2007 Free Agent Market: Center Fielders

Updated 12-23-06

Let's take a look at center fielders destinated to become free agents at year's end.  This position typically requires a good defender, though it's nice to contribute offensively.

2006 League Averages for Center Fielders:
AL: .275/.334/.437 (.771 OPS)
NL: .264/.335/.418 (.753 OPS)

Center field defense is crucial.  With that in mind, I will provide John Dewan's ranking from his excellent Fielding Bible.  Dewan and company ranked 35 center fielders using data over the past three seasons.  I am going to leave Preston Wilson, Bernie Williams, and Jay Payton out of the discussion as they are not viewed as regular center fielders. 

Darin Erstad - Erstad returned to center field for 27 games this year, and it's hard to get a read on how far his defense has fallen since his 2002 Gold Glove season out there.  He's 32 now and is earning $8.5MM.  An ankle injury put him on the DL this season two separate times.  Given his below average bat and shaky ankle, all the grittiness in the world wouldn't make him a good signing for '07 and beyond.  The Rox are interested even after their acquisition of Willy Taveras.   

Steve Finley - Finley turned 41 this season and makes $7 mil.  His 2007 option for the same price will surely be bought out for a million bucks.  His bat is below average for the position this year.  His defense is ranked 14th out of 35 center fielders over the last three years but declined considerably last year.  His arm is OK and his range is diminished at this point.  A pretty poor signing but someone will probably bite for a million or so.  The Cubs could work. 

Comments

[Yu Hsing Chen]

Hunter is kinda overrated... though for teams really needing a pure CF and can afford the money he is the best in this crop.

The Yankees would be morons if they sign him... they are much better off trying to sign Carlos Lee or Alfonso Soriano... or exersice Sheff's option ... or go after Trot Nixon...

[RotoAuthority]

I dunno, it wouldn't hurt to have one player who can catch the ball in the outfield.

[Yu Hsing Chen]

Oh also, Gary Mathews Jr. is a huge candidate to bust... although he may otherwise be a great candidate to gamble on... for the right deal... I think he may stay in Texas...

[Yu Hsing Chen]

Damon's been above average this year, and using Damon as a RF is a waste anyway. (consider Yankee stadium right field...)

Soriano should be fine in RF as long as they work on it a bit more next year. the Yankee OF this season havn't actually been that bad... when Bernie Williams isn't on the field anyway.

[was385]

Torri Hunter is not even top two in defence. There is no question in my mind that Andruw Jones is first and Vernon Wells is a far second. Just because Andruw doesn't make the sprawling catches doesn't mean he isn't the best, when others are diving for the ball at the warning track, he is already under it. His instincts, ability to read the ball off the bat, his arm, and the fact that he is full speed off the first step give him that title. He is in a group with guys like Willie Mays, who himself said that Andruw was better than he ever was defensively. That comment if not a joke, took away a lot of the respect I have for this blog.

[Yu Hsing Chen]

Except that just about all the defensive statistics this year would not agree with ur claim on Andruw's defense... seeing that he is almost dead last in Zone ratings amoung qualified MLB CFs...

I would agree that over his career he's been great.. but not this year... so far...

[was385]

I don't buy into all of the defensive stats. There is no real way to gage the defense of a player besides watching them. I have seen at least 25 or 30 plays that Andruw has made this season that no other centerfielder would have had a chance on. Having him patrolling so much of the OF also allows Jeff Francouer and Ryan Langerhans to play closer to the line which cuts off a lot of extra base hits and steals outs from the other team. Those are things that all of these ridiculous defensive stats can't tell. No one else in baseball is full speed off the crack of the bat and going exactly where the ball will land, please show me the defensive stat for instincts and reactions

[was385]

Are you saying that that by the stats he is one of the worst? If that is so than this stuff is an absolute joke?

[Kyle]

That is exactly why the stats are a good thing, they can provide the objective critisis that you cannot. And your claim that stats cant tell that is BS. Dewan watched film from three entire seasons of every single ball put in play. They then calculated what percentage of the time that specific ball is made into an out. So his system works perfectly with your claim that Jones gets to balls that others dive for as both of those are equally rewarded. Dont criticize a system since you dont understand it. Jones has had leg injuries and his range has diminished over the years. His fielding statistics have gotten worse every year since 1998.

[RotoAuthority]

Kyle is dead on. Dewan is a fielding guru. There is no better publicly available system. Especially not watching some guys on TV sometimes.

[ptk420biatch]

Zone ratings is garbage. What if you play the hitter to pull the ball and the pitcher throws away and they hit it in the gap better R and CF. Is that the CF's fault because its his zone?

[RotoAuthority]

Regardless, Dewan's system is not zone ratings.

[Kramerica Industries]

Hey what have you heard about Abreu to the Red Sox?

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5770502

[A2000]

Hunter would be a good addition to the White Sox if Brian Anderson continues his struggles at the plate. Anderson is a good fielder and the White Sox do have plenty of offense when needed but Torii would be a good pickup to help Anderson adjust to Ml pitching.

[A2000]

I do agree with was385 that Torii is not the best defensively but he still gets the job done, Andruw is absolutely sick in CF.

[9YrsLate]

Pierre had a terrible year in 06, despite the final numbers. It's the only reason I can see the Cubs letting him walk after what they paid for him in prospects. His speed is the only thing that doesn't waiver, though I suppose reading the pitcher wrong can make it seem so. He's gotta be worth signing for a corner OF spot for someone looking for a 1-2 punch with speed, regardless of having a CF already. That Pierre is ranked so low on defense, should only further convince him to rotate to LF/RF for some extra cash & a chance to win. I'm interested in what Reyes,Pierre,Soriano,& Beltran would do on the basepaths.

[nrmax88]

some very interesting points above. One problem. There is a myth going around that Andruw Jones is the best defensive CF in the game. This is false. Carlos Beltran is absolutely amazing and gets to anyball that stays in the yard. Andruw Jones is a hot dog who has lost a step thru injuries , and simply cannot cover the ground Beltran does. This is coming from a neutral party, and is just my opinion, certainly not taking anything away from Andruw Jones