MLB free agency — Left Fielder: Jon Jay
Although he didn’t provide much power or speed in the bottom of the order for the Chicago Cubs, Jon Jay got on base often. Also, his competition in the category is Jayson Werth, Melky Cabrera, and Ben Revere.
None are very enticing options. Hence Jay gets the nod.
Jay’s slash wasn’t anything special last season – or any season for that matter. But he posted an average better than .270 in every season but one throughout his career. His .296 average last year ranked fifth among left fielders with more than 400 plate appearances.
The free agent outfielder primarily hits out of two spots in the order – leadoff and the No. 9 spot.
Being that his wheels cooled off since he was in St. Louis, he wouldn’t seem like the prototypical leadoff guy. However, he does get on base often so that he could earn a chance there. The Cubs slotted him in the No. 1 spot in more than 50 games, but he was much better in the No. 9 hole.
Essentially, Jay is better as a second leadoff guy in Joe Maddon’s scheme. And he might be best in that role for just about any team.
Either way, he’s still arguably the best-left fielder on the market, even if Cabrera boasted better numbers offensively last season.
MLB free agency– Center Fielder: Carlos Gomez
All of the center fielders left on the market boast speed. But Gomez is the only one left that possesses a speck of power as well.
What each free agent center fielder lacks is consistency, including Gomez. He used to be a former All-Star, yet he can’t hold down a starting job anymore.
Rajai Davis and Cameron Maybin join Gomez as gold members in the platoon club because of their speed and experience. Maybin swiped more than 30 bags last year, keeping him relevant on the Angels’ roster.
Nonetheless, Gomez is an overall better hitter – at least he was last season. He clobbered 17 homers while hitting .255. Yet, his on-base percentage was a decent .340, better than guys like Adam Jones, Jackie Bradley Jr., and A.J. Pollock.
His fielding abilities aren’t what they used to be. He didn’t save any runs defensively in either of the previous two seasons. Maybin was an efficient defender in Los Angeles, but not in Houston.
Most of this decision boils down to whether a team is more confident in Gomez or Maybin at the plate. Considering Gomez had a rebound campaign last season, he probably gets the upper edge.
Neither of the two is above-average options, though.
MLB free agency– J.D. Martinez
Martinez is arguably the best free agent position player. If it weren’t for Yu Darvish, he would probably be the best free agent left on the market overall.
Rumors connected Martinez and the Red Sox since the first day of the offseason, yet nothing has come of it. Either Martinez is unhappy with the role Boston wants him to play, or he is asking for too much money.
Teams aren’t willing to overpay the outfielder despite the mind-boggling amount of power he demonstrated in the second half of 2017. But his overall resume is above-average for many reasons.
And he would be the biggest star in the lineup on this squad, along with Hosmer. Martinez is a former All-Star that hit better than .300 in three of his previous four seasons. He smacked 128 bombs in that time span, including 45 last season.
What Martinez did last season was impressive. He would have been a significant MVP contender if he played a full season, as he posted a .303/.376/.690 triple-slash line in 2017. Mike Trout was the only player with a better OPS last year among players with more than 400 plate appearances.
Any manager would stash the outfielder into the No. 3 or cleanup spot of their lineup. And that should be the case with nearly any team, as Martinez possesses some of the best power in the game.
Not many opposing pitchers foiled Martinez since 2014. And unless they can figure the slugger out, he may put up another 40 bombs – or more – in 2018 as well.