off season free agent list..time to find SMART moves on this list

[redsfan4445]

2010 MLB Free Agents
By Tim Dierkes [December 18, 2008 at 12:53pm CST]

2010 MLB free agents - MLBTR's up-to-date list is below. These are players who are eligible for free agency after the 2009 season. The player's 2010 age is in parentheses and Scott Boras clients are bolded. Current free agents who have not yet signed are not on this list. If you have any corrections or omissions, please email me at dierkes@gmail.com.

Updated 7-26-09

Catchers
Brad Ausmus (41)
Paul Bako (38)
Rod Barajas (34)
Josh Bard (32)
Michael Barrett (33) - club option
Henry Blanco (38)
Ramon Castro (34)
Sal Fasano (38)
Toby Hall (34)
Ramon Hernandez (34) - $8.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Jason Kendall (36)
Jason LaRue (36)
Victor Martinez (31) - $7MM club option with a $250K buyout
Bengie Molina (35)
Jose Molina (35)
Miguel Olivo (31) - $3.25MM mutual option
Mike Redmond (39)
Ivan Rodriguez (38)
Brian Schneider (33)
Yorvit Torrealba (31) - $4MM mutual option with a $500K buyout
Javier Valentin (34)
Jason Varitek (38) - $5MM club/$3MM player option plus incentives
Vance Wilson (37)
Gregg Zaun (39) - $2MM club option with a $500K buyout

First basemen
Rich Aurilia (38)
Russell Branyan (34)
Miguel Cairo (36)
Frank Catalanotto (36) - $5MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Tony Clark (38)
Carlos Delgado (38)
Nomar Garciaparra (36)
Ross Gload (34) - $2.6MM club option
Eric Hinske (32)
Nick Johnson (31)
Adam LaRoche (30)
Doug Mientkiewicz (36)
Kevin Millar (38)
Chad Tracy (30) - $7MM option with a $1MM buyout
Daryle Ward (35)
Dmitri Young (36) -$6MM option vests with 500 PAs in '09

Second basemen
Ronnie Belliard (35)
Jamey Carroll (36)
Alex Cora (34)
Craig Counsell (39)
Mark DeRosa (35)
David Eckstein (35)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (34)
Orlando Hudson (32)
Akinori Iwamura (31) - $4.25MM club option with a $250K buyout
Adam Kennedy (34)
Felipe Lopez (30)
Mark Loretta (38)
Pablo Ozuna (35)
Placido Polanco (34)
Freddy Sanchez (32) - $8MM club option with a $600K buyout; vests with 600 PAs
Juan Uribe (31)

Shortstops
Orlando Cabrera (35)
Alex Cora (34)
Craig Counsell (39)
Bobby Crosby (30)
Adam Everett (33)
Chris Gomez (39)
Alex Gonzalez (32) - $6MM mutual option with a $500K buyout
Khalil Greene (30)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (34)
John McDonald (35)
Marco Scutaro (34)
Miguel Tejada (36)
Omar Vizquel (43)
Jack Wilson (32) - $8.4MM club option with a $600K buyout

Third basemen
Rich Aurilia (38)
Adrian Beltre (31)
Geoff Blum (37)
Aaron Boone (37)
Craig Counsell (39)
Joe Crede (32)
Pedro Feliz (35) - $5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Chone Figgins (32)
Nomar Garciaparra (36)
Troy Glaus (33)
Mike Lamb (34)
Melvin Mora (38) - $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Pablo Ozuna (35)
Robb Quinlan (33)
Juan Uribe (31)

Left fielders
Garret Anderson (38)
Marlon Anderson (36)
Jason Bay (31)
Emil Brown (35)
Carl Crawford (28) - $10MM club option with a $1.25MM buyout
Johnny Damon (36)
David Dellucci (36)
Cliff Floyd (37)
Matt Holliday (30)
Jacque Jones (35)
Gabe Kapler (34)
Greg Norton (37)
Wily Mo Pena (28)
Manny Ramirez (38) - $20MM player option
Dave Roberts (38)
Fernando Tatis (35)

Center fielders
Rick Ankiel (30)
Rocco Baldelli (28)
Marlon Byrd (32)
Mike Cameron (37)
Endy Chavez (32)
Coco Crisp (30) - $8MM club option with a $500K buyout
Darin Erstad (36)
Ryan Freel (34)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (34)
Reed Johnson (33)
Andruw Jones (33)
Gabe Kapler (34)
Mark Kotsay (34)
Corey Patterson (30)
Scott Podsednik (34)

Right fielders
Bobby Abreu (36)
Jermaine Dye (36) - $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Brian Giles (39)
Vladimir Guerrero (34)
Eric Hinske (32)
Geoff Jenkins (35) - $7.5MM mutual option with a $1.25MM buyout
Gabe Kapler (34)
Austin Kearns (30) - $10MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Jason Michaels (34)
Xavier Nady (31)
Magglio Ordonez (36) - $15MM club/vesting option with a $3MM buyout
Randy Winn (36)

Designated hitters
Hank Blalock (29)
Jason Giambi (39) - $6.5MM club option with a $1.25MM buyout
Ken Griffey Jr. (40)
Aubrey Huff (33)
Hideki Matsui (36)
Gary Sheffield (41)
Matt Stairs (42)
Mike Sweeney (36)
Jim Thome (39)

Starting pitchers
Brandon Backe (32)
Miguel Batista (39)
Josh Beckett (30) - $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Erik Bedard (31)
Kris Benson (34)
Daniel Cabrera (29)
Chris Capuano (31)
Bartolo Colon (37)
Jose Contreras (38)
Doug Davis (34)
Justin Duchscherer (32)
Adam Eaton (32)
Shawn Estes (37)
Josh Fogg (33)
Freddy Garcia (34)
Jon Garland (30) - $10MM mutual option with $2.5MM or $1MM buyout
Tom Glavine (44)
Mike Hampton (37)
Rich Harden (28)
Mark Hendrickson (36)
Livan Hernandez (35)
Tim Hudson (34) - $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Jason Jennings (31)
Jason Johnson (36)
Randy Johnson (46)
John Lackey (31)
Cliff Lee (31) - $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Braden Looper (35) - option
Rodrigo Lopez (34)
Jason Marquis (31)
Kevin Millwood (35) - Rangers can decline $12MM salary for '10 unless he reaches 180 innings in '09
Brian Moehler (38) - mutual option
Brett Myers (29)
Vicente Padilla (32) - $12MM club option with a $1.75MM buyout
Chan Ho Park (37)
John Parrish (32)
Carl Pavano (34)
Brad Penny (32)
Odalis Perez (33)
Andy Pettitte (38)
Joel Pineiro (31)
Sidney Ponson (33)
Mark Prior (28)
Horacio Ramirez (30)
Jason Schmidt (37)
John Smoltz (43)
Tim Wakefield (43) - perpetual $4MM club option
Jarrod Washburn (35)
Brandon Webb (31) - $8.5MM club option with a $500K+ buyout
Todd Wellemeyer (31)
Kip Wells (33)
Randy Wolf (33)

Closers
Ryan Franklin (37) - $2.75MM club option with a $250K buyout
Mike Gonzalez (32)
Kevin Gregg (32)
Trevor Hoffman (42)
Fernando Rodney (33)
Rafael Soriano (30)
Jose Valverde (30)
Billy Wagner (38) - $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout

Right-handed relievers
Luis Ayala (32)
Danys Baez (32)
Joaquin Benoit (32)
Rafael Betancourt (35) - $5.4MM club option
Chad Bradford (35)
Doug Brocail (43) - $2.85MM club option with a $250K buyout
Chad Cordero (28)
Elmer Dessens (38)
Brendan Donnelly (38)
Octavio Dotel (36)
Kelvim Escobar (33)
Eric Gagne (34)
Tom Gordon (42)
LaTroy Hawkins (37)
Matt Herges (40)
Bob Howry (36)
Jason Isringhausen (37)
Jorge Julio (31)
Masahide Kobayashi (36) - $3.25MM club option with a $250K buyout
Brandon Lyon (30)
Gary Majewski (30)
Guillermo Mota (36)
Troy Percival (40)
J.J. Putz (33) - $9.15MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Juan Rincon (31)
Duaner Sanchez (30)
Rudy Seanez (41)
Russ Springer (41)
Julian Tavarez (37)
Luis Vizcaino (35) - $4MM club option with a $500K buyout
David Weathers (40)
Jamey Wright (35)
Yasuhiko Yabuta (37) - $4MM club option with a $500K buyout

Left-handed relievers
Joe Beimel (32)
Alan Embree (40) - $3MM club option with a $250K buyout
Scott Eyre (38)
Casey Fossum (32)
John Grabow (31)
Eddie Guardado (39)
Ron Mahay (39)
Trever Miller (37)
Will Ohman (31) - $2.2MM club option with a $200K buyout
Darren Oliver (39)
Glendon Rusch (35)
Scott Schoeneweis (36)
Brian Shouse (41) - club option
Ron Villone (40)
Jamie Walker (38)


The ones in BOLD i would look at. Not all the lefty pitchers just the certain ones. what is everybody elses opinion? I am not sure how up to date this list is.. just curious others ideas

[Highlifeman21]

And of the ones bolded, how many do you think we could actually afford?

[redsfan4445]

im just picking the names that they shoudl look at.. cant get all of them

[Highlifeman21]

im just picking the names that they shoudl look at.. cant get all of them

IMO, realistic bolded targets:

Bard
Schneider
Ankiel
Myers
Biemel
Ohman

You put together an interesting list, but I just don't see the Reds having enough financial resources to go after the big name arms you bolded. Myers is the biggest name arm you bolded I think we might be able to make a run.

Biemel's a guy I really like for whatever reason, and if we end up trading Rhodes by tomorrow, I think Biemel would be a great replacement.

Given Walt's history with Ankiel, maybe he could convince Rick to come to the Queen City?

[redsfan4445]

i think he can.. he has power and would love our park

[schroomytunes]

Hopefully some trades are made in the offseason, this team needs players!

by Trade:

3b) Scott Rolen-I think we land him in the offseason if not before. He provides the veteran presence to calm the ship.

Free Agents I like:

SS)Marco Scutero and Adam Everett-both these guys are good players who would hold down the fort till a youngster can step up.

LF)Rick Ankiel-although he bats LH, he could help in the power department and plays all OF positions.

C)Hanigan has earned the job, but needs a decent backup, so I look at Jason Kendall to fill that slot.

All in all the FA market looks grim but if we spend right we will not have to look at the crap were sending out now.

Scutero,Everett,Kendall,and Ankiel would all fit into our existing budget and allow us to pursue guys thru trades to shore up areas of need. Imagine:

1)Taveras-we are stuck!
2)Scutero/Everett
3)Votto
4)Rolen
5)Bruce
6)Phillips
7)Ankiel
8)Hanigan/Kendall

-this is a much better team and hopefully we can add a solid #3/4 starter if we can find a buyer for Harang/Arroyo

[corkedbat]

Orlando Hudson - (in the vain hope that Phillips will move to SS)
Chone Figgins
JJ Hardy (thought he was supposed to be on here)
Marco Scutaro - (stopgap)
VMart
Benji Molina
Brian Schneider
Jason Bay
Carl Crawford
Jermane Dye (then again, maybe not)
Rick Ankiel
Gabe Kapler (for bench dollars)
Brandon Webb (if he hits the market, I go all out - with a clean bill of health)
Brett Myers
Cliff Lee
John Lackey
Rich Harden
Erik Bedard
Josh Beckett
Randy Wolf
Joe Beimel
John Grabow
Wil Ohman
Wily Mo Pena (just because)

[savafan]

Figgins is the guy I'd go after. It'd be nice to finally have a true lead off hitter.

[Scrap Irony]

My number one pick from that list would be Victor Martinez. He's worth five wins to the Reds, as a legitimate cleanup hitter and catcher. If he can stay healthy. I'd break the bank for him, but am guessing Boston and New York are looking in that direction already.

Others observations:
Nice list of TOR-type pitchers should mean at least one or two of those guys drops to a lesser, middle or small-market club. Bad for Cincinnati, as they have pitching to deal, but shouldn't have too much interest in said pitchers.

Crappy closer options may make Cordero's last couple years more attractive to a large market team with a shaky post-season pen. Lack of quality pen guys may mean young guys, like Roenicke or Fisher, have a substantial market.

The list of SSs is long, but underwhelming. None of them look like a good bet. Would rather see Phillips move to short-- it would give him more value and a larger pool of prospective suitors as free agency comes calling.

Carl Crawford looks like he could be a steal, but why do I think the Mets are in his future? Add him to Wright, Reyes, Beltran, and company and they still need a 1B and a RF.

A list of underappreciated players and possible bargains include Eric Hinske, Marlon Bird, Randy Winn, and Troy Glaus. All could prove interesting to a team that pays attention.

[cincrazy]

My number one pick from that list would be Victor Martinez. He's worth five wins to the Reds, as a legitimate cleanup hitter and catcher. If he can stay healthy. I'd break the bank for him, but am guessing Boston and New York are looking in that direction already.

Others observations:
Nice list of TOR-type pitchers should mean at least one or two of those guys drops to a lesser, middle or small-market club. Bad for Cincinnati, as they have pitching to deal, but shouldn't have too much interest in said pitchers.

Crappy closer options may make Cordero's last couple years more attractive to a large market team with a shaky post-season pen. Lack of quality pen guys may mean young guys, like Roenicke or Fisher, have a substantial market.

The list of SSs is long, but underwhelming. None of them look like a good bet. Would rather see Phillips move to short-- it would give him more value and a larger pool of prospective suitors as free agency comes calling.

Carl Crawford looks like he could be a steal, but why do I think the Mets are in his future? Add him to Wright, Reyes, Beltran, and company and they still need a 1B and a RF.

A list of underappreciated players and possible bargains include Eric Hinske, Marlon Bird, Randy Winn, and Troy Glaus. All could prove interesting to a team that pays attention.

I don't agree about Martinez. Certainly he's a good player, but not someone that fits the Reds. He's now over the age of 30, which for a catcher is a bad sign. And as a catcher, he's not exactly top shelf defensively. I don't think he has much longer left at that position, and clearly the Reds don't have the means to shift him to first base with not only Votto there, but Alonso also in the picture.

[corkedbat]

Figgins is the guy I'd go after. It'd be nice to finally have a true lead off hitter.

Yeah, I'd love to have Figgins

3B Chone Figgins
SS Yunel Escobar (just get it done!)
1B Joey Votto
LF Carl Crawford
RF Jay Bruce
2B Brandon Phillips
CF Dickerson/Stubbs/Heisey
CA Ryan Hanigan

Can Figgins play LF?

[Tornon]

I don't want anything to do with Rick Ankiel

[Will M]

in order to win the 2010 Reds need to add a TOR starter, shortstop & third baseman. Two of those 3 are available on the market.
However, Bob C isn't going to cough up the cash for them.

i was hoping Walt could move Arroyo at the deadline freeing up cash to land Webb, Harden, etc but nobody is that desperate for pitching to trade for Bronson.

my fandom for the Reds is lower right now than at any time since Castellini bought the team. it seems like he and the Reds management have no clue what they are doing.

[corkedbat]

in order to win the 2010 Reds need to add a TOR starter, shortstop & third baseman. Two of those 3 are available on the market.
However, Bob C isn't going to cough up the cash for them.

i was hoping Walt could move Arroyo at the deadline freeing up cash to land Webb, Harden, etc but nobody is that desperate for pitching to trade for Bronson.

my fandom for the Reds is lower right now than at any time since Castellini bought the team. it seems like he and the Reds management have no clue what they are doing.

Yeah, they'd have to move about $25-30M dollars tomorrow or discussing this list is moot (if it isn't already). If someone isn't desperate enough to take Arroyo & Harang now, they won't be this offseason. No movement tomorrow and you 2010 Cincinnati Reds are your 2009 Cincinnati Reds.

[cincrazy]

Yeah, I'd love to have Figgins

3B Chone Figgins
SS Yunel Escobar (just get it done!)
1B Joey Votto
LF ??????
RF Jay Bruce
2B Brandon Phillips
CF Dickerson/Stubbs/Heisey
CA Ryan Hanigan

Can Figgins play LF?

That would actually be a very good lineup, IMO. Of course that's assuming that Jay Bruce has a better year next year, which I fully expect.