The Unbreakable Offseason Ice

Plus, Jommy Tohn, amiright? [View this email in your browser]( The Unbreakable Offseason Ice It was only weeks ago when the prevailing thought was that as soon as [Giancarlo Stanton found a home]( the floodgates of the offseason would open, and the drought would be over. There would be players in new uniforms embracing their new executives on every street corner, and we would rejoice. But that didn’t happen, and now the free agent names being mulled over in November are the ones being mulled over now, in early January. Which team gets Eric Hosmer? (And [who is he really?]( Which Scott Boras client will the [Nationals]( inevitably sign? Where will [Yu Darvish]( and [Jake Arrieta]( go? Who can break the stalemate at the middle school dance? The answer has to be a pair that is so clearly meant for each other, who might be letting small details get in the way. This winter, [J.D. Martinez]( and the [Red Sox]( fit that mold. Martinez is a power hitter willing to toss his glove to the wayside most days, and the Red Sox need it and are willing to pay for it. There might be one or two things standing in the way: A few other teams (possibly the [Blue Jays]( [Giants]( or the [Diamondbacks]( have been reported as having interest in Martinez, but likely won’t be favorites unless they can offer extra years. On the other end, the Red Sox are still flirting with [Hanley Ramirez,]( the team’s current DH. Ramirez has a vesting option for 2019 worth $22 million if he reaches 497 plate appearances in 2018. Martinez is undoubtedly a step up from Ramirez’s negative 2017 WAR, even when considering the improvement that Steamer predicts. The Red Sox have the motive to make the upgrade work. The pairing might not break the ice. But if it doesn’t, at least the rest of the middle schoolers can watch someone dance instead of staring at their feet. [FanGraphs produces over 400 articles each month, in addition to our ever-growing database of stats and graphs. Support our efforts today!]( Today on FanGraphs: [David Dahl May Not Be the Rockies’ Answer]( The Rockies lost Dahl for the entirety of 2017 to a rib injury after a breakout rookie season in 2016. However, based on a confluence of circumstances, he may not be the sophomore the team is looking for. [Subscribe to our Podcasts!]( Catch up on past newsletters or pass along to a friend [here](. Data Visualization of the Day: [Have We Passed Peak Tommy John?]( Tommy John surgeries have been on the decline. But is the decrease just a result of luck colluding in different areas? Or, can we find where human intervention is playing a part in the decrease? Excerpt from "[Tommy John Should Be in the Hall of Fame]( by Bradley Woodrum "But the grueling rehab — a process Jobe and John had to pioneer — and the extended, very public return to effectiveness (John’s two Cy Young near misses came after his surgery) belong to Tommy. The surgery’s success belongs to the doctor, but the surgery’s renown, its proliferation through baseball, its impact on the sport — all that belongs to Tommy John." [FORWARD]( [SUBSCRIBE]( Copyright © 2018 FanGraphs Inc, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the FanGraphs Newsletter. Our mailing address is: FanGraphs Inc 1200 N Hartford St. Apt 312Arlington, Va 22201 [Add us to your address book](//fangraphs.us7.list-manage.com/vcard?u=72096bce9a69ba4cbdebbf487&id=0c7da3c69f) Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](