Sports in Seconds: Buyer beware: MLB spending season begins
Who will be this years Mike Hampton or Chan Ho Park?
The Major League Baseball off-season free agency period is under way as a total of 170 MLB players have filed as of November 8. All potential free agents had until November 11 to file and then — let the spending begin.
Relatively weak in comparison to past free agent markets, this years version will undoubtedly see all the Bill Beane's of the world find another diamond in the rough, while all the Peter Angelos' of the world overpay for mediocre talent.
Although there are many players in the 2006 class of free agents that will be very productive for years to come, the fact will unquestionably remain that nearly all of them will be drastically overpaid.
I picked a list of five players that I found were prominent names in countless hot stove debates and are intriguing players that either, despite the talent they possess, most likely will not live up to the expectations of the pricy zeroes at the bottom line of their future contracts, or players that have past baggage that will undoubtedly follow them to their new destination.
1. Barry Bonds: Teams will get one the most prominent sluggers in the history of MLB if they sign Bonds. They will also get an egotistical, arrogant, clubhouse nuisance, who holds the MLB record for the highest career total of steroid allegations. Not to mention that he is an aging outfielder with bummed knees. Someone will still take a chance on him, if anything to capitalize on marketing opportunities associated with his chase of Hank Aaron's all-time homerun record.
2. Alfonso Soriano: Hands down the crown jewel of this year's free agent class. The talented outfielder/infielder is a five-tool player who became only the fourth player in history to hit 40 homeruns and steal 40 bases in the same season. Though I cannot question his talent, I question his motivation. Will Soriano be the same player after receiving a multi-year deal in the vicinity of $100 million? This past year he was motivated by his impending free agency, knowing he would cash in. I doubt the money spent on him this off-season will result in his new team drastically winning more ball games, which is the bottom line in MLB.
3. Barry Zito: Zito is a great regular season pitcher, and was the winner of the Cy Young award in 2002. This past post-season when the spotlight was shining the brightest, Zito crumbled under the pressure and pitched horribly en-route to a loss for the eventual American League Champion Detroit Tigers. I can't see Zito being the answer for any potential suitor looking for a staff ace to lead them to the Promised Land.
4. Kerry Wood: Injured for much of the past three seasons, Wood would be a huge risk for any team willing to commit. When healthy, Wood is amongst the most dominating pitchers in MLB, and could provide the highest return on investment for a gambling franchise. However, after logging far too many innings early on in his career, I think Wood will be destined for regular disabled list trips for the rest of his career.
5. Kenny Lofton: For anyone that hasn't seen the article by Tom Verducci in an October issue of Sports Illustrated it outlines Lofton's post-season career. The list of staggering and crushing post-season defeats by teams utilizing Lofton's services in the past ten years is not only eye opening but somewhat humourous. Lofton was a part of the 2004 Yankee team that blew a 3-0 ALCS lead to the eventual World Series champion Boston Red Sox, and most recently his Los Angeles Dodger team was swept out of he 2006 playoffs by the New York Mets. Although Lofton is not a big-name free agent anymore, he will likely still be paid quite heftily for simply cursing whichever team he signs with.
The Major League Baseball off-season free agency period is under way as a total of 170 MLB players have filed as of November 8. All potential free agents had until November 11 to file and then — let the spending begin.
Relatively weak in comparison to past free agent markets, this years version will undoubtedly see all the Bill Beane's of the world find another diamond in the rough, while all the Peter Angelos' of the world overpay for mediocre talent.
Although there are many players in the 2006 class of free agents that will be very productive for years to come, the fact will unquestionably remain that nearly all of them will be drastically overpaid.
I picked a list of five players that I found were prominent names in countless hot stove debates and are intriguing players that either, despite the talent they possess, most likely will not live up to the expectations of the pricy zeroes at the bottom line of their future contracts, or players that have past baggage that will undoubtedly follow them to their new destination.
1. Barry Bonds: Teams will get one the most prominent sluggers in the history of MLB if they sign Bonds. They will also get an egotistical, arrogant, clubhouse nuisance, who holds the MLB record for the highest career total of steroid allegations. Not to mention that he is an aging outfielder with bummed knees. Someone will still take a chance on him, if anything to capitalize on marketing opportunities associated with his chase of Hank Aaron's all-time homerun record.
2. Alfonso Soriano: Hands down the crown jewel of this year's free agent class. The talented outfielder/infielder is a five-tool player who became only the fourth player in history to hit 40 homeruns and steal 40 bases in the same season. Though I cannot question his talent, I question his motivation. Will Soriano be the same player after receiving a multi-year deal in the vicinity of $100 million? This past year he was motivated by his impending free agency, knowing he would cash in. I doubt the money spent on him this off-season will result in his new team drastically winning more ball games, which is the bottom line in MLB.
3. Barry Zito: Zito is a great regular season pitcher, and was the winner of the Cy Young award in 2002. This past post-season when the spotlight was shining the brightest, Zito crumbled under the pressure and pitched horribly en-route to a loss for the eventual American League Champion Detroit Tigers. I can't see Zito being the answer for any potential suitor looking for a staff ace to lead them to the Promised Land.
4. Kerry Wood: Injured for much of the past three seasons, Wood would be a huge risk for any team willing to commit. When healthy, Wood is amongst the most dominating pitchers in MLB, and could provide the highest return on investment for a gambling franchise. However, after logging far too many innings early on in his career, I think Wood will be destined for regular disabled list trips for the rest of his career.
5. Kenny Lofton: For anyone that hasn't seen the article by Tom Verducci in an October issue of Sports Illustrated it outlines Lofton's post-season career. The list of staggering and crushing post-season defeats by teams utilizing Lofton's services in the past ten years is not only eye opening but somewhat humourous. Lofton was a part of the 2004 Yankee team that blew a 3-0 ALCS lead to the eventual World Series champion Boston Red Sox, and most recently his Los Angeles Dodger team was swept out of he 2006 playoffs by the New York Mets. Although Lofton is not a big-name free agent anymore, he will likely still be paid quite heftily for simply cursing whichever team he signs with.
