2014-15 MLB Free Agents: Best Fits for Top Available Players
Not too long ago, Bleacher Report did a piece on the predicted landing spots for the top 15 MLB free agents this offseason.
And while we selected one club for each player, it doesn’t mean that the team chosen was the only one considered. Sure, some guys only had one logical destination, but others had a couple of different teams that made sense.
So let’s take the 2014-15 free-agent conversation in a slightly different direction and look at an alternative landing spot for five free agents set to hit the market. To be clear, these are not predictions. This is a look at one other club that could be considered a best fit for each player.
Before getting started, it must be noted that we will stay away from all pitchers.
Simply put, an argument can be made that every MLB club would be an ideal fit for them. After all, what team doesn’t need Jon Lester at the top of the rotation or Francisco Liriano at the back end on a two-year deal? And what general manager wouldn't love a lefty like Andrew Miller in the bullpen?
Also, one name was added who did not make the top 15. He didn't crack the list last time, but he is certainly worth mentioning.
Here are the best fits for five hitters as the 2014-15 MLB free-agent period draws closer.
Russell Martin, C
1 of 5
Has Welington Castillo done enough to warrant being the Opening Day catcher for the Chicago Cubs next season?
The answer is maybe. From the Chicago Tribune’s Mark Gonzales (subscription required):
"From a statistical standpoint, Castillo took a hit with a 37-point drop in his batting average to .237, and pitchers had a 4.20 ERA with Castillo behind the plate (compared to a 3.38 ERA with backup John Baker).
Castillo did throw out eight of the final 12 base runners attempting to steal. And he hit a career-high 13 home runs and was one of the better hitters with runners in scoring position with two out (.280).
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Mixed results aside, the larger point is this: If the Cubs are going to invest in a pitcher like Jon Lester—and perhaps another starter—is Castillo the guy you want behind the plate?
If the answer to that question is no, then Russell Martin makes a whole lot of sense.
First off, he is a fantastic receiver. According to Baseball-Reference, pitchers compiled a 3.28 ERA in games he caught, which is better than both Castillo and Baker. It is also what a franchise needs as it develops young pitching and acquires high-priced veterans in advance of a playoff run.
Martin is also an accomplished hitter, posting a career .259/.354/.402 slash line. He would slide nicely into the No. 5 or No. 6 spot in the batting order.
It must be mentioned that 2014 first-round draft pick Kyle Schwarber was drafted as a catcher, but he may be best served as a corner outfielder. And either way, he is likely not going to be ready until 2016 at the earliest.
Chase Headley, 3B
2 of 5
The Miami Marlins are on the verge of something special.
They have superstar Giancarlo Stanton manning right field, Marcell Ozuna in center field, a talented rotation featuring Jose Fernandez (when he returns from Tommy John surgery), Henderson Alvarez and Tom Koehler as well as an impressive bullpen.
Flat out, the Marlins have the chance to be quite good in the coming seasons. Adding third baseman Chase Headley to the roster only makes them better.
True, Casey McGehee got off to a torrid start in 2014, slashing out at .319/.386/.391 with 53 RBI and 21 doubles in the first half. Unfortunately, he followed that up by compiling a .243/.310/.310 slash line with only 23 RBI and eight doubles in the second half, per Baseball-Reference.
Make no mistake, Headley is an upgrade over McGehee in almost every area. He has a statistical advantage in both baserunning and offensive rating and is far superior in the field, per FanGraphs. This isn’t meant to demean McGehee, whose season was surprisingly productive, but Headley is a better player.
Another thing to consider is that with McGehee relegated to backing up Headley at third and spelling Garrett Jones at first, the Marlins are now a deeper team. And when the task is unseating the Washington Nationals, roster depth will be key.
Adam LaRoche, 1B
3 of 5
Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche is arguably the only player at his position worthy of a multiyear contract this offseason. There simply aren’t that many options out there.
And while he will likely end up with the Milwaukee Brewers, the Oakland A’s are a perfect fit.
See, LaRoche gets on base and has prodigious power. For his career, he has a .340 on-base percentage and has only finished with a slugging percentage below .400 once, during an injury-shortened season in 2011.
It must be noted that Brandon Moss still has two years of arbitration eligibility left with the A's, but in addition to playing first, there is a hole at designated hitter that LaRoche could slide into with ease. To wit, the Athletics only received a .215/.294/.343 slash line with 15 home runs and 73 RBI from the position, per Baseball-Reference.
The power numbers may not seem terrible, but when we consider that seven home runs and 29 RBI came from Moss, Adam Dunn (who may be retiring) and Yoenis Cespedes (dealt to the Boston Red Sox), the need for a player with some pop in his bat becomes apparent.
The bottom line is that the A’s struggled to generate offense down the stretch. It became so problematic that general manager Billy Beane added Dunn in an August waiver trade. And when a club adds a guy like Dunn, you know the situation is desperate.
LaRoche would certainly satisfy a need.
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Victor Martinez, DH
4 of 5
Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu needs some help.
True, he did fine on his own this year, slashing out at .317/.383/.581 with 36 home runs, 107 RBI, and 35 doubles in 556 at-bats. It’s just that he didn’t get much in the way of help directly in front of and behind him in the batting order.
See, Abreu typically hit third this past season, and the combination of No. 2 hitters put up a woeful .237/.279/.355 slash line, while the group of No. 4 hitters (including Abreu, who buoyed these numbers a bit) slashed out at .242/.307/.462, per Baseball-Reference.
Had Abreu been fortunate enough to have a guy on either side capable of getting on base or giving him some protection, his production—and thereby the success of the club—would have improved.
That makes Victor Martinez an ideal target for general manager Rick Hahn this offseason.
The club has been linked to Martinez too. Bruce Levine from 670 The Score, for example, noted at the end of August that the “White Sox will be players” when it comes to landing the premier free-agent hitter on the market.
The White Sox have two main things that make them legitimate candidates to sign Martinez. First, they have one of the 10 worst records in MLB, meaning that their first-round pick is protected should he turn down a qualifying offer. Second, they can afford to pay him.
That said, it’s unlikely Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski lets Martinez go.
Melky Cabrera, OF
5 of 5
Yes, he’s already been with the club once before. And yes, they are doing just fine without him.
That doesn’t mean that Melky Cabrera isn’t a fine fit for the Kansas City Royals.
First off, he finished the regular season with a .301/.351/.458 slash line, 16 home runs, 73 RBI and stroked 35 doubles in 568 at-bats. Not only are those numbers better than those put up by Nori Aoki—who is also a free agent—but he would have led the Royals in doubles, batting average and on-base plus slugging.
Another thing to consider is that Cabrera is versatile. He can play either corner spot in the outfield and can hit at the top of the order or provide ample slugging from the middle. Flat out, he would provide manager Ned Yost with incredible flexibility.
For as good as that sounds, signing Cabrera isn’t going to happen.
After all, the Royals will have to surrender a first-round draft pick to land him once he turns down a qualifying offer from the Blue Jays. On top of that, general manager Dayton Moore would have to stretch his payroll to outbid the multiple clubs vying for Cabrera’s services.
And none of this is taking into consideration the fact that Moore may have to find another starter if (more likely when) James Shields leaves via free agency. There are too many things standing in the way.
But man, how sweet would it be if Cabrera found a way back to the Royals?
Unless otherwise noted, all traditional, team and historical statistics are courtesy of Baseball-Reference. Transaction, injury and game information are courtesy of MLB.com. Contract info taken from Cots Contracts.
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