Free Agent Bargains: an Oxymoron?

Derek Zumsteg

If you know me, and research says you do, then you know one of my favorite subjects in baseball is money and how it gets spent. Every GM makes mistakes (even my hero, Houston GM Gerry Hunsicker, has Pete the Incaviligian on the roster), but the difference between Hunsicker and, say, Pat Gillick is that Hunsicker can assemble a team for half the budget that wins half as many more games.

With that in mind, let's look at the current crop of free agent talent. I've skipped players like Jeff Bagwell that could be free agents but most likely will not; if I'm wrong, drop me sarcastic email. I'll be updating this regularly until next season, so there'll be time to fix everything. For today, content yourself with the position players; next week I'll get to the pitchers.

First Base

Name	Age	OBP	SLG	OPS
Mo Vaughn	30	.402	.580	.982
Rafael Palmiero	34	.377	.575	.952
Will Clark	34	.384	.509	.893
Greg Colbrunn	29	.359	.455	.814
Wally Joyner	36	.364	.448	.812
Cecil Fielder	35	.323	.401	.724
John Jaha	32	.366	.343	.709

Of these, Mo seems the clear choice. But he isn't, really. He's big, and by big I mean 'fat in the health problem sense', and he's testy about it (and his personal life, which involves doing things like driving drunk.. uh, maybe). If you think you can tame him, by all means try. Personally, I'm going to try to convince my man Will to give me a rate break on a two-year deal with massive playing time incentives, because I'm such a big fan. I think he'll go for it. Rafael, despite the fact that he annoys me, is probably the better deal. Jaha, at 32, is cooked duck.

Second Base

Name	Age	OBP	SLG	OPS
Jose Offerman	30	.401	.435	.836
Tony Fernandez	36	.382	.447	.829
Delino DeShields	29	.376	.434	.810
Mickey Morandini	32	.390	.392	.782
Randy Velarde	36	.386	.391	.777
Roberto Alomar	30	.352	.424	.776
Joey Cora	33	.359	.375	.734
Carlos Baerga	30	.301	.365	.666
Mark Lewis	29	.307	.347	.654
Mike Benjamin	33	.313	.337	.650
Shawon Dunston	35	.255	.392	.647
Jeff Branson	31	.218	.298	.516
Andy Stankiewicz	34	.258	.248	.506
Bip Roberts	35	.348	.338	.686

I'm hearing Offerman's name here in Seattle. I'd be happy to see him - at 30, his on-base percentage looks great, and the Mariners have begged for a legitimate leadoff hitter for years (not that Piniella would recognize one, seeing as he's a moron and all). Other notables: Delino isn't the superstar he was supposed to be, and if that drives his asking price down, I'd take him.

Alomar's injury troubles and reputed lack of motivation worry me. He's my third choice, but he's probably going to ask for too much, if he doesn't re-sign with Baltimore. Cora has threatened to retire, and that's no threat at all. Bip Roberts has become a statistical anchor, and doesn't exactly make up for it by being a great guy or anything.

Shortstop

Name	Age	OBP	SLG	OPS
Alex Arias	32	.376	.395	.771
Rey Sanchez	31	.324	.360	.684
Royce Clayton	28	.311	.355	.666
Ozzie Guillen	34	.322	.329	.651

I want Alex Rodriguez. But seriously, folks, let's sign Arias and be done with it. Sanchez is a decent second choice, and I'd do anything to avoid Royce Clayton (is he really only 28? What happened to the career year?) and the terrible all-around player Ozzie Guillen, who deserves to be chased out of the game by a torch-wielding mob.

Third Base

Name	Age	OBP	SLG	OPS
Sean Berry	32	.396	.535	.931
Ken Caminiti	35	.359	.515	.874
Dean Palmer	30	.328	.521	.849
Tim Naehring	31	.375	.467	.842
Scott Brosius	32	.368	.467	.835
Charlie Hayes	33	.359	.429	.788
Wade Boggs	40	.346	.393	.739
Dave Hollins	32	.334	.388	.722
Mike Blowers	33	.306	.394	.700
Ed Sprague	31	.281	.404	.685

Who's Sean Berry? I didn't know either. He's had a .820 OPS over the last three years, and looking at his career stats I'm inclined to think this season is a fluke. Still, he terrorizes left-handed pitchers: .442 OBP/.624 SLG (!!). A little late for the career year. I'm picking the slightly younger Dean Palmer and Naehring, who are both good pickups. Naehring's injury reputation will make him a bargain, if he can then stay healthy. I'm taking the chance and signing him to another playing-time-heavy contract while keeping Palmer's agent on the phone. Caminiti'd be a great 1 to 2-year deal for an astute GM. Brosius' year is an fluke.

Next Page:  - Head for the outfield, catchers, and a massive payroll -