Free Agents

by lenred on Oct 30, 2007 7:00 AM EDT Comment 19 comments

57 players filed today. Very little impact players available after the NY three. There will be more, but of those available, this is pretty weak.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071029&content_id=2287914&vkey=news_mlb&fext=. jsp&c_id=mlb

Ari: Cirillo, Livan Hernandez, Wickman
Atl: Julio Franco, Ron Mahay
Cubs: Kerry Wood
Cle: Trot Nixon
Col: Affeldt, Jorge Julio
Det: Casey, Todd Jones
Fla: Benitez
Hou: Ausmus, Lamb, Loretta, Trever Miller, Moehler, Orlando Palmeiro
KC: LaRue, Reggie Sanders
LAA: Colon
Mil: Francisco Cordero, Ray King, Koskie, Linebrink, Damian Miller
Min: Torii Hunter, Silva
NYM: Marlon Anderson, Luis Castillo, Ramon Castro, Easley, Shawn Green, LoDuca
NYY: Mientkiewicz, ARod, Posada, Rivera, Luis Vizcaino
Oak: DaVanon, Shannon Stewart
Phi: Lieber, Mesa, Nunez, Rowand
Pit: Tony Armas
StL: Cairo, Eckstein, Percival, Kip Wells
SD: Barrett, Bradley
SF: Bonds, Feliz
Tor: Stairs, Joe Kennedy
Was: Fick

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BOS

Lowell is I think.

by ChrisRef19 on Oct 30, 2007 8:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry

I didnt see you wrote FILED... my bad.

by ChrisRef19 on Oct 30, 2007 8:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

How will NY

win without Mientkiewicz? Is it possible?

1941 .406

by FrozenTed9 on Oct 30, 2007 11:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Mientkiewicz

I expect the Giants to sign him. They need more veteran savvy.

by DrBGiantsfan on Oct 30, 2007 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Then

The pirates will take on all salary from said contract AND give up a couple decent young players for him.

Go Pirates!!!

by cool hand Charlie on Oct 30, 2007 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

I lol'd

Hey fish, leave those kids alone!

by The Congo Hammer on Oct 30, 2007 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not very weak

Not a bunch of superstars but plenty of good role players.
A lot of relief pitchers, both setup guys and closers which is not normal as well as a good crop of center fielders.
Former WS MVP (Eckstein), HR Champ (Bonds) and a recent Cy Young winner (Colon) round out a decent group not to mention the best player in the game.
Starting pitching & power hitters is weak this year but will be strong next year with Sabathia, Santana & Dunn among next years Free Agents.

by colinadam on Oct 30, 2007 1:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

don't forget

hunter and cordero.... I think a closer with big time stuff and a franchise CF are impact FAs

"If you were a hot dog, would you eat yourself?"

by Trobone on Oct 30, 2007 3:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Song of Rowand

How big is the difference between Rowand and Hunter? IMHO it's not that substantial, but the salaries will show a gap. I'd take Rowand and the savings.

by FlipYrWhig on Oct 30, 2007 4:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What about

Bradley or Cameron?

by cooper7d7 on Oct 30, 2007 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bargain-shopping

If I'm a GM, I give Joe Kennedy $1.8M 1-year deal to come be my LOOGY. He'll probably half as expensive and just as good as Ron Mahay next year.

by Yakker on Oct 30, 2007 5:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, and

I talk to my scouts about Jon Lieber...his 2007 fielding independent ratios were solid, but last year's HR rates were strange...leads me to think he changed his approach to stay away from the long balls at CBP, and it showed up in his walk totals.

by Yakker on Oct 30, 2007 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So far, very weak

IMHO, you've got the NYY 3, Hunter and Rowand, and Cordero and Lieber. After that, it's all mid- or late-inning pitchers, over-the-hill faded stars, or injury reclamation projects.

There's a couple of guys that'll be starters just to keep the seat warm for a prospect, but if you're looking for an impact player, your team's gonna have to look elsewhere, or take a chance.

That said, I think Cordero will be the best signing of this group listed. He won't break the bank and will be a very good player. Hunter, Rowand, Mo, Posada & ARod will all cost too much. So Cordero will provide the best value.

by lenred on Oct 30, 2007 11:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Really?

You don't think Coco's gonna be expensive? A guy who's got 60 SVs since joining Milwaukee in July 06 with an ERA under 3.00 and astronomical K/9 ratios?

I think he'll do better than BJ Ryan's $47M/5 contract with Toronto a few years ago.

by Yakker on Oct 31, 2007 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

I think he will be the worst deal of the bunch. I wouldnt be suprised if some team gives him $12 million a year plus. That is just too much for any reliever.

I think your best deal is going to be someone like Kerry Wood. He could probably be had about 2-3 million and if he is healthy he could be a dominant relief pitcher

by Kanst42 on Oct 31, 2007 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

If Kerry signs for a couple mil, that would be worth the risk for a big-money team, but I don't think he's anything more than a replacement-level RP at this point, even when healthy, since IMO he's not particularly suited for relief work--he walks too many guys.

Although one caveat: I haven't watched Kerry pitch live in several years, so perhaps there's something there I'm not seeing on the stat lines.

by Yakker on Oct 31, 2007 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not many teams need a closer

I don't think that the number of teams with deep pockets need a closer. I think he will get a big deal only from the Yankees or the Tigers if neither sign ARod. Otherwise, I think he'll get about $8 MM from a Philly, Houston, Milwaukee, Atlanta group. But that depends on what they do.

Ultimately, I think he goes to Atlanta on a 3-year deal for $24-29 MM.

by lenred on Oct 31, 2007 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yanks should sign the following

Aaron Rowand
Mike Lowell
Jorge Posada
Kerry Wood
Scott Linebrink
Mariano Rivera

I heard Tim Lincecum will win 1 Cy Young & 11 Tim Lincecums. Question is, how many Cole Hamels will he win?

by the pinstripes on Oct 31, 2007 10:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

At first...

I thought that this was overkill, but now, the more that I think about it, this might be exactly the type of offseason the Yankees need to revitalize their team. Maybe an Ensberg signing instead of Lowell (I think he'll re-sign with Boston) and hope the Betemit/Ensberg platoon would fit in nicely. I'm against typically signing middle relievers because of the recent history with that type of thing, but Kerry Wood would be exactly the type of player I think you would love to bring in. His situation is sort of a no lose situation, and at best, he might resemble a dominant set-up man. I probably would avoid Linebrink just based upon his cost, and I'll wonder out loud how much it would take to try Gagne out for a year. Obviously his price dropped dramatically since his arrival in Boston, but I wonder if his decline can be attributed to something mechanical and/or emotional or if it was just a bad stretch at a very bad time. Either way, I think one reliever is more than enough, and Wood would be the ideal candidate. Mo and Posada are no-brainers, and I hope they get the contracts done soon.

by coochorama on Oct 31, 2007 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs