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 is the second 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.
Today, we are looking at firstbasemen, and then DH's, and I will continue all around the diamond, then the outfield, and end with both starters and relievers.
1.) Nomar Garciaparra
Skinny: The 2006 NL Comeback Player of the Year was certainly deserving of the award. After playing in only 143 games the past two seasons, Garciaparra signed with the Dodgers over the off-season, and moved to first base. Success ensued, as Garciaparra went on to hit .303, with 20 homers and 93 RBIs, with solid defense at first base.
Pros: Garciaparra is one of the toughest outs in the major leagues. A consistant .300 plus hitter, and while he doesn't have a high on base percentage, he works counts extremely well, and rarely strikes out. Can pitch in 20 homers, and hit anywhere from 2-6 in a lineup.
Cons: Garciaparra did win the Comeback award, but he still managed to play in just 122 games, with 469 ABs. Garciaparra is a great talent, but has never been able to stay healthy on a consistant basis. At 32 years old, this will be a huge detraction for any team looking at Garciaparra.
Interested Teams: The Dodgers remain very interested in bringing back Garciaparra despite James Loney waiting in the wings. The Tigers could use a disciplined hitter to stick in the middle of their free-swinging lineup to attempt to balance out the order (provided Casey isn't re-signed by the club.) The Orioles will likely be looking for a firstbaseman, and Garciaparra is a relative bargain player, which is what owner Peter Angelos looks for.
2.) Shea Hillenbrand
Skinny: Hillenbrand spent the 2005 season with the Blue Jays, and then with the Giants. Overall, Hillenbrand played in 142 games, batted .277 (although his average was .301 in the AL) with 21 homers, and 68 RBIs.
Pros: Besides first base, Hillenbrand is a jack of all trades. He can play at third, and can also play at the corner outfield positions if needed. Usually, his average hovers around 300, with about 18 home runs. He is a solid starter at first, and a solid supporting player.
Cons: The reason that Hillebrand was traded to the Giants was because he and manager John Gibbons were nearly involved in a game of fisticuffs, and Gibbons threatned to resign if Hillenbrand wasn't traded. His on-base percentage is extremely low (.325) and while he doesn't strike out all that much, Hillenbrand will rarely draw a walk.
Interested Teams: The Royals could look to add Hillenbrand as a cheap option to add some character on their team, as well as a dangerous bat. He would play multiple positions in KC, and allow the team to spell Sweeney at DH. The Devil Rays have an opening at first, and could very well use a veteran like Hillenbrand to motivate some of the younger players.
3.) Sean Casey
Skinny: The 32 year old Casey had a good season by his standards last season. As always, Casey provided great defense at first. He saw his average slip from .312 to .272, but part of that could be the midseason switch. Casey also hit eight long balls, and drove in 59 runs, splitting time between the Pirates and Tigers.
Pros: Casey is one of the better defenders at first base, and is a career .302 hitter. He is not a free swinger, and will wait for his pitch. For a team looking for veteran leadership, as well as defense at first, Casey is their man.
Cons: Back injuries flared up again for Casey, and that will be a concern for any team looking to invest in him. For a first baseman, Casey is not a power hitter, instead a hitter who waits for his pitch, and will drive them into the gap. Many teams look for 20 homers from their first baseman.
Interested Teams: Casey was a huge postseason player for the Tigers even though he missed most of the ALCS. Retaining him and his left-handed bat will likely be a priority. Depending on potential trades, the Red Sox could be interested in adding a patient bat like Casey, who plays good defense. The Giants could be interested in adding an experienced left-handed bat, in a last-ditch attempt to win with their current club.
4.) Dmitri Young
Skinny: Soon to be known as "Delmon Young's big brother," Dmitri had a down year with the Tigers. First, he dealt with charges of domestic violence, stemming from drug and alcohol abuse. The Tigers eventually released him at the beginning of September. Young did play in 48 games, batted .250, with seven home runs and 23 RBIs.
Pros: With alcohol and drug problems, could be a bargain for a team willing to take a chance on him. Young is a career .289 hitter, who can put up upwards of 25 home runs for a team, providing them with a solid left-handed power bat in the middle of the lineup.
Cons: Personal issues are a huge risk, and no team can guarentee that Young will be with them for an entire season. His defense at first is average at best, and sometimes he'll be put in as a DH.
Interested Teams: Any team willing to take the risk, and also looking for a bargain. Again, that fits the MO of the Orioles under Peter Angelos. The Athletics could be a potential match if Beane can not get a deal finished with Frank Thomas, and another team picks him up. It is also possible that the Devil Rays could look to add Young for his experience, as well as to reunite him with his younger brother.
5.) Doug Mientkiewicz
Skinny: Probably best known for his legal troubles with his former team, the Boston Red Sox. Mientkiewicz was playing first base, and caught the final out on a toss from Keith Foulke to end the 2004 World Series. Also known in baseball circles for being an average hitter, but a superior defensive firstbaseman.
Pros: Superior defensive firstbaseman, and considered one of the best at the position. Is a decent hitter for average, who can get on base. Perfect for a team looking for a late-inning defensive replacement, or part-time starter.
Cons: Hasn't started full-time since with the Twins from 2001-2003. Is a poor power hitter for a firstbaseman, and he also doesn't really drive the ball.
Interested Teams: The Reds could use a player similar to Scott Hatteberg to spell him on occasions. With Jim Thome and Paul Konerko, the White Sox could use a late-inning defensive player at first like Mientkiewicz.
Designated Hitters
Writer's Note: DH's are going with firstbasemen, because these two have played first in the past.
1.) Frank Thomas
Skinny: Frank Thomas came back during the 2006 season, and in a big way. After playing in just 108 games the last two seasons with the White Sox, Thomas moved on from the team he had spent his entire 16 year career with and signed on with Oakland. Thomas provided the power presence the A's have always lacked, knocking out 39 homers, knocking in 114 runners, and batting .270.
Pros: Perfect cleanup hitter for any team. Has the power you want, and he is also very patient. Will work the count to his advantage, and will take a walk. In 2006, Thomas walked 81 times, and also struck out 81 times. Great leadership for a club looking to make the jump to playoff contender.
Cons: Thomas is 39 years old, and looking for a two-year deal. Quite a lot, considering the previous two seasons, where he only played in 108 games due to injury. He is strictly a DH now, and limited to AL teams.
Interested Teams: Thomas has a two year deal in place with the Athletics but also will listen to other offers. The Rangers would be interested in stealing their rivals offensive weapon, and could use him hitting behind Young, Blalock, and Texiera. Beane disciple JP Riccardi could bring Thomas to the Blue Jays and provide another bat to a team that desperately needs that last one.
2.) Erubiel Durazo
Skinny: Durazo skipped around from the minor league clubs of a few teams this past season, but missed over half of 2005, and all of 2006 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. In his last full season, 2004, Durazo hit .321, with 22 home runs and 88 RBIs.
Pros: A patient hitter who will take walks to get on base, which attracted Billy Beane into making a trade for him. Durazo will hit about .290, with the potential for 25 home runs, making him a perfect 5-6 hitter in the lineup, especially since he is left-handed.
Cons: Since he did not receive any playing time in 2006, Durazo will find it tough to make it back to the majors. He can play first base, but rarely did after making the transition from the NL to the AL.
Interested Teams: Situation is perfect for Peter Angelos of the Orioles. If the Athletics lose Thomas to free agency, Beane could look to bring him back to Oakland. Any team thats looking for a bargain will be looking in Durazo's direction, really.
Overall Thoughts: A weak market for 1B/DH this year. The two headliners, Garciaparra and Thomas, are big names, but both come with serious injury risks. Firstbase is usually a deep position in free agency, but not so much this season. However, there are plenty of bargains out there for teams to find a sleeper, so it will be interesting to see where some of the other players end up.
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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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