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Free Agent
Outlook
by Daniel Paulling
October 27, 2004
In the 2004-2005 off-season, an entire team of
superstars can be put together with names like Beltran, Delgado,
Drew, and Pedro hitting the market.
Here is a guess as to who could be on the all off-season team:
C: Jason Varitek
1B: Carlos Delgado
2B: Pokey Reese
SS: Orlando Cabrera
3B: Adrian Beltre
LF: JD Drew
CF: Carlos Beltran
RF: Magglio Ordonez
SP: Pedro Martinez
SP: Russ Ortiz
SP: Matt Morris
SP: Roger Clemens
SP: Jaret Wright
RP: Armando Benitez
But I digress from the real point of this article. In this article
I will actually rate the top free agents for the upcoming off-season.
Without further ado I rank who I believe are the most valuable players
for next season:
Carlos Beltran (Houston Astros): Represented
by Scott Boras, Carlos Beltran will likely command a very large
paycheck. He plays Gold Glove caliber center field, steals bases
with amazing efficiency, blasts home runs, and does all the little
things that you would want from a cornerstone of a franchise.
This guy is Vladimir Guerrero with more speed but less of an arm.
A Guess for Next Year: New York Yankees
Adrian Beltre (Los Angeles Dodgers): Another
Boras' player, Adrian Beltre is absolutely hitting everything.
For the season he had a .334 batting average with forty-eight
homers while playing half his games in pitcher-friendly (quite
an understatement) Dodger Stadium. While his agent compares Beltre’s
free agent in waiting season to A-Rod’s free agent in waiting
season, teams will look at previous stats and see that Beltre
has not quite produced at his present level throughout his career.
A Guess for Next Year: Anaheim Angels
Pedro Martinez (Boston Red Sox): The enigma
that he is, Pedro Martinez has been great this season as well
as not so great. I don’t know what to expect from him next
season and I bet that most teams won’t know what to expect
either, but they most likely will get a good player, most likely
along the lines of what he has done this year.
A Guess for Next Year: Boston Red Sox
Magglio Ordonez (Chicago White Sox): The White
Sox have an injured superstar on their hands and they want to
sign him to a long-term deal. The only problem is that they don’t
know how much money to throw at a right fielder with a seriously
ailing knee. My bet is that Ordonez will return to form next season
as he has something to prove to himself and his teammates (new
or not) next year.
A Guess for Next Year: Chicago White Sox
Carlos Delgado (Toronto Blue Jays): Every once
in a while, Carlos Delgado has one of those seasons that make
people drool. This year wasn’t one of them, but perhaps in
the near future (next season) will be one. He definitely has the
power to put up forty homers and bat in the middle of any lineup.
A Guess for Next Year: Baltimore Orioles
Richie Sexson (Arizona Diamondbacks): Big Sexy
Richie Sexson has the power potential to slam quite a few homers,
usually around thirty five. This year has been the exception to
the rule because he has not been healthy. I expect a full return
to his former self for next year.
A Guess for Next Year: Arizona Diamondbacks
Russ Ortiz (Atlanta Braves): Over the past
few seasons, Russ Ortiz has been quite a hoss, pitching around
210 innings a year with quite a good ERA. He has a very good chance
to be a staff ace next year, no matter where he goes.
A Guess for Next Year: Baltimore Orioles
JD Drew (Atlanta Braves): In very recent years,
JD Drew has been very injury prone. People labeled him as the
next Mickey Mantle, but he hasn’t quite lived up to those
standards yet. This year Drew has hit .305 with 31 homers, a career
high in the homerun category. If a team were to sign him, they
better have an option of the DH.
A Guess for Next Year: Chicago Cubs
Jaret Wright (Atlanta Braves): Taking a chance
on some unknown player named Jaret Wright last year, Braves GM
John Schuerholz knew he it would be a risk. The GM handed the
youngster over to Leo Mazzone and let the pitching coach do his
work. Now throwing more four-seam fastballs, Wright has been completely
dominating.
A Guess for Next Year: Atlanta Braves
Nomar Garciaparra (Chicago Cubs): The Boston
Red Sox basically dumped Garciaparra at the trading deadline,
thinking he was nothing but a dead weight. Perhaps by coincidence
the Red Sox have taken off, but that doesn’t change the fact
that Nomar is a good player. With a season of rehabilitation for
his ankle, the former Beantown shortstop should return to a higher
level of performance for the 2005 season.
A Guess for Next Year: Chicago Cubs
Matt Clement (Chicago Cubs): Traded from the
Florida Marlins, Matt Clement caught fire in the friendly confines.
His K/9 rate is good at 9.45 and his ERA (3.68) over 181 IP isn’t
that bad. I think Clement is a very, very good pitcher who could
attract some serious interest next year in the free agent bin.
A Guess for Next Year: Baltimore Orioles
Jeff Kent (Houston Astros): Having another
good year for a second baseman, Jeff Kent has clubbed 27 homers
and hit .289 for an offense that hasn’t been that great this
season. He has played his normal sub par defense, but his contributions
on the other side of the field more than make up for it.
A Guess for Next Year: New York Yankees
Odalis Perez (Los Angeles Dodgers): When the
Atlanta Braves traded Odalis Perez to the Dodgers they got Gary
Sheffield in return. Well, Sheffield has moved on, but Perez remains
a Dodger and is pitching quite well, despite only having seven
wins the young lefty has a 3.35 ERA over 188.1 innings. I don’t
know why he has had such a low number of decisions, but hopefully
teams won’t look at that number this off-season.
A Guess for Next Year: Los Angeles Dodgers
Roger Clemens (Houston Astros): Perhaps ranked
a little on the bad side here, I don’t know if a) the Rocket
wants to return and b) if he has more gas in him. His numbers
have gone up as the season progressed from an ERA of 1.95 in April
to 4.25 in August. I think that the Rocket might be showing his
age just a little as of late and won’t be able to stick out
a full good season next year. Yes, I know I shouldn’t write
off one of the best pitchers of all time.
A Guess for Next Year: Houston Astros
Steve Finley (Los Angeles Dodgers): A thirty-nine
year old center fielder with good glove and bat, Finley can definitely
help out a team next year. His stats (.272, 34) for this season
have been depressed just a bit due to a weak offense in Arizona
and a poor hitter’s stadium in Los Angeles. I think he can
most definitely hit 35 homers again next season, wherever he goes.
A Guess for Next Year: Arizona Diamondbacks
I decided to end my list after the top 15, but there are plenty of
very, very good players remaining. Having Jason Varitek behind the
plate allows a team to have a very good hitter in their lineup, as
well as a very good veteran presence in the clubhouse. Eli Marrero
is a jack of all trades kind of guy, certainly very useful to have
around. Pokey Reese is out there, and he should get a contract to
cover a lot of ground. Orlando Cabrera, Jose Valentin, and Neifi Perez
all make for plenty of depth at the shortstop position. Troy Glaus
and Corey Koskie are both adept third baggers that can play on both
sides of the field. Jermaine Dye should garner some attention, along
with utility man Frank Catalanotto (rated by Sports Illustrated as
one of the most useful players in MLB). On the mound are several stars
like Derek Lowe, Brad Radke, Orlando Hernandez, Paul Byrd, Shawn Estes,
Kris Benson, Kevin Millwood, Eric Milton, Chris Carpenter, Matt Morris,
David Wells; in the bullpen, a team can add Troy Percival, Bob Wickman,
Armando Benitez, Chad Fox, Jose Mesa, or Steve Kline this off season.
So, for all the owners out there, let your team spend a little bit
this off-season. There’s going to be plenty of good talent to
be had.
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Feel free to leave comments in the forums.
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