X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Top 50 MLB Free Agents for 2015: Where Will They Land? #20-11

By Keith Allison (Flickr: David Robertson) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Justing Berglund looks at the top 50 MLB free agents for the 2015 season, 20-11. Stay up on the biggest free agents as we enter the hot stove season.

By Keith Allison (Flickr: David Robertson) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsLots of big name free agents are finding new homes in this hot stove season, and it already feels like the 2015 MLB season is just around the corner. First Victor Martinez and Michael Cuddyer signed with the Detroit Tigers and New York Mets, then Russel Martin signed a huge deal with the Blue Jays, and most recently the Red Sox shocked the baseball world by not only signing Pablo Sandoval away from the Giants, a team he won 3 World Series with, but also prying Hanley Ramirez out of Los Angeles, bringing him home to the team that signed him as an International Free Agent all the way back in 2000.

It's safe to say the 2015 MLB hot stove season (aka the free agent offseason) has officially begun! From now until Opening Day, teams will be looking to add some of the top free agent players in the game.

This is part 4 of a 5 part series. We already looked at free agents 50-41, 40-31, and 30-21, and are now going to analyze #20-11. Keep in mind, we are looking at MLB Free Agents, so you won't find Yasmani Tomas and the rest of the international players who are looking to sign. This will just be players with MLB experience looking to find a new home.

 

Top 50 MLB Free Agents for 2015: 20-11

20. Brandon McCarthy (SP)

Brandon McCarthy has had a rough career up to this point. He has had plenty of issues with his shoulder, missing parts of 7 seasons including all of 2010. In 2014 he had a resurgence after being traded to the Yankees. In 18 starts to start the year with the Diamondbacks, he went 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA. In pinstripes, McCarthy improved with a 7-5 ERA and a 2.89 ERA, which is what majorly added to his offseason value. His injury past might put him at a discount to some teams. Although I don’t say it often, the Yankees are smart to pursue him as a cost-friendly option, and is a nice option for them going forward with their documented rotation issues.

2015 Most Likely Team: Yankees

 

19. Colby Rasmus (3B)

I believe Rasmus is going to be the diamond in the rough of 2015 Free Agency. Rasmus played only 104 games in 2014 due to a sore hamstring in May and a lack of production towards the end of the year led to his benching. His .225/.285/.448 slashline is a far cry from his 2013 career highs of .276/.338/.501. I really don’t know where he is going to go, as there aren't too many rumors going around about Rasmus. The Tigers traded away Austin Jackson, and are losing Torii Hunter to free agency. With that in mind, Rasmus could fill the hole in The Motor City.

2015 Most Likely Team: Tigers

 

18. Hiroki Kuroda (SP)

There were plenty of issues with the Yankees rotation in 2014. CC Sabathia was hurt for almost all of the season and is all but irrelevant going forward. Masahiro Tanaka exploded early for the year and then hurt himself. Michael Pineda had his controversy with the pine tar then a lack of production. Hiroki Kuroda seems to be the one consistent piece for the pinstripes the last few years. He's had an ERA in the mid 3.00’s, racked up between 146-167 Ks and had at least 32 starts every year he has been in the Bronx. I see no reason for either side to not want to stay together.

2015 Most Likely Team: Yankees

 

17. Alex Rios (OF)

In all of my research for where Rios might land, all I have found is that he is a ‘backup option’ for plenty of teams. That means he might sit around waiting for the phone to ring for a while this offseason. 4 HRs, 17 SBs and a .709 OPS isn’t horrible, but when looking at Rios’ 2013 18/42/.756, it is a big red flag for a guy who will be 34 on Opening Day. The Giants lost Michael Morse, so my best guess is that Rios will take over his role as the veteran outfield depth.

2015 Most Likely Team: Giants

 

16. Aramis Ramirez (3B)

Aramis Ramirez accepted his $14 Million 2015 option with the Brewers. It was a smart move, as I don’t think he would have gotten much more than that on the free agent market. With Pablo Sandoval leaving San Francisco for Boston, it would have been interesting to see if the Giants took a shot at Ramirez, who is a similar player to Kung Fu Panda but with more power and consistency. Now looking towards next offseason, he’ll be 36 and a lot of his appeal with depend on how he does this year with the Brew Crew.

2015 Team: Brewers

 

15. Chase Headley (3B)

Just as I thought Aramis Ramirez was an option for the Giants post-Sandoval, Chase Headey is now in the running for that job. The Yankees, who Headley finished the season with after being traded from the Padres, are also in the running for him. Alex Rodriguez is far from a productive guarantee in 2015, and Headley could be brought in as insurance for A-Rod. This leaves Headley to go for the best deal, and the Yankees should be able to outbid the Giants.

2015 Most Likely Team: Yankees

 

14. Andrew Miller (RP)

I love that on a list with so many great relievers, a guy like Miller, who is not a closer, is such a highly coveted free agent. It shows how great his stuff has been recently that a reported 22 teams have contacted Miller’s agent. He only recorded his first save this year with Baltimore after being traded from Boston, and has a career 4.91 ERA. Yet his strong 2014 with a 2.02 ERA led by his electric fastball that tops out at 94 and his slider are what has made him so valuable. The Red Sox, who have shown they are going to spend big, are in the running for him. Yet after losing their own closer, Toronto is going to pursue Miller hard and I like him landing with the Blue Jays.

2015 Most Likely Team: Blue Jays

 

13. Jake Peavy (SP)

Another guy traded from the Red Sox, Jake Peavy is a great middle of the rotation guy, as he showed winning World Series titles back to back years in Boston and San Francisco. He wasn’t the best during the Giants run, but his 2.17 ERA, and 6. K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 are going to get the 33 year old a nice multi-year deal. I really don’t see a reason he doesn’t resign with the Giants. He fits into their rotation well, and he is good friends with Madison Bumgarner and Tim Hudson The Giants should have plenty of money to spend this offseason now that their #1 priority in Pablo Sandoval left.

2015 Most Likely Team: Giants

 

12. David Robertson (RP)

The top reliever in this class, David Robertson is going to get himself paid handsomely over the winter. He is only 29 years old, and his 39 saves are more than the Yankees could’ve asked for in the wake of Mariano Rivera’s retirement. I love his elite 13.9 K/9 and 4.17 K/BB rate, which shows he is doing more than just ending games, he’s dominating hitters. I have the Yankees retaining a lot of their players, and Robertson is no different.

2015 Most Likely Team: Yankees

 

11. Adam LaRoche (1B)

I love Adam LaRoche. The Nationals, however, don’t have room for him. He's landed in the South Side of Chicago, where he will likely split 1B / DH duties with cuban phenom Jose Abreu.  Laroche will bolster their infield, and is an above average defensive first baseman. At 35, his best years are behind him, but he has kept his production up. His 2014 line of 26 HR, 92 RBI and .259 BA are right at his career average. I also love his 82 BBs, a career high, which helped bolster his best ever .362 OBP. The White Sox have lost Paul Konerko to the retirement home, and Jose Abreu, with his achilles issues from last year, is not an every day 1B type, so LaRoche should fit in well on the south side.

2015 Team: White Sox

 

There you have it. The last installation of this series, where we go after #10-1, will highlight the best of the best this offseason. I'll be covering the big 3 starting pitchers, the biggest hitters, some  of whom have already landed, and a few more guys. Make sure you come back to see which players I predict correctly and which I get way, way wrong.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Matthew Stafford

Expected to Start in Week 1
Edward Cabrera

Heading to Injured List With Elbow Sprain
Najee Harris

Cleared for Contact, Could Play in Week 1
Denny Hamlin

Ends Eventful Day at Darlington in Seventh Place
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Almost Earns a Top-Five Finish at Darlington
John Hunter Nemechek

has His Best 2025 Performance at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Has An Underwhelming Performance At Darlington
Josh Berry

Crashes Early and Suffers A Playoff Setback at Darlington
Harry Ford

Called Up for Major-League Debut
Victor Scott II

Activated From Injured List
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Dealing With Hamstring Tightness, Expects to Play Monday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

"Staying in Milwaukee"
Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Agrees to a One-Year Contract with Milwaukee
Kyrie Irving

"Healing Up Great"
Dante Exum

Mavs Agree on a One-Year Deal
Jaylen Warren

Agrees to Two-Year Extension With Steelers
De'Von Achane

Practicing Monday, on Track to Play in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Could Report to Browns This Week
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs, Trent McDuffie Not Expected to Finalize Extension
Chase Elliott

Under Playoff Pressure After 17th-Place Darlington Finish
Kyle Larson

Despite Hendrick Mediocrity, Kyle Larson Remains Pretty Safe in Playoffs
Alex Bowman

Opening-Lap Crash and Botched Pit Stop May Have Sunk Alex Bowman's Playoff Hopes
Erik Jones

Darlington Master Erik Jones Comes Up Short but Still Finishes Third
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Impresses at Southern 500
Dameon Pierce

Ahead of Schedule, Ready for Season
Jordan Love

May Wear Thumb Brace During Season
Chicago Bears

Bears Head Coach Admits Offense Could Face Learning Curve
Matt Chapman

Leaves Early on Sunday, Expects to Play Monday
A.J. Brown

Says He'll Be Active For Season Opener
Luis Garcia

to Make Season Debut on Monday
Max Scherzer

Exits Due to Back Tightness
Taylor Ward

Exits Early After Collison
Braelon Allen

Says He Has a Lot Left to Prove
Sal Stewart

Reds Promoting Sal Stewart to Majors
Daniel Suarez

is A DFS Risk for Darlington Lineups?
Randy Rodríguez

Randy Rodriguez to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Noah Gragson

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Noah Gragson for Darlington?
Ty Dillon

is an Excellent Punt Option for Darlington DFS Lineups
Bogdan Bogdanović

Bogdan Bogdanovic to Miss the Rest of EuroBasket
Denny Hamlin

Picking Up Where He Left Off At Darlington
Kyle Larson

The Sky Is The Limit for Kyle Larson at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

a Strong DFS Play at Darlington This Weekend
Tyler Reddick

Shouldn't Be Overlooked at Darlington This Weekend
Alex Bowman

An Easy Place-Differential Play in DFS This Weekend
Ty Gibbs

Could Be Strong at Darlington This Weekend
Erik Jones

Has Best Darlington Qualifying Effort Since Last Win
Zane Smith

Hopeful For Another Solid Run At Darlington
Aroldis Chapman

Agrees to Contract Extension
Juan Soto

Homers Twice in Loss
Nick Kurtz

Avoids Serious Injury
MacKenzie Gore

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Reaches 25-Homer, 25-Steal Milestone
Chris Sale

Activated on Saturday
Dansby Swanson

Homers Twice, Drives in Six in Win
Nick Kurtz

Leaves Game With Oblique Soreness
Joe Burrow

Bengals Feel Joe Burrow Just had "the Best Training Camp of his Career"
Randy Rodríguez

Tommy John Surgery Recommended for Randy Rodriguez
Corey Seager

Placed on Injured List
Jackson Chourio

to Return From Injured List on Saturday
Dallas Mavericks

Olivier-Maxence Prosper Waived by the Mavs
Lauri Markkanen

Dominant in Win Over Great Britain
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Leads Serbia to a Win
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Shines Versus Portugal
De'Von Achane

Should be Ready for Week 1
Jose Alvarado

"Good" After Recent Fall
Green Bay Packers

Packers Acquire Micah Parsons, Sign him to Four-Year Extension
Jauan Jennings

Remains Sidelined at Practice
Chris Godwin

to Miss First Month of Season, Possibly More
Quinshon Judkins

Not Considering Return to College
A.J. Brown

Returns to Practice, Expected to Play in Week 1
Jaylen Wright

Undergoes Surgery, Could be Back "Septemberish"
Tyreek Hill

on Track to Play in Week 1
Kyren Williams

to See Reduced Workload?
Lauri Markkanen

Torches Sweden
Neemias Queta

Dominates in EuroBasket Opener
Kawhi Leonard

Clippers Not Allowing Kawhi Leonard to Play Back-to-Backs
Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks Looking to Trade Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Tyrese Haliburton

Expects to Return in 15 Months
Terance Mann

Confident About Having a Big Year in Brooklyn
Zaccharie Risacher

Aims to Improve Ball-Handling Skills
NBA

Pistons And Timberwolves Join Race for Malik Beasley
John Tonje

Signs Two-Way Deal With Jazz
Max Strus

to Miss 3-4 Months After Surgery

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP