By MICHAEL SMITH
Staff Writer
Pitchers and catchers start reporting this week for many MLB teams, and position players will return soon after. With that said, the 2012 season will be underway, yet there are still some free agents in the open market, guys who could still prove to be impact players.
Roy Oswalt is the arguably top starting pitcher still not on a roster, coming off a tough season with Philadelphia. In 2011, Oswalt had a 9-10 record with a 3.69 ERA in 23 starts. Oswalt missed time last year due to a series of tornadoes that hit near his hometown in Missouri. When he returned, he dealt with back problems that put him on the disabled list.
Oswalt has been linked to the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, and Toronto Blue Jays, all rumors with nothing being confirmed. Most of those teams have denied being in negotiations with Oswalt, others have said they are staying away from Oswalt because he is asking for too much money for a guy coming off an injury-riddled season.
Boston would be a good spot for Oswalt because he would be apart of another formidable rotation like he was in Philadelphia, going from Halladay, Lee, and Hamels, to Beckett, Lester, and Lackey.
There is a group of hitters that are still out there, and are widely considered to fit the same need for many teams, as a fourth or fifth outfielder and designated hitter.
Vladimir Guerrero, Johnny Damon, Raul Ibanez, and Hideki Matsui are four guys that American League teams are looking at as guys that might be able to round out their lineup. Damon, Ibanez, and Matsui all have added value over Guerrero because they are all left-handed.
Ibanez has been rumored to be close to signing with the Yankees, and that would be a very solid addition. Ibanez is a guy who can still play left field, if needed, and he can definitely still hit.
Last year in Philadelphia, Ibanez saw a drop off in his batting average, from .275 in 2010, to .245 in 2011; however, he still hit 20 home runs and had 84 RBI’s. Though he is aging, a left-handed hitter with those power numbers who will play 81 games in Yankee Stadium, still has high value.
Not to mention that a guy hitting after Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, and Alex Rodriguez will see a lot of pitches with runners on base.
The other three guys have been quiet and not much has been said about them. All four have been linked to a few teams here and there, but nothing of any substance.
So if you are looking at your team’s roster and feel you are missing a few pieces, do not worry. There are guys that are still out there that can bring some help to your team, and as teams begin spring training, the prices of these guys will begin to drop.
