The Astros’ agreement with Jake Odorizzi on a three-year contract yesterday removed the top remaining free agent from the market. Even into the second week of spring training games, though, there are a few potentially valuable players available to teams.
- Rick Porcello: MLBTR’s #46 free agent entering the offseason, Porcello made 12 starts for the Mets in 2020. His 5.64 ERA isn’t eye-catching, but Porcello logged a more respectable 4.45 SIERA. The 32-year-old isn’t a particularly exciting option at this stage of his career, but he’s been an extremely durable innings-eater, and we’re entering a year where reliable innings might be more valuable than ever coming off the shortened season.
- Cole Hamels: Hamels is the other of MLBTR’s top 50 free agents still unsigned, having placed 47th on the list. 2020 was a lost season for Hamels, who was limited to a single start by shoulder issues. He was still plenty productive as recently as 2019, though.
- Shane Greene: The rumor mill has been surprisingly quiet for the reliable Greene. His peripherals don’t support the 2.60 ERA he put up for the Braves last season, and it’s alarming that his strikeout rate fell by six points last year. Greene has been something of a bullpen workhorse in recent years, though, and he generally does a decent job avoiding hard contact.
- Maikel Franco: The 28-year-old didn’t live up to expectations as the regular third baseman in Philadelphia. But he had a decent 2020 season after signing with the Royals, hitting .278/.321/.457 with eight home runs in 243 plate appearances. The Orioles are among the teams interested in Franco, whose market is now “heating up” after a slow winter.
- Jedd Gyorko: Gyorko’s name hasn’t appeared on MLBTR’s pages since the Brewers declined his club option last October. That’s a bit surprising given Gyorko’s performance in limited playing time last season. The 32-year-old hit a very productive .248/.333/.504 and looks like a decent right-handed platoon option at the corner infield spots.
There are a handful more who could plausibly claim to be the top free agent remaining. Roberto Osuna, Yasiel Puig, Edwin Encarnación and Homer Bailey are among the others unsigned. How does the MLBTR readership feel about the remaining crop of free agents?
(poll link for app users)
Come on orioles sign maikel franco
Ruiz man
They forgot to mention Jeremy Jeffress. He’s a free agent now since being rleased by Washington. Unlike Franco, Gyorko, Puig, Bailey and Encarnacion, Jeffress actually at least got some recognition on the MLBTR top 50 free agent list. Along with Shane Greene, Jeffress was an honorable mention. That’s more than I can say for the guys I mentioned above. I also think Puig is probably the best free agent available. I’m shocked he hasn’t gotten any interest. I think he has more upside than anyone on this list and he is still relatively young. How old is Cole Hamels? Almost 40? Hamels is coming off a season where he basically couldn’t play at all due to shoulder injuries. Shoulder injuries are serious and frequently end careers. Hamels wouldn’t even have been able to pitch had we actually had a full 162 game season. He got injured before Spring training even started and he still couldn’t really come back even though the season was a hundred games shorter. I followed Hamels health status all season last year. That guy is done,
really wonder if Puig is just pricing himself out of the market. he’s absolutly still a good hitter.
He’s a horrible locker room presence & offers little upside. He will have to settle for a minor league deal
feel free to provide a source to that effect. I dont think he’s had any real issues since earlier in his LAD tenure.
Dude got in 3 fights in his walk year.
yeah. with oppsing teams. that doesn’t mean he’s a problem within his own clubhouse.
Rhino you are wrong. Reds players AND MANAGEMENT loved his clubhouse & community presence.
I think it has more to do with his situation at the staples center
Puig? His teammates love him. You sure you’re not mixing him up with someone else?
this has become a theme on this site. Puig gets in fights and therefore he’s a scumbag. had a simmilar issue regarding Suh (a bit of a dirty player but from what ive seen a model citizen off the field) of the Buccaneers on FBR the other day.
This one isn’t completely unfounded though, @ DarkSide830.
Puig really did cause some dissention in LA. But, the Red’s & Cleveland Marines both spoke pretty highly of him.
Yeah let’s consider your logic. A very talented gifted player beloved by all yet can’t find a contract. Hmmmm maybe we should focus on actions and not lip service. Clearly no team wants anything that do with him. Get a clue
I remember Puig in LA and got a rep as a player who didn’t hustle. I saw some of that. Mattingly would get all over him about it. But then I would watch Adrian Gonzalez dog it down the line time after time and nothing was ever said about it. I found myself feeling a little sorry for Puig and losing a little respect for Mattingly’s inconsistency. Puig felt it publicly and if Adrian’s lack of hustle was addressed by Mattingly it was privately and didn’t do any good. I admired Mattingly as 100% baseball and 0% bull**** as a player but i remember that about Puig’s Dodger days.
Didn’t he tear up scouting reports, too?
Madness. But people can mature & grow up. It appears he’s done some of that.
Atlanta signed him last year. He’s a talented baseball player. I don’t think it’s far fetched that someone’ll sign him. Be interesting to see him on the White Sox. I can see a possible fit there, too. The only position that is unsettled for the them is DH (quite the luxury, uh?) & Eaton has some injury risk.
& then the White Sox have assembled a fairly notable Cuban presence on their squad. Actually, I kind of like it. Bet it’d be a very inexpensive deal. & Puig is one of those power/speed guys offensively & he has a pretty good glove.
I think he’ll land one more MLB deal somewhere.
Puig was charged with sexual assault in October and the case is still pending. It would be idiotic for any team to sign him under those conditions. As a Dodger fan, I will add that there were numerous issues in recent years pertaining to work habits and out-and-out insubordination. This is a bad defensive outfielder who in 2018 tore up a defensive positioning card in George Lombard’s face. No wonder he was frequently out of position. Shaky defense, terrible baserunner, an inconsistent hitter, bad teammate. To the person who claims his teammates love him, please provide some evidence. You can start with Zack Greinke.
Btw, I recently had a give-and-take with someone who knows Puig personally, tried to help him, and feels he is a lost cause. Puig is now 30, Not a kid anymore, and not likely to change. Given the serious nature of the current charges, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he never played in MLB again.
PeteWard8, Puig’s lack of work ethic is not comparable to Gonzalez’s. running to first. Puig didn’t put in the work, period. I rooted like heck for him to turn it around when he was a Dodger, but was relieved when he was traded. Cleveland was desperate for outfielders and didn’t try to re-sign him. Hmmm…
Ducky Buckin Fent, No one is going to sign him due to the charges from October. Terrible glove, too. I watch every Dodger game and saw for myself.
It should be noted that the sexual assault charge is a civil suit filed almost exactly two years after the alleged incident at The Staples Center in Los Angeles:
losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/10/30/yasiel-puig-sex…
nypost.com/2020/10/29/yasiel-puig-facing-sexual-as…
Other stuff going on. All I’m gonna say.
Fair enough Cey Hey.
I could see all the from Chicago that Puig wore his welcome out in LA but Mattingly still disappointed in his inconsistency. Maybe Puig deserved the treatment he got and maybe Gonzalez earned his right to dog it.
I loved Don as a player and only a bad back kept him out of the HOF. I don’t know why the Gonzalez thing bothered me so much at the time. A couple of my friends had to tell me to give it a rest at the time it was going on. Good stuff Cey Hey
I’ve never been a fire-the-manager person, but I much prefer Roberts to Mattingly (or any Dodger manager). There were apparently other clubhouse issues during Mattingly’s tenure. Overall, everything appears better under Roberts. We’ll see how the Bauer year goes. My hope is that he’s light out and then opts out after one season.
Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett. Thankfully, Andrew Friedman has better tastes in Red Sox players.
Btw, Pete Ward turns 84 in July. He played in my first live MLB game in 1967.
I know someone connected to him too, and he’s lazy, conceded, trouble.
Sad. I don’t think he had much parenting growing up. He’s a load to handle. At some point, enough is enough. I felt bad for Turner Ward.
Saw him take McLain deep my first game ever, 6-6-64 and he became my favorite player. Before that my favorite player was Ray Herbert but when I saw Pete hit that homer it was all Pete Ward from then on. Kaline played that afternoon also, Cash too and Lolich got Minoso out in the 9th.
Tony LaRussa and Puig will not work out.
@hey
I did not know that.
Yeah, that’ll probably be an impediment, uh?
Jeez. Could be another Roethlisberger/Kobe Bryant, could be another Derick Coleman/Ricky Henderson.
Ugly situation either way, man.
Well, that’s the problem scouting a guy via highlights. Seemed like he had a strong throwing arm, & very good range. But, I’ve not watched very much of him.
Considering the source, I’m not even going to waste my time checking Fangraphs. Instead, I will just stand corrected.
PeteWard8, D-Day+20years, enjoying a ballgame!
9,000+ in attendance on a Saturday afternoon
“Marines”? You mean Mariners. And Puig never played for the Mariners.
Nope.
I mean Marines. New improved name for the Cleveland ballclub.
You can’t get mad at the Indians name but not for the San Diego Padres. Who also still have their mascot.
Who says I’m mad about it?
Puig gets in fights, but he is always down to Fight FOR his teammates. Kinda like Bobby Cox was always down to get ejected for his boys. A lot of his teammates love him.
There are probably better examples but as a Braves fan I’m going to keep comparing him to guys I know best. Puig is kind of similar to Marcell Ozuna. They are both Power Bat corner OF’ers that you’d like to DH.
Over their Careers Puig has better #’s (which are heavily lifted by his first 2 years, albeit the 2 years after that were his worst). Ozuna hits the ball harder (Exit Velocity) & has barreled the ball better the past 2 years.
Puig’s OPS has been over .780 in 5 of 7 seasons. Ozuna’s career OPS prior to Atlanta was a .784.
We can analyze details & run the numbers all day but they have been similarly productive. Obviously, I’d take Ozuna. Just don’t crap all over Puig. The worst thing about Puig is that he is streaky. He can be absolute garbage for periods of time & then pop off. By the time the season is over tho, the numbers are consistently good/above average. Teams serious about trying to win should consider signing Puig, he will certainly add depth to a batting order. Btw I don’t just use OPS & OPS+, I look at wOBA, wRC+ & many other things. You can build a case If you try to…but then you are handpicking your numbers to tear the player down.
The Writers here did their jobs correctly. Puig is a great Candidate that might be pricing himself out of the market.
Terrible in the locker room? He was a bone head, young and immature early on but he married quiet a bit. People just can’t handle someone with character, they want everyone to be like robots. It’s actually sad the way society is. I personally loved watching the guy play, he loved the game and it showed. And his teammates loved him, they were always goofing around together
I don’t like to watch people licking bats.
it annoys me how selective it is. Bauer is apparently hip and cool but Puig is a loser. what a sham.
It all depends how well you play as to how much you get criticized. If Bauer stinks it up this year people will be all over him.
Puig seems to have matured, at least from this distance. He was definitely a head case early on. But even then I saw him sign for kid after kid in Spring Training.
I was immature at 21 and 22. Thankfully not on such a large stage.
You made a good point, I think if you have manny Ramirez’s numbers most people would be ok with manny being manny, but when you act that way without the numbers not many people are going to like you.
I can be immature at 51 & 52, @HHJJ.
We’ll see how I do at 53 which is a few weeks away. I remain hopeful.
Sued for sexual assault two months before his 30th birthday. Good ol’ maturity, huh?
He’s 30
@darkside
I don’t like either of them. I’m just waiting for that one person to show up on this article claiming that racism is the reason he hasn’t signed yet. It seems like every time an article about puig is released at least one person makes that Claim. it’s probably a combination of everything. Heated arguments with the coaching staff, a sexual assault allegation, a short fuse, and an otherworldly ego is a lot of baggage to put up with for someone that is going to give you league average or VERY SLIGHTLY above average offensive production and middling results with the glove. Say what you will about Trevor Bauer but he is constantly putting in the effort to improve his craft and he has no domestic allegations attached to his name. Teams are also more eager to overlook big egos if they are putting up more production
What are you talking about? People on here hate on Bauer for his personality regularly.
@cey hey
Man, I just found out about the sexual assault allegation. I’m certainly not condoning that, nor am I chalking it up to any “boys will be boys” stuff either.
I have to say, I don’t care for the strokes you are painting me with, & it seems a pretty thorough misrepresentation of what I posted.
Ya know?
I don’t buy the lip service either Twinsfan333.
Cle and Cincy both had/have holes in the OF if the time was so pleasant
As a Dodger fan I will say…Hes got a lotta WoW but a whole lot more Woah wtf ya doing out there!
He’s fast strong and athletic
Yet
Hes a bad defender , terrible baserunner , and get’s zero loft to ever challenge for legitimate power
And lastly
He’s got the best cannon in MLB
Yet
He constantly throws to wrong base and overthrows the right one quite a bit too
And then whatever we dont know on the hush
Thats Yasiel Puig Prime….today….idk??? I can see the resistance tho
If Puig doesn’t get picked up this year, I think his MLB career is over. The guy should take any deal offered by any team, though I’m not sure he’s that smart…
He is a cancer for any team
Puig refused many deals. He won’t accept minor league deal, he doesn’t run out hits, and he even got fired from agent, why he went to Luba.
The Wasserman Agency emailed a statement to reporters early in 2018 saying it has “terminated” its “professional relationship” with Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig. No further details were given. The separation was allegedly due to a behavioral issues (surprise!). What’s odd is an agency ‘firing’ a client. lol cbssports.com/mlb/news/yasiel-puig-fired-by-his-ag…
That said, Puig ‘hired’ Beverly Hills Sports Council to represent him a couple of months later. Puig’s current agent Rachel Luba was an intern for Beverly Hills Sports Council while going to law school prior to Puig joining that agency. Luba’s first job after graduating was as a labor attorney for the MLBPA representing clients in arbitration hearings before she began her own agency in 2019. Trevor Bauer was her first MLB client with Puig following last November.
Not sure what the deal with Puig is. He got labeled a cancer in LA, seemed to mature in Ohio, now lingers on the FA market. Maybe he has trouble being coached, or he thinks he should be getting Cespedes money? Whatever it is he should at the very least be connected to rebuilding teams. He could be a difference maker bat easily traded for a prospect or 2 at the deadline. I don’t understand why his market has been so quiet. Even headache players garner some interest.
Puig should get signed by either St. Louis or San Francisco
They don’t need him. Yaz, Dickerson and Dubon will get the bulk of playing time. They could also give reps to Ramos and Bishop late in the season.
I’d rather have Jeff Samardzija or Mike Leake over Rick Porcello at this point.
But Porcello is an innings eater, he can give you 5 innings a start while giving up slightly more than 3 runs. That’s what is most important, that’s all that matters. Forget his nearly 6 ERA, he eats innings. He’s hungry. Give him innings.
Y’all crazy if it’s not jedd gyorko! All the good FA talents gone lol.
Drafted ahead of JT Realmuto
Y’all and lol in the same comment. Nice work, professor!
I think you mean perfessor lol
Yes, zactly!
Angels should sign both Hamels and green. Depth is never a bad thing
At this point though who do you cut? Is Hamels a safer bet than the current rotation?
Greene eggs and Hamels.
Definitely agree about Greene. He’s the top reliever available, and they still are in desperate need of bullpen help. They do have a bunch of adequate starting pitchers, though, so I don’t think they need Hamels.
I’m assuming people who are saying this are not familiar with the Angels. There were two problems with the Claudio and Guerra signings.
1) There is no one to send down. The seven Angel bullpen guys are pretty much locked in. There is no one to send to AAA, the Angels have to release someone to sign Greene.
2). No one can name the worst guy or the setup man. You pick the worst guy and the best non-closer and there is a great chance the worst will be better than who you think is the best guy. They all are just South of mediocre. The Angels needed to get some solid guys and then open up last two spots for competition. They didn’t do that. This was an unforced error.
We’re both assuming Guerra makes the team. But he is currently on a minor league deal. And I’m pretty sure Buttrey still has an option remaining.
Slegers, Pena, Sandoval all have options. Farria is a minor league acquisition.
At this point probably only Iglesias, Claudio, Mayers, and Barria are lead pipe locks to make the Opening Day roster..
Guerra is the only guy in the mix who has had an ERA below 4 the last two years. He is one of a few to have an ERA under 4 either of the last two years. He may be the best of the group, that’s the problem.
Ledgers isn’t making this team. And Pena could be the best of the group. Again, that’s the problem.
Go to MLB, they’ll tell you the six locks. And Guerra is the seventh.
I’m shocked more people don’t see this. They all all part of the mud.
HaloJJ. Let’s try this a different way. Out of the seven, you pick the best guy in the Angel pen and then the two worst, I will wager one of the two will be better than the guy you pick. That’s the issue.
Voted Cole Hamels for the meme
Damn.
I blew that one. I wouldn’t feel comfortable about voting a second time. That would be unethical. But I am sorely tempted.
Btw, just got back from your state a few hours ago. The warm weather had the snow geese super active. It kind of turned into a straight meat grab.
Hah, Yoenis Cespedes will sign for a handful of golf tees at this point now.
And another horsey-ride into camp.
dearly hope the angels bring shane greene into the pen.
I will never understand the logic that Shane Greene’s peripherals don’t support his numbers, because they actually did. The peripherals that he produced also produced the ERA. My suspicion is that the peripherals over compensate for strikeouts. If he returns to his previous level of strikeouts but has a higher ERA next year, what would that mean? Will they try to say he improved? Or that the lack of strikeouts in the previous year indicated the decline, even though he struck out more?
Yea he’s a fine pitcher. If I had to guess, he looking for big money for putting up solid # over the last couple years. But he doesn’t exactly have the additional stats to support big money… if that makes sense. Idk
We have a bunch of data points by now, though. Essentially, guys like Greene are signing one or two year deals at a $2.5-4.0 mil AAV. He’s probably going to be closer to the 2.5 MM.
When it turned out that Abreu can be optioned I started thinking that Cash may get back into the bullpen market.
Greene would look fantastic in that Yankee pen. The bridge would be: Greene & Greene, Wilson, & O’Day. That would create some very real problems for opposing teams.
Cash loves his relievers, man. & he loves “value”. This creates one of those “hey! You got peanut butter on my chocolate” things. I can see Cash being interested.
The logic behind peripherals is that they help to explain how a pitcher put up their ERA. Nobody is claiming that they are perfect, and there are some notable pitchers that are able to consistently beat their peripherals(I’m looking at you, Kyle Hendricks).
Since strikeouts mean that the hitter is instantly out, and don’t rely on defense, they are heavily valued. A pitcher who gives up a lot of contact can still be effective, but his effectiveness is heavily reliant on the ability of his defense to turn bulls in play into outs. A pitcher who gets a lot of strikeouts is able to be effective regardless of how good his defense is.
The team that eventually signs Greene needs to be aware that they need a good defense in order for him to be an effective pitcher.
Osunas the best when he healthy
Puig of course
Puig is the best left. Angels should sign Puig and Porcello. Puig as depth for the outfield and Porcello to stabilize the rotation.
Puig won’t sign with a team looking for depth. He’ll want regular playing time.
A league average hitting corner outfielder that no one wanted last year?
to be fair, he nearly did sign last year. and it doesnt make sense to knock him for being league average when that means that he’d be an upgrade over half the OFs in the game.
So half the league’s outfielders are below average hitters? I don’t believe that. We go through this with guys like Puig all the time. Fans over value them. Front offices don’t. Guy can’t get major league contract, fans left scratching heads.
It means he’d be an upgrade over half the batters in the game, not necessarily outfielders and even further, not necessarily corner OFs.
A lot wanted him. He didn’t like the contracts he was getting, then decided to sit out due to COVID.
Someone will sign him in April.
We’ll see. I doubt he gets anything other than a minor league deal. I don’t remember any real offers thrown his way last year.
Fowler is merely a seat warmer until the inevitable promotion of Brandon Marsh pushes Dexter to a bench role. Granted Puig is likely a bit better than Fowler at this point, but there’s no reason for the Angels to invest any more resources into OF depth.
One the best kept secrets in baseball over the past 15 years has been one pitcher’s quiet dominance over both leagues. Well, the secret’s gotten out. Statisticians and traditionalists alike are coming to the same realization that insiders have known all along: The team that signs Cole Hamels may be making the best signing of a generation. Cole Hamels, at a youthful 37 years, is ready to compose the magnum opus of his hall of fame career.
GMs around the league are no longer asking “Can we afford to sign Cole Hamels?” No, they’re asking themselves “How can anyone NOT afford to sign Cole Hamels?” If your team needs a potential Cy Young candidate at an unbelievable price, well, you can look no further. You don’t want to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Jeebus how much of your limited time on Earth did you just waste composing that.
He’s probably posting the same thing on half a dozen sites.
Leave him alone. Dude makes a great sandwich. And I don’t need my next one to have spit in it.
what’s with the Hamels hate on this site?
@DarkSide830 I can totally understand why Braves fans feel burnt by the Hamels signing.
You sound like Scott Boras.
The highest ceiling is osuna imo. Wonder what his showcase shows the scouts. Though he could be numbed up, hits his numbers and then needs TJ as soon as the ink dries. His credibility is beyond questionable at this point.
i think that has to do with him having not signed yet. id imagine most teams expect him to need TJS, and with his history probably dont want the bad press of an Eovaldi type deal when they can just sign him after he recovers and perhaps only deal with one year of bad press.
I think when it is all said and done Roberto Osuna gets another shot as closer in Toronto.
Shane Greene is clearly the best of the mix to vote for and it’s not close. But to be fair, the entire group isn’t exactly amazing….
Braves need to lock Greene up. Idk what he’s looking for but make it a 3 year deal with $15-20 mil… seems fair enough to me. He’d be a solid 6th 7th inning guy, a solid righty in the pen which we only have Chris Martin who has reverse splits. And no DH, that’s pretty important this year. GO GET HIM BRAVES!
Iyr/$4M plus an option.
I’d clearly take that. But he was clocked for $6.2 last year. This market is funny, RP are kinda going cheap for the most part, but 1 year deals typically as for more. If I recall rumors had him wanting a multi year deal in the 8 mil AAV… so I just don’t see him taking that deal. But who knows. I’d be happy to lock him for 5 mil for 3 years. I think that’s very fair
@bhambrave –
Probably not even that high of an AAV. 4 mil is kind of the upper range for solid RH middle relievers. He really has to know that by now.
I’m pretty surprised that the Braves haven’t brought him back. But you guys have tons of good arms in your MiLB system. Braves might be going that direction.
I don’t follow the Braves all that thoroughly. So if I’ve made some questionnable takes regarding Atlanta, I’d appreciate it if you could go a little easy on ole Fent.
The Braves are a respectful organization, and I think they overvalue players that they’ve had because paying them less would be rude. I’m only half kidding. They’d probably like to trade for Story, but that would involve trading Swanson, and the (female) fans love his hair.
Dansby Swanson’s hair is worth at least .5 WAR/ yr
I think that happens to a lot of teams when it comes to retaining their own players. It probably starts off with a “better the devil you know” & can lead to some overpays. & there’s not a whole lot wrong with being known for taking care of your own.
But I know the last CC deal was generally considered an overpay. Numerous Yankee fans (at least) have pronounced the same over Gardy’s last couple contracts.
So I hear what you’re saying.
But other fan bases probably have the same half joke.
Swanson has the best hair in MLB, man.
Which – yeah, whatever – but last summer I got to see quite a bit of him.
I thought he was a pretty good SS.
Remember: we’re still taking it a little easy on ole Fent.
Jays should be trying to sign either Samardzija or Leake to Minor League deals for depth, youngster starters could use the veterans for experience and leadership in AAA
i think Leake is waiting to sign
You don’t want Shark. He’s terrible.
I am so glad he’s done in SF, easily the worst contract Bobby Evans handed out.
But he did live the ultimate Catholic kid dream though, man. Playing football & baseball for the Fighting Irish. He certainly had the talent to play both sports professionally, serious.
If I was a GM I’d sign him just for that. & I’ve also admitted a long time ago that I’m a super crappy GM.
He’d definitely be a better bet than Tim Tebow.
Yasiel Puig will help whoever is fortunate enough to sign him.
Cubs will sign Hamels; they’re getting the band back together, they’re on a mission from God. They’ll be looking to coax John Lackey out of retirement too.
I completely forgot Homer Bailey still existed. I also didn’t even realize he was on Oakland in 2019. Weird.
cespedes and puig
Gyorko? Haaaaaaaa
Haaaaaaa
I didn’t vote for him, either. But he can help a few teams. There is a pretty strong narrative amongst Yankee fans that our lineup is “too right handed”. I don’t necessarily buy that. I’d rather have a good RH batter than a mediocre LH hitter for the sake of “lineup balance”.
But when I was looking at LH batters that could be shoehorned onto the Yanks roster I figured Gyorko was actually a player that could. He’s a pretty good hitter. Plays a few spots. He wasn’t my pick but I definitely feel he deserved to be on the list.
The Gyorko store called, they’re all out of shrimp
Josh Reddick should be on this list. He just turned 34 and is still a good play as a backup outfielder.
Most likely to have a large impact on your season: healthy Osuna.
Most likely to have a decent impact on your season and not piss off your fan base: Greene.
Can’t believe no one has mentioned Markakis.
Can’t Believe Braves didn’t re-sign him yet
That’s what I’m saying. Haven’t heard a thing about him. You google his name and all you get is “should the Braves bring him back” articles
Agreed
Maybe Roberto Osuna or Ryan Braun
Technically Markakis/Braun/Cahill/Cespedes are probably higher up this list than most off the guys mentioned.
Three washed up Outfielder/DH’s and a guy who can only pitch well with the A’s
I’m surprised Shane Greene is still available. Relief pitching is always needed and he’s coming off of a decent stretch the past few seasons between Detroit/Atlanta. Porcello too. Even though he was awful with the Mets he’s still good for innings. The asking prices for both must be too high to have them still sitting at home
Cardinals should sign Puig.
I’m not really enamored by any of these remaining free agents. As a Mets’ fan burned by Cespedes, if he has anything left, he could be as valuable to any team as the others left.
Puig is at a minimum, a league average bat, with power and near elite corner OF defense, surely that gets him a MLB contract
Near-elite defense? He is a terrible outfielder.
Again, we don’t know the full stories behind these guys. But it is rather mystifying that Greene, especially, is still out there. And who can’t use Porcello or Markakis?
But as I said, there may be other stuff. Or they want too much money. All of these guys are multi-millionaires, and may only want to come back if they get serious money.
None will go hungry waiting for their stimulus check if they don’t sign.
Fans can debate Puig all they want.
He was loved by teammates or he was despised by teammates. He was a good presence or a bad presence. He was a valuable player or he wasn’t.
But the proof is in the pudding. No team that had him wants anything to do with him. And no team thinks he is worth even a minor league contract with an invite.
It’s too bad Puig didn’t play hockey in the 80s and 90s. He would have been a perfect enforcer. He’d be willing to drop the gloves any time.
Puig is a bit of a hot head. Reminds me a bit of Carlos Gomez. Loads of talent, but needs to control his emotions better.
Cole Hamels is probably worth the risk to take a one year deal on. He still likely has something left in the tank.
Shane Greene is pretty good and should land somewhere. Even if the metrics say otherwise he gets it done.
Yasiel Puig just turned 30 in December. He has more upside as a full-time position player than any of these remaining free agents.
Sexual assault charges in October, case not resolved. Explain why a Major League team should sign that person.
I posted two links regarding that case on this comment thread. Most commenters new nothing about these charges because they were presented as a civil suit two years after the alleged incident by a woman who filed under the historical pseudonym “Jane Roe” (Roe vs Wade). There was no indication that this woman ever filed a criminal report with the police. Had that been done at the time of the alleged incident it would have been headline news when Puig was still a Dodger. I provided the links so people here can read for themselves. Because it was a late filed civil suit the incident didn’t get widespread play back in October. I’m not in anyway condoning this behaviour, only that it was a late civil allegation and not a criminal assault charge. Puig’s name is out there but not the alleged victims. We are not talking about a minor or a criminal case, just an allegation.
Bottom line: You can bet that all the teams were aware of this suit but to the best of my knowledge MLB has not opened an investigation. That could be for a number of reasons including the fact that he is not currently employed by a team or that this case is still pending. There have been no comments made by Puig or any of his legal representatives. I haven’t even heard a peep (or a tweet!) from his own agent lawyer Rachel Luba who took Puig on as her second MLB player client last November AFTER the civil suit was filed.
Rick Porcello is needed most by the Blue Jays. The J’s need more league average starting innings behind Hyun-Jin Ryu and the combination of Nate Pearson, Ross Stripling, Tanner Roark, and Anthony Kay, et al. None of these guys could be expected to pitch more than 150 innings and Porcello is as much a guaranteed every 5 days as any pitcher there is out there. Atkins/Shapiro should be jumping at the possibility of acquiring 180 innings at a 4.50 ERA for cents on the dollar.
As far as skill and numbers go, it’s Osuna and it’s not really that close. He definitely has the off the field issue dragging him down.
Puig
Greene will be okay and Osuna if healthy is the best on this list. Osuna comes with serious baggage. The rest are dumpster ready.
I picked other. As long as Barry Bonds lives. He’s a top fa
Why didn’t SF offer him a contract when his deal expired?
It’s unlikely Puig will ever play again due to reasons mentioned earlier in this post, which I did not know about until I read the posts and researched it. Any news on the two other still decent rightfielders, Markakis or Reddick?
Is it me or none of these guys have upside.
Porcello interests me the most out of that group.
Angels should make offers to Porcello and Hamels. Blue Jays could probably use one of them too.
The Brewers come to mind as a Maikel Franco destination for the 3B mix
Puig has more potential than any of these guys. Problem is teams fear his clubhouse antics.
National League should have agreed to a DH and there would have been more signings. I think the roster should permanently be expanded to 27 and go back to double headers to cram in the games. I don’t like NOVEMBER baseball!!