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November 8, 2011 11-12 Offseason Joe Janish

Fearless Free Agent Predictions

With the Hot Stove Season in full effect, and free agents dancing around the open market, I give you my fearless free agent predictions for this offseason.

1. Jim Thome will sign with the Phillies
Hey! I already got one right!

2. Brad Lidge will sign with the Mets
Lidge will be the last closer standing come January, and be signed to a cheap, one-year deal. Sandy Alderson will be lauded for making such a “smart” move.

3. The Marlins will sign one of Jose Reyes, Albert Pujols, or Prince Fielder.
Jeffrey Loria has been saving his pennies for several years, and now has a new stadium to open. If Reyes gets “Crawford money”, it’s likely to come from Miami.

4. C.J. Wilson will sign with the Yankees.
Wilson’s tenure in Manhattan will fare somewhere in between those experienced by Carl Pavano and A.J. Burnett.

5. The Yankees will also sign J.D. Drew, J.D. Durbin, and J.C. Romero, J.R. Towles, and J.D. Martin, while trading for J.A. Happ and B.J. Upton.
The Bronx Bombers will attempt to corner the market on all players who use initials as their first name, but fail in repeated attempts to pry R.A. Dickey away from the Mets. Additionally, F.P. Santangelo will be added to the broadcast booth, J.J. Walker to the coaching staff, and B.B. King will play a bluesy version of the National Anthem.

6. Carlos Beltran will either re-sign with the Giants, or sign with the Boston Red Sox.
I’m seeing a return to San Francisco – which could also lead to him joining a former Mets teammate …

7. Jose Reyes will sign with the Marlins, Giants, Phillies, Nationals, or Brewers.
I know, it’s not much of a prediction when you name 1/6th of MLB. My gut tells me he stays in the NL East — did that narrow it down enough?

8. The Phillies will sign Heath Bell, Michael Cuddyer, and Josh Willingham, and re-sign Ryan Madson.
With that window of opportunity closing fast, the Phillies once again go all in to make the postseason.

9. The Braves will sign Rick Ankiel, and the Nationals will sign Nate McLouth.
Fans will be confused, thinking it was a trade. Neither will benefit from “a fresh start in a new environment”.

10. Jamey Carroll will sign with someone.
And no one will care.

OK, that’s my version of playing Nostradamus .What say you? Post your predictions in the comments.

Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers. Follow Joe's baseball tips on Twitter at @onbaseball and at the On Baseball Google Plus page.
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  1. Corey November 8, 2011 at 1:48 pm
    If C.J. Wilson is playing in Manhattan he will have a problem reaching home plate in THE BRONX.
    • Joe Janish November 9, 2011 at 12:38 am
      His tenure in Manhattan is not necessarily the same as his playing career in the Bronx. Know what I’m sayin’?
  2. Steve S. November 8, 2011 at 5:47 pm
    Jose Reyes, Joe Nathan, and even Jay Horowitz will be too expensive for the Mets. The office layoffs will continue, but the Wilpons will continue to pay their country club dues (in the hopes of finding a member who can guarantee them a ten percent return per year).
  3. Mets Fan Brasil November 9, 2011 at 1:02 am
    parece que suas previsões vão se confirmar … pelo menos em relação a Ryan Madson !!! por favor fale alguma coisa boa do Mets , talvez isso aconteça também !!!

    it seems that their predictions will be confirmed … at least in relation to Ryan Madson! Please tell us something good of the Mets, maybe it happen too !!!

  4. Joe November 9, 2011 at 9:28 am
    “Smart” sounds sarcastic.

    Whatever it means, yes, it would make sense for them to sign a cheap closer to fill in short term. I don’t see any one w/i that would make a good closer. Parnell surely didn’t sell himself well. Beato according to some would make a better starter. So, some one like Lidge would make sense.

    I don’t know how “smart” it is really, but I do predict more disdain and sarcasm, including potshots at Sandy Alderson, how people are being played by him again etc. The other stuff sounds reasonable, though don’t know what the last bit is about. Pick a name out of a hat?

    • Joe Janish November 13, 2011 at 2:19 pm
      Yes, “smart” was dripping with sarcasm. This time last year there were dozens of bloggers and beat writers describing Sandy’s signing of D.J. Carrasco to a two-year deal as a “smart” move. The Chris Young, Taylor Tankersley, Taylor Buchholz, and Boof Bonser deals were seen as similarly “smart”.

      Strangely, when Omar Minaya scraped the bottom of the barrel for low-cost injury risks / chronic failures it was deemed wasteful or barely reported (Chad Bradford, RA Dickey, Kelvim Escobar, Ramon Castro, Pedro Feliciano, etc.).

      Throwing paint on the wall and waiting for something to stick is the same regardless of the person doing it. Sometimes you get lucky, most times you don’t. But it seemed last winter that every can of paint Sandy threw was deemed “smart” — because it was Sandy and not Omar.

      I’m eager to see how long this honeymoon lasts.

  5. mic November 11, 2011 at 4:16 am
    So where is our Young…Chris Young that is?
  6. Jimmy Prinzler November 11, 2011 at 11:10 pm
    I’d buy on Lidge for a 1 year deal with team option for 2013 because of few reasons; he’s cheap, low-risk contract, and he knows NL East hitters very well. As for Reyes, I think we have lost him already and I still don’t buy on Tejada and I hope Flores will surprise us in Spring `12 and give him a shot if Reyes signs somewhere else.
  7. Jimmy Prinzler November 11, 2011 at 11:18 pm
    H. Ramirez said he would welcome Reyes to South Beach but he also said this, “I’m the shortstop right now and I consider myself a shortstop,” Ramirez told the Miami Herald.