2012 Free Agency: 5 Teams That Would Be a Perfect Fit for Jose Reyes

There are not many players in baseball more exciting to watch than Jose Reyes. Whether it’s with his bat, legs or glove, Reyes provides an instant spark whenever he is on the field. His inconsistency to stay healthy has been a concern, but Reyes is coming off a season in which he was crowned batting champion of the N.L.

Just about every team in baseball would love to add the energy and enthusiasm that Reyes brings, and as he heads into free agency you better believe that there will be a handful of teams vying for the shortstop’s services.

The following five teams are the best fit for Jose Reyes

Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals were one of the nice surprises in baseball this season, finishing only one game under .500. They have a nice core of hitters in Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth and Michael Morse, who led the team in batting average, home runs and RBI this past season.

The Nationals also have a suitable pitching staff that finished seventh in ERA in all of baseball, without phenom Steven Strasburg. The one thing the team is in desperate need of is a leadoff hitter. The Nationals' leadoff hitters combined to hit a whopping .226 in 2011. Adding Jose Reyes would immediately ignite a Nationals offense that finished 24^th in runs scored. 

San Francisco Giants

We all know the Giants have the pitching which carried them to a World Series title in 2010. However, their hitting is still a big concern. The Giants failed to reach the postseason after winning the World Series the previous year due to a lack of offensive production.

They rank in the bottom half of all major hitting categories in baseball, and the shortstop position could be the worst. The Giants' shortstops combined to hit a mere .210. Signing Jose Reyes makes all the sense in the world for the Giants. His injury problems are obviously a concern but the guy finished off a 2011 season in which he won the batting title in the N.L.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Jose Reyes already publicly stated during the season that the Los Angeles Angels will be at the top of his wish list when he hits free agency. Now that he is one, the Angels should waste no time to try and sign the best shortstop in this year’s free agent class.

The Angels current short stop, Erick Aybar, is also a free agent and although he had a decent year, signing Reyes would be a major upgrade. Defensively, Reyes is much better than Aybar and for another team in search of a true leadoff hitter, it doesn’t get much better than him. The Angels were in the playoff hunt all season long, and adding a guy like Reyes might just be the signing the team needs to get back to the postseason.

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox just recently picked up Marco Scutaro’s $6 million option, but it should be used as trade bait or to be a suitable backup for a guy like Jose Reyes. It is definitely a long shot for the Red Sox to sign Reyes, as they will probably be looking at pitching this offseason, but that does not mean they should not be interested in the 28-year-old shortstop. 

Adding a guy like Reyes would undoubtedly make the Red Sox the fastest team in baseball. Although Reyes' stolen base numbers have been down, the Red Sox would still be adding a guy who has averaged 57 stolen bases in his nine-year career to a lineup that already has Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury. 

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are going to have some money to spend this offseason after the departures of Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen and Brad Penny. Signing Jose Reyes would be a key addition for a Tigers team that finished dead last in all of baseball in stolen bases.

The team simply needs to add speed to an already powerful lineup that features Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez. If the Tigers are willing to risk signing Reyes, there will be no doubt that they are going to be the favorites to repeat as division champs heading into the 2012 season.