While it may have been based purely on uniform design, we’re pretty proud of our predictive skills when it came to choosing this year’s World Series champion. Now that the season has wrapped up and we move into a cold, baseball-less winter, it’s time to speculate where some of the game’s top free agents will play next season. Don’t worry; these predictions are based on actual baseball info.
1. Yu Darvish – Once the crown jewel of an international bidding war when he came to the U.S. from Japan, Darvish has seen his stock drop a bit over the years with claims that his pitching motion is allowing batters to guess his pitches. We can’t speak to split second decisions and minor tweaks in arm angle, but despite his struggles in high profile games, Darvish is set to rake in a hefty ransom as a free agent. We’re going out on a limb and guessing that the Minnesota Twins will be his landing spot. They’re young, have money to spend, and are likely to see the playoffs for several years to come.
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| Photo credit: trbimg.com |
3. J.D. Martinez – A few years ago, J.D. was a quiet contributor trying to find his swing on a crowded, talented Tigers team. He’s now emerged as a bonafide slugger who’s bound to command serious cash. He’s got some injury concerns from a few seasons ago, but has enough upside for teams to ignore that and sign him to a long-term deal. An American League team makes sense to provide him some off days from defense, so we’d guess the Boston Red Sox will welcome Martinez to town.
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| Photo credit: mlb.com |
5. Wade Davis – Consistent, unflappable closing pitchers are incredibly valuable to any team, and the market is thin this year. After coming over to the Cubs via trade last offseason, Wade Davis continued his recent dominance and converted close to every save opportunity he was given. Overuse during the postseason revealed that he’s better suited in a traditional, 3-out closer role, but his reliability can’t be understated. The Cubs have no good in-house options to replace him and won’t fork over huge money for another closer. Expect Davis to resign with the Chicago Cubs this offseason if the market looks to be bullish.
The baseball offseason is always an exciting time for fans and teams looking to see a rebuilt roster. Where do you think the top free agents will end up next season? Let us know in the comments below!
