Re-Ranking the Top 20 Available Stars as 2014 Winter Meetings Start Up
Watch out, San Diego—the baseball world is heading your way.
That's because MLB's annual winter meetings, which officially began Sunday, are being held in Southern California. Teams, agents and players—not to mention throngs of fans and media alike—will be holding court in the city that Ron Burgundy calls home through Thursday, Dec. 11.
To be sure, the amount of chatter will outnumber the deals that are agreed to.
Chicago Cubs team president Theo Epstein told MLB.com's Phil Rogers that "the ratio of talk to action will be about 50 to one," but the winter meetings serve as a breeding ground, where the groundwork for deals later in the offseason is laid.
So far this offseason, we've seen some of the biggest names when it comes to position players come off the board. Nelson Cruz, Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval and Yasmany Tomas have all found new homes, taking some of the buzz away from the spectacle.
That doesn't mean that there's no talent available—far from it.
Who are the best of the best that could find new homes over the next four days?
Let's take a look.
Note: These rankings are subjective and based entirely on this writer's opinion. Some may use WAR to determine where a player should fall on a list like this. Not me. Thus, there's a very good chance that we'll disagree over where some players are ranked.
Honorable Mentions
1 of 21
These players, available via free agency or trade, just missed the cut for our top 20 for a variety of reasons, including questions about their production moving forward due to age and/or injuries and there simply being more talented players available.
- OF Marlon Byrd, Philadelphia Phillies
- SS/2B Asdrubal Cabrera, Free Agent
- SS/2B Stephen Drew, Free Agent
- C/OF Evan Gattis, Atlanta Braves
- RHP Jason Hammel, Free Agent
- SS Jed Lowrie, Free Agent
- RHP Justin Masterson, Free Agent
- RHP Brandon McCarthy, Free Agent
- OF/1B Michael Morse
- RHP Jonathan Papelbon, Philadelphia Phillies
- RHP Jake Peavy, Free Agent
- RH Rick Porcello, Detroit Tigers
- OF Colby Rasmus, Free Agent
- OF Alex Rios, Free Agent
- OF/1B/DH Nick Swisher, Cleveland Indians
Note: I believe Hiroki Kuroda is going to retire, so he's been eliminated from consideration.
Additionally, the following players have been the subject of trade speculation, but it doesn't appear as if their respective clubs are seriously considering dealing them at this time:
- OF Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds
- RHP Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds
- RHP Wade Davis, Kansas City Royals
- OF Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies
- LHP David Price, Detroit Tigers*
- SS Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies
*David Price is believed to be available, per ESPN's Jayson Stark, but only if the Tigers are assured of re-signing Max Scherzer. That assurance isn't coming, so Price has been left off.
20. SS Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox
2 of 21
2014 Stats (CHW): 158 G, .273/.305/.408, 52 XBH (15 HR), 74 RBI, 97 wRC+
Age on Opening Day 2015: 33
Remaining Contract: One year, $10 million, $10 million team option ($1 million buyout) in 2016
It comes as no surprise that veteran shortstop Alexei Ramirez has once again become a target of teams looking for an upgrade at shortstop, as reported by CBS Chicago's Bruce Levine earlier this offseason.
With nothing but mediocre options available on the free-agent market—Asdrubal Cabrera, Stephen Drew and Jed Lowrie represent the best of the group, and you could argue that neither Cabrera nor Drew can field the position any longer—Ramirez becomes all the more attractive.
Under team control through 2016 at a more-than-reasonable $10 million a year, Ramirez can fit into nearly every club's payroll moving forward.
The Chicago White Sox have had discussions about a potential Jeff Samardzija trade with Oakland, and the Chicago Sun-Times' Darryl Van Schouwen speculated that Ramirez could be part of a package heading back to the A's.
19. RHP Ervin Santana, Free Agent
3 of 21
2014 Stats (ATL): 31 GS, 14-10, 3.95 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 196 IP, 193 H, 2.9 BB/9, 8.2 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 32
2014 Salary: $14.1 million
Ervin Santana is firmly cemented as one of the better No. 2/No. 3 starters available this winter, with a fairly lengthy track record of durability and success.
He's coming off his fifth consecutive season with at least 30 starts, a span that has seen him eclipse the 200-inning plateau three times and average 207 innings a season while pitching to a 3.88 ERA and 1.25 WHIP.
He's a bit on the home run-prone side, averaging more than one per nine innings of work, but he posted his highest K/9 rate since 2008
Santana posted an 8.2 K/9 for the Atlanta Braves in 2014, his highest average since 2008, when he was an All-Star for the Los Angeles Angels and averaged 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings of work.
CBS Sports' Jon Heyman says that there is mutual interest between Santana and Kansas City, though ESPN's Buster Olney says that he's seeking a five-year contract, a number that the Royals aren't believed to be willing to meet.
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18. RHP Ian Kennedy, San Diego Padres
4 of 21
2014 Stats (SD): 33 GS, 13-13, 3.63 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 201 IP, 189 H, 3.1 BB/9, 9.3 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 30
Contract Remaining: Final year of arbitration eligibility, free agent after 2015 season
With San Diego desperately looking to add impact bats to its inept lineup, the Padres have been listening to offers on most of its starting rotation, including Ian Kennedy. He cracked the 200-inning plateau for the third time in the past four years and set a career high with 207 strikeouts in 2014, a total that ranked fifth in the National League.
The club had talks with Boston about a potential Kennedy-for-Yoenis Cespedes swap, according to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, and it would stand to reason that interest in him will pick up again once the top free-agent options available begin to sign.
17. 3B Chase Headley, Free Agent
5 of 21
2014 Stats (SD/NYY): 135 G, .243/.328/.372, 34 XBH (13 HR), 49 RBI, 103 wRC+
Age on Opening Day 2015: 30
Remaining Contract: One year, $10.525 million
Questions about Chase Headley's bat and his ability to stay healthy are what keep one of the game's premier defensive third basemen down on our rankings.
The veteran showed signs of life upon his midseason trade to New York, hitting .262/.371/.398 over 68 games in the Bronx—and he did it with a herniated disc in his back that he needed at least one epidural to deal with.
But Headley has never been able to come close to replicating his production from 2012, when he hit .286 with 31 home runs, a National League-leading 115 RBI and a .875 OPS. Since then, he's hit only .246 with 26 home runs, 99 RBI and a .725 OPS.
Those aren't the worst numbers in the world, but they aren't great, either.
Certainly, they aren't the kind of numbers you'd expect to garner a four-year, $65 million offer, which ESPN's Buster Olney reports the veteran has in hand, though no team has been linked to such a pact.
The New York Yankees (per Joel Sherman of the New York Post), Miami Marlins (per Heyman) and San Francisco Giants (per Rosenthal) have expressed varying levels of interest in him thus far.
16. RHP Tyler Clippard, Washington Nationals
6 of 21
2014 Stats (WAS): 75 G, 7-4, 2.18 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 70.1 IP, 47 H, 2.9 BB/9, 10.5 K/9, 1-of-7 SV
Age on Opening Day 2015: 30
Contract Remaining: Final year of arbitration eligibility, free agent after 2015 season
It takes a special kind of middle reliever to be ranked among the best players available in a given offseason. This winter, we've had two—Andrew Miller, who signed a four-year, $36 million deal with the New York Yankees, and Tyler Clippard, a former Yankees farmhand.
While he's only two years removed from converting 32 of 37 save opportunities in Washington, Clippard is at his best in a setup role, one that has seen him make two All-Star appearances.
Effective against batters from either side of the plate, he's appeared in 147 games since the start of 2013, going a combined 13-7 with a 2.29 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 155 strikeouts over 141.1 innings of work.
15. LHP Francisco Liriano, Free Agent
7 of 21
2014 Stats (PIT): 29 GS, 7-10, 3.38 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 162.1 IP, 130 H, 4.5 BB/9, 9.7 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 31
2014 Salary: $6 million
Among starting pitchers who have thrown at least 300 innings over the last two seasons, Francisco Liriano ranks ninth in ground-ball percentage (52.4 percent), a talent that plays well in any ballpark. That he's adept at making batters swing and miss makes him all the more attractive as a free agent.
But he's not without his warts. Liriano struggles with his command and control, resulting in high pitch counts early in games that keep him from going deep. That, coupled with a shaky injury history, has kept him from throwing more than 165 innings in all but one of his nine seasons in the majors, back in 2010 with the Minnesota Twins (191.2 IP).
Still, the two teams for which he's played, Minnesota and Pittbsurgh, remain engaged and interested in bringing him back into their rotations, per Lavelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune, respectively.
Update: Tuesday, Dec. 9
CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that the Pirates have re-signed Liriano to a three-year, $39 million deal.
With the market saturated with pitching, Liriano's market wasn't going to develop anytime quickly. He's comfortable in Pittsburgh and has had his most sustained success (23-18, 3.20 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) over the past two years with the club than at any other point in his career.
For the Pirates, they retain a key piece of their rotation, which is shaping up nicely with Gerrit Cole, Liriano and A.J. Burnett (who the club signed early in the offseason) leading the way.
14. OF Yoenis Cespedes, Boston Red Sox
8 of 21
2014 Stats (OAK/BOS): 152 G, .260/.301/.450, 64 XBH (22 HR), 100 RBI, 109 wRC+
Age on Opening Day 2015: 29
Remaining Contract: One year, $10.5 million
Even before signing Hanley Ramirez, Boston had more outfielders than it knew what to do with. Now, with Ramirez in the mix, set to take Yoenis Cespedes' job in left field away from him, something has to give.
The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo originally reported that Cespedes was non-committal as to whether he wanted to stay in Boston for the long haul and that he had no interest in playing right field or working on his defense, the latter a necessity if you're going to play left field in Fenway Park.
Shortly thereafter, a team insider told Bill Madden of the New York Daily News that Cespedes "marches to his own drum and the coaches all hate him.”
Reports like those, both of which were disputed by Boston, do nothing to increase a player's trade value.
Still, Cespedes has what teams covet—legitimate power from the right side of the plate—and that he's got a cannon for a throwing arm doesn't hurt things either.
Multiple teams have been linked to the Cuban slugger, including San Diego, which, according to Rosenthal, discussed an Ian Kennedy-for-Cespedes deal with the Red Sox before Boston backed away, believing it could get a better pitcher in return elsewhere.
13. RHP Mat Latos, Cincinnati Reds
9 of 21
2014 Stats (CIN): 16 GS, 5-5, 3.25 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 102.1 IP, 92 H, 2.3 BB/9, 6.5 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 27
Contract Remaining: Final year of arbitration eligibility, free agent after 2015 season
When healthy, Mat Latos has proved he's capable of being one of the best pitchers in the league. He is 33-16 with a 3.31 ERA in three seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, better numbers than he posted as a member of the San Diego Padres.
That's pretty remarkable when you consider that Petco Park is one of the most pitcher-friendly venues around, while Great American Ballpark most certainly is not.
One of four members of Cincinnati's rotation due a significant raise through arbitration this winter, the Reds have no choice but to listen to offers for him. Whether they'll be able to get full value due to his recent injury history, however, is another story.
Latos spent last offseason recovering from surgery to remove bone chips in his pitching elbow and then tore the meniscus in his left knee on the first day of spring training, which kept him sidelined until June. While he was effective for the Reds upon his return, a bone bruise in his right elbow ended his season prematurely.
12. OF Melky Cabrera, Free Agent
10 of 21
2014 Stats (TOR): 139 G, .301/.351/.458, 54 XBH (16 HR), 73 RBI, 125 wRC+
Age on Opening Day 2015: 30
2014 Salary: $8 million
Unquestionably the best free-agent outfielder still available, Melky Cabrera has re-established his value after his performance-enhancing drug-related suspension in 2012 and is due a significant raise from his $8 million salary this winter.
While injuries have limited him to an average of 114 games over the last two seasons, Cabrera has proved to be productive against pitchers from either side of the mound and has drawn interest from a number of teams, including Baltimore, Kansas City, Seattle and Toronto.
Heyman reports that the Mariners are prepared to offer him a deal similar to what they gave Nelson Cruz (four years, $57 million).
11. RHP David Robertson, Free Agent
11 of 21
2014 Stats (NYY): 63 G, 4-5, 3.08 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 64.1 IP, 45 H, 3.2 BB/9, 13.4 K/9, 39-of-44 SV
Age on Opening Day 2015: 29
2014 Salary: $5.215 million
The pressure of pitching in New York can get to even the most hardened athlete. Being asked to do so while filling the shoes of the greatest relief pitcher who ever lived would crush most people.
But if David Robertson proved anything in 2014, it's that pressure doesn't faze him. His first full season as closer was a successful one, pairing with Dellin Betances to form one of the most potent back-of-the-bullpen combinations the game has ever seen.
Robertson is reportedly a Jonathan Papelbon-like deal (four years, $50 million), and one executive told Heyman that the closer already has a three-year, $39 million offer in hand. With news breaking that he may no longer be the top closer available, Robertson's asking price could drop.
Update: Tuesday, Dec. 9
Robertson has signed a four-year, $46 million deal with the Chicago White Sox, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports.
The White Sox needed to find a way to improve their bullpen, which, per ESPN, ranked 27th in baseball in save percentage (63.16 percent), 28th in ERA (4.38 ERA) and last in WHIP (1.51). Adding Robertson to mix will see all of those numbers improve.
Some will argue that they overpaid for his services, but the club really had no choice. Going into 2015 with roughly the same bullpen makeup as it had in 2014—and major questions in the ninth inning—simply wasn't an option.
10. RHP Greg Holland, Kansas City Royals
12 of 21
2014 Stats (KC): 65 G, 1-3, 1.44 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 62.1 IP, 37 H, 2.9 BB/9, 13.0 K/9, 46-of-48 SV
Age on Opening Day 2015: 29
Contract Remaining: Second year of arbitration eligibility, under team control through 2016
Just when you thought it was safe to proclaim David Robertson the best closer on the market, along comes news that Greg Holland has been made available by Kansas City, per the Toronto Sun's Bob Elliott.
The Royals don't have to move Holland, but with Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera in the fold, the team apparently feels that it could afford to lose the two-time All-Star if the return was great enough. Elliott's sources tell him that the team's asking price is quite high:
“He’s available, but they’re asking for a lot in return.” Toronto is known to have engaged the Royals about a potential deal.
Holland, who has successfully converted 93 of 98 save opportunities since the start of the 2013 season, held opposing batters to a meager .170/.238/.274 slash line last season.
9. RHP Jeff Samardzija, Oakland Athletics
13 of 21
2014 Stats (CHC/OAK): 33 GS, 7-13, 2.99 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 219.2 IP, 191 H, 1.8 BB/9, 8.3 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 30
Contract Remaining: Final year of arbitration eligibility, free agent after 2015 season
If you're looking for the first domino to fall once Jon Lester signs, you wouldn't be alone in thinking it's going to be Oakland trading Jeff Samardzija. As one executive told Stark: "I think he goes right behind Lester."
More of a high-end No. 2 starter than a true ace, Samardzija doesn't have the wear and tear on his arm that other pitchers his age do, as he spent the first four years of his career working exclusively out of Chicago's bullpen.
One of the game's premier strikeout artists, Oakland has discussed potential trades involving Samardzija with at least 10 teams, including the Chicago White Sox, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.
Update: Tuesday, Dec. 9
Samardzija and RHP Michael Ynoa have been traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for RHP Chris Bassitt, IF Marcus Semien, C Josh Phegley and 1B/DH Rangel Ravelo, sources confirm to Bruce Levine of Chicago's 670 AM The Score.
Semien, 24, immediately becomes Oakland's starting shortstop and has the potential to become a solid contributor, Bassitt is more of a back-end starter or mid-to-late-inning reliever and Phegley provides more depth behind the plate. All three spent parts of 2014 in the major leagues.
Ravelo is an interesting prospect in that he's only 22, has right-handed pop and tore up Double-A to the tune of a .309/.386/.473 slash line in 2014. He could be Oakland's first baseman of the future.
Chicago clearly believes that the AL Central is ripe for the taking and now has the makings of a fantastic rotation, with Samardzija joining perennial Cy Young Award contender Chris Sale, the criminally underrated Jose Quintana and veteran John Danks.
8. RHP Doug Fister, Washington Nationals
14 of 21
2014 Stats (WAS): 25 GS, 16-6, 2.41 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 164 IP, 153 H, 1.3 BB/9, 5.4 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 31
Contract Remaining: Final year of arbitration eligibility, free agent after 2015 season
Despite missing the first month of the season, Doug Fister finished the season among the top 10 in the majors in wins and ERA, both career-bests for the veteran starter.
Extension talks between Fister and the Nationals have been non-existent since last spring, according to The Washington Post's James Wagner, and the club has been listening to offers for him and a number of pending free agents, sources tell Stark.
While his numbers scream No. 1 starter, Fister is really more of a high-end No. 2/No. 3 starter on a contending club given his penchant for missing time—he's exceeded 30 starts or 200 innings only twice over his six-year career.
7. OF Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers
15 of 21
2014 Stats (LAD): 150 G, .287/.346/.506, 66 XBH (25 HR), 89 RBI, 140 wRC+
Age on Opening Day 2015: 30
Contract Remaining: Five years, $107 million
While some executives remain unconvinced that the Dodgers will actually trade Kemp, per Stark—it's no secret that moving Carl Crawford or Andre Ethier is the team's preference—Heyman points out that much of the team's attention this offseason has been focused on potential Kemp deals:
"But to this point, a lot of time sure seems to be spent on finding a suitor for Kemp, making folks wonder whether they might be serious about a Kemp deal, after all. Of course, he is plainly the one veteran Dodgers outfielder who would draw the most interest since a case could be made he's worth the $107 million remaining on his contract through 2019. (No such case could reasonably be made for Ethier, who has $56 million and three years left, or Crawford, who has $62.25 million and three years to go).
"
Despite his shaky injury history, Kemp looked very much like the perennial MVP candidate he was only a few years ago in 2014. His second-half performance—a .309/.365/.606 slash line with 35 extra-base hits (17 home runs) and 54 RBI over 64 games—is sure to have erased any doubts prospective suitors had.
Baltimore, Seattle and San Diego have been among the clubs linked to him this winter, and with most of the impact bats already off the market, it wouldn't at all be surprising to see Kemp's name dominate the headlines during the winter meetings.
6. RHP James Shields, Free Agent
16 of 21
2014 Stats (KC): 34 GS, 14-8, 3.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 227 IP, 224 H, 1.7 BB/9, 7.1 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 33
2014 Salary: $13.5 million
While his "Big Game" nickname has all but disappeared, given his struggles in the playoffs for Kansas City, there aren't many starters in baseball, much less available, who are as consistent during the regular season as James Shields.
Coming off his eighth consecutive season with at least 11 wins, 31 starts and 200 innings of work, Shields is the kind of durable, innings-eating workhorse that teams need in their rotations, though not necessarily in the No. 1 spot.
He's more of a No. 2 starter than a bona fide ace—think a right-handed version of Mark Buehrle—and isn't going to command anywhere near the kind of deal that fellow free agents Jon Lester or Max Scherzer wind up landing.
5. OF Justin Upton, Atlanta Braves
17 of 21
2014 Stats (ATL): 154 G, .270/.342/.491, 65 XBH (29 HR), 102 RBI, 133 wRC+
Age on Opening Day 2015: 27
Contract Remaining: One year, $14.5 million
He's never quite lived up to expectations, but Justin Upton is far and away the most talented position player available this winter. His combination of athleticism and right-handed power is something that teams covet, and, believe it or not, he still has some upside.
As CBS Sports' Jon Heyman notes, Upton really is a steal at $14.5 million:
"He has one year left at $14.5 million, and while some may understandably look at it as a rental, he's well-priced and will bring a draft choice next winter assuming the acquiring team can't quickly lock him up.
[...]
Upton is a former No. 1 overall pick, and he's only 27, so presumably he's on the upswing. And even if he only repeats his 2014 performance, well, that's pretty good. He had 29 home runs and 102 RBI (pretty amazing considering how awful the Braves' lineup was in '14) to go with a .270 batting average.
"
Per Heyman, Baltimore, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Texas have all shown varying degrees of interest in him this winter, though the Mariners, according to Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune, are reluctant to part with any of their young pitching to facilitate a deal.
4. LHP Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
18 of 21
2014 Stats (PHI): 30 GS, 9-9, 2.46 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 204.2 IP, 176 H, 2.6 BB/9, 8.7 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 31
Contract Remaining: Four years, $90 million plus a $20 million team option* ($6 million buyout) in 2019
Nobody disputes that Cole Hamels is one of the premier starters in the game, one who brings a track record of durability and success with him. He's coming off his seventh consecutive season with at least 30 starts, his fifth straight in which he's thrown at least 200 innings.
There isn't a team that wouldn't love to add Hamels to the front of its rotation.
But as an executive from a team that has "traded an ace in the not-so-distant past" told Stark, the biggest hurdle to completing a Cole Hamels trade is the Philadelphia Phillies:
"I think the Phillies can make a good trade for Cole Hamels. I don't think it will be a grand slam. If he was making $5 million a year, then they might get a grand slam. But he's not. I think they can make a good trade, one that makes sense for both teams. But I think there are too many different starting-pitcher options available for a team to give up the kind of prospects they're asking and pay that money. Teams don't have to do that right now. And they're not going to do that.
"
While the Phillies will need to come down on their asking price to make a deal happen, interest in Hamels is sure to pick up once Jon Lester and/or Max Scherzer—the best free-agent starters available—sign.
*Hamels' team option becomes guaranteed if he throws at least 400 innings between 2017-18 (at least 200 in 2018) and doesn't finish the '18 season on the disabled list with an elbow or shoulder injury. He also has a partial no-trade clause, one that he would likely demand this option be guaranteed before he'd agree to waive.
3. LHP Jon Lester, Free Agent
19 of 21
2014 Stats (BOS/OAK): 32 GS, 16-11, 2.46 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 219.2 IP, 194 H, 2.0 BB/9, 9.0 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 31
2014 Salary: $13 million
There's a flood warning in San Diego all week, and it's Jon Lester's fault. For when the top-rated southpaw available decides on which uniform he's going to wear in 2015 and beyond, a torrent of moves are expected to follow.
Like the other pitchers at the top of our rankings, Lester is a known commodity, a battle-tested ace who is going to step into a rotation and give his team a chance to win every time he takes the mound.
According to Heyman, he has drawn interest from five teams, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago (NL), San Francisco Los Angeles (NL), but it's unknown if he's met with the Dodgers, a late entrant into the mix. Of that group, the Cubs, Dodgers, Giants and Red Sox are believed to be the most serious players for his services.
2. RHP Jordan Zimmermann, Washington Nationals
20 of 21
2014 Stats (WAS): 32 GS, 14-5, 2.66 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 199.2 IP, 185 H, 1.3 BB/9, 8.2 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 28
Contract Remaining: One year, $16.5 million
There's an argument to be made that Jordan Zimmerman is the best player available, an argument that Bleacher Report's Jacob Shafer has made not once, but twice over the past month.
It's hard to argue with him: Zimmerman doesn't issue walks, does a great job of keeping the ball in the park and is two years younger than the player who sits atop our rankings.
Washington has denied that he's available, but the rumors persist. According to ESPN's Jayson Stark, there's a scenario making the rounds in which the No. 2 player on our list winds up being replaced by the man sitting at No. 1:
"How can a team with win-the-World-Series dreams trade a pitcher this good? Only if there's an ace-type alternative lined up, of course. And we've already laid out that "out goes Zimmermann, in comes Mad Max" scenario that's sweeping through front offices everywhere, but "it's so obvious," said one of the GMs quoted earlier, "it makes me question if it's real."
Well, it's real, all right. So many teams report that the Nationals are listening closely on a big group of prominent players -- Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Denard Span, Tyler Clippard, even Ian Desmond -- that almost anything is possible.
"
Washington will try to work out an extension with him once again, according to Rosenthal. But if talks seem like they are going nowhere fast, the club could look to flip him quickly.
While some teams may shy away from Zimmerman, not comfortable with the fact that he's already had Tommy John surgery and unwilling to give up the package of talent it will take to acquire him for only a year (potentially), pitchers like him, under the age of 30, simply don't become available all that often.
1. RHP Max Scherzer, Free Agent
21 of 21
2014 Stats (DET): 33 GS, 18-5, 3.15 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 220.1 IP, 196 H, 2.6 BB/9, 10.3 K/9
Age on Opening Day 2015: 30
2014 Salary: $15.525 million
One of the premier strikeout artists in baseball—no pitcher with at least 60 starts over the past two years has done a better job of missing bats—Max Scherzer is the crown jewel of what is a very deep group of available starting pitchers.
The 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner has draft pick compensation attached to him and is going to cost a team a fortune to sign. Lest we forget, he turned down a six-year, $144 million extension offer from Detroit before the season began.
Scherzer's market has been slow to develop, but many, including the Boston Herald's Michael Silverman, have speculated about his potential landing spots, a list that includes both Chicago clubs, Detroit, Los Angeles (NL), New York (AL), San Francisco, St. Louis, Toronto and Washington.
Unless otherwise linked/noted, all statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs. All contract information courtesy of Cot's Contracts.
Find me on Twitter to talk winter meetings and all things baseball: @RickWeinerBR
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