2012 MLB Free Agents: Where Are They Going?

[Greg Ambrosius]

The Hot Stove League doesn't officially start until after the World Series, but already it's time to start thinking about the free agent market and where some of these top names are going to land. Prince Fielder has already said his goodbyes in Milwaukee and I think it's 99.99% that he's played his last game in Milwaukee. The Brewers can say they will give it their best shot, but when Scott Boras is seeking $200 million over 8 years you can count BrewCity out of the race.



So where do you think Fielder will land for next year? The Cubs as Theo makes his big splash? St. Louis to replace Albert Pujols? The Yankees? Miami in a new stadium? Inquiring minds want to know.



How about Pujols? Is it a given that he returns to St. Louis? Who else can pay him the kind of money that Fielder is asking for? And would you pay a slugger of his age (31, 34 or 35, depending on who you listen to) that kind of money? He is a STUD in the middle of any lineup, but can he continue to stay healthy and earn that kind of salary?



Does Heath Bell take the hometown discount and stay in San Diego? You'd think so, but he might need to take 2 years at $8 million rather than 3 years. He will probably do it, but what do you think?



Let's rock this thread with some predictions and links to inside stories on these players. I'll do my best to look around for stories and post here. Join me in finding the info and spreading the word. Thanks all.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Here was a list of potential free agents I found online:



Potential Free Agents for 2012

The following players have contracts expiring or should have the six years of service necessary to become free agents after the 2011 season.



* - player whose current contract includes 2012 option



Player Club

First Basemen

Russell Branyan LAA

Jorge Cantu SD

Prince Fielder MIL

Brad Hawpe SD

Eric Hinske ATL *

Ross Gload PHI

Nick Johnson CLE

Derrek Lee BAL

Xavier Nady ARI

David Ortiz BOS

Lyle Overbay PIT

Carlos Pena CHC

Albert Pujols STL

Jim Thome MIN



Second Basemen

Clint Barmes HOU

Willie Bloomquist ARI *

Orlando Cabrera CLE

Robinson Cano NYY *

Jamey Carroll LAD

Luis Castillo NYM

Alex Cora WAS

Craig Counsell MIL

Mark Ellis OAK

Carlos Guillen DET

Jerry Hairston Jr. MIL

Aaron Hill ARI *

Omar Infante FLA

Joe Inglett HOU

Kelly Johnson TOR

Adam Kennedy SEA

Felipe Lopez TB

Jose Lopez FLA

Aaron Miles LAD

Brandon Phillips CIN *



Shortstops

Yuniesky Betancourt MIL *

Ronny Cedeno PIT

Adam Everett CLE

Rafael Furcal LAD

Alex Gonzalez ATL

Cesar Izturis BAL

John McDonald TOR

Augie Ojeda ARI

Jose Reyes NYM

Nick Punto STL

Edgar Renteria CIN

Jose Reyes NYM

Jimmy Rollins PHI

Ramon Santiago DET

Marco Scutaro BOS *

Jack Wilson SEA



Third Basemen

Wilson Betemit DET

Casey Blake LAD *

Eric Chavez NYY

Mark DeRosa SF

Greg Dobbs PHI

Edwin Encarnacion TOR *

Wes Helms FLA

Melvin Mora ARI

Aramis Ramirez CHC

Miguel Tejada SF

Omar Vizquel CWS



Catchers

Rod Barajas LAD

Henry Blanco ARI

Ramon Castro CWS

Ryan Doumit PIT

Ramon Hernandez CIN

Jason Kendall KC

Gerald Laird STL

Jose Molina TOR

Yadier Molina STL *

Dioner Navarro LAD

Jorge Posada NYY

Ivan Rodriguez WAS

Brian Schneider PHI

Kelly Shoppach TB *

Chris Snyder PIT *

Matt Treanor KC

Jason Varitek BOS



Outfielders

Bobby Abreu LAA *

Rick Ankiel WAS

Carlos Beltran SF

Milton Bradley SEA

Pat Burrell SF

Mike Cameron BOS

Coco Crisp OAK

Michael Cuddyer MIN

Jack Cust SEA

Johnny Damon TB

David DeJesus OAK

J.D. Drew BOS

Kosuke Fukudome CHC

Jonny Gomes CIN

Gabe Gross OAK

Vladimir Guerrero BAL

Scott Hairston NYM

Willie Harris NYM

Raul Ibanez PHI

Conor Jackson OAK

Andruw Jones NYY

Austin Kearns CLE

Jason Kubel MIN

Ryan Ludwick SD

Hideki Matsui OAK

Nate McLouth ATL *

Jason Michaels HOU

Laynce Nix WAS

Magglio Ordonez DET

Juan Pierre CWS

Juan Rivera TOR

Cody Ross SF

Grady Sizemore CLE *

Matt Stairs WAS

Nick Swisher NYY *

Marcus Thames LAD

Josh Willingham OAK



Starting Pitchers

Mark Buehrle CWS

Bruce Chen KC

Aaron Cook COL *

Kyle Davies TOR

Ryan Dempster CHC *

Justin Duchscherer OAK

Zach Duke ARI *

Jeff Francis KC

Freddy Garcia NYY

Jon Garland LAD

Aaron Harang SD

Rich Harden OAK

Livan Hernandez WAS

Edwin Jackson STL

Kenshin Kawakami ATL

Scott Kazmir LAA

Hiroki Kuroda LAD

Rodrigo Lopez CHC

Paul Maholm PIT

John Maine COL

Jason Marquis WAS

Kevin Millwood NYY

Scott Olsen PIT *

Roy Oswalt PHI *

Brad Penny DET

Oliver Perez NYM

Joel Pineiro LAA

CC Sabathia NYY (may opt out)

Carlos Silva NYY

Javier Vazquez FLA

Adam Wainwright STL *

Tim Wakefield BOS

Chien-Ming Wang WAS

Brandon Webb ARI

C.J. Wilson TEX

Chris Young NYM



Relief Pitchers

Danys Baez PHI

Miguel Batista STL

Matt Belisle COL

Heath Bell SD

Rafael Betancourt COL

Blaine Boyer

Jonathan Broxton LAD

Shawn Camp TOR

Matt Capps MIN

Todd Coffey MIL

Clay Condrey MIN

Francisco Cordero CIN *

Lance Cormier TB

Juan Cruz TB

Octavio Dotel STL *

Kyle Farnsworth TB *

Randy Flores NYY

Frank Francisco TOR

Ryan Franklin STL

Jason Frasor CWS *

Chad Gaudin WAS

Mike Gonzalez TEX

John Grabow CHC

LaTroy Hawkins MIL

Brad Lidge PHI *

Scott Linebrink ATL

Javier Lopez SF

Ryan Madson PHI

Damaso Marte NYY *

Sergio Mitre NYY

Joe Nathan MIN *

Hideki Okajima BOS

Darren Oliver TEX

Jonathan Papelbon BOS

Joel Peralta TB

Chad Qualls SD *

Jon Rauch TOR *

Chris Ray TEX

Dennys Reyes BOS

Arthur Rhodes TEX *

Fernando Rodney LAA

Francisco Rodriguez MIL

George Sherrill ATL

Rafael Soriano NYY (may opt out)

Brian Tallet TOR

Koji Uehara TEX *

Jose Valverde DET

Tyler Walker WAS

Kerry Wood CHC

Jamey Wright SEA

Michael Wuertz OAK

Joel Zumaya DET



[ October 17, 2011, 03:56 PM: Message edited by: Greg Ambrosius ]

[Greg Ambrosius]

Here's a few interesting takes on free agency this off-season:



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/8418 ... -available



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/8823 ... -offseason



http://www.rotoworld.com/slide/mlb/170/Top-50-MLB-FAs

[huskyfan88]

Seems like the Mets are probably going to keep only one of Wright and Reyes next year. And since they've somewhat started shopping Wright, it looks like they'll make an effort at keeping Reyes. Plus with Murphy, Duda, and Davis hopefully healthy, they could be thinking that trading Wright for prospects is the way to go.

[BEF]

Other than a couple of starters (CC, CJ), some decent closers, Prince, Albert, Reyes and maybe Aramis and Beltran, this list is a Big Yawn. True, some of the guys with asterisks are pretty interesting (Cano, Phillips, Yadier) but their option is Club or Mutual, so they're probably not going anywhere else in 2012 (at least not during the off-season). Let's hope the owners and GMs realize that this class of free agents is a real snoozer and don't go nuts spending our ticket money on a bunch of decent-but-not-great players.

[Edwards Kings]

Great time to be a free agent...



Starting pitcher as this is a thin group and many somebody gonna get overpaid. CC puts on his swim trunks (custom made by Omar the Tent-Maker) and jumps right in.



Bad time to be a free agent...



Relief pitcher as there are so many good arms, have been good arms, and has-been good arms that will drive the prices down. Heath Bell stays home as it is too scary outside.



Really smart move by....



The Fish to extend Infante as there is nothing doing at the 2B FA pool. Options exercised for Cano and Phillips. Somebody will give Hill and Johnson another chance, though.



The person who must be living right...



Is Aramis Ramirez who is hitting the FA market with his main competition being DeRosa and Betemit. "We're in the money!....We're in the money!"



Soon to be appearing in a remake of the old "I've fallen...and I can't get up!" advertisement are...



Most of the FA outfielders/DH types like Beltran, Drew, Guerrero, Ibanez, Jones, and Matsui. GM's will be really excited to bid on the likes of Willingham and McLouth. YeeeeHawwww!



Next youth movement will be...



In the middle with teams putting AA or barely AAA aged talent in at 2B and SS. MLB club house mangers had better stock up on pimple cream and Acutane.