Baseball Guru
11-10-2006, 05:17 AM
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061108&content_id=1737407&vkey=hotstove2006&fext=.jsp
Veteran left-hander Zito tops list of available hurlers
By Jim Molony / MLB.com
A labor contract is in place. Most teams have money to spend, and every team has holes to fill. The free-agent crop figures to be larger, if not as top heavy with marquee names, than general managers have perused in recent years.
There are dozens of intriguing free agents among the most recent list of 171, including Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Barry Zito, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, and others out there who aren't free agents but might wind up changing addresses this winter, such as Gary Sheffield of the Yankees or perhaps Manny Ramirez of the Red Sox.
Baseball also is coming off a season during which a team that only won 83 regular-season games won the World Series, an event which certainly won't dampen the desire to spend this winter.
After relatively cool Hot Stove sessions the last three years, the kindling is in place to spark this year's Hot Stove season ablaze once free agents can begin negotiations with all teams starting Sunday.
Where will the top names land? Too early to tell. But one thing is certain in this market: All 30 teams are looking for pitching.
"We want to re-strengthen our pitching staff," Braves general manager John Schuerholz said, expressing sentiments shared by other GMs around the league. "We want to get it back to where it was in years past."
Since possessing the National League's best staff ERA nine times during an 11-season stretch (1992-2002), Atlanta has ranked sixth or lower in that category after three of the past four seasons. This year's 10th-place finish was heavily due to the fact that the bullpen posted a 4.39 ERA and blew 26 of 64 save opportunities.
The demand for arms should make top free-agent pitchers like Zito, Japanese sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jason Schmidt hot commodities, as well as other potential free agents like Tom Glavine and Mike Mussina. But it also could elevate interest for situational relievers or reclamation projects.
Most of the teams looking for pitching are after starters. Closers also are in heavy demand, and relievers in general, particular setup men, will draw interest this winter.
If they can't find them on the free-agent market, teams will attempt to deal for pitchers.
"I think we're in a position where we have multiple needs," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "We have to pursue every avenue to get better -- trade, large free-agent signings, small free-agent signings, addressing certain needs internally. I think we'll probably run the gamut this winter.
"This year's market is pretty similar. At this time of year, when you sit down and look at it, there always seems to be more demand for quality players than there is supply. [In the] trade market, there are always pockets where clubs have surplus at certain positions. Those clubs are going to be active. There never seems to be enough to go around. But it sorts itself out."
Mets GM Omar Minaya believes adding more arms is one of the first orders of winter business whether Glavine returns or not.
"In our conversations with our scouts and our small inner group, we have an idea of how we want to move forward this winter," Minaya said. "It could change, but I think we're closer to having an idea of what the plan is and how we're going to go execute that plan."
In Baltimore, vice president of baseball operations Jim Duquette has numerous holes to fill on the Orioles roster.
"I don't think there's any one priority over all the others," Duquette said. "Maybe we'd look at our pitching staff first, because it was one of the worst in the American League, statistically. But they're all priorities."
The Orioles also could be active on the trade front. Baltimore can chop close to $15 million off the books just by letting some of its own free agents leave. Plus, there's the additional revenue created by the team's new cable network, MASN, which may be felt for the first time this winter. The current negotiating climate may lead to big-dollar deals in free agency, and the Orioles may be able to better control the costs through trades.
"It seems active right now, on the trade front -- maybe because the free-agent market seems so steep," Duquette said. "There may even be some trades at the [general manager] meetings. The free-agent market just seems a little thin in terms of quality, and lots of teams have money to spend."
The Twins, after losing Brad Radke to retirement and Francisco Liriano to season-ending surgery, are another team scouring baseball's landscape for pitching.
"I don't think there is any question that we would be mostly concerned with starting pitching," Minnesota GM Terry Ryan said. "I think our bullpen is in place, but the rotation has got a lot of question marks."
Other teams, like the Indians and Marlins, have more concerns about their bullpens than their rotations.
"It's clear, the numbers bear it out," Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest said. "The bullpen, we'd like to solidify it and make it as deep as possible."
Florida relievers were 16-28 with a 4.67 ERA (24th in the Major Leagues). Another troubling number was the relievers combined to walk 258. Only Kansas City's 272 were more. And the Marlins tied the Braves for the most blown saves (26) in the National League.
The Indians are expected to raise their payroll approximately $10 million from last year's Opening Day mark of $56 million. Expect some of those funds to go toward relievers. Cleveland needs at least two, and possibly three, relievers, including a closer.
That doesn't mean you can expect Indians GM Mark Shapiro to spend money just to spend it. If the right free-agent fit isn't there, Shapiro will explore other options, such as trades.
"There are going to be a whole lot of big contracts and a whole lot of contracts that are going to be longer and bigger than you can imagine," Shapiro said. "Some will be bad and some will be good. We want to be sure if we sign one of those, we sign a good one, not a bad one."
The World Series champion Cardinals also are in the market for arms. St. Louis general manager Walt Jocketty is looking for at least one, and possibly as many as three, additional starters to fill out the rotation.
"We're going to devote most of our time, energy and financial commitment to our pitching," Jocketty said.
The Astros, with the uncertain status of Clemens and free-agent left-hander Andy Pettitte, will be looking for arms as well as a bat. The Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees, Rangers, Mariners and Giants all are seeking pitching.
Of course almost all of the teams have other roster needs, but pitching clearly is the common denominator this winter, and in most cases, the priority.
Even teams with fairly set rotations, such as the Tigers and White Sox, are on the prowl for pitching, specifically bullpen help.
"I'd say pitching," Arizona GM Josh Byrnes said when asked about his chief target. "I say that even though we finished sixth in the league in ERA and finished the year pitching very well."
Which team will provide the first spark?
We'll know soon enough. Hot Stove action could start to flare up next week when the general managers gather in Naples, Fla.
ON THE MARKET
Top five hitters
1. Alfonso Soriano -- Instant offense wherever he winds up, Soriano will command a lot of bucks for that bang.
2. Aramis Ramirez -- Only 28, Ramirez has proven to be a potent RBI producer in the right lineup.
3. Carlos Lee -- Underappreciated talent will attract plenty of interest from teams needing a power-hitting outfielder or designated hitter.
4. Barry Bonds -- He probably will be limited to DH duties because of his knees, but he's still one of the most dangerous bats in the game.
5. Gary Matthews Jr. -- Coming off a career year and he's 32, but he's still the most sought after free-agent center fielder in this thin market.
Top five pitchers
1. Barry Zito -- Under 30, lefty, 95 wins since 2000, and he's a workhorse -- clearly the class of this free-agent class.
2. Daisuke Matsuzaka -- Japanese sensation comes with sensational screwball, but he won't come cheap.
3. Roger Clemens -- There's no doubt the Rocket can still fire. But will he, or retire?
4. Jason Schmidt -- Veteran right-hander has averaged 170-plus innings the last five seasons.
5. Greg Maddux -- Another year, another 200 innings and double figures in wins for this future Hall of Famer.
Veteran left-hander Zito tops list of available hurlers
By Jim Molony / MLB.com
A labor contract is in place. Most teams have money to spend, and every team has holes to fill. The free-agent crop figures to be larger, if not as top heavy with marquee names, than general managers have perused in recent years.
There are dozens of intriguing free agents among the most recent list of 171, including Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Barry Zito, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, and others out there who aren't free agents but might wind up changing addresses this winter, such as Gary Sheffield of the Yankees or perhaps Manny Ramirez of the Red Sox.
Baseball also is coming off a season during which a team that only won 83 regular-season games won the World Series, an event which certainly won't dampen the desire to spend this winter.
After relatively cool Hot Stove sessions the last three years, the kindling is in place to spark this year's Hot Stove season ablaze once free agents can begin negotiations with all teams starting Sunday.
Where will the top names land? Too early to tell. But one thing is certain in this market: All 30 teams are looking for pitching.
"We want to re-strengthen our pitching staff," Braves general manager John Schuerholz said, expressing sentiments shared by other GMs around the league. "We want to get it back to where it was in years past."
Since possessing the National League's best staff ERA nine times during an 11-season stretch (1992-2002), Atlanta has ranked sixth or lower in that category after three of the past four seasons. This year's 10th-place finish was heavily due to the fact that the bullpen posted a 4.39 ERA and blew 26 of 64 save opportunities.
The demand for arms should make top free-agent pitchers like Zito, Japanese sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jason Schmidt hot commodities, as well as other potential free agents like Tom Glavine and Mike Mussina. But it also could elevate interest for situational relievers or reclamation projects.
Most of the teams looking for pitching are after starters. Closers also are in heavy demand, and relievers in general, particular setup men, will draw interest this winter.
If they can't find them on the free-agent market, teams will attempt to deal for pitchers.
"I think we're in a position where we have multiple needs," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "We have to pursue every avenue to get better -- trade, large free-agent signings, small free-agent signings, addressing certain needs internally. I think we'll probably run the gamut this winter.
"This year's market is pretty similar. At this time of year, when you sit down and look at it, there always seems to be more demand for quality players than there is supply. [In the] trade market, there are always pockets where clubs have surplus at certain positions. Those clubs are going to be active. There never seems to be enough to go around. But it sorts itself out."
Mets GM Omar Minaya believes adding more arms is one of the first orders of winter business whether Glavine returns or not.
"In our conversations with our scouts and our small inner group, we have an idea of how we want to move forward this winter," Minaya said. "It could change, but I think we're closer to having an idea of what the plan is and how we're going to go execute that plan."
In Baltimore, vice president of baseball operations Jim Duquette has numerous holes to fill on the Orioles roster.
"I don't think there's any one priority over all the others," Duquette said. "Maybe we'd look at our pitching staff first, because it was one of the worst in the American League, statistically. But they're all priorities."
The Orioles also could be active on the trade front. Baltimore can chop close to $15 million off the books just by letting some of its own free agents leave. Plus, there's the additional revenue created by the team's new cable network, MASN, which may be felt for the first time this winter. The current negotiating climate may lead to big-dollar deals in free agency, and the Orioles may be able to better control the costs through trades.
"It seems active right now, on the trade front -- maybe because the free-agent market seems so steep," Duquette said. "There may even be some trades at the [general manager] meetings. The free-agent market just seems a little thin in terms of quality, and lots of teams have money to spend."
The Twins, after losing Brad Radke to retirement and Francisco Liriano to season-ending surgery, are another team scouring baseball's landscape for pitching.
"I don't think there is any question that we would be mostly concerned with starting pitching," Minnesota GM Terry Ryan said. "I think our bullpen is in place, but the rotation has got a lot of question marks."
Other teams, like the Indians and Marlins, have more concerns about their bullpens than their rotations.
"It's clear, the numbers bear it out," Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest said. "The bullpen, we'd like to solidify it and make it as deep as possible."
Florida relievers were 16-28 with a 4.67 ERA (24th in the Major Leagues). Another troubling number was the relievers combined to walk 258. Only Kansas City's 272 were more. And the Marlins tied the Braves for the most blown saves (26) in the National League.
The Indians are expected to raise their payroll approximately $10 million from last year's Opening Day mark of $56 million. Expect some of those funds to go toward relievers. Cleveland needs at least two, and possibly three, relievers, including a closer.
That doesn't mean you can expect Indians GM Mark Shapiro to spend money just to spend it. If the right free-agent fit isn't there, Shapiro will explore other options, such as trades.
"There are going to be a whole lot of big contracts and a whole lot of contracts that are going to be longer and bigger than you can imagine," Shapiro said. "Some will be bad and some will be good. We want to be sure if we sign one of those, we sign a good one, not a bad one."
The World Series champion Cardinals also are in the market for arms. St. Louis general manager Walt Jocketty is looking for at least one, and possibly as many as three, additional starters to fill out the rotation.
"We're going to devote most of our time, energy and financial commitment to our pitching," Jocketty said.
The Astros, with the uncertain status of Clemens and free-agent left-hander Andy Pettitte, will be looking for arms as well as a bat. The Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees, Rangers, Mariners and Giants all are seeking pitching.
Of course almost all of the teams have other roster needs, but pitching clearly is the common denominator this winter, and in most cases, the priority.
Even teams with fairly set rotations, such as the Tigers and White Sox, are on the prowl for pitching, specifically bullpen help.
"I'd say pitching," Arizona GM Josh Byrnes said when asked about his chief target. "I say that even though we finished sixth in the league in ERA and finished the year pitching very well."
Which team will provide the first spark?
We'll know soon enough. Hot Stove action could start to flare up next week when the general managers gather in Naples, Fla.
ON THE MARKET
Top five hitters
1. Alfonso Soriano -- Instant offense wherever he winds up, Soriano will command a lot of bucks for that bang.
2. Aramis Ramirez -- Only 28, Ramirez has proven to be a potent RBI producer in the right lineup.
3. Carlos Lee -- Underappreciated talent will attract plenty of interest from teams needing a power-hitting outfielder or designated hitter.
4. Barry Bonds -- He probably will be limited to DH duties because of his knees, but he's still one of the most dangerous bats in the game.
5. Gary Matthews Jr. -- Coming off a career year and he's 32, but he's still the most sought after free-agent center fielder in this thin market.
Top five pitchers
1. Barry Zito -- Under 30, lefty, 95 wins since 2000, and he's a workhorse -- clearly the class of this free-agent class.
2. Daisuke Matsuzaka -- Japanese sensation comes with sensational screwball, but he won't come cheap.
3. Roger Clemens -- There's no doubt the Rocket can still fire. But will he, or retire?
4. Jason Schmidt -- Veteran right-hander has averaged 170-plus innings the last five seasons.
5. Greg Maddux -- Another year, another 200 innings and double figures in wins for this future Hall of Famer.