Latest news with #AboveReplacement
Newsweek
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Red Sox Trade Idea Would Rebuild Rotation With $3 Million Top-Four MLB Pitcher
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Boston Red Sox received another disastrous outing from righty starter Walker Buehler on Sunday. The 30-year-old former Los Angeles Dodgers ace, signed to a one-year, $21.05 million free agent contract in December, surrendered four runs on four hits and three walks in just four innings, in what became a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. That one followed last Monday's start on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, when Buehler coughed up five runs in the first inning and ended up walking seven in a total of four frames. ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: Manager Alex Cora reacts after a double play in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 23, 2025 in Anaheim, California. ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: Manager Alex Cora reacts after a double play in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 23, 2025 in Anaheim, ERA now stands at a bloated 6.45. Clearly, if the faltering Red Sox — losers of seven of their last eight games — are going to have any hope of turning things around and making a playoff push, the Buehler-sized hole in their starting rotation will need to be filled. On Sunday, Bleacher Report writer Kerry Miller came up with an "outrageous" trade proposal that would give the Red Sox one of the top pitchers in MLB — and definitely the best pitcher that no one's ever heard of. That pitcher is Kris Bubic of the Kansas City Royals. With little to no fanfare, the 27-year-old Bubic — a Royals first-round pick in 2018 out of Stanford — is having a year on par with the Red Sox's own ace, Garrett Crochet. "Among the more than 150 pitchers with at least 120 innings of work since the beginning of last season, Bubic is one of four with a sub-2.50 FIP," reported Miller, referring to the Fielding Independent Pitching stat, which aims to be a truer measure of a pitcher's performance than ERA. "The others are Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale," Miller continued, "with Crochet not far behind at 2.62." That's some pretty formidable company. More MLB: Chaim Bloom Reunion With Red Sox All-Star Would Fill Cardinals' Star Gap Bubic also ranks sixth in MLB in traditional ERA at 2.18, and 10th among pitchers in Wins Above Replacement with 3.1 WAR. But to obtain Bubic, according to Miller, the Red Sox would have to ship 26-year-old Wilyer Abreu — a 2024 Gold Glove winner as a rookie and 14-home-run hitter so far in this, his second year — to Kansas City. But as good as Abreu has been, Miller sees him as an expendable trade piece. "They can trade Abreu away and still have a stacked five-man outfield of [Roman] Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Rob Refsnyder and Masataka Yoshida (once he's healthy)," Miller wrote. Bubic would also be an inexpensive pickup for Boston. His paycheck for 2025 is just $3 million, and he comes with one additional season of team control, meaning that even if they do not reach the promised land this season, the Red Sox starting rotation would remain solid heading into 2026. More MLB: Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Gives Encouraging Update On Slugging Outfielder
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
PFF names Cowboys starter projected to earn $76 million one of NFL's 25 best under age 25
PFF names Cowboys starter projected to earn $76 million one of NFL's 25 best under age 25 Dallas' young cornerstone in the trenches is gaining national recognition for his consistency, growth, and all-around impact through his first three NFL seasons. In the NFL, it's never easy to make a name for oneself, especially before turning 25. However, All-Pro guard Tyler Smith has done just that, and then some. Pro Football Focus' Jonathon Macri recently ranked the top 25 NFL players under the age of 25 heading into the 2025 season, and the Dallas Cowboys' versatile guard came in at No. 22. Offensive line is one of the most difficult positions to hit the ground running at in the NFL, but through his first three years in the league, Smith has done just that, ranking in the top 10 at his position since 2022 in PFF WAR. Smith has established himself as a very good run blocker, ranking in the top 20 at his position in each of his first three seasons, though he has also developed nicely as a pass blocker. He has gradually increased his PFF pass-blocking grade each year since entering the NFL, culminating in a 76.0 mark in 2024 — a top-10 figure for the position. Since being drafted in 2022, Smith has become one of the most dependable young linemen in the league. He's logged over 3,300 snaps in three seasons, a workload that speaks to his durability and consistency, and he's backed it up with performance. His three-year PFF grade sits at a strong 79.1, and his Wins Above Replacement (WAR) metric ranks him among the top 10 offensive linemen in football during that stretch. Smith's run blocking has been a strength since Day One, finishing in the top 20 at his position in that department every year he's been in the league. But what's impressed evaluators most is his steady growth in pass protection. After entering the NFL with room to grow in that area, Smith's pass-blocking grade has improved every season — peaking at 76.0 in 2024, good for top-10 status among guards. He's so talented, he has a projected market value of a four-year, $76 million extension, according to Spotrac. Still just 23, the former 2022 first-round pick looks like a long-term cornerstone on Dallas' offensive line, a line that's quietly been retooling for the next chapter after the Tyron Smith and Zack Martin era. If his current trajectory holds, Smith will go down as one of the best at his position, regardless of age. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Vikings lose Adrian Peterson in PFF's 2007 NFL re-draft
Vikings lose Adrian Peterson in PFF's 2007 NFL re-draft In 2007, the Minnesota Vikings struck gold by drafting Adrian Peterson with the seventh overall pick. After trading Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders, the team suffered an identity crisis for two years. The Vikings didn't need a running back, as Chester Taylor had just run for 1,216 yards. However, head coach Brad Childress believed Peterson was too good a talent to pass up. "All Day" was a difference-maker, rushing for 1,341 yards as a rookie. He accounted for 361 all-purpose yards at Soldier Field, the third-highest mark in league history. Less than a month later, he set the NFL record with 296 rushing yards against the San Diego Chargers, which still stands today. The Vikings were thrilled to land the future Hall of Famer, but even though they'd select him again, would he have lasted to the seventh pick if the NFL redrafted? PFF did their own 2007 re-draft. The Vikings couldn't snatch Peterson in this exercise, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did what everyone thought they would do back then and took AP. So with the seventh pick, the Vikings took Utah safety Eric Weddle. Without Peterson on the board, the Vikings could draft another perennial Pro Bowl running back in Marshawn Lynch. However, Minnesota instead adds to a safety unit in need of talented youth. Weddle finished his career as the most valuable player from the 2007 draft class, according to PFF's Wins Above Replacement metric, and his 94.7 career PFF overall grade is the top mark among safeties since PFF began grading in 2006. It feels like a letdown landing Weddle. Other Hall of Famers in the 2007 draft include Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Darrelle Revis, and Patrick Willis. But they're already off the board by the time the Vikings are on the clock here. Weddle would have been a great selection, though. The Vikings were set at safety in 2007 with Darren Sharper and Dwight Smith, but both were gone by 2009. Minnesota signed Madieu Williams and drafted Tyrell Johnson in 2008, but neither materialized into a reliable starter. By 2011, the Vikings had one of the worst safety units in the league. In San Diego, Weddle played nine seasons and was selected First-Team All-Pro twice and Second-Team All-Pro two more times. He finished his career with 29 interceptions and 9.5 sacks before retiring after the 2021 season, winning the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams and offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell. This is a fun redraft where the Vikings only downgrade because their real selection was so good that they couldn't fall to them again. Let's hope this continues in the coming years for the Vikings.
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jacksonville Jaguars' 2025 NFL draft class ranks top 10 in intriguing PFF metric
Jacksonville Jaguars' 2025 NFL draft class ranks top 10 in intriguing PFF metric The Jacksonville Jaguars' 2025 NFL draft class ranks in the top 10 in this intriguing metric from Pro Football Focus. The Jacksonville Jaguars' 2025 NFL draft class ranks in the top 10 in this intriguing metric from Pro Football Focus. In an effort to help quantify and compare draft classes without any subjectivity, PFF utilized its Wins Above Average (WAA) metric, which is similar to Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in baseball. "Wins Above Average (WAA) is designed to help cut through that subjectivity," wrote PFF. "It estimates how many wins a player is worth above an average college football player, offering a standardized, data-driven method of assessing performance." Of the 32 NFL teams, the Jaguars' draft class ranked ninth in this metric, with 1.784 WAA added. At the top of the list were the Cleveland Browns with a WAA of 3.203, followed by the New York Giants, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, and San Francisco, rounding out the top five. As you'd expect, Travis Hunter, with a WAA of 0.86, provided the biggest jolt for the Jaguars. Wyatt Milum, Jack Kiser, Jalen McLeod, and Rayuan Lane all provided modest boosts to Jacksonville's overall score, while Bhayshul Tuten, Jonah Monheim, and LeQuint Allen hovered around the average mark to varying degrees. Hunter, of course, was a two-way star, but Milum, Kiser, McLeod, and Lane all graded out well by PFF's metrics in specific areas that helped increase their WAA. Milum was all-around dominant last season at left tackle. Kiser graded out well as a tackler and run defender, Lane was very good in coverage, according to PFF, and McLeod was a top-graded pass rusher. As PFF also noted, WAA is not a projection of what each team's draft class will do, but instead measures what they've already done.
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Indianapolis Colts' 2025 NFL draft class ranks among the best in this PFF metric
Indianapolis Colts' 2025 NFL draft class ranks among the best in this PFF metric The Indianapolis Colts' 2025 NFL draft class ranks among the best in this intriguing metric from Pro Football Focus. The Indianapolis Colts' 2025 NFL draft class ranks among the best in this intriguing metric from Pro Football Focus. In an effort to help quantify and compare draft classes without any subjectivity, PFF utilized its Wins Above Average (WAA) metric, which is similar to Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in baseball. "Wins Above Average (WAA) is designed to help cut through that subjectivity," wrote PFF. "It estimates how many wins a player is worth above an average college football player, offering a standardized, data-driven method of assessing performance." Of the 32 NFL teams, the Colts' draft class ranked fourth in this category, with 2.231 WAA added. In front of them were Cleveland at No. 1, followed by the New York Giants and Philadelphia. The biggest WAA boost that the Colts received came from first-round pick Tyler Warren. Not too far behind him was quarterback Riley Leonard, while defensive end JT Tuimoloau ranked well by this metric. Warren was considered the most well-rounded tight end prospect in this year's class. Tuimoloau ranked among the best at his position against both the run and the pass, while Leonard helped lead Notre Dame to the National Championship game. Those three players in particular accounted for 1.96 of the Colts' draft class WAA. The other five players were all around slightly above average. As PFF also noted, WAA is not a projection of what each team's draft class will do, but instead measures what they've already done.
