him. Just don't offer him $17+M/yr, because he isn't worth it.

First, Fowler's contract last year was in fact only $8M, but how many guys who have a contract at that value have a $5M buyout attached to it? Pretty much none. That was a kicker added so they could sign him last year, pay him a fair salary, and have the additional money not hit the books until after the season. He essentially had a 1 yr deal for $13M.

Second, if you look at park factors, Wrigley has been pretty pitcher friendly for the last several years and certainly nowhere near the offensive paradise that Coors is. Plus, as has already been mentioned, those WAR numbers build in park factors, so they're all normalized.

Lastly, when he got to the Cubs, they had him start playing deeper in CF. Coincidentally, his defensive numbers the last 2 years are considerably better than they had been previously. Now, I'll agree to the fact that playing next to Heyward this year and being in a generally smaller OF probably helped, but he's been better by the metrics since the change in positioning.

All that to say, he's absolutely worth $16M per yr and probably will exceed the dollars paid to him even if he gets a $20M/yr deal for 4 years.

[MrCrowesGarden]

Cusumano said on the radio today he's heard Fowler isn't interested in playing for Matheny.

Just swell.

[pioneer98]

If they miss out on Fowler, this is not a huge loss.

[MrCrowesGarden]

If they miss out on Fowler, this is not a huge loss.

In and of itself, maybe not (though I still want him). If it's indicative of our manager being the reason good FAs don't come here then it is.

[pioneer98]

If they miss out on Fowler, this is not a huge loss.

In and of itself, maybe not (though I still want him). If it's indicative of our manager being the reason good FAs don't come here then it is.

I don't get why players wouldn't like Matheny. If anything, he's overly loyal to regular starters (like Fowler would be), and even role players for that matter. Maybe it's his lack of clubhouse gimmicks. Maybe Heyward badmouthed Matheny. I don't get it.

[MrCrowesGarden]

If they miss out on Fowler, this is not a huge loss.

In and of itself, maybe not (though I still want him). If it's indicative of our manager being the reason good FAs don't come here then it is.

I don't get why players wouldn't like Matheny. If anything, he's overly loyal to regular starters (like Fowler would be), and even role players for that matter. Maybe it's his lack of clubhouse gimmicks. Maybe Heyward badmouthed Matheny. I don't get it.

I'm sure there are players who wouldn't like playing for Maddon, but I don't think that's on the same level as Matheny. I mean we saw stick up his ass Lackey join the Cubs. Matheny's uber traditionalism is probably far more grating.

[Socnorb11]

If they miss out on Fowler, this is not a huge loss.

In and of itself, maybe not (though I still want him). If it's indicative of our manager being the reason good FAs don't come here then it is.

I don't get why players wouldn't like Matheny. If anything, he's overly loyal to regular starters (like Fowler would be), and even role players for that matter. Maybe it's his lack of clubhouse gimmicks. Maybe Heyward badmouthed Matheny. I don't get it.

I'm sure there are players who wouldn't like playing for Maddon, but I don't think that's on the same level as Matheny. I mean we saw stick up his ass Lackey join the Cubs. Matheny's uber traditionalism is probably far more grating.

Anybody joining the Cubs is a bad example. Guys like Lackey & Heyward wanted to be part of history.

Do you have another example?

[MrCrowesGarden]

Heyward is more in the mold of a Maddon player than a Matheny player. Anyhow I'm not sure I want to play your last word game today.