Before we move on to a discussion of all those non-tendered players now flooding the free-agent market, please enjoy this video.
I had to share.
Last night several clubs cut players loose rather than offer arbitration. (The pre-free agency kind of arbitration, not the kind that Pedro Feliz was offered.)
There are several intriguing names, including Mark Prior. Who knows if he’ll ever be healthy again, but no doubt several teams are willing to spend several million dollars to find out.
Topping the position player list is Morgan Ensberg. At his best he had both power and patience. At his worst, he was badly injured. He probably won’t be a .945 OPS kind of guy again, as in 2005, but it would be worth bringing him into spring training for a look-see.
Another guy worth a flier is former Angels blue chipper Dallas MacPherson. Injuries and horror-show strikeout rates made him expendable at 27. I have no idea what his D is like. Probably closer to Jose Feliciano than Pedro Feliz, which would make the flier less likely to, um, fly.
Still, plenty of teams want to bring the Ensberg/MacPherson types in for a look-see. (Or in Sabean-speak, a “tire kick.” Nice PR, Sabes, comparing ballplayers to used cars.) The best non-tendered players will have choices, and with the Giants all a-muddle, our favorite team will have to overpay, guarantee years, or play up the natural beauty and exciting contemporary urban setting of their fine little ballpark. Chances are Selling Point #3 isn’t going to tickle Mark Prior’s jodphurs if a guaranteed second year isn’t stapled to it.
Best bet for the Giants is to stock up on middle relief arms. Kiko Calero, Chad Durbin, Matt Wise, Mark Hendrickson… the list of pitchers who might bounce back from bad years and/or injury to give a team 60 pretty good innings for pennies on today’s nutty nutty dollar is long.
The Giants offered contracts to Brad Hennessey, Kevin Correia and Vinnie Chulk, all arb-eligible. But they cut Scott Munter. I would be shocked if he plays in the major leagues anywhere this year.
