Official Elias Rankings Out

Click the link to see the full list on MLBTR.

I’m not really concerned with the list as a whole, just two guys. Remember that while you might figure it’s worth giving up a draft pick to get a genuine cream-of-the-crop talent, you’re usually better off going after the best of the Type-B guys (that don’t require compensation from the signing team) than you are going after the worst of the Type-A’s.

For months now I’ve been trying to beat the drum to get Kelly Johnson signed to play second base, in large part because he was projected to wind up as (barely) a Type-B free agent. That, it turns out, was not the case. Johnson was one of only two players that MLBTR’s reverse-engineered rankings turned out to be wrong about. He isn’t a B, he’s an A and that throws everything off.

So who’s left of the B guys with real talent that could fill the Tigers infield holes? Looks like Aramis Ramirez is a Type-B, and though he’s not a player without flaws he’s loads better than Wilson Betemit as full-timer for Inge to back up. If we need somebody to play second, Aaron Hill will be a Type-B if Arizona doesn’t pick up his option.

Other Elias errata: as usual, the Type-A ranking may make it downright impossible for a couple of guys to find jobs if their clubs offer arbitration (and they decline it). Matt Capps was among the worst closers in baseball last year, but simply due to the math of the Elias formula he’s a Type-A. And somebody please tell me why Darren Oliver is worthy of the same compensation as Albert Pujols???