Guest A-Men-HouseofPain Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 [quote name='dieselman44' post='378287' date='Nov 4 2006, 01:34 PM']Lee has only stolen over 15 bases in a season twice in his 9 career seasons. I dont think stealing bases is one of his specialities man.[/quote] he stole 19 last year and CWS didnt let him steal. They werent fond of it. Kinda like how arod can steal 40 with ease, but NYY doesnt let him run as much. Ive heard him in interview b4 saying he wished they would let him steal more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieselman44 Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Im not hatin on your man, im just sayin a base stealer is prolly the farthest thing from my mind when i think about Carlos Lee's baseball skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmer4HOF Posted November 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Luis Gonzalez Nov 3 - Gonzalez apparently caught Cardinals fever while broadcasting their games during the playoffs, and would be interested in playing in St. Louis, his agent told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. While GM Walt Jocketty said the Cardinals are interested in the veteran left fielder, they are not one of the nine teams that have contacted agent Gregg Clifton so far. Five that have are Cleveland, Baltimore, Texas, Cincinnati and San Francisco. "You talk about a perfect fit for a guy and for a franchise. That's it," Clifton told the Post-Dispatch, referring to the Cardinals. Gonzalez, 39, finished second in the National League last season with a career-high 52 doubles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A-Men-HouseofPain Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 Gonzalez would be a great short term fix. Maybe Bruce could get thru the system in 2 years and Gonzo could play 2 here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm00th_kw Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 [quote name='A-Men-HouseofPain' post='377913' date='Nov 3 2006, 01:32 PM']thats not possible read my post above, i think ull agree with it. And it shows that his claims on Lee and Soriano were wrong [/quote] Uhhh....maybe you should read a little better A Men. You can let me know when I tried to claim Dunn was a better run producer than Carlos Lee (or Soriano for that matter)...g'ahead, find it. What I said, and what you then went on to prove, is that Lee isn't a good defensive outfielder. I thought it was humorous that you complained about Dunn's defense when Carlos Lee is FAR from an upgrade on the defensive side of the ball. What you don't see in the numbers is misjudged balls that lead to runs...those don't get counted as errors. He's not very good out there, and he misjudges A LOT of balls (like last year with the bases loaded against the reds in the first series in Milwaukee), just like Dunn. I said the same thing about Soriano's defense...which sucks as well. OBVIOUSLY Carlos Lee (and Soriano) is good offensively...nobody questioned that. He's also gonna make twice what Adam Dunn is making for basically the same player. Lee drives in runs better at this stage of his career (31 next season), Dunn gets on base better (27 next season). I love how you compare their season totals like they're at the same stage in their careers too....that's funny. Carlos Lee is 30...31 next season. Adam Dunn is 26...27 next season. Lets compare them at similar ages shall we? After all...why are you comparing somebody that's about to enter their prime (Dunn), with somebody in the middle of their prime (Lee)? That's stupid...and obviously not fair. You can't just make up for four years of MLB experiance...though your dumbass obviously thinks it should happen. Carlos Lee at age 26 - 140 games, 492 AB's, .264 avg., .359 OBP, .484 SLG, 130 hits, 82 runs, 26 home runs, 80 RBI, 75 BB, 73 K's, 238 total bases. Adam Dunn at age 26 - 160 games, 561 AB's, .234 avg., .365 OBP, .490 SLG, 131 hits, 99 runs, 40 home runs, 92 RBI, 112 BB, 194 K's, 275 total bases. Which was an off season as compared to his career trends (besides K's and BB's). Now...who's better? I take Dunn entering into his prime, not the FAR more expensive Carlos Lee soon to be exiting it. Also....I don't care what all of you say. OBP is OBP...its getting on base. The better you are of getting on base, no matter how you do it, the better chances you score runs. BASEBALL IS A TEAM GAME. This is what Moneyball is all about...ON BASE PERCENTAGE. Oakland doesn't steal, they don't bunt, they get guys who get on base for cheap. The only thing they wouldn't like from Dunn are the K's, if you're gonna get out Billy Beane wants you to at least get the bat on the ball...Dunn doesn't do that well enough yet. He's got his faults, no doubt...but y'all are being asinine in this comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A-Men-HouseofPain Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 [quote name='sm00th_kw' post='381218' date='Nov 7 2006, 04:17 PM']Uhhh....maybe you should read a little better A Men. You can let me know when I tried to claim Dunn was a better run producer than Carlos Lee (or Soriano for that matter)...g'ahead, find it. What I said, and what you then went on to prove, is that Lee isn't a good defensive outfielder. I thought it was humorous that you complained about Dunn's defense when Carlos Lee is FAR from an upgrade on the defensive side of the ball. What you don't see in the numbers is misjudged balls that lead to runs...those don't get counted as errors. He's not very good out there, and he misjudges A LOT of balls (like last year with the bases loaded against the reds in the first series in Milwaukee), just like Dunn. I said the same thing about Soriano's defense...which sucks as well. OBVIOUSLY Carlos Lee (and Soriano) is good offensively...nobody questioned that. He's also gonna make twice what Adam Dunn is making for basically the same player. Lee drives in runs better at this stage of his career (31 next season), Dunn gets on base better (27 next season). I love how you compare their season totals like they're at the same stage in their careers too....that's funny. Carlos Lee is 30...31 next season. Adam Dunn is 26...27 next season. Lets compare them at similar ages shall we? After all...why are you comparing somebody that's about to enter their prime (Dunn), with somebody in the middle of their prime (Lee)? That's stupid...and obviously not fair. You can't just make up for four years of MLB experiance...though your dumbass obviously thinks it should happen. Carlos Lee at age 26 - 140 games, 492 AB's, .264 avg., .359 OBP, .484 SLG, 130 hits, 82 runs, 26 home runs, 80 RBI, 75 BB, 73 K's, 238 total bases. Adam Dunn at age 26 - 160 games, 561 AB's, .234 avg., .365 OBP, .490 SLG, 131 hits, 99 runs, 40 home runs, 92 RBI, 112 BB, 194 K's, 275 total bases. Which was an off season as compared to his career trends (besides K's and BB's). Now...who's better? I take Dunn entering into his prime, not the FAR more expensive Carlos Lee soon to be exiting it. [b]Also....I don't care what all of you say. OBP is OBP...its getting on base. The better you are of getting on base, no matter how you do it, the better chances you score runs. BASEBALL IS A TEAM GAME. This is what Moneyball is all about...ON BASE PERCENTAGE. Oakland doesn't steal, they don't bunt, they get guys who get on base for cheap. The only thing they wouldn't like from Dunn are the K's, if you're gonna get out Billy Beane wants you to at least get the bat on the ball...Dunn doesn't do that well enough yet. He's got his faults, no doubt...but y'all are being asinine in this comparison.[/b][/quote] you also have to hit with RISP. Carlos Lee's defense isnt gold glove, but it is lightyears ahead of Dunn. I dont see the common sense in comparing them? Dunn cant get to and misjudges more balls than anyone i have ever seen play the game. Not to mention he was so many fuckin errors in like half the innings as Lee. Lee is a significant upgrade to Dunn. AGE IS NOT OF CONCERN! We are trying to win now, Dunn HAS YET TO SHOW that he can improve or even try to improve. He wont. He is going to always be an overhyped, clutchless, waste of salary who can only hit long HRs between his 200 k's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oldschooler Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 [quote][size=5][b]Expect a bidding war for Japan's Matsuzaka[/b] [/size] Dayn Perry / Special to FOXSports.com The days are shorter, the temperatures are dropping, and NBA games are infecting the television. In baseball, that means it's almost open season on free agents. So to get you ready for one of the most frantic (and expensive) times of year for the national pastime, we're here to give you the top 20 free agents for this off-season. We'll exclude from the list those players with team options still pending (e.g., Jim Edmonds and Eric Gagne), but all other mercenaries are fair game. To the rankings ... [b]1. Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHS, Age: 26[/b] Any import is a bit of an unknown quantity, but there's much to like about Matsuzaka. He blew away the Japanese Pacific League in 2006, keeping runs off the board, striking out loads of batters and flashing exceptional command. Scouts love his power repertoire, and he figures to be a front-of-the-rotation force right away in the States. If there's a concern, it's his high workloads in Japan. However, that won't prevent a bidding war among teams like the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and perhaps Cubs. [b]2. Barry Zito, LHS, Age: 28[/b] We know Zito  brutal overhand curve, durability, occasional control issues. He's got a career ERA of 3.50, and he's logged at least 213.0 innings in each of the last five seasons. At age 28, he's likely to keep it up over the life of his next contract. [b]3. Alfonso Soriano, OF, Age: 30[/b] The fact that Soriano's best season was also his walk year means he'll likely be overvalued on the market. Still, he's a long-standing right-handed power source who's an ideal fit for a team with issues at the outfield corners. (That means you, Mets.) Again, he won't return value on the dollar, but 30 or more bombs per season are all but guaranteed. [b]4. Roger Clemens, RHS, Age: 44[/b] Will he retire? Will he be willing to play anywhere other than Houston? Not certain on both counts. What is certain is that Clemens is still pitching at an elite level. Last season, he struck out almost a batter per inning, showed good control, kept the ball in the park and logged a 2.30 ERA. He's capable of keeping it up in 2007. Give him a full season's worth of innings, and he might just claim his eighth Cy Young award. [b]5. Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Age: 28[/b] You won't get much defense from Ramirez, but you will get power. Over the least three seasons, Ramirez has tallied 105 homers and 100 doubles. He's also fairly young by six-year free-agent standards. Ramirez would be an ideal fit for a team with a fly-ball pitching staff and in need of production from the hot corner. [b]6. Carlos Lee, OF/1B/DH, Age: 30[/b] Because of Lee's cringe-worthy defense, only teams willing to transition him to first base or AL squads in need of a DH should be in pursuit. He is, however, a consistent power source  at least 31 bombs in each of the last four seasons. Lee is making noises about a contract that would be mostly indefensible, but if the market knocks him down a peg or two he'll be a useful addition for someone. [b]7. Frank Thomas, DH, Age: 38[/b] Recent indications are that the Big Hurt is close to re-signing with the A's, but for now he's a free agent. His 2006 numbers (39 homers, 81 walks) show he's still a potent force in the lineup, and, given health, he'll continue to be just that for the next year or two. The future Hall of Famer will never pick up a glove again, but he can still thump. [b]8. Barry Bonds, reputed OF, Age: 42[/b] Bonds is a firebrand, a jerk and an alleged cheater of the first order, but he can still rake. The key, of course, is keeping him healthy. No way, no how does he need to sign with an NL club. Bonds these days plays the field as though he's got one foot nailed to the ground, so it's in everyone's interest that he be permanently stowed away at DH. If healthy, he'll get on base and hit for power. [b]9. Jason Schmidt, RHS, Age: 33[/b] Schmidt will forever have health concerns, but it's worth noting that he hasn't pitched fewer than 172 innings in any of the previous five seasons. He's a strikeout guy with fly-ball tendencies, so he's best deployed in a park that cuts down on home run rates. At age 33, it's not wise to consider Schmidt a certifiable ace for the future, but he's still a quality major league starter. [b]10. Andy Pettitte, LHS, Age: 34[/b] Pettitte's coming off an injury-riddled 2006, but keep in mind that he posted a stellar ERA of 2.08 in the second half. The 2005 campaign was the best of his career, and it's also worth noting that Minute Maid is a park that's generally hostile toward lefty pitchers. If healthy, he's still capable of pitching at an elite level. [b]11. Julio Lugo, SS, Age: 30[/b] Lugo isn't a star, but he has demonstrable merits: good defense at a vital position, doubles power and strong OBP skills by shortstop standards. Plenty of teams are hard up for a shortstop who can provide above-average glovework and above-average hitting. He'll justifiably have a number of suitors. [b]12. Mike Mussina, RHS, Age: 37[/b] Had a bit of a rough stretch from 2004-05, but he rebounded nicely last season. He's creative on the mound and still shows good command, but at 37 he's a serious risk going forward. He should be effective in 2007, but beyond that all bets are off. [b]13. Gary Matthews Jr., CF, Age: 32[/b] Matthews plays a nifty center field, and over the last three seasons he's developed nicely at the plate. What's also encouraging is that Matthews over that same span hasn't shown drastic home-road splits. So his growth isn't just a product of hitter-friendly Ameriquest Field. He's by no means a star, but Matthews will be a useful regular for at least the next couple of years. [b]14. Jeff Suppan, RHS, Age: 31[/b] Suppan's October heroics likely mean he'll be overvalued on the market, but he's still a solid mid-rotation guy. Over the last three seasons, he's logged a sub-4.00 ERA and averaged more than 190 frames per season. An ace? Certainly not. A credible third guy or downright strong fourth man? Absolutely. [b]15. Moises Alou, OF, Age: 40[/b] Alou is valuable, provided the organization that signs him recognizes his limitations. Namely, he's not an everyday player. That's mostly the case because of his age and penchant for injury. Given frequent rest, however, Alou in 2007 should continue crushing lefties and acquitting himself quite well against same-side pitching. [b]16. Nomar Garciaparra, 1B, Age: 33[/b] Garciaparra mounted a strong comeback in 2006 (.303 AVG/.367 OBP/.505 SLG, 20 HR). However, it's caveat emptor because of his injury history and his gruesome second-half fade. He's an upgrade for teams with serious first-base issues, but he's not the superstar of yore. [b]17. Gil Meche, RHS, Age: 28[/b] Here's your sleeper of the winter. Meche's record of performance is uniformly undistinguished, but he has tremendous stuff, and last season he was finally healthy. Organizations are taking note. At age 28, he's a breakout candidate in 2007. Someone might just get a bargain. [b]18. Ray Durham, 2B, Age: 34[/b] Durham is coming off a career year, and that'll certainly boost his stock heading toward the winter meetings. He's a durable, consistent performer, but 34 is quite old for someone manning such a physically beleaguering position. Still, in the near term he can be highly productive at the plate (if not with the glove), so he's certainly worth a look for teams in need of pop at the keystone. [b]19. Mike Piazza, C/1B/DH, Age: 38[/b] Piazza's defense behind the plate these days is so lamentable that it's probably best to make him a regular DH/emergency backstop. He can still hit, as evidenced by his 2006 batting line of .283 AVG/.342 OBP/.501 SLG (despite playing half his games in the worst hitter's park in the majors), so Piazza would be a sensible addition by a contending team in need of help at DH. [b]20. Mark Mulder, LHS, Age: 29[/b] Mulder, of course, was awful last season and missed a great deal of the year because of a rotator-cuff injury. Shoulder injuries are worrisome things for pitchers, but because he's a left-hander with a record of success he'll elicit plenty of interest. Whether he's a wise addition depends, obviously, upon his health and the due diligence of the team that signs him. [b]Honorable Mention:[/b] Aubrey Huff, Juan Pierre, Jose Valentin, Jeff Weaver, Woody Williams, Kerry Wood.[/quote] [url="http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6146228"]http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6146228[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.5000022 Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 It would be great to have some like sorioano or lee but pitching is what the reds needs. A least one good pitcher. It would be good to get Zito, but I think they should get Jeff Suppan. He didn't have a great first half, but he had the best era during the second half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBandJoeyV Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 While I agree that we could use another solid starter, I dont think it is AS big of a need as it has been in the past. We were 14th last year in team ERA, which isnt bad at all, and the starters were probably better then the relief pitching. I think our major goals should be getting a closer, or at least resign schoneweis and give him the job. Offensively we were 22nd in runs, and 26th in hits, so i think making the offense better should be ahead of starting pitching... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.5000022 Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 you can score all the runs you want but if you cant keep the other team from scoring your not going to win!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiliMVP Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 I think the starting pitching is fine, but we need a closer and decent relief pitchers in the worst fucking way. The biggest need of the offseason is to get a player that gets on base, and hits with runners in scoring position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBandJoeyV Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 [quote name='j.5000022' post='382277' date='Nov 9 2006, 01:49 PM']you can score all the runs you want but if you cant keep the other team from scoring your not going to win!![/quote] We have decent pitching, 14th in the league isnt bad, and we didnt have guys like Bray, Schoenweis, Lohse, Majewski(Who i believe will be solid when he is healthy), and a few other guys for the first half of the year. I think our bullpen will be much improved, and we have 2 very good starters in Arroyo and Harang. We also have Milton, Lohse, EZ, Homer Bailey, and a couple other guys who may be able to start. I think we should go after a pitcher that would be a solid #3 guy, and let the rest fight for 4 and 5. But I also think we need to get a good clutch hitter like a carlos lee. We arent gonna win games if we hit as bad as we did last year, especially in runners in scoring position. Right now Offense is as big if not a bigger need then Pitching. And I dont mean power on offense, I mean more like clutch hitting and high batting averages/OBP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmer4HOF Posted November 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Here is a list of all the Free Agents this offseason: [url="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/features/freeagents"]http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/features/freeagents[/url] [code]Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Sandy Alomar Jr., C 40 Free Agent Chicago Sox -- Moises Alou, RF 40 Free Agent San Francisco -- Tony Armas, SP 28 Free Agent Washington -- Rich Aurilia, 3B 35 Free Agent Cincinnati -- Danys Baez, RP 29 Free Agent Atlanta -- Jeff Bagwell, 1B 38 Free Agent Houston -- Paul Bako, C 34 Free Agent Kansas City -- Rod Barajas, C 31 Free Agent Texas -- Miguel Batista, SP 35 Free Agent Arizona -- David Bell, 3B 34 Free Agent Milwaukee -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Ronnie Belliard, 2B 31 Free Agent St. Louis -- Gary Bennett, C 34 Free Agent St. Louis -- Henry Blanco, C 35 Free Agent Chicago Cubs -- Geoff Blum, 3B 33 Free Agent San Diego -- Barry Bonds, LF 42 Free Agent San Francisco -- Aaron Boone, 3B 33 Free Agent Cleveland -- Joe Borowski, RP 35 Free Agent Florida -- Chad Bradford, RP 32 Free Agent NY Mets -- Doug Brocail, RP 39 Free Agent San Diego -- Jeromy Burnitz, RF 37 Free Agent pissburgh -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Miguel Cairo, 2B 32 Free Agent NY Yankees -- Sean Casey, 1B 32 Free Agent Detroit -- Vinny Castilla, 3B 39 Free Agent Colorado -- Frank Catalanotto, LF 32 Free Agent Toronto -- Bruce Chen, SP 29 Free Agent Baltimore -- Jeff Cirillo, 3B 37 Free Agent Milwaukee -- Royce Clayton, SS 36 Free Agent Cincinnati -- Roger Clemens, SP 44 Free Agent Houston -- Alex Cora, SS 31 Free Agent Boston -- Craig Counsell, SS 36 Free Agent Arizona -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Mike DeJean, RP 36 Free Agent Colorado -- David Dellucci, LF 33 Free Agent Philadelphia -- Mark DeRosa, 2B 31 Free Agent Texas -- Einar Diaz, C 33 Free Agent LA Dodgers -- Mike DiFelice, C 37 Free Agent NY Mets -- Octavio Dotel, RP 32 Free Agent NY Yankees -- J.D. Drew, RF 30 Free Agent LA Dodgers -- Ray Durham, 2B 34 Free Agent San Francisco -- Damion Easley, SS 36 Free Agent Arizona -- Adam Eaton, SP 28 Free Agent Texas -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Jim Edmonds, CF 36 Signed St. Louis St. Louis 2 $19,000,000 Alan Embree, RP 36 Free Agent San Diego -- Darin Erstad, CF 32 Free Agent LA Angels -- Shawn Estes, SP 33 Free Agent San Diego -- Pedro Feliz, 3B 31 Free Agent San Francisco -- Robert Fick, C 32 Free Agent Washington -- Steve Finley, CF 41 Free Agent San Francisco -- Cliff Floyd, LF 33 Free Agent NY Mets -- Keith Foulke, RP 34 Free Agent Boston -- Ryan Franklin, RP 33 Free Agent Cincinnati -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Aaron Fultz, RP 33 Free Agent Philadelphia -- Eric Gagne, RP 30 Unsigned-Team Option LA Dodgers -- Nomar Garciaparra, 1B 33 Free Agent LA Dodgers -- Tom Glavine, SP 40 Unsigned-Mutual Option NY Mets -- Chris Gomez, 2B 35 Free Agent Baltimore -- Alex Gonzalez, SS 29 Free Agent Boston -- Luis Gonzalez, LF 39 Free Agent Arizona -- Tony Graffanino, 3B 34 Free Agent Milwaukee -- Todd Greene, C 35 Free Agent San Francisco -- Eddie Guardado, RP 36 Free Agent Cincinnati -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Jose Guillen, RF 30 Free Agent Washington -- LaTroy Hawkins, RP 33 Free Agent Baltimore -- Rick Helling, SP 35 Free Agent Milwaukee -- Wes Helms, 3B 30 Free Agent Florida -- Matt Herges, RP 36 Free Agent Florida -- Dustin Hermanson, RP 33 Free Agent Chicago Sox -- Jose Hernandez, SS 37 Free Agent Philadelphia -- Orlando Hernandez, SP 37 Free Agent NY Mets -- Roberto Hernandez, RP 41 Free Agent NY Mets -- Shea Hillenbrand, 1B 31 Free Agent San Francisco -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Todd Hollandsworth, LF 33 Free Agent Cincinnati -- Aubrey Huff, 3B 29 Free Agent Houston -- Jason Johnson, SP 33 Free Agent Cincinnati -- Brian Jordan, 1B 39 Free Agent Arizona -- Gabe Kapler, RF 31 Free Agent Boston -- Adam Kennedy, 2B 30 Free Agent LA Angels -- Ray King, RP 32 Unsigned-Team Option Colorado -- Ryan Klesko, LF 35 Free Agent San Diego -- Steve Kline, RP 34 Free Agent San Francisco -- Dan Kolb, RP 31 Free Agent Milwaukee -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Ricky Ledee, LF 32 Free Agent NY Mets -- Carlos Lee, LF 30 Free Agent Texas -- Mike Lieberthal, C 34 Free Agent Philadelphia -- Ted Lilly, SP 30 Free Agent Toronto -- Kenny Lofton, CF 39 Free Agent LA Dodgers -- Mark Loretta, 2B 35 Free Agent Boston -- Julio Lugo, SS 30 Free Agent LA Dodgers -- John Mabry, 1B 36 Free Agent Chicago Cubs -- Greg Maddux, SP 40 Free Agent LA Dodgers -- Jason Marquis, SP 28 Free Agent St. Louis -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Tom Martin, RP 36 Free Agent Colorado -- Ramon Martinez, 2B 34 Signed LA Dodgers LA Dodgers 1 $850,000 Kazuo Matsui, 2B 31 Free Agent Colorado -- Gary Matthews Jr., CF 32 Free Agent Texas -- Brian Meadows, RP 30 Free Agent Tampa Bay -- Gil Meche, SP 28 Free Agent Seattle -- Kent Mercker, RP 38 Free Agent Cincinnati -- Jose Mesa, RP 40 Free Agent Colorado -- Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B 32 Free Agent Kansas City -- Kevin Millar, 1B 35 Free Agent Baltimore -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Wade Miller, SP 30 Signed Chicago Cubs Chicago Cubs 1 $1,500,000 Doug Mirabelli, C 36 Free Agent Boston -- Brian Moehler, SP 34 Free Agent Florida -- Bengie Molina, C 32 Free Agent Toronto -- Guillermo Mota, RP 33 Free Agent NY Mets -- Mark Mulder, SP 29 Free Agent St. Louis -- Jeff Nelson, RP 39 Free Agent Chicago Sox -- Phil Nevin, 1B 35 Free Agent Minnesota -- Trot Nixon, RF 32 Free Agent Boston -- Tomo Ohka, SP 30 Free Agent Milwaukee -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Darren Oliver, RP 36 Free Agent NY Mets -- Ramon Ortiz, SP 33 Free Agent Washington -- Russ Ortiz, SP 32 Free Agent Baltimore -- Vicente Padilla, SP 29 Free Agent Texas -- Chan Ho Park, SP 33 Free Agent San Diego -- Jay Payton, RF 33 Free Agent Oakland -- Troy Percival, RP 37 Free Agent Detroit -- Eduardo Perez, 1B 37 Free Agent Seattle -- Tomas Perez, SS 32 Free Agent Tampa Bay -- Andy Pettitte, SP 34 Free Agent Houston -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Mike Piazza, C 38 Free Agent San Diego -- Juan Pierre, CF 29 Free Agent Chicago Cubs -- Todd Pratt, C 39 Free Agent Atlanta -- Brad Radke, SP 34 Free Agent Minnesota -- Aramis Ramirez, 3B 28 Free Agent Chicago Cubs -- Joe Randa, 3B 36 Free Agent pissburgh -- Mark Redman, SP 32 Free Agent Kansas City -- Arthur Rhodes, RP 37 Free Agent Philadelphia -- David Riske, RP 30 Free Agent Chicago Sox -- Dave Roberts, CF 34 Free Agent San Diego -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars J.C. Romero, RP 30 Free Agent LA Angels -- Jason Schmidt, SP 33 Free Agent San Francisco -- Scott Schoeneweis, RP 33 Free Agent Cincinnati -- Rudy Seanez, RP 38 Free Agent San Diego -- Aaron Sele, SP 36 Free Agent LA Dodgers -- Alfonso Soriano, LF 30 Free Agent Washington -- Justin Speier, RP 33 Free Agent Toronto -- Scott Spiezio, 3B 34 Free Agent St. Louis -- Russ Springer, RP 38 Free Agent Houston -- Matt Stairs, RF 38 Free Agent Detroit -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Mike Stanton, RP 39 Free Agent San Francisco -- Shannon Stewart, LF 32 Free Agent Minnesota -- Tanyon Sturtze, RP 36 Free Agent NY Yankees -- Jeff Suppan, SP 31 Free Agent St. Louis -- Fernando Tatis, 3B 31 Free Agent Baltimore -- Frank Thomas, DH 38 Free Agent Oakland -- John Thomson, SP 33 Free Agent Atlanta -- Steve Trachsel, SP 36 Free Agent NY Mets -- Michael Tucker, RF 35 Free Agent NY Mets -- Jose Valentin, 2B 37 Free Agent NY Mets -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Ron Villone, RP 36 Free Agent NY Yankees -- Jose Vizcaino, SS 38 Free Agent St. Louis -- Jamie Walker, RP 35 Free Agent Detroit -- Todd Walker, 1B 33 Free Agent San Diego -- Daryle Ward, RF 31 Free Agent Atlanta -- David Weathers, RP 37 Free Agent Cincinnati -- Jeff Weaver, SP 30 Free Agent St. Louis -- David Wells, SP 43 Free Agent San Diego -- Kip Wells, SP 29 Free Agent Texas -- Rick White, RP 37 Free Agent Philadelphia -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Rondell White, LF 34 Free Agent Minnesota -- Chris Widger, C 35 Free Agent Baltimore -- Bernie Williams, RF 38 Free Agent NY Yankees -- Woody Williams, SP 40 Free Agent San Diego -- Craig Wilson, 1B 29 Free Agent NY Yankees -- Paul Wilson, SP 33 Unsigned-Team Option Cincinnati -- Preston Wilson, LF 32 Free Agent St. Louis -- Randy Wolf, SP 30 Free Agent Philadelphia -- Kerry Wood, SP 29 Free Agent Chicago Cubs -- Chris Woodward, 2B 30 Free Agent NY Mets -- Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Jamey Wright, SP 31 Free Agent San Francisco -- Eric Young, LF 39 Free Agent Texas -- Gregg Zaun, C 35 Free Agent Toronto -- Barry Zito, SP 28 Free Agent Oakland --[/code] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmer4HOF Posted November 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Top 40 Free Agents from ESPN inside [quote]1 Aramis Ramirez POSITION: Third Base AGE: 28 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Chicago Cubs STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 157 93 38 119 .291 .352 .561 The best all-around position player on the free agent market this winter, Ramirez provides defensive value that none of the other major bats can, because he's an average defender at a skill position. Ramirez's true value is in his bat, of course. He has plus-plus power, particularly to the opposite field; he can get into trouble when he tries to pull everything and gets out of his swing. He's also an above-average hitter; he keeps his bat in the zone long enough to make solid contact, and he has outstanding plate coverage. He could walk a bit more, but that's a minor quibble given how much he produces offensively. Defensively, Ramirez has a good arm, but his hands and range are both a tick below average. He can stay at third base, however, which puts him ahead of the other big free agent bats, who are either stuck in left field (Carlos Lee, Alfonso Soriano) or at DH (Frank Thomas). Ramirez is the youngest major league free agent on the market this winter; he'll play the 2007 season at age 29, compared to 31 for both Soriano and Lee. This means that his new club will get three or four of his peak years, perhaps more, without too much concern about buying into his decline. BACK TO TOP 2 Daisuke Matsuzaka POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 26 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Seibu Lions (Japan) STATUS: Unsigned; Lions reviewing final bid 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 25 186.1 17 5 34 200 2.13 Matsuzaka is the best free agent starter on the market, a true rarity in that he's hitting the market at age 26 while most free agent pitchers are in their 30s. On the other hand, Matsuzaka's not a true free agent due to the posting system that leaves him only able to negotiate with one U.S. club, and not even one of his choosing. Matsuzaka brings at least two plus pitches to the table: a hard, "rising" fastball (hold your e-mails -- I've read "The Physics of Baseball") in the 92-95 mph range; and his famous slider, an out pitch breaking ball with a hard, filthy break downward. He also throws a splitter that's at least a solid-average pitch, with good bottom and a nice separation from his fastball; he uses it more against left-handed hitters than against righties. Like a lot of Japanese starters, Matsuzaka has an exaggerated delivery with a big twist, giving him a lot of deception that will make him harder for American hitters to pick up, at least at first. Matsuzaka does come with question marks. One is that he uses his slider pretty heavily rather than pitching off his fastball. As a result, he hangs his fair share of breaking balls. His new employers may be surprised to see him give up a few more homers than they anticipated. Matsuzaka's workload has drawn scrutiny, but a number of teams are more concerned with the fact that he has always thrown on five days' rest, rather than the four days' rest that MLB starters receive. That said, signing Matsuzaka will be a big splash for his new team and will help increase their popularity -- and perhaps revenue -- in the Japanese market, meaning that he'll likely make the most cash of any free agent starter this winter. BACK TO TOP 3 Alfonso Soriano POSITION: Left Field AGE: 30 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Washington Nationals STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 159 119 46 95 .277 .351 .560 Soriano started 2006 by throwing an ill-advised tantrum when the Nationals asked him to move to left field, but proceeded to defy all expectations of his performance by moving from a hitters' park to a pitchers' park and setting career highs in homers and slugging percentage. Soriano has a lightning-quick bat and ridiculous plate coverage; he's on par with Vlad Guerrero in his ability to make solid contact with balls out of the strike zone. Of course, he swings and misses at his share of balls out of the strike zone as well, and takes an attempt to walk him as a personal affront; his 51 unintentional walks in 2006 were 20 more than his previous career high. Soriano's troubles in the infield were largely a function of his hands, although the fact that he can barely jump didn't help matters. In the outfield, hard hands aren't as much of a problem, and he's quick enough that he can overcome his inexperience in reading fly balls off hitters' bats. His effective range is above-average, and his arm is also plus. Soriano will turn 31 in January, so he's close to the end of his peak offensive years, and it's hard to ignore his .316 OBP in the previous two seasons. But given his performance in 2006 and his athletic ability, he's the second-best hitter on this market. BACK TO TOP 4 Jason Schmidt POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 33 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: San Francisco Giants STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 32 213.1 11 9 80 180 3.59 Schmidt is widely assumed to be headed to a West Coast team, with the Mariners considered the front-runners. He's one of only three starters in the market (Barry Zito and Matsuzaka are the other two) with actual experience as a No. 1 starter, and has a reputation as a "big-game" pitcher, with a 3.06 ERA in five postseason starts. Schmidt's bread-and-butter pitch is a plus four-seamer he throws up in the zone and blows right by hitters at 92-95 mph. He pitches off the fastball, with outstanding command (likely due to how well he repeats his delivery), and the velocity comes remarkably easy for him. His reliance on the fastball is also his primary weakness, because he can be beaten when he leaves one of those high fastballs a little too close to the heart of the strike zone. He also throws a solid fading changeup with good arm speed, and a low-80s slider with a tight, downward break, although his command of the breaking ball is questionable. Schmidt also comes in with a slightly mixed medical history. He's had on-and-off back trouble, missing one start in September as a result. His 2005 season started slowly due to a shoulder strain, and ended poorly due to a September groin injury. He's also 34 with a lot of mileage on him. BACK TO TOP 5 Roger Clemens POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 44 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Houston Astros STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 19 113.1 7 6 29 102 2.30 There are a number of future Hall of Famers in this class, most of whom are considering only a small number of teams for their next contracts. Clemens is widely expected to take the spring off and come back for the last three or four months of 2007. Given how strongly he finished 2006, there's every reason to expect him to find a number of teams ready and waiting for him. On the mound, the greatest pitcher of my lifetime throws a two-seamer in the upper 80s and a four-seamer in the low 90s that touches 94, and he mixes in a slider, a curve and an out-pitch splitter in the mid-80s with good bottom. His command is off the charts, he has an outstanding feel for pitching, and he's been pretty durable for a guy his age. I imagine there will be more teams inquiring about his services than there are teams for whom he's willing to play. BACK TO TOP 6 Andy Pettitte POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 34 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: Houston Astros STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 36 214.1 14 13 70 178 4.20 Let's assume for a moment that the 34-year-old Pettitte isn't going to retire, and instead chooses to exploit a market thin on left-handed starters. After the All-Star break in 2006, Pettitte was among the best starters in the National League, throwing 93.1 innings, giving up 88 hits and nine homers, walking 27 against 86 strikeouts, and posting a 2.80 ERA. That's a $10 million-plus pitcher in this baseball economy. Pettitte's primary pitch is an 88-89 mph cut fastball, touching 90 on occasion, that is one of the best in the game. He runs it in hard on the hands of right-handed hitters. He'll mix in a good 11-to-5 curve, at 72-76 mph with a very late break, and even an occasional slider (backdooring it to righties, sweeping it to lefties) and a four-seamer (when he just needs a strike), and he pounds the strike zone with all of his pitches. He's thrown over 200 innings in three of the last four years, and was ridiculously good in 2005 and (as mentioned above) the last half of 2006. He'll be 35 in June, so a contract that's short in years and longer on annual salary would make sense, but he has a good case to claim he's the best left-handed starter on this market. BACK TO TOP 7 Carlos Lee POSITION: Left Field AGE: 30 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Texas Rangers STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 161 102 37 116 .300 .355 .540 Lee is the third member of the troika of power hitters on the market this winter, but there are some substantial differences between him, Ramirez and Soriano. On the positive side, Lee has plus-plus power with good extension in his swing, very good bat speed, and a selective approach at the plate that produces a lot of contact. For teams looking for a legitimate power threat to hit fourth or fifth, Lee is a solid fit. On the negative side, he's not fond of the base on balls, he's limited to left field or DH (although he's passable in left), and he's a bad-body guy who's likely to decline faster than the more athletic Ramirez and Soriano will. He's already 31, meaning that he's reaching the end of his peak offensive years, and a hypothetical five-year deal would take him up to age 36, at which point he's likely to be a DH-only guy with a slider-speed bat. BACK TO TOP 8 J.D. Drew POSITION: Right field AGE: 30 | BATS: L | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Los Angeles Dodgers STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 146 84 20 100 .283 .393 .498 I doubt that there's a better harbinger of a bull market for player salaries than Drew's decision to forgo a guaranteed $33 million for three years to become a free agent. (It may also be a sign that Drew's agent, Scott Boras, already has something lined up for Drew, since Boras is not one to make such a decision without a good idea of his alternatives.) Drew is an extremely passive hitter at the plate with plus pull and opposite-field power, and he has posted a .400 OBP or better in four of his last seven seasons, falling just short in 2006 at .393. He has good bat speed but also makes very solid contact within the zone, and when he deigns to swing at a pitch on the outer part of the plate, he can drive it well other way. On the flip side, he's a low-energy player who takes a lot of hittable pitches, and he's been brittle throughout his career, reaching 500 plate appearances just twice; I doubt the Dodgers would say in hindsight that they had a good return on their $22 million investment in Drew, given how much time he missed over the last two seasons. He has excellent range in right field, albeit a fringe-average arm; he can play an average center field, but it's not clear that he can stay healthy if he's asked to do so every day. In some winters, the negatives here would overwhelm the positives, but Drew is easily one of the top five bats available this offseason. BACK TO TOP 9 Julio Lugo POSITION: Shortstop AGE: 30 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Los Angeles Dodgers STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 122 69 12 37 .278 .341 .421 The best pure middle infielder in the class, Lugo has changed his approach from his time with Houston, when he had a longer swing and was trying to hit for power, to a shorter approach designed to put more balls in play at the cost of some extra bases. Given Lugo's slight build and his speed, it's a worthwhile tradeoff, especially if he can improve his walk rate slightly and become more of a true leadoff candidate. In the field, Lugo has very good range in both directions at shortstop, but doesn't have great hands, leading to high error totals that will turn off a number of teams; although a couple of teams are considering him as a second baseman, I don't think that will address his problem with errors, although he'd probably be a very valuable fielder at second because he does make a number of plays. His late-season struggles with the Dodgers may impact his market value, but the dearth of shortstop options is going to do plenty to boost the dollars thrown Lugo's way. BACK TO TOP 10 Jim Edmonds POSITION: Center Field AGE: 36 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: St. Louis Cardinals STATUS: Re-signed with St. Louis (11/10) TERMS: 2 years, $19 million 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 110 52 19 70 .257 .350 .471 Edmonds' return from a concussion he suffered after a major collision with an outfield wall produced some dicey moments in late September and throughout October. He seemed at times to be less aggressive in the outfield and even looked disoriented on more than one occasion. However, his return was an enormous part of the Cardinals' three upset victories in the playoffs. He gave them one of their best on-base threats and was their best left-handed hitter, forcing opposing managers to work their bullpens around him. Edmonds can still turn on a mediocre fastball up, but his bat looked slower in the postseason and he seemed uncomfortable against harder stuff in. (This could have been an aftereffect of his concussion or the ensuing time off, although he didn't hit for much power in the first half of the season, either.) He also showed his first signs of a platoon split after years of hitting left-handed pitchers almost as well as he hit righties. There's just a lot of uncertainty around Edmonds due to his injury and the long layoff, something that will make him a tough player to value.[/quote] [quote]11 Mike Mussina POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 37 | BATS: L | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: New York Yankees STATUS: Becomes a free agent Nov. 15 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 32 197.1 15 7 35 172 3.51 Mussina is expected to re-up with the Yankees, but if he were to explore the market, he would find solid interest. He's a plus-command, plus-control guy who also has a solid-average fastball and an actual out pitch, one of the few true knuckle-curves thrown by big-league pitchers. The pitch (sometimes called a "spike" curveball for its extremely sharp, late break) is difficult to throw for strikes, but Mussina does so, and it will keep him employed as long as he can command it. He's also been durable throughout his career, although some arm fatigue did slow him down in 2005. BACK TO TOP 12 Ted Lilly POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 30 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: Toronto Blue Jays STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 32 181.2 15 13 81 160 4.31 Lilly is Barry Zito without the name recognition, and with a little more stuff. Lilly throws four pitches, with his fringe-average fastball (87-89 mph) probably his worst pitch. He has a plus curve, similar to Zito's in shape, with good depth and two-plane break. His changeup may be even better than his curve, because he maintains his arm speed extremely well and gets some fade on the pitch. He also throws a slider in the low 80s that, while inconsistent, is also plus at times, and on some nights it's his best secondary pitch. On the downside, like Zito, Lilly has below-average control and is susceptible to the long ball. He'd be a much better fit in a bigger ballpark than Toronto's, which has tended to be homer-friendly over the past few years. He's also had minor arm trouble several times over the years, including a never-identified shoulder issue that cost him eight or nine starts in 2005 and caused him to post the worst ERA of his career. Durability is well-compensated in the free agent market, so Lilly won't see Zito dollars. But should he stay healthy, he's a good bet to outpitch Zito over the next three to four years. BACK TO TOP 13 Gil Meche POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 28 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Seattle Mariners STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 32 186.2 11 8 84 156 4.48 Meche is attracting attention as one of the best of the second-tier starting pitchers among this free agent class, and he looks like the type of pitcher who'd benefit from a change of scenery. Meche's stuff grades out at or near the top of this group. His fastball is a straight, hard four-seamer in the 92-95 range; he occasionally gets a little arm-side run on it, but it's mostly true, and he succeeds (and sometimes fails) by putting it by guys up in the zone. His best secondary pitch is a tight, 12-to-6 curve that's best when he keeps it down and throws it with a shorter, tighter break. He also has a fringy changeup and a cutter-slider that he doesn't command well. His control is fringe-average as well. He's a pitching coach's dream: a guy with good stuff, not-awful command, and a number of seemingly minor mechanical problems (such as rushing through his delivery) that can make a coach or scout believe the kid is on the verge of a breakthrough. Teams that bid on Meche are going to end up bidding on his upside; his performances to date have not been good, with far too much contact for a guy with this kind of stuff. Hitters do seem to see the ball well out of his hand, and he leaves too many fastballs up around hitters' belts and too many curves that hang in the zone a split-second too long. But he may be the best pure upside play among right-handed starters on this market. BACK TO TOP 14 Frank Thomas POSITION: Designated Hitter AGE: 38 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Oakland A's STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 137 77 39 114 .270 .381 .545 Thomas is likely to stay in Oakland, but is still on the market at this writing, and he's one of the top five bats (considering their offensive value only) available. Thomas is an extremely unusual hitter whose approach works for him where it would fail for most guys. He's a front-foot hitter who gets very little power from his back leg, which is up during the heart of his swing. He has a quick bat, lets the ball travel well, and simply overpowers balls that would tie up lesser mortals. On the downside, he's about a 10 runner on the 20-80 scale, so those 81 walks he drew last year weren't quite as valuable as they'd be for most hitters, and he's a huge threat to ground into double plays. The team that invests in him is banking on his staying healthy as he did in 2006, rather than staying on the DL as he did in 2004-05. BACK TO TOP 15 Barry Zito POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 28 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: Oakland A's STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 34 221 16 10 99 151 3.83 Zito has long been considered the prize starter on the 2006-07 free agent market; he's one of only two available Cy Young Award winners (with Greg Maddux), he's left-handed, and he's put up great numbers while throwing most of his innings in pitchers' parks with great outfield defenses behind him. Zito needs to pitch somewhat backwards to be successful. His fastball is below-average, usually around 84-86 mph and occasionally touching 88, with a little run but no sink. He has two plus secondary pitches: a changeup with good fade and tail, a pitch on which he maintains his arm speed extremely well, and his famous curveball, with a huge, two-plane break, a pitch he can throw for strikes when he needs to or throw down and away against left-handed batters to finish them off. What Zito brings to the table is durability; he's never had a major injury and has topped 210 innings in every full season he's spent in the big leagues. That sort of predictability is valuable, especially in a market full of guys with serious injuries in their recent histories. Zito is a third or fourth starter with the reputation of a one or a two. In fact, over the last three years, he's struggled badly when facing the two premier offenses in the AL, posting a 6.59 ERA against Boston and the Yankees while walking 47 men and allowing 18 homers in 83.3 innings. His control is below-average; only Daniel Cabrera has walked more batters in the last two years than Zito has. And should Zito's stuff slip at all, he becomes a fifth starter or a guy who needs to head to the National League, the current destination for asylum-seekers who fear AL persecution of their fringy fastballs. BACK TO TOP 16 Barry Bonds POSITION: Left Field AGE: 42 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: San Francisco Giants STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 130 74 26 77 .270 .454 .545 Lost in the rush to sanctimony over Bonds was the fact that he was still a productive hitter when he was able to stay on the field. He would have finished 13th in the NL in slugging percentage had he qualified, but he fell nine plate appearances short. Bonds' approach at the plate hasn't changed in ages; he's the rare power hitter with a short swing who still has tremendous bat speed and is extremely selective. He's going to have knee trouble for the rest of his career, and even if he can play the field, his range is minimal. Although a return to San Francisco is likely, Bonds could extend his career by a year or two if he would go to the American League and serve as a DH. BACK TO TOP 17 Randy Wolf POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 30 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: Philadelphia Phillies STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 12 56.2 4 0 33 44 5.56 Wolf is intriguing as an upside play, especially in a world where Mark Mulder and his hip/back/shoulder problems are getting all sorts of attention as an upside play that's stunningly lacking in upside. (Seriously, the guy just had shoulder surgery, and he hasn't missed bats since 2002. He got a brief boost from moving to the weaker league and getting with Dave Duncan in '05, both of which go away if he goes to an AL team. If Mulder gets a guaranteed base of over $500,000, it's a bad investment.) As for Wolf, his performance in 2006 was poor, but was also typical of a pitcher who came back quickly from Tommy John surgery. His stuff was fine, but his command and control were lousy. His fastball was largely 88-89 mph, touching 92, although it was somewhat straight. He has a plus-plus breaking ball, reminiscent of Zito's but with better depth, and he commands the pitch extremely well, throwing it for a strike when he needs to yet working it down or away to lefties when he's ahead in the count. Even this year, Wolf was death on lefties, holding them to just three hits in 35 at-bats. He also has a circle-change in the low-80s that's a weapon for him against righties, but it doesn't offer much separation from his fastball, and it looks to me like righties can adjust to it too easily. Wolf also hides the ball well during his delivery, creating some deception that can help his fastball play up a tick. There are question marks; it's not a guarantee that he'll regain the command and control he had before surgery, for one thing. He throws slightly across his body, which could be a harbinger of future arm issues. But it makes a lot more sense to go for an upside play like Wolf who's healthy now and who pitched at the end of the year, even if he costs you more up front, than to go for the guy with the chronic health condition and the inferior results. BACK TO TOP 18 Justin Speier POSITION: Relief Pitcher AGE: 33 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Toronto Blue Jays STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 58 51.1 2 0 21 55 2.98 Speier is the best setup man on the free agent market this winter, and with several teams looking for a proven closer on a market that doesn't really have one, Speier is going to be an attractive option for a team that wants to elevate him into that role. There's nothing in his history to indicate he can't handle the psychological aspects of the closer role; his success in several years of setup work in Colorado would indicate that he can handle it. Speier is a three-pitch reliever with good command of all three. He has a low-90s fastball with a little run but no sink; a tight slider with good tilt; and a splitter that he has improved to the point that it's a very effective weapon against left-handed hitters. When he's on, he keeps everything at or just above hitters' knees, garnering strikes and some bad swings. His fastball is flat, however, and he'll give up a lot of home runs if he has to pitch in the upper half of the zone. His arm action is a little long, but he repeats it well. I wouldn't hesitate to pay Speier more than setup money and try him out as a closer, rather than overpay in dollars or assets to acquire a lesser pitcher who happens to have the "closer" label. BACK TO TOP 19 Dave Roberts POSITION: Left Field AGE: 34 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: San Diego Padres STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SB 129 80 2 44 .293 .360 49 Roberts is one of the only pure leadoff hitters available on the market; whether that's a good thing (a guy who can get on base and has game-altering ability on the bases) or a bad thing ("pure leadoff hitter" meaning "can't hit anywhere other than first or ninth") is a matter of taste. Roberts is a slap-and-run hitter in the Ichiro mold, swinging very late and trying to maximize his contact rate while hitting the ball to the left side as often as possible. His best skill is his baserunning ability; not only is he a plus runner, he reads pitchers extremely well and can disrupt a game once he reaches first. His approach at the plate doesn't lend itself to a lot of walks, limiting his OBP and thus his running opportunities, and his power is well below-average. He's a borderline defender in center, with his speed making up for inferior instincts, but has plus range in left. Roberts is 34 years old and still plays a young man's game; however, his speed will eventually diminish as he ages, and when that happens, his offensive value will shrink quickly. At this point, there's no sign that this process has started, but you don't want to be the team left holding the bag when it does. BACK TO TOP 20 Tom Glavine POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 40 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: New York Mets STATUS: Will be free agent by Nov. 20 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 32 198 15 7 21 131 3.82 Glavine is almost certainly headed to one of two destinations; he'll either stay with the Mets or go back to Atlanta, probably for a year either way as he chases his 300th win. Glavine can't even think about heading to the American League. He's one of a large group of veteran starters who have thrived in the National League with below-average stuff. Glavine's fastball tops out around 86, and he matches it up with a good changeup, but the secret to his success is his ability to locate the outside corner and throw every pitch at it, only coming inside on occasion to keep hitters honest. It's a fine line to walk, with a high probability of a zero return given Glavine's stuff and his age. A return to Shea might be the best outcome, since it puts Glavine in a big park with an outstanding defender in center field.[/quote] [quote]21 Mike Piazza POSITION: Catcher AGE: 38 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: San Diego Padres STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 126 39 22 68 .283 .342 .501 The Padres' decision to decline Piazza's $8 million option was one of the few surprises of the option season, especially when they don't have a right-handed power bat ready to fill the void. Piazza would be an ideal fit for an American League club that has a capable defensive backup available and can give Piazza time at DH to keep him healthy and keep his bat in the lineup. His approach at the plate is more pull-oriented than it was when he was younger, and his bat is a bit slower, but he still has plus power (slugging .564 away from homer-killing Petco Park) and provides more offense than most teams get out of the catcher spot. BACK TO TOP 22 Ray Durham POSITION: Second Base AGE: 34 | BATS: B | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: San Francisco Giants STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 137 79 26 93 .293 .360 .538 Durham's career year is all the more impressive for where he accomplished it (in a great pitchers' park, in a division with two other great pitchers' parks) and when (in his age 34 season). While Durham has clearly changed his game from that of a walks-and-speed guy to a moderate power hitter, it's not likely that he'll retain this level of performance going forward. Durham has a simple, tight approach at the plate. He keeps his hands up and in, close to his body, and leans over the plate slightly to protect against the ball inside. He starts out open but closes his stance to swing. The setup and swing result in excellent plate coverage, making him one of the toughest hitters in baseball to fan. He's become stronger over the last few years, which explains some of his recent power spike, but there's nothing here to indicate that he's going to be a 25-30 home run hitter over the next few years. On defense, Durham has good hands and an average arm, but limited range, especially to his right. BACK TO TOP 23 Nomar Garciaparra POSITION: First Base AGE: 33 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Los Angeles Dodgers STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 122 82 20 93 .303 .367 .505 Garciaparra demonstrated in 2006 that he can still produce something offensively, but the question of whether he can stay healthy enough to justify his salary is still an open one. Nomar has a short, punchy swing, almost attacking the ball up in the zone; he's still primarily a fastball hitter, and still swings early in the count. His primary weakness, as always, is the breaking ball away, particularly one breaking away from him -- a pitch he'll generally chase. The Dodgers made him a first baseman to try to keep him on the field, and it was a moderate success. He appeared in more games in 2006 than he had in either of the two previous seasons, but he missed time this year due to a sore knee, a strained oblique muscle, a strained rib muscle, and a torn quad muscle that more or less ended his season. The other problem with Nomar is that he's rough defensively at first base; his range, never great at short, was very limited this year, perhaps the cumulative effect of many of his injuries. BACK TO TOP 24 Shea Hillenbrand POSITION: First Base/Third Base AGE: 31 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: San Francisco Giants STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 141 73 21 68 .277 .313 .451 Hillenbrand's star took a temporary hit this summer when he feuded with Toronto manager John Gibbons, but when Gibbons also feuded with No. 2 starter Ted Lilly, the feeling around baseball shifted to one where the blame was on the common denominator in the two fights. Hillenbrand is an extremely consistent performer whose lack of defensive value hurts his marketability. His bat plays at third base, but he's a defensive liability there, with limited range and hard hands; he's an adequate glove at first, but his bat doesn't really play there because he lacks home run power (his total of 21 in 2006 was a career high). At the plate, Hillenbrand makes a lot of contact, especially early in the count, with below-average power for a corner guy. His plate discipline is brutal; he runs into trouble when he's behind in the count and goes after balls out of the zone, where his relatively compact swing produces a lot of ground balls that keep opposing infielders busy. He's also a 20 runner (on a 20-80 scale), which is particularly bad for a player who puts a lot of balls in play -- he's grounded into 61 double plays over the past three seasons. He's never drawn more than 24 unintentional walks in a season, and struggles to work himself into better hitter's counts. In Hillenbrand's favor, aside from his year-to-year consistency, is his durability; he's never played in fewer than 134 games in a season. BACK TO TOP 25 Adam Eaton POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 28 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Texas Rangers STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 13 65 7 4 24 43 5.12 Eaton has now thrown under 200 innings in the last two seasons due to a pair of random finger injuries -- at least, it seems like they're random, although it's possible that Eaton is just really prone to that sort of problem. It hadn't cropped up before, and his only major arm injury was an elbow problem that required Tommy John surgery in 2001 and is thus presumed fixed, so I'm not inclined to hold the injury question against him. The stuff, though … that I'll hold against him. Eaton is trying to be David Cone or Mike Mussina, throwing every pitch in the book to try to keep hitters off-balance, but unlike Moose, he doesn't have a single plus secondary pitch on which to hang his hat. He throws a four-seamer that's solid-average at 90-92 but is dead straight; has a fading 79-83 mph changeup that he telegraphs by slowing his arm slightly; throws a wildly inconsistent curve at 73-76 that he leaves up often and needs to tighten for it to become that second weapon he needs; and so on -- cutter, slider, two-seamer, etc. His command is fringe-average, and when he misses with any of his pitches, he misses up, meaning lots of long balls, part of why he was so unsuccessful in his limited time with Texas. Lefties murdered him at a .320/.393/.592 clip, so the change isn't helping. He's almost 29, but after over 800 big league innings, he's still not a finished product and may never become one. He'd gain tremendously from a move to a team with a pitching coach who has success with reclamation projects; outside of the finger issue, he takes the ball every fifth day, and he has 55 control (on a 20-80 scale), so a small tweak here or there (especially to the curve) could turn him into a league-average starter. BACK TO TOP 26 Greg Maddux POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 40 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Los Angeles Dodgers STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 34 210 15 14 37 117 4.20 Despite his Hall of Fame credentials, Maddux should find only a small number of suitors for his services given his age and stuff. His command and control are still outstanding, but his stuff has slipped to the point that he needs to pitch in front of a good defense and in a bigger ballpark to succeed. It's also hard to see a pitcher with his stuff surviving in the American League, with no pitchers batting and generally stronger offenses. Maddux's fastball is now down to the 81-83 mph range, and while it has some sink, it's not a true ground-ball pitch and he can get into big trouble if he doesn't keep it in the lower third of the strike zone. He'll mix in a straight change to keep hitters a little off-balance, but really, he's all guts and guile at this point. BACK TO TOP 27 Jeff Suppan POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 31 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: St. Louis Cardinals STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 32 190 12 7 69 104 4.12 Suppan may have made himself some extra money with a pair of big performances in the NLCS against the Mets, covering up the fact that he was the one Cardinals starter to lose his start in the Division Series against San Diego. Suppan is a right-handed finesse pitcher, with a below-average fastball mostly in the 85-88 range, although he'll touch 90 on occasion. His best secondary pitch is a 79-83 mph changeup with little fade, although he maintains his arm speed well enough to fool some hitters. He has a slow, nearly 12-to-6 curveball that is inconsistent and one he often struggles to finish. Suppan survives by his approach. He has plus control and average command, and works to the edges of the strike zone, staying away from right-handed hitters and only coming in to lefties with his curve. Although he doesn't get much sink on his fastball, he stays in the lower half of the zone enough to get ground balls and keep the ball in the park. Suppan's best attribute is his durability; he has made at least 31 starts in each of the last eight seasons, and has topped 200 innings pitched in each season if we include the playoffs. With so many of this winter's top starters carrying medical dossiers written by Charles Dickens, Suppan's durability will get him a premium in the market. Given his mediocre stuff, however, American League teams should beware. BACK TO TOP 28 Joe Borowski POSITION: Relief Pitcher AGE: 33 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Florida Marlins STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM SV W L BB K ERA 72 36 3 3 33 64 3.75 Borowski isn't one of the top pitchers available so much on his talent as on his track record: He had the most 2006 saves of any pitcher on the market, and only Danys Baez has more saves in the last two years. With at least a half-dozen teams hoping to add a closer this winter, Borowski will see interest out of proportion to any realistic expectation of his performance. Borowski is a two-pitch pitcher who survives via plus fastball command. His four-seamer is straight and often up in the zone, with average velocity (87-91), while his slider is inconsistent but at times has a sharp downward break that makes it an intermittent out pitch. When he's on, he can pitch to the two sides of the strike zone and stay out of the middle of the plate, where his fastball is too straight for him to get many swings and misses. His control is a 45 at best. Because he has enough outings where his slider is working and he's hitting his spots with his fastball, he's a capable enough middle reliever but probably shouldn't be given a lot of high-leverage work. In other words, any team that signs him expecting to get 36 saves is probably going to be disappointed. BACK TO TOP 29 Akinori Iwamura POSITION: Third Base AGE: 27 | BATS: L | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Yakult Swallows (Japan) STATUS: Posted by Swallows 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 145 84 32 77 .311 .389 .544 Iwamura has posted some big power numbers in Japan, but based on the limited look I had at him in the World Baseball Classic, I don't see how he'll do the same in MLB. The left-handed-hitting Iwamura keeps his hands well away from his body, closes his stance briefly, but then opens up with a half-step toward first base. As a result, Iwamura goes the other way with a lot of pitches down the middle or barely middle-out that a typical power hitter would try to pull or at least drive; it's a low-power swing, and that combined with his stance may leave him vulnerable on balls inside. On defense, Iwamura appears to have a fringe-average arm and fair range, but doesn't look like an above-average defender. The WBC and spring training are not ideal scouting looks, however, so this ranking is as tentative as any I've made. BACK TO TOP 30 Mike Stanton POSITION: Relief Pitcher AGE: 39 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: San Francisco Giants STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 82 67.2 7 7 27 48 3.99 Stanton may have done more for his market value this fall than any other non-Cardinals pitcher in baseball. While it's unlikely that any team will see those eight saves and think of Stanton as a closer -- unlikely, but not impossible -- Stanton showed that not only is he still relevant, but he has value as a setup man rather than as only a lefty specialist. Stanton's pitching plan is simple: get ahead with the fastball and/or cutter, then finish hitters off with the curve middle-out or down (for lefties) or changeup middle-out to outside (for righties). He cuts most of his fastballs, throwing them at 85-86 mph and touching 88, trying to stay away from solid contact while getting ahead in the count. His curve is slow and has a big break, at 69-71 mph, with good depth; he controls that pitch better than any of his other pitches, and will go for the swing and miss on a curve down when he's ahead of a left-handed hitter. His changeup is a little easier to pick up as he slows his arm, but it has some late fade, and makes him more effective against right-handed batters than a lot of lefty relievers today. Of course, Stanton turns 40 in June, so this could all go south quickly, but a short-term commitment here should pay off nicely.[/quote] [quote]31 Kei Igawa POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 27 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: Hanshin Tigers (Japan) STATUS: Expected to be posted 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 29 209 14 9 49 194 2.97 One of the best left-handed starters in Japan, Igawa wasn't expected to come over this winter as a free agent, but his current employer, the Hanshin Tigers, has apparently made an about-face and will post him this week. Igawa is primarily a two-pitch pitcher, with a below-average fastball in the 84-88 mph range with a little run, and a plus 74-79 mph curveball with a late two-plane break. He has a slight stabbing motion at the start of his delivery, but stays on top of the ball well, giving the curve its good depth and creating some downhill plane to his otherwise flat fastball. He also has average command and plus control. The downside to Igawa is that his fastball may be a little short for MLB hitters, in which case, he'll end up a reliever, and probably a good one with that plus curve as a lefty-killing weapon. (He does throw an occasional changeup, but prefers to use his curve to get righties out as well.) The upside would be if his quick delivery makes the ball hard enough for hitters to pick up that his fastball plays up to average, in which case he could certainly pitch in the back end of an NL rotation. He's also an ideal candidate to learn a splitter, although that's a common pitch in Asia and it would be a surprise if he hadn't already tried one. BACK TO TOP 32 Aubrey Huff POSITION: Third Base AGE: 29 | BATS: L | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Houston Astros STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 131 57 21 66 .267 .344 .469 It's time to acknowledge that the budding superstar version of Aubrey Huff we saw in 2002-03 is gone, replaced by a lower-average and lower-power version who's going to be a second choice for teams that are unable to land one of the major power bats. Huff has a quick bat with a longer swing that has a lot of loft in it, trading line-drive contact for the chance for more power. His market is limited by his lack of a true position; he's below-average at third, with questionable hands and poor lateral range, but he's been awful when tried in the outfield, and his bat doesn't really play at first. BACK TO TOP 33 Vicente Padilla POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 29 | BATS: B | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Texas Rangers STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 33 200 15 10 70 156 4.50 Padilla's stuff has long been overshadowed by concerns about his makeup, specifically the drinking problem that nearly got him killed in a car accident in Nicaragua before the 2004 season. Teams are often doubly wary of players with drinking problems, because it may impact the player's on-field performance, but also because of the tremendous liability concerns it creates. As a pitcher, Padilla has enough stuff to pitch in the back of a big league rotation. He has a solid-average fastball, pitching at 90-91, with some arm-side run, and he mixes in a soft cutter at 86-88. He doesn't have a plus secondary pitch; his best is a slider in the low 80s that has a hard, downward break, but he doesn't throw it for strikes often enough. He also mixes in a soft, loopy curve and a flat changeup. His fundamental problem as a pitcher is that his arm action is very long, and as a result, he can't repeat his delivery and has below-average command. If his history of alcohol abuse doesn't stop some team from giving him a two- or three-year deal, he's a good bet to disappoint. BACK TO TOP 34 Rich Aurilia POSITION: Third Base AGE: 35 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Cincinnati Reds STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 122 61 23 70 .300 .349 .518 At age 35, Aurilia posted the second-highest home run total of his career, marking the first time he cracked the 20-homer mark since he hit 37 in 2001. It's all the more remarkable given Aurilia's slider-speed bat; the drop in his bat speed nearly knocked him out of baseball in 2004, but he's managed to survive in the National League, where a number of starting pitchers top out in the mid-to-upper 80s. He's also a man without a true position; his range is too limited for him to play shortstop on more than an emergency basis, and unless he hits like he did in 2006 again, his bat won't play at third base. He might be able to settle in at second base, although his slowing reactions don't bode well for his ability to learn that position (especially the pivot required on a 6-4-3 double play) at his age. Any long-term investment on the basis of his fluky '06 level of production would be misguided. BACK TO TOP 35 Gary Matthews Jr. POSITION: Center Field AGE: 32 | BATS: B | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Texas Rangers STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 147 102 19 79 .313 .371 .495 There are a number of players hitting this market after career years, but the disparity between Matthews' 2006 performance and his prior stats is the largest of any of the hitters available. Matthews was a fourth or fifth outfielder before 2006, but a very strong first half (.328/.374/.539) put him on the AL All-Star team while one of the best catches you'll ever see an outfielder make gave him the reputation of a star defender. In reality, Matthews is still a fourth outfielder, albeit one who had an outstanding season. He has some bat speed, but it's far from a classic swing, with a busy setup, a slight barring out front, and a definite uppercut that produces a lot of pop-ups and lazy fly balls. He's not a disciplined hitter and expands the zone tremendously with two strikes. Although his denial of Mike Lamb's home run was impressive, one play can't give you a complete picture of a player's defensive ability; Matthews has fringe-average range in center, maybe average if you're generous, which is something you'll take if he hits like he did in 2006. If he doesn't, though, then he's probably not helping you on offense or defense, making him a poor risk for teams that wish to give him the salary of an everyday player. BACK TO TOP 36 Kenny Lofton POSITION: Center Field AGE: 39 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: Los Angeles Dodgers STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SB 129 79 3 41 .301 .360 32 Lofton will turn 40 in May, and while there are some small signs that his body is starting to slow down -- especially in his bat speed -- he's still fleet enough afoot to stay in center field and to be an asset on the bases. The small amount of power he once had is long gone, although he's still trying to pull the ball too often when he'd be better served trying to go the other way and get an extra half-step toward first base. His instincts in center have never been good -- there's an oft-heard scouting quip about Lofton that he plays center field "like he's being chased by a swarm of bees" -- but he still has the raw speed to make up for it. Like a number of older players in this free agent class, he's a small drop in ability away from becoming a bench player instead of a regular, but at his age, he's not likely to receive any offers of more than a year anyway. BACK TO TOP 37 Moises Alou POSITION: Left Field AGE: 40 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: San Francisco Giants STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 98 52 22 74 .301 .352 .571 I think voters and fans alike may be surprised in six or seven years when Alou's name comes up on the Hall of Fame ballot. He's amassed some impressive bulk totals over the course of a fairly quiet career, including over 300 homers and over 2,000 hits, as well as a .516 career slugging percentage. He's not a Hall of Famer, but he's in the first tier of guys who aren't enshrined. Alou will turn 41 during the 2007 season, but is still a productive power hitter when he can stay on the field. He has a long swing, but is a very smart hitter who doesn't miss his pitch and gets good plate coverage without swinging and missing excessively. The swing is very simple, which allows him to stay back well on balls and drive enough of them into the seats to make himself an asset. Never a good outfielder, he's becoming a liability in the field, and is probably best-suited to DH duty, even though potential DHs are in relatively high supply in this market. BACK TO TOP 38 Jeff Weaver POSITION: Starting Pitcher AGE: 30 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: St. Louis Cardinals STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM IP W L BB K ERA 31 172 8 14 47 107 5.76 So, who's the real Jeff Weaver? The guy who got blasted out of the American League in the first half of 2006? The guy who survived but didn't pitch all that well for St. Louis in the second half? Or the look-at-me-mom-I'm-clutch! guy from the postseason? Weaver will probably be paid like the guy behind door No. 3, but I'm pretty sure that door has a goat behind it. Weaver is a low-slot right-hander who has the problem with left-handed hitters that nearly all low-slot righties have -- that is, the inability to get them out. He was even worse against lefties after coming over to the NL, where they hit .357/.428/.669 against him before the postseason. Weaver's problem with lefties is compounded by his lack of a plus pitch, including a below-average change and a soft-breaking curve that serves as his primary complement to his average fastball. He did have success in keeping his fastball down after coming over to St. Louis, although he'd been an extreme fly-ball pitcher for most of his career; it's possible that Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan has worked some more of his magic, but a Weaver suitor only gets Weaver as part of the deal, not Duncan -- unless it's the Cardinals again. BACK TO TOP 39 Bengie Molina POSITION: Catcher AGE: 32 | BATS: R | THROWS: R 2006 TEAM: Toronto Blue Jays STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 117 44 19 57 .284 .319 .467 The winner of last winter's Jody Reed Award (turning down a big contract, then settling for something much less), Molina fell right back to his normal self at the plate in 2006 after his career year in 2005. He's a 20 runner with a slowing bat and a body that is not aging well, and he's approaching replacement level as a hitter. After years of building up a reputation as one of the best defensive catchers in the game (or, at least, one of the best-throwing catchers), Molina threw out just 18 percent of runners in 2006, looking very slow getting up out of the crouch and into throwing position. It could be a one-year fluke, or a result of working with different pitchers, but given how his body has gone south on him, it has to be a red flag for potential suitors. BACK TO TOP 40 Juan Pierre POSITION: Center Field AGE: 29 | BATS: L | THROWS: L 2006 TEAM: Chicago Cubs STATUS: Unsigned 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI AVG OBP SB 162 87 3 40 .292 .330 58 One of the most overrated players of the 2000s, Pierre has precisely one above-average baseball ability: He can run. He has no power, has poor fielding instincts, has a below-average arm, and is not patient at the plate. While he has a .303 career batting average, his actual hitting ability is average at best. He has an erratic swing path, one that often puts him under balls he should be centering and trying to hit on the ground or as line drives. In center, he makes up for those poor instincts with his raw speed, but is no more than an average fielder; when his speed begins to decline, his bat won't support a move to left field. He's a No. 8 or 9 hitter who has been miscast as a leadoff hitter because he can fly, but he'll likely be paid to lead off by a club that values speed over the ability to get on base.[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A-Men-HouseofPain Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 wow i could not agree with that top 40 by ESPN any less. i think thats a horrible ranking of the FAs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A-Men-HouseofPain Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Guys i wouldnt mind the Reds signing or at least taking a look at: Moises Alou, RF quality bat to our lineup for a year or two, i fear his ability to play 130+ games tho. Rich Aurilia, 3B i think its obvious Danys Baez, RP could be our closer or at least a great guy out of the pen Ronnie Belliard, 2B would give us a solid bat and glove and let us put Phillips at SS Barry Bonds, LF cant i dream Chad Bradford, RP helps our bullpen... Frank Catalanotto, LF very good backup and can play all positions David Dellucci, LF I would love for him to be starting in our OF Mark DeRosa, 2B he is a rumor as a guy we want and have contacted, would give us a quality 2B and can move Phillips to SS, would be a good hitting and infielding MI. J.D. Drew, RF Wont get, wont try, cnat afford, but this is my wishlist. Eric Gagne, RP Wont get, wont try, cnat afford, but this is my wishlist. Nomar Garciaparra, 1B Wont get, wont try, cnat afford, but this is my wishlist. Tom Glavine, SP Wont get, wont try, cnat afford, but this is my wishlist. Luis Gonzalez, LF I like the idea of having him for a couple of seasons Eddie Guardado, RP assuming he recovers get him back, he was great for us. Jose Guillen, RF we need an OF and we know what he can do and he wont break the bank. Orlando Hernandez, SP Depending on price i would love to have him in our rotation, he is clutch too. Aubrey Huff, 3B could play OF for us and provide a nice bat. Carlos Lee, LF Julio Lugo, SS Would love to sign and put him at SS for us. Greg Maddux, SP Jason Marquis, SP wouldnt mind having him for our # 3 SP Gil Meche, SP Would be a good 4 man for us. Kevin Millar, 1B wouldnt mind seeing him in our OF Mark Mulder, SP How great would stealing a STL SP and upgrading our staff be? Tomo Ohka, SP backend SP Andy Pettitte, SP if his price was legit, which it wont be. Juan Pierre, CF id love to have him leading off for us and playing CF. Move griffey to RF and he wont have to cover as much ground and Pierre can save Dunn on some gap shots because of his blazing speed. Great table setter for us too and doesnt K too much. Brad Radke, SP i fear we might get him if the market doesnt throw him a lot of money. im not sure if thats good or bad. Aramis Ramirez, 3B i like him, but we dont have room for him. Idk why the hell he is ranked the # 1 FA tho... J.C. Romero, RP quality pen help. Jason Schmidt, SP Would be a great # 2 and would cause Arroyo to be our # 3, im in favor. Alfonso Soriano, LF 40-40 abilities, good fielding 2B, ended up one of the best LFs in the league last year, sign him up Scott Spiezio, 3B Clutch in a backup role for STL, why not try and make him our stud off the bench? Jeff Suppan, SP worked his magic for STL, maybe he can bring it our way. Frank Thomas, DH If we could talk MLB into giving us a DH or 2 (dunn) Jeff Weaver, SP could be an interesting pickup David Wells, SP why not? he seems to always help the team he is on and get them into the playoffs. Randy Wolf, SP i doubt he would cost that much now and could be a solid backend SP. Kerry Wood, SP if he could stay healthy he would be well worth the money. Barry Zito, SP More dreaming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmer4HOF Posted November 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Why do people like Zito? He fucking sucks... most overrated pitcher in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmer4HOF Posted November 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Knock Kerry Wood and Aramis Ramirez of the FA list... both were resigned by the Cubbies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A-Men-HouseofPain Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 [quote name='Palmer4HOF' post='383463' date='Nov 12 2006, 10:41 AM']Why do people like Zito? He fucking sucks... most overrated pitcher in the league.[/quote] he is overrated, but he would also be a huge upgrade to our rotation. [quote name='Palmer4HOF' post='384921' date='Nov 12 2006, 06:00 PM']Knock Kerry Wood and Aramis Ramirez of the FA list... both were resigned by the Cubbies[/quote] wow, i would have kissed woods ass goodbye if i was chicago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm00th_kw Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 [quote name='A-Men-HouseofPain' post='381300' date='Nov 7 2006, 06:54 PM']AGE IS NOT OF CONCERN! We are trying to win now, Dunn HAS YET TO SHOW that he can improve or even try to improve. He wont. He is going to always be an overhyped, clutchless, waste of salary who can only hit long HRs between his 200 k's.[/quote] He won't get better why? Because you say he won't? Okay. Because he had one off year (in which he still hit 40 HR's, 92 RBI, 100 runs)? Ya see...because I didn't know clutchless guys could hit walk off Grand Slam's down three runs...my fault. I didn't know it was easy to get better than 40 HR's, 100 RBI, 100 Runs ect. ect. three years in a row before you turn 27. Being completely clueless must be fun, after all, in your world salary's mean nothing, age means nothing (which is weird because all I saw from you during the season was Griffey bashing....hmmm, I wonder what makes him not the player he once was? Care to take a stab at it age don't mean a thing guy?) and we should sign whoever you think up on any random day. If we're trying to construct the best video game baseball team you might be in the same ballpark of discussion here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A-Men-HouseofPain Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 [quote name='sm00th_kw' post='385768' date='Nov 13 2006, 03:18 PM']He won't get better why? Because you say he won't? Okay. Because he had one off year (in which he still hit 40 HR's, 92 RBI, 100 runs)? Ya see...because I didn't know clutchless guys could hit walk off Grand Slam's down three runs...my fault. I didn't know it was easy to get better than 40 HR's, 100 RBI, 100 Runs ect. ect. three years in a row before you turn 27. Being completely clueless must be fun, after all, in your world salary's mean nothing, age means nothing (which is weird because all I saw from you during the season was Griffey bashing....hmmm, I wonder what makes him not the player he once was? Care to take a stab at it age don't mean a thing guy?) and we should sign whoever you think up on any random day. If we're trying to construct the best video game baseball team you might be in the same ballpark of discussion here.[/quote] i am clueless? if im clueless then ur an idiot. Dunn hasnt shown any signs of improvement. He sucks and if his HRs were shorter no one would go on like they do. All he can do is hit a HR and walk, but to counter that he cant put the bat on the ball, he cant sacrifice guys in, he cant field, and he cant hit wiht RISP (the most important stat for a middle of the lineup and 10 million dollar player). Wow, 1 fuckin time u can mention that he was clutch. Im pretty sure David Ross had a walkoff for us, so we should give him 10 mill a year and praise him like he is a badass. Griffeys lack of talent now is due to his injuries, not his age and his injuries are due to bad luck and bad conditioning, not age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmer4HOF Posted November 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 [quote]Free Agency Preview There is already an open DataReader associated with this Connection which must be closed first. PRINTER FRIENDLY Strike Zone Archives Just in time for players to begin to talk money with other teams, here's an updated and condensed version of my free agency preview articles from August. The lists reflect several changes from August, and there's an all new set of predictions. I'm also listing potential trade and non-tender/release candidates, as well as the winter 2007 free agents to be. In case you were curious, the columns from August can be found here: Pitchers Hitters Catchers Rod Barajas (Rangers) - Prediction: Phillies - two years, $7 million Bengie Molina (Blue Jays) - Prediction: Giants - one year, $4 million Gregg Zaun (Blue Jays) - Prediction: Blue Jays - two years, $6 million Mike Piazza (Padres) - Prediction: Rangers - one year, $5 million Javy Lopez (Red Sox) - Prediction: White Sox - one year, $1.5 million Mike Lieberthal (Phillies) - Prediction: Orioles - one year, $1 million Young catchers may be at a premium at the moment, but the supply of veterans could exceed the demand. The only teams out there certain to acquire a starting catcher are the Blue Jays and Giants, and the Jays would probably prefer to simply re-sign Zaun. The Phillies, Astros, Royals, Padres and Rockies are the other teams that could seek upgrades, and the Yankees and Red Sox could commit to one of the veterans as a backup. … Molina, who didn't sign until February a year ago, is a candidate to be left out in the cold again, especially if the Giants decide their best option is to trade for Johnny Estrada. Philadelphia might be another possibility for him, but there's also the chance he could sign on with the Yankees and play behind Jorge Posada. … Whether the Padres invite Piazza back will apparently come down to whether they can find a left fielder to replace him in the cleanup spot. The Rangers, Angels, Blue Jays, Mariners and Orioles could use him as a designated hitter/backup catcher. Other free agents: Henry Blanco (Cubs), Doug Mirabelli (Red Sox), Todd Pratt (Braves), Sal Fasano (Yankees), Todd Greene (Giants), Kelly Stinnett (Mets), Paul Bako (Royals), Chris Widger (Orioles), Sandy Alomar Jr. (White Sox), Guillermo Quiroz (Mariners), Mike DiFelice (Mets), Raul Chavez (Orioles), Einar Diaz (Dodgers) The Cubs figure to retain Blanco as the backup for Michael Barrett, though it may take another two-year deal. … It appears less likely that Mirabelli will be back in Boston, but it really should take more than one off year for him to lose his status as one of the game's best backups. Trade candidates: Johnny Estrada (Diamondbacks), Jason LaRue (Reds), Toby Hall (Dodgers), Michael Barrett (Cubs), Jason Kendall (Athletics), David Ross (Reds), Jeff Mathis (Angels), Kelly Shoppach (Indians), Rene Rivera (Mariners), Josh Paul (Devil Rays) The Diamondbacks could move Estrada and let Miguel Montero and Chris Snyder battle for playing time. Estrada has already made it clear that he'd like to play for the Giants. … The Reds likely will have to pick up at least half of LaRue's $5.2 million salary in order to trade him. They'd prefer to go with Ross and Javier Valentin behind the plate. … With Grady Little likely to treat Russell Martin as a workhorse once again, the Dodgers should want a cheaper backup than Hall, who made $2.25 million last season. Hall might end up being non-tendered. … There no longer seems to be much chance of Barrett or Kendall going anywhere. Non-tender candidates: Toby Hall (Dodgers), Humberto Cota (Pirates), Miguel Ojeda (Rangers) Top 2007 free agents: Ivan Rodriguez (Tigers), Jorge Posada (Yankees), Michael Barrett (Cubs), Paul Lo Duca (Mets), Jason Kendall (Athletics), Jason LaRue (Reds), Toby Hall (Dodgers), Yorvit Torrealba (Rockies), Damian Miller (Brewers), Mike Matheny (Giants)*, Brad Ausmus (Astros), Ramon Castro (Mets), Jose Molina (Angels), Javier Valentin (Reds)*, Josh Paul (Devil Rays), Gary Bennett (Cardinals) 2008 options: Matheny - $4 million ($2 million buyout), Valentin - $1.3 million ($75,000 buyout) First Basemen/Designated Hitters Nomar Garciaparra (Dodgers) - Prediction: Dodgers - two years, $20 million Frank Thomas (Athletics) - Prediction: Athletics - two years, $16 million Aubrey Huff (Astros) - Prediction: Tigers - three years, $20 million Sean Casey (Tigers) - Prediction: Giants - two years, $13 million Shea Hillenbrand (Giants) - Prediction: Angels - one year, $6 million Craig Wilson (Yankees) - Prediction: Red Sox - one year, $4 million Dmitri Young (Tigers) - Prediction: Mariners - one year, $2.5 million Gone from the August list is Korean slugger Seung-Yeop Lee, who opted to stay in Japan. … I had both Garciaparra and Huff signing with the Orioles on the previous list, but things have changed since then. With J.D. Drew opting out of his contract, it now makes more sense for the Dodgers to spend what it will take to keep Garciaparra. James Loney should be able to handle right field. … Huff to the Tigers looks like an even better bet. The club isn't prepared to go with Chris Shelton, and it looks like finding a left-handed hitter for the opening at first base will be a priority. … I don't have strong hunches about the bottom four players on the list. Casey would be a typical Brian Sabean signing, but the Giants have the opportunity to go cheaper and may do so. Doug Mientkiewicz might be a fit there. … Wilson's stock is down because of his struggles with the Yankees, and it no longer seems likely that he'll get a multiyear deal. However, as one of the game's most underrated hitters, he'd be a nice signing. Oakland could be an option if Thomas leaves. … Young to Tampa Bay to play first base would be an interesting idea, but given his recent off-field issues, he might not be the best mentor for his little brother. Other free agents: Doug Mientkiewicz (Royals), Carlos Pena (Red Sox), Erubiel Durazo (FA), Kevin Millar (Orioles), Ryan Klesko (Padres), Travis Lee (Devil Rays), Phil Nevin (Cubs), Daryle Ward (Braves), Matthew LeCroy (FA), Robert Fick (Nationals), Hee-Seop Choi (Red Sox), Josh Phelps (Tigers), Roberto Petagine (Mariners), J.R. House (Astros), Eric Munson (Astros), Ken Harvey (Royals), Randall Simon (Phillies), Mike Kinkade (Marlins), Jeff Bagwell (Astros), Tim Salmon (Angels) There's the potential for some nice cheap platoons with the players listed above. Durazo should be ready to resume producing a year and a half removed from Tommy John surgery, and Klesko might yet be effective in a DH. The Orioles could consider pairing Millar with one of them. … It looks like the Braves are likely to re-sign Ward to act as a pinch-hitter an backup to Adam LaRoche. Options Eduardo Perez (Mariners) - club option ($1.75 million?), $125,000 buyout Trade candidates: Mark Teixeira (Rangers), Chris Shelton (Tigers), Todd Helton (Rockies), Mike Sweeney (Royals), Mike Jacobs (Marlins), Dan Johnson (Athletics), James Loney (Dodgers), Ryan Garko (Indians), Justin Huber (Royals), Tony Clark (Diamondbacks), Lance Niekro (Giants), Larry Broadway (Nationals) Teixeira to Detroit for Jeremy Bonderman has been an increasingly popular rumor, even though there's nothing to suggest that the two teams have spent a minute discussing it. On the off chance that something does happen, the Tigers could include Shelton as a potential replacement for Teixeira in Texas. It doesn't look like they have any interest in giving the 26-year-old another opportunity. … None of the other players seem particularly likely to go. If the Rockies get a chance to dump Helton's contract, they should do so. However, there haven't been any rumors as of yet. … There's a slight chance the Marlins could use Jacobs in a trade for a center fielder, maybe Chris Duffy or Jeremy Reed. Non-tender candidates: Ben Broussard (Mariners), Mike Lamb (Astros) Top 2007 free agents: Mike Sweeney (Royals), Eric Hinske (Red Sox), Scott Hatteberg (Reds)*, Jeff Conine (Phillies), Tony Clark (Diamondbacks), Olmedo Saenz (Dodgers), Mark Sweeney (Giants), Greg Norton (Devil Rays)*, Julio Franco (Mets) 2008 options: Hatteberg - $1.85 million ($150,000 buyout), Norton - $1 million ($200,000 buyout) Second Basemen Ray Durham (Giants) - Prediction: Padres - two years, $14 million Adam Kennedy (Angels) - Prediction: Mets - three years, $12 million Ronnie Belliard (Cardinals) - Prediction: Giants - two years, $8.5 million Mark Loretta (Red Sox) - Predication: Cardinals - one year, $4.5 million Jose Valentin (Mets) - Prediction: Reds - one year, $2 million The Mets, Cardinals and Padres look like the teams sure to acquire second basemen this winter. Also potentially in the market are the Giants, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Cubs, Reds, Braves and Rockies. … With the Mets apparently set to put a premium on defense, San Diego is my guess for Durham. The Padres will try first to trade for Marcus Giles, but Durham would be a great fit at the top of their order. … I had Kennedy to the Giants and Belliard to the Mets in the August column. Now I think Kennedy is more likely to join the Mets, although Belliard, Loretta and Rich Aurilia remain possibilities. If Valentin stays, it will likely be as a reserve. … Kevin Frandsen's very strong AFL campaign increases the chances that the Giants will go with him as the replacement for Durham. Still, the veterans will be affordable enough that the team should probably stick Frandsen in a utility role initially. … Valentin can replace Aurilia in Cincinnati and potentially start at second base if Brandon Phillips moves to shortstop. Other free agents: Todd Walker (Padres), Tony Graffanino (Brewers), Kaz Matsui (Rockies), Alex Cora (Red Sox), Jerry Hairston Jr. (Rangers), Miguel Cairo (Yankees), Junior Spivey (Cardinals), Mark Bellhorn (Padres), Chris Gomez (Orioles), Damion Easley (Diamondbacks), Damian Jackson (FA), D'Angelo Jimenez (Athletics), Ramon Vazquez (Indians), Luis Rivas (Devil Rays), Nick Green (Yankees), Willie Harris (Red Sox), Bobby Hill (Padres), Tony Womack (FA), Frank Menechino (Yankees), Enrique Wilson (Red Sox) Graffanino would be a nice option for the Braves if Giles is dealt. He could also be a fit in Toronto or San Francisco. … The Rockies would like to bring Matsui back to battle Jamey Carroll for playing time. If he leaves, they could turn to Graffanino. … Cora has already agreed to re-sign with the Red Sox, but since the deal isn't official, he's still listed here. Trade candidates: Marcus Giles (Braves), Jose Vidro (Nationals), Jose Castillo (Pirates), Alberto Callaspo (Diamondbacks), Omar Infante (Tigers), Hector Luna (Indians), Russ Adams (Blue Jays) While Cleveland has been crossed off the list, the Braves continue to have suitors for Giles in the Padres, Blue Jays and maybe the Red Sox. I see him going to Toronto. … Vidro's contract would be hard to digest, but maybe the Cubs would take him on if the Nationals would pick up some of the $16 million he's owed through 2008. … The Pirates appear to be frustrated with Castillo, but as saturated as the market is, this would seem to be a poor time to trade him. … It's sort of the same deal with Callaspo. He's likely ready to resemble an average regular, but the Diamondbacks aren't likely to get a lot in return by dealing him now. Non-tender candidates: Eric Bruntlett (Astros), Bernie Castro (Nationals), Andy Green (Diamondbacks) Top 2007 free agents: Marcus Giles (Braves), Jeff Kent (Dodgers)*, Luis Castillo (Twins), Mark Grudzielanek (Royals)*, Craig Biggio (Astros), Marlon Anderson (Nationals) 2008 options: Kent - $9 million (vests w/550 PA in 2007, $500,000 buyout), Grudzielanek - $4 million-$4.5 million player option Third Basemen Pedro Feliz (Giants) - Prediction: Giants - three years, $18 million Akinori Iwamura (Japan) - Prediction: Indians - three years, $9 million Mark DeRosa (Rangers) - Prediction: Phillies - two years, $8 million Rich Aurilia (Reds) - Prediction: Yankees - one year, $3.5 million The Angels lost their apparent top target when Aramis Ramirez chose to re-sign with the Cubs on Sunday. Unless Nomar Garciaparra counts, there are no exceptional third basemen out there in free agency. They should probably look elsewhere as they seek to upgrade their lineup. … Feliz's talks with the Giants haven't gone as planned, but I don't see any other team valuing him as highly as San Francisco does. The Phillies don't appear to be interested in spending that much on a third baseman. Maybe the Astros would consider him after trading Morgan Ensberg. … Iwamura was reportedly bid on by the Indians, Padres, Red Sox, Rays and Phillies. It'd be interesting to see him land on the Rays. He could play over B.J. Upton at third or move to second base, pushing Jorge Cantu to first. … Aurilia could stay with the Reds as a second baseman or head home and join one of the New York teams as a part-time player. Other free agents: David Bell (Brewers), Aaron Boone (Indians), Wes Helms (Marlins), Scott Spiezio (Cardinals), Jeff Cirillo (Brewers), Geoff Blum (Padres), Keith Ginter (Athletics), Fernando Tatis (Orioles), Justin Leone (Padres) Jose Hernandez (Phillies), Terry Tiffee (Twins), Edgardo Alfonzo (Mets), Lou Merloni (Indians), Joe McEwing (Astros), Joe Randa (Pirates), Vinny Castilla (Rockies) Bell and Boone could be cheaper alternatives for the Giants. … Spiezio boosted his stock late in the year, but he'll probably remain with the Cardinals as a bench player. … Randa and Castilla are retiring. Trade candidates: Morgan Ensberg (Astros), Mike Lowell (Red Sox), Hank Blalock (Rangers), Adrian Beltre (Mariners), Josh Fields (White Sox), Dallas McPherson (Angels), Antonio Perez (Athletics), Brendan Harris (Reds) Ensberg is likely the best remaining choice if the Angels are intent on upgrading at third base. Also, count on the Red Sox being interested if they move Lowell for relief help. … It seems a whole lot less likely that Blalock will go now that the Rangers have hired Ron Washington to manage. Instead, Washington will make an effort to work with Blalock much like he did Eric Chavez in Oakland. … Beltre also appears unlikely to move on after his strong second half. The Angels are one team that might be interested in taking on his contract, but the Mariners would be especially wary about trading him within the division. Top 2007 free agents: Mike Lowell (Red Sox), Brandon Inge (Tigers), Corey Koskie (Brewers)*, Russell Branyan (Padres), Abraham Nunez (Phillies)*, Bill Mueller (Dodgers) 2008 options: Koskie - $6.5 million ($500,000 buyout), Nunez - $2.8 million ($300,000 buyout) Shortstops Julio Lugo (Dodgers) - Prediction: Red Sox - four years, $32 million Alex Gonzalez (Red Sox) - Prediction: Blue Jays - two years, $7 million Craig Counsell (Diamondbacks) - Prediction: Rangers - one year, $2 million Lugo's stock declined during his stay in Los Angeles, but he's still easily the top shortstop on the market and the Mets haven't ruled out signing him as a second baseman. Since no other team is looking to spend big on a shortstop, Boston makes all kinds of sense for him. … With few teams looking for shortstops, Gonzalez might have to settle for another one-year deal. I think the Jays would be smart to sign him and leave Aaron Hill at second base. Infield defense should be a priority with both Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett on the staff. … Counsell is no longer worthy of a starting job, but there should be a great deal of interest in him as a utilityman. Other free agents: Royce Clayton (Reds), Chris Woodward (Mets), Tomas Perez (Devil Rays), Luis Ordaz (Devil Rays), Manny Alexander (Padres) Trade candidates: Miguel Tejada (Orioles), Juan Uribe (White Sox), Orlando Cabrera (Angels), Felipe Lopez (Nationals), Jack Wilson (Pirates), Clint Barmes (Rockies), Angel Berroa (Royals), Cristian Guzman (Nationals), Neifi Perez (Tigers), Erick Aybar (Angels), Joaquin Arias (Rangers), Ray Olmedo (Reds), Anderson Hernandez (Mets), Omar Quintanilla (Rockies), Andres Blanco (Royals) Tejada was more likely to go a year ago. The Angels could try again to acquire him after losing out on Aramis Ramirez, but it doesn't appear that the Orioles are very interested in making a change. … The White Sox are another team that would love to have Tejada, but they're not in on Lugo right now and there's no one else out there who would qualify as a big upgrade from Uribe. … The Nationals will be open to moving either Lopez or Guzman. There won't be interest in the latter, but Lopez, who is also an option at second and third, would be a nice pickup for a lot of teams. The Nationals may keep both and deal Vidro, putting Lopez at second. Non-tender candidates: Ramon Santiago (Tigers), John McDonald (Blue Jays) Top 2007 free agents: Michael Young (Rangers)*, Carlos Guillen (Tigers), Juan Uribe (White Sox)*, David Eckstein (Cardinals), Cesar Izturis (Cubs)*, Omar Vizquel (Giants), Neifi Perez (Tigers) 2008 options: Young - $5 million ($500,000 buyout), Uribe - $5 million ($300,000 buyout), Izturis - $5.45 million ($300,000 buyout) Outfielders Alfonso Soriano (Nationals) - Prediction: Angels - six years, $100 million Carlos Lee (Rangers) - Prediction: Astros - five years, $70 million J.D. Drew (Dodgers) - Prediction: Padres - four years, $50 million Gary Matthews Jr. (Rangers) - Prediction: Rangers - four years, $32 million Barry Bonds (Giants) - Prediction: Giants - one year, $10 million Juan Pierre (Cubs) - Projection: White Sox - three years, $20 million Dave Roberts (Padres) - Prediction: Brewers - three years, $16 million Luis Gonzalez (Diamondbacks) - Prediction: Cardinals - one year, $6.5 million Trot Nixon (Red Sox) - Prediction: Phillies - two years, $11 million David Dellucci (Phillies) - Prediction: Orioles - two years, $9 million Moises Alou (Giants) - Predication: Mets - one year, $6 million Jose Guillen (Nationals) - Prediction: Giants - one year, $5 million Jay Payton (Athletics) - Prediction: Cubs - two years, $7 million Frank Catalanotto (Blue Jays) - Prediction: Twins - two years, $6 million Kenny Lofton (Dodgers) - Prediction: Dodgers - one year, $3.5 million Cliff Floyd (Mets) - Prediction: Mariners - one year, $3 million Shannon Stewart (Twins) - Prediction: Athletics - one year, $2 million The Phillies, Dodgers and Padres will make bids, but I had Soriano to the Angels back in August and it's a better bet now with Aramis Ramirez off the market. … The Cubs still have the money for Lee, but starting pitching should be a bigger priority. Houston is the favorite to sign him. … I'd switch Drew over to the Red Sox if the Daisuke Matsuzaka rumors turn out to be false. With Matsuzaka on the team, it's doubtful they could sign both Drew and Lugo. … If Soriano heads elsewhere, the Angels figure to make the top offer to Matthews. The Cubs will also be in the mix. However, I have him staying put for now. … As quick as the Rangers were to reverse their position after originally saying they'd consider Bonds, it seems even less likely that there will be a market for him outside of the Bay Area. Pierre isn't likely to get the deal he hoped he would, but the White Sox might like him as an option in both center and left. … Under the theory that he'll cost less than Matthews or Pierre, Roberts has been extremely popular early on. It looks like he might get a three-year deal. … The teams that miss out on Matthews, Pierre and Roberts could do worse than signing Payton to play center field. He's not a very good choice as a corner outfielder, but he still has the range to play center. Other free agents: Preston Wilson (Cardinals), Steve Finley (Giants), Darin Erstad (Angels), Richard Hidalgo (FA), Bernie Williams (Yankees), Jose Cruz Jr. (FA), Juan Gonzalez (FA), Jeromy Burnitz (Pirates), Matt Stairs (Tigers), Gabe Kapler (Red Sox), Marlon Byrd (Nationals), Todd Hollandsworth (Reds), Ricky Ledee (Mets), John Mabry (Cubs), Jorge Piedra (FA), Eric Young (Rangers), Michael Tucker (Mets), Eli Marrero (FA), Sammy Sosa (FA), Brian Jordan (Braves), Tike Redman (Astros), Terrence Long (Yankees), Dustan Mohr (Tigers), Ryan Ludwick (Tigers), Chris Aguila (Marlins), Quinton McCracken (Twins) Options Rondell White (Twins) - $4 million club option, $750,000 buyout White is about to join the list of other free agents. … Wilson and Finley figure to be the most popular members of this group. Whether there's much demand for Erstad will depend on how his ankle heals from surgery. Trade candidates: Vernon Wells (Blue Jays), Carl Crawford (Devil Rays), Pat Burrell (Phillies), Manny Ramirez (Red Sox), Chone Figgins (Angels), Coco Crisp (Red Sox), Wily Mo Pena (Red Sox), Austin Kearns (Nationals), Lastings Milledge (Mets), Aaron Rowand (Phillies), Scott Podsednik (White Sox), Geoff Jenkins (Brewers), Kevin Mench (Brewers), Brad Wilkerson (Rangers), Jason Lane (Astros), Willy Taveras (Astros), Chris Burke (Astros), Ryan Church (Nationals), Brian Anderson (White Sox), Elijah Dukes (Devil Rays), Jeremy Reed (Mariners), Jason Michaels (Indians), Reggie Sanders (Royals), Emil Brown (Royals), Chris Duncan (Cardinals), Juan Encarnacion (Cardinals), Joey Gathright (Royals), Brady Clark (Brewers), Ryan Langerhans (Braves), Ben Johnson (Padres), Laynce Nix (Brewers), Franklin Gutierrez (Indians), Lew Ford (Twins), John Rodriguez (Cardinals), Damon Hollins (Devil Rays), Scott Hairston (Diamondbacks), Todd Linden (Giants), Jason Botts (Rangers), David Murphy (Red Sox), Joe Borchard (Marlins), Dave Krynzel (Brewers), Jerry Owens (White Sox), Jason Ellison (Giants), Orlando Palmeiro (Astros) Wells to Texas still might be a possibility, but the Rangers need to focus on adding pitching with both Vicente Padilla and Adam Eaton seemingly on the way out. … The White Sox, Angels and Astros are among those likely to ask about Crawford. My guess is that nothing happens this winter. … Burrell's foot problems would make him a risky proposition, but the Phillies are seriously underrating him as a hitter. He could be quite an asset as a first baseman, possibly in San Francisco. … It again appears unlikely that Manny will be on the move. The Angels still look like the best fit, but it'd be hard for them to commit another big portion of their payroll to a player without defensive value. Podsednik seems to be a goner, and he could be non-tendered if he's not traded. … It looks like the Brewers would prefer to move both Jenkins and Mench, allowing them to commit to Bill Hall in left and Corey Hart in right. … The Astros have no further use for Lane after Luke Scott's emergence. He could be one of the better bargains to be had this winter. … It appears that Nationals GM Jim Bowden likes Church a lot more than former manager Frank Robinson did. If that's the case, he could stay and form a productive platoon with Michael Restovich. … The Cardinals reportedly are close to signing Luis Gonzalez, which could mean that either Duncan or Encarnacion will go. Obviously, there'd be quite a bit more interest in Duncan. The Orioles could surrender Kris Benson or Rodrigo Lopez in a trade for him. Non-tender candidates: Brad Wilkerson (Rangers), Scott Podsednik (White Sox), Kevin Mench (Brewers), Bobby Kielty (Athletics), Jeff DaVanon (Diamondbacks), Larry Bigbie (Cardinals), Jody Gerut (Pirates), So Taguchi (Cardinals), Jayson Werth (Dodgers), Alex Escobar (Nationals), Terrmel Sledge (Padres), Jason Tyner (Twins), David Newhan (Orioles), Jack Cust (Padres), Aaron Guiel (Yankees), Hiram Bocachica (Athletics), Rick Ankiel (Cardinals) Top 2007 free agents: Vernon Wells (Blue Jays), Andruw Jones (Braves), Ichiro Suzuki (Mariners), Adam Dunn (Reds)*, Torii Hunter (Twins), Bobby Abreu (Yankees)*, Jermaine Dye (White Sox), Mike Cameron (Padres), Aaron Rowand (Phillies), Milton Bradley (Athletics), Corey Patterson (Orioles), Brad Wilkerson (Rangers), Eric Byrnes (Diamondbacks), Shawn Green (Mets)*, Geoff Jenkins (Brewers)*, Jason Michaels (Indians), Reggie Sanders (Royals), Brady Clark (Brewers), Rob Mackowiak (White Sox)* 2008 options: Dunn - $13 million ($500,000 buyout), Abreu - $16 million ($2 million buyout), Green - $10 million ($2 million buyout), Jenkins - $9 million ($500,000 buyout), Mackowiak - $3.25 million ($300,000 buyout[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmer4HOF Posted November 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 [quote]Free Agency Preview (Pt. 2) There is already an open DataReader associated with this Connection which must be closed first. PRINTER FRIENDLY Strike Zone Archives Starting Pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka (Japan) - Prediction: Red Sox - four years, $44 million Barry Zito (Athletics) - Prediction: Mets - six years, $90 million Jason Schmidt (Giants) - Prediction: Mariners - five years, $70 million Roger Clemens (Astros) - Prediction: Retirement Mike Mussina (Yankees) - Prediction: Yankees - two years, $23 million Andy Pettitte (Astros) - Prediction: Astros - two years, $20 million Jeff Suppan (Cardinals) - Prediction: Giants - four years, $36 million Vicente Padilla (Rangers) - Prediction: Cubs - four years, $34 million Adam Eaton (Rangers) - Prediction: Rangers - three years, $24 million Ted Lilly (Blue Jays) - Prediction: Dodgers - four years, $30 million Gil Meche (Mariners) - Prediction: Yankees - three years, $22 million Greg Maddux (Dodgers) - Prediction: Padres - two years, $16 million Jeff Weaver (Cardinals) - Prediction: Cardinals - two years, $14 million Kei Igawa (Japan) - Prediction: Diamondbacks - three years, $12 million Randy Wolf (Phillies) - Prediction: Blue Jays - two years, $13 million Jason Marquis (Cardinals) - Prediction: Phillies - two years, $12 million Miguel Batista (Diamondbacks) - Prediction: Rangers - two years, $12 million Woody Williams (Padres) - Prediction: Astros - one year, $6 million Mark Mulder (Cardinals) - Prediction: Cardinals - one year, $5 million plus incentives Mark Redman (Royals) - Prediction: Nationals - one year, $5 million Orlando Hernandez (Mets) - Prediction: Mets - one year, $4.5 million Tomo Ohka (Brewers) - Prediction: Cubs - one year, $4 million If the Matsuzaka speculation is correct and he joins the Red Sox, the Yankees could yet factor into the bidding for Zito and Schmidt, not to mention Clemens. I still think there's a real chance that the Yankees did, in fact, win the bidding for Matsuzaka. … I'm sticking with the Mets for Zito, though the Dodgers and Padres are also possibilities. For Schmidt, I'm switching to the consensus, which seems to be the Mariners. I had him on Arizona in the previous column, but the Diamondbacks apparently will be shy about spending until they're finally out from under the foolish commitments to Russ Ortiz and Shawn Green. Suppan might have been in line for a one-year deal a couple of months ago. Now it looks like he'll get about $9 million per season for four years. He should stay healthy, but he's a fourth starter. … Maddux still could work out something with the Dodgers, but the chances of him joining another NL West team have increased since last month. … Of the second-tier guys, Eaton and Wolf look like the best investments to me. Other free agents: Tony Armas Jr. (Nationals), Steve Trachsel (Mets), John Thomson (Braves), Kip Wells (Rangers), Jason Johnson (Reds), Chan Ho Park (Padres), Ramon Ortiz (Nationals), Pedro Astacio (Nationals), Brian Lawrence (Nationals), Russ Ortiz (Orioles), Aaron Sele (Dodgers), Bruce Chen (Orioles), Sidney Ponson (FA), Jamey Wright (Giants), Paul Wilson (Reds), Shawn Estes (Padres), Brian Moehler (Marlins), Joe Mays (Reds), Brian Anderson (Rangers), Ryan Drese (Nationals), Dennis Tankersley (Cardinals), Dewon Brazelton (Padres), Jose Lima (Mets), Bobby Madritsch (Royals), Jesse Foppert (Mariners), Carlos Hernandez (Astros), Brad Radke (Twins), David Wells (Padres) Options Tom Glavine (Mets) - $14 million club option w/$3 million buyout Glavine has declined his player option, and the Mets will decline the club option this week. He's expected to decide at the end of the month whether he prefers to stay with the Mets or rejoin the Braves. It appears likely that he'll stay. Trade candidates: Dontrelle Willis (Marlins), Tim Hudson (Braves), Jeremy Bonderman (Tigers), Mark Buehrle (White Sox), Freddy Garcia (White Sox), Jason Jennings (Rockies), Nate Robertson (Tigers), Mike Maroth (Tigers), Joe Blanton (Athletics), Jon Lieber (Phillies), Rodrigo Lopez (Orioles), Carl Pavano (Yankees), Eric Milton (Reds), Oliver Perez (Mets), Horacio Ramirez (Braves), Kyle Davies (Braves), Mark Hendrickson (Dodgers), Claudio Vargas (Diamondbacks), Edwin Jackson (Devil Rays), Scott Baker (Twins), Yusmeiro Petit (Marlins), Dustin McGowan (Blue Jays), Gavin Floyd (Phillies), Wandy Rodriguez (Astros), Ben Hendickson (Brewers), Josh Towers (Blue Jays) The Marlins will likely want a long-term center fielder and catcher to part with Willis. The Mets can offer Lastings Milledge and maybe use Aaron Heilman to bring in a young catcher, but the questions about Milledge's ability to play center have hurt his stock. With Chris Young and Miguel Montero ready for the majors, the Diamondbacks have the best artillery to get a deal done. However, as expensive as Willis is about to get, it'd make more sense to keep Young and bring in a free agent starter. … If Glavine decides he wants to play for Atlanta, Hudson could become available. Even though he's been a disappointment two years running, there would be plenty of interest in him in this market. The Yankees, for one, would likely target him. … The White Sox can move Buehrle or Garcia in order to acquire a bat. Garcia to Houston for Willy Taveras and Morgan Ensberg would be interesting. Ensberg could then be used to bring in the reliever the club wants. Non-tender candidates: Joel Pineiro (Mariners), Brandon Backe (Astros), Kyle Lohse (Reds), Shawn Chacon (Pirates), Runelvys Hernandez (Royals), Josh Fogg (Rockies), Dave Williams (Mets), Zach Day (Nationals), Victor Zambrano (Mets), Kyle Snyder (Red Sox) Pineiro will likely be looked at as a reliever by most teams. He might even become a closer candidate. … Backe underwent Tommy John surgery and is likely to miss the season. The Astros likely will keep him, but non-tendering him would free up a little money. Top 2007 free agents: Chris Carpenter (Cardinals)*, Carlos Zambrano (Cubs), Mark Buehrle (White Sox), Bartolo Colon (Angels), John Smoltz (Braves), Jason Jennings (Rockies), Randy Johnson (Yankees), Curt Schilling (Red Sox), Jake Westbrook (Indians), Doug Davis (Brewers), Freddy Garcia (White Sox), Kenny Rogers (Tigers), Jon Lieber (Phillies), Livan Hernandez (Diamondbacks), Kris Benson (Orioles)*, Paul Byrd (Indians)*, Carlos Silva (Twins), Matt Clement (Red Sox), Eric Milton (Reds), Odalis Perez (Royals), Tim Wakefield (Red Sox)*, Kyle Lohse (Reds), Casey Fossum (Devil Rays)*, Joel Pineiro (Mariners), Rodrigo Lopez (Orioles), Byung-Hyun Kim (Rockies), Wade Miller (Cubs), Jaret Wright (Orioles), Shawn Chacon (Pirates), Scott Elarton (Royals), Josh Towers (Blue Jays), Victor Zambrano (Mets) 2008 options: Carpenter - $8 million ($1 million buyout), Benson - $7.5 million ($500,000 buyout), Byrd - $8 million ($250,000 buyout), Perez - $9 million ($1.5 million buyout), Wakefield - $4 million, Fossum - $3 million ($300,000 buyout) Relief Pitchers Eric Gagne (Dodgers) - Prediction: Red Sox - two years, $15 million Justin Speier (Blue Jays) - Prediction: Indians - three years, $13 million Danys Baez (Braves) - Prediction: Giants - three years, $12 million Joe Borowski (Marlins) - Prediction: Reds - two years, $10 million Octavio Dotel (Yankees) - Prediction: White Sox - two years, $9 million LaTroy Hawkins (Orioles) - Prediction: Rangers - two years, $7 million David Weathers (Reds) - Prediction: Phillies - two years, $6 million Jamie Walker (Tigers) - Prediction: White Sox - two years, $5.5 million Keith Foulke (Red Sox) - Prediction: Diamondbacks - one year, $2.5 million Chad Bradford (Mets) - Prediction: Mets - two years, $4.5 million Jose Mesa (Rockies - Prediction: Marlins - one year, $2 million Kerry Wood felt he owed it to the Cubs to stay put. We'll see if Gagne thinks the same way. He's likely to get bigger offers from at least the Red Sox, Indians and White Sox. Also, the Rangers, Giants, Phillies, Reds and Cardinals could be in the mix. … Even though Speier has little experience closing and suffered through some elbow issues in the second half, he could get the largest contract of any of the free agent relievers. The Indians could let him close in 2007 and push him into a setup role after that. … Baez is likely to close for an NL team. The Giants could sign him and trade Armando Benitez. … Like Baez, Borowski is an option to close in San Francisco and Cincinnati. Also, the Phillies would like him as a setup man. … Mesa has to be looked at as one of the candidates to replace Borowski in Florida, though he'd have to compete with Taylor Tankersley for closing duties. Other free agents:, Ron Villone (Yankees), Steve Kline (Giants), Roberto Hernandez (Mets), Scott Schoeneweis (Reds), Guillermo Mota (Mets), David Riske (White Sox), Aaron Fultz (Phillies), Scott Williamson (Padres), Darren Oliver (Mets),), Mike Stanton (Giants), J.C. Romero (Angels), Alan Embree (Padres), Tom Martin (Rockies), Arthur Rhodes (Phillies), Ray King (Rockies), Dustin Hermanson (White Sox), Dan Kolb (Brewers), Russ Springer (Astros), Rudy Seanez (Red Sox), Eddie Guardado (Reds), Brian Meadows (Devil Rays), Felix Rodriguez (Nationals), Ryan Franklin (Reds), Rick White (Phillies), Matt Herges (Marlins), Mike DeJean (Rockies), Doug Brocail (Padres), David Cortes (Rockies), Scott Sauerbeck (Athletics), Joey Eischen (Nationals), Al Reyes (Devil Rays), Jesus Colome (Yankees), Tanyon Sturtze (Yankees), Rick Helling (Brewers), John Halama (FA), Victor Santos (Pirates), Mike Koplove (Diamondbacks), Pete Walker (Blue Jays), Tim Byrdak (Orioles), Lance Carter (Dodgers), Danny Graves (Indians), Esteban Yan (Royals), Ramiro Mendoza (Yankees), Clint Nageotte (Mariners), Stephen Andrade (Pares), Mike Remlinger (FA), Julio Santana (Phillies), Eddy Rodriguez (Orioles), Nate Bump (Marlins), Kerry Ligtenberg (Cubs), Kevin Gryboski (Nationals), John Foster (Braves), Kelly Wunsch (Dodgers), Ugueth Urbina (Venezuelan Penal League), Jeff Nelson (FA), Jeff Bajenaru (Diamondbacks), Troy Percival (Tigers), Kent Mercker (Reds) Trade candidates: Brad Lidge (Astros), Mike Gonzalez (Pirates), Scott Linebrink (Padres), Ryan Dempster (Cubs), Armando Benitez (Giants), Aaron Heilman (Mets), Jose Valverde (Diamondbacks), Neal Cotts (White Sox), Chad Qualls (Astros), Jorge Julio (Diamondbacks), Juan Cruz (Diamondbacks), Ryan Madson (Phillies), Wilfredo Ledezma (Tigers), Joe Kennedy (Athletics), Brandon Lyon (Diamondbacks), Jesse Crain (Twins), Chad Orvella (Devil Rays), Jason Frasor (Blue Jays), Derrick Turnbow (Brewers), Brendan Donnelly (Angels), Jason Davis (Indians), Heath Bell (Mets), Kirk Saarloos (Athletics), Julio Mateo (Mariners), Joaquin Benoit (Rangers), Greg Aquino (Diamondbacks), Michael Wuertz (Cubs), Will Ohman (Cubs), Royce Ring (Mets), Jeremy Guthrie (Indians), Boone Logan (White Sox), Jay Witasick (Athletics) The Red Sox would likely give up Wily Mo Pena and/or Mike Lowell for Lidge, but the Astros can use free agency to address their outfield problems. If Lidge goes, it should be for a starting pitcher. Cliff Lee would be a fair return. … The Pirates would want a premium young hitter for Gonzalez. Milledge and the Dodgers' Matt Kemp are two that would make sense. … Because of the shortage of closer candidates, there's likely to be legitimate interest in Dempster and Benitez. Dempster looks like a better bet to go after the Cubs were able to re-sign Wood. There have already been rumors of a Benitez-for-Pat Burrell swap. Non-tender candidates: Chris Reitsma (Braves), Damaso Marte (Pirates), Jorge Sosa (Cardinals), Travis Harper (Devil Rays), Scott Downs (Blue Jays), Tyler Walker (Devil Rays), Brian Sikorski (Indians), Grant Balfour (Brewers), Chin-Hui Tsao (Rockies), Jason Standridge (Reds), Chris Bootcheck (Angels), Brandon Duckworth (Royals), Randy Choate (Diamondbacks), John Parrish (Orioles), Greg Jones (Angels), Chad Durbin (Tigers), Javier Lopez (Red Sox), Chris Booker (Nationals) Top 2007 free agents: Mariano Rivera (Yankees), Joe Nathan (Twins)*, Francisco Cordero (Brewers), Scott Linebrink (Padres), Jason Isringhausen (Cardinals)*, Trevor Hoffman (Padres)*, Bob Wickman (Braves), Todd Jones (Tigers), Armando Benitez (Giants), Brett Tomko (Dodgers)*, Luis Vizcaino (Diamondbacks), Mike Timlin (Red Sox), Jorge Julio (Diamondbacks), Julian Tavarez (Red Sox)*, Joe Kennedy (Athletics), Jeremy Affeldt (Rockies), Damaso Marte (Pirates)*, Hector Carrasco (Angels)*, Elmer Dessens (Dodgers), Rheal Cormier (Reds)*, Mike Myers (Yankees), Trever Miller (Astros), Glendon Rusch (Cubs), Tim Worrell (Giants), Ricardo Rincon (Cardinals) 2008 Options: Nathan - $6 million ($1 million buyout), Isringhausen - $8 million ($1.25 million buyout), Hoffman - $7.5 million vesting ($2 million buyout), Tomko - $4.5 million ($1 million buyout), Tavarez - $3.85 million, Marte - $3 million ($250,000 buyout), Carrasco - $3 million ($500,000 buyout)[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A-Men-HouseofPain Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Juan Pierre (Cubs) - Projection: White Sox - three years, $20 million i would give him 3 years 20 mill in a heart beat. If we give joe borowski 2 years 10 mill i will contemplate killing myself. That piece of shit isnt worht 2 mill a year. Id rather sign 0 FAs than sign that cocksucker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmer4HOF Posted November 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 [quote]Kicking the tires on some big batsBy Jerry Crasnick ESPN.com Archive NAPLES, Fla. -- Baseball's general managers began their 2006 meetings by donning Hawaiian shirts and taking a field trip to a local bowling alley, where San Diego's Kevin Towers and the White Sox's Kenny Williams showed them how it's done. Towers rolled an impressive 163 in his first game before slumping to a 110. "We all did better before the beers starting kicking in," said a National League GM. Now that the salary arbitration meetings, opening-night dinner and bonding rituals are out of the way, the general managers will cease rolling gutter balls and begin rolling the dice. A lot of .500 pitchers, nondescript middle relievers and 30-something position players are hoping to take advantage. The 2006-07 free-agent class lacks star power and depth, but its timing sure is good. With a new labor deal in place and the industry awash in $5 billion-plus in revenue, franchises are dying to find a place to invest all that cash. Let's put it this way: It's a good year to be Vicente Padilla. He's fresh off a 15-win season in Texas, and everyone from the New York Mets to the Kansas City Royals has contacted his agent. Those rumors of a four-year, $40 million deal aren't likely to fade anytime soon. Thus far the offseason activity has been limited to players re-signing with their old clubs (e.g. Aramis Ramirez) and trades, with Detroit acquiring Gary Sheffield from the Yankees and Cleveland picking up Josh Barfield from San Diego. Chances are some other players will be moved before the elite free agents begin signing. Looking for a bat? Here are five productive players -- four outfielders and a first baseman -- whose names are likely to be kicked around the suites and the lobby of the Naples Grande Resort. We've ranked them from the most likely to least likely to change teams this winter. Adam Dunn, Cincinnati Reds GM Wayne Krivsky hasn't wrenched his back yet trying to move Dunn, but lots of people say he's in full-fledged listening mode. Dunn hit 40 homers for the third straight season, and the tape-measure jobs still generate oohs and ahs. But his combined on-base/slugging percentage has dipped from .957 to .855 since 2004, and some people think his heart went out of it a little bit after the Reds traded his buddy Austin Kearns to Washington. He never projected a tremendous amount of fire before that. "He's a very strange package," said an American League executive. "The power is incredible, obviously, and he does walk a lot. But the defense is brutal and the strikeouts are brutal. I think they'd move him if they could." Dunn: 2004-06 THE GOOD: Averaged 43 home runs, 104 runs and 98 RBI. THE BAD: OPS dropped from .957 in '04 to .927 in '05 to .855 in '06; averaged 139 strikeouts. Krivsky spent a lot of years in Minnesota, where the Twins stressed pitching and defense, and Dunn doesn't fit that philosophy. Cost is also a concern. Dunn will make $10.5 million in 2007, and the Reds have a $13 million option for 2008. That's a lot of money for a DH -- especially in a league where the position doesn't exist. Here's the problem: While Krivsky made some inspired acquisitions last offseason -- adding Bronson Arroyo and Brandon Phillips -- he put a dent in his offensive surplus when he traded Kearns and Felipe Lopez to the Nationals in July. The Reds ranked ninth in the NL in runs scored, and Rich Aurilia, who hit 23 homers, is a free agent. If Krivsky moves Dunn, he'll want both pitching and an impact bat in return. Baltimore and Texas are among the American League clubs that might have an interest. The Astros are more likely to pursue Carlos Lee and Alfonso Soriano through free agency, but they'll at least kick the tires on Dunn. pissburgh makes some sense, given the short right field at PNC Park and the team's need for a lefty power hitter. But it's hard to see the Pirates shelling out the coin for Dunn. They're more likely to focus on a younger, less costly bat, such as Arizona's Chad Tracy or Florida's Mike Jacobs. Vernon Wells, Toronto The Blue Jays are straining to envision a best-case scenario for Wells, who's a year away from free agency. They think his low-key personality is a nice fit for Toronto, and they're hoping he might value comfort as well as price and stay with the only organization he's ever known. But Wells, who'll hit the market next winter with a Carlos Beltran-caliber portfolio, is looking at a potential nine-figure deal if he has a big 2007 season. Most observers figure he'll say good-bye to Canada, a la Carlos Delgado two years ago. Since 2001, the Oakland Athletics have hung on to three prime-time players in their free-agent "walk" years (Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada and Barry Zito) and gone to the playoffs each year. Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi has cited that example to show that he's not desperate to move Wells. "I think they view him as a blue-chip, cornerstone player," said an AL assistant general manager. "If they're able to get a similar type guy who they can control for more years, I think they would listen. But I'd be surprised if they're actively talking about Vernon Wells." On the other hand, Ricciardi's faith could be tested if it becomes clear that Wells is too far out of Toronto's price range. Wells is signed for a very affordable $5.6 million in 2007. The Jays better enjoy that while it lasts. Mark Teixeira, Texas Teixeira hit nine homers in 353 at-bats before the All-Star break, and 24 homers in 275 at-bats after it. He's 26 years old and a Gold Glove defender, and the Rangers regard him and shortstop Michael Young as team leaders and the heart and soul of the clubhouse. The Rangers plan to give new manager Ron Washington every chance to win, and general manager Jon Daniels knows he wouldn't be sending a positive signal by trading the team's cornerstone first baseman. If the Rangers still had Adrian Gonzalez, maybe, but they shipped him to San Diego in the Adam Eaton-Chris Young deal last winter. Trading Teixeira, who is going to be awfully expensive in time, could allow Texas to rebuild its rotation. But he's still two years shy of free agency, so Daniels won't have to listen to Scott Boras refer to him as an "icon player" until the winter of 2008. Baltimore has had a hankering for Teixeira, a Maryland native, since missing out on him in the 2001 draft, but the Rangers say they haven't had any substantive discussions with the Orioles or anyone else about Teixeira. Andruw Jones, Atlanta Jones has 10 years of service time in the majors and five with the Braves, so he has the right to veto any trade. He's also a free agent in a year. Those Boston rumors notwithstanding, it's a stretch to think Jones would pack up and leave the organization he's played for since age 16 for a one-year pit stop somewhere else. Mike Zarrilli/WireImage.com Andruw Jones often makes the spectacular play look routine in center field. Jones has regressed slightly in the field, but he doesn't turn 30 until April and he's averaged 46 homers and 128 RBI the past two years. Unless he pulls an end-run around Boras -- as he did before agreeing to his current six-year, $75 million deal -- signing him is sure to be an adventure for anyone. Atlanta GM John Schuerholz and his staff came to Naples with more modest goals. The Braves want to move Marcus Giles and upgrade the bullpen in front of Bob Wickman, and they're looking for a leadoff hitter who can play left field or second base. Dave Roberts is one guy who might fit their needs. While Jones' $13.5 million salary constitutes a significant chunk of Atlanta's 2007 payroll, moving him isn't part of the agenda. Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay One recent rumor had Crawford headed to the White Sox in a deal for Brandon McCarthy. The Devil Rays say there's zero chance of that happening. The Rays don't have to move Crawford because: (1) he's a 25-year-old monster player and (2) he's so gosh-darned affordable. Crawford will make $9.25 million over the next two seasons. Then the Devil Rays have two option years worth a total of $18.25 million. That's why GM Andrew Friedman can afford to ask for the moon. If the Dodgers make a call on Crawford, they'll probably have to consider Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton as a starting point. The Devil Rays want to stop being perceived as a feeder system for more affluent clubs, and Crawford is as good a place as any to finally draw the line. In time, that could change. If Evan Longoria and Reid Brignac are ready to man the left side of the infield in 2008, the Rays could move B.J. Upton to left field. They already have Rocco Baldelli in center and Delmon Young in right, and Friedman envisions Elijah Dukes -- the talented problem child who's tearing up the Arizona Fall League -- amassing 400 or so at-bats in the outfield and at DH in Tampa Bay next season. But that's too many "ifs" for such a bold move. In a year or two, the Devil Rays might be more amenable to moving Crawford. At the moment they have no compelling reason to do so.[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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