« Quick Hits: Cashman, Mets, Blanton, Indians, DeRosa | Main | Jeremy Guthrie's Arbitration Case »
Poll: Most Surprising Free Agent Signing
Most of the game's top free agents are off the board, and Spring Training is rapidly approaching. The 2010-11 offseason has provided some genuine shocks in terms of free agent signings. Let's take a look at some of the biggest ones:
- Cliff Lee, Phillies, five years and $120MM: For weeks leading up to the signing, we heard that it was a two-horse race between the Yankees and Rangers. Talks of a mystery team surfacing were taken with a grain of salt until the Phillies emerged to add Lee to one of the best rotations most of us will ever see.
- Jayson Werth, Nationals, seven years and $126MM: If you'd been told a few months ago that Werth would sign the then-third biggest deal for a free agent outfielder in history -- with the Nationals of all teams -- would you have believed it?
- Carl Crawford, Red Sox, seven years and $142MM: Not to be outdone, Crawford one-upped Werth's deal by securing an additional $16MM. The Angels were thought to be the clear favorite, but Theo Epstein and crew had other ideas.
- Adrian Beltre, Rangers, five years and $80MM: With their infield seemingly set, aside from possibly first base, the Rangers didn't seem a fit for the Boras client. But Beltre turned down offers from two of his newest (and former) rivals in the AL West -- Oakland and Los Angeles -- to play in Texas.
- Rafael Soriano, Yankees, three years and $35MM: Shortly after Brian Cashman publicly declared he wouldn't surrender the Yankees' first round pick, the Yankees signed Soriano, a Type A free agent, to a three-year deal that, incredibly, includes two opt-out clauses.
- Lance Berkman, Cardinals, one year and $8MM: Certainly not as high profile as the other candidates, but with Albert Pujols entrenched at first base, this seemed an impossibility. Berkman though, will serve as St. Louis' primary right fielder after being primarily a 1B/DH since 2005.
All of these moves came as a surprise to some extent, but let's open the issue up to everyone for discussion:
Padres To Sign Jason Marquis
Twins Return Erik Komatsu To Nationals
Rangers To Sign Roy Oswalt
Yankees Claim Ryota Igarashi
Magglio Ordonez To Retire
Padres Claim Neil Wagner
Indians Designate Asencio For Assignment
Blue Jays Designate Igarashi For Assignment
Orioles Designate Bill Hall For Assignment
Pirates Designate McLouth For Assignment
Out Of Options Players
2012 MLB Free Agent Tracker
2012 MLB Free Agent List
2013 MLB Free Agent List
2014 MLB Free Agents
Arbitration Tracker
Projected Arbitration Salaries
Official Elias Rankings
Reverse Standings
Transaction Tracker
Agency Database
Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
MLBTR iPhone App
Elias Ranking Formulas
GM Initiation
Interviews
Hot Stove Glossary
MLBTR On Facebook
MLBTR On Twitter
MLBTR Mobile
MLBTR On Kindle
MLBTR Forums
Team Twitter/RSS Feeds
Team Facebook Pages
2013 Payroll Commitments
Trade Candidate: Matt Capps
Quick Hits: Oswalt, Marlins, Hunter, Draft
Phil Dumatrait Retires
Mets Intend To Offer Wright Extension During Season
Tigers Not Expecting To Pursue A Starting Pitcher
Baseball Trade Rumors App Now iPad-Friendly
Quick Hits: Dodgers, Reds, Greinke
Padres To Sign Jason Marquis
Twins Return Erik Komatsu To Nationals
AL East Notes: Matsui, Jones, Encarnacion
Rangers To Sign Roy Oswalt
Mets Designate Manny Acosta For Assignment
Yankees Claim Ryota Igarashi
Magglio Ordonez To Retire
Service Time Breakdown For Top Prospects
Players Tied To Draft Pick Compensation After 2012
Early Career Extensions
Worst Extensions From Two Offseasons Ago
Examining The NBA-MLB Relationship
A's Rumors
Angels Rumors
Astros Rumors
Blue Jays Rumors
Braves Rumors
Brewers Rumors
Cardinals Rumors
Cubs Rumors
Diamondbacks Rumors
Dodgers Rumors
Giants Rumors
Indians Rumors
Mariners Rumors
Marlins Rumors
Mets Rumors
Nationals Rumors
Orioles Rumors
Padres Rumors
Phillies Rumors
Pirates Rumors
Rangers Rumors
Rays Rumors
Red Sox Rumors
Reds Rumors
Rockies Rumors
Royals Rumors
Tigers Rumors
Twins Rumors
White Sox Rumors
Yankees Rumors














