In baseball, you better be careful who you pay. One bad contract can destroy a team by itself. There are more bad big money contracts in baseball than there are success stories. For every Max Scherzer, there are 3 Jacoby Ellsbury’s, Carl Crawford’s, and Josh Hamilton’s that get signed. Free agency is a dangerous game in baseball. Being smart about who you pay makes or breaks championship teams. Out of all the high priced free agents, Anthony Rendon is the best bet.
Anthony Rendon is a real MVP. He should have won it this year. You could have made the argument for him last year. False narratives get pushed all the time in baseball. Rendon is a guy that has been slept on forever but never should have been. He’s what you think Bryce Harper really is. In reality, he can’t sniff Rendon’s left pinky toe. The Nats 3rd baseman is way more talented than Harper ever was. The media just had you believe otherwise.
If you’re going to pay for something, predictability is important. Rendon gives you that. in three straight years, Rendon has hit over .300, over 40 doubles, at least 24 homers, and an OPS+ of at least 137. He also has over 500 at-bats in each season showing durability. Sign me up for that. This past year, Rendon had an OPS of over 1.000 and OBP of .412 with 34 homers. Rendon is in the midst of his prime and his bat always delivers.
There’s something to be said for clutch hitters. Rendon went on a historic postseason run lifted the Nats to their first championship. The Nats don’t win it without him. Time and time again, when the Nats needed a big hit, Rendon always delivered. There’s something to be said for that. Rendon will age well. The way he loads up his swing, it’s repeatable and consistent. He’s also a great defender. Rendon is regarded as a positive defender. Maybe not like Nolan Arenado but plays the position very well.
I think Texas makes a lot of sense. They haven’t had a real third baseman since Adrian Beltre retired. Rendon fits in perfectly. Texas also has a new ballpark and needs to make some noise. Why not Rendon who went to college in Rice and was born in Texas. Rendon can be their face of the franchise. If we’re being honest, he will likely be the face of wherever he signs. He’s that good. Anthony Rendon is worth paying for.
