This MLB Offseason has been incredibly slow. While the Free Agent class does not have much depth this year, there are still big names on the market. Traditionally we see the big free agents sign right before the holidays and/or the new year. There have been a number of small and medium signings, but most big names still remain. This includes Jake Arrieta, Yu Darvish, J.D. Martinez, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas, Addison Reed, Greg Holland, and Alex Cobb.
Darvish and Arrieta are arguably the biggest names on the market this offseason with Martinez being the biggest position player.
Rumors have swirled around these names since the regular season ended, but here we are approaching mid-January and they remain unsigned. How much longer can this last? It has already lasted longer than many originally thought.
Paying the pitchers
Yu Darvish and Jake Arrieta are expecting a big pay day, especially considering Arrieta is a Scott Boras client. Darvish has been linked to a number of teams which include the Cubs, Yankees, Astros, Rangers, Twins, and a "mystery team." The mystery team was tweeted out by Darvish himself, who also shot down a rumor that he had singed with the Cubs a few weeks back. According to Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay, there was a big offer of seven years and $140 million for Darvish by the Yankees but it was pulled.
Meanwhile the talk around Arrieta has been very little. Most of it is just ideas of teams being potentially interested like the Cubs, Brewers or Cardinals. Other than that, nothing. With Wade Davis being signed to a big three-year deal with the Rockies, Holland and Reed remain as the biggest relievers on the market. Contending teams are still trying to up their respective bullpens, but like Arrieta and Darvish there are probably teams that do not want to overpay, especially considering the fact that Davis is getting $17 million a year in Colorado.
Even pitchers like Alex Cobb are playing the money game. Rumors spread that Cobb was seeking a $20 million a year of at least three years. While Cobb is a solid four on a contending team, $20 million is a lot to pay for that kind of pitcher. There was another rumor that he was offered a deal by the Cubs which he turned down, but Cobb's camp has denied it.
How much he will sign for and where is really not known, but it is amazing how even he has not picked a spot yet.
I know one more team is in. https://t.co/exxubGP7Qo
— ダルビッシュ有(Yu Darvish) (@faridyu) January 11, 2018
Apparently Michael Kay said that the #Yankees offered Yu Darvish a 7-year, $160 million deal, but they then pulled that offer. Take that information how you’d want, but I’d wait on the national guys or local NYY guys to report on it.
— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) January 11, 2018
The Alex Cobb camp deny the rumored 4 year $80 million that was being passed around on twitter .
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) December 12, 2017
Position players
So much of the offseason has focused on the pitching, that the position players sometimes get forgotten about.
J.D. Martinez is coming off a year in which he hit 45 home runs and slashed .303/.376/1.066 in 119 games. He is turning 30 this year so he has some years left in him. There are a number of teams seeking power bats like the Cardinals, Giants, and Mets, to name a few. Coming off a year like he had, it is very likely he will be seeking big money. Craig Calcaterra of NBC says he may not find a new home until spring.
J.D. Martinez may hold out into spring training to sign https://t.co/dh1uDsH4PK via @HardballTalk
— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) January 11, 2018
In terms of other position players, Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas are still on the market. They do not have the value of J.D. Martinez right now, but they still have value.
Moustakas has been inconsistent with the bat over the years, but has had solid seasons recently and is always good at the hot corner. Cain will probably sign with a team looking for either a good defender or a guy to bat near the top of the order. Again not a lot of teams are rumored to be in on them big time.
It is interesting to note the rumors surrounding first baseman Eric Hosmer. The 28-year-old was an All Star in 2016 and a four-time Gold Glove winner with Kansas City. He has been linked to the Padres, who are said to have offered him a seven-year deal. Others are saying the Royals are going to try hard to bring him back. Again, nothing seems close with him.
Ticking clock
We are basically one month away from pitchers and catchers reporting.
With so many pitchers left unsigned, it would seem like a pitcher would want to know which team they will be with for this year as soon as possible, but teams and players are clearly not on the same page contract-wise. When one domino falls, the rest may follow, but when?
