Category Archives: Free Agency

The New York Mets Need to Sign Shin-Soo Choo This Off-Season

Posted on May 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

The New York Mets offense is struggling. The team has a collective .230/.302/.382 triple-slash, with a .684 OPS–which ranks 26th in the major leagues. However, the real issue is with the Mets’ outfield. Mets’ center fielders have combined for a .530 OPS+ (worst in the majors) and right fielders a .621 (tied for third worst). While Mike Baxter and Andrew Brown, perhaps, deserve a chance to start this season, the Mets need to sign to-be free agent Shin-Soo Choo this coming off-season. Continue reading →

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Kyle Lohse Could Become This Generation’s Curt Flood

Posted on February 21, 2013 | 19 Comments

For many fans, the beginning of the baseball season starts in early-February, when pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. Ten days ago, the likes of David Price, Justin Verlander, and even Greg Burke took the mound in sunny Florida and Arizona for their respective organizations. Yet even though all Major League pitchers are picking up baseballs and getting their arms in working order, Kyle Lohse will not be one of them. Lohse, who is coming off a terrific 2012 campaign, where he hurled a career-best 134 ERA+ and 3.76 K/BB over 211 IP, still remains a free-agent.

The 34 year-old’s status is hardly surprising, however. Due to the new qualifying offer agreement, which entitles organizations to extend one-year, $13.3MM (based off the top 125 player’s average salaries) retention offers or subsequent draft pick compensation if the player rejects the deal, it has deterred suitors from signing Lohse. The pitcher, who presumably had been seeking a multi-year contract, declined the St. Louis Cardinals’ qualifying offer, and has since been patiently sitting on the free-agent market. Continue reading →

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Michael Bourn: Good Deal, But Not For Cleveland Indians

Posted on February 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

The Cleveland Indians made a surprise splash on the free-agent market, inking speedy outfielder Michael Bourn to a four-year, $48MM deal (with a $12MM vesting option). While most organizations had been turned off by Bourn’s rejected-qualifying offer status, since the Indians’ first round pick is protected, the team only has to surrender a competitive-balance pick. Yet, even though the Indians retained their first-round pick, and added a top-shelf lead-off man and defender for arguably a fair price, it was still a curious move for the should-be re-building franchise.

Over the past four seasons, Bourn has been worth 19.0 WAR–or 4.75 WAR per season. Per Bill Petti, one can assume a 0.5 WAR decline through age 32, and a 0.7 WAR decline through age 34 (the age he’ll be once the full contract expires after 2017). If that’s the case, the 30 year-old might be worth 14.55 WAR throughout his full five-year contract. And with inflation, he could be worth around $82MM during that period of time too. Continue reading →

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Low Risk Pitchers Coming Off Injured 2012 Seasons

Posted on January 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

The majority of the top free-agent pitchers are now off the market. In terms of starters, Zack Greinke signed with the Dodgers, Anibal Sanchez with the Tigers, Edwin Jackson with the Cubs, and Dan Haren with the Nationals. As for relievers, Mariano Rivera is predictably back with the Yankees, Jonathan Broxton re-signed with the Reds, and Rafael Soriano recently inked with the Nationals. So unless pitching-hungry teams want to surrender an unprotected first-round pick by signing the 34 year-old Kyle Lohse, or overpay Jose Valverde or Matt Capps to close games, organizations in need of hurlers might need to look into alternate options. Continue reading →

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Why Has There Been No Interest in Kelly Johnson?

Posted on January 13, 2013 | Leave a comment

When it came to older infielders this off-season, both the free-agent market and team’s interest were flush. In fact, all of Marco Scutaro, Jeff Keppinger, and Maicer Izturis received surprising three-year, multi-million dollar contracts. There’s nothing wrong with any of those players, per-say, but how about if there was a younger, superior player available instead? How about if this player was still available? This player, of course, is Kelly Johnson. Continue reading →

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Could the Atlanta Braves Sign B.J. Upton and Michael Bourn?

Posted on January 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

Going into the off-season there were nine players who declined their qualifying offers–thus forcing any prospective team without a protected first-round pick to surrender their draft choice as compensation.

Of those nine players, two re-signed with their former teams (David Ortiz and Hiroki Kuroda), two signed with teams with low-seed picks (Josh Hamilton and B.J. Upton), and one signed with a protected pick (Nick Swisher).

And then there were four: including center fielder Michael Bourn. Continue reading →

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Mets Should Sign Carlos Villanueva to Replace R.A. Dickey

Posted on December 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

How does a team replace a starting pitcher who dazzled opposing batters with an almost un-hittable, floating pitch, won over fans with a quirky, folk-hero personality, and worked so hard to finally live-up to his former first-round pick status an incredible fourteen years after the fact? With R.A. Dickey presumably headed to the Toronto Blue Jays–seemingly any moment now–the Mets will have to find a replacement for Dickey’s innings in the rotation. As witnessed by Zack Greinke‘s six-year, $147 million free agent contract (worth upwards of $158 million with all the incentives) and even the presumed Dickey trade on the table, finding an elite pitcher via free agency or on trade market is an endeavor the Mets can not and should not participate in. And that’s why the Mets should, instead, sign Carlos Villanueva.…read the rest of this article on Baseball News Source.

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Aside from Trading or Extending R.A. Dickey, What Else Can the Mets Do?

Posted on December 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

After re-signing David Wright to a lifetime contract, the Mets have now turned their attention to, simultaneously, contractually extending and evaluating the trade market for R.A. Dickey. Unlike Wright, trading Dickey would not have the same type of PR backlash, and additionally, the return would hypothetically fill a few voids. But the New York Mets have more than a few voids to fill.…read the rest of this article on Baseball News Source.

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Melky Cabrera: the WAR on Drugs

Posted on November 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

On August 15, the 2012 season came to a screeching halt for Melky Cabrera, and seemingly, for the San Francisco Giants too. After posting a sensational .346/.390/.516 line with 11 HR, 60 RBI, 84 R, and 13 SB, the 27 year-old left-fielder was immediately suspended for fifty games for testing positive for high testosterone levels. Aside from the usual shock involved when a mainstream player is indicted for involvement with illegal substances, less than a week later, it was additionally uncovered that Cabrera, through the help of “consultant” (paid by his agents, no less), created a fictitious website that was aimed at exonerating his obvious wrongdoing. The playoff-geared Giants were all of a sudden without their standout outfielder, and forced to replace his high-shelf production with the likes of Gregor Blanco. But more specific–selfishly, perhaps–to Melky’s impending free agent status, his actions had most likely cost himself a huge off-season payday. Continue reading →

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Examining the Non-Closer Reliever Free Agent Market (All Three Parts)

Posted on November 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

With few closing options available via free agency, teams have little choice but to buy seventh and eighth inning depth instead. And considering Brandon League recently signed a $22.5 million, three-year deal with the Los Angles Dodgers to be their setup man, it’s possible that other teams will have to pony up similar coin just to get the ball to their closer. Since non-closer relievers might become the hottest commodity on the free agent market, below is a complete run-down of said market’s best options. Continue reading →

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