Kuzul

The competition to be the second-best free agent behind Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano this upcoming offseason is two months in, and there are no clear-cut answers as of yet. Injuries to Matt Garza and Josh Johnson and Tim Lincecum’s continued decline from his former dominant self have the starting pitching market full of question marks. 

Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals would’ve easily been the top starting pitcher had he not agreed to a five-year, $97.5 million contract extension in early April. And as crazy as it sounds, Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez might’ve been in line to receive the next highest contract for a position player behind Cano. The 27-year-old, who agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract extension before the season, is on pace for a 30-30 season (30 HR, 30 SB). 

Here’s a look at five soon-to-be free agents whose stock has risen the most and five whose stock has dropped the most. 

Begin Slideshow

Teams in need of a shortstop in 2014—the A’s, Cardinals, Mariners, Pirates, Tigers, Twins and Yankees are my early picks—will have slim pickings on the free-agent market next offseason with Stephen Drew and Jhonny Peralta the best of the bunch.

Limited options in free agency was likely the reason that Peralta, who turns 31 Tuesday, had his $6 million club option picked up by Detroit after a 2012 season in which he posted a subpar .689 OPS. Now, the lack of options for the aforementioned teams will help Peralta out again. But it’s mostly his performance (.892 OPS through 45 games) that could net him the biggest contract of his career. 

Peralta isn’t spectacular at shortstop, but he continues to be a steady and reliable defender (his 4.21 range factor is third in the AL; his .985 fielding percentage is second in the AL). After reporting to camp 20 pounds lighter, teams could have less concern about his ability to stay at the position for the next few years and would very likely be willing to shell out a three-year deal in the $27-$42 million range.

He will have earned $16.75 million over the past three seasons once his current contract expires, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him double that. Here are six others who are maximizing their market value with strong seasons.  

Begin Slideshow

In Major League Baseball, how a free agent-to-be finishes the season is much more important than how he starts. The player’s agent can chalk it up to a mechanical adjustment or a player getting back to full health or just finally “figuring it out” to explain why things didn’t click until the second half.

In any case, agents will try to sell interested teams on the player that ended the season on a roll as opposed to the player who struggled early on. The other way around would be a much tougher sell. 

So while a consistent performance throughout the season would certainly help boost value and make that player less of a risk in the eyes of a team who will be investing millions of dollars, any struggling free agents-to-be still have time to turn things around as long as they’re still playing regularly.

Here are eight of those players.

Begin Slideshow

It’s not too early for a team to have buyer’s remorse after spending good money on a free agent who has yet to produce. I’m looking at you, Josh Hamilton, Melky Cabrera, B.J. Upton and Jeff Keppinger.

But how about those players who signed elsewhere and are having big years? Their new team is certainly happy. The team that let them walk as a free agent or was just outbid? Not so much.

Here are six free-agent signees from the past offseason that are making their past employers regret not bringing them back. 

Begin Slideshow

Before the 2012 season, San Francisco Giants fans cringed when they heard Barry Zito’s name.
Now, the former AL Cy Young winner brings fond memories of a season-saving masterpiece, a mind-boggling streak of 15 consecutive wins, the honors of throwing the first World Series pitch and the honors of beating Justin Verlander to jump-start a four-game World Series sweep of the mighty Detroit Tigers.

Barry Zito redeemed himself during the 2012 season after five sub-par years chock full of boos, as he won a remarkable 15 games and propelled the Giants to wins in his last 14 starts of 2012 (he extended that streak to 15 games in his first start of 2013). Zito turned in a huge start with the season on the line in St. Louis, throwing seven and two-thirds scoreless innings and stifling a powerful Cardinal lineup.

Then, Zito took the ball in Game 1 of the World Series, and he had to face the unstoppable Verlander, who went 17-8 with a 2.64 ERA in a down year. Verlander, however, struggled, as Pablo Sandoval hit two home runs off of him and Zito even chipped in with an RBI single.

Oh, and Zito also twirled a nice start, throwing five and two-thirds strong innings and earning the crucial win.

Without Zito, the Giants wouldn’t have won the World Series, and obviously, the World Series is extremely important. Going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA is never easy, and doing that in the postseason against three prolific offenses is definitely impressive.

Another impressive feat accomplished by Zito is that he hasn’t allowed more than three runs in his last nine starts (including the postseason), which is also incredible. It speaks to how valuable and consistent Zito has been, which is something Giants fans aren’t exactly used to seeing. Zito came out firing again in 2013, keeping the ball away from the heart of the plate (which he has done a great job with), avoiding walks and getting key outs when needed.

The result? Seven brilliant shutout innings and another win.

There’s no doubt Zito has been valuable and there’s no doubt that he helped the Giants win the World Series, as he learned from missing the 2010 postseason roster (because he lost 14 games and was easily the Giants’ worst starting pitcher). However, most people believe that he hasn’t lived up to his contract that most believe Zito never should have received.

Zito was paid $126 million over seven years during the 2006 offseason, and he will be a Giant again in 2014 if he can log 200 innings, or six and two-thirds innings per start for 30 starts. While Zito has proven to be valuable, paying $126 million for any player over any period of time is always a gamble, and it didn’t help that Zito did very little in his first five years with the Giants.

However, the fact remains that even if the Giants had another good pitcher in the rotation instead of Zito, they wouldn’t have won the World Series. In 2007 and 2008, the Giants were awful, as they were well below .500 in both years. In 2009, the Giants were 88-74, but they were still virtually out of playoff contention with a week left in the season.

In 2011, the Giants were eliminated from the NL West race with 11 days left in the season, and they were a few games back of both the Cardinals and the Braves in the Wild Card race. However, the Giants never really had a chance then without star catcher Buster Posey and with the injury bug attacking in so many ways.

Zito still won some games in 2010, and the Giants still came up triumphant then. So, Zito really shouldn’t be taking much blame for being left off the 2010 playoff roster, especially after his 2012 success. He never cost the Giants in terms of production, and he helped them win the championship in 2012.

This money is invested in players in hopes of a championship. With Zito, the Giants have won championships in 40 percent of his years. When you consider that there are 30 teams in the MLB, winning the championship 40 percent of the time is impressive (in any period of time).

Zito is also bound to do more in 2013, judging from his 2012 success, positive attitude and first start. He is pitching almost as well as he did when he won the 2002 Cy Young, and he has been absolutely remarkable lately. With Tim Lincecum pitching far from flawlessly, Ryan Vogelsong and Matt Cain coming off of bad starts and Madison Bumgarner fresh off some bad 2012 outings, the Giants need Zito.

San Francisco’s $126 million man has proven that he can step up in big situations and pitch like the guy that won the Cy Young award. Zito’s contract has garnered boatloads of criticism during his tenure in San Francisco, but the bottom line is that Zito is a good pitcher who is finally pitching like one. He tightened the break on his curveball and has improved his location, and that has contributed to his recent success.

And his recent success has made Zito’s contract completely worth it for the Giants.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the regular season underway, the free-agent market has understandably cooled down and is not something that will be talked about much over the next several months.

That said, last season saw veterans Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu and Roy Oswalt all find homes after Opening Day.

Here are my rankings of the top 15 MLB free agents still up for grabs.

Begin Slideshow

In recent weeks, several teams have locked up franchise icons, including the Giants’ Buster Posey, the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright and the Tigers’ Justin Verlander. Without these key players hitting free agency in coming years, teams will have to work with what remains. 

A few players stand to gain tremendously from these signings, but will need to put up good numbers this season if they want to cash in on long-term deals this offseason. Here are my top five free agents in need of a strong 2013 campaign.

Begin Slideshow

I’ve never been comfortable with the Yankees’ current catching situation.

Especially because the Yankees lost their previous one, who was looking for more money, to free agency.

And then, I got an idea for a potential starter.

On Tuesday, I had first mentioned the idea of Ramon Hernandez for the Yankees.

That was after it was announced that Yorvit Torrealba would make the Colorado Rockies and Hernandez was likely either to be traded or cut.

On Friday, the Colorado Rockies designated Hernandez for assignment, and they will have 10 days to either trade or release the catcher.

Rockies cut Ramon Hernandez, keep Torrealba (Yahoo! Sports) yhoo.it/11YKZy7 #MLB

— Yahoo! Sports MLB (@YahooSportsMLB) March 30, 2013

Hernandez is due $3.2 million in 2013, but if the Rockies end up having to release him, Colorado has to pay him the whole amount, and whomever Hernandez signs with next would only have to pay him the minor league minimum.

Whether it be a trade or signing him as a free agent, I still think the Yankees need to pursue the veteran catcher for the 2013 season.

Back on March 17, Jon Heyman from CBS Sports had said the Rays, Phillies, Angels and Pirates all could have interest in Hernandez, but the Yankees hadn’t inquired yet.

#angels, #pirates, #rays, #phillies all could have interest in ramon hernandez. #yankees haven’t inquired.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) March 17, 2013

That was March 17. We’re nearing the end of March now, almost two full weeks later, and there are multiple injuries to the Yankees offense to take into consideration.

The Yankees currently have Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart as their two main catchers on the roster, but neither one is really suited to be a starter and should be a backup used for defensive purposes.

With Hernandez, it would give the Yankees a little extra pop in their lineup that they wouldn’t get from either Cervelli or Stewart.

Joe Pawlikowski from River Ave. Blues also talked about the idea of the Yankees looking into Hernandez once he was designated for assignment or released.

More from the scrap heap: Tyler Greene, Lyle Overbay, Ramon Hernandez rab.me/10LsGNQ

— River Ave. Blues (@RiverAveBlues) March 26, 2013

In 2012, Hernandez only played in 52 games for the Rockies due to a hand injury.

If Hernandez is healthy, he’s capable of hitting .270-.290 with 15 home runs and 65 RBI while playing 100-120 games.

He also has a career .990 fielding percentage behind the plate and has handled many pitching staffs, as he has played for the A’s, Padres, Orioles, Reds and Rockies in the past.

Some other teams could use Hernandez as a potential backup, but Hernandez makes perfect sense for them the Yankees, because both Stewart and Cervelli are not very strong suitors to be everyday catchers.

Plus, it would only be for one season and wouldn’t block either Austin Romine’s or Gary Sanchez’s progress toward the majors if they got the call.

The most ideal situation would be the Yankees waiting the 10-day period for Colorado to release Hernandez and the Yankees could then sign him for a veteran’s minimum of $400,000.

Or, the Yankees and Brian Cashman could work out a deal with Dan O’Dowd to take Hernandez and work out how much of the $3.2 million the Rockies would be on the hook for.

I know the Yankees have a lot of age and experience already on the roster, but the catching situation has been neglected since Russell Martin left as a free agent.

Acquiring Hernandez would be a short-term solution for 2013, but a good one to make.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

 Follow @Doug_Rush

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With spring training starting to get underway, MLB teams will be closely examining their rosters to see who can make the biggest impact. However, there are still a number of players that remain free agents looking to make a difference for any of the 30 teams.

Names like Michael Bourn and Scott Hairston are now off the board. So who are some of the best players still available? Let’s take a look.

Kyle Lohse

For teams looking for another good starting pitcher for their rotations, then they should look no further than Kyle Lohse. The former St. Louis Cardinal has enjoyed two straight solid seasons, including a fantastic 2012 that saw him go 16-3 with a sub-3.00 ERA.

Lohse may not have overpowering stuff, but his last couple of years in St. Louis showed him to be a reliable source of good, consistent pitching. He gave up more than three runs just four times last year, and sported a 3.76 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His sinker has helped him keep balls in the yard as well.

Lohse may not be an elite starting pitcher, but he is one that definitely deserves to be in someone’s rotation in 2013.

Freddy Sanchez

A reliable position player still sits in free agency as well. Veteran second baseman Freddy Sanchez did not play in 2012 due to injury, but is seemingly back to full health and could be a valuable asset to many teams.

A former batting champ, Sanchez has always been a solid contact hitter. While me may not provide much power, his low strikeout rate is certainly appealing. He can also provide veteran leadership where it’s needed, for example, in places like Miami or Kansas City.

Brian Wilson

Yes, that Brian Wilson. The eccentric closer (and his beard) was non-tendered in the offseason, with the San Francisco Giants set to make Sergio Romo their full-time closer. Wilson missed most of 2012 after Tommy John surgery.

Returning from this surgery is always tricky to project, but Wilson’s history points to a guy who can make a big impact wherever he lands. He has the stuff, the confidence and the facial hair. All he needs is a jersey to put on.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Opening Day is getting closer, and teams are in a flurry trying to make last-minute moves to position themselves for contention come spring. 

The Cleveland Indians are undoubtedly one of the busiest teams, signing a slew of big names, most recently Michael Bourn. 

However, as we learn almost every year through free agency, all that glitters is not gold. 

As a two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, Bourn‘s credentials are impressive. However, when you look at his production in detail, he leaves much to be desired.

He struck out 295 times in the past two years. That’s way too much, and it can possibly become a liability for the Indians if he cannot produce on a consistent basis.   

Even more alarming, his batting average dropped from a very good .311 in the first half of last season to .225 after the All-Star Game.

What excites most people about Bourn, though, is his defensive ability. Bourn is considered to be one of the premier defensive outfielders in all of baseball, and many expect this acquisition to give the Indians the best outfield in the MLB.

However, fielding wasn’t Cleveland’s main problem. Last season, the Indians ranked ninth overall in fielding percentage. They weren’t the best, but the defense obviously wasn’t the reason for their 67-92 record last year.

Cleveland’s offense needs an upgrade, and Bourn’s inconsistency will do very little to help that.

They ranked a mediocre 18th in batting average and 25th in home runs. The offense was the team’s Achilles’ heel, and Bourn does more to highlight that than relieve it.

All last year, the fans in Cleveland were begging for a potent right-handed hitter who could light it up. This flaw was exposed in a division with the home run-happy Chicago White Sox and the very good Detroit Tigers. 

Bourn’s inability to find a consistent offensive stride will hurt the team, especially in the second half of the season, where he’s been shown to regress.

This year, the AL Central looks to be competitive, and the Indians will need to keep the offense pumping into August and September, when they will probably have to find a way to fight off both the Tigers and the White Sox.

Bourn does not help their offensive problem; he only makes it worse.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com