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Poll: Which Team Will Sign Carlos Pena?

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It’s been a very slow offseason for Carlos Pena, at least in terms of hot stove rumors. The 33-year-old first baseman was understandably overshadowed by Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder heading into free agency, and even now he’s still playing second fiddle to Fielder, a fellow Scott Boras client.

Pena is one of the best remaining free agent power hitters, hitting at least 28 homers in each of the last five seasons. Although his batting average (.216 from ’09-’11) leaves much to be desired, he still draws plenty of walks (walked in 15.6% of his plate appearances from ’09-’11) and gets on base at a solid clip (.346 OBP from ’09-’11). Pena is generally regarded as a strong defender at first, but he’s going to need a platoon partner after hitting just .179/.306/.398 against southpaws from ’09-’11.

Boras is confident that he’ll get multiyear offers for Pena, who is a Type-B free agent and will not require the signing team to forfeit a draft pick. The Blue Jays, Brewers, Indians, Mariners, Nationals, Orioles, Pirates, Rangers, and Rays are all in the hunt for an upgrade at first base/designated hitter, and we shouldn’t rule out a return to the Cubs either.

Poll: Which Team Will Sign Ryan Madson?

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Ryan Madson probably lost another potential suitor when the Red Sox traded for Andrew Bailey. The Rangers, Blue Jays, Marlins, Mets and Padres are among the other possible Madson suitors that have acquired other closers this offseason. However, the Angels, Reds, Rays, White Sox, Astros and Dodgers could be in the market for closers, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) and I’ll add the Orioles to the list of potentially interested clubs.

Madson won't come cheap, of course. He appeared to be close to signing a $44MM contract with the Phillies early in the offseason, and the non-deal gives us a sense of agent Scott Boras’ asking price. Though the market for closers doesn’t currently seem strong, we shouldn't forget that Boras found a three-year deal for Rafael Soriano last offseason, after demand for closers appeared to have diminished.

Madson’s the best free agent reliever remaining; where will he sign?

 

Poll: Which Team Will Sign Hiroki Kuroda?

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As we approach the New Year, Hiroki Kuroda stands as one of the most attractive starters remaining on the open market.  The possibilities for Kuroda seemed to be rather limited when the offseason began but are now wide open. 

The hurler’s stated preference for remaining in Los Angeles led to him blocking deals that would have shipped him to a contender over the summer.  Even though Kuroda wanted to work out a new deal with the Dodgers, their financial restrictions led them to spend elsewhere and sign Chris Capuano to a highly back loaded deal.

Now, Kuroda is reportedly willing to listen to offers from all suitors, though it seems that he would prefer to remain on the West Coast.  The right-hander is after a $12-$13MM annual salary and at his age (37 in February), he won’t be seeking a long-term commitment. 

The Yankees and Red Sox, two teams who were pushing for him in July, are said to be in the mix.  The Diamondbacks and Rockies would each like to keep him in the NL West, though both clubs are budget-conscious as they look for a starter.  Kuroda was reportedly close to signing somewhere last week but all of the aforementioned teams plus the Rangers and Mariners said that it wasn’t with them.  Of course, there’s always the possibility that he’ll make his long-rumored return to the Hiroshima Carp.  So, where do you see Kuroda landing?

Poll: Which Team Will Sign Edwin Jackson?

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Despite the perpetual demand for quality starting pitching around the league, Edwin Jackson’s market has been relatively quiet this winter. If you sort through our archive, you’ll see just a handful of items involving the right-hander dating back to October. That’s not typical for a Scott Boras client.

With Gio Gonzalez and Mat Latos both traded, C.J. Wilson signed, and the Yu Darvish bidding complete, Jackson’s market figures to pick up some steam soon. Big spenders like the Yankees and Red Sox need pitching help, and mid-range revenue clubs like the Blue Jays and Rockies have made it known that they’d like to add a starter. Even the Marlins continue to look for high-end pitching despite landing Mark Buehrle earlier this offseason.

Jackson, 28, is one of the few remaining free agent innings eaters left on the market. His last three seasons have been very comparable to John Danks’, who just landed a five-year, $65MM contract extension from the White Sox. Jackson could reasonably ask for a similar contract on the open market, but who will give it to him?

Poll: Which Team Won The Gio Gonzalez Trade?

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Once again, the A's have traded away one of their top starters in exchange for a package of prospects.  Two weeks after shipping Trevor Cahill to Arizona, Oakland sent Gio Gonzalez and pitcher Robert Gilliam to the Nationals for right-handers A.J. Cole and Brad Peacock, left-hander Tom Milone, and catcher Derek Norris.

Billy Beane & Co. parted ways with Cahill and Gonzalez with an eye on building a team that can compete in a brand new stadium in a few years.  Most seem to agree that the A's got a considerable haul by landing three high-level pitching prospects with Cole having the highest ceiling of the trio.

The Nationals were reluctant to part with both Peacock and Milone in the swap but ultimately decided that Gonzalez was worth the price.  The bidding for the left-hander was understandably high as the Red Sox, Rangers, Marlins, Yankees, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Mariners were all linked to the 26-year-old this winter. 

While the benefits of the deal are clear for both sides, who do you feel got the better end of the swap?

 

Poll: Which Team Won The Mat Latos Trade?

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On Friday, it was reported that Gio Gonzalez, Mat Latos and Jair Jurrjens were among the pitchers on the Reds’ wish list.  Less than 24 hours later, the Reds turned their wish list into reality when they sent Yonder Alonso, Edinson Volquez, Yasmani Grandal, and Brad Boxberger to San Diego for Latos.  The Padres have been willing to listen on deals for Latos this winter and according to GM Josh Byrnes, the Reds' offer was selected over three others that were similarly built.

It seems that several baseball executives were quick to declare the Padres the winners of the deal as they received a great mix of young talent in return for their 24-year-old ace.  It's also worth noting that while Latos' upside is undeniable, some in the Pads organization had concerns about the hurler's maturity.  However, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports pointed out, acquiring a potential No. 1 starter who is four years away from free agency will always cost a great deal.

Now, we want to hear your take on the trade..

 

How Many Years Will Prince Fielder Get?

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One team tells Scott Miller of CBS Sports Prince Fielder is looking for a ten-year deal.  As Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes, isn't Fielder entitled to an Albert Pujols-like contract, as a 27-year-old coming off a monster season?

The problem is the marketplace, however, writes Morosi.  The teams with the biggest payrolls don't appear to be fits for Fielder.  Over 38,000 MLBTR readers responded to our poll last week about Fielder's destination.  While the Cubs led with 24% of the vote, they almost seem to be the default pick for Fielder since there is no obvious favorite.

I doubt the Cubs would do an eight, nine, or ten-year deal for Fielder.  I'm having trouble finding any team that would do so, assuming an average annual value around $25MM is required.  It's time for Scott Boras to work his magic.  That brings us to today's poll question: how many years will Fielder get?

Poll: Which Team Will Win The Rights To Darvish?

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MLB teams have less than 24 hours to submit bids for Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish, who's available via the posting system. The Nationals, Yankees, A's, Rangers, Red Sox and Blue Jays have been linked to Darvish this month and other interested clubs may be lurking. MLB agents told MLBTR that they expect Darvish to require a financial commitment in excess of $100MM, including the posting fee and contract.

Many teams could use Darvish atop their respective rotations, but which one will win the bidding for him? By the way, if you're unsure, you're in good company — MLB teams don't know the answer to this question, either.

Poll: Where Will Prince Fielder Sign?

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With Albert Pujols now off the market, Prince Fielder is the biggest free agent still available.  It's been a hard market to gauge for Fielder — a quick look at the big man's MLBTR page shows several teams with an interest, but seemingly just as many posts arguing why those same teams are seemingly shying away from giving Fielder the eight- or nine-year, $200MM contract he and Scott Boras are trying to find.

Boras' recent statements about his client are, unsurprisingly, a best-case scenario about Fielder's ability and what he can bring to a new team, as MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith observed.  Is there a team willing to look past Fielder's weight, defensive shortcomings and likelihood of a decline in the latter years of a long-term contract and instead focus on the fact that he's one of the game's very best sluggers?  Where do you think Fielder will play in 2012?

Poll: Next Big Name Free Agent To Sign

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Two big name free agents came off the board within the first three weeks of the offseason, as CC Sabathia signed an extension with the Yankees and Jonathan Papelbon joined the Phillies. The two power-hitting first baseman are still on the market (Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder), as are the high-end shortstops (Jimmy Rollins and Jose Reyes) and left-handed starters (Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson). Looking for pure offense? There’s also Carlos Beltran and David Ortiz.

The Thanksgiving weekend has traditionally been a slow few days for the baseball hot stove, but think of it as the calm before the storm. The winter meetings are just over a week away, and clubs want to start patching the major holes on their rosters before the calendar flips to January. A full list of unsigned free agents can be found with our Free Agent Tracker, but only a select few qualify as big names. Which of those guys do you think will be the next to sign?

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