Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365

Might be a bit early to speculate. But MLB today released a preliminary top 10.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/144276732

1. David Price (Will be 30 on Opening Day 2016)
Expected suitors: Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Giants, Cardinals

2. Johnny Cueto (30 on Opening Day 2016)
Expected suitors: Royals, Twins, Blue Jays, Mariners, Padres, Giants

3. Chris Davis (30 on Opening Day 2016)
Expected suitors: Orioles, Blue Jays, Angels

4. Jordan Zimmermann (29 on Opening Day 2016)
Expected suitors: Nationals, Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, Yankees, Giants, Cardinals

5. Justin Upton (28 on Opening Day 2016)
Expected suitors: Orioles, Cardinals, Blue Jays

6. Yoenis Cespedes

7. Jeff Samardzija

8. Mike Leake

9. Matt Wieters

10. Jason Heyward

As I understand Price, Cueto, Cespedes, and Leake could be signed without draft pick loss since they were traded midseason. Does that make them more valuable? How much more?

Valen wrote:As I understand Price, Cueto, Cespedes, and Leake could be signed without draft pick loss since they were traded midseason. Does that make them more valuable? How much more?

Here's a more complete and comprehensive listing of next year's entire free agent class:
http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/free-agents/2016/

As to the absence of draft pick loss, it's only a bonus in the cases of Price, Cueto, and Cespedes. The possible loss of draft pick wouldn't affect their signing at all, as any team would have freely given up a #11-#30 pick for them. As to players of Leake's caliber, it makes a huge difference, as many teams would not be so willing to give up that pick for them. It almost prevented Kyle Lohse from signing with a team last year and cost him significant money as well. Considering how he's pitched this year, that's probably equitable.


P.s. I would count on Justin Upton and Chris Davis getting many more suitors than those listed.

Who are the Cleveland Indians going to be able to sign,...anyone of consequence? I guess they need outfielders who can hit!

Not sure I am familar enough with Cleveland to make a guess on whether they have any money available in budget.
For my Rangers since they did very little last winter would like to see something, especially landing of a RH bat. But I do not think they have and money coming off the books at end of this season so anticipating another quiet offseason.

Take the Royals off Cueto's list, as I think they'll make Alex Gordon their lone big-money signee. Based on murmurings while the Royals were in Boston this past weekend, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Red Sox enter the Cueto sweepstakes. Zobrist will also be a likely Royals target.

I was a little surprised last winter Boston did not do more to bolster the rotation. After this year I would expect them to make a big splash on that front.

Valen wrote:I was a little surprised last winter Boston did not do more to bolster the rotation. After this year I would expect them to make a big splash on that front.

Dombrowski has almost made that a definite by recently explicitly saying a winning team needs a #1 starter...and he rightly doesn't consider Bucholz to be one. So, Dombrowski not only will be going hard for Price and Cueto, who would qualify, he probably will also be going after a #2-3 like Kazmir, Zimmerman, and Iwakuma as well. Henry really wants to win again, and he's ready to open those big pockets again. Price had a good relationship with Dombrowski in Detroit, and that could help their negotiations.

More interesting Red Sox notes: Dombrowski, who recently (and rightly) scoffed at the Ramirez-Lf "experiment"--saying "you can't just make a Lfer"--has made it clear Ramirez is almost definitely next year's 1st baseman. He'll probably find new ways to mess that up, too, but at least he does have legitimate infield experience.