This week I am doing my annual Free Agent to Be list, which outlines the top players who might be motivated in a contract year. Fantasy owners love that stuff and I have a really good list going.
But, there are a number of current free agents on the market, including vets Barry Bonds, Mike Piazza and Kenny Lofton -- former Fantasy superstars. Bonds can still produce. Imagine what he could do with a good supporting cast?! He has been lonely in San Francisco since Jeff Kent left.
Idle Corey Patterson is getting drafted in many, many Rotisserie leagues.
And Bartolo Colon made a great move, signing with the Red Sox. If they can get anything out of him -- I think they can and will sometime by May -- he will be a sleeper in deeper leagues.
Anyway, here is a list of the current players still looking for work this spring. The list here will only include players I had projected numbers for this winter:
RP Antonio Alfonseca
RP Scott Atchison
3B Mark Bellhorn
RP Armando Benitez
OF Barry Bonds
3B Jeff Cirillo
SS Royce Clayton
1B Jeff Conine ... likely to retire
1B Julio Franco ... likely should retire
SP Freddy Garcia ... out until at least midseason
RP Jose Garcia
2B Tony Graffanino
OF Shawn Green
OF Jerry Hairston
DH Shea Hillenbrand
1B Ryan Klesko
3B Corey Koskie
RP Colby Lewis
OF Kenny Lofton
SP Kyle Lohse
RP Julio Mateo
RP Jose Mesa
C Damian Miller
SP Eric Milton
3B Abraham O. Nunez
OF Orlando Palmeiro
OF Corey Patterson
SS Neifi Perez
C Jason Phillips
DH Mike Piazza
OF Josh Rabe
OF Reggie Sanders
RP Aaron Sele
RP Matt J. Smith
DH Sammy Sosa
C Kelly Stinnett
SP John Thomson
SP Jeff Weaver
RP Bob Wickman
SP Dave Williams
RP Jay Witasick
RP Mike Wood
If you need a last-round flier in AL-only or NL-only leagues and you are already to take current MLB free agents, this list might give you an idea. The hunch here is most of the older hitters will retire or sign with an AL team. For sake of balance, figure Patterson winding up with an NL team?
And to sneek preview the 2008 FAs to Be list:
Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, Oliver Perez, Pat Burrell, Francisco Rodriguez, Orlando Hudson, Ben Sheets, Richie Sexson, Rafael Soriano, Juan Rivera among many, many others. Come back this week to see a complete list.
Emack.