MLB Free-Agent Rumors: Ranking the Top 25 Remaining on the Market
Even with spring training less than a month away, there are still a few teams that have holes in their lineup. In situations like these, teams can look through the remaining free agents and see if there are any players that are low-risk, high-reward situations, which do exist.
The remaining free agents have some talent if you know where to look. There are decent leadoff hitters, workhorse starting pitchers, and a few power bats. Once you get past the top 10, however, the pickings for talent are at best slim.
Who are possible diamonds in the rough for teams willing to actually sign these players to contracts? Who are players that are surprisingly still free agents?
The following are the top 25 remaining free agents, with some surprisingly familiar names ready to start off the list.
25. Kelvim Escobar
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Kelvim Escobar has a fairly solid pitching career, with 100 wins in his career and a 3.60 ERA in just over four seasons with Los Angeles. Why would signing him be a problem then?
He has only pitched one game in the majors since 2007 due to recurring shoulder problems. If it was a different kind of injury, I would absolutely take a shot on him. Because he's had repeated shoulder injuries that have kept him out nearly three full seasons, I am very hard-pressed to find anyone that might sign him.
24. Jay Payton
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Payton seemed all but out of the league after the 2008 season, and he did not play in 2009. This past season, however, he hit .343 in 20 games for the Colorado Rockies and still seems to have some pop in his swing.
He probably could not contribute beyond a fifth outfielder role, but any teams looking for one could try to take a gamble on him.
23. Nick Johnson
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Nick Johnson is a complex player. On the one hand, he shows great plate discipline and should be a solid piece of any team. The problem for him is that he cannot stay healthy. He has played 100 career games once since 2006, and had a bad year for the Yankees when he did play.
He could be a first baseman to pick up if someone gets injured during the season, though he's no everyday player.
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22. Carlos Delgado
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Delgado has not played since 2009 yet is on a top free agent list, which says a lot. He has a great year in 2008, but after 26 games in 2009, he seemed to be done.
A lot is dependent on whether or not he has been able to stay in shape. If he has, then picking him up for a one-year minimum deal is certainly something to try.
21. Jeff Weaver
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While Jered Weaver had become the ace of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Jeff Weaver spent the past season struggling in relief with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had a pretty good 2009 but had an ERA over six in 43 games this past season.
Weaver has had several seasons with ERAs far higher than any pitcher should have, so that will likely scare some teams off acquiring him. If a team is desperate for bullpen help, though, he may end up having a decent year like in 2009.
20. Ryan Church
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Ryan Church is an outfielder that we're not exactly sure how he does over a full season, since he's only passed the 120-game mark one season in his career. He also struggled in 2010, splitting time between Pittsburgh and Arizona.
Will anyone pick him up? Anyone who needs a lefty bat might give him a shot, though he'll have to settle for a minor league contract most likely.
19. Jermaine Dye
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I'm actually not sure why no one picked him up in 2010, since he clearly still had power even if his average was down. Like Delgado, a lot would be dependent on how well he stayed in shape, but it seems like he has.
He can't work in the outfield anymore, but he could certainly be a DH if a team was willing to take a shot on him. He seems leaning to be towards retirement, though, so it probably won't happen.
18. Jorge Sosa
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Jorge Sosa is one of those relievers who could have a great season out of nowhere but will likely have no better than an average season. In 22 pitching appearances for Florida this past season, Sosa pitched decently enough. He also hasn't passed the 50-inning mark since 2007, when he was partially a starter.
If any team needs relief help and wants a pitcher that can go perhaps 25 games in a year, then Sosa could be a viable option.
17. Joe Inglett
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Maybe 2011 is a bad year to sign Joe Inglett. 38 of his career games came in 2007 and 2009, while 06, 08, and 10 are years where he actually had a solid major league career.
He had a decent enough year for Milwaukee as a utility player and could be a viable one for another team to fill out a roster. If nothing else, he could be a decent veteran presence on a young team.
16. Doug Davis
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In his career, pitcher Doug Davis has seemed to epitomize average performances. He had three straight seasons pitching .500 baseball but has struggled the past few seasons. He is an innings-eater that could round out a rotation for a young team that needs a veteran presence there.
He may have had a 7.51 ERA in 2010, but for the most part, he's been a consistently decent pitcher in his career.
15. Willy Aybar
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While Willy Aybar is one of the youngest guys on this list at 27, he has seemed to prove that he's not an everyday player. He has not yet passed the 110 game mark and seems relegated to fourth infielder status. He had a decent three years with Tampa Bay, but a change of scenery might be beneficial.
Should anyone need some infield help, or infield competition for that matter, then Aybar might be a possibility for a minor league deal with a spring training invite.
14. John Maine
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John Maine was a solid starter for the New York Mets for a few years but struggled this past season, only making nine starts and posting an ERA over six. As a result, a change of scenery seems to be in order after having to get shoulder surgery.
He hasn't been talked about much, but it seems like teams are really interested to see if he can return to form; it would be a nice pickup if he could.
13. Lance Cormier
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While we're on the subject of free agent former Rays, here's Lance Cormier, who I'm actually surprised the Rays haven't tried to bring back since all the other bullpen guys are gone. He had two solid sub-4.00 ERA seasons with Tampa Bay and could be a viable bullpen piece.
He's one of the best remaining bullpen pitchers left, and I actually think he'll return to Tampa Bay in about two weeks since he's had some success there.
12. Julio Lugo
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I've never really been a fan of Julio Lugo, and it now seems that all 30 teams share my concerns, since he remains a free agent. The last time he was an everyday starter was 2007, where he was the weak link on the World Series-winning Boston Red Sox.
He could be a feasible fourth outfielder since his defense is decent enough, but he doesn't seem to do enough with the bat to make teams want to give him a shot.
11. Tyler Walker
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The big man out of San Francisco is one of the best relievers remaining on the market. He pitched well for the Washington Nationals in 24 games last year and did the same for the Philadelphia Phillies the year before. He seems to wait later than he should for a decent deal.
He would be a great pickup for any National League team looking to bolster their bullpen. He might be good in the AL as well, though it's not as easy to determine that.
10. Bengie Molina
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Moving from the big pitcher to the big catcher, Bengie Molina spent time on both World Series teams in 2010, yet now finds himself on no team. He's actually not sure if he'll play in 2011, which may be why he remains unsigned.
He doesn't have the offensive power he used to have, but works well enough behind the mound that if anyone wants him, he could be a useful backup catcher.
9. Cristian Guzman
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This time last year, Cristian Guzman was a valued part of the Nationals' infield and was working to build upon an already good resume. Now, he can't find a team, and no one seems to want him, perhaps due to a bad stretch in Texas.
Some of his speed seems to be gone, but he is still a productive player that could be given a shot. He's not worth $8 million, but he'll find a team if he's willing to sign a bargain deal.
8. David Eckstein
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Eckstein has spent the past two seasons as a decent piece on a team that didn't have much offense in the San Diego Padres. At this stage of his career, he might be more of a fourth infielder, but he could be an everyday start for a struggling team if they needed one.
He's not going to be dominant, but Eckstein can provide just enough offense and defense and has that spark that you love to see a player have.
7. Jeremy Bonderman
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Jeremy Bonderman has had his share of struggles. After all, he lost 19 games his rookie year during the infamous 2003 Tigers season. He's had some solid seasons, but seems to allow too many runs.
Nonetheless, if any teams want to give him a shot, he has enough power in his pitches to get a good number of strikeouts, which would help any team.
6. Russell Branyan
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Russell Branyan is a free agent that always seems to hang around in late February before he's finally signed. That happened with the Brewers in 2008 and the Indians last year. Nonetheless, he clearly still has power, even if he can't do much else.
Most teams have a DH pretty much locked up, but if any run into a problem and badly need one, then Branyan can step in and hit home runs with little difficulty. He will be of value as long as his average stays over .200.
5. Troy Glaus
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Troy Glaus had some good moments with the Atlanta Braves this past season, but in the end he showed he only has some of the power he used to have, and it will likely continue to wane. More importantly, he may not have the range for third base and will be stuck at first. That takes away a lot of suitors.
Nonetheless, at least Glaus can at times have good hitting streaks, and he doesn't strike out as much as others on the list, so he could work well on the right team.
4. Chad Durbin
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The best reliever remaining on the market, Durbin has had several good seasons in relief for the Philadelphia Phillies. He hasn't had a really bad season, and while he's not dominant, he would be a solid piece to any bullpen.
The Mariners are reportedly close to signing him, which would help their bullpen out quite a bit.
3. Kevin Millwood
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The fact that Millwood, who went 4-16 last year, is the third-best free agent remaining is actually kind of sad, and shows that the best ones really are gone. Still, he's not as bad as that record says. He can have a very good season under the right circumstances, such as when he led the league in ERA in 2005.
The Yankees are reportedly close to signing him, and that could very well be his best option; he won't have to worry about run support there.
2. Jose Guillen
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Jose Guillen actually had quite a good year for Kansas City last year, and although he wasn't too much help for San Francisco, I would have expected more teams to give him a shot. He's still a decent right fielder and could help the right team out if given the opportunity.
He still has decent power in his bat and is not a first baseman, which is actually a big help in this free agent market. He's a higher risk than other people on this list, but when he's on, he's on.
1. Scott Podsednik
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With Vladimir Guerrero finally signed to a team, Scott Podsednik is the runaway leader on this list. I'm very surprised that he is not only still a free agent, but that very few teams have acquired about him. The Blue Jays looked at him a bit, as did others, but those talks fizzled quickly.
He would make a great leadoff hitter on any team, he hit .310 for 95 games in Kansas City last season, and he can still run well, as evidenced by 35 stolen bases on the season. Someone will be getting a huge bargain when they pick him up.
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