Free Agent Analysis

Biggest Surprise:

Philadelphia signing #12 FA LHP Norberto Dotel…you have a team that finished top 3 in the AL in most pitching categories, yet was middle of the pack offensively, and you expect them to hit the offensive FA  list hard…they grab a top-notch pitcher instead.

Biggest Gamble:

Jackson signing LHP Fonzie Becker. If Becker can stave off his decline, this move will look like a genius move in 4 years. The addition of a $17.0M, mutual option (5^th year) was a brilliant move, unfortunately Jackson runs the risk of being on the hook for that $17.0M in year 5 when Becker could be a long reliever by then. The decline of Becker would worry me beyond belief.  

Best Value:
RHP Gill Bechler. Richmond played this right, giving the #9 overall FA 3 years at $7.6M ($2.5M/year). To obtain a reliever with a career 3.39 ERA and 1.14 WHIP for that price is unheard of…especially after watching the money paid to some of the relievers on the market.

Worst Value:

RHP Abdul Helton. Louisville panicked here when they saw the #4 FA still on the market. They could’ve gotten him cheaper and $5.2M is a lot of money to pay for 40-50 IP.

Team that added the most talent:
Louisville. The Steamboats signed a league-leading 5 top 50 free agents. After losing 93 games last season, were these additions enough to stem the tide or should they have been more active in FA.

Team that lost the most talent:
Philadelphia – The Freedom lost a total of 7 top 50 free agents. They managed to grab one of them back in RHP Chris Moeller, but in the grand scheme of things, they lost a ton of talent (14 FA overall).