With the MLB postseason long gone, free agency is now the main topic in the baseball world. This year’s free agent class, consisting of two powerful first basemen, a dynamic duo at shortstop, and a small, yet opportunistic group of starting pitchers, holds quite a few intriguing storylines.
Who are the top five free agents available this year?
1. The 6’3” 230 pound first baseman Albert Pujols is likely in the top two of everyone’s list for this year’s free agent market. Pujols won another World Series title this season, his second with the St. Louis Cardinals. He is a clutch, big time player, and the type of guy that everyone wants on their team.
Pujols’s numbers did fall slightly this year from his previous seasons. His averaged dipped below .300 for the first time in his career, and he also hit less than 100 RBIs, with a total of 99, for the first time. These numbers can be due to his slow start in April, Pujols didn’t become his normal self until a month or two into the season. He also added 37 home runs.
The machine can produce on all levels. He is solid defensively and can hit the ball anywhere on the field. It is clear he wants a long term deal for big time bucks; his age is starting to become a factor, where he will be 32 in January.
Albert is a guy that has always gotten the job done, and although it seems unlikely that he will leave St. Louis, if a team has the money, they will certainly dip their feet in the water at the chance to sign Albert Pujols.
2. We now turn our attention to the 5’11”, 275 pound Prince Fielder. The Milwaukee Brewers first baseman is a big time bat, a decent glove, and a real big body. Teams might be tentative when offering Fielder a long-term deal because of his weight.
However, he uses his weight well, his defense does not appear to suffer from it, and his power at the plate is unreal. Fielder batted .299 this season, but for him; this is the highest his average has been in his six year stint in the big league.
Looking at big picture, this was a fairly normal year for Prince, besides the fact that his average is the best it’s ever been, he couldn’t have picked a better time to hit for average and power. He belted 38 home runs, his third highest for a single year, and 120 RBIs, this only behind his 2009 campaign where he had 141.
For the most part, it looks as though Fielder will leave Milwaukee if he wants more money. The Brewers had an amazing season this year and that could have change Fielder’s mind about not wanting to stay, but money talks and this will be an interesting situation to keep eyes on.
3. Jimmy Rollins is a prime example of what a team’s shortstop should be. Although the numbers may not be flashy, he is always productive and teams know what they will get out of him. With a guy like Jose Reyes at the top of the shortstop list for most, Rollins is tough guy with a play hard attitude.
The 5’8”, 170 pound shortstop just finished up this season with the Philadelphia Phillies has yet to show a big decrease. With a leg injury and a birthday coming up at the end of the month that will make him 33 years old, he has not shown must decline.
Rollins still has speed on the base path and a production at the plate that is helpful to any team. The eleven year veteran has seen his average rise and fall around the .250 to the upper .200 level. His speed on the base path has declined but still very well for the MLB level. He can be counted on to collect around 30 stolen bases each year and has a good glove at the shortstop position.
In his 2011 season, Rollins hit for a .268 average, 30 steals, and 63 RBIs. All of these are within a few points of his career average. He also earned himself 16 home runs. Although his age is rising, he is still a dominant player and a great asset to any team.
4. Jose Reyes earned himself the fourth spot on this list. The 6’1” 200 pound 28 year old has played all 8 seasons with the New York Mets. Reyes’s contract looks to be a high number and long term deal. He is a productive player, but sometimes seems to not always be looking out for the good of his team. Maybe a new destination will fit him well for the 2012 season.
Reyes’s had a productive year, playing in 126 games and hitting for an average of .337. The 28 year old stole 38 and had 44 RBIs. With seven home runs, he also hit for 31 doubles and 16 triples, a stat that is well above his career average.
Reyes will look good in the field for any team, but with the big contract he wants it will be hard for a lot of teams to sign him. He is certainly a play maker and it will be interesting to see where he ends up. Playing with a team like the Mets for so many years, it’s possible that he may go somewhere for the money, and not be looking for a World Series contender right now.
5. The number five spot will certainly shock and awe readers, but an explanation could turn the tides. Aramis Ramirez is a guy that came out at the most opportune time. He is relatively the only third baseman in the free agent market, and his second half of the 2011 season really turned some heads.
Let’s face it, Ramirez certainly isn’t hitting for power like he was in the mid 2000’s, but his production this season did climb from recent years. Ramirez hit a .306 average with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs. The 6’1” 215 pound third baseman will turn 34 next summer, but has 13 years of experience under his belt.
Overall, he may not be the fifth best player in this year’s market, but he being the only third baseman free agent does certainly make him one of the most important. Teams that have an open slot at the hot corner will give Ramirez a very good look, and can perhaps give him a contract that most did not imagine.
Free agency is a difficult topic to predict, but it is obvious that of these players can have a big impact on whoever picks them up. Whether players resign with their teams, or find new homes, the MLB will look different next year, and many of these guys mentioned are not fits for a lot of teams.
The teams that make concise efforts to put the best team on the field will have opportunities to create a winner. We will just have to wait and see what the organizations have in mind and how they go about using this 2011 class to field a World Series contender.
