Hot Stove Special: Remaining Free Agents

With the New Year rolling around, the start of spring training is barely two months away.  Zack Greinke (Dodgers), Josh Hamilton (Angels), David Ortiz (Red Sox), B.J. Upton (Braves), A.J. Pierzynski (Rangers), and Nick Swisher (Indians) are all off the market, but there are still many players that remain.  Let's take a look (2013 age is in parentheses)

Catchers

Mike Napoli (31)

2012 Stats: 24 HR, 56 RBI, .227 AVG, 1 SB.

Napoli agreed to terms on a three year contract with the Red Sox a month ago, but the deal still has not been finalized after a problem was found with Napoli's hip.  Because of this, he may stay with the Red Sox or explore other options.

Miguel Olivo (34-35)

2012 Stats: 12 HR, 29 RBI, .222 AVG, 3 SB.

Olivo is a power hitting Dominican catcher with 141 home runs under his belt.  Though he does not hit for average (.241 career mark), he can come through in the clutch.  His 23 home runs in 2009 marked a career high.

First Basemen

Adam LaRoche (33)

2012 Stats: 33 HR, 100 RBI, .271 AVG, 1 SB.

Arguably the best offensive free agent left, LaRoche wants to return to the Nationals.  The problem is that he wants a three year deal, while the Nationals will offer no more than a two year deal.  This has been the cause of the stalemate between the LaRoche and the Nats, but Davey Johnson said last month that he was confident LaRoche would sign.  If the Mike Napoli deal falls through, the Red Sox might be suitors for Adam.

Carlos Lee (36-37)

2012 Stats: 9 HR, 77 RBI, .264 AVG, 3 SB.

Lee will bring a veteran presence to any lineup with 358 home runs and over 2000 hits to boast.  His power dropped off considerably last year, from 18 home runs in 2011 to nine in 2012.  The 6'2", 270 pound former Silver Slugger award winner looks to be near the end of his career, so he probably won't get more than a one year deal.

Second Basemen

Kelly Johnson (31)

2012 Stats: 16 HR, 55 RBI, .225 AVG, 14 SB.

There has not been a lot of talk about Johnson.  Though he has hit under .230 in three of the past four years, he has plenty of pop, evidenced by 108 career home runs.  2010 was his best year, when he hit 26 home runs and batted .284 with 13 stolen bases.

Ryan Theriot (33)

2012 Stats: 0 HR, 28 RBI, .270 AVG, 13 SB.

Theriot lacks power, but can still hit for run and average at 33 years old.  Last year, his eighth year in the bigs, he batted .270 and stole 13 bases.  Over his career, he owns a .281 average and 121 stolen bases.

Shortstops

Alex Gonzalez (36)

2012 Stats: 4 HR, 15 RBI, .259 AVG, 1 SB.

If you are looking for a shortstop, it will likely have to be by trade.  Of the five major league shortstops left on the market, Gonzalez tops the list.  A solid two season stretch from 2010-2011 was enough for the Brewers to sign him, but he was limited to just 24 games due to injury.

Third Basemen

Brandon Inge (36)

2012 Stats: 12 HR, 54 RBI, .218 AVG, 0 SB.

Inge can play anywhere, and has seen time at every position except pitcher, shortstop, and first base during his major league career.  He possesses power but his average has dipped over the years.  In 2009, he hit 27 home runs.

Outfielders

Michael Bourn (30)

2012 Stats: 9 HR, 57 RBI, .274 AVG, 42 SB.

With Hamilton, Swisher, and Upton off the list, Bourn becomes the top outfielder.  Last year, he set a career high with nine home runs, but his running is always the story.  His 42 stolen bases marked five straight seasons with more than 40, though it was the first time since 2008 that he did not lead the NL in that category.  His defense is also spectacular, has he claimed back to back Gold Glove awards from 2009-2010 with the Astros.

Delmon Young (27)

2012 Stats: 18 HR, 74 RBI, .267 AVG, 0 SB.

Young, true to his name, is the youngest free agent capable of earning a starting spot.  He just turned 27 in September, and already has seven years of major league experience.  He has gotten into trouble due to attitude issues and an alleged hate crime, but his numbers hold true.  In 2010, he hit .298 with 21 home runs and 112 RBI.  

Scott Hairston (33)

2012 Stats: 20 HR, 57 RBI, .263 AVG, 8 SB.

At the age of 32, Hairston had the best year of his career last year, setting career highs in games (134), runs (52), home runs (20), slugging percentage (.504), and OPS (.803).  He hit extremely well against lefties, knocking eleven home runs and batting .286 in 189 at bats.

Grady Sizemore (30)

Career Stats: 139 HR, 458 RBI, .269 AVG, 134 SB.

Of course, Sizemore is a gamble, but is talent is unquestionable.  He has not played more than half a season since 2009, and missed the entire 2012 season.  For most players, that means one thing: minor league contract.  For Sizemore, however, a major league deal might be achievable.  When healthy, Sizemore is a top-5 of the lineup hitter, evidenced by four straight 20-20 (HR and SB) seasons from 2005-2008.  He's only thirty, so he has plenty of time to resurrect his career, but he will have to wait until the All Star Break as knee surgery will keep him out until at least July.   

Starting Pitchers

Kyle Lohse (34)

2012 Stats: 16-3, 2.86 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 143 K's in 211 innings.

After functioning as a mediocre starter for the first seven years of his career, Lohse came into his own with a 15 win, 3.78 ERA 2008.  Since then, he fell back, then blasted off in 2011 and 2012.  In '11, he was 14-8 with a 3.39 ERA, then he posted an .842 winning percentage to go along with a 2.86 ERA in '12.  

Shaun Marcum (31)

2012 Stats: 7-4, 3.70 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 109 K's in 124 innings.

Marcum has flown under the radar for the past few years.  In each of the past four years, he has kept is ERA at 3.70 or below, and was 13-7 with a 3.54 ERA in 2011.  The Kansas City native owns 57 career victories and should fit nicely into whatever rotation he joins.

Joe Saunders (32)

2012 Stats: 9-13, 4.07 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 112 K's in 174.2 innings.

Saunders, who went to West Springfield High School in Springfield, VA, is a solid innings eater who has pitched over 170 innings each year since 2008.  '08 was is beat year, when he was 17-7 with a 3.41 ERA.  A comparable year was 2011, when he was 12-13 with a 3.69 ERA for the Diamondbacks.  He split last year between Arizona and Baltimore, and earned the win in the Wild Card Game against Texas.  

Carlos Zambrano (32)

2012 Stats: 7-10, 4.49 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 95 K's in 132.1 innings.

It doesn't seem like he's only 31, as Zambrano has been around for twelve years, but he did make his major league debut at 20 years old in 2001 (where he gave up seven runs in four innings to the Brewers).  Since then, he has won 132 games.  The three time 16 game winner has battled through anger-management issues and a retirement threat, but has battled through for over 300 starts before his 32nd birthday.  He has been inconsistent over the past few seasons, but as recently as 2010, he was 11-6 with a 3.33 ERA for the Cubs.  Last year, after twenty starts, he was moved to the bullpen.

Jair Jurrjens (27)

2012 Stats: 3-4, 6.89 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, 19 K's in 48.1 innings.

Last year may have been a horrendous season for Jurrjens, but still at 26 years old, he looks to make an impact for his next team.  At 23 years old in 2009, he turned heads by going 14-10 with a 2.60 ERA for the Braves, and went 13-6 with a 2.96 mark in 2011.  Last year, he spent parts of May, June, August, and September in the minors.

Right Handed Relievers

Rafael Soriano (33)

2012 Stats: 2-1, 2.26 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 42 saves, 69 K's in 67.2 innings.

Last year, when Mariano Rivera went down with a season ending injury, Soriano stepped up with one of the best years of his career and saved 42 games, and according to Derek Jeter, saved the Yankees from missing the playoffs.  The top reliever on the market since the Yankees declined his option in November, Soriano may command a hefty sum for a closer.

Brett Myers (32)

2012 Stats: 3-8, 3.31 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 19 saves, 41 K's in 65.1 innings.

Myers can either start or relieve, and he excels at both.  As a starter in 2010, he was 14-8 with a 3.14 ERA.  As a closer last year, he saved 19 games in 21 opportunities and posted a 3.31 ERA.  

Jose Valverde (35) 

2012 Stats: 3-4, 3.78 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 35 saves, 48 K's in 69 innings.

One of the top closers from a year ago (49 saves, 2.24 ERA in 2011), Valverde struggled to get going this year.  After converting 51 consecutive saves from September 4th, 2010 through the end of 2011, he blew his first chance in 2012.  His ERA sat at 6.17 on May 5th, but he evened it out a bit by pitching to a 3.30 mark from then on to finish at 3.78.

Matt Capps (29)

2012 Stats: 1-4, 3.68 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 14 saves, 18 K's in 29.1 innings.

Capps was limited to just one game after July 16th, but he did turn in a solid first half.  His season ERA was a respectable 3.68, and he walked just four batters in 29.1 innings.  A low walk number like that is good news for a closer, and he actually has just 84 walks over 439.2 career innings.  In 2010, he saved 42 games.

Left Handed Relievers

J.P. Howell (30)

2012 Stats: 1-0, 3.04 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 42 K's in 50.1 innings.

With Sean Burnett off the market, Howell becomes the top lefty left.  Howell, who played a vital role in the Rays miraculous run to the World Series in 2008, has garnered interest from many teams, including the Nationals.  He has expressed interest in signing with Washington, and I can see him landing here.

Manny Parra (30)

2012 Stats: 2-3, 5.06 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 61 K's in 58.2 innings.

Since there aren't many options out there for left handers, Parra falls into the number two slot in this category.  Last year, lefties batted just .229 against him (though righties hit .296), and he pitched extremely well away from Miller Park.  Over 32 appearances on the road, he was 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA while opponents batted just .222.  

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Teams followed in this update: Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies

If your team is not included, please leave a comment.

HR: home runs.  RBI: runs batted in.  AVG: batting average.  SB: stolen bases.  ERA: earned run average. WHIP: walks/hits per innings pitched.  K's: strikeouts. WPCT: winning percentage

Zack Silverman