Top 5 Under the Radar Free Agents Still Available
Who are the top five under the radar free agents still available?
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
As the calendar flipped over to 2014 clubs are preparing for spring training beginning next month, but that does not mean GMs are done improving rosters before the season. Many talented free agents are still available and with big names like Masahiro Tanaka, Nelson Cruz, Matt Garza, and Kendrys Morales getting most of the attention some talented and useful players are going unnoticed.
While teams would ideally like to be above average or above at every position, money does not grow on trees and not every spot can be filled with a superstar. Here are the top five players who seem to be flying under the radar in the free agent market.
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1. John Buck, C:
In 2013 Buck split time between the Mets and Pirates while hitting .219 with 15 HR and 62 RBI in 110 games. He was tied for tenth in HR and RBI amongst catchers despite missing 52 games. If you compare him to Russell Martin, one of the more productive catchers in the league, Buck might have been better offensively. Martin hit .226 with 15 HR and 55 RBI in 127 games. In other words, Buck had the same amount of home runs and seven more RBI with 46 less at-bats than Martin. He might not hit for the highest average, but one thing you get with Buck is run production. He is also an above average defensive catcher going into his age 33 season.
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2. Jason Hammel, RHP:
With the Orioles in 2013, Hammel posted a 7-8 record with a 4.97 ERA. I get it, not the best numbers for a SP but everybody has down years once in a while. In 2012 Hammel was 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA in Baltimore and only gave up nine home runs in 20 starts on the year. He did that with great command on the lower part of the strikezone and kept balls in the yard. His walk rate was actually better in 2013 so we are not talking about a guy that has lost his control, he was just simply leaving pitches too far up and over the plate. He had a hiccup in 2013 but for pitchers things like command do not just disappear forever. By no means is he top of the rotation arm, but he can be helpful for a team with holes in the back end of their rotation. He is a guy that can eat up innings and bolster a rotation in 2014.
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3. Mark Reynolds, 1B/3B:
Reynolds split time between Cleveland and New York in 2013. He posted a .220 BA with 21 HR and 67 RBI in 135 games. At age 30 Reynolds is showing that he still has a lot of baseball left to play and if he keeps driving in runs, teams should be making room for him on their roster. He has natural power at the plate as he has hit over 20 HR in each of the last six seasons and over 30 in three of the last five. Reynolds could be a viable option for clubs looking to fill holes in the corner infield positions while bringing in a run producing, power bat.
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4. Eric O’Flaherty, LHP:
If you look at O’Flaherty’s numbers since 2009 it really makes you want to scratch your head as to why he is still available. Although he had elbow surgery that ended his season last year, teams will be hard pressed to find a more consistent guy for their bullpens. If you go back to his last full season, 2012, O’Flaherty posted a 1.73 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 57.1 IP. In 2011 he had a .98 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 73.2 IP. It is tough to find a reliable left-hander out of the pen and if O’Flaherty is one thing it is reliable. When he was healthy in 2013 he was very effective with a WHIP of .944 in 18 IP. Teams should seriously look at O’Flaherty as a good option for their pens. Guys come back from elbow surgery all the time, and since he is a reliever teams can monitor his workload better to make sure he is healthy.
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5. Michael Young, Utility: Yes, it is true that Michael Young is no longer the perennial All-Star that he used to be, but the guy can still hit. Young batted .279 with eight HR and 46 RBI in 147 games in 2013. He is getting a little on the old side but he is only two years removed from when he had 213 hits in 2011. Young provides an intelligence and scrappy-like play on the field that can help any ball club. He is also very versatile defensively as he rotated in at 3B, SS, and 2B during the season. He might work best with an American League team so he could rotate in at any infield spot while also producing from the DH position at times. His presence and experience could really help a club that is on the younger side. Young still has some playing left to do and if history is any indicator, he will continue to put up solid numbers.