Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays
Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals
Minnesota Twins
Houston Astros
LA Angels
Oakland Athleticss
Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers
Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
This will be the first in a series that I will bring to you all that will encompass each position on the diamond, and the best free agents available. I will give a brief about the player's past season, as well as some pros and cons that come with each player. I will finish up with a list of teams that might have interest in the player.
The first position is catcher, and I will continue all around the diamond, then the outfield, and end with both starters and relievers.
1.) Mike Piazza
Skinny: Piazza had a resurgant 2005 season with the Padres, hitting .283 and slugging in 22 home runs, with just 399 ABs. Piazza also drove in 68 runs, and had a slugging percentage of .501 in his first year with the Padres. San Diego held an $8 million option for Piazza, but has declined it for the $750,000 buyout. The club still looks to possibly bring him back for 2007.
Pros: With Piazza, you are getting experience. A veteran of 15 seasons in the majors, and possibly one of the best catchers of all time. He can still catch 4-5 games per week, as evidenced by his work with the Padres. If a team is looking for offense behind the plate, Piazza is your man.
Cons: Piazza was never the best defensive catcher, and at 38, his defensive ability is fading fast. If coupled with a defensive catcher, Piazza will work out well. His knees are also an issue, as Piazza hasn't obtained 500 ABs since the 2001 season. Age is a concern here, as well as his knees. Piazza will be a great fit on an AL team, as he can DH when he isn't catching.
Potential Interests: The Angels are probably going to go hard after Piazza. Their catcher of the future, Jeff Mathis, still needs work, and being an AL team, can DH Piazza on days he can't catch. The Padres will also attempt to bring Piazza back to a cheaper salary than his option. The Rangers are letting go of Rod Barajas, so they could be a match, with Piazza splitting time with Gerald Laird and playing in Texas's bandbox.
2.) Bengie Molina
Skinny: Molina missed the boat last season in the free agent market. Both the Orioles and Mets had him targeted as a potential target, and both went different directions (the Mets trading for Paul Lo Duca and the Orioles signing Ramon Hernandez.) The market dried up for catchers, leaving Molina to sign a one-year deal with the Blue Jays. He didn't disappoint, providing a solid defensive presence behind the plate for Toronto's young pitching, and contributed on offese, hitting .284 with 19 homers and 57 RBIs in 433 ABs.
Pros: One of the better defensive catchers out there, winning the Gold Glove in both 2002 and 2003, and is mostly known for his defense. He works well with young pitchers, as evident during this past season with the Jays, and the resurgance of the Angels and their young pitchers at the time. He will hold his own on offense, hitting .275 for his career, with 10-15 homers.
Cons: Molina isn't a free swinger, nor will he walk either. For a catcher, his hitting is pedestrian, which will hurt his value. Many teams look for offense behind the plate, as there are many defensive catchers out there. Molina is also 32, which is getting up there for a full-time catcher. He's also known to have weight issues, which drag down his mobility and play behind the plate.
Potential Interests: The Phillies are looking for a catcher after Mike Lieberthal's contract ran out, and could use his defensive prowess behind the plate. Plus, playing 82 games in Philadelphia makes an average hitter look very good. Staying in the NL East, the Marlins could be on the lookout for Molina. Olivo performed better than expected, but his backups leave much to be desired. Molina could work wonders with their young staff. Houston could also be a destination for Molina, as Ausmus is getting older, and Molina would provide the same defensive presence, plus a better bat.
3.) Rod Barajas
Skinny: Barajas enters free agency after a season where he received just over half of the playing time at catcher for the Rangers, and hit .256, with 11 homers and 41 RBIs in 344 ABs. He's spent the past three seasons with the Rangers, as their primary catcher, but he has yet to retain the job full-time.
Pros: Barajas is 31, and has never started the entire plate of games at catcher. There should be no concerns about his knees falling apart, and he is in the prime of his career. He does have a potent bat, who can slug double-digit homers. Is a fine defensive catcher, who works well with his pitchers.
Cons: Isn't going to be a full-time starter with any team. He just isn't a good enough hitter, and most teams can find his production from their minor leaguers.
Interested Teams: Really, any team looking for a good backup catcher, or platoon player. The Mariners could be interested in adding an experienced catcher behind Kenji Johjima, and especially one who comes from a division rival. The Yankees could add Barajas as their backup to Jorge Posada, and provide him with valuable off-days, something which he never really has had.
4.) Gregg Zaun
Skinny: Zaun has played the past three years with the Blue Jays, and has been an invaluable part of their catching rotation. He had arguably his best season to date this year as part of the platoon with Bengie Molina, hitting .272, with 12 homers (career high) and 40 RBIs. Zaun is also known as a defensive-minded catcher, and has worked well with young Blue Jays.
Pros: Is known for his defensive skills, but most importantly, his game calling skills. His offense has improved in recent seasons, to where he isn't a liability in the lineup. He virtually split games behind the plate with Molina last year.
Cons: At 35, he isn't getting any younger. He's never served as the full-time starter on any team, and won't be doing that now.
Interested Teams The Blue Jays are unlikely to retain Bengie Molina, and are heavily interested in bringing Zaun back. Right now, that is the safest bet regarding Zaun. If the Rangers do not move on Mike Piazza, trusting that Laird can handle the full-time load, they could bring back Zaun. Basically, any team with the need of an experienced, backup catcher.
5.) Javy Lopez
Skinny: By virtue of his experience and past stats, Lopez makes it onto the list as the #5 catcher. Struggling would be an understatement for Lopez last season, as he turned in a .251 average, with just 8 home runs and 35 RBIs. In fact, he hit below the Mendoza line with the Red Sox, who released him after they fell out of contention.
Pros: Lopez will bring experience to a team that wants that from their backstop. His plate defense is good, and his jobs with young pitchers are good. He does have a history of offensive numbers, so with a fresh slate, Lopez could see his numbers climb again.
Cons: At 36, his best years could be behind him, especially with sore knees. Lopez will likely have to go to an AL team, where he can DH, and only catch a few games a week. He won't be throwing out many runners, as his arm (which was never great) is shot.
Interested Teams: The Braves could look to bring him back for part-time duty, to serve as Brian McCann's backup. With the Royals pattern of signing veteran free agents, Lopez could be perfect in KC as John Buck's backup, and also as their part-time DH.
Overall Thoughts: The catcher class of the 2006-07 free agent class is pretty weak compared to last season. There is only one starting caliber catcher on that list, and thats Molina. The rest are only going to be starting part-time for their team, more than likely in a platoon role. This just goes to show everyone how good catchers rarely make it to the free agent market, and when they do, are gobbled up. Teams are better off trying to trade for a catcher, or developing their own.
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Feel free to comment about any player on the list, or a player you think should be on the list. Throw out another team for some of these players. This was meant to serve as a free agency primer for you guys, so lets get some discussion going.
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Originally Posted by redsrbetter
