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Something to Think About
Third basemen who are free agents after the 2009 season (number in parentheses is age):
Rich Aurilia (38)
Adrian Beltre (31)
Geoff Blum (37)
Aaron Boone (37)
Craig Counsell (39)
Joe Crede (32)
Pedro Feliz (35) – $5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Chone Figgins (32)
Nomar Garciaparra (36)
Troy Glaus (33)
Mike Lamb (34)
Melvin Mora (38) – $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Pablo Ozuna (35)
Robb Quinlan (33)
Starting pitchers who are free agents after the 2009 season:
Brandon Backe (32)
Miguel Batista (39)
Josh Beckett (30) – $12MM club/vesting option with a $2MM buyout
Erik Bedard (31)
Kris Benson (34)
Daniel Cabrera (29)
Chris Capuano (31)
Bartolo Colon (37)
Jose Contreras (38)
Doug Davis (34)
Justin Duchscherer (32)
Adam Eaton (32)
Shawn Estes (37)
Josh Fogg (33)
Freddy Garcia (34)
Jon Garland (30) – $10MM mutual option with $2.5MM or $1MM buyout
Tom Glavine (44)
Mike Hampton (37)
Rich Harden (28)
Mark Hendrickson (36)
Livan Hernandez (35)
Tim Hudson (34) – $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Jason Jennings (31)
Jason Johnson (36)
Randy Johnson (46)
John Lackey (31)
Cliff Lee (31) – $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Braden Looper (35) – $6.5MM mutual option with possible buyout
Rodrigo Lopez (34)
Jason Marquis (31)
Kevin Millwood (35) – Rangers can decline $12MM salary for ’10 unless he reaches 180 innings in ’09
Brian Moehler (38) – mutual option
Brett Myers (29)
Vicente Padilla (32)
Chan Ho Park (37)
John Parrish (32)
Carl Pavano (34)
Brad Penny (32)
Odalis Perez (33)
Andy Pettitte (38)
Joel Pineiro (31)
Sidney Ponson (33)
Mark Prior (28)
Horacio Ramirez (30)
Jason Schmidt (37)
John Smoltz (43)
Tim Wakefield (43) – perpetual $4MM club option
Jarrod Washburn (35)
Brandon Webb (31) – $8.5MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Todd Wellemeyer (31)
Kip Wells (33)
Randy Wolf (33)
John Smoltz (43)
Tim Wakefield (43) – perpetual $4MM club option
Jarrod Washburn (35)
Todd Wellemeyer (31)
Kip Wells (33)
Randy Wolf (33
When you assume that guys like Beckett, Lee, and Webb are all going to have their options bought out, there really isn’t much to choose from. Probably the most attractive names on those lists (aside from Adrian Beltre), are Chone Figgins, Justin Duchscherer, Rich Harden, Joel Pineiro, and John Lackey. There’s not much else.
Aside from mentioning that I would love a Rich Harden or a Chone Figgins signing, I really don’t have any analysis or interesting thoughts about this. These lists are just something interesting to look at when you’re thinking about potential free agent signings in the off season. It isn’t real encouraging though.
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