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By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN Insider
Vladimir Guerrero has five tools and an aura of mystery after playing seven years in front of empty seats in Montreal. Greg Maddux goes on the market with those always-desirable Cy Young comparisons and, if history is a guide, a bound-and-collated presentation by Scott Boras.
Gary Sheffield still turns on the best fastballs at age 35. Javy Lopez set a record for homers by a catcher this season. Miguel Tejada won an MVP award for Oakland in 2002. Andy Pettitte and Bartolo Colon each have 20-win seasons on their résumés, and Kevin Millwood has won 18 games twice, even if most teams don't believe he's an ace for a team with championship aspirations.
Need a closer? Keith Foulke, Eddie Guardado and Ugueth Urbina are on the menu, with the requisite portfolios-by-Rolaids. Potential suitors just have to determine how valuable a "save" really is.
While this year's free-agent crop isn't the strongest in memory, it has enough star appeal to get by. But the action isn't always confined to All-Stars. Several players a notch or two below the big names will attract plenty of interest. Here's a list of 12 second- or even third-tier free agents whose agents will be busy boys:
LaTroy Hawkins
HawkinsHawkins was a bust when the Minnesota Twins handed him their closer's job two years ago. The common sentiment is that he lacks the makeup, if not the stuff, to finish games. But Hawkins put himself back on the map as a setup man in 2002 and was a model of efficiency pitching in front of Guardado this season. Try 75 strikeouts and 15 walks in 77 1/3 innings.
One AL front-office man says Hawkins might be wise to pursue a short-term deal as a closer for a non-contender, then go back on the market at a higher price. But the consensus is he's better suited to pitching the eighth and handing the ball over to, say, Mariano Rivera in the ninth.
Hawkins' name will come up this winter when a certain AL East contender holds its organizational meetings in Tampa. "It's always good to have the Yankees set your value," said an AL assistant GM. Just ask Steve Karsay.
Mike Cameron
CameronCameron made $15.5 million over three years in his last contract with Seattle. Two front-office men said he can expect three years and about $20 million this time around, because he's got some pop and plays an incredible defensive center field. "Everybody talks about Torii Hunter, but Cameron might be better," said one.
Cameron stunk offensively at Safeco Field, but he wasn't alone: Even Edgar Martinez hit .248 at home and .339 on the road this season. True, Cameron is a strikeout machine. But he steals bases and will get on-base at a .350 clip or thereabouts. He might thrive in a different park.
Kelvim Escobar
EscobarEscobar, a groundball pitcher, was 8-2 with a 2.84 ERA on grass this season, and 5-5 with a 5.51 ERA on turf. Most of the carnage was inflicted at SkyDome in Toronto. You have to figure he'll be better post-rug.
Scouts say Escobar has three above-average major-league pitches. While he did some closing in Toronto, he's better suited to starting, because it allows him to use his entire assortment. He's also prone to bouts of wildness out of the bullpen. "He's inconsistent," said an NL scout. "But his stuff is plenty good."
Shannon Stewart
StewartESPN.com's Jayson Stark picked Stewart as his AL Most Valuable Player, but reviews on Stewart as a free agent are mixed.
Baseball people love Stewart's positive attitude, competitiveness and ability to work a count. He hits righties and lefties, and has the potential to bat first, second or third in the order. But the Blue Jays found a limited market for him when they traded him to the Twins for Bobby Kielty in July. It remains to be seen if 2½ special months will change the perception of Stewart.
"He's not real good defensively," said an AL assistant GM. "He can't throw at all. He runs pretty well, but he doesn't steal bases anymore. And I'm not sure how much teams will pay for a corner guy who doesn't hit home runs."
Luis Castillo
CastilloSeveral teams that were hot on Castillo's trail cooled on him considerably in the postseason, when he took a lot of bad hacks on hard stuff in the dirt. Potential suitors also have to consider his penchant for getting thrown out on the bases; Castillo was successful on only 21 of 40 steal attempts this season. That's downright awful.
But Castillo did hit .314 with an on-base percentage of .381, and he's a terrific defensive second baseman. While Boston's Todd Walker should also generate interest, Castillo is more the classic middle infield solution, with his ability to bat leadoff, score 100 runs and turn a double play.
Miguel Batista
BatistaThe Diamondbacks declined to pick up a $5 million option on Batista, their resident poet laureate, allowing him to become a free agent. Now Batista is likely to be in pretty high demand for a guy who turns 33 in February and has a career record of 42-50.
Teams value Batista for his versatility and resilient arm. He's a serviceable fourth or fifth starter and capable of pitching middle or long relief. "He'll do anything you ask," said a scout. "If you don't think Millwood is a No. 1 or 2, why pay him $10-12 million when you can get this guy for $5 million?"
Tom Gordon
Gordon"He's one curveball away from his elbow popping," said a scout. That's the cynical viewpoint. The good news is, Gordon is four years removed from his last Tommy John surgery and looking like a man who's anxious to close again. He pitched three days in a row on two occasions, once in August and September, and closed with a rush: Opponents batted .182 against him after the All-Star break.
Although Gordon is 36, he has the heart and the stuff to close. His curve can be downright unhittable. The Phillies are interested in him as a closer, but the overall market will depend on how much money he wants. Given his age and medical history and the glut of free-agent closers this winter, Gordon might have to settle for less than he'd prefer.
John Thomson
ThomsonOther than a nine-start cameo with the Mets in 2002, Thomson has spent his entire career working in pitchers' graveyards in Colorado and Texas. He signed with the Rangers last year, because he wanted to be close to home in Louisiana, and went 13-14 in 217 innings for Buck Showalter. That was a heck of a lot better than Chan Ho Park and Ismael Valdes.
Thomson's fastball can be pretty straight, but baseball people will always be intrigued by a 6-3, 200-pounder who throws 90-plus. "Stuff-wise, there's a lot to like," said an AL executive.
Shigetoshi Hasegawa
HasegawaHasegawa converted 16 of 17 save opportunities as Kaz Sasaki's fill-in last year in Seattle. Although he has setup man's stuff, he's shown he has the fortitude to close games.
Hasegawa benefited from pitching in a big park in front of a defense with several Gold Glove-caliber players in Seattle. He might be a nice fit for a team that doesn't want to spend the money on a Foulke or a Guardado. But the feeling in baseball circles is that he's comfortable in Seattle and would like to remain a Mariner, or at least stay on the West Coast. That could limit his options.
Raul Ibañez
IbañezIbañez, a part-time player in Seattle, broke though in Kansas City after picking up some tips on a visit to Kevin Seitzer's batting school a couple of years ago. He's not cut out for cleanup -- where he spent the bulk of time with Kansas City this year -- but could be a serviceable corner outfielder for a team that's content with 20 homers and 35 doubles rather than 35-40 home runs.
One American League front-office man estimates that Ibañez will get two years and $8 million, or even three and $13 million if the bidding gets hot. Reggie Sanders still looks like a one-year rental, even after hitting 31 homers in Pittsburgh, and Ibañez is more attractive than Jose Guillen, who can't shake a reputation for being immature and a problem in the clubhouse. "Guillen is a Grade A knucklehead," said another AL executive.
Joe Randa
RandaRanda is a solid, professional guy who (pause for cliché) is great in the clubhouse. It's no wonder the Royals want to keep him. In five years with Kansas City, Randa has averaged 85 RBI a year. He closed with a rush last year, hitting .344 after the All-Star break. He turns 34 in December and might be a tick below average in the field, but he benefits from the fact that third base is a position of need for so many clubs.
It's also not a strong crop this year, with Vinny Castilla, Robin Ventura and Tony Batista among the third basemen looking for jobs. "Randa is in the mold of Bill Mueller or Mark Loretta, who were two of the better bang-for-your-buck signings last year," said an American League executive. So long as he's not the next David Bell.
Brian Anderson
AndersonOne AL stat-cruncher dissected Anderson's numbers this year, concluded that his 3.78 ERA was an aberration and predicted he'll be more in line with his career ERA of 4.58 next season. A National League scout, in contrast, called Anderson a "poor man's Jamie Moyer."
Anderson has a flair for keeping a clubhouse loose with his sense of humor, and a knack for immobilizing runners with one of baseball's best pickoff moves. Plant him in the middle of a staff of hard-throwing righties, and he'll throw a few batters' hips out of joint. Anderson won't attract big money. But as a veteran lefty who's not afraid to pitch big games, he'll be a popular choice for teams shopping off the discount rack.
ESPN Insider
Vladimir Guerrero has five tools and an aura of mystery after playing seven years in front of empty seats in Montreal. Greg Maddux goes on the market with those always-desirable Cy Young comparisons and, if history is a guide, a bound-and-collated presentation by Scott Boras.
Gary Sheffield still turns on the best fastballs at age 35. Javy Lopez set a record for homers by a catcher this season. Miguel Tejada won an MVP award for Oakland in 2002. Andy Pettitte and Bartolo Colon each have 20-win seasons on their résumés, and Kevin Millwood has won 18 games twice, even if most teams don't believe he's an ace for a team with championship aspirations.
Need a closer? Keith Foulke, Eddie Guardado and Ugueth Urbina are on the menu, with the requisite portfolios-by-Rolaids. Potential suitors just have to determine how valuable a "save" really is.
While this year's free-agent crop isn't the strongest in memory, it has enough star appeal to get by. But the action isn't always confined to All-Stars. Several players a notch or two below the big names will attract plenty of interest. Here's a list of 12 second- or even third-tier free agents whose agents will be busy boys:
LaTroy Hawkins
HawkinsHawkins was a bust when the Minnesota Twins handed him their closer's job two years ago. The common sentiment is that he lacks the makeup, if not the stuff, to finish games. But Hawkins put himself back on the map as a setup man in 2002 and was a model of efficiency pitching in front of Guardado this season. Try 75 strikeouts and 15 walks in 77 1/3 innings.
One AL front-office man says Hawkins might be wise to pursue a short-term deal as a closer for a non-contender, then go back on the market at a higher price. But the consensus is he's better suited to pitching the eighth and handing the ball over to, say, Mariano Rivera in the ninth.
Hawkins' name will come up this winter when a certain AL East contender holds its organizational meetings in Tampa. "It's always good to have the Yankees set your value," said an AL assistant GM. Just ask Steve Karsay.
Mike Cameron
CameronCameron made $15.5 million over three years in his last contract with Seattle. Two front-office men said he can expect three years and about $20 million this time around, because he's got some pop and plays an incredible defensive center field. "Everybody talks about Torii Hunter, but Cameron might be better," said one.
Cameron stunk offensively at Safeco Field, but he wasn't alone: Even Edgar Martinez hit .248 at home and .339 on the road this season. True, Cameron is a strikeout machine. But he steals bases and will get on-base at a .350 clip or thereabouts. He might thrive in a different park.
Kelvim Escobar
EscobarEscobar, a groundball pitcher, was 8-2 with a 2.84 ERA on grass this season, and 5-5 with a 5.51 ERA on turf. Most of the carnage was inflicted at SkyDome in Toronto. You have to figure he'll be better post-rug.
Scouts say Escobar has three above-average major-league pitches. While he did some closing in Toronto, he's better suited to starting, because it allows him to use his entire assortment. He's also prone to bouts of wildness out of the bullpen. "He's inconsistent," said an NL scout. "But his stuff is plenty good."
Shannon Stewart
StewartESPN.com's Jayson Stark picked Stewart as his AL Most Valuable Player, but reviews on Stewart as a free agent are mixed.
Baseball people love Stewart's positive attitude, competitiveness and ability to work a count. He hits righties and lefties, and has the potential to bat first, second or third in the order. But the Blue Jays found a limited market for him when they traded him to the Twins for Bobby Kielty in July. It remains to be seen if 2½ special months will change the perception of Stewart.
"He's not real good defensively," said an AL assistant GM. "He can't throw at all. He runs pretty well, but he doesn't steal bases anymore. And I'm not sure how much teams will pay for a corner guy who doesn't hit home runs."
Luis Castillo
CastilloSeveral teams that were hot on Castillo's trail cooled on him considerably in the postseason, when he took a lot of bad hacks on hard stuff in the dirt. Potential suitors also have to consider his penchant for getting thrown out on the bases; Castillo was successful on only 21 of 40 steal attempts this season. That's downright awful.
But Castillo did hit .314 with an on-base percentage of .381, and he's a terrific defensive second baseman. While Boston's Todd Walker should also generate interest, Castillo is more the classic middle infield solution, with his ability to bat leadoff, score 100 runs and turn a double play.
Miguel Batista
BatistaThe Diamondbacks declined to pick up a $5 million option on Batista, their resident poet laureate, allowing him to become a free agent. Now Batista is likely to be in pretty high demand for a guy who turns 33 in February and has a career record of 42-50.
Teams value Batista for his versatility and resilient arm. He's a serviceable fourth or fifth starter and capable of pitching middle or long relief. "He'll do anything you ask," said a scout. "If you don't think Millwood is a No. 1 or 2, why pay him $10-12 million when you can get this guy for $5 million?"
Tom Gordon
Gordon"He's one curveball away from his elbow popping," said a scout. That's the cynical viewpoint. The good news is, Gordon is four years removed from his last Tommy John surgery and looking like a man who's anxious to close again. He pitched three days in a row on two occasions, once in August and September, and closed with a rush: Opponents batted .182 against him after the All-Star break.
Although Gordon is 36, he has the heart and the stuff to close. His curve can be downright unhittable. The Phillies are interested in him as a closer, but the overall market will depend on how much money he wants. Given his age and medical history and the glut of free-agent closers this winter, Gordon might have to settle for less than he'd prefer.
John Thomson
ThomsonOther than a nine-start cameo with the Mets in 2002, Thomson has spent his entire career working in pitchers' graveyards in Colorado and Texas. He signed with the Rangers last year, because he wanted to be close to home in Louisiana, and went 13-14 in 217 innings for Buck Showalter. That was a heck of a lot better than Chan Ho Park and Ismael Valdes.
Thomson's fastball can be pretty straight, but baseball people will always be intrigued by a 6-3, 200-pounder who throws 90-plus. "Stuff-wise, there's a lot to like," said an AL executive.
Shigetoshi Hasegawa
HasegawaHasegawa converted 16 of 17 save opportunities as Kaz Sasaki's fill-in last year in Seattle. Although he has setup man's stuff, he's shown he has the fortitude to close games.
Hasegawa benefited from pitching in a big park in front of a defense with several Gold Glove-caliber players in Seattle. He might be a nice fit for a team that doesn't want to spend the money on a Foulke or a Guardado. But the feeling in baseball circles is that he's comfortable in Seattle and would like to remain a Mariner, or at least stay on the West Coast. That could limit his options.
Raul Ibañez
IbañezIbañez, a part-time player in Seattle, broke though in Kansas City after picking up some tips on a visit to Kevin Seitzer's batting school a couple of years ago. He's not cut out for cleanup -- where he spent the bulk of time with Kansas City this year -- but could be a serviceable corner outfielder for a team that's content with 20 homers and 35 doubles rather than 35-40 home runs.
One American League front-office man estimates that Ibañez will get two years and $8 million, or even three and $13 million if the bidding gets hot. Reggie Sanders still looks like a one-year rental, even after hitting 31 homers in Pittsburgh, and Ibañez is more attractive than Jose Guillen, who can't shake a reputation for being immature and a problem in the clubhouse. "Guillen is a Grade A knucklehead," said another AL executive.
Joe Randa
RandaRanda is a solid, professional guy who (pause for cliché) is great in the clubhouse. It's no wonder the Royals want to keep him. In five years with Kansas City, Randa has averaged 85 RBI a year. He closed with a rush last year, hitting .344 after the All-Star break. He turns 34 in December and might be a tick below average in the field, but he benefits from the fact that third base is a position of need for so many clubs.
It's also not a strong crop this year, with Vinny Castilla, Robin Ventura and Tony Batista among the third basemen looking for jobs. "Randa is in the mold of Bill Mueller or Mark Loretta, who were two of the better bang-for-your-buck signings last year," said an American League executive. So long as he's not the next David Bell.
Brian Anderson
AndersonOne AL stat-cruncher dissected Anderson's numbers this year, concluded that his 3.78 ERA was an aberration and predicted he'll be more in line with his career ERA of 4.58 next season. A National League scout, in contrast, called Anderson a "poor man's Jamie Moyer."
Anderson has a flair for keeping a clubhouse loose with his sense of humor, and a knack for immobilizing runners with one of baseball's best pickoff moves. Plant him in the middle of a staff of hard-throwing righties, and he'll throw a few batters' hips out of joint. Anderson won't attract big money. But as a veteran lefty who's not afraid to pitch big games, he'll be a popular choice for teams shopping off the discount rack.
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