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How a player performs when the games matter most could have an affect on his overall value, which is of greater importance to those who are eligible for free agency at season’s end. 

While a majority of these players will not stand out in a good or bad way, there are a handful of them who will. As a result, the price tag could rise or fall, at least slightly. A pair of 2012 postseason stars, Marco Scutaro and Anibal Sanchez, each cashed in after boosting their value greatly with strong playoff performances. 

Here are six players off to either a great start or a very poor start, or in one case, already done for the season after a wild-card loss. 

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While the hype surrounding Major League Baseball’s free agency period tends to focus on well-known and high-profile players, smaller signings are often just as important.

In a way, low-profile signings can be the difference between a championship team and one that is out of any race before September. 

There are two things in common among the players included on this list.  First, they are not exactly the biggest targets in 2014.  Second, they may be the big difference makers each team needs to have success over the course of a full year.

Whether they provide adequate depth, round out a rotation or even just provide an unsung upgrade at a position, the teams that end up employing their services next season will be better off in 2014.

Chad Gaudin

Position: Relief Pitcher

2013 Team: San Francisco Giants

Right-handed reliever Chad Gaudin is an interesting commodity when it comes to free agency.  The 31-year-old reliever-turned-starter had a nice season filling in for San Francisco’s injured starter Ryan Vogelsong.

He is capable of both long relief and spot starting, which can help almost any rotation.  His 2013 contract of $750,000 makes him affordable as well.

Do the Giants want him back?  Probably, as tweeted by Larry Krueger of their flagship station KNBR in San Francisco.

Yet there are plenty of other teams that could be interested.  The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies could use a versatile starter.  The Boston Red Sox need bullpen help.  Gaudin can provide both. 

Gaudin earned his keep in San Francisco and is likely to stay there, but the deep pockets of teams like Boston, New York and Philadelphia could lure his services back east.

Carlos Ruiz

Position: Catcher

2013 Team: Philadelphia Phillies

Veteran catcher Carlos Ruiz will be 35 years old when the 2014 season starts.  At that age, it is likely  that his best days are behind him.  Yet he can still provide good offensive prowess.

The other question is whether or not Ruiz returns to Philadelphia—the team he has spent his entire career with. 

The Phillies do need to get younger and more athletic.  Do they plan on keeping Ruiz in their equation, or do they look more to the future?  As of now, Philadelphia does not have an in-house option to replace Ruiz and the market for catchers is pretty thin.

Ruiz would also like to stay, but will a deal be made before he hits the open market at a thin position?  He probably won’t make as much compared to his previous contract, which makes him more attractive as a commodity.

In all likelihood Ruiz will remain in Philadelphia, but there is a good chance he could land with another squad looking for catching help.  The Tampa Bay Rays could use an offensive upgrade over the aging Jose Molina.  The White Sox and Tigers may also be looking for upgrades. 

This market is very thin and if Philadelphia does not lock up Ruiz soon, he may take a contract elsewhere.

Nate McLouth

Position: Outfield

2013 Team: Baltimore Orioles

There is a lot of upside to outfielder Nate McLouth.  The nine-year veteran has a lot of attributes that teams will be looking for during the offseason.  He has a good on-base percentage, hits right-handed pitching well and he can steal bases.

While he is nowhere close to a splashy free agent, his 2013 base salary of $2 million would mean the 31 year old would be a cheap option for a team looking to add depth or find an upgrade in the outfield.

Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors.com breaks down what will happen if McLouth leaves the Orioles and emphasizes what he can provide for another team that is interested.  He writes:

The Orioles aren’t brimming with alternatives to replace McLouth, and will have to turn to the free agent and trade markets if they don’t re-sign him.  Since McLouth could assume more of an above-average, oft-used fourth outfielder role, he could boost the depth of many clubs. 

The Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates—where McLouth started his professional career—may be looking for help in the outfield.

It would not be surprising to see McLouth land with either squad if it does not work out in Baltimore.  Both of those teams need the help and McLouth can provide it.

Stephen Drew

Position: Shortstop

2013 Team: Boston Red Sox

If you forget 2007 and 2012, shortstop Stephen Drew is actually a nice option at the position.

Playing on a talented Red Sox team helps his numbers quite a bit, but there is a potential that he could move on to somewhere else. 

Will he command the contract he got with Boston in 2013?  Probably not, even though his agent is Scott Boras.  Will he provide good defense with above-average numbers at the plate?  Absolutely.

So, which teams would be interested? 

The shortstop market is both relatively old and thin. 

With that in mind, there are a number of teams looking to add something at the position.  The New York Mets are a possible candidate as tweeted by Andrew Vazzano of SNY.tv.

Of course, Boston will look to entertain his return to the Red Sox.  Considering some of his extra-base hitting prowess displayed during the year, Boston would be smart to at least try an offer.

Other possibilities include the Pittsburgh Pirates, who could lose Clint Barmes via free agency, as well as the Tampa Bay Rays with Yunel Escobar.  Both clubs have good prospects waiting for their chance, but Drew could be the bridge in the meantime until their respective prospects are ready.

Yet the favorite here has to be Boston.  The Mets could lure him away if they want to overpay.  If contract negotiations become a problem, perhaps a short-term option becomes reality.

While none of these free agents are likely considered “high priority” by teams around the league, each offers a unique set of skills that could prove to be the difference heading forward into 2014.

In Gaudin‘s case, it is his versatility on the mound either as a starter or reliever.  Think how valuable that is to a rotation and/or bullpen late in the season.  With Ruiz, veteran catchers who can provide some offensive thump are a bonus to any lineup.  Ruiz’s ability to work with elite pitchers also makes his signing a bonus.

McClouth is a solid, if not stellar, outfielder.  There are plenty of teams that need corner outfielders and McClouth provides that.  He has good defense, enough offensive prowess and would add depth in a worst-case scenario.  At best, he could be a cheaper staple of a good offense.

Drew is also a likable option for teams needing good defense at shortstop.  He has some pop in his bat as well.  Those are both great assets considering the position. 

None of these signings will likely command the media attention given to players like Robinson Cano or Carlos Beltran.  Yet these free agents are no less important to helping teams win. 

After all, it is not necessarily the best players that help a team win—it is the right ones.

Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report.  Follow him @PeterMcShots on Twitter.

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Like the Red Sox, whose offseason free agent targets I previewed yesterday, the Braves are one of the best teams in baseball without too many weaknesses on their current roster. The difference is that the Sox have several key players headed for free agency while the Braves have just one—catcher Brian McCann. And they could choose to replace him internally. 

So, barring a quick exit from the playoffs, which could intensify their pursuit of an impact player this winter, it could be a very quiet offseason in Atlanta. That doesn’t mean they won’t have their eye on several free agents who could help strengthen the roster and provide the much-needed depth to compete over a long season. 

Here are some free agents they could pursue in four different areas of potential need.

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There are still games to be played, some very meaningful, but there’s no question that front offices for all 30 teams have already started preparing their offseason game plans.

Which free agents will they target? Which of their own free agents will they try and retain? Which players should they target in a trade, and which of their own players are expendable? How much money will be available to spend? Which of their minor league players are ready to make an impact at the big league level.

These are all questions that will be answered in the near future before each team begins its quest to perfectly execute its offseason game plan. Some teams will succeed, and some will fail at filling their biggest needs with the players they wanted.

With a general idea of how much teams could have to spend this offseason and which positions they’ll be looking to upgrade, I’ve predicted whether teams will be a “loser” or “winner” this offseason based on how I think they’ll utilize their resources. But this isn’t an indication of predicted success or failure on the actual field.

The Boston Red Sox had plenty of holes to fill last offseason, but a ton of payroll space after a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers took several long-term contracts off their hands.

They took full advantage and had a “winning” offseason, followed by a division title. On the other hand, the Toronto Blue Jays had a “winning” offseason followed by an injury-plagued and mostly disappointing season. The New York Yankees had a “losing” offseason that will conclude with a winning season.  

As we all know, the games still have to be played on the field. But that doesn’t take away from how important the offseason roster moves can turn out to be. We just have to wait a long time to find out the results.  

The 30 slides are listed in order of lowest to highest 2013 Opening Day payroll, according to USA Today. Each team’s pending free agents are listed with their 2013 salary, according to Baseball Prospectus, in parentheses. Those who have a club option that is very likely to be picked up are not listed. 

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The free-agent market won’t be officially open for business for about another month-and-a-half (at the conclusion of the World Series), but most free agents-to-be are down to their last 12 to 15 games to either boost, maintain or lose value. 

While a majority of the group will be in the “maintain value” category, a handful of others are either playing good enough to bump that price tag up or bad enough to knock it down.

Here are eight players, four from each side, who have shifted the needle on their free-agent stock during the past week or two. 

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With less than a month to go in the regular season, free agents-to-be are running out of time to leave a lasting impression on potential suitors. Some of the bigger names, including Robinson Cano, have remained near the top of the free-agent market with steady performance while several others have risen and fallen from month-to-month. 

Players who have disappointed up to this point can still boost their stock by having a big month in September. On the flip side, those who have been terrific for most of the season could see their value fall substantially with a poor finish. 

Here are 10 players who have gone in all different directions throughout the season, but find themselves in a similar position with a few weeks to go. Their value could rise or fall significantly based on their end-of-season performance.

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We are still a month from the start of the 2013 MLB postseason, and players often significantly impact their free-agent stock with their play down the stretch and in the playoffs, but it’s still never too early to take a look at the upcoming crop of free agents.

At the plate, Robinson Cano, Shin-Soo Choo, Jacoby Ellsbury, Hunter Pence and Brian McCann make up the cream of the position-player crop. On the mound, Matt Garza looks like the top option, while veterans like Roy Halladay, Josh Johnson and Phil Hughes make for interesting buy-low candidates. Top closers Grant Balfour, Edward Mujica and Fernando Rodney also figure to be available.

So here at the start of September is an early look at the top 50 free agents available in their year’s free-agent market, complete with predictions on where they’ll sign and what their contract could look like.

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Yesterday’s news that the Cubs will likely pursue free agent-to-be outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, which was reported by Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago, shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. After trading away Alfonso Soriano and David DeJesus in the last month, the Cubs’ projected outfield heading into the offseason includes Nate Schierholtz, Brian Bogusevic and Junior Lake.

That trio is actually having a strong season, although the success of Bogusevic and Lake is in a very small sample size. But Schierholtz still isn’t viewed as an everyday player and neither are the 29-year-old Bogusevic, who had a .596 OPS with regular playing time in Houston last season, or Lake, who was an infielder before being moved to the outfield to increase his versatility this season .

Another losing season in Year 3 of the Theo Epstein regime won’t be taken very kindly by even the most patient and understanding Cubs fans. If they were to enter 2014 without making any outfield upgrades, they’d probably deserve the backlash that would occur if they were non-contenders once again.

Here are four good reasons why signing Choo to a projected four-year deal that would likely pay between $56-$64 million would make a whole lot of sense.

Young Talent Is On the Way … In 2015

While the win-loss record isn’t impressive since Epstein was hired as team president prior to the 2012 season (115-174), the farm system sure has improved. Outfielder Jorge Soler, who was signed out of Cuba last June, and the team’s last two No. 1 draft picks, third baseman Kris Bryant (second pick overall in 2013) and outfielder Albert Almora (sixth pick overall in 2012), join 2011 first-rounder Javier Baez (pictured) as elite prospects that are considered to be amongst the best in baseball. 

Several other minor leaguers who could help in the near future have also been acquired in trades since Epstein’s hire, including pitchers Jake Arrieta, C.J. Edwards, Justin Grimm, Kyle Hendricks, Neil Ramirez and Arodys Vizcaino. 

This is certainly great news for the team’s future. Cubs fans have reason to be excited and satisfied with the job that Epstein and company have done thus far. Just don’t expect this crop of talent to make a major impact on the big league team earlier than 2015.

So, then, what about 2014? 

Well, that’s where Choo fits in. If they are to start adding hitters that will be in the mix for the next several seasons, that hitter will need to be an ideal fit on and off the field without handcuffing the team because of an outrageous salary well past their prime. 

Signing Choo, whose consistent production from year to year over the past six seasons makes him a very safe investment, to a deal for his ages 31-34 seasons seems like a logical move. Not only does it help the Cubs in 2014 and beyond, it does not appear that he’d be taking up a spot reserved for a top prospect when they begin to arrive in the majors for good sometime around 2015 and 2016. 

Two Birds With One Stone

With DeJesus out of the picture, the Cubs will be in search of an outfielder and a leadoff hitter in the offseason. The 31-year-old Choo is an outfielder who just happens to be one of the best leadoff hitters in the majors this season. 

The Cubs lineup has gotten solid production out of the leadoff spot from a pair of hitters, Lake and Luis Valbuena, in a small sample size. Their track records, however, indicate that the Cubs would be crazy to expect them to keep it up over a full season.

Lake, who is 15-for-37 as the leadoff hitter during his brief major league stint, has a career .322 on-base percentage in the minor leagues and has just seven walks and 32 strikeouts in 34 big league games. Valbuena, despite posting a .330 on-base percentage in 22 games out of the leadoff spot this season, has a career .301 on-base percentage in 408 big league games.   Without accounting for any other roster moves that could happen aside from Choo, it could be said that he’d be the team’s best No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 hitter as well. His versatility in the lineup and in the outfield—he‘s a below -average center fielder, but he’s handled the position adequately in Cincinnati this season—would allow the team to keep its options open throughout its other offseason pursuits. 

.301 OBP

Choo‘s .416 on-base percentage might be as good as it gets during his career. But it’s no fluke. He had a career .381 on-base percentage coming into the season and he’s stepped it up a notch in a season when he knew he’d be hitting leadoff regularly. Need more proof? Choo has a .385 on-base percentage in 714 career minor league games. He knows how to get on base.

Need proof that the Cubs are hurting for hitters with an ability to get on base? Their team on-base percentage of .301 is the third worst in baseball. Losing DeJesus, who had a .330 on-base percentage, doesn’t help.

With younger core players like Starlin Castro (pictured) and Anthony Rizzo on the current team and so many others on the way—Baez, in particular, could have trouble with plate discipline if his 38 walks and 134 strikeouts are any indication—having one of the best in the business at getting on base as a daily example can only be a bonus. 

High Korean Population

Filling the seats at Wrigley Field shouldn’t be too difficult. Because it’s Wrigley Field! But attendance has dropped in five consecutive seasons from over 40,000 per game in 2008 to just over 33,000 per game this season, according to ESPN. Even if Cubs fans do understand that the rebuilding process needed to take place and fixing their team wasn’t going to happen overnight, it doesn’t mean they were going to come watch the product on the field as often.

Playing winning baseball and hosting meaningful games in August and September would be the best cure to the attendance drop-off. But having an everyday player for one of the largest Korean populations in the nation to cheer for certainly can’t hurt . Especially when that Korean player is one as productive as Choo. 

The Korean Beacon listed Chicago as the third-most Korean-American city a couple years ago, citing a budding number of Korean-owned businesses and a steady influx of Korean immigrants. This could be a major selling point in getting Choo to sign with the Cubs. And by bringing in Choo, a former MVP of the 2000 World Junior Baseball Championship won by South Korea, interest in Chicago Cubs baseball could increase in the community. 

It won’t have as much of an impact as having a winning ballclub would. But, fortunately, the talented Choo would play a part in both. 

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The Yankees are unlikely to avoid paying Alex Rodriguez for at least the last two-plus years of his current deal, which runs through the 2017 season. Unless his 211-game suspension is decreased after his current appeal, that’s an estimated $55 million owed to a player who will be approaching his 40th birthday when he’s eligible to return after the first 49 games of the 2015 season. 

Looking on the bright side, they’ll save nearly $32 million (his entire 2014 salary and 49 games’ worth of his 2015 salary) if his suspension is upheld, which would be huge as the team heads into an offseason with several key free agents and plenty of holes to fill.

On top of those enormous savings, the Yankees can rest easy knowing that Rodriguez never earned the $150,000 for winning a playoff division series MVP…because it doesn’t exist. 

So while Rodriguez is known more for his lack of playoff success as a Yankee, it should be pointed out that he could’ve been in the running for the “ALDS MVP” had it existed when he went 8-for-19 with a homer and three doubles during a series win against the Twins in 2004, his first playoff appearance since signing the contract with Texas prior to the 2001 season.

Maybe Rodriguez figured out the contract error after that 2004 series and it sent him into a tailspin over his next three ALDS appearances (7-for-44 from 2005-2007).

His new 10-year contract, which was signed prior to the 2008 season, has no such clause as far as I can tell. But after a 5-for-11 performance with two homers in a three-game ALDS sweep over the Twins in 2009 followed by a 7-for-45 slump in his next three appearances, we can’t be sure he wasn’t motivated by another fake Division Series incentive, only to have it taken away after finding out he’d been duped again.

While there are several other silly and unattainable clauses included in player contracts, including a Gold Glove incentive for Adam Dunn and Silver Slugger incentives for relief pitchers and Cesar Izturis, who hits like a relief pitcher, here are five of the most unbelievable contract clauses and incentives in major league history.    

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All of the player movement—or lack thereof—that we saw prior to the 2013 MLB trade deadline, coupled with performances from the first four-plus months of the season, has helped us predict the fates of 2014 free agents.

Even with so much of the season remaining, certain contracts and future player/team matches seem inevitable.

We won’t go overboard and guess what happens to every notable individual. That’s a tough enough task at the onset of the offseason. Rather, the goal here is to arrive at whatever reasonable conclusions we can based on recent history and insider reports.

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