Now that the World Series is over, Baseball's attention will soon turn to the Hot Stove. And there are going to be a number of high-profile players that change teams. Each World Series team had a late-season rental that they'll likely lose in free agency (Yoenis Cespedes and Ben Zobrist), and Toronto's probably not going to re-sign David Price. Along with Price, Zack Greinke, who opted out of his deal with the Dodgers, will be right up there as one of the most sought-after free agent starting pitchers.
Last year, free agency was a bit of a dud. That's certainly not going to be the case this year. There are going to be some big names moving, and I think there will probably be several high-profile trades, too (Boston's not keeping Hanley Ramirez in left field, so either he or Panda's getting dealt for a starter, and you'd think the Dodgers have to do something about their 15 outfielders sooner or later). Since I have no idea what types of trades general managers have festering in their heads, I'm not going to speculate. That doesn't stop me from speculating about where the free agents might land, though.
Zack Greinke: The only reason Greinke opted out is because he knows he's going to make more money. But that doesn't mean he's leaving LA. The Dodgers have one of the best 1-2 punches in all of baseball, and they have the resources to pay him more. They know they need other pieces, though, so if the new manager goes for a complete team rebuild, they might look for a cheaper option (Jordan Zimmermann?) and look to build up their lineup. But they also know that their bread-and-butter will remain that dominant starting pitching. They just need more of it. The Giants would probably love to have Greinke travel north and pair him with the NL West's other dominant lefty, which will probably drive the price up, but I see Greinke returning to the Dodgers and remaining the best No. 2 starter in baseball. If he wins the Cy Young, things could change, though. Because that will likely drive his price up even more.
David Price: If the Blue Jays want to make a push to retain David Price, it wouldn't be a bad move. They don't make the ALCS without making that trade. It showed that the Blue Jays were all-in for this year, but not necessarily for 2016. Especially with a new GM taking over, I don't think Price is in their plans for next season. So where does he go? Boston needs an ace and he knows the division from his time in Tampa Bay, as well as his stint in Toronto. I can definitely see the Red Sox making a push. But there's also a bunch of National League teams that have deep pockets and are looking for a starter. Like the Cubs. Imagine if they have three dominant starters next year!
Jordan Zimmermann: When the Nationals signed Max Scherzer last year, it was a pretty clear indication that Zimmermann's time in DC was coming to an end. He won't command the same money as Greinke or Price, but is probably the third-best starting pitching option out there. And because he won't be as costly, I can see him maybe going to San Francisco and partnering up with Bumgarner. I can also see a lower-payroll team opening up the purse strings to overpay for Zimmermann and make him a No. 1. Like the Blue Jays. Or the Tigers.
Johnny Cueto: Cueto may end up as a consolation prize for whoever doesn't get Greinke or Price. He'll get paid, though. Mainly because he'll be somebody's best available option come January. I can see him staying in Kansas City, too. He pitched great in that ballpark and was the nominal No. 1 for a World Series champion. Cueto's the type of pitcher I think will go to a smaller market and be a No. 1 rather than take the same money to be a No. 2 somewhere else. He did pitch in Cincinnati for all those years, after all. Which is why I think he'd be a really good fit in Baltimore, which has a very similar ballpark.
Yoenis Cespedes: As I said prior to the World Series, I don't see the Mets being able to keep both Murphy and Cespedes. And since they made Murphy a qualifying offer, it's clear which one they'd prefer to keep. They'll make a token run at Cespedes, but he's going elsewhere. Probably back to the American League, where he'll also get to DH. A return to Detroit doesn't seem out of the question, but I can also see him in Anaheim. I'll also make an out-of-the-box suggestion for him. Miami. That big Cuban population and the chance to pair up with Giancarlo Stanton could make the Marlins a very nice fit for him.
Justin Upton: Upton's the wild card in all of this. Because there are gonna be a lot of teams out there that want him. He's a perfect fit for the Yankees, for example, who desperately need right-handed power. But Upton's a National League guy, which is where I think he stays. They certainly won't go for both him and Cespedes, but Miami also makes a lot of sense for Upton. Same with San Francisco.
Ben Zobrist: For years, I've thought Ben Zobrist would look great in Pinstripes. This is the guy the Yankees need to make a priority and go after hard. They need a second baseman badly. That's Zobrist's best position. But he can play anywhere on the field, which gives them plenty of flexibility if someone needs a day off (they also need to find a way to get Greg Bird at-bats). They also need a right-handed hitter. Zobrist is a switch-hitter, so that's close enough. And he knows the AL East from all that time in Tampa Bay. I salivated over Chase Headley for a few years before the Yankees finally got him. In 2016, I think he's joined in the Yankees infield by another switch-hitting doubles hitter who's a perfect fit.
Daniel Murphy: Had free agency started immediately after the NLCS, Daniel Murphy would've gotten about a 15-year deal from someone. He cooled off significantly in the World Series, but still earned a significant pay day. The Mets made a $15.8 million qualifying offer, which means they're due a draft pick if he leaves. But I see them making a pretty serious attempt to keep him. I'm not sure that'll be enough, though. Murphy's versatility will result in somebody overpaying. The Angels need a second baseman, but would love the option of putting him at first or third. He's a guy a team like Houston might like to have, too. My guess is he either stays with the Mets or goes to Anaheim.
Chris Davis: Chris Davis loves being on the Orioles. It's because of Camden Yards that he became the home run-or-nothing force. Are all the strikeouts worth the home runs? That's a worthwhile question about Davis. You'd have to think that if he doesn't re-sign with Baltimore (which I think is a distinct possibility), he'll stay in the American League and DH half the time. He'd fit in well in Houston, which is basically an entire team of Chris Davises plus Jose Altuve.
Jason Heyward: What will the market be like for Jason Heyward? The Braves flipped him to St. Louis so that they could start their rebuild, but people have heard of him, so that makes you think his stay with the Cardinals was a one-year stop. While it's not inconceivable St. Louis retains him with a 1- or 2-year deal, I think he'll probably be on his third team in three years on Opening Day. So where does he go? Does a team like Seattle try to make a big splash and overspend on a plus-outfielder to roam center or right field in that spacious stadium? Does San Diego make a push if they lose Upton, going for a Myers-Heyward-Kemp outfield in 2016? Arizona maybe? Let him go to Baltimore and try to hit the warehouse? So many possible destinations for Heyward. I think he might stay in St. Louis, though. That is if the Cardinals make any sort of attempt to keep him.
There are plenty of other free agents out there, but those are the top 10 available in my opinion. One's going to be this year's Max Scherzer, who signs the big contract and is expected to "make a difference," but the team fizzles out. Or you could be the 2009 Yankees and win the World Series on the strength of your offseason acquisitions. It's worth that risk on any of these 10 guys. Any one of them could be that difference-maker.
No comments:
Post a Comment